Life in Hi-Def

I know, I haven't been posting much recently, but that's okay because I actually think about what I would be blogging if I had time to blog (this is thinking done while driving or doing other things that preclude accessing the computer), and I remember all that stuff. Of course I do. So, here's the blog from two weeks ago:

We went down to Philadelphia to rent a trailer, pack it with stuff from Ikea, and get back to our newly painted and wired home offices. I realize that sounds like Starman and I both get goodies from this excursion, but it's only for me. His stuff is on a boat crossing the Atlantic, and should be here in a few weeks. My stuff is all in flat-pack boxes waiting (in some cases) to be built. First to be constructed were two Billy bookcases (does anyone not own these?) for my cartons and cartons of books. We weren't able to get all the extra shelves I need, so books are piled up on the bottom shelves, waiting for their chance to be sorted and arranged just so. But no matter how hard I try, I can't get all my books to sort themselves out and fall into some sort of order.

I'm developing a slight ability to tell which tasks want to be done first. Or rather, which tasks my subconscious wants me to do first. This is a useful ability, as it is much -- much! -- easier to do the task that wants doing than those that don't. I agree; sometimes we don't get a choice. Sometimes we have to do the undoable, move the unbudgeable, and sort through the unsortable. But not this time. So, the books are partially done and I'm on to the next job.

Meanwhile, we've upgraded to high definition satellite TV. Mind you, we don't have the 50" plasma HDTV yet. We bought it, but they don't keep it in stock, so it's back down to Philly for another stint with the trailer to load up the car and the trailer with the TV, all the bits of furniture too big to fit in the back of the car ordinarily, and as many boxes as we can manage. My preference: my fabric. Remember, I'll move mountains for my fabric, including mountains of the fabby itself!

Postscript: Second trailer trip was, by about 1/2 inch margin, a success. The TV didn't fit in the car, so we collected the trailer, loaded it with everything but the TV then went back to the store to collect the TV. It just fit, literally by the thickness of the cardboard box it was in. I pushed the poor Starman to get it unpacked and unloaded the next day; he nearly melted with the effort. The day after that, our local satellite guy came round and double-checked that everything was as it should be. (Good thing, too -- we didn't have a crucial cable, and it would have been way too much stress for us both to figure out why Tori Amos & Alannis Morrisette were an odd shade of green.) And is HDTV all it's cracked up to be? Well, we can't watch any network stuff on it yet because the local affiliates don't have satellite feeds for the hi-def stuff, but that's okay. The regular lo-def programs look surprisingly good on this TV (we got the one with a better processor for lo-def programs; money well spent I think) so we're happy. And I'm doubly happy because my new DVR records two programs at the same time, and with all the time I will be spending sorting out my new home office, that's a good thing.

So, it's a good hi-def life.