Unlike my dog, my Tivo is dead. If you have one of these life-changing devices you understand the gravity of the situation. If not, go buy one, use it for a week, and continue reading.

More accurately, my Tivo's modem is dead. Ya know how the thing has to use the phone line to download the program schedule (and upload your viewing habits)? Well, mine got zapped in a lightning storm two weeks ago. Everything else works fine. I can pause live TV, rewind, and all the other stuff. It just has no idea what's on TV right now, so it can't record the shows it's programmed to get.

"...molten metal to fuse sensitive electrical connections..."
It's like $90 to let Tivo fix it. Or $20 for a kit to do it yourself. The only problem is it involves solder. That's where you use molten metal to fuse sensitive electrical connections, right? Probably not for me.

So I'll live without. Somehow I'll get by.

I called to check on my student ID card today. Apparently they're short staffed and haven't even started on my application. So I have to leave the site disconnected for a few more days.

I'm off to the airport in a few minutes to pick up a rental. Then tomorrow morning it's a seven hour drive to my Dad's in Virginia. I found a sweet deal to fly into Greensboro and was just about to book it when I remembered I wanted to take the dog. So Nielsen and I will saddle up early and head for the Commonwealth.

"Who are Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, you might ask?"
By the way... I totally forgot. I saw Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers last night. Who are Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, you might ask? Remember that song from the mid-90's "...everybody knows that the world is full of stupid people...?" They were called the Refreshments then.

Something happened. They either left or were dumped by their record company, became the Peacemakers, and went back to being a little band that just played around Arizona. Now they're on what I think is their first national tour since they've been the Peacemakers.

I've always liked them, and tried to keep up as they released a couple of CD's that never saw much radio or MTV time. There were only a couple of hundred people at the show, but I was surprised at how many college age kids were totally into them. This band hasn't been famous since these kids were like twelve, but some of them knew their songs better than I did.

It was enjoyable, too, to see a band that had had a taste of fame, walked away, and is now having a fine time quietly doing what they love without the pressure of the music industry. It makes me think of my decision to walk away from the on-air side of TV news. I still sometimes think what if I'd stayed in. Where would I be now? But I suppose the answer is meaningless, because I'd probably be as miserable as ever.

Oh, and my ears are still ringing.|