Great Chitter Chatter - Stories from Loud Voices

Satellite TV provider DISH Network just released fresh programming bundles called Turbo HD. These packages are all hi def, leaving out all of the standard definition networks. So is this new satellite TV the right for you?

It all depends on what your looking for from your cable or satellite television company. Some folks want every single channel that is available. They don’t care if 10 of them are jewelry shopping channels, or that five of the channels are public access. They just want all of the channels.

On the other hand, many have become tired of trying to wade past all of the lower tier channels on the television dial, looking for something decent to watch. For consumers who have recently bought a new plasma TV, TurboHD from DISH Network might be the right choice.

The three different options with TurboHD are the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. All of these packages are made up of hi definition channels only. Pricing starts at about $24.99 per month for the entry level HD package. That package does not include your local channels like ABC and Fox, which cost $5 more per month.

DISH Network also offers the Platinum level, which is an additional service to the Gold, Silver, and Bronze packages. This Platinum package is ten bucks a month, and includes seven more hi definitions channels such as NBA TV and Universal HD.

One point of contention with some current DISH Network customers is they have not been allowed to switch over to the TurboHD packages. At this time, just new subscribers to DISH Network have been allowed to get the TurboHD packages. Current customers can get Turbo HD, but only as an add-on to the standard definition package.

A final consideration you should know about is how DISH Network is numbering the networks included in the packages. Take for example the Bronze Turbo HD setup which includes 44 channels, but of those 24 are network channels, six are pay-per-view, and 14 are video-on-demand channels. While that may be enough for some folks, many are accustomed to having a lot more content to choose from. One final note, none of the TurboHD levels include premium movie channels like Starz or Cinemax, so don’t be surprised when you have to pay more for commercial free channels like that. For more detail on these packages, check out the Dish Turbo HD review.

If you’ve been scrapbooking for a while, you know how easy it is to get burnout and lack of motivation to create pages.  It seems we still tend to pile up a stack of photos just waiting to be placed in an album, but we haven’t found just the right paper or embellishments yet, or maybe we can’t decide what scrapbooking techniques to use on them.  Here are a few ideas to help overcome scrapbooking burnout.

1. A new scrapbooking technique may be just what you need to spark your imagination. Grab some photos and try one out today.

2.  Is your photograph backlog keeping you from starting to scrapbook?  Just choose a single photograph to be your focal point on a page layout.  Just starting can get rid of scrapbookers’ burnout. 

3.  Give yourself permission to throw out poor quality photographs.   Your backlog will start to shrink and just looking through your photos may inspire you.

4. Your supply stash can bring inspiration.  Organize your supplies, and see if you are inspired to mix embellishments or papers in a new way.

5. Flip through scrapbooking magazines for inspiration.  They are filled with great page ideas, techniques to try and information on the latest products. 

6.  Take a scrapbooking course or workshop.  This is sure to bring your some motivation.

7.  Attend a scrapbooking crop.  Either sign up for one at your local scrapbooking store or plan one yourself and invite your friends and family.

8.  Go shopping!  Browse through your local scrapbooking store or craft store and get inspired by all the new products available.  

9. Stop trying to be perfect. Thinking every page you create must be a work of art only stops you before you ever get started.  Give yourself permission to make a less than perfect page layout. 

10.  Scale down your scrapbooking supplies.  Give away or sell some of your stash and cure supply overload. 

11.  Don’t try to take on too much.  Are you trying to create a whole album in one night?  Try to scrapbook just one page at a time.  

12.  Sign up for a scrapbooking challenge.  You can find these online in scrapbooking community message boards.  Joining the competition and excitement will start your scrapbooking creativity going again.

13.  Have you tried digital scrapbooking?  Digital scrapbooking is becoming more and more popular among scrapbookers.  It’s certainly less messy than traditional scrapbooking.

14.  Join a scrapbooking community online and read their message boards and forums. Most of these communities have galleries where members upload their scrapbooking pages for others to see and make comments.  

15.  Put your scrapbook albums on display.  Let your family and friends enjoy your page layouts.  See their faces light up as they appreciate your pages will motivate you to get scrapbooking again.  

Try just a few of these scrapbooking ideas, and chase away your scrapbooking burnout today.