Spreading the eWealth!

I apologize for posting this later in the day—later than I would have liked anyways. I typically have my article written before heading out for work on Monday and Thursday. I read over of it, make any corrections and the post it from work. I figure since I don’t smoke it counts as a break. Anyways, today was crazy right out of the shoot—but that’s a whole other blog. So, I apologize to anyone who checked and checked and checked for the new blog.
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Once upon a time, when my daughter was three she threw a hellacious fit—we’re talking yelling and screaming, feet and fist pounding on the floor, head spinning in circles while pea-green fluid shot out like half kinked hose kind of a fit. All provoked because she had missed a family favorite TV show known as The Simpson.

Our parental reaction was simple; we turned off the cable. I admit it was with a smug sort of pleasure that I showed her all of the static filled channels. For three glorious years we didn’t have TV. The dusty beast stayed off unless we were playing a video game or watching a movie.

I graduated college and moved into a house where the cable is bundled in with the rent—having it off wasn’t an option thanks to a housing association. College had choked much of the life out of my casual reading habit and so once again, we have cable TV and it didn’t sound like the most horrible idea in the world.

It was incredibly strange to have it back on. I was in shock at all of the reality TV programming, all with huge amounts of editors and writers listed in the credits. People were being anything but real and I couldn’t stomach any of it. It seemed the only “real” things left on TV was sports and nature shows.

There are only handfuls of shows I watch of my own accord. Mrs. Bastard is a Law and Order junky and it’s not a bad show, so I can stay in the room while she’s getting her fix.

I hear good things about Lost—which I haven’t watch mostly to aggravate my good friend Flo, just for shits ‘n giggles, and I hear Hero’s is awesome.

My problem with TV shows is the initial reasons one likes a show and gets attached become lost as the seasons wear on and the focus becomes keeping viewers as opposed to staying true to a story—or I end up being among the minority of fans who go down with the ship, so to speak, as the series isn’t picked up. Deadwood, for example, is probably my favorite show ever that never got finished.

I like good stories be it in book form or show form. I wouldn’t say I’m an anime fan, but I do watch some anime. The difference for me is anime fans will sit through shitty storylines simply because they are watching anime. And I don’t read manga, so I have that level of separation as well.

The main problem is all the quality story anime is hard to come by. If you don’t’ have high speed internet I’m not sure how you would access it. Adult Swim has picked up some of the series but so much is lost in the translation I’d rather read the subtitles (subbed) instead of the voice over version (dubbed).

Mrs. Bastard and I both work. We have one car and kids. Often times she’s not done with work until the early a.m. so unless I want to bundle up the kids after midnight to go fetch her home—I’m without a car all evening.

Going out to the movies is incredibly rare—and when we do get the opportunity it’s usually after all the good movies have left town—and if they’re rated “R” they do so fast.

We have one movie theater company in town and what movies are played is heavily influenced by the Mormon standards (they aren’t supposed to watch R rated movies). So, There Will Be Blood was here for all of a week.

Joox.net is my salvation and not everyone knows about it, so I’m taking some time to spread the wealth on my own prompting. Meaning Joox didn’t call me up and say, “Hey Bastard, give us a shout out! Here’s a pile of money.” Joox has TV shows, movies, documentaries, anime, kid cartoons…really there’s just so much. I’ve been watching Blood (in the anime section).

It’s not perfect—not everything will load, but most of it does. And there’s nothing you need to download except maybe a quick update that lets you view the programs with their software. It’s all streamed, like YouTube. Also similar to the Tube, you can upload programs as well.

Free is undeniably nice and I justify (rationalize, whatever!) watching it without a ticket or receipt because typically if something is good, I like to own my own copy. Where as if I find some music I like, I try and buy t-shirt or go to their concert—something that puts the funds closer to the artists.

So, if you’re life doesn’t permit you to get out as often as you like for whatever reason, check Joox out. And if you see something like don’t be shy about trying to get some money their way. And if it sucks—fuck ‘em! At least the price was right.