I imagine the day after a major purchase is much like waking up the morning after a drunken one night stand and realizing that the person you picked up last night a) is utterly gorgeous, b) is double-jointed in ways you didn’t know were possible, c) is very enthusiastic in the sack and willing to try anything, d) is actually an alligator, e) has infected you with a particularly virulent strain of alligator herpes. You’re stunned (an alligator?!) but proud (but WHAT an alligator!), excited (at last my Crocodile Hunter Naughty School Girl fantasies will be realized) and wanting to show your friends (check out this hot alligator I totally banged last night) – but at the same time, worried (does my back normally bleed this much?) and overwhelmed (alligator herpes is sticky and spreads very quickly) by how long it will take to make things right in the public eye (I knew I shouldn’t have accepted that VP nomination).
I don’t have regrets over the purchase itself – we needed a new TV, researched the hell out of it and got it on sale – but this morning when consolidating our accounts and shoring up the resources, I had a mild panic attack at the number on the screen. It’s not enormous, but it’s bigger than it was on Saturday and that is alarming.
I have a Plan, though. While Ed is already cancelling Christmas in his mind, I know that we are in fine shape to pay off our new toys and still afford to eat. We’re making concessions where we can, too – for example, I canceled my parking pass downtown and found a free (and better!) alternative, saving us $85 a month. The Mazdabator will be completely paid off in March, and that’ll be a lovely chunk of change that will a) rapidly pay off the remaining debt and b) go into savings for future use. I moved the balance off the higher interest card and into the low interest line of credit, saving some more pennies along the way. It is good. Ed, stop freaking out.
All monetary concerns aside, I also feel somewhat sheepish at saying we needed a TV. It’s true, though. You can’t play Rock Band on No TV. In fact, there are many things you cannot do on No TV. I know it’s hip and cool to be all snooty and superior and crow the evils of television, but Ed likes hockey. Sure, I can download many programs and watch them on a computer as to eliminate the need to suckle at cable’s teat, but that doesn’t work as well for sports. I like having a TV. It makes using my various video game consoles much easier, and yes – sometimes I like to watch brain-rotting TV. Not often, though. I still get to keep SOME of my snooty elitist hipster cred.
If I could just convince someone to take our OLD TV out of my living room, everything would be just super.
delicious juice dot com 
Yeah, I can’t imagine getting rid of our TV completely, but I would like to either cancel cable or at least limit our shows substantially. We just watch too much mindless TV and then find ourselves with too many chores not done. TV fuels our procrastination. :)
We cancelled our TV and it’s awesome. I don’t miss it at all except for hockey.
If the Canucks would do online streaming like they did in Pre-Season it would be awesome. I’d happily pay for that.
See, sitting my ass down on the couch and watching TV is completely alien to me. It’s an old habit from when I lived utterly alone and had no friends and was staggeringly lonely, but I keep the TV on as background noise. I can sort of see the TV from my computer desk, so it’s just comforting to have on – and if I want to watch, I can. For the most part, it’s just background noise that I absolutely miss if it wasn’t around. I’m sure we’d survive if we canceled cable, but we can afford it, we enjoy it, and it doesn’t get abused so .. we shall keep it!
I’m with you, we got the 52″ Samsung, and now if someone could just please atomize the old 32″ threeTHOUSANDpound vacuum tube Sanyothat just takes up space now, that would be great. I want to drop-kick the thing, but it takes three people to lift it.
old TV = boat anchor
okay, we’ve been window shopping a new tv to replace the 36″ CRT monster. We are looking in the 40″ range, no bigger, but HOW THE HELL DID YOU DECIDE.
You walk into the store, and they all look the same. Plasma? LCD? Sony? LG? Sharp? AUGH!
I really can’t stand people who feel superior because they don’t have a TV. Often they download full seasons of TV shows and movies off bittorrent anyways, which just means they’re watching TV but on a smaller screen and illegally. It’s kind of silly, like there’s something sad and desperate about paying for cable.
I keep looking at LCD prices on websites and itch to pick up a 42″, except of course for recently where I’ve got negative moneys. The cheap bastard in me, however, says that I shouldn’t since my 26″ widescreen (so more like 20″ for most shows) is only 2 years old and in fine condition. Also if I get a TV that awesome I may never leave the apartment again.
I love our new (well, six months old) 32″ Bravia. I love it in dark and sinful ways. It’s small, but we got it for a great deal and it has a way better contrast ratio and dynamic range than the bigger Bravias do. And the nicest-looking picture, IMO. My last TV cost $200 so honestly it was kind of like “OMG this thing better come with a lap dance.” We don’t need anything huge, we just pull it out to watch videos and the occasional Buffys, but it is SO NICE. I don’t feel at all crass or commercial, because it is just THAT NICE.
(Er, did. We got it before this generation of Bravias came out, apparently. They all look JUST AS SPIFFY.)
Ohh ‘nee that 32″ looks nice. I’ll have to check that out. I want to replace our 27″ CRT one but don’t need anything too big. That might be perfect.
I was just thinking that I needed to reward myself with a big (42″ish) TV (to replace my 21″ tube TV), in recognition of my cleaning my apt enough that I could actually get to, and sit on the couch and see the TV from across the room now. Haven’t been able to pick something that meets the happy mark on the good and inexpensive scale.
The nicest thing about LCDs is that they’re all so … flat! It’s like getting an additional five square feet in your living room in which to do … ANYTHING! Without knocking out any walls at all. Go technology, go.
One word: Freecycle.
Some dude who needs it for spare parts will come carry that broken TV away for you. Srsly. I got rid of two totally fried computers that way.
My old tv blew up and now I’m trying to quell the withdrawl pangs with two tiny ancient tvs that barely work. I love TV. Or maybe I hate TV, but it really loves me. People without TVs are sociopaths. Trust me on this, I am a Doctor.
So how did you decide on what one to get, Kimli? Is it simply a function of price/what’s on sale that day?
Grumble – I asked Ed to respond to your comment, but he is fail at internets. Basically, we picked a price point and went from there. Once you know what you want to spend, it narrows the field down a lot. We knew we wanted between 45 and 55 and wanted to spend around $2k all together (we needed a TV stand too), so that made it a little easier. From there, it was just how the units looked – we were really impressed by the LG units, the high end Samsungs and Sonys were double the cost of the Sharps and LGs, and LCD just seemed like a good idea. Sales are plentiful, and with price protection it’s pretty easy to make sure you get a good deal – just check all the usual suspects for pricing before you go in.
Oh, and if you don’t have a digital box, make sure the TV you choose has coaxial (the cable, not josh). Some TVs are only being made with a digital hookup, but we are not that fancy and still use good ol’ coax.
Seems like a digital box would be a logical next step. The box from Shaw is only $80, and another $3/month.
Sigh. Thankee.