VCR, DVD & DVR

I have 2 working VCRs - one built into one of the TVs and another stand alone.  I recorded with the first one I got in the 80s, then just used them to play VHS tapes bought or borrowed.  I never tried to record with any subsequent VCR models - whenever I thought I might want to record something, I didn't have a blank tape or couldn't locate a manual.  I also have 2 DVD players, though the one built into the one TV broke rather quickly. I have a few movies & series DVDs, and have thought about getting Netflix or similar service through Blockbuster, more for series DVDs rather than movies.   I briefly had DVR service through the cable company, but I didn't use it often enough to make it worth the extra cost.  I decided to re-learn how to use the VCR to record.  Several things led to this decision.  Most of the shows I like are on at 10:00 and I'd really like to go to bed before 11.   I don't like Jay Leno well enough to watch him every night at 10:00 - I would only watch his 11:30 show when I couldn't sleep.  The 10:00 NBC shows either changed networks or moved to earlier time slot.  I'm often not home for shows I like that come on at 8:00 or 9:00.  I bought some blank tapes yesterday - they're realy cheap now - and found some directions online to set my VCR and record a movie while I was out.  It worked great.  I found the remote for the stand-alone VCR and will try recording some shows that come on at times I'm not usually home, or that come on opposite something else I like.  I know this seems like something old & outdated, but it works for me.

Textbooks

When I took college courses in the 70s, I don't remember the college bookstore offering used textbooks.  Maybe they weren't much cheaper than buying new so I just bought new books, and kept them thinking I'd use them for reference someday (but never did).  They were left behind when I moved, though I have a few books from various addictions courses I've taken over the years.  This time, I've bought used books from the college bookstore with the intention of selling them back, but twice, they were not buying back my particular books.  Thanks to my daughter, I've discovered half.com.  She sold my algebra book for me, and now I've sold a couple of books, and bought another for my upcoming course at a significant discount compared to the college bookstore's price for a used copy.  Sometimes, the college bookstore offers a better deal for a bundled package, so I still check both places.  

Grade - Finally

I had to wait a long time, but I finally got my grade (A) for the 1-credit writing class.  Now I can stop obsessively checking the class website 4-5 times a day. 

Losing Keys

I have my keys on a large keyring (actually about 3 rings linked together) with a leather fob made at Cub Scout Day Camp in 1991, all on a lanyard.  You'd think this would be hard to lose.  NOT. Yesterday, I went to Curves.  Had to get there by 11:30 because they close at noon on Saturdays. I was almost late because traffic was being diverted due to a terrible accident (motorcycle, van, utility pole, wires down).  Got there just in time, scanned my tag (which is on my key ring along with several other scan tags) and did my routine.  Just as I was finishing up, the power went out (due to the accident).  I completed my cool-down stretches, grabbed my purse and went to leave.  I needed to get a few groceries, so I walked to the grocery store to ask if they had power, talked to a couple of employees outside, then the power came back on.  I did some shopping, then went to the check out and discovered I didn't have my keys when I went to scan my tag for discounts.  Curves was closed.  I can't get my keys until Monday morning.  Hubby came to my rescue, and brought the spare keys.  While I was waiting in the grocery store, another woman left her keys at the check out, and had to come back in to get them.

Food Tracking & the Exercise Ball

I started tracking my food again with FitDay.  The free version has all the features I need except a recipe builder, and I just use Master Cook whenever I want to add a meal cooked from a recipe. Most of the time, I can just add from the food labels or the existing database. All my information was still there from last time, and I had a lot of custom foods already added.  I like the visuals - pie chart & graphs let you know if you've taken in more calories than you've burned,  I knew I needed to get some exercise in today, and Curves is closed on Sundays.  I've had the exercise ball inflated for over a week, and finally tried using the Denise Austin video.  There were some of it that I couldn't do, but I got a 30 minute workout and burned some calories.