This post ran on October 6th, 2014. Since we all need to decide what to watch on TV, it still might be helpful.
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Top Ten things not to do when trying to decide what to watch on TV
This list was inspired by a recent visit to a friend’s house and observing how the friend decided which shows to watch.
10 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not take a suggestion from anyone ages fourteen to eighteen. If you do, at best, you will be lost in the translation. At worst, you will see and hear things that will keep you up at night.
9 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not use the newspaper reviews as a guide to good programming. If you do, at best, you will be asleep earlier than usual. At worst, you might wonder if you should discontinue your cable service.
8 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, don’t ask someone else what they want. If you do, at best, you will get an icy stare when you ignore the suggestion. At worst, you may end up watching this and other shows in the privacy of the garage.
7 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not scroll through the guide, hoping something good will jump at you. If you do, at best, you will have to review one hundred and sixty channels that are basically the same. At worst, those in the room may call an audible, and you will lose your remote privileges for heaven knows how long.
6 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not call a friend for a suggestion. If you do, at best, the friend will want a report on the show. At worst, you will hate the show, and you can lie to your friend or turn a friend into an enemy.
5 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch and your in-laws are there, simply hand over the remote. If you don’t, at best, they’ll miss their favorite show and hate you forever. At worst, they might like your selection and decide to return on the nights that it is on since they can’t remember which channel to tune.
4 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch and your significant other wants to do something else, turn the set off. If you don’t, at best, you will be watching the show alone. At worst, you might be watching the show, which will be your only company for the long, cold winter.
3 If you are trying to decide which TV show to watch, do not rely on the network hype about the “best new show of the season.” If you do, you do, at best, you might waste a half hour. At worst, you might waste a whole night, depending on how many network hypes you follow.
2 If you are trying to decide which show to watch on TV, do not think the DVR will help. If you do, at best, you may end up with a bunch of shows and no disk space. At worst, you may have recorded all the clinkers of the season and, while reviewing them, miss the best.
1 If you are trying to decide which show to watch on TV, do not use any kind of gambling prop to help with the decision. If you do, at best, the odds of getting something you want to watch are the same as the odds against you. At worst, your prop will be no more favorable to you in selecting an excellent show to watch than it has been in delivering sure-thing winners.
Yes, the headline says it all. We are headed to the Lakeway Municipal Court, where they are holding an open house. No, you don’t need a speeding ticket to attend. We are catered by Launderette of Austin, and our entertainment is The Bobby Fuller Four.
The long wait is over. The Columbian soothin’ syrup fills the mug, and the aroma of those poor masticated beans covers the air like a blanket. Should we feel sorry for the beans? They were ripped off their bush home and forced into bags, held deep in the hold of a ship, only to emerge in a strange country. They were then run through the most brutal grinder, doused with boing water, and disposed of with the moniker “dregs.” The first sip of my coffee tells me to be thankful, not sorry.
The clock is set for Saturday, November 15. The location is St. Louis, and the time is one hour. The plunger is pulled, and we find ourselves in the courthouse.
We hear the jury read guilty verdicts for nine members of the St. Louis-based “Egan’s Rats” gang of bank robbers who were convicted of robbery of a mail truck and each sentenced to 25 years incarceration in a federal prison. Over five years between 1919 and 1924, Egan’s Rats, founded by Willie Egan and later led by Dint Colbeck, stole almost $4.5 million worth of cash and property, including the heist of $2.4 million from an armored mail truck on April 2, 1923. The convictions ended the organization, which had employed over 300 people over 35 years.
As the judge leaves the bench, our alarm goes off, and we flop back on the couch. A text comes in from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “blanket.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
‘I got my life back.’ Veterans with PTSD making progress thanks to service dog program
JIM SALTER AP News
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — After working at a crowded and dangerous internment camp in Iraq, Air Force Staff Sgt. Heather O’Brien was brought home with her anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Airforce s/sgt Heather O’Brian and Albus – Photo by Nick Ingram
A bouncy labradoodle and a Kansas City-area program helped her get back on her feet.
Dogs 4 Valor, operated through the Olathe, Kansas-based organization The Battle Within, helps retired veterans and first responders work with their service dogs to manage depression, anxiety, and other challenges.
“A lot of times, the veteran with severe PTSD is homebound,” said Sandra Sindeldecker, program manager for Dogs 4 Valor. “They’re isolated. They’re very nervous. They won’t make eye contact. Some won’t leave the house at all.
The veterans and dogs graduate in six to nine months, but group gatherings continue.
There is growing evidence of the value of service dogs for veterans with PTSD. A small study published in JAMA Network Open in June looked at a program operated by K9s For Warriors. Service dogs in the program are taught to pick up a veteran’s physical signs of distress and can interrupt panic attacks and nightmares with a loving nudge.
Researchers compared 81 veterans who received service dogs with 75 veterans on the waiting list for a trained dog. After three months, PTSD symptoms improved in both groups, but the veterans with dogs saw a bigger improvement on average.
O’Brien, 40, recalled that the camp where she worked in Iraq sometimes had over 20,000 detainees. Violence and rioting were common, and it left her with severe anxiety.
“When I got out of the military, I just assumed that you’re supposed to be on edge all the time as a veteran,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien’s mother spotted the frisky lab-poodle mix on Facebook and convinced her daughter to adopt the dog she named Albus. Months later, O’Brien learned about Dogs 4 Valor, and the pair joined the program in October 2023.
O’Brien says she can now go out in public again — she even went on vacation to Branson, Missouri, “things that I never would have thought I would do really, probably ever again.”
Mark Atkinson, 38, served in Afghanistan as a corporal in the Marine Corps. He returned home with PTSD and major depressive disorder, causing sleeplessness and anxiety. He adopted Lexi, now 5, in 2020.
Lexi, a muscular cane corso breed, needed Atkinson as much as he needed her. Her previous owner had kept Lexi in chains before surrendering her. Since joining Dogs 4 Valor, the two can get out together and enjoy life.
“I don’t really like leaving the house because I’m safe there, you know?” Atkinson said. “And having Lexi has just made me get out to be more social.”
Having a group of fellow veterans facing the same challenges has also helped, Atkinson said.
“We come from the same backgrounds, different branches,” Atkinson said. “Same issues. You know, PTSD or traumatic brain injuries. And they’re all very welcoming, as well. There’s no judgment.”
O’Brien compared living with Albus to a relationship with a sometimes pushy best friend who often wants to go out.
“The best friend constantly wants to make you do things that make you nervous,” O’Brien laughed, acknowledging that it is ultimately up to her.
“I have to decide to walk out and just deal with life,” O’Brien said. “And so that has been hard. And it still is hard from time to time, but it’s it’s getting manageable.”
Some veterans said their family relationships have improved since they started the program.
“I’m able to talk, not fly off the handle and just get along with people and not be as stressed, not have as much anxiety,” Atkinson said. “Or even if I do, she (Lexi) is right there with me.”
Timothy Siebenmorgen, 61, said his relationships also are better with help from his 1-year-old American bulldog, Rosie, and Dogs 4 Valor, which he joined in July. He served in both the Marines and the Army, deploying 18 times.
Tim Siebenmorgan (left) and Rosie. Mark Atkinson and Lexi – Photo by Mark Ingram
“You’re in the military, kind of taught not to show weakness,” Siebenmorgen said. “So you figure you can tackle everything yourself, and you honestly believe that. And then you realize you can’t do it on your own.”
Veterans said the dogs and the program have given them new hope and a renewed ability to move forward.
“I got my life back,” O’Brien said.
The good news in this article is that these heroes are getting the help they need. Today’s JohnKu talks about the need for help. I hope you have a super weekend.
The ten things not to do are the same. On Veteran’s Day, do not fail to remember those veterans who served so that we all continue to enjoy our freedoms.
If you know a veteran, tell them thanks for all of us.
Today, we are attending a car show in Bee Cave at the Galleria shopping center. There were so many cars that we won’t be able to see them all, but we can look at a sample of the more interesting ones. Ten Ten of Austin is catering, and our entertainment is (who other than) Steppenwolf.
Menu
CURRIED CAULIFLOWER – shiitake, coconut, basil
KING SALMON – Japanese potato salad, smoked ikura
SHORT RIB – ume chimichurri
PORK CHOP – Japanese curry, pickled vegetables
KING CRAB LEG – chili garlic butter, micro salad
ACORN SQUASH – black garlic, pepita crumble
DUCK BREAST – Japanese turnips, cippolinis
BAVETTE 7oz
RIBEYE 14oz
NY STRIP 7oz/14oz
Jump on the bus, and let’s get rolling.
1971 Jaguar XKE
1965 AC Cobra kit car.
1957 Cadillac Hardtop coupe. Almost too long to get in one frame.
1970 Ford Bronco
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop. The first Chevy V8.
2024 McLaren 750s
1936 Ford V8 coupe
1964 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight. Texas style.
1971 Dodge D 100 pickup.
2024 Ford GT 3.5 L 600 horsepower Supersport.
1957 Ford Thunderbird.
1952 MG Midget.
1934 Ford V8 coupe.
1965 Volkswagon 21 window bus.
September 1966 Introduction to 1967 model year Cougar
1960 Corvette.
1957 Ford Mustang.
1931 Buick
1941 Ford V8 Delux Coupe
1965 Corvette
That concludes the tour of the cars. Now, it is time to eat and enjoy the music. I hope you have a beautiful week.
