I spent a good part of today with my mom. Now that the holidays are over, we'll get back to our normal routine. I wanted to check out my parent's new 'home theater' system. My father just bought the top of the line Samsung 52" LCD HDTV, along with a Blu-Ray disc player and a HD-DVD player, and had The Geek Squad install it. They already had the Bose surround sound system. And probably hundreds of DVDs. So I asked my dad how he liked watching DVDs on the system, and guess what? He hadn't seen any because he didn't know how. I decided to try to figure it out for them. I can't believe how complicated it is. It's a wonder that anyone can play a DVD! You have to start with the Bose remote and switch it to AUX. Then use the Samsung remote to turn on the TV. Then the Toshiba remote to turn on the DVD player. Then the DirectTV remote and switch it to HDMI2. Then back to the Toshiba remote, and finally, your movie. I didn't even try the Blu-Ray player. I typed out the instructions for my parents, and think my father will probably 'get it.' I don't think my mom will, and she watches a lot of movies. She'll just go into another room and use another TV. I know they have universal remotes, but I don't know that it would be easier--they look like complicated little computers. You'd probably need The Geek Squad to set up the remote! With all TVs going digital next year, and then the digital DVD players to go with them, there's going to be a lot of confused people.

So my mom and I went to Old Country Buffet. She love it there, and actually, I do too. The problem is I always, every single time, overeat. I think the food is fresh and delicious. A person could have a really good, nutritious meal. Could. But not me. Why, oh why, did I have that piece of cheesecake after having a dinner-plate size dessert of bread pudding, peach cobbler, apple crisp and banana pudding with a generous mound of soft-serve ice cream in the center? After 2 plates of lunch? I don't kid when I say I can eat at those buffets. And why I should stay away.

I hung out with my mom at her house till her soap, Passions, began. That is one racy show! I left and drove over to HomeGoods and browsed the aisles. Then I came home. I caught up on my newspapers while watching Oprah and the news. Then it was on to dinner (my appetite returned, somehow), and time with Emily. I sat by her side while she read through all the archives of Becca's blog. She's the daughter of one of my co-workers, and I really enjoy her blog. I wanted Emily to listen to the music on it (ever heard of Landon Pigg?), and she was hooked and read every single post. Em's upstairs doing homework now, and here I am. Ready to put this day to rest!