"Bewitched" the series started out in black and white

Andrea, this is one of my pet gripes about entertainment.
Colorization.
This is the process whereby they take a video (meaning visual) presentation that was recorded in black and white and proceed to use a computer to redo the video, this time in "full" computer generated color. (Damn you Ted Turner)
Anyway, I spent some time recently acquiring season 1 of "Bewitched"; when I sat down to watch it, I discovered to my horror that it had been colorized.
I told your mother about it, and her reaction was to call me an old fart. Told your Grandpa Don about it and he couldn't understand what the fuss was about, but he hates old movies anyway so I really wasn't looking for much vindication there, just an ear to listen to me vent about the whole mess.
My point is that before color came into every day use, all television and movies were done in black and white . As a result of that, the cameramen and lighting techs and the actors all had to really put forth more and do more to get things across.
And it shows in some of the later TV shows, where you had studio cameramen who had worked in the movies during their Noir period who were now working as TV cameramen. The techniques they learned doing the movies were applied to TV.
That's why some TV shows are classic, and others are drivel.
Best example of this is the 3 camera technique. Who developed it? Desi Arnaz.
Mr. Lucille Ball.
He developed it for use on "I Love Lucy", and he also pioneered the use of preserving a show on film rather than doing it live.
That's why "I Love Lucy" was the first in syndication.
Enough of a rant for now.

Thursday August 20th

Not much to report yet, sitting here getting ready for work.
I've just discovered I have over 2 weeks of vacation time to use before the end of the year - I can't afford to take it all at once, however use it I must, or I'll lose it.
I'm wondering if I can talk your Grandpa Don into a road trip to see you, hopefully before the snow comes. Don't know if that will work out because his schedule is so flaky.
I love you dearly little darling, but we've had this discussion before.
Grandpa Merlin doesn't do snow. Period.
I deal with it only when it happens in Atlanta, and by deal with it I mean I stay in my house if at all possible, and I'm certainly not going somewhere to experience it willingly.

Still more rambling

It's Sunday the 16th - I have today off, so Grandpa Don and I are going to do some shopping and then play computer games and do dinner.
That's something that I hope I'll see - the technology today is so radically different from when I was growing up - once upon a time, we used to hit a square ball across a TV screen in a simulation of ping pong and thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Currently, they're up to the PS3, the XBox 360 and the Game Cube...(all are licensed trademarks of their respective companies, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo) - all of which play (for the moment) amazing games.
And the PC games are even better. But I hope I'm around to see what you get to play with.
Anyway, I'm off to shower, I'll write later.

Late night ramblings

Don't know what I'm going to say, I'm just going to go with a free form kind of post for a little while.
Jessica, if you're reading this, then I harangued your father and he worked on your laptop tonight. What that means in the grand scheme of things I have no earthly idea. But he did reformat the thing.
This will tell me whether or not you really do read the blog by the way.
I don't think I'll mention it to you other than this post.
Yeah, I'm evil. But you know that. Andrea, please remember to ask your mother how long it took to get her laptop. She'll regale you for hours about your Grandpa Don.
Anyway, the knee still hurts. I have problems for a few minutes after sitting down then standing, the knee doesn't want to go with the program.
Dr's appt is Monday the 17th, (this is Friday the 14th) so I think I'll wait to see him rather than making an earlier appointment.
As of now, surgery is off the table.
I went through hell with my feet, I'm not about to repeat something like that with my knee.
Anyway, enough rambling, I'll catch you up on more later.

Today's events

Because of the slip and fall I need physical therapy, however can't afford the co-pay necessary to get it... so I'm doing what I call "dog therapy" - I have a neighbor who needs her dog walked at around noon daily, and that's how I've been exercising the knee.
Why is that important? Because that's the lead in to today's issues.
I left the house by the back door to go get Armand, and heard what sounded like an open faucet running. Given that I don't have a working faucet out back, I made sure I found what was causing the sound.
I found it.
It was like someone had turned on a spigot and let it run - my back yard and a lot of the common area is a swampy mess right now. So I reported it to the HOA, who got a plumber out here, and initially, he said it was my water heater, and that I was going to be responsible for the repair.
I'm on the verge of panic, trying to figure out how I'm going to pay for a new water heater, install and everything else, when he suggests trying turning off the hot water at the source.
I was all for it, and when he did, the water outside kept going - which told him that it wasn't my unit causing the problem, it's the vacant unit next door.
I'm sorry to wish this on someone else, however for once there's a water issue at this place and it's not mine.