Problem Solved! Next Up, World Peace!

As I have whined before, I no longer have BBC America as an option in my cable package.  According to WOW!, BBC America raised the rates it was charging the cable companies so much that it was cost-prohibitive for WOW! to even offer it anymore. 

It was really going to be a problem, though, starting in September when the new season of Doctor Who started.  I've discussed my Whovian roots before and I truly enjoy watching it.  I even enjoy watching old episodes on Netflix - like when I was home sick with the stomach flu earlier in September, I laid on the couch watching an entire season - it was the season with the astronaut killing the Doctor in the beginning and the episode "Let's Kill Hitler!", which is always good funsies -- "You've got a time machine, I've got a gun. What the hell. Let's kill Hitler!"

So I've already suffered through missing the new (now past) seasons of The Musketeers and Orphan Black and will have to figure out when/if they'll be available for viewing on either Netflix or Amazon Prime.  BBC America even had the audacity to come up with a couple of new series for the fall season that looked very enjoyable.  But I could NOT miss the Doctor!

So starting earlier in the summer, I was investigating ways (both legal and possibly not so legal) that I could get my Who on.  My first thought was to find someone who has BBC America and talk them into letting me borrow their login info, so I could watch it online.  That didn't work because the only people who I know who have BBC America don't have or know how to find login info.  Now, of the two people in question, Holly might have been able to record the episodes for me (later I found out she no longer has a DVD recorder, so no)... or I could go visit my Aunt and watch the episodes at her house.  'Nuff said.  Next option.

I have some co-workers and a friend (who shall remain nameless for legal reasons) who get their TV watching through possibly less-than-legal means via the internet.  I was given the names of several websites through which I would probably be able to get my Who on.  Unfortunately, I'm sort of a wuss and don't like to ride on the ruff edge of life (internetly-speaking) so I would go the the main website and generally search for "Doctor Who," but then I'd be too cowardly to click on anything else because my laptop leans toward being slow already!  I don't want it to get infected.

Then, like blinkin' beacon, two things happened!  First, Holly showed up at our house - I don't recall why.  Hmm..  anyway, and she was bearing a (I want to say belated, but I could be wrong and don't want to besmirch her) birthday card and (more importantly for the purposes of this blog) a gift card to iTunes!!  The second momentous occurrence was that I was reading an article online entitled "How to Watch the New Season of Doctor Who if You Don't Have BBC America!" - or something like that.  There were several suggestions, the gist of all was basically that at that time (I don't know if it was a special or if it was the regular price), you could buy a season pass to watch the whole season on iTunes (or other places, too) for like $23.  Gee, and me sitting here on a $25 gift card!

So now, each Sunday morning, after the new episode airs on Saturday evening, I receive a lovely email from iTunes advising me that there's a new episode available for me to download.  And, if the cats wake me up early enough, which has NOT been a problem, I even have time to sit down and watch it while drinking my coffee before church!  I have even found me a couple of pairs of Doctor Who socks to wear while watching.  The socks in this picture are extra long and look like the scarf of the Fourth Doctor.

 
Now that the major dilemma of my summer has been resolved, I'm ready to move on to something else.  Like what will I do next season!?

Product Placement 101

Having recently watched Jurassic World, I have decided that I need some of that cool product placement money.  Never let it be said that I can't be bought!

Here is my Dream Team - product placement wise. 

1.  Wendy's.  I normally go to Wendy's at least once a week with my friend Kathy and her three adorable younger daughters.  (The older one can be adorable, but she has a job now so she isn't available for lunch, but more importantly, she isn't available to babysit the other three so Kathy and I can dine together alone!)  Where was I?  Oh, Wendy's.  I generally get the small size of their BBQ Ranch Chicken salad.  However, I have been known to get the small chili with onions and shredded cheese on top.  If anyone out there has any pull with Wendy's, I promise to casually mention going to Wendy's from now on in my blog. 

2.  Lemon Oreo's.  I happen to think that  Lemon Oreo's are the world's best non-chocolate cookie and I highly recommend them.  They started out as a limited edition flavor and I think I must have eaten enough of them (Evansville is sometimes a test market, you know) that now they're no longer limited!  Yeah!  In future blogs, you may get to hear about how my therapist and I are working on my addiction to them.  OR I could mention munching on some while contemplating the meaning of life (doubtful, as that would be a particularly deep subject for me to tackle, but.. you never know!)  My point is Nabisco, call me!


3.  Crystal Light's Mojito flavored drink.  Now my hopes in hawking this product would be that they might resume production as it appears they no longer make it.  I have personally cleared out the shelves of all the local grocery stores of any remaining containers and if I want anymore, I have to pay outrageous prices on the black market (i.e., ebay and Amazon).  If Crystal Light reads my blog and resumes production of this wonderful drink, I promise not to drink anything else for the rest of my life!  If this campaign is not successful, I may be able to live with the Hawaiian Punch Lemon Lime flavored drink, but would rather stick with the tried and true.

4.  Amazon.  Not that Amazon needs little old me.  But, I figure that I already mention it enough in my blog that I ought to get paid for it.  Or at least get my Prime membership free!  As everyone should realize by now, I frequently extoll the virtues of shopping at Amazon.  I was even able to buy kitty litter to be donated the Vanderburgh Humane Society for their recent Kitten Shower, and it was delivered FREE, so all I had to do was press the Submit Order button, AND the purchase was tax deductible!  OO-RAH!  I am able to buy things from all over the world through Amazon, and sometimes for free shipping!  (Mom thinks that our mailman must be really impressed by the variety of packages I receive.) 

5.  BBC America.  As I may have previously mentioned (or maybe not.  I tend to whine about it frequently, so I forget who I tell,) my cable company stopped carrying BBC America because it raised its prices so high and they, my cable company, would have to raise everyone's rates if they kept it.  Consequently, I no longer have access to my beloved Dr. Who, Orphan Black, the Three Musketeers, Broadchurch, and other fabulous programming!  I even would have been interested in seeing the "new" Top Gear show post-the recent kerfluffle over its hosts.  Thank God that I can get my new Sherlock from PBS or I'd really be upset!