9 reasons we don't Netflix & chill 📺

Cost analysis: Media vs DVD players

Every time Christmas rolls around, Bohdanna and I find ourselves scrambling to find National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. Yes, voluntarily succumb to the tradition of mainstream Americana every once in a while. We’ve learned to laugh with, as well as at it in our years. Last year we watched National Lampoons like most people would have when it first came out – on TV. Yes, that’s right…we had to deal with real commercials that take up more time than the movie itself. All hail the mute button. How did this travesty occur?

We didn’t plan to watch TV - we watched TV because we didn’t plan. Our library was all out of copies and wouldn’t have any until Christmas was over. We could have rented it on YouTube or Amazon for $5, but that’s not what Clark Griswold would have done. So we waited in hope, to see if it would appear on the television like a child of the 80s would have done.

The year before in 2023 we strategically called the local library a week ahead of Christmas and reserved our copy. Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, no Roku was stirring, and we didn’t have a mouse. Without a scratch on the DVD, we drank eggnog vicariously with Uncle Eddy as we trimmed our tree in victory. This year we’ve already rented it from our local library ahead of time, and will be buying it and commemorating it to our collection of classics.

Many would say “whoa that’s expensive…I can watch it on Netflix ‘for free.’” We’re here to spark up that tree of illusion like Uncle Lewis, and shine some light on the long-stranded tradition of popping a disc into the DVD player.

When we moved to Prescott Arizona, we were amazed at the amount of antique and second-hand stores, many that are independently-owned. I mean, who doesn’t love a good bargain? We wound up finding a Blu-Ray DVD player for $2, and a 6ft HDMI cable for $1. Alas, there was no remote, so we bought one for $7. Then all we needed to do was plug the HDMI cable into the TV, and we could watch to our heart’s content.

Here’s are nine reasons why we don’t subscribe to Netflix:

1. Costs money. A monthly subscription doesn’t go away, and adds up over time

2. Content constantly disappears. For instance, we noticed that around the holidays certain movies aren’t available. Coincidence?

3. Big Bro is watching. Netflix and the “cloud” see what we’re watching, and it’s another data point that can be used against us.

4. Empowers data centers. Streaming services contribute to more data being pumped through data centers, and we certainly don’t need more of that.

5. Creates an overwhelm. Streaming options flood us with a torrent of choices, and we would spend more time searching than watching (back in the old days when we watched too much) With a DVD, you know what you’re going to watch, and are excited to do so and unwind.

6. Propaganda. Netflix pushes a lot of mainstream films and documentaries promoting the war in Ukraine, plant-based “burgers”, not to mention creepy shows that slither into the feed like Black Mirror.

7. More EMF. Streaming contributes to more radiation in the home, with the modem and potential Bluetooth devices needing to be enabled in order to watch. Without streaming, you don’t even need an internet connection. All you need to do is pop the disc into the player and pop up some popcorn, on the stove of course.

8. Takes away from the community. Although we don’t go the theater anymore because we don’t like having our eardrums and eyes pounded with compression waves. We’re proud to support our local library, and can even find movies there that have been phased out a long time ago.

9. Support the refurbished techno-economy. Ever notice how Ethernet, USB, and HDMI ports on newer devices are being phased out? This is because Big Tech doesn’t want us to control the data - they want to manipulate everything we see or do. Creating new electronics contributes to child slavery and wrecks the Earth, as documented by Katie Singer in her webinar on Mapping the Technosphere¹

Here’s a breakdown of how much money we can save by omitting a streaming service and/or media player, and investing in an “old-fashioned” DVD player.

Come to think of it, do teenagers even know what a DVD is?

Note: the total for the first year on the “smart” TV option keeps on streaming money from your wallet the second year:

* We also purchased our internet modem to reduce the monthly rental fee.

Save your cash for eggnog

Another reason we like saving money is so we can spend it on quality ingredients for that swill everyone loves to be scared of: eggnog. Although most Americans think of eggnog as something they get out of a milk carton during the two-week period leading up to December 25, this drink actually descends from sack posset, a strong, thick English beverage built upon eggs, milk, and either a fortified wine (like Madeira) or ale.

Our favorite recipe is from Alton Brown, which we’ve adapted below.

• 4 egg yolks

• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup, plus 1 tablespoon

• 1 pint coconut cream or raw goat milk

• 1 cup coconut cream or raw goat milk (pygmy goats have the highest butterfat)

• 3 ounces bourbon

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 4 egg whites

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup, and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

2. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup and beat until stiff peaks form.

3. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Eggnog can even create its own culture and turn into yogurt! Believe it or not, we still have last year’s eggnog in our fridge, and its become a thick Griswold-Greek style yogurt. I’ve eaten it, and I live to tell the tale.

As Alton Brown states in the video, you can make this sans booze, after the boozy version the day before. Raw egg yolks contain cysteine, which helps the unpleasant effects a hangover. Cysteine offsets the toxicity caused by acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct produced when the body metabolizes alcohol.

So…what are you waiting for?

Don’t bash your noggin streaming down the hill of media.

Crack some eggs, plug in, and relax.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas, full of love and light.

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👉 Support our work is with a premium subscription!

(just $5 per month).