Entertainment Costs...through the roof!

 So they call this "Entertainment"?


I call it "Highway Robbery"
---------

More Sunshine, and above normal temperatures through at least early tomorrow....upper 40s, before a cold front pushes through by Friday leaving us in the lower 20s for highs, but even those colder predicted temperatures won't last for long.....every day of decent conditions brings us closer to spring....and the time, she is a flying.

When I got done working a basketball double header yesterday afternoon, a girls junior high roundball get-together, I headed for Dartball....we ended up losing 2 of 3 to start off the second half of the season, I arrived late in the first game, and had a total of 13 at bats, just 4 hits, 3 singles and a triple, with a run batted in...dropping my season average to .390 with 8 RBIs...the average, my lowest of the season.  At my, or any age, it can be pretty tough to run up and down a basketball court for 2 and 1/2 hours, jump in the car, drive 35 miles, and be ready to toss underhand heavy darts...sorry excuse I know, but I have noticed my level of play drops drastically, as the basketball season wears.  I've been especially pathetic at home, batting about .280, while hitting over .600 on the road...next week, no basketball, due to MLK Day, and we are on the road at Rockford, so maybe the hot road shooting will continue.

The Cost of "Entertainment":_____

When I got home, Patricia came downstairs and wanted to show me a couple of items.  The main one being the bill from Time-Warner.  TM is our TV, Internet, and Digital Phone provider.  It's prices have been going up like a hot air balloon.  In December, the bill for all services was a {IMO} outrageous $141.58.  Mind you the TV package is on for basic and standard services, we have no premium channels, just a Digital Variety package, with no digital TV?  WFT???  Well, that's not the half of it....the 2012 year kicks off with an increase of $44.47 per month, to $186.05!!!!  Gawd Damn!

Needless to say, that won't stand....I don't watch much TV, so I sure the Hell am getting rid of some of the channels, maybe the digital phone, and wherever else I can save.  When you combine the Internet from Roadrunner, the Digital Phone, TM Cable TV, XM Satellite costs and two cell phones, it runs us about $300 per month.  I call that Bullshit...so here I sit, looking at other options...and nothing looks good, so the only option is to dump some services.

Any suggestions, except to dump the entire mess, and start over with Internet, and cell phones?  Because that is the way I am leaning.....$300 per month?  That's more than our current mortgage payments...since we paid the house down over the years.  I'm not a cheapskate, but I sure the Hell am not a rich man, and even if I was, the cost of cable and other "perks" has become a joke over the past decade, since the Internet became a major part of all of our lives.

OK, today's rant, got me away from my Political View look back....I'll get back on that track tomorrow, but I had to vent on this today....meanwhile with eight games left to officiate this week, of a total of 10, I am feeling every bit of my 62 years and 10 months. 

Meanwhile the Dodge Nitro still sits in St. Henry waiting to be repaired, I did get the check from Nationwide Insurance yesterday for the damages....just under $3000...which means, there was really not a lot of damage outside the bumper and A/C Radiator unit....as for the other driver's damage?  I'm guessing it was a bit, Hell, a lot more.

back tomorrow, with the political side of life>>>>>


Photos-Grand Lake back in July, the mild winter has made the switch from hot to cold more bearable than in past years, especially last year and it's bitter winter season.  Last night 's Dartball was pretty mediocre for me and the team, we went 1 win 2 loses, personally I was a below average 4 for 13, with a triple and a run batted in.  Time Warner's fees are soaring, but checking around, others are just as bad...and the Nitro at the shop for a week, is now waiting on the $3000 in repairs to be completed.