Is This Normal?
The chaos that is the KerbersArchive for TV
Splurgin’
Dave and I got another new TV yesterday. I say another new one because we got a new TV last spring when we finished the basement. Buying that one was really was the whole beginning of the end for our old TV. Once we had the nice, new high definition TV, we of course had to get high definition Dish service. Once we got that service this summer, all we could think about was a new HD TV for our family room. It really is soooo much better watching TV in high definition. I mean, really, have you seen it? It’s so freakin’ clear! And, as an extra added bonus, the new TV is larger in “official size” than the old one, but it’s actually much smaller in stature. Dave got the old TV about 12 years ago (he thinks) and he and his brother Steve could barely carry it out to the truck. The new one? I think Dave could carry it all by himself. I just love how technology keeps improving!
Now I know you frugal people are thinking we’re crazy, but hey…what are tax refunds for, anyway, right?? We don’t splurge on ourselves very often, but it sure feels good when we do!
Get Lost
It’s finally here…the premier of Lost tonight at 8:00!! Anyone who knows me well already knows about my addiction to this show. With no disrespect meant to The Brady Bunch, which will always be my all-time favorite show, Lost is truly one of the best shows ever. I love a story that is unpredictable, often shocking, and truly makes you long for the next episode to begin as soon as the current one ends. Lost does all of these. Unfortunately, if you haven’t watched it before, or if you haven’t kept up with it from the beginning, you probably won’t be able to start now. There are so many twists, turns, and layers to this story that I think it would be impossible to catch up without some serious TV watching dedication. But if you have the chance, I highly recommend renting the old seasons and catching up to where we pick up tonight. I know Dave and my butts will be parked on the couch at 8:20 or so (so we can fast forward through the commercials) glued to the set. Now if only we got the local channels in HD…
But I digress. It may be sad and pathetic to be this excited about a TV show, but I am…and I’m proud to be a freakishly obsessed Lostie!!! 
Good luck, President Obama
Today was such an historic day for our country…President Barack Obama’s inauguration. I’ve never felt such excitement in the air on Inauguration Day before. Even our principal was walking around the building turning on TVs to make sure that the students had access to watch if they wanted to. And truly, the most amazing thing was that they did watch; even though most of it was taking place during lunch. Throughout my lunch hour, there was a huge group of students crowded around the TV in the lobby with the sound blaring so they could hear Obama’s speech. These were high school students spending their free time watching a current event on a news channel. It was a remarkable sight.
I’m excited and worried about the next four years. I hope that Americans are patient with President Obama. I hope that he really will be the president I think he will. And most importantly, I hope that he and his family will be safe in this highly criticized position. Please notice that I used the word hope a lot in the previous statements…because I do really feel that hope is now much more possible for us all.
New Year’s Eve, part 2
So it’s officially New Year’s Day, but I had to share one more thought about New Year’s Eve. It’s been a long standing joke in my family about the many New Year’s Eves I’ve spent with Dick Clark over the years. No matter what else was going on in the world or in my life, I could always count on Dick to ring in the New Year with me. So last night, after a very quiet night home with my family, Dave and I turned on ABC to see what the 2008 version of New Year’s Rockin’ Eve would look like. Low and behold there was Dick…barely able to talk, but still counting down. I was trying not to be appalled at the producers putting him on display like that, but then midnight hit and I was completely freaked out to see what happened next. Check it out for yourself:
I assume that is Dick’s wife, which is kind of sweet in a way, but do we really need to see them pecking at each other like pre-teens? Ick. I was shocked at this surreal display. Dick said last night that he’d been doing this for 37 years. For almost my entire life he’s been counting down the new year. I must say sadly that I think it’s time for Dick to hang it up. I guess Ryan Seacrest will now become the new ageless host because Dick is certainly ageless no more. I just have to wonder…will they ever get rid of the name “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”? I mean, really…can we bear to see “Ryan Seacrest’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”? I just don’t know about that one…
Braggin’ rights
Tonight is the annual Busch Braggin’ Rights game between Illinois and Mizzou. It’s one of the first big hurdles for the Illini to get over before the start of the Big Ten season. In honor of the big game, both kids were decked out in their orange and blue.
Since Clarice the reindeer was blocking Emma’s outfit, I decided to get another shot of her. 
That was not easy! That little girl is on the go all the time, and when she doesn’t want to do something, good luck in talking her into it!! This was my best effort in showing her cheerleader’s uniform:
Let’s hope the Illini can pull out a big victory as an early Christmas present to all of us alum!
I-L-L…
President Obama
Well, I have to say that I’m very happy the election went the way it did. I’m happy that my candidate won, but I’m more happy that America finally made a statement about race relations in our country. It was absolu
tely amazing to watch the coverage last night and to see the reactions of members of the African American community. I know it’s impossible for me to begin to understand what this election means to many of these Americans, but it was obvious to me that nothing in my lifetime has even come close to having the same affect. I’m so glad that my children’s lives have been changed for the better.
I hope that Obama will be as good a president as he was a candidate.
I L L-I N I
Last night Dave and I had the pleasure of attending the Illinois vs. Indiana game in Champaign. Thanks to Theresa’s generous birthday present, we had tickets that were very close to our old season ticket seats, so it was especially fun and nostalgic to go to the game. As we walked around Campustown earlier in the day, we marveled at how much the campus has changed. There’s even a giant high rise apartment complex being built on Green St. where Burger King was! Thankfully they didn’t tear down the old O’Malley’s building next door, though. That would have really been a blow. But as much as some things change, there are so many things that just stay the same…the Alma Mater is still welcoming everyone to the quad, the line to get into Kam’s was still almost to the C.O.’s doorway, and Pop’s pizza is still the best you can find anywhere!
It was a great day for us and was topped off with a 55-13 pounding of the Hoosiers. The only thing that could have made the day or night better was if the Chief came running out of the band while it was playing the Three-in-one. *sigh*
Yay…a fun basement again!
So we got our carpet reinstalled this week, and we officially have a fun basement again. We all spent the other evening down there playing (without the TV being hooked back up, thank you very much) and Dave and I were both reminded how great it is to have that space. Emma rediscovered how fun her rocking horse is and Ben really enjoyed sitting at the desk doing puzzles. Dave and I are both really thankful that the flood didn’t get too much and it was relatively easy to get things back to normal down there.
