NetFlix

So today I did it. I took the NetFlix plunge. My patience with rental stores had reached the end of its rope. I was tired of aimlessly wandering the aisles, searching for the right movie like a needle in a haystack. I was tired of only finding new releases, as if cinema didn't exist before last year. I was tired of the long lines, and of burning gas to return movies. I was tired of every copy of the new release you really want to see being gone. Blockbuster? More like "Not-In-Stockbuster".

Here's the NetFlix plan. You go online and pick out the movies that you want to watch from a list of over 50,000 titles (basically every movie ever made that you might want to watch). Then they mail them to you to see whenever you want--no worrying about when they are due. When you are done, just pop them in the prepaid-mailer and wait for the next movie on your list to arrive. I signed up for the $14.99 per month plan, which gives you unlimited DVDs (two-at-a-time). They start you off with a free two-week trial. I will let you know how it goes. They also have a $9.99 plan (one-at-a-time), which I may switch to depending on how quick the turnaround time is. I figure we average about 4 rentals a month, which will run you $14.80 at Blockbuster ($3.70 apiece).

So it seems like a no-brainer to me, especially with vacation time and the long cold winter months ahead. If I never have to aimlessly wander the aisles of movie-rental purgatory again I will be a very happy man.