Rants and Raves

Well, I'd like to go on record about a couple of things.

Rants:

-Streaming TV's advertisement creep

-Being stood up

Raves:

-Online dating

-Spring

Let's start with the rants.

First Rant: Ad Creep.

Streaming TV is awesome. I mean, seriously, the underlying technology (TV) is less than a century old and now I can watch whatever I choose from my bed. With no wires. Whenever I want. Sweet, right?

Well, it was sweet in 2008 when services such as Hulu launched. You got a 45 minute show for about two and a half minutes of ads. No ad at the beginning (other than an 8 second station identification), no ads if you wanted to jump around because you fell asleep during the last time you watched the episode, no ads the second time you watched the show, period.

So, that's our first datum: (3/2008, 2.5 minutes).

Recently, (I watched House two nights ago) and they had an ad at the beginning (~45 seconds) and then 5 other ad breaks (let's just assume that you're not going to stick around for the credits at the end, then you'd have another ad break but unless it's the 22 minute show, Community, you're not watching the credits), and let's assume they too averaged 45 seconds. So, that's our second datum: (3/2011, 4 minutes).

Before I get to some extrapolation, let me point out the thing that bothers me most about the ads. They're sloooowly but surely getting longer. It used to be (several months ago) that the intermediate ads were 1 minute. You know, 60 seconds. Now, though, they're up to 63 or 67 seconds. That's annoying to me. There's probably some psychology here and the idiots at hulu are not trained in it.

Alright, some math:

In three years, we've added 1.5 minutes of ads. That's 30 seconds per year. (That's a unitless value for you rigorous ones out there). So, our ad equation is as follows:

Ad time (in seconds) = (Years since March, 2003)*30 seconds.

So:

-in 2035, the internet ads (at least Hulu's) will equal the television ads (44 minute show fills an hour time slot)

-in 2091 the internet ads will equal the length of the show. (And I assume I'll be dead.)

Second Rant: Being Stood Up.

So, I'm not desperate. (See my first rave below.) I just like girls. It's true. I like girls.

I had a date on Friday with a smart, tall, frisbee playing lady who lives here in DC. She seemed to have a good time and I extended an invite for dinner this week (she's going on a cruise to the Caribbean starting Friday). I have not heard from her since Saturday. Boo.

I had a date scheduled for right now. 7pm Tuesday evening. With a girl that I've gone on a couple of dates with since I moved here. (Met her online) She did not show tonight. I got food, I got my place clean, I got myself clean. I even scheduled my training around her, forgoing a bike ride yesterday for a swim on an AMAZING day (see my second rave below).

I was going to make pasta with a roasted red pepper cream sauce. Tasty.

So, now I'm sitting on my couch in an undershirt, clean shaven and writing this post. I guess the the night isn't totally shot. But, jeesh, just say something, don't just skip showing up.

Alright, let's turn up the positivity here. (Let's make it a palace of positivity!)

Rave One: Online dating.

You should try it if you're not dating anyone right now. Seriously. It requires a few minutes to set up and a few minutes a week to get a date or two per week. I'm totally partial to the free OkCupid. You can find my profile if you email me for my username. I'll help you with your profile. The girls are normal, and our age. They're smart and articulate and it means you never have to try the bar scene. Or the date-your-undergraduates, William. (I'm looking at Will because I think he SHOULD sleep with his undergrads. AFTER they're his students. AFTER.)

Anyway, it seems to have a pretty good algorithm and a good user base. So, what's the Match.com slogan? "It doesn't hurt to look?"

Seriously.

Rave Two: Spring.

Finally. Out from underneath the burden that is the light winter here in DC. I tried to find the minimum temperature here in DC so far this year but... failed. Anyone have any suggestions?

Anyway, I'd bet that DC didn't fall below 15 degrees this winter. And had like 4 inches of snow (that's an exaggeration. but not much). I've now worn a tee shirt to work two days in a row and looking to finish out the week that way.

On Friday, when it was almost 80, a couple of my students--who honestly should know better, they're in their mid-20s as well--said to me "David, doesn't it bother you that when spring comes it seems all the undergrad girls strip to nothing and sit outside." I paused to consider how I was going to lie to them to save face but in this pause one of them called me/them on it laughing out something like "oh, you like it don't you. Boys."

But, right? It's kinda nice that everyone gets to wear short sleeves and shorts. I wear my short shorts when I go running. It's hot, you should see it.

Finally, I do love my magnolia trees. They're about to bloom here in DC and I cannot wait.

So, happy spring cyberspace!

(Incidentally, I did find that since I moved to DC the lowest temperature in Manassas, VA--about 30 miles east and probably 5 degrees cooler due to the Urban Heat Island effect was 1 degree F. That's pretty warm for winter if you ask me)

Finally, finally, I would like to give a shout out to my boy, Dave Nonberg for running his ass off last weekend. We should all be so lucky as to come in under 4:20 for our marathon.