September chitchat

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[Another] Change of Subject: Free Movies and TV Shows

Except for seeing it in restaurants every now and then, I almost never watch TV. Basic cable is included in my rent, but I don't have the patience necessary to find something worth watching. (Not to mention it is unclear whether there is, in fact, anything other than PBS worth watching on current television.) In addition, the cable interface is abominable.

Similarly, I normally don't watch paid movies. I only own around ten of them associated with my Amazon account, and I stopped collecting them a long time ago. I just can't afford it. I have also done a very few one-time rentals there, but that's about it. Again, I just can't afford it, at least not very often.

My favorite place to watch TV shows is tubitv.com*. They also have tons of movies. In both cases, I generally go for the older films, but I also watch a lot of current documentaries there. In the fiction category, I have lately been watching the old TV series Columbo. They have all 16 seasons, so there is plenty to see.

One thing about Tubi is, the videos autoplay by default. For example, if you start with Season 1, Episode 1 of Columbo, Episode 2 automatically plays afterwards. In addition, Season 2 automatically follows Season 1 and so on. (The same goes for movies: play one, and another related to it automatically follows.) This is great if you like to watch the tube as you fall asleep.

Another thing is, Tubi is free. (It is also legal.)

ETA: I should mention one more thing about Tubi. They have an app, but it isn't required to watch. I would avoid the app. It almost certainly tracks you, and God only knows what else it is doing on your device. Watch Tubi on your browser instead. I don't know if there is an extension for it, but if there is, I would skip that as well. Assuming there is one, you don't need it to watch.

I also spend a lot of time on YouTube. As I'm sure everyone knows, they have both paid shows and movies, and free shows and movies. Personally, I only go for the free stuff. There is more than enough of that for me. You might be surprised by what you can find there.

I also know of two sites — there are boatloads of them beyond just those two — where you can watch bootleg copies of movies and TV shows. Their libraries are extensive and include both new and old films. No signup is required at either site. Resolution varies, but it is generally 480p (DVD resolution) or higher (max. 1080p, or Blu-Ray resolution). I have found both sites safe. PM me if you want the details.

So, I do almost all of my TV and movie watching on my PC, and I avoid related browser extensions and apps. I use an old 32" Sony HD TV for my monitor (1080p), so the picture quality is the same as you would expect on any other ordinary television. It isn't as good as 4K, of course, but relatively few movies and TV shows have been recorded at that resolution. (I gather some TV shows play at 4K now, but like I said, I hardly ever watch current television.)

That leaves ads and tracking cookies. More and more of them all the time, but easy to squelch using two free, safe, lightweight, easy-to-install, privacy-oriented browser extensions: uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger.

In closing, I guess you can pay for movies and TV (and browser extensions), but if your budget is tight, I don't know why you would unless you just can't live without the latest, greatest thing. Personal choice and priorities, I suppose. Myself, I almost never pay for movies or TV. In general, I just can't afford to. I hope this helps others in a similar position.


*Another link for Tubi: tubitv.com/home (I generally use this one). Regarding the syntax, I am using it so those not logged in, such as visitors, can see the links; it is a workaround. You can't click them on a PC, but you can do the highlight/right-click/goto thing. I don't know how that works on a smartphone; I don't have one, but I am guessing all it takes is a tap.

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OMG! I went back to watch more Columbo on Tubi, and it's gone. :(

This happens from time to time on Tubi: content becomes "Unavailable" (their term). Sometimes, the content returns. This has happened with Columbo before. Here's hoping it comes back again. It was a great series.

[jingle]

I loved Columbo many years ago and now love to see it now when it comes on Sundance TV ... which I get with Spectrum.

[agate]

I sometimes watch movies on Kanopy and will probably add Tubi, now that Netflix is no longer sending out rental DVDs.

I don't see paying for movies as a rule either though I did cave in and pay Netflix every month for DVDs that came in the mail because the library that sends out DVDs on rental for free didn't have as big a selection. I find it easier to watch movies on DVD, partly because the streaming ones on the computer screen often don't have captions and partly because the computer screen is smaller than my TV screen.

However, it's not that much smaller, and besides I sit a lot closer to it. I'm adjusting to the end of the Netflix DVDs without any withdrawal symptoms. Especially since the last DVD they sent had a huge crack in it and was totally useless. Netflix ends in about a week, and I'll be glad to be relieved of that expense every month. It's been a big splurge for me and I felt all along that I shouldn't be spending money just to watch movies when I'm on a tight budget.

jingle, I recall hearing a lot about "Columbo" but never did watch it. Somehow a lot of TV shows escaped me. For a while I watched "Judge Judy" and "The Simpsons" and "Jeopardy." Many years ago I was a fan of "77 Sunset Strip" and "Twilight Zone" --followed by shows I watched with my kids like "Sesame Street" and "Little House on the Prairie." After that I dropped out of TV except for the news--and a number of PBS programs. For years I watched "Victory Garden" and "This Old House" and a lot of the Masterpiece Theater dramas--"Upstairs, Downstairs," "Danger UXB," "Voyage of the Beagle," "Disraeli," "To Serve Them All My Days," "Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy," to name a few. All of those were ages ago but I rewatched a couple of them not so long ago--"Foyle's War," for one.

[Virginia]

I used to love movies, but I seldom watch one now. I think we go through phases with different things.

Last week was very busy. I had plumbing problems and had to get someone to come out. That took a while and also was stressful. Then I got a flu shot. I never have a problem with the flu shots, but this one knocked me for a loop. It took several days for me to come back from that. My brother said I should have come straight home after getting it rather than walking around the pharmacy and then going to the bank and then walking over the grocery store. He told me I have a habit of thinking I am 30 years old. He says I need to stop doing that.

A really nice thing happened Sunday. As some of you know I have a nephew who is a pro golfer. He was in a tournament in Tennessee playing and it was on TV. I can't watch because I get so stressed when he isn't doing well. It was a 4 day tournament and I had not asked how he was doing. On Sunday afternoon I got a very brief and quick call from my brother and he said turn your TV to the golf channel. I did and watched my nephew play the last two holes. They showed the score board right after I turned it on and he was in 1st place. So he did win the tournament. It was really nice to see. He will be playing on the PGA tour this next year.

It was kind of interesting. A young man that is also from Raleigh and grew up playing high school golf with my nephew was tied for second place. It was nice to see that happen. He has not won yet, but my brother knows him and his golfing abilities well and he says he will win. I spent a lot of time on the internet yesterday reading a lot.

Ikoiko, ask your bf if he happened to be watching.

[Ikoiko]

BF was not watching, but funnily he just showed me a picture of your nephew announcing his win before I logged on here.

[agate]

Great news about your nephew, Virginia! I'm glad you were able to watch.

I haven't had the flu shot yet but every year I stock up on Tylenol just in case it does a number on me. Some years it's been really bad, but other years it's just meant an evening of feeling slightly achy and feverish. I think your brother is right--it might be best to plan on taking it easier than usual after a flu shot. But don't stop thinking of yourself as 30 years old. We all know you're really 31 but it's known only to people here.

[Virginia]

I haven't had time to go back on the internet today to see if there is anything else about my nephew. I have had several calls about the golf tournament and since they were friends the conversations would then go on to other things. Now, I am very tired.

One very cute thing happened (at least I thought it was). As most of you know I have a niece who has two little boys. She's sister to Grayson. The oldest is two and crazy about his Uncle Grayson. Need I say Grayson is crazy about him too. My niece and her husband were watching the golf game and the 2 year old was saying "show Grayson, Show Grayson"". My niece explained to him that Grayson had to wait for his turn. After that the 2 year old kept saying Grayson turn, Grayson turn. He didn't want Grayson to leave when he had to go to the tournament.

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Thirty-one, agate?

I thought Virginia is forever 29.

[agate]

Virginia, the next thing you know, that child will be swinging a golf club around. Having a star in the family must be exciting for everyone.

[agate]

Today would be Peg's birthday. Maybe you remember her as Iowa Farm Girl or as Pegakafarmgirl? I posted on her Facebook page about how much she is missed here.

She gave us news from the "tarpaper shack" about the sacred cows and other glimpses into her hard-working life.

[Virginia]

I think all who were on here with Peg miss her coming on and telling about her canning foods, freezing foods, riding horses and Farmer Joe having to get the cows in.

Ann, (Cat Dancer) and Peg were good friends. Which brings Ralph to mind. I hope he is doing well.

[agate]

Remember when Cat Dancer and Peg met up? I think it was at Peg's place because there was a story about a horse of Peg's. Cat Dancer asked what kind of horse it was and was told it was a quarter horse--and she then said, " A quarter horse? I'd want the whole horse!"

As for Ralph, the last time I sent him a message, he replied with just a thumbs-up emoji. It probably meant he was OK but busy. I'll try sending another message.

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Men Wearing Scarves

I have a couple of questions for the ladies concerning scarves. Do you think they look good on a man, or is the style too dated? Do you see any other issues with them along societal lines?

I have a heavy cotton, olive-colored, mid-length, three-season jacket with a heavy-duty metal YKK zipper like you used to see in the old days. Man, that zipper is smooth.

The jacket is an XL, and I now wear about a 42L on my skinny but long, large frame, but I still like it very much. It's just the right blend of the old and the new in terms of style and practicality. There is also plenty of room for a fleece sweater under it, so it has the potential to work for me at lower temperatures than it does now.

What the problem boils down to is this: The jacket needs a scarf, in my opinion. Or I need one. It was about 60° when I went to dinner after dark last night, and I would've liked to of froze on my way home, as they say/spell in some parts. I forgot to look, but it had to have been down to at least the high 50s — LOL.

I just can't take any kind of cold anymore. I have too little fat on my body. I need a scarf. I think it might also look good wearing one of my cold weather caps, but I worry a scarf might give the wrong impression. Too haughty, perhaps. Possibly taking the vintage look too far, regardless of the practical considerations.

So, what do you say, ladies? To scarf, or not to scarf? I can wear anything I want of course, but I get virtually no feedback, so I would welcome your opinion.



ETA: It's unrelated, but for those who might wish to tune in, Columbo is already back on Tubi.