Sunday, February 15, 2009

Put It Where Your Heart Is... [Annotated!]

A week or so ago, my kids and I walked up to the local comic book shop. Eric said "I think it's closed." Something didn't look right in the side window. We walked up and peered in. "Oh... No..." Almost everything gone. Empty walls and some papers scattered on the floor. We came around the front and read the letter taped to the front door: "We've moved three blocks West."

"Yay!!! Our comic book shop is alive!" People in passing cars wondered about the weirdos cheering on the street. : )

We bought a digital TV antenna [indoor Phillips HD digital TV antenna for only $35 from Phil's TV. Best price I've seen anywhere.] from the TV shop next store because we'll never be standing there again and went to find our new comic book shop...

And I was thinking about our plan for money, and things have to change and we have to cut back. What should I cut out? After being enticed by Coraline's pretty commercials... I can't really afford to see movies I regret seeing. [Because even though it was good animation, I started worrying about whether little kids were being traumatized and who in this movie is actually nice anyway and dang I didn't know until I was buying the tickets that it was an extra $9 because of the 3D and why didn't they post that somewhere?] I won't be fooled again. The next movie I ever see, will be researched. [Is it a feel-good movie? Because I can rent the really good movies later, stop and rewind, put on the subtitles to cut through the brogue.]

So what to cut? Clearly [one would think] the other extras like taking my boys to the comic book shop and my weekly $20 visit to the foodie store to get something special for us to eat. [But since I'm posting about it, it must be one of those extremely minor life crises that I learn so much from...]

But I have always been frugal. I can't [won't] say why. I won't [can't] pay for TV [because I am lucky enough to live in a city so I can get away with it, although my life is now occasionally like a defective DVD. I think we really need an outdoor antenna.] and [as I say to my kids:] if you don't like it, watch less [because you need to do other things like read books and go outside and play. If you don't have homework at least go play Guitar Hero, at least you're moving.]. (Actually, watch hulu, it's awesome! [If you like to watch old TV shows (which my kids don't really.)]) I'm frugal except for things I love [/appreciate/want]. My family and friends and favorites.

So, if we can manage it, the mega-grocery store Kroger is going to have to take the hit. We already turn the lights off when we leave the room. Food is the biggest variable area of my budget. Kroger is sky-jacking their prices and I have to fight back. [Dinner Ninja]

I am going to let my kids follow a comic book [Except they won't get into it. We used to go for the Pokemon cards and now I'm not sure exactly why. I think it's just me. It's just a fun place to visit. Say Hi, show your support for something local. I usually get something cheap and random and pass it down to the kids... I need a comic book about science. Real science.] These times are what they'll remember. But even though I am soooo tempted by this post on the Velvet Blog, I will think twice [unless I see it at the library!].

[So I will be careful, but I already was a cheapskate and why should I change my philosophy now and stop voting with my pocketbook? Except for, in spite of my belief that the American economy will start to revive once the banks start financing again, it might take too long...]
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Mashup I am not going to make: "House of the Rising Sun" and "Someday You Will Be Loved"

5 comments:

Jim Donahue said...

Saw "Coraline" last night and LOVED it.

Ah, well.

(PS: I'd agree PG-13 would have been more appropriate.)

Qaro said...

Hi, Jim! That's great! Weren't the dogs awesome?

Thanks. I think Coraline should have been PG-13.

Doug said...

Years ago I worked in a comic shop, and I still have a good friend who works at one. And I know it wouldn't have been surprising if your local shop had gone under; times have been tough--in part because of the belt-tightening you mention. Also, I've heard there a places where one can read scanned pages of comics online (kind of like Hulu except less legal).

And on the subject of watching shows on Hulu: It's cool to have that access and just have to sit through a few commercial breaks. But it's not the same to watch the smaller screen on my laptop than an actual TV set. It's particularly different when trying to watch something with my fiancee while sitting on the couch and the laptop on the coffee table.

Perhaps you have a bigger monitor, or don't attempt this group viewing.

That would improve it, I'm sure.

p.s. Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the 'net.

Qaro said...

Hi, Doug! Thanks for stopping by! (I can see how my post reads wrong and I will put a note in, thanks.) The good thing about Hulu is that it exists and we can watch old tv shows at any hour. My computer monitor is huge, but the screen isn't very big, so yeah it's not really a tv replacement. We do more group viewing on YouTube actually.

sgreerpitt said...

I discovered Hulu last summer, and used it to get hooked on the Sci-Fi channel's series "Eureka" -- which might be something you and your boys would like. It's about a man who becomes sherrif in a town made up of science geniuses who are always inventing things that mess with the space-time continuum and other disasters.