Embrace DVR

I am not quick to embrace new technology. I didn't have a CD player until college, I was one of the last people I knew to get a cell phone, and I honestly have no desire to have an iPhone. That said, I am learning to appreciate the benefits of technology. I mean, look at me - I'm blogging! I also adore my iPod and at least now acknowledge the usefulness of having a cell phone (although I don't use it much). My favorite new technology, though, has to be DVR. I was slow to adopt this one, too, insisting that it was a waste of money. If there was something on TV I really wanted to watch, then I'd be home for it. On a rare occasion, maybe I'd set the VCR and tape a show. And I didn't really mind the commercials - it gave me a chance to hit the fridge or talk to the person next to me.

Then I had a baby. As all parents know, this means that my schedule was turned upside down. I lost the luxury of being able to sit on the couch at 8 or 9PM and watch a favorite show without interruption. So we got DVR through our cable company, and I immediately said, "Oh my gosh why did we wait so long to get this and how did I ever live without it!?!"

I honestly thought DVR was for people who watched a lot of TV; but I've found that I actually watch less, and I can be more selective about what I watch. If I have time to watch a little TV, I can watch shows I want to watch instead of the incessant flipping through bad show after bad show. And now I can plan my TV-watching around my life instead of the other way around, which is of course the way it should be. I can get all my nightly chores done and then start my show when I am fully ready to relax and enjoy it. Finding this little bit of "me-time" during my weekdays has become crucial to maintaining my sanity as a mom. Sometimes a mug of ice cream and 20 minutes of Jon Stewart is all it takes.

Some of my current favorites: The Daily Show (Jon Stewart), The Colbert Report, Lost, House, Heroes, Damages, 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights