Must Have Monday

This week's Must Have Monday item is a digital video recorder, or DVR, or in more common vernacular - a Tivo.

I enjoy television... and I'm not ashamed to admit it! What I don't enjoy is watching all of the endless commercials that you're forced to sit through when you watch TV live. In fact, I can't stand to watch live TV - drives me up the wall!

Watching a program already recorded on the DVR/Tivo makes me feel like I'm not wasting as much valuable time watching my programs. Every 30-minute program is reduced to 20 minutes; every hour-long program is reduced to 45 minutes - when you're able to fast-forward through the commercials on the DVR/Tivo. It's hard to imagine what TV-watching was like before Tivo - it really will change your life! :) (Trust me.)

Plus, setting the Tivo to record various programs is a lot simpler than it used to be with the VCR. Each week, your DVR machine automatically downloads the latest program guides, and you simply search or scroll through until you find what you want to record. You can also set up series recording schedules or season passes, so that your DVR will automatically record "The Office" each week.

Now we don't need to be home when our favorite shows are on, and if Brian is watching a documentary on the Mob and needs to leave, he can set it to record easily with one button. Also, if you need to take a potty break in the middle of the NBC Nightly News, all you have to do is push pause, and you can return to watching as soon as you're ready.

We don't own a Tivo, but we rent a DVR/Cable box from Comcast Cable - it's only a few bucks per month, but it's TOTALLY worth it! If you don't already have a DVR/Tivo in your home, look into one... you can thank me later.

List your favorite, must-see shows in the comments... maybe there's something out there I'm missing!