Top Comments: Found Entertainment Edition

In my end of year diary last December, I mentioned that one of my Intentions was to work on downsizing our Stuff. Mr. Brillig and I are both at that age where contemplating a move to smaller, fewer-story living is no longer “waaaay in the future”, but also looking at a hypothetical relocation if Mr. Brillig’s job search (did I mention he was laid off Feb 1? No? Oops) takes us out of the Boston area. Not that it’s what we WANT, but in this economic climate, and with that whole age thing, he’s not limiting his search to metro Boston.

My decluttering workshop has been fantastic and I’m so glad to be participating. Each week we focus on another area, and last week was “living spaces”. Think living room, family room, etc. I chose to focus on one attainable area… the gigantic collection of DVDs we own.

Back before streaming, we amassed a wonderful collection of classic movies, then-current favorites, and a ton of stuff for when the kids were younger. We had many of them in a bespoke cabinet in our living room, plus three plastic containers stuffed with more. And judging from the dust on those crates, we have not opened them in years. I thought this was the perfect time to sort through them and make some decisions.

Before you ask, we DO have a way to watch them. While we don’t own either a dedicated Blu-Ray/DVD player attached to the TV anymore nor do any of our computers have a disc slot, we DO have an old xbox360 machine and it also plays DVDs!!! 

I did a cull of what I was never going to watch again. Then asked Mr. Brillig, who took film studies classes in college and loves movies, to go through. I expected he would put back some of what I picked to donate (he did, but only a couple) but I did not expect at least two dozen titles to join the Exit Our House pile. 

While going through, we found a bunch of movies we’d love to watch again… or in some cases, watch together since we haven’t both seen them. And we put that pile aside. It turned out to be at least a dozen movies. 

As I looked at the pile it struck me… on those evenings where we’re scrolling through streaming platforms looking for “something good to watch”, why not *watch one of these instead*?? Easy, free, and means we’re using something we have!

I’m sure many of you have faithfully been watching your hardcopy favorites all this time, but for us this was like finding a whole new source of entertainment. And I’m really excited to settle in to watch one. When I have time though… this week has me reading and scoring panel proposals for Netroots Nation 2026 this June in Philly, and also with a deadline for another piece of important and difficult writing.

Speaking of Netroots sessions… for the first time ever, they’re asking for public voting on sessions!!! Click that link above and you’ll be able to vote on ones you’d like to see!!

Let’s head over to the Tops then join me in the comment section to talk about times when you’ve found something you already had that gets renewed use! Maybe it’s clothing, or recipes, or who knows what!