Tales From the South Side...
For the second half of my blogging journey towards that magic *1000* post milestone, I can think of no better way than to share some of yesterday's happenings.
Seeing as how K-Mart had some really good sales this week for items we had been wanting to get (more like needed to get, you know how that "want/need" thing flies in MY house), we trekked over to see "if" they even had any left.
Well, we DID luck out. The DVD/VCR on sale for $60 (I did say SIXTY BUCKS) was the next to last one on the shelf, and the Bissell steamer/rug/floor cleaner WAS the last one (next to the display model), and at $70 was one of the BETTER prices I've seen for anything remotely close in some time (they usually cost upwards of $150 or more...mostly more).
Lastly, we nailed an EIGHT POUND bag of black oil sunflower seed for the the avian friends (and their squirrel buddies) who frequent our garden and backyard. And THAT was under $6. And to think a THREE POUND bag was costing $4...I mean REALLY.
So...mission accomplished.
Our bit for the economic stimulus had been achieved (this week anyway).
We get home, and I immediately set to work getting the DVD/VCR hooked up. But then a curious thing occurred.
There was NO COAX CABLE INPUT/OUTPUT on the back of the unit.
OK...WHEN did they change that, and WHY didn't I "get my memo"?
The ONLY input/outputs on the unit were either the S-VIDEO (not an option at OUR house), and the tried and true (and awkward) RCA connections (that would be all those YELLOW, RED, and WHITE cables you have dangling from ALL your devices at your house).
Now I'm really starting to break a sweat, bordering on sheer panic.
Perhaps I need to enlist some "outside help"?
How the hell can I hook a COAX into something that ONLY has RCA connections (so that I can utilize the STEREO capabilities of the TV)? Used to be the COAX handled all that stuff FOR me.
I know...I used to INSTALL A/V systems at local big box stores in three states when I lived in Philly.
A veritable WALL of TVs (all operating in stereo) were at my beckon call...and they ALL used COAX cable (RG-6 for you purists).
After taking a few minutes to "regroup", I found out that this NEW unit needs some "old tech" to make it compatible with MY system (which runs with COAX - even from the "new" FiOS digital box).
OK....time for plan *B*.
Apparently, I need an RF MODULATOR box (which, without getting TOO technical converts COAX to RCA plugs and vice versa). So now I have to bop out to Radio Shack (or their equivalent) and get one of THOSE. And after all these years, I got RID of that stuff when we went from 2-prong antenna connections TO one COAX cable.
SHEESH!
((Note to readers: NEVER TOSS ANY of that old stuff out,...like Bell Bottom pants, they WILL come "back in style"))
But I can use the RCA connectors to hook up the player to the other TV and get stereo...it just looks funky, and won't allow playing the FiOS signal through the unit (so I can record stuff from cable) for now. After the modulator is purchased, then we're good-to-go.
One small thing...I have to find out WHAT TYPE of RF MODULATOR (of the several hundred out there) would best serve my "specific" needs....
Someone has GOT to find me the engineer who REDESIGNED this, and bring him to my house. I'd like to have a LONG "talk" with him. I just KNOW it's a GUY that redesigned it, because a WOMAN would NEVER do such a thing. THEY know what works, and they don't screw with things that work.
That something MEN have sole ownership of.
It's a proprietary thing.
So now it's onto the RUG CLEANER...
Well, I had to assemble that...no biggie. I've always loved to build things (and take them apart). Maybe that's why my folks always got me all those building sets as a child...to make sure that the appliances stayed operational.
I mean I could see mom getting PO'ed at me when she wants to run the vacuum, and I'm sitting there in a pile of parts that just 5 minutes before WAS her vacuum. It makes sense.
I open the box, eyeball the cleaner, lay out the parts on the floor, and lo and behold...after 5 minutes (the magic number), I have a cleaner that looks exactly like the display unit at K-Mart.
Now I figured this is gonna work the first time for TWO reasons:
1) I don't need a damn RF MODULATOR to make it function (like that stupid VCR).
2) I didn't have ANY parts left over (always a nice thing).
So that says "Good enough for Government work" all over it to me.
And I'm not even going to fret over the SUNFLOWER SEEDS we bought....they work EVERY TIME out of the bag - no modulator, no electricity...just the "Circle of Life" gig working as nature intended.
Gotta love that, eh?
Now all we have to do is get the modulator, hook everything back up, and I can get to the business of shampooing the rugs...and for a lot cheaper than ALL those steamer guys can do it. Plus, I can do whatever room I want to at the pace I want (taking frequent breaks). Hey, when you're not "on the clock" that works out pretty darn well. The down side to that is that there is NEVER "time and a half" for anything done over FORTY HOURS.
Wonder if they have a UNION for semi-retired house husbands?
And would it be prudent to picket my front lawn for paid overtime?
Nah....would never fly. The wife would just OUTSOURCE my jobs about the house.
I really need to get ALL my memos.