Once again - paying for Radio

So since I got the Toaster I've Been a big fan of XM radio. I admit to being one of those people that used to say "why the hell would I pay to be able to listen to the radio?"

But that's before I listened to XM-12, Cross Country, which is a radio for the more discerning listeners among us.

So the other night when Suzy and I were floating around Best Buy finishing up some Christmas shopping, I saw a neat thing - an XM radio bundle that included a receiver, car kit, home kit to use with a stereo, and a boom box that you can plug your XM receiver into.

Now since I'd been wanting to get Suzy XM for her car so she could listen to random dance/disco/bubblegum pop that doesn't involve instruments to her heart's content, I wandered over to look at the price.

Hmmm...that doesn't seem right.

Hey guy in blue shirt, is this thing really $29.99?

Nah, that can't be right. (he scans box) Wow, it's really $29.99.

I'll take two!

So I did. I picked up both of the remaining units for $30 each, and spent a not inconsiderable time that night trying to find a place in my house where it gets reception. But I finally did, and got both units activated and configured, and we're good to go. I brought one into work today to put on the shelf behind my desk, and it gets great reception there, so I can listen to Road Calls at lunch, my favorite XM12 request show (my favorite because invariably Reckless Kelly and Cross Canadian Ragweed are heavily requested).

Yesterday as I wandered through a different Best Buy looking for the last of Suzy's Christmas presents, I saw the same kit.

$109.99.

Now that, my friends, is very +EV.

My poker play, not so much. I've returned to the thing that helped me build my tiny little bankroll, the 6-max low-limit SNGs, and am cashing more consistently in them again. I tried the full-table Turbos and just couldn't make any headway. I tried a $10 90-person Deep-Stack Knockout SNG last night (are there any options they left out of those things?), and was playing well until my AK ran into AQ and got crippled by the 3-outer. But I busted two people, so I saved myself $4 for my bad beat. Gonna try to stick to the 6-max for a while until I either get a bankroll again (now back down to under $100) or I get bored and move back to Guitar Hero. I've moved up to Medium, and it's a lot harder than easy, but I'm managing to make it through most tunes. Once I play it all the way through to the end, I'll go back through and try to improve all my scores.

How do you geeks play Guitar Hero? Do you hammer at a song again and again until you get it perfect? Or do you go through the game at one difficulty level, then go back and work on songs until that difficulty level doesn't feel difficult anymore and then try moving up? Right now I still play Cliffs of Dover or Pride and Joy on easy to wind down after bad beats. It makes me smile.

I'm not holding my breath on being back on the machine between now and Wednesday, so if I'm not, Merry Christmas to all of you! I realize that there is the odd person here and there who might be of the Jewish persuasion who reads here from time to time (and yes, BWOP, I mean you're a person, Jewish and odd) and mean Merry Christmas in a purely secular, have a good holiday kinda way.

I'm not particularly religious myself, so a Merry Christmas from me really has no religious connotation behind it, more a wish for good cheer and an expression of thanks for being my friend. So to all of you - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and thanks for being my friend.