TiVo at West 73rd is up and running. After more than one technical snafu, I am an official TiVo household. Due to my outstanding technical expertise, I have my TV, cable box, VCR, and TiVo all hooked up and running like a well-oiled machine (or in this case, machines). I can watch TiVo live, I can watch TiVo recorded, I can watch one show live while recording another on TiVo and I can tape a show on my VCR while recording another on TiVo. I can fast forward and instant replay and pause live TV. I have got access to more hours of TV than I have hours in the week.

Let's just say that everything happens for a reason and at the right time. It's a good thing that I got TiVo when my social life was on a high, or I might never leave the apartment. Yesterday, I stayed home sick-- or not really-- not because of TiVo but it was a nice bonus. I watched Dawson's Creek and Glory Days while recording Ed and West Wing. And when I want to watch Ed? There will be no rewinding. There will be just pushing a button and boom, there it is. And if I want to watch The West Wing before Ed? Fine, push that button. No rewinding. No stopping. I can watch whichever show I want when I want and in the order I want.

Added bonus over the VCR? I have it programmed to tape first-run shows only. So, if Buffy is a repeat, it picks Gilmore Girls instead. How fabulous is that? I can tape UPN at 8:00 and Fox at 9:00 and not have to worry about it. And if I am running out of room on the TiVo-- 20 hours may sound like a lot now, but there are so many possibilities-- I can send the recorded show to my VCR and it will tape it there. Life is good, my friend.

TV is my friend. TiVo is my best friend.

So, who needs boys? A love life? Social outings? Thank goodness that I am committed to two basketball games a week, or else I could be permanently fused with Mr. Mat [Editor's note: Laine's vibrating massage mat] with the remote melted into my hand.

Can't wait to have you come and enjoy the experience.

[Editor's note: I did go. I did enjoy the experience. Especially when the experience just by chance included the inaugural episode of The Real World/Road Rules Challenge featuring none other than Timmy Beggy. And now that I've missed two The West Wing episodes over the past few weeks, Laine saving them for me on TiVo makes TiVo my friend, too. And the girl behind the TiVo... well she just plain rocks.]