Friday, November 24, 2017

Television in the bus

When we purchased Miss Daisy back in 2014, she had two "old-style" TVs... one of them was not working, and we took it out and used the space (above the dash) for our computer printer. We sometimes used the other TV with the "off-air" antenna to get whatever channels were available that way, but we really didn't use it much.

When we got Miss Doozie, the previous owner had changed out the "old-style" TVs for flat screen LEDs, but we haven't really used them either. We also have had to figure out how to have them totally powered off, because electronics that are "instant on" are drawing some electricity all the time (or so I've been told), and that is a bad thing for us especially when we're boondocking.

Instead of TV, we tend to use the internet for entertainment on the bus. Both Dwayne and I use YouTube a lot... I tend to watch programs that I would have watched when we had the house... I particularly still enjoy watching "House Hunters" and "House Hunters International" - seeing what houses people look at, what things they like and don't like, comparing what they choose to what I would choose. Recently, though, for some reason some characteristics of the programs have become annoying to me - like it seems that there is always a feature on which the couple have diverging opinions (one wants a ranch and the other a two story colonial, or one wants to be in city center and the other in the country) - and whenever their real estate agent is showing them a house that isn't their desired style or location, the one who wants the "other" has to say, "Well, it isn't my ranch style house..." or, "It isn't in the city center." Well, duh! If your spouse wanted a two story colonial and you want a ranch, it is a sure bet that one of you is not going to get what you want! And, at the end, they don't hold to their "I want" and compromise, so it seems obvious that they are saying those things just to increase the "drama" of the program!

So... it has been interesting to me that I have found a UK house hunters type show on YouTube - "Escape to the Country" - where the folks are looking for houses in the UK countryside. The thing I like is that there does not seem to be an artificial drama inserted (other than that the third house that is shown is called a "mystery" property and they build that up and I haven't yet figured out what is so mysterious about that property compared to the other two that are shown). So far, all the ones I have watched (3-4) - the couple are so *nice* and they have just positive things to say - what a pleasant experience! The only thing I don't like is that they don't actually decide on a house and buy it - in the House Hunters (for those who haven't seen it) - the buyers decide on a house, and the show goes back and films a small part at the end after the buyers are in the house telling how much they love it, etc. etc... so that part is missing in the UK "Escape to the Country".

I wonder if the lack of drama is because UK people are just generally more polite (I think they are), or whether the US shows encourage the couples to select something to demand and harp about to increase the drama factor?

And... exactly what is a "snug" in houses in the UK? (It seems to be the name of a room, maybe like a den?)
And... sometimes they say, "Utility room" and sometimes, "Utility room for the white goods" - are they different?

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