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Michael Mitchell

Born Again Christian who loves technology. Wondering when I will get every electronic device I want.

Micro.blog

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    Reflections and Routines: Thoughts Before Monday

    This week, I’ve been reflecting on an upcoming medical procedure scheduled for Monday—a routine colonoscopy. While the procedure itself isn’t bad, I truly dread the day before. Preparing for it is unpleasant, but I know it’s necessary for my health. Since I’m high-risk due to previously discovered benign polyps, I need to have one every 3 to 5 years. It’s an expense I’d rather avoid, but it’s essential for peace of mind.

    I’ve also been contemplating blogging. Writing has always been a cathartic outlet for me, a way to process my feelings and reflect on life. It’s interesting to look back on how my thoughts have evolved over the years—some things have changed, while others remain constant. In a way, my blog posts capture my growth and maturing.

    Even if no one reads my writing, that’s okay. Who knows? Maybe a hundred years from now, someone will stumble upon my words. Perhaps they’ll laugh, cry, or even pause to think.

    Now, if only I could get back into reading this year.

    #HealthMatters #BloggingLife #PersonalGrowth

    Posted on Micro.blog

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    Televison

    My Television Habits Have Changed Drastically

    I was thinking the other day about how much television I used to watch. I used to sit down about a month before the new TV season began, just after Labor Day, and map out all the new shows—what nights they were on and when they were starting—so I could watch them. I would then make a note or create a makeshift calendar for when the TV shows I watched were returning and check out new shows.

    Then, in the days when I had a TiVo and later a DVR, I made sure everything was set to record each episode in case I was working, so I could watch it when I got home or had time off.

    I barely watch TV anymore, and when I do, it’s usually reruns of old TV shows on live TV. Most of the new series I watch are on streaming platforms, but even that is becoming less frequent.

    The main reason streaming is falling off for me is that there’s no longer a set month or day for new seasons to return. It can take over a year or even two for a new season to come out. Then, when they do drop a new season, many streaming services only release one episode per week. This isn’t like traditional TV, where there was a set schedule with other shows or programs in time slots before and after. With streaming, just give me the whole season, and let me watch as I please. I do applaud Netflix for this—they drop the entire season at once, and you can binge-watch it all at your own pace.

    Now, with streaming, you’re lucky if you get 8 to 10 episodes. As I mentioned earlier, the next season is often 1 to 2 years away. This is a far cry from the old days when TV series seasons consisted of 15 to 25 episodes, often with a bonus episode or a Christmas special. The season would start just after Labor Day, take a small break around Thanksgiving, and then return in January or February, depending on the Super Bowl. After the “Big Game,” it would return and end just before Memorial Day in May. Then, there were a few short new shows that returned for a couple of months. Streaming originally filled this gap, if I remember correctly. But now, with streaming, by the time the new season starts, I’ve either forgotten about the series or moved on.

    Today, TV series as a whole have a discovery problem. It used to be that new shows were advertised heavily, with TV networks holding specials detailing upcoming TV series, offering previews, or providing news stories on the web about what was coming. If they still do this, I don’t see it anymore.

    I say all this to explain why my TV habits have changed. I find myself watching less TV than ever before, and when I do, it’s usually an old TV series. I also find myself watching more YouTube. Most of my YouTube watching is dedicated to learning about things like how to make use of my Raspberry Pi for home servers, networking, web development, and computer-related topics. I wish I could truly learn to code and write programs.

    Well, this rant is over. Have your TV habits changed in the last few years? I think the TV industry is failing to adapt and be creative for this new generation of TV watchers—and it’s losing them as a result. Part of the problem is not taking into account how people want to watch, and not having enough content and seasons ready to go in a timely manner. I know that many schedules were disrupted by COVID-19, but it has been two years since the pandemic officially ended, and life has returned to normal. Some industries and occupations, however, have not readjusted. I also think the issue is partly due to greed—viewers are tired of the relentless push for more ads. Every service I subscribe to, I purposely choose the ad-free version. But now, even ad-free isn’t truly ad-free, and that turns me off. To make matters worse, the constant price increases add to the frustration. Some services are raising prices multiple times in a year, not just every year or every few years.

    I honestly don’t know if any traditional TV will be left in the next few years.

    #tv #streaming #entertainment #tvshows

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