Viewing Thoughts: I'll be honest: I wanted this year to be awesome, I really did. I didn't really draw attention to it but this was the tenth year of the Experiment. The weeks leading up to it had been annoying. I didn't want to go back to PSVue since they had raised the price, Hulu had a problem with accessing their DVR, DirectTVNow has no DVR, and Sling is okay but nothing special. It's also expensive so I had maybe half a week to record shit.
The Experiment came about as a way for myself to cope with the fact that, for the first time, I was going to be spending Christmas alone. I wasn't going to be able to afford to take the train to Christmas because I didn't have vacation time yet at work.I needed to cope somehow and so I decided to go on a Nostalgia Bender. The years passing, I stuck with it because tradition. It was fun and it changed. Then I decided to make it 36 hours and I stuck with it. I scheduled stuff. It kind of started to become a chore.
Going into the year's, I kind of wanted to call it but then I figured, nah, I can do this. Then I started on the jigsaw puzzle. Maybe it's because I went with a 1500 piece puzzle but it just felt like a little too much. I had planned to watch It's A Wonderful Life, mainly as an excuse to play Overwatch with some friends. Then it hit me: I wanted to have fun. This was not fun. It's my day off from work, why do it if I just hate it?
Maybe I'll go back to basics next year. Maybe not. Maybe this has served it's purpose. Maybe my life needs a change. Who knows? I'll still watch some Christmas stuff tomorrow but I can do it at my own speed.
I'll still watch Christmas Vacation though before I pass out. Not all traditions need to end.
Monday, December 25, 2017
Sunday, December 24, 2017
The Christmas Experiment 2017 Hours 7&8: The Night Before
Viewing Thoughts: It's Seth Rogen. And Joseph Gordon-Levitt. And Anthony Mackie. And Lizzie Caplan. And Mindy Kalling. And Ilana Grazer. In a Christmas Movie. Together!I like getting to watch a more adult Christmas movie on occasion. Like that never happens. The fact that it has someone you love so much like Seth Rogen is a bonus. Like, if that man wasn't straight/so famous that I would never have a chance, I'd profess my love so fast and hard.
The movie itself is funny. It's also puzzle fodder i.e. Something that exists to give me time to work on the jigsaw puzzle. If my thoughts seem general, that's because puzzle. Also because I really enjoyed the movie. I often forget that I need to enjoy myself during The Experiment. That it's not all about being melancholy/watching some shitty movies.
Also, that weird ending with Tracy Jordan. Really weird. I kind of love it. This might be one of my new Christmas season favorites. Weird, right?
Non-Viewing Thoughts: If James Franco isn't bisexual, he most certainly has his gay-baiting game down pitch perfect.
Late Christmas Ideas: A pair of shoes that will last longer than 4 months.
Notable Commercials: FX is really pushing Downsizing. I was intrigued by the movie up until Matt damon forgot how to shut up. Now... yeah... no.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 17 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
Current Sanity Level(1 being Clarence, 10 being dinner for The Angel of Death from Hellboy 2): 3
Puzzle Progress: Yep.
The Christmas Experiment 2017 Hours 5&6: A Very Chicago Christmas
Viewing Thoughts: It's another variety time. Let's check this out. Oddly enough, it's all about Chicago this time.
Making a New American Nutcracker: I don't want enough PBS on this. This particular special is about the production of The Nutcracker and it's making. I have never seen a production of The Nutcracker so I can't really say a ton about it.
The interesting touch of this is that this production is in Chicago and it has been reimagined as taking place during the Chicago World's Fair. It's elaborate, beautiful, and interesting.I actually kind of want to see this production now. I don't even really know how to appreciate ballet and I'm intrigued.
One reason why we need PBS is to make this kind of stuff interesting for everyone. I would never considered going to see The Nutcracker up until an hour ago and yet, here we are. PBS is less beholden to the interests of corporations, PBS gives us art and culture when parts of the world look away. PBS is awesome!
The Magnificent Mile Light Festival: Every year, there are a hand full of syndicated programs that are shipped out just to fill the afternoon of weekends leading up to Christmas. That's what this is. It's a parade... I think? I dunno, there's a musical performance for a Jimmy Buffet Jukebox Musical and that loses me.
The weird thing? It's highly an ad for Disney. I feel like Disney is a thing that I can't get away from today. Ummm, there might be reasons for me to care highly about that in the coming year but... anyway, parades. This one is boring and one big ad for Disney. And ABC. And American Idol.
Also, Taylor Hick is still alive. Umm.... good for him?
Non-Viewing Thoughts: Chicago has seriously become one of my favorite cities over the last few years. If I had anything resembling financial stability, I'd totally go.
Late Christmas Ideas: Tickets to see a production of The Nutcracker would be nice. It's just... I feel like I should see it at least once.
Notable Commercials: I love that that one Hershey Kiss ad is still running after all these years.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 18 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
Current Sanity Level(1 being dinner with Seth Rogen, 10 being dinner for Seth Rogen): 4
Puzzle Progress: The problem with doing a puzzle by yourself is that you only have one set of eyes. So, I've been looking for eyes.
Making a New American Nutcracker: I don't want enough PBS on this. This particular special is about the production of The Nutcracker and it's making. I have never seen a production of The Nutcracker so I can't really say a ton about it.The interesting touch of this is that this production is in Chicago and it has been reimagined as taking place during the Chicago World's Fair. It's elaborate, beautiful, and interesting.I actually kind of want to see this production now. I don't even really know how to appreciate ballet and I'm intrigued.
One reason why we need PBS is to make this kind of stuff interesting for everyone. I would never considered going to see The Nutcracker up until an hour ago and yet, here we are. PBS is less beholden to the interests of corporations, PBS gives us art and culture when parts of the world look away. PBS is awesome!
The Magnificent Mile Light Festival: Every year, there are a hand full of syndicated programs that are shipped out just to fill the afternoon of weekends leading up to Christmas. That's what this is. It's a parade... I think? I dunno, there's a musical performance for a Jimmy Buffet Jukebox Musical and that loses me.
The weird thing? It's highly an ad for Disney. I feel like Disney is a thing that I can't get away from today. Ummm, there might be reasons for me to care highly about that in the coming year but... anyway, parades. This one is boring and one big ad for Disney. And ABC. And American Idol.
Also, Taylor Hick is still alive. Umm.... good for him?
Non-Viewing Thoughts: Chicago has seriously become one of my favorite cities over the last few years. If I had anything resembling financial stability, I'd totally go.
Late Christmas Ideas: Tickets to see a production of The Nutcracker would be nice. It's just... I feel like I should see it at least once.
Notable Commercials: I love that that one Hershey Kiss ad is still running after all these years.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 18 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
Current Sanity Level(1 being dinner with Seth Rogen, 10 being dinner for Seth Rogen): 4
Puzzle Progress: The problem with doing a puzzle by yourself is that you only have one set of eyes. So, I've been looking for eyes.
The Christmas Experiment 2017 Hours 3&4: Sitcoms and Stuff
Viewing thoughts: Doing some sitcoms because sure, whatever.
Becker: I never really cared for Ted Danson up until The Good Place. His character is a jerk and it's a Christmas episode. His character is in love with a waitress, she's in love with him. It's dumb.. Other than him, I don't know a single person on this show or a character either. It's all kind of not never funny.
Wings: Another show I never really watched and have little affinity to. It's a sitcom in a airport that would be outdated 7 years later when 9/11 happened. It's also a very special episode about mental insanity. Meh.
Roseanne: This is on Logo which, on paper, is the LGBT channel. In reality, it's kind of become a second TVLand. Then it's not. Anyway, this is the episode where Fred Willard marries Martin Mull so I guess it is kind of fitting that it would be on Logo. Roseanne plans a gay wedding. It's wonderful. Liza impersonators. Shirtless guys. Drag queens. Somehow, Martin Mull's Leon doesn't agree. He sucks. It also has June Lockhart as Leon's Mom which is insane.
Look, I'm going to talk about Logo some more. It also has All in the Family which had like three episode dealing with Gay Rights or even had a gay character on it. Look, I'm just saying that they need to get some better criteria. Also, some gayer commercials. All I'm saying is that they've fallen far from bad reality shows that lack much in the way of interest.
The Golden Girls: Interesting fact: gay guys love The Golden Girls. Don't ask me why. We just do.
This is a Stan episode. It happens. It's also an episode with a St. Olaf story. But yeah, the episode has the women working at a homeless shelter on Christmas while Stan lost all his money.
Non-Viewing Thoughts: I hate that Coke Zero is now Coke Zero Sugar. It's a dumb rebranding.
Late Christmas Ideas: I saw this wonderful Golden Girls coffee table book a few years back. Bet it's cheap now...
Notable Commercials: I keep on seeing commercials for the World Wildlife Fund. It's jarring considering they keep calling themselves WWF which, well, growing up, those letters usually meant sweating men groping each other for me.
There have been three seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars yet we still haven't gotten a second All-Stars season of Big Brother.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 18 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
Current Sanity Level(1 being The Nutcracker, 10 getting your... well... cracked.): 3
Puzzle Progress: Not much this time around.
Becker: I never really cared for Ted Danson up until The Good Place. His character is a jerk and it's a Christmas episode. His character is in love with a waitress, she's in love with him. It's dumb.. Other than him, I don't know a single person on this show or a character either. It's all kind of not never funny.
Wings: Another show I never really watched and have little affinity to. It's a sitcom in a airport that would be outdated 7 years later when 9/11 happened. It's also a very special episode about mental insanity. Meh.
Roseanne: This is on Logo which, on paper, is the LGBT channel. In reality, it's kind of become a second TVLand. Then it's not. Anyway, this is the episode where Fred Willard marries Martin Mull so I guess it is kind of fitting that it would be on Logo. Roseanne plans a gay wedding. It's wonderful. Liza impersonators. Shirtless guys. Drag queens. Somehow, Martin Mull's Leon doesn't agree. He sucks. It also has June Lockhart as Leon's Mom which is insane. Look, I'm going to talk about Logo some more. It also has All in the Family which had like three episode dealing with Gay Rights or even had a gay character on it. Look, I'm just saying that they need to get some better criteria. Also, some gayer commercials. All I'm saying is that they've fallen far from bad reality shows that lack much in the way of interest.
The Golden Girls: Interesting fact: gay guys love The Golden Girls. Don't ask me why. We just do.
This is a Stan episode. It happens. It's also an episode with a St. Olaf story. But yeah, the episode has the women working at a homeless shelter on Christmas while Stan lost all his money.
Non-Viewing Thoughts: I hate that Coke Zero is now Coke Zero Sugar. It's a dumb rebranding.
Late Christmas Ideas: I saw this wonderful Golden Girls coffee table book a few years back. Bet it's cheap now...
Notable Commercials: I keep on seeing commercials for the World Wildlife Fund. It's jarring considering they keep calling themselves WWF which, well, growing up, those letters usually meant sweating men groping each other for me.
There have been three seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars yet we still haven't gotten a second All-Stars season of Big Brother.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 18 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
Current Sanity Level(1 being The Nutcracker, 10 getting your... well... cracked.): 3
Puzzle Progress: Not much this time around.
The Christmas Experiment 2017 Hours 1&2: I'll be Home For Christmas
Viewing Thoughts: In Recent Years, this has gained a bit of a reputation as one of the worst Christmas movies of all time so I figured, yeah, this is a good place to start.
The basic idea of the film is that it's a collection quest. The main character starts one place and works his way across the country so he can get his dad's car/the girl. Instead of collecting objects, he kind of just collects random experiences. It doesn't have a lot of focus and it's basically, "The guy goes from here to there to there to here."
So, if you grew up in the 90s, you grew up with Jonathan Taylor Thomas. He was on Home Improvement and he had a certain appeal to him. It's called safety. He was just bad enough but also nice and clean. Girls and gay guys loved him. I never saw the appeal. He also just kind of disappeared after a few things in the 2000s. I'm surprised I haven't seen him in a Hallmark Christmas movie yet but then, this is kind of one.
That's where this movie runs into a problem. His character in this film is an utter douche. Outside of being the very stereotype of white privilege. He's never had any problems in his life and everyone exists to be manipulated. That includes old women, bus loads of people, even himself. We're supposed to believe that he's grown as a person but he instead just kind of falls into being a nice guy... who still does crappy things in the name of "But it's growth!" The worst part? He gets it all in the end! No justice! He steals a sled and gets away with it because hes dressed like Santa!
You know who doesn't suck in this movie? Jessica Beil! Weird, right? She's the girl so they just had to make her pretty and something to be pursued. Instead, she's smart and funny. She's also very forward thinking for someone in 1998. Almost makes me wish this movie was about her but whatever.
Non-Viewing Thoughts: I think I've made it all year without
Late Christmas Ideas: More time.
Notable Commercials: Good to know a few years later, Armani cologne commercials are still soft-core gay porn.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 18 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
Current Sanity Level(1 being The Golden Girls, 10 being a marathon session of Fuller House): 3
The basic idea of the film is that it's a collection quest. The main character starts one place and works his way across the country so he can get his dad's car/the girl. Instead of collecting objects, he kind of just collects random experiences. It doesn't have a lot of focus and it's basically, "The guy goes from here to there to there to here."So, if you grew up in the 90s, you grew up with Jonathan Taylor Thomas. He was on Home Improvement and he had a certain appeal to him. It's called safety. He was just bad enough but also nice and clean. Girls and gay guys loved him. I never saw the appeal. He also just kind of disappeared after a few things in the 2000s. I'm surprised I haven't seen him in a Hallmark Christmas movie yet but then, this is kind of one.
That's where this movie runs into a problem. His character in this film is an utter douche. Outside of being the very stereotype of white privilege. He's never had any problems in his life and everyone exists to be manipulated. That includes old women, bus loads of people, even himself. We're supposed to believe that he's grown as a person but he instead just kind of falls into being a nice guy... who still does crappy things in the name of "But it's growth!" The worst part? He gets it all in the end! No justice! He steals a sled and gets away with it because hes dressed like Santa!
You know who doesn't suck in this movie? Jessica Beil! Weird, right? She's the girl so they just had to make her pretty and something to be pursued. Instead, she's smart and funny. She's also very forward thinking for someone in 1998. Almost makes me wish this movie was about her but whatever.
Non-Viewing Thoughts: I think I've made it all year without
Late Christmas Ideas: More time.
Notable Commercials: Good to know a few years later, Armani cologne commercials are still soft-core gay porn.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 18 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
Current Sanity Level(1 being The Golden Girls, 10 being a marathon session of Fuller House): 3
Puzzle Progress:I'm doing a puzzle this year. Let's see if I can do this in 36 hours.
Saturday, December 23, 2017
The Christmas Experiment 2017: Prelude
Here I am, once again. I'm torn into pieces... no, wait, that's Kelly Clarkson.
So, it's almost that time again for the Christmas Experiment: that time where I watch 36 straight hours of Holiday Programming.
Because, as we've established many times before, I hate myself.
If this is your first year, here's the basics.
Non-Viewing Thoughts: Just the random stuff that pops into a sleep-deprived mind.
Late Christmas Ideas: In case you're thinking of buying me something but were lazy about it, you jerk.
Notable Commercials: Commentary on some of the commercials that have popped up.
I also chart my consumables and current sanity level. Sanity is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 usually being something boring and 10, well, not. So, join me back here tomorrow at 2 PM ET when the first post goes up. Good times.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 18 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
So, it's almost that time again for the Christmas Experiment: that time where I watch 36 straight hours of Holiday Programming.
Because, as we've established many times before, I hate myself.
If this is your first year, here's the basics.
- I'm watching 36 hours straight worth of Christmas related programming.
- All of this is coming from either broadcast telelvision or DVR. This year, I'm using Sling TV for my non-broadcast needs. It's been... a kind of sad and pathetic year as far as my Internet Cable woes go. We'll talk about that some other time.
- Every two hours or so, I'll post my commentary on the past two hours. This is mostly stream of consciousness with little real editing. Because lazy.
Non-Viewing Thoughts: Just the random stuff that pops into a sleep-deprived mind.
Late Christmas Ideas: In case you're thinking of buying me something but were lazy about it, you jerk.
Notable Commercials: Commentary on some of the commercials that have popped up.
I also chart my consumables and current sanity level. Sanity is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 usually being something boring and 10, well, not. So, join me back here tomorrow at 2 PM ET when the first post goes up. Good times.
Tally
Coke Zeroes Left: 18 Cans
Amps Left: 2 Cans
Coffee Left: 2 Bottles
Pumpkin Pie Left: Whole Pie, currently unbaked
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