T is for Television

I do like my TV. And I don't just mean the actual machine (although that is pretty cool - who'd've thought TVs could be Smart?). I like to think I choose my programmes carefully, but I do end up watching a load of rubbish too. Although digital recorders and Netflix have changed that a bit. Netflix has been great for watching whole programmes obsessively right from season 1, even if I hadn't watched them at the time they came out. I record quite a few shows to watch at my convenience too.

My top favourite shows of the moment:

1. The Mentalist - I loooove Patrick Jane and his memory palace. It can be quite a dark show but whenever Patrick smiles it is so infectious (Simon Baker just has one of those smiles). Agent Cho has some great one-liners too. The over-arcing storyline of serial killer Red John has kept me wondering exactly who to trust and who is on the dark side - fabulous stuff.

2. Person of Interest - I wasn't hooked by season 1, but season 2 has been brilliant. I've really warmed to John Reese and Harold Finch, and I feel pretty sorry for old Lionel too. Really captivating stories each week, with hints at the back story coming out too which leaves you speculating exactly went on before we met them. 

3. Sons of Anarchy - I'm a latecomer to this one and might still go back and watch every episode from the beginning as I only saw bits and pieces of the early ones. I've got pretty hooked on it now though. It's weird seeing Charlie Hunnam as a gangleader though - I remember him as a young gay teenager in Queer As Folk! He certainly is playing a very different role now. My favourite character is probably Chibs, but I feel pretty sorry for Nero - he's lost his club, his car, loads of money and his sister since he met the gang.

4. Snog, Marry, Avoid - yes, I realise this doesn't sit comfortably with the rest of the list so far, but I do love it for a laugh. Ellie Taylor, the new presenter, is very likeable and keeps it funny. The amount of fakery some people wear on themselves really is unbelievable.

5. The Ricky Gervais Show - these are repeating on E4 in the middle of the night. Even though they are cartoon based on the original podcasts which I've listened to soooo many times before, I still sit there in hysterics every time. Have I told you how much I love Karl Pilkington? He is hilarious. Worryingly, we often think the same things - I just keep them to myself!

6. The X Files - we are currently working our way through them on Netflix, and on season 4 at the moment. I think this is about where I gave up originally. I remember watching the pilot on TV in 1994 and thinking it was the coolest show ever. I had loads of the trading cards, and the glow in the dark 'X' clock. (And I made the masking tape 'X' on my window too). Eugene Tooms was the scariest villain, and the inbreeding family were the most disturbing.

7. Doctors - I'm still loving this daytime soap opera that I've blogged about before. It isn't particularly high quality drama and the storylines aren't very realistic, but the characters are great and there is plenty going on to enjoy. Zara is my feisty favourite character (go on, get back with Daniel), and I've a little crush on Kevin Tyler. The Harrison killer episodes were the best but it has really had some great storylines this past year too. Shame a few of my favourites have left the show though.

I'm off to catch up on some of these right now..................

A is for Adverts (revisited)

I'm participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge again this year and when I was staring at the blank computer screen ten minutes ago I decided to look back at my previous challenge attempts for inspiration. Back in 2011 my 'A' prompt was adverts, and I thought it might be fun to show you some more of my favourites. As a general rule adverts are incredibly annoying and to be fast-forwarded through as quickly as possible, but every now and then there is a real gem amongst the rough. Here are a few I enjoy (and a link to  the old blog post if you fancy checking out some more).

1. Aldi 

2. Hastings Direct

3. Three

4. Thinkbox

5. Highland Spring (you have to watch this right until the end!)

6. McCain 

7. Ikea

8. Weetabix

Time to put my thinking cap on for 'B' tomorrow.............

Things I Love Thursday

I really need to get back on here more so I am going to try a trusted blog favourite with Things I Love Thursday. As I wrote last week, things are pretty rubbish at the moment as I don't have a job. Job hunting is not the most rewarding activity, as most of the time you don't even hear back after applying. Still, I know I will find something eventually. I've been making sure I do some productive (and fun) activities too, and I've been taking loads of photos. I'm hoping this blog feature will highlight all the positive things in the world!

☼ The return of The Vampire Diaries on ITV2. Yes, it is a guilty pleasure of mine. But is is genuinely a pretty good show. It has a great character in Damon, who can be incredibly evil yet strangely likeable anyway, and some strong female characters as witches and vampires too. Well worth watching.

☼ Managing to run 5K again on my treadmill without stopping or walking. I have kind of had an exercise hiatus of late, but I'm determined to make that change. I was worried that I'd never be able to run (well, jog) again, but I've managed relatively easily to get going again. Yay.

☼ The Pocket Budget app on Android. Having no money is a really depressing thing, and the little money I do have seems to just disappear. Well, I'm hoping this app will help me track and manage my miserable little budget. You just add your income and expenses for an easy way to watch the pennies. No gimmicks.

☼ Photographing my mum's old vintage toys. I've loved having the chance to photograph some real vintage toys, and it seems other people have enjoyed seeing them in my Flickr shots too. Happiness all round!

Netflix choices...hmmm...

So, I've watched Supernatural, Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries as far as I can, and while I wait, incredibly impatiently, I need a new show to watch. I did start watching Bones but my boyfriend caught on to how good it is and now he keeps moaning when I skip ahead, so I figured I'd try something a bit more girly. I've narrowed it down to 3 things I've never seen - Charmed, Ghost Whisperer or Gossip Girl. Can anyone help me decide?

W is for...Weird News

I get really wound up watching the news on TV, as it always feels like they are either catastrophising issues or trying to sway us to one opinion or another by a biased use of the facts. I prefer to read the news on the internet (usually the BBC or Telegraph websites), although I do watch local news which tends to be less irritating. And I have to just mention a particular pet hate of mine, which is the outside broadcast - frequently this will be from outside a victim or suspect's house, a court after hours or somewhere equally unnecessary. Do we really need to hear the news being read from the spot that it happened or from outside a house? No. Does it add anything to the broadcast? No. 

So I read the news online mostly, so I can choose which stories interest me, look up other opinions and compare what different reporters have to say. After skimming through the main headlines and reading any interesting stories, I'll usually have a quick look at the 'weird news' section. If you just need something lighthearted after reading about all the death and despair in the world, then this is the place to head to! For instance, today I read about the Brazilian girl selling most of her 1.6m long hair to get herself out of poverty, about the woman who saved her dog from the claws of an eagle that swooped down to grab it, and that tourism in Kazakhstan has increased tenfold all thanks to Borat! You don't generally get that information on News at 10!

S is for ...Supernatural

When my TV decided to give up on life last month I was thrown into the rather confusing world of the electrical retail store. Faced with an abundance of shiny sexy gadgets, I eventually emerged with a Smart TV. That's right, even the TVs are getting education these days. For those of you who are obviously still living in last week, a Smart TV is one that can connect to the internet. It sounds like a useless gimmick, until you realise it means you can watch YouTube, BBC iplayer and other internet-based film/music channels through your TV - yay.

Netflix had not long launched in the UK, but after buying said Smart TV, I discovered that it isn't actually that smart after all. Sony TVs don't support Netflix! You what?! Yes, that was my reaction, but after some digging and poking on the net, I found that there is a way to watch the US version of Netflix here in the UK. You have to tiptoe quietly in the backdoor of US Netflix, via a site called Unblock Us, which sets you up as if you were located in the US. Then after entering some funny numbers in your TV and some unknown jiggery pokery.....dah dah....you have access to a veritable smorgasboard of entertainment! 

Onto the supposed subject of my post - I finally plucked up the courage to watch Supernatural (I scare super easily!), and I am officially addicted. I have a rule though - I don't watch it on my own if it is dark; just in case. It isn't actually scary at the time, but alone late at night, my mind has a tendency to replay and imagine stuff I'd rather not see. The best bit of the show isn't the rather attractive young men who play Sam and Dean (although older brother Dean especially is very, very easy on the eye), and it's not the similarity to my favourite show of all time (Buffy), it's the fact that I have a whole SEVEN seasons to catch up on, and they are still making more. Happy days.

One Sentence Journal

I've reached the 25 series recording limit on my HDD recorder - I didn't realise I enjoyed that many programmes!

OSJ

I'm not too sure if I like the new head-to-head round in Pointless, but it is still the greatest quiz show around by miles.