My birthday is just around the corner on the 22nd but I couldn't wait any longer to post my birthday blog. I have some things on my mind that are too long for a Facebook post.
It's been an up and down year, but I'm surviving. I'm looking forward to the rest of the year, particularly the election but I've done enough political preaching, so I'll spare you....this time.
The biggest changes have come in my increased reliance on streaming. I'm sticking with DirecTV for my main source of entertainment, I called and "threatened" to cancel but got another $30 off/month. I also can't bear to part with picture-in-picture, especially with football season coming up around the same time as a new season of Doctor Who. (I'm excited for our new female Doctor....shame on the haters.)
The big news today is the announcement that Patrick Stewart is returning as Jean-Luc Picard in a new Star Trek series. It will be on CBS all-access, which will make it more cost effective. I'm currently not subscribed to CBS all-access. I ended my subscription after I got Amazon Prime and learned both Britbox and CBS were channels on Amazon Prime. I stuck with Britbox, (I'm currently taking a break) but as the Discovery season had ended and the only other show I had started watching, Deep Space Nine, was available on Amazon Prime, I had no need for it. When Discovery returns I will subscribe again, but I have a dilemma. The Amazon Prime channel only has the $9.99 commercial free version. I was subscribed to the $5.99 version. The Amazon Prime channel, however, is easier to cancel, and my experience has been that I have no problems streaming on Amazon channels, but stand alone apps, like WWE Network for exampl (I recently restarted my subscription) only work well when I have high speed, but are choppy at best and buffer at the worst when I pass my high speed limit. So I think the best option is the Amazon channel even if it is more expensive.
As I mentioned, American football season is coming up and I've really given up trying to anticipate or predict what the Gamecocoks are going to do. I've also expanded my availability on Saturdays, choosing to take off days when there's a game I want to watch, which I did anyway, and rely on my phone for updates and maybe even watch a little on my breaks.
As for the NFL I plan to boycott this year at least in the regular season. I completely disagree with the NFL's hard-line stance on the anthem issue. They are so tonedeaf is shameful.
I'm excited about college basketball this year as my Alma mater begins our membership in the Big South. I'm considering adding a subscription to ESPN+ as I'm sure many games will be on that platform as well as baseball. I'm going to consider switching to monthly as opposed to my original yearly subscription which I started but ended before my free trail ended due to financial difficulties.
Speaking of college baseball, some big news concerning the Gamecocoks today. Our neutral site game with Clemson, which has almost always been here in Greenville, will now alternate each year between Greenville's Fluor Field and Columbia's Spirit Communications Park. This will make the series more fair, and I'm also a fan of the Columbia Fireflies. I'm questioning whether I will go to the game when it's in Greenville, however. It's the first Saturday in March, last year when I went on my own, the wind was gusting by the late innings and it was cold. You also have to buy your tickets though the Gamecocok Club (or IPTAY for Clemson fans). You don't get to pick your seat. I was the last seat in the last section in the next to the last row to the top. Also some USC and Clemson fans started jawing back and forth at one point and it was disturbing. I think I'll settle for USC vs. Furman and hopefully USC Upstate will play there again. USC/ Clemson is also the most expensive game of the year.
So I will soon have made my 48th orbit around the Sun. For those wondering if I'm a Leo or a Virgo the answer is both. August 19th-25th is known as the Cusp of Exposure and I'm right in the middle. I think theres a blog about that in my past posts.
I think that's all I had on my mind. If you read this, I'm sorry it was kinda boring. I find if I post something on Facebook or here when I have things on my mind I sleep better. Good night (or morning or afternoon whenever you're reading this).
