Wow, this sucks.

[xiphias]

So, I got a phone call a couple days ago from "Audience Studies, Inc," asking if I'd participate in an audience survey of a new sitcom.

I agreed.

So, it turns out that the tape actually includes commercials. And is not fast-forwardable. Now we know what the ACTUAL purpose is. Especially as the sitcom itself was copyright 1997. Ah, well. I'm a sucker.

I've drunk a quarter of a bottle of whiskey, re-read the instructions, and noticed that it says "watch however and whenever you usually watch at home." Thank God I normally watch TV while online, playing Kingdom of Loathing, and reading.

I'm surviving. But I'd still have preferred to have had another root canal instead. My root canal was significantly less painful than this gawdawful tape.

Please understand: I'm not exaggerating when I say that the root canal was less painful -- my root canal was actually quite painless. And I'm not exaggerating when I say "a quarter bottle of whiskey."

I think that the people who paid for this thing ought to be happy that I can't remember exactly what commercials were part of it. Except for Aflak, which isn't available in this state, and Nestle's Crunch, which I will avoid from now on, as I associate it with this painful experience.

Comments

[cheshyre]

1) While you were drinking, I was looking at the instructions and found your loophole!
2) Since this was more painful than your root canal, you now have no excuse not to call the oral surgeon and get that overdue work on your wisdom teeth out of the way...

[teddywolf.livejournal.com]

*ahem* Aflac is in fact available in MA.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

here's some more stuff on this:

http://www.oddtodd.com/message191.html
http://www.greghoward.net/index.php/weblog/market_research/

[(Anonymous)]

That sucked.

Any advice for guilds etc. for KoL?

[holzman.livejournal.com]

That sucked.

Any advice for guilds etc. for KoL?

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I'm a member of Clan Charlie's Horse. I like it.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I'm a member of Clan Charlie's Horse.

[ykats.livejournal.com]

The tape is not fast-forwardable and not rewindable? How is that possible? Aren't these just a matter of VCR's engine spinning at a higher speed?

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the warning - I can't watch anything that needs a quarter bottle of whiskey to make it bearable because I am now allergic to alcohol. Too bad - I used to like alcohol, and I used to like you making drinks for me. Now what can we share? Oh, I know! Shakespeare!!

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Heh, you should tell them that "how you usually watch TV" is time-shifted (ie on vcr or tivo) and fast-forwarding through the ads.

[uninvitedcat.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I have to ask: what sort of whiskey?

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Old Overhold rye. Good stuff, but now I need to get more, especially as I'm having my wisdom teeth out in two days.

Fastforwardable, not rewindable

[(Anonymous)]

It is fast-forwardable, though they tell you not to do it, and during the questioning afterward they ask you if you rewound it or fast forwarded it. It does erase as it plays, though -- it has a magnet inside. The magnet can be removed easily enough by opening the tape guard (little button on the left when the guard is towards you) and peeling off the black rectangle on the left side.

Johnny Come Lately

[(Anonymous)]

Well, I got my tape last night. The first packet with "pick which products you like" told me, "Yep, it is an advertising scheme." Then the whole "erases as it plays" thing got me on the Internet. I figured there had to be a simple trick to this and I'm glad to have found the answer.

So, I'll be good and make sure I get a bottle of the "good stuff" for when I watch this tape, which is sure to be awful. ^_~

-AstroNerdBoy

Re: Johnny Come Lately

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Forewarned, and drunk, is forearmed. Odds are you'll survive, so long as you know what you're getting into.

And then you'll have a story to tell!