Small Talk: Chili's

[Kalliste]

That's a good point @Pixel, I've never had a nurse present  but then in most cases pap tests here are just done by your local GP. It might be a bit different if I were to go to an actual gyno. I'm considering doing that if the results of this come back as abnormal or that it needs to be redone. I think I need to go to someone who does it for a day job rather than every so often :P Get my confidence back up about doing them.

[Kalliste]

I went to the doctors today (unrelated to the above) and my test came back fine! *high five*. My doctor also gave me a med cert for 3 days! Woo! I really didn't expect that. He is making me get blood tests done though so there will be no sleeping in tomorrow as one of them is fasting tests boo! but 3 days off work this week is not too bad.

Plus my ipad arrived this morning! It is shiny and new.

[King of Birds]

I had my physical last week and most of the numbers were good, but would be *much* better if I weighed less. So I have to get back on a more restrictive diet. Ugh. No fun, but needed. I don't see me getting a tuck like @Pixel.  And then, to find out my good pal @LiberryLady posts about going to a donut convention in LA! Like, real soon too.

I did see some movies recently- Money Monster and The Nice Guys. I enjoyed both, but Nice Guys was very funny. I realize I haven't posted many polls lately but the last few I did, didn't get many votes. I wasn't sure if it was the subjects, or the options, but nonetheless, I sorta was all "whatevs" so I stopped.

[MichelleAK]

I'm taking a couple of days off next week to stretch the Memorial Day weekend, and hope to see at least a couple of movies.  Definitely the new X-Men movie, and maybe the Alice in Wonderland movie.  I'd also like to see The Nice Guys.  I loved Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, so am hoping TNG is at that level.

[Pixel]

13 hours ago, King of Birds said:

I had my physical last week and most of the numbers were good, but would be *much* better if I weighed less. So I have to get back on a more restrictive diet. Ugh. No fun, but needed. I don't see me getting a tuck like @Pixel.  And then, to find out my good pal @LiberryLady posts about going to a donut convention in LA! Like, real soon too.

I did see some movies recently- Money Monster and The Nice Guys. I enjoyed both, but Nice Guys was very funny. I realize I haven't posted many polls lately but the last few I did, didn't get many votes. I wasn't sure if it was the subjects, or the options, but nonetheless, I sorta was all "whatevs" so I stopped.

Well, a tuck doesn't really fix that stuff anyway. I mean, yeah, I'm down 19 lbs since surgery ( so I'm only 5 lbs away from my goal weight) and that's undoubtedly helping my blood sugar levels, etc., but I've still got a fatty liver and all the same crap I had before someone sucked away 8 lbs of ugly fat from around my torso.

I finally caught Spy on HBO.  Holy shit, that's a funny movie.  It's become one that when there's nothing else on, we'll put it on and just watch from whatever point it's at.  Jason Statham is hilarious in it as well as Melissa McCarthy.  I also finally saw Trainwreck.  It was amusing. I like Amy Schumer, but I don't really get why this got all the accolades it did. It definitely had moments, but it wasn't the funniest or most poignant thing I've seen all year.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Pixel

[possibilities]

I once sent a survey out to a mailing list, and got a 20% response rate. At the time, I was told that was a fabulous rate of return, so I'm thinking the problem with the polls here is not the polls themselves, but that we don't get enough traffic anymore. If 20% of us voted, you'd probably see hardly any response, but you'd be doing great.

[LiberryLady]

Jeezy Creezy, I didn't realize I had to reset the option to have posts emailed to me!  I thought this thread had gone Death Chicken to the Death Chicken-y max!

Quote

 I don't expect it to be a good experience but it was a pretty crap one. There was more blood than expected and he assured me how 'not good' that was. I don't know whether to think it really isn't good or that he was just so rough that he caused it. 

What? WHAT?! Kaliste, I've never had a speck of blood in all the years I've had a pap. That dude was definitely a crap doctor.

Quote

And then, to find out my good pal @LIBERRYLADY posts about going to a donut convention in LA! Like, real soon too.

It's true!  The LiberryLass is even driving down to join me.  Not only do they have donuts, but hard apple cider, which is MY DRINK. It's like this festival is just for meeeee!

Aw, it's been ten years since Casino Night? Hard to believe it's been that long.  I miss our lady-porn cohort of fanfiction writers.

[Kalliste]

I looked it up @LiberryLady and it's not overly uncommon. Potentially related to being on BC but I'm not sure. The results came back fine at least and I'm never going to him again!

Good luck @King of Birds, I will cry with you. I had blood tests yesterday checking my B12 and Iron levels and I assume they'll come back fine and the answer will be that I need to eat better and exercise more. I honestly get so sad when I have to re-healthify my diet. I know people say you get used to it and you just need to adjust to eating less sugar, fat, salt etc. but then I think "If I do this for months and re-adjust and then I go and have some chocolate, what if I hate it? I don't want to live a life where I don't like chocolate!" I also have similar feelings re: gluten and lactose. If someone told me I had an intolerance I think I'd give up on life and eat nothing but potato or something stupid.

If anyone does have those intolerances, how did you adjust and how do you feel now about having to cut those things out of your diet?

[King of Birds]

2 hours ago, Kalliste said:

"If I do this for months and re-adjust and then I go and have some chocolate, what if I hate it? I don't want to live a life where I don't like chocolate!"

[Kalliste]

Lol @King of Birds even more reason not to stop now.

[sacrebleu]

Quote

I loved Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

I love that movie, and man, whatever happened to Val Kilmer? He was so talented. Was he so difficult to work with that his career tanked? Was it just because he got fat? The Nice Guys is on my movie list as well, along with Captain America (yup, I'm falling behind-- but it's clay court tennis season, and the Nats have started out well so I've got a lot of sports to watch. 

 

On the health front-- I've managed to lose ten pounds since my dog got off exercise restrictions. Probably the combination of walking him at least 90 minutes a day (about an hour in the morning, dog park and late night walk in the evening) and the fact that it's impossible to eat mindlessly when he's constantly trying to find out what food I have, and can he have some. 

[King of Birds]

1 hour ago, sacrebleu said:

 and the fact that it's impossible to eat mindlessly when he's constantly trying to find out what food I have, and can he have some. 

Ain't that the truth! Have fun with your pup. I'm dealing with the flip side now, my dog has lost a few steps and the walks are shorter and more leisurely.

[Pixel]

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang was a great movie!

I'm having an awful lot of trouble concentrating on work today. I'm working at home tomorrow and just don't feel like doing work stuff now!

[King of Birds]

I know I've mentioned how it's been impossible to take a vacation, to take a trip. Today I signed on an airline's "rewards" program to find out they completely removed all my points since I haven't used the account. So I have ZERO points because I've been too busy. I swear I lost thousands of 'points.' They say they emailed me but I never saw it - probably went to Junk.  I know there are far more injustices in the world but this seems like a giant FU, as I don't recall them zeroing out accounts before. I've had previous long droughts not flying.  This blows.

[Kalliste]

6 hours ago, sacrebleu said:

I love that movie, and man, whatever happened to Val Kilmer? He was so talented. Was he so difficult to work with that his career tanked? Was it just because he got fat?

He was definitely the best (looking) batman! I remember thinking "wow Val Kilmer is Batman, he's so beautiful!" and now I've looked it up and it was made when I was 12 and Val Kilmer was in his 30's and now I'm creeping myself out.

[Kalliste]

I got my test results back today. I was telling everyone "ha, I'm not deficient in B12 and Iron.. why would I be? That's just crazy.. " well, funnily enough, my doctor knew better than me and I am actually quite deficient in B12 and I have to start getting shots for it next week.

I kind of wonder how long this has been a thing for me and maybe the crap way I feel a lot of the time could have been fixed easily. Here's hoping anyway.

[King of Birds]

Well Kalliste I hope you get the shots and start to feel better!  Going back upthread a bit I forgot this -

On 5/25/2016 at 0:43 PM, possibilities said:

 I'm thinking the problem with the polls here is not the polls themselves, but that we don't get enough traffic anymore. If 20% of us voted, you'd probably see hardly any response, but you'd be doing great.

Much of this is most likely true. I don't know how many people are here, and who participates. Perhaps I'll give it a shot again.

[Kalliste]

I like the polls @King of Birds - even if just to tell you none of your options suit me :P

[LiberryLady]

Quote

 I was telling everyone "ha, I'm not deficient in B12 and Iron.. why would I be? That's just crazy.. " well, funnily enough, my doctor knew better than me and I am actually quite deficient in B12 and I have to start getting shots for it next week.

@Kalliste, I had that happen with vitamin D.  I eat yogurt every day and am in the sun a lot, but I was deficient. (Btw, my ONCOLOGIST decided to leave the info re: this on my voice mail by just telling me to call her, and not saying it was about something trivial like a vitamin deficiency.  She's normally wonderful, but she did this on a Friday so I spent the weekend worrying.) Anyhoo, the LiberryLad is also super-deficient in vitamin D, so maybe there's a genetic component?  Like, there's some vitamins some people just have trouble processing?

Haaalp.  Why am I still not getting the updates of this thread?  I thought I checked all the right boxes.

[possibilities]

The vitamin D thing drives me crazy. I'm very deficient also, and supplementing doesn't seem to help. So clearly I'm not absorbing it. I also read that vitamin D deficiency can contribute to diabetes, so I'm extra annoyed that I can't fix it.

My understanding is that if you wear strong sunscreens, that blocks vitamin D production from sun exposure. I also read somewhere that it takes a long time (I think it was something like 16 hours) for the vitamin D production from the sun exposure to be absorbed from the skin into the bloodstream, so if you go out in the sun, get all sweaty, and then take a shower, you are basically washing off the potential vitamin D produced.

None of this has helped me get my levels up, though.

RE: how do people give up stuff like gluten (asked upthread), I felt so much better after giving up gluten that I really didn't mind. Some things are just not worth the suffering. And if you can't tell a difference after stopping eating something, my idea is that there really wasn't any point in giving it up anyway. When I've had to do something like this, what I do is tell myself I'll give it up for one week. I figure I can give up anything for one week. Then I can decide if it's worth continuing to do it, but it takes the initial pressure off making the attempt.

I also make sure I have other pleasures in my life, so I'm not basing my entire life's happiness on something like a bagel or a piece of bread. The idea of it is usually harder for me than the reality. I used to bake my own challah, and I'm a bit of a foodie in general, so it always sounds really terrible. And there are things I do miss. But then if I "cheat" I always feel like absolute shit after, so it's not that rewarding in the long run, and it's easier to just stay clear.

I also found that there were other foods I liked, that I didn't necessarily know about before I went looking for alternatives. The biggest problem is the inconvenience of not fitting in, not being able to just share food with whoever (have a bite of my sandwich? no thanks) or accept a gift (people will give you cookies or offer you a muffin or whatever), or eat at restaurants or parties without a hassle. The amount of combined convenience, etiquette, and social bonding that go on around food makes being an outlier of any kind practically a heretic in some circles. Of course, when I had a bunch of friends who used to get together for "gluten-free potluck" that was fun, but it's limiting to choose your friends by their relationship to something like gluten vs any other thing you might have in common. Even if you find some people like that, and you happen to hit it off, it does limit the number of prospects.

I like the polls, KoB. But if it's more hassle than it's worth for you, don't feel pressured.

LL, have you tried unsubbing and then resubbing? If there's a glitch, sometimes that clears it. Also, make sure the notices aren't going to spam.

Edited May 28, 2016 by possibilities

[Too Late Kev]

On 5/25/2016 at 8:56 PM, Kalliste said:

 

I also have similar feelings re: gluten and lactose. If someone told me I had an intolerance I think I'd give up on life and eat nothing but potato or something stupid.

If anyone does have those intolerances, how did you adjust and how do you feel now about having to cut those things out of your diet?

 

11 hours ago, LiberryLady said:

Anyhoo, the LiberryLad is also super-deficient in vitamin D, so maybe there's a genetic component?  Like, there's some vitamins some people just have trouble processing?

I have celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder -- eating gluten harms the villi in my small intestine. The villi allow us to absorb nutrients from our food -- if the villi are messed up, all kinds of problems can ensue, like low Vitamin D (LiberryLady!), low iron, other autoimmune disorders (like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus), thyroid issues,  and increased likelihood of certain types of cancer. Yippee.

Unlike possibilities, I didn't feel a lot different when I had to drop gluten. So I have all the social difficulties and planning hassles without the "Whoo! I feel good!"ness of it. My migraines are fewer and less painful, so that's wonderful, anyway.

I think one of the worst things is the lack of spontaneity and the planning required. Anytime I'm going somewhere I don't know well, I have to spend time online trying to figure out where I'll be able to eat safely. If I'm going away for a weekend, this takes a good 3 hours at least. How long is the trip? Where might we be when it's time to eat? I usually have a map with GF possibilities listed. I can't hop in a car and stop anywhere that looks good along the way, and I can't just trust that a place that says, "Sure, we have a gluten-free menu!" can feed me safely; I have to check reviews and sometimes call places to ask questions. It straight-up sucks.

When I do eat somewhere else (including parties and family get-togethers), I have to ask questions about the ingredients and the preparation. Regardless of the answers, I worry that my food was cross-contaminated in preparation. If I'm out running errands and I decide to chance getting a GF meal somewhere that's worked out before, I'm worried that I'll get sick and not be able to make it home to be sick in relative safety, privacy, and comfort, and then that I won't be able to pick up my kid that day, or do something I wanted to do that evening or the next day because I'll still feel like crap. If I've hit 6 - 8 hours or so since eating the chancy meal, I decide with relief that I'm probably once again out of the woods and I won't be sick. It's not the most comfortable way to live.

Another thing that annoys me are the people who say "At least it isn't cancer!" Yeah, cancer is worse, but this is a life-changing diagnosis as well, and it's for the rest of my life unless there's some kind of significant and unexpected change in the science. They're working on a pill that could cause gluten to pass safely through the small intestine without damaging it, but they generally say it won't be a substitute for a gluten free diet.

Regarding lactose, I don't think that's as bad to give up as gluten. Lactaid milk tastes pretty much like normal milk (and you can use it in recipes), most hard cheeses (like cheddar) are naturally lactose free, and you can take a Lactaid pill if you want to eat something with a bit of lactose in it. A dairy allergy would be a big pain to deal with. But lactose? Easy-ish, as these things go.

Sorry, probably more than you were asking for.

Edited May 29, 2016 by Too Late Kev

[Kalliste]

1 hour ago, Too Late Kev said:

Another thing that annoys me are the people who say "At least it isn't cancer!" Yeah, cancer is worse, but this is a life-changing diagnosis as well, and it's for the rest of my life unless there's some kind of significant and unexpected change in the science.

People actually say that to you? I can't imagine ever saying something like that to someone with allergies or intolerance to certain foods.

[Pixel]

Too Late Kev, I'd imagine your struggle is also compounded by people who don't have celiac disease jumping on the no gluten bandwagon.  It makes a lot of people roll their eyes and forget that there are people with real issues because those people have turned a legit chronic problem into a trendy diet. Having said that, I enjoy gluten free cakes and brownies because they're so dense and fudgy!

As a type 2 diabetic, I get where you're coming from on the no cancer comments. Yeah, it's not cancer, but diabetes shapes everything in my life.  I have to get tested regularly to see if I'm in control, on top of having to poke my fingers at least once a day. Lucky me, I'm well in control, but this is a chronic disease and as I age, I will inevitably be less in control and more likely to lose a toe, or a foot, or functional kidneys. I'm holding out for a cure or permanent solution in the next 10 years. 

Edited May 29, 2016 by Pixel

[King of Birds]

So let's try this

Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica: What's your favorites of these current TV drama shows?  You get 6 votes! Have fun!

PS Yes, Kalliste, these are just American TV shows, either on broadcast, cable, streaming, etc. Because I tried to give a good variety. DRAMAS, so don't come back and say "Where's 'Rick and Morty'?"

ETA: A funny for those who live or know Massachusetts and surrounding area.

Edited May 30, 2016 by King of Birds

[Kalliste]

Where's Rick and Morty?

Hah, I kid. Although I do ask where Jessica Jones is if you have Daredevil and oitnb as current.

I also do hate gifs :P

[King of Birds]

I meant to have Jessica Jones after Daredevil, so I added that, plus Longmire to the list.

[Kalliste]

Ok then. I have also voted for that :D I have to say of the 3 (Daredevil, Jessica Jones & oitnb) I enjoy Jessica Jones the most and I knew nothing of her before watching the show. Tennant as Kilgrave is amazing!

[possibilities]

That Massachusetts map is funny. I live in the hippie farmer zone, and the chief of the local volunteer fire department is also an organic farmer.

I voted three times in the poll. But one was a mistake. I thought I was voting for the Aziz Ansari "Master of None" show, when I later realized I was actually voting for "Masters of Sex"-- but I can live with it. My other two picks were OITNB and Orphan Black. But I would have liked a shot at Grace and Frankie if it'd been there.

I don't get why people roll their eyes and have scorn towards people who are doing stuff for their health, and assume it's a fad. I can't even imagine the psychology of a person who would go to the trouble of being on a gluten-free diet or any other similar restriction, unless they really needed to. It's a huge, huge hassle and everyone I know with celiac disease, food allergies, or other GI issues has been through hell trying to get it diagnosed and dealt with, and I don't know anyone in those categories who doesn't wish they could just chuck the whole complicated mess and eat whatever. It's like saying diabetes is a fad, or peanut allergy-- it's a pain in the ass but it's real. To me, a fad is something fun and frivolous, like rising/falling hemlines or whatever music is popular, stuff people get into that's a passing fashion or recreational enthusiasm, and isn't so serious.

Edited May 31, 2016 by possibilities
distracted first time, led to weird sentence structures

[Pixel]

23 hours ago, possibilities said:

I don't get why people roll their eyes and have scorn towards people who are doing stuff for their health, and assume it's a fad. I can't even imagine the psychology of a person who would go to the trouble of being on a gluten-free diet or any other similar restriction, unless they really needed to. It's a huge, huge hassle and everyone I know with celiac disease, food allergies, or other GI issues has been through hell trying to get it diagnosed and dealt with, and I don't know anyone in those categories who doesn't wish they could just chuck the whole complicated mess and eat whatever. It's like saying diabetes is a fad, or peanut allergy-- it's a pain in the ass but it's real. To me, a fad is something fun and frivolous, like rising/falling hemlines or whatever music is popular, stuff people get into that's a passing fashion or recreational enthusiasm, and isn't so serious.

And yet, they do.  I find it ridiculous, but I see it all the time. I have a couple of friends who jumped on the gluten free bandwagon who have no issues with gluten. They just figured it was the latest way to lose weight. It took me forever to enlighten them that gluten free doesn't mean "diet". In the meantime, they were absolutely insufferable in restaurants.

[King of Birds]

9 hours ago, Pixel said:

In the meantime, they were absolutely insufferable in restaurants.

Imagine a 'watercooler' thread for waitresses...

As of just a second ago, 8 people voted in my poll (plus me) for 9 total. So far. I only bring this up because I wonder how many people still frequent the thread, or if it's like @possibilities said - that it's a good percentage of visitors. Only the Shadow knows.

[Babalu]

I voted. I could only vote for 5, though, since that's all I watch, after having recently fired Orphan Black. I'll miss Tatyana's portrayals, but the plot has gotten to convoluted and unpleasant for my tastes. I also fired So You Think You Can Dance this season, and I feel liberated. Relatively so, at least, because I have a lot of TV still to catch up on after two weeks on the Mainland and then a week of house guests. I've been studiously avoiding the Person of Interest threads, but somebody referenced a major spoiler on a completely different thread. Grrrrr. 

[Too Late Kev]

On 5/29/2016 at 2:56 AM, Kalliste said:

People actually say that to you? I can't imagine ever saying something like that to someone with allergies or intolerance to certain foods.

My mom has said it more than once. Although I'm sure she's trying to get me to see the "glass half full"ness of it all, it's annoying. My attitude is, "Let me complain a little bit about my issues, you can complain about your issues, we can sympathize with each other and feel better." Right? We all have issues. There's no reason to downplay someone's issues by comparing them to worse crap.

On 5/29/2016 at 5:40 PM, Pixel said:

Too Late Kev, I'd imagine your struggle is also compounded by people who don't have celiac disease jumping on the no gluten bandwagon.  It makes a lot of people roll their eyes and forget that there are people with real issues because those people have turned a legit chronic problem into a trendy diet. Having said that, I enjoy gluten free cakes and brownies because they're so dense and fudgy!

As a type 2 diabetic, I get where you're coming from on the no cancer comments. Yeah, it's not cancer, but diabetes shapes everything in my life.  I have to get tested regularly to see if I'm in control, on top of having to poke my fingers at least once a day. Lucky me, I'm well in control, but this is a chronic disease and as I age, I will inevitably be less in control and more likely to lose a toe, or a foot, or functional kidneys. I'm holding out for a cure or permanent solution in the next 10 years. 

Right. When someone makes a big stink at a restaurant about getting a gluten free meal, but is then seen mooching a bread stick off their neighbor's plate, how seriously is the waitstaff going to take my gluten-free order?

I don't know much about the different types of diabetes, but don't you have to pay a lot of attention to your food, too, types and amounts and times of day? Spontaneity and "I'll just grab a bite along the way" are things of the past, probably.

Being diagnosed with a chronic disease is like being assigned some crappy project that you have no time for and no interest in doing. You can't say no, there are bunches of deadlines a day, and the end date is never. YAY! Sign me up?

[Pixel]

16 hours ago, Too Late Kev said:

I don't know much about the different types of diabetes, but don't you have to pay a lot of attention to your food, too, types and amounts and times of day? Spontaneity and "I'll just grab a bite along the way" are things of the past, probably.

Being diagnosed with a chronic disease is like being assigned some crappy project that you have no time for and no interest in doing. You can't say no, there are bunches of deadlines a day, and the end date is never. YAY! Sign me up?

Well, to be completely honest, I'm lucky because at the moment I'm in very good control. I have Type 2, and my A1C is 6.  That may not mean anything to you guys, but for a diabetic it's a lab test that tells what my glucose has been over a 3 month period. A normal person could be as high as 5.5 and still be normal instead of diabetic, so for a diabetic to have a 6 is really, really good.  I'm not super careful about what I eat, and I don't exercise like I should (although that's changing as soon as I am released from my post-op restrictions from my tummy tuck!).  I am, in a nutshell, not very good at behaving like a diabetic, but I haven't had to be because I'm very well controlled with the medication I'm on.

Having said that, I'm also aware that I need to change my ways because as I get older, it will be harder to keep my glucose at the right levels.  

The real answer is, yes, you're correct. For most Type 2 diabetics, you have to plan your meals and eat at the same times every day because your body gets used to your schedule and raises your insulin levels when it thinks you should be eating, so you get low blood sugar if you miss a meal or high if you eat more than your body is used to getting at a certain time. You're supposed to count carbs and a typical diabetic lunch might allow you 60 grams of carbs.  A breakfast - 45 grams, and a snack, 15-30.

I don't do any of that because right now I'm lucky. I don't have to. I also don't look like a typical diabetic. I am within 5 lbs of my ideal weight, and thanks to the tummy tuck no longer have a big belly.  But someday I definitely will, and that's always in the back of my mind.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Pixel

[possibilities]

I guess I'm just lucky. I've never had to dine with a narcissistic bimbo. No one ever said "at least it's not cancer" to me, either. I am not sure what I would do if I had to field that kind of thing. Probably breathe fire.

Does anyone know of a good article with an overview of this summer's tv? I can usually find a few that give a decent sense of what the new shows are like, but either there is just nothing interesting to see this summer (aside from returning stuff we already know about), or I'm just not seeing it. Also, there seem to be a lot of titles I have seen no promotion for and have no idea what they're about. Instead of looking them all up one at a time, I was hoping for a "one stop shopping for the lazy" type of article.

[MichelleAK]

12 hours ago, possibilities said:

Does anyone know of a good article with an overview of this summer's tv? I can usually find a few that give a decent sense of what the new shows are like, but either there is just nothing interesting to see this summer (aside from returning stuff we already know about), or I'm just not seeing it. Also, there seem to be a lot of titles I have seen no promotion for and have no idea what they're about. Instead of looking them all up one at a time, I was hoping for a "one stop shopping for the lazy" type of article.

I subscribe to Entertainment Weekly, which does a good job of covering the various "seasons" of TV, music, movies, etc.  They recently had a "Summer Must List" issue. However, I didn't really notice anything new for TV shows this summer. You may want to check out their website, though.

[Pixel]

So far for me there's nothing, so I've been watching stuff I haven't had a chance to before, like Outlander (very rapey - not sure I'm going to stick with it) and Silicon Valley. I may also watch Gilmore Girls because I never did the first time it was on.  I'm also paying for movie channels on my Direct TV, but there's honestly not a hell of a lot on there either. I like to get them in the summer when good TV is scarce.

[possibilities]

Ah, so it's not just me missing the news. I will probably catch up with stuff like Pixel is saying, too. I have heard good things about The Path (Hulu) and my Netflix queue is 10 miles long, so there's that. I never watched Breaking Bad, so that could be next. Or, God knows, I could just read books or do something productive. Hmph.

I will check out the Entertainment Weekly article, though, just in case something strikes my interest.

[MichelleAK]

I also plan to watch some Netflix/Amazon/Hulu shows this summer, that I haven't watched before. I recently upped my internet limit, so I no longer have to worry about going over my max download limit each month. 

[possibilities]

That bandwidth limit is really a pain. I currently have the maximum allowed by Hughesnet, but if I really start binging I don't know how long it will last. One time I used up my allowance but discovered that their slowed down data stream for overages was actually fast enough to stream some things, so that was nice.

One other thing you can do is set your Netflix account to use their lower bandwidth option-- it's not high def, but it eats your data more slowly. Also, I get some stuff from them on actual disks. You have to deal with the mailing time in transit, but there's less data being gobbled online. Trade offs....

[MichelleAK]

3 hours ago, possibilities said:

That bandwidth limit is really a pain. I currently have the maximum allowed by Hughesnet, but if I really start binging I don't know how long it will last. One time I used up my allowance but discovered that their slowed down data stream for overages was actually fast enough to stream some things, so that was nice.

One other thing you can do is set your Netflix account to use their lower bandwidth option-- it's not high def, but it eats your data more slowly. Also, I get some stuff from them on actual disks. You have to deal with the mailing time in transit, but there's less data being gobbled online. Trade offs....

Yes, I have the Netflix DVD option, as well. A lot of the stuff I'm interested in isn't available for streaming, plus any new-to-DVD movies won't be streaming for awhile.  Fortunately, we have a local distribution point, so turnaround for most things is just a couple of days. 

Which reminds me that I have the recent MacBeth Scottish play adaptation at home; I think I'll watch that tonight.

[Kalliste]

9 hours ago, Pixel said:

So far for me there's nothing, so I've been watching stuff I haven't had a chance to before, like Outlander (very rapey - not sure I'm going to stick with it) and Silicon Valley

what are your thoughts on Silicon Valley? It seems very will rated but I found it to mostly be pretty average and that none of the characters likeable except for Jared/Donald/Zach Woods.

[Pixel]

9 hours ago, Kalliste said:

what are your thoughts on Silicon Valley? It seems very will rated but I found it to mostly be pretty average and that none of the characters likeable except for Jared/Donald/Zach Woods.

I really like it. I love TJ Miller, and the Guilfoyle character cracks me up. Maybe the humor of the show doesn't come across the same way in Australia?  Or maybe it's because I work in IT so I am familiar with these archetypes. Or maybe we just have different senses of humor. :) 

i feel like it has moments of brilliance all the time. 

Edited June 4, 2016 by Pixel

[Kalliste]

33 minutes ago, Pixel said:

I really like it. I love TJ Miller, and the Guilfoyle character cracks me up. Maybe the humor of the show doesn't come across the same way in Australia?  Or maybe it's because I work in IT so I am familiar with these archetypes. Or maybe we just have different senses of humor. :) 

i feel like it has moments of brilliance all the time. 

I also work in IT and it drives me crazy :P Especially TJ Miller's character! I've watched all the episodes that have currently been released and I find myself thinking 'why am I still watching this, it frustrates me so much!'

I had a similar feeling with Parks & Recs season 1 (and if I'm honest, with Michael in The Office.. I know that was entirely the point but sometimes he was so hard to watch without being annoyed constantly), I nearly didn't continue but Leslie's special kind of crazy (as well as all the other characters. Especially Andy, I couldn't stand him initially but I feel like his entire character was just to be a lazy jerk) grew on me and I'm at the beginning of season 5 now.

Another reason my "I'm not going to Florida because Gators" stance is justified:

[Pixel]

I do get frustrated because those guys keep screwing up every opportunity that comes their way. Maybe it's the TJ Miller factor then. 

[Glory]

I love Silicon Valley - it's one of my favorite comedies on tv right now - besides You're the Worst. 

And Guilfoyle makes me question lots of things... because I'd totally bang him. And yet... he's the kid from Freaks and Geeks... it's like, I don't even know myself!

[Pixel]

4 hours ago, Glory said:

I love Silicon Valley - it's one of my favorite comedies on tv right now - besides You're the Worst. 

And Guilfoyle makes me question lots of things... because I'd totally bang him. And yet... he's the kid from Freaks and Geeks... it's like, I don't even know myself!

I never watched Freaks and Geeks, but Guilfoyle reminds me of a guy I used to work with who I had a raging thing for (that was never realized because I was and am married).  But watching Guilfoyle makes me think of him all the time.

[King of Birds]

Since I know nothing of Silicon Valley and "Guilfoyle" I imdb'd this-  and now LOLing that you're all hot for BILL HAVERFORD! 

 

Okay so here's your next poll category. Since I did current dramas, it only makes sense to ask What's your favorite current comedies? Again, I tried to peruse broadcast, netflix, amazon, cable - these are your choices. Since there are far more comedies on the list, you get TEN, count 'em, 10 choices!  Have fun!

Edited June 5, 2016 by King of Birds
while waiting for laundry to dry, I made this new poll

[Kalliste]

Apparently I don't watch many current comedies as I only picked one. Come to think of it, I usually watch comedies after they're finished.

I also didn't know iZombie was a comedy.. maybe I need to look into that again. 

[smrou]

Apparently I'm more into comedies at the moment than dramas because I had a lot more to pick on that poll than the previous one.

And one of the shows I chose was Silicon Valley, which I really love. 

[possibilities]

I didn't realize I was watching so many comedies. I managed to vote for 10, but I watch more than 10 on the list.

I think a few of them can pass as both comedy and drama. iZombie is one of those, Kalliste. Even just the premise: Liv Moore gets turned into a zombie, so she gets a job at the morgue in order to be able to eat brains without killing anyone. Comedic premise. But also treated in a serious way sometimes-- like at one point she refuses to give blood for a transfusion for her brother who has a rare blood type for which she's a match, because she doesn't want him to wind up a zombie. Her family, which does not know about zombies, has not spoken to her since. I often really like shows that manage to be both funny and serious.

Edited June 6, 2016 by possibilities
got names wrong again