Now Playing: I Hung My Head - Johnny Cash
A new month. A week old job and a week left of studying for insurance tests. First off the job. I have the 5AM-1PM shift. I chose it, so don't pity me. I figured this job would be much better because the first half I am way too foggy to get upset about being at work. The last half I am just so happy I am nearly done that I make it out ok. The job is scripted and extremely simple, which is another bonus. I recharge prepaid wireless phones for Cingular and that's all I can do. Any other problems and they get transferred, I don't have to troubleshoot, I don't have to be a phone expert or a plan expert, I just have to take payment for minutes. Just in case you are wondering I do not work for Cingular. I work at Vesta but I am employed by a staffing agency called Randstad. Just remember every time you call for customer support you may talk to some random person that works for an outsourcing company. Kind of gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, doesn't it? This would of course explain why they never seem to have a clue about what you are calling about or how to fix your problem.

I have been watching a lot of television lately. I have found a few favorites and I have discovered a few horrible monstrosities. I have long considered shows like Survivor to be in the monstrosity category, that hasn't changed. In fact it has intensified, maybe it's to many call centers but I hate most 'reality' shows. You are thinking why is he talking about call centers and reality shows in the same sentence. Come and take a few calls with me and tell me that you still honestly think Survivor is still great. Actually call centers are real good test zones for potential Survivor contestants. Some people I have met at this call center have been doing this job for 7 years. Someone you might know, Kevin Knuth, actually hit 5 years at Liberty Mutual. These type of people could handle surviving in horrible circumstances. Why do I need to watch a show where people get a crappy vacation and compete for big money when I know real survivors? I mean really.
It seems amazing to me that the 'reality' series ever took off. I have watched a few shows here and there but I never feel a huge urge to continue the show even past the few moments. As far as other 'realty shows are concerned I have watched a handfull, but usually when the season is over I realize what a waste of time that was. The shows I have watched: The Real World (this is my college buddy Doug's fault), Road Rules (Doug again), The Apprentice (I thought a contestant was gorgeous, it's her fault), The Apprentice with Martha Stewart (another contestant caught my eye, totally her fault), The Joe Schmoe show (which was a mock reality show where only one contestant was real, the others were paid actors, I would watch that again). That is the list, I would not watch any of these shows again, except as previously stated, the Joe Schmoe show. I think 'reality television' is a trend that will end up being part of our world forever. A lot of people have predicted this 'reality' trend will die off but there are way too many long running and successful shows that beg to differ, I think their hold on the world will slip a little but the genre will continue. Sorry to disappoint you if you dream of a 'reality' show free world.
Another trend that worries me is all the crime dramas. Even more alarming is the shows that just add a city to their name and they get another hour of Programming. I hear they are planning a 'CSI: Galapagos Island' for next year, can you imagine the wanton lizard and long necked turtle crimes? CSI and Law and Order are overtaking the world! What galls me is that all the variations are exactly the same. The people feel the same, the cases are the same and the surprise twists are all the same. I seem to be in the minority for this opinion, most people I talk to eat these shows up. The only show in this general group that I like is NCIS. I like the characters especially Abby who is tattoed and very goth. How in the hece she became an NCIS agent is beyond me but she is the reason I started watching. I like the other characters as well, how can you go wrong with veteran actors like Mark Harmon and Lauren Holly.
So now we have discussed two entire genres that I dislike and the notable exceptions, what do I like. Well I tend towards comedy and sci-fi as far as genres, but I don't just like them because they are in that genre. I want to be specific about a few shows that I like and that I think you should see.

Mythbusters: This is a show about a couple of guys that take myths and try to prove or disprove them. The main people that test the myths are Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, they have added a few people to test the myths (apparently it is a lot of work) since the show began they are: Grant Imahara, Tory Belleci, Scottie Chapman. Christine Chamberlain, and my personal favorite Kari Byron. Some myths they have tested include: Archimede's death ray, cell phones on planes, Franklin's kite experiment (just to let you know good ol' Ben would have been a crispy critter), and my favorite, do trucks get better gas mileage with the tailgate down (the answer is no, they actually end up getting a little bit worse, did you hear that dad??? I was right!!! MUHAHAHAHA). In case you weren't aware MUHAHAHAHA is universally known as a victorious evil guy laugh. I just became a fan of the show so I have only seen a few shows but it's better to catch shows like this later because all the reruns are new for you and marathons catch you back up rapidly.

Deal or No Deal: I hate to admit it but this show has caught my interest. The show has everything! A bald Howie Mandel, 26 gorgeous models holding briefcases that have different monetary value from 1 cent all the way to a million dollars (put the pinky to your mouth you know you want to), and if that wasn't enough they have a mysterious evil guy in the shadows known only as the banker. If you have not seen the show here is a quick summary. A contestant picks a case he thinks has $1,000,000 (pinky!) then he names other cases to be opened. As the cases are opened the contestant hopes they are all smaller then $1,000,000(pinky). If he picks cases correctly, meaning all eliminated cases contain low amounts which would leave big numbers as possibilities for the contestants chosen case. The banker's job is to offer him an amount to stop opening and avoid paying him $1,000,000 (pinky). The show is pretty intense and I usually end up yelling instructions at the TV. I haven't yelled at the TV like this since I used to watch Jerry Springer after having a few beers back in college.

Doctor Who: This old science fiction classic has been reborn. It is an excellent British show about a time traveler known simply as 'the Doctor', who fights evil forces through time and space. So far we have focused on earth for the first few shows but prior versions of this show had him all over the place. I have heard that 'the Doctor' that stars in this show has already passed the throne on to the next person for season two. This would be a horrible event in other shows but it seems cast changes have been written in to the story since the first Doctor stopped being the Doctor. That is because the Doctor can take on a new shape and face to avoid being to noticeable and does that from time to time. It is a great show and a very good reason to have cable.

There are other shows I like but these are my current favorites. Let me know which ones you like.