Disclaimer: This information is provided ONLY with the intention of telling how to make backups of legally owned DVDs, not for purposes of sales and distribution of copywrighted materials.
If you have kids, chances are you have a collection of movies right there in your home to keep them entertained and out of your hair for a while. (Come on, we all do it.) But if your kids are anything like mine, precious, expensive DVDs go magically missing if they're not under lock and key, and surface from under the couch six weeks later, completely scratched and unplayable. It puts a dent in your wallet every time you buy one of these movies. Imagine paying almost thirty dollars for your kid's favorite movie and seeing it ruined two weeks later.
This is why, now, I make backup copies of all our movies. That way, I can keep the original copy pristine, and make fresh backups whenever I need them. I use the program DVD Shrink, which in most cases works just fine. It's downloadable completely free on the internet. Some DVDs, however, are encrypted, which makes most backup software unable to reproduce them. I found two downloads which, used in conjunction with DVD Shrink, work like a charm.
First, download DVD Shrink. Second, download DVD Decrypter. Then, find a program called Ripit4me. Once these are saved on your computer, open up Ripit4me and click Wizard Mode. Ripit4me should automatically open up DVD Decrypter for you. When these two processes are complete, (They take a while, because they create dummy files that a DVD backup alone would not be able to copy from an encrypted disc. ) the program will ask you if you would like to use DVD Shrink to complete the backup. It's pretty much self-guiding, and has worked every time for me.
An easy way to keep your expensive DVDs immaculate (and your kid's hands off them).
Sunday, December 23, 2007
If this isn't Christmas, then what is it?
Christmas is going to be upon us in two days. What I've found lately is that there seems to be a bit of an uprising against "Happy Holidays" and people have started going back to saying "Merry Christmas". I couldn't be happier.
A friend of mine was upset at the fact that despite the fact his kids' school had put on a Christmas pageant every year since it opened, this year the event was cancelled because they did not want to offend anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas. So, in other words, unless we are willing to embrace the holidays celebrated by cultures who don't partake in Christmas, we don't get to celebrate ours, was the message this father of three seemed to be getting. Case in point: A couple of years ago my kids' school decided on a multicultural holiday pageant; Hannukah, Kwannza, Ramadan, and Christmas. While I have no problem with my kids learning about holiday rituals in different parts of the world, I do have a problem with my child singing 'Dreidl, Dreidl' with her class and not singing ANY traditional Christmas songs in concert at her school.
Who was it that decided that we're supposed to be ashamed of our own faith? Excuse me, but if
Toronto City Hall can stick a menorrah in Nathan Phillips Square, they can put a Christmas tree there too without getting any flak about it from politically correct bleeding hearts. I understand that Christmas was practically the only holiday publicly observed for many years and now we're trying to make up for it, but why should people who celebrate this holiday take it up the butt and not observe it, or forgo saying "Merry Christmas" just so they don't offend others?
Another friend of mine, a devout Christian, is busy reminding people that "Jesus is the reason for the Season". December 25 is Christmas day. Merry Christmas.
A friend of mine was upset at the fact that despite the fact his kids' school had put on a Christmas pageant every year since it opened, this year the event was cancelled because they did not want to offend anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas. So, in other words, unless we are willing to embrace the holidays celebrated by cultures who don't partake in Christmas, we don't get to celebrate ours, was the message this father of three seemed to be getting. Case in point: A couple of years ago my kids' school decided on a multicultural holiday pageant; Hannukah, Kwannza, Ramadan, and Christmas. While I have no problem with my kids learning about holiday rituals in different parts of the world, I do have a problem with my child singing 'Dreidl, Dreidl' with her class and not singing ANY traditional Christmas songs in concert at her school.
Who was it that decided that we're supposed to be ashamed of our own faith? Excuse me, but if
Toronto City Hall can stick a menorrah in Nathan Phillips Square, they can put a Christmas tree there too without getting any flak about it from politically correct bleeding hearts. I understand that Christmas was practically the only holiday publicly observed for many years and now we're trying to make up for it, but why should people who celebrate this holiday take it up the butt and not observe it, or forgo saying "Merry Christmas" just so they don't offend others?
Another friend of mine, a devout Christian, is busy reminding people that "Jesus is the reason for the Season". December 25 is Christmas day. Merry Christmas.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Do as I Say, not what I do. (How to not drive yourself insane during the holidays)
Are you beginning to hate Christmas?
Does the very word conjure up stress for you?
Then you're going to have to make a few adjustments, and the hell with "The Perfect Christmas". I used to groan every time December approached. The promises to be here and there, the Christmas shopping, the decorating. All this and trying to maintain your regular life on top of it is enough to make anyone crazy. All the stress, all the nonsense, for what is, in reality, one day in the whole year. Too much pressure. Here is my list of things for you to try and I am hopeful that maybe we can all learn to enjoy the holidays a little bit more.
1. Make a list, if you have to.
Obviously a list makes things easier for things like what to get for Christmas dinner, or the card list for the year. Make thoses lists. Do all the little things first to get them out of the way.
2. Try not to procrastinate. If you've locked yourself into cooking dinner for 20 guests and you have a whole bunch of prep to do for it, try and get that prep done 1-2 days before. You're busy enough with everything else, so it really doesn't help you if you're still shopping for said dinner on the day of.
3. Finances. Don't, and I cannot stress this enough, don't lock yourself into serious debt just to buy Christmas presents. Go with what you can afford. When you have bills to pay and someone on your Christmas list is just dying for the new Wii, or whatever pricey toy they happen to want, maybe this just isn't the right time for it. Set a budget for yourself and stick to it, no matter what. You'll be breathing normally in January when you can still afford to pay the bills and the mortgage on time.
4. While we're on the subject of gifts, consider making some, especially for people you want to acknowlege at Christmas, but won't be buying gifts for. If you have time, try making some holiday treats, putting them in a pretty tin, labelling them, and gifting them to your friends. It shows them that you remember them during the holidays, even if the only presents you'll be buying are for your immediate family.
5. Try to shortcut as much as possible. Do some shopping online. Wrap any presents you buy that very day, so that it's done. Don't do as I've done in the past and save it all till Christmas Eve because you think it's the only free time you have..I'm sure that others know, as I do, what it's like to be wrapping 147 gifts at 1 am Christmas day. The wrapping job gets a little sloppy after a little while and it's all you can do to keep your head up on Christmas morning, especially if you have excited kids around the house who get you up at 5 to open the goodies.
6. Keep the holiday visiting to a minimum. Now I know this in itself can be very difficult. You want to please everyone, and they're all telling you that you must stop by here, go there, meet for drinks, dinner here. Not only can this get expensive, but really draining on your time. Do you really want to spend all your time in December gallivanting all over the city? Pick a couple of occasions with the people you really want to spend the time with, and send regrets to the rest.
7. On the big day: Case in point. On Christmas day, it always used to be a battle for me and my family as to who was going to host dinner, whose inlaws were getting the Christmas day visit, and so on. When my children were very young, we always used to go to my aunts' house for Christmas dinner. What happened was that once we got there, and being that young children need to be supervised constantly, was that we were up and down the whole day and the whole evening, never mind having any time to enjoy the Christmas dinner, a drink, or even the other guests. We were exhausted by the end of the evening, and by the time we got home around 10:30 or 11:00 pm, we had to put two very grumpy, equally exhausted little kids to bed. Was it really worth all the hoopla?
We decided the very next year to start our own Christmas tradition, and if the relatives weren't pleased about it, well, oh well. They would just have to understand. The next year and every year since then, we've stayed home. We call everyone, of course, to wish them a Merry Christmas and a wonderful day. Every year, we get up, open gifts, have a leisurely breakfast, and sit around. The prep for our very simple Christmas dinner is already done the night before, and there's absolutely nothing to do except sit there and watch the kids play with their new presents. We don't worry about the mess, we don't even have to change out of our pajamas if we don't want to. Right then and there, I know I've achieved what I want. A stress free holiday.
The point is, is that the main objective of Christmas is to be with those you love, and enjoy them. All the decoration and presents and food are just extra, something to be taken lightly, and sometimes mask the whole reason this holiday exists in the first place.
Does the very word conjure up stress for you?
Then you're going to have to make a few adjustments, and the hell with "The Perfect Christmas". I used to groan every time December approached. The promises to be here and there, the Christmas shopping, the decorating. All this and trying to maintain your regular life on top of it is enough to make anyone crazy. All the stress, all the nonsense, for what is, in reality, one day in the whole year. Too much pressure. Here is my list of things for you to try and I am hopeful that maybe we can all learn to enjoy the holidays a little bit more.
1. Make a list, if you have to.
Obviously a list makes things easier for things like what to get for Christmas dinner, or the card list for the year. Make thoses lists. Do all the little things first to get them out of the way.
2. Try not to procrastinate. If you've locked yourself into cooking dinner for 20 guests and you have a whole bunch of prep to do for it, try and get that prep done 1-2 days before. You're busy enough with everything else, so it really doesn't help you if you're still shopping for said dinner on the day of.
3. Finances. Don't, and I cannot stress this enough, don't lock yourself into serious debt just to buy Christmas presents. Go with what you can afford. When you have bills to pay and someone on your Christmas list is just dying for the new Wii, or whatever pricey toy they happen to want, maybe this just isn't the right time for it. Set a budget for yourself and stick to it, no matter what. You'll be breathing normally in January when you can still afford to pay the bills and the mortgage on time.
4. While we're on the subject of gifts, consider making some, especially for people you want to acknowlege at Christmas, but won't be buying gifts for. If you have time, try making some holiday treats, putting them in a pretty tin, labelling them, and gifting them to your friends. It shows them that you remember them during the holidays, even if the only presents you'll be buying are for your immediate family.
5. Try to shortcut as much as possible. Do some shopping online. Wrap any presents you buy that very day, so that it's done. Don't do as I've done in the past and save it all till Christmas Eve because you think it's the only free time you have..I'm sure that others know, as I do, what it's like to be wrapping 147 gifts at 1 am Christmas day. The wrapping job gets a little sloppy after a little while and it's all you can do to keep your head up on Christmas morning, especially if you have excited kids around the house who get you up at 5 to open the goodies.
6. Keep the holiday visiting to a minimum. Now I know this in itself can be very difficult. You want to please everyone, and they're all telling you that you must stop by here, go there, meet for drinks, dinner here. Not only can this get expensive, but really draining on your time. Do you really want to spend all your time in December gallivanting all over the city? Pick a couple of occasions with the people you really want to spend the time with, and send regrets to the rest.
7. On the big day: Case in point. On Christmas day, it always used to be a battle for me and my family as to who was going to host dinner, whose inlaws were getting the Christmas day visit, and so on. When my children were very young, we always used to go to my aunts' house for Christmas dinner. What happened was that once we got there, and being that young children need to be supervised constantly, was that we were up and down the whole day and the whole evening, never mind having any time to enjoy the Christmas dinner, a drink, or even the other guests. We were exhausted by the end of the evening, and by the time we got home around 10:30 or 11:00 pm, we had to put two very grumpy, equally exhausted little kids to bed. Was it really worth all the hoopla?
We decided the very next year to start our own Christmas tradition, and if the relatives weren't pleased about it, well, oh well. They would just have to understand. The next year and every year since then, we've stayed home. We call everyone, of course, to wish them a Merry Christmas and a wonderful day. Every year, we get up, open gifts, have a leisurely breakfast, and sit around. The prep for our very simple Christmas dinner is already done the night before, and there's absolutely nothing to do except sit there and watch the kids play with their new presents. We don't worry about the mess, we don't even have to change out of our pajamas if we don't want to. Right then and there, I know I've achieved what I want. A stress free holiday.
The point is, is that the main objective of Christmas is to be with those you love, and enjoy them. All the decoration and presents and food are just extra, something to be taken lightly, and sometimes mask the whole reason this holiday exists in the first place.
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