THERE'S NO BETTER PRICE THAN FREE. 

For the first time since the middle of March, I turned on my digital cable box in my room. Just for the heck of it, I switched to channel 200. 

I expected to get a message that says to call COX if you want to subscribe to HBO. What I got, however, was that HBO movie special Recount about the 2000 election. I then clicked on all the HBO stations. Sure enough, I had them all. 

How could this be? We cancelled HBO last month because we don't need that and Netflix. Our working theory is that since my box wasn't on when Tina made the call to get rid of HBO, COX failed to knock out the premium station in my room. 

The TV in the living room lost HBO immediately after Tina made the call. That box is permanently turned on. But mine isn't. So, maybe they only recognized one signal and didn't realize to cancel HBO from both boxes. 

Whatever the reason, we have free HBO in my room. Tina: "There's some messed up shit with COX in this house."  

THE TINA CURSING CORNER

My mom was in a great deal of pain all day Tuesday. 

2 a.m.: "I've been trying to throw up since fucking 10 o'clock." 

1 p.m.: "I don't like feeling like this. I can't afford this shit." 

7 p.m: "This fucking pain in my chest. I don't want to go to the doctor. They'll probably run a bunch of fucking tests." 

Mom is watching a soap opera. "Didn't you know he would have a fucking tape recorder?" 

A shocker happens on 24. "What the fuck? He's fucking killing him. What the fuck? ... What the fuck?" 

PARTING SHOT

The sports department read 12 news stories Monday night. All the real world stuff caused some confusion. 

Jelly (to Sandy): You have Pirates. 

Me: Argh. I got the war in Thailand.   

Sandy: What? Oh. I thought you meant baseball.  

THE DAILY TOP LIST 

The top five movies that I didn't even consider when I made my top 140 movies. I cut that list from one of almost 200 movies. Yet these weren't on there, and I didn't think of them until I was midway through posting the list. My apologies to these fine films. 

5) The Jerk. 1979.

I can't think of this movie without thinking of that incident with Nick. 

4) Fallen. 1998.

Sometimes, I get it confused with Se7en. 

3) Men at Work. 1990. 

Rent-a-cops. I hate rent-a-cops, too. 

2) Rudy. 1993. 

I actually have his autograph. He came to my grammar school for a motivational speech. There was a contest in each grade to write a thank-you note to Rudy for his inspiration. I won and got his signature. Not sure where that is now. 

1) Final Destination. 2000. 

Probably would have been in the 70s or 80s on the list.