Ok, so you purchased a cheap flat screen tv when cable transitioned to digital. Your cable bill is killing you, and you watch most of your movies on Netflix on your laptop.

The only problem with that is you need your laptop while you are watching movies, to check email and other important activities.

Here’s what you do:

Just run to Best Buy and pick up the (Western Digital) WD TV Live Plus HD Media player for $99.00 (buy their cheapest $26.00 HDMI cable if your television has an HDMI plug).

Then plug your broadband Internet cable into it.

At that point, you can play Pandora, Netflix, Blockbuster, Flickr among others.

You can also play media stored on an external drive, or off any of the computers hooked to your inhouse network (anything connected to your wireless router).

Then cancel your cable (but keep the broadband).

Airplaines B.o.B.

The set up pipes belongs to Hayley Williams of Paramore

As most of us have spent the last few days inside, searching for bread, milk and eggs, and, if you are like me, (it’s -9 degress where I am) spent an inordinate amount of time in front of the computer. This video will have some meaning. It is strangely satisfying.

Remember how you feel after three days of sitting, and watching this video, the next time you are rightfully vilifying those who would have your students sitting in front of their televisions.

They are making videos of other people doing stuff, so we can watch them, instead of actually doing stuff ourselves.

and no, I’m not being sarcastic.

I posted one of Laura Veirs videos before.

After that (and no connection) she became really cool and was posted as one of iTunes favored artists.

I’m loving her stuff. She is coming to the Washington area on February 18, the IOTA Club in Arlington.  I’m going to be there and I’m going to try and drag a bunch of folks from my school with me.

Laura Veirs has a new album called July Flame. Visit her blog and download the two free tracks from her web boutique.  Her record label,  Raven Marching Band Records, is where you can buy the album.

My son, when asked to do anything he doesn’t want to do, will respond in a singular way. In a sweet, gentile voice, without making eye contact, he just says, “nothing.”

I mean he doesn’t sit quietly, he answers with a word, and that word is “nothing.”

It is not a direct refusal, because he doesn’t say “no.” He doesn’t look you in the eye with a defiant glare. He just says “nothing.”

He says it in such a sweet way, one almost wants to ask again, just to hear him say it.

I started to think about his philosophy of nothing and how wonderfully simple and powerful it is–a Zen master at the age of 12.

Last night I adopted his philosophy, became his disciple. I sent out emails saying “nothing” (or something to that affect) to everyone who was asking me to do things that were not directly related to my job or my family’s holidays.

I came into work light as a feather.

Try it — this philosophy of “nothing,”

but remember to be sweet and don’t make eye contact.

Mark

The great thinkers of the Cosmos, set to music.

The interesting quote:

“I think nature’s imagination is so much greater than man’s, because he’s never going to learn to relax.”

Folks we really need to lighten up.  That was the subject of that blog post.

Sometimes a good story is just a good story and there isn’t any there there.

OK, we’ll all button up our Victorian collars and get on with it.