I am a massive fan of Binge-Watching television, and I think it must have something to do with the fact I like to be in control. However, I can justify my reasoning as I love to get involved in the show and the story’s characters. I have my idea of what they should do and how each character will react in any situation. I like the predictability of the show’s premise, and it is comforting. When I work all day, I want entertainment. I don’t want to overthink, and I don’t want to be yelled at or told what I should think or do.
Take, for example, Supernatural. I have watched this series 15 times. I know this because there have been 15 seasons. The first five seasons were ‘page turners’. As the last episode of the previous season started, the next DVD was ready to be inserted into the DVD player.
Let’s Talk Supernatural Numbers
Supernatural had 15 seasons, and each season had circa 22 episodes. That is 320 episodes in total. Every time a new season was released, I had to return to the first season and start afresh. That is fine until you get to season 13 onwards. It means that it takes months to get to the new season.
The loss in Binge-Watching
Binge-Watching television
The problem with binge-watching is that you suffer a loss once the show is over. First, there is Shock and Denial. Why did the show finish? Will they make another one? What are the actors doing now? What do I watch now? You then spend a few hours on google researching the actors, watching the bloopers and finally accepting the show is over. That empty feeling of what now finally kicks in. Goodbye, my friends. You never knew me, but I knew you, and I miss you already. The DVD goes back into the cupboard.
Looking for a new show
Then there is the pain of looking for something else to watch. It’s difficult. TV is so dull. It’s either news, game shows or reality TV. I don’t think I have watched regular television in years. If there is something I may like, I tend to record the show so I can watch what I want and fast forward the bits I don’t wish to watch. Investing in a new series is tricky as you know the investment you are about to put into the show is enormous.
After supernatural, I selected Criminal Minds. I watched three seasons in a row. I couldn’t face another episode of the brutal murder of a woman just because a man had a plan to do as much damage to another human being as possible. It made me feel very sad, and my worldview temporarily changed. I watched the entire series of The Big Bang Theory to wipe Criminal Minds from my memory.
Mistakes when selecting the Wrong Show
Choosing the wrong series is devastating, as selecting a show will be a significant part of your viewing life for months. Picking the wrong show makes you wish for the previous one to start over. The show becomes a friend; the characters are best mates and comfortable.
I moved on from Supernatural and The Big Bang Theory to Midsummer Murders. Twenty-two seasons, that’s 129 and today, I caught myself referring to the show as ‘Our normal reliable show’. I am on season 22, so there are only a few episodes left, and then the search will start over. Once you find a suitable series, it’s like welcoming a close friend over for tea.
How to select a new show
I have several criteria when selecting a new TV show; the first is that the women have to be intelligent, independent and will never trip over a twig running away. I can’t bear pathetic women on TV shows.
Binge-watching TV is slowly becoming the new normal TV viewing. Indeed, Netflix and Amazon Prime have the science down to a tea. Just as one show finishes, you have 10 seconds to decide if you will watch the next episode. The show has piqued your interest, and before you know it, it’s 1 am, and you have to be at work in 5 hours. If, for any reason, your mind wonders, the show could have started.
Why do we Binge-Watch Television?
This binge-watching (the new word of the year in 2015) leaves people with a hit of dopamine, the feel-good chemical. We human beings take comfort from familiarity, from the constant sensation of dopamine, and we want more of that feeling. The need to have that feel good and exciting feeling is a massive driving force and we don’t want to be shocked. We want friendly and we want to tune in and out of the show and know we are not missing anything. We want nice, which is very different from person to person.
For example, I can’t stand zombies. The movies leave me cold. I can’t see the point of them. A lot of dead people walk around slowly dripping blood. You see nothing at all. However, a friend of mine loves them. They can’t get enough of them. Selecting our TV shows thus can become rather tricky.
Binge-watching Television, my Recommendations
Having written about some of my binge-watching television habits, I thought I should give you some of my recommendations. This list is not definitive and will change over the weeks and months, especially as new shows are online. However, as it stands today, this is my list of binge-watching television shoes I would recommend.
Supernatural – Always, and the first show anyone should binge-watch
Broadchurch – fantastic and a 1 am show
Doctor Who – Has to be on any list
Midsummer Murders – You diff entry don’t want to move there. It is the murder capital of the world, but in a very British middle-class kind of way.
Aliens – all the movies, a bag of popcorn and chocolates and your set.
Harry Potter – Good escape movie
Blakes Seven – The scenery may wobble, and the acting is just as wobbly, but a good watch.
Carry on movies – a feel-good set of movies
Endeavour – the prequel to Morse. Slow and stays slow, but worth a watch
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel – maybe two shows, but it’s one in my mind
Services offering Binge-Watching Television
Most of these television services require a monthly fee, but you may be interested in finding out what shows they have to offer:
Amazon prime
Netflix
Apple TV
Britbox
Sky
In Conclusion to binge-watching television
I prefer to binge-watch television shows. It puts me in control of the television and what is playing. I don’t have to watch adverts, and I can watch the show at my convince and pause whenever I like. Have you watched any of the shows, I have mentioned? If you have any suggestions of shows you think would be worth investing in, please note them below. I would love to hear your thoughts.
You may also be interested in the following articles:
First-Time Buyers should know how stressful and costly the process of buying a house could be. I cannot see any reason why it has to be any different from purchasing a car or any other item that cost a lot of money, and yet it is. If you buy an expensive piece of jewellery, for example, this bracelet, which is worth £195,049. You need to write a cheque, put it on your credit card or pay cash.
First-time buyers bracelet
Now, if you are going to buy a house, there is much more involved. First of all, you need to find a house. For this, you go to an estate agent. Easy enough, walk along any high street, and there are usually three or four estate agents all wanting your custom. Alternatively, look online at a number of online property websites. If you are a first-time buyer than you enter the housing chain at the bottom of the pile, which means that you are purchasing the least expensive house in a chain that can result in a million-pound purchase for someone at the top of the chain.
Getting a Deposit the First-Time Buyers
Unlike the bracelet mentioned above, you may not have £195,049 just laying around. Which means you will need to borrow the money from a bank or building society. To do this, you will need to have a deposit, as these institutions will no longer loan 100% of the value of a house. This deposit is generally 10% of the value of the house but can range from 5% to 20%. Let’s assume that your first house is going to cost you £207,693 (according to the Halifax Building Society this is the average cost of a first-time buyers house, £12,644 more than our bracelet above). So, 10% of £207,693 will be £20,769. The average household income for first-time buyers is £35,635, and they spend on average five years saving for the deposit. First-time buyers also borrow on average £10,000 from the bank of mum and dad (according to The Independent)
You would think that once the deposit has been saved, you have the money from Mum and Dad. The next process would be simple quick and easy.
Well, it’s not, this is when the hard work starts, and you find that everyone you meet is standing there with their hands out wanting your money. First-Time buyers will not pay the Estate Agent, which is probably the only saving grace for an Estate Agent. Estate Agents don’t enjoy working with first-time buyers. They are an essential aspect of many purchases in a property chain, but first-time buyers are treated the same way as a throwaway product. You know those products, they get people in the door to buy more high-end purchases.
The House
Looking for a house for a first-time buyer is tough. There are so many beautiful houses for sale, and your expectations are high. You look at your parent’s home, your rented home or that of your friends. You want and expect the same type of home. The same space, the same furniture and well, the same lifestyle. Unfortunately, this is NOT going to happen.
For a start, they have all probably had two or three homes. They have also been on the property ladder for a number of years. You are a first-time buyer, and as such you get the runt of the litter. There is nothing wrong with the runt, but your expectations have to alter. A first-time buyers house will be small. When I say small, I mean small.
The second bedroom, if there is one will be the size of a double bed, or maybe a little bigger, but not much. You might be able to fit in a wardrobe or chest of draws, but that’s it. The Master bedroom will be able to fit in a double bed, wardrobe and chest of draws and you may even be able to walk around the bed. Don’t expect an au-suite. Your bathroom will have a bath with a shower attached to the bath, a sink and a loo. Not much else. Your kitchen will be small, one person in the kitchen and it will be crowded. The living room will be compact. You may get a sofa in, but don’t expect a sofa and a chair.
Remember you will need to find a place for the television and a small table to rest your coffee up on. If you are very, very lucky, you may have a dining room. Otherwise, you are eating on your knee for the next few years. Your garden will be small but manageable.
The Mortgage
Once you have found a house within your price range, and I say within your price range as this will not be your dream house, then the hands start to extend for your hard-earnt money. First of all, you will need to find a mortgage provider. Most offer their services for free. However, you will need to bear your financial life to the mortgage provider. They will want to know everything about you, your job, your income, savings and your inside leg measurement. It is stressful. This whole process can take up to 6 weeks.
You might be offered a mortgage in principle. It is in principle as they don’t know which house you are going to buy. Alternatively, you may have a house in mind and go to the mortgage company with that purchase, and they will take all the details you have and then ask for your inside leg measurement.
The mortgage is only offered in principle as they will want to check the house out. The mortgage company will do their survey on the property. Primarily to ensure that if you don’t repay your mortgage, they will want to get the property from you and sell it to cover the mortgage. Therefore, they need to ensure that the property is worth the money they are leading to you. This survey is generally free. However, if you put in an offer on the house and or some reason the house sale fails, you will need to pay for the next survey yourself. At the cost of around £300, depending on the mortgage company.
Your Surveyors Report
In addition to the Mortgage company doing a survey, it is advisable that you conduct your survey on the property. Everyone will be telling you to do this and will advise you to do the most comprehensive survey on the market. It is easy for them to tell you, it isn’t their money they are spending. There are four types of surveys on offer.
Condition Report – the condition of the property with any risks and potential legal issues with any critical defects identified. The cost to the first-time buyers circa £250 + VAT
Home Buyers Report – identify structural problems including subsidence and damp. The cost to the first-time buyers circa £400 + VAT
Building Survey – in-depth analysis of the condition of the property and advises on defects, repairs and maintenance. The cost to the first-time buyers circa £500 + VAT
Building or Full Structural Survey – an amalgamation of all of the above. The cost to the first-time buyers circa £800 + VAT
You decide on which survey you want. When you are saving your deposit, you will tell yourself that you will go for the best, but when it comes to it, £800 + Vat is a lot of money and can represent two- or three-months savings. It is your call.
The survey, in my experience, is a tick list of the surveyor covering his rear end. They will note everything that is wrong with the property. Just in case anyone decides to sue him or her because the property was damaged, in need of repair or any other issue. The report will be a perfect dissertation on house construction. They will advise on how to re-plaster walls, tell you the house has damp (all houses have a certain amount of damp) and other bits and bobs.
Once you have the survey, you will then need to read it, and then get someone to interoperate what the report is telling you. It is worth the cost no, do you need to get it done, just in case yes. A survey will be the final straw in deciding if you want to buy the house or not.
The Solicitor
Then you will need a solicitor. To purchase a house, you are looking at about £850 + Vat. The solicitor will be very helpful to you, but you will have to chase for updates. The solicitor’s work will take about six weeks. The first job you have to do is sign a contract with the solicitor and agree on prices. They will then start to work for you, but you will need to send them a cheque, generally about £300 before they do anything.
The solicitor will then start to run additional checks on the house at an extra charge to you:
Land Registry to ensure the house is there and that the garden belongs to the house etc. A fee circa £270.
A drainage enquiry. A fee of circa £30.
Then there is the cost of Local Searches, to see if there are going to be any power stations etc. built next to your new house. A fee of circa £112.
Then there is the cost of Land Transaction Return Form. A fee of circa £65 + VAT
Cost of Telegraphic transfer (sending the money to the seller of your house) £40 + VAT
The Government has its hand out
The government has its hand out when you are buying a house. For the average house purchase of £207,693, you won’t pay stamp duty. This only applies to purchases over £300,000. Therefore, any house over the value of £300,00 will have to pay a fee of £5% (Basically £50 for every £1000 added to the cost over £300,000).
More Costs for First-Time Buyers
There are even more costs. You then have movers that will move your positions from your current home to your new house. Also if you are doing this yourself, there is a cost involved.
In conclusion, it appears that if you don’t have enough money to buy a house, then you have to spend more money to get that house. Those with money don’t appear to have to spend as much. The UK has a system of house purchase that is created to ensure that no-one is able to get ahead unless you pay for it.
The purchase of a house in the UK is outdated, complicated and to be frank, a disgrace to this country and anyone who is trying to make a life for themselves.
So, I might have to admit I am maybe a little excited; I have a second viewing of my property. There’s a young couple, looking to buy their first house. They came to see my cottage last weekend. This weekend they will be bringing their parents with them. It’s going to be interesting to see if they remember what my cottage looks. I have commissioned a decorator to repaint the living room and the master bedroom. The master bedroom had a patterned wallpaper when they visited; now it is being changed to a magnolia. The living room will have a fresh coat of magnolia with a new coat of white for the ceiling.
I’m not sure how I feel about the parents coming along. It will go one of two ways.
They look of the cottage, that was built in 1860 and say there is too much work to be done to maintain it or
They fall head over heels in love with it instantly.
It’s hard to call. Before the second viewing my property the couple going to look at a brand new house in the price range. The new houses are tiny. The bedrooms of small, although some of them have on suites. My cottage doesn’t have an on-site. In a new build, the kitchen will be brand-new, although most new builds have an open plan feel about them. Having lived in an open plan house, I have to say I dislike that style of living. You have to keep on top of any mess at all times. There is no way, for example, you can cook a meal and not do the dishes instantly as they are an eyesore.
A second viewing of my property
The second viewing of my property is viewed favourably by the estate agents as someone wanting to put in an offer. I’m not sure that I would agree.
I don’t see a second viewing of my property as being an entirely positive outcome. This is why I am dubious and can’t seem to get excited about the about second viewings. You still have a lot of work to do. Keeping the house clean and tidy, making sure the rooms are all dressed, making sure the house smells nice and has that warm and cosy feel that wraps you in a warm blanket the moment they walk through the door. Anyone, who views a property doesn’t realise the that there is a three-hour ordeal for every viewing.
It will be easy to say that you should keep your house clean and tidy at all times. However, the reality is we don’t. For example, we walk into a room with a coffee cup and put it down, then go and get a packet of biscuits to eat with the coffee. We come back and sit down and watch television, while at the same time playing on an iPad or doing a craft. You then put those things down to go to the loo. On your way back to the living room you pick up a glass of water, or something else. Thus creating a mess where ever we go.
The Selling Process
It has been almost eight months since I made the decision to put my cottage for sale. Although I had an offer and he pulled out 48 hours before exchange (his work sent him to another office) this is the first, second viewing of my property I have had.
To be honest; I hate it. I hate the whole process of putting my Cottage for sale. The fact you have estate agents telling you to hide or remove some of your valuable positions (they call it decluttering). Having to repaint, do additional repairs and letting people walk around your home and judging you. You know they are judging because you get feedback from the Estate Agents. Charming cottage, to small, couldn’t put a sofa in there, so you get a sofa. The rooms need painting, so you paint the rooms. The redecoration is the advice of the estate agents, who want to the colour pop and light bounce off the walls. The garden needs a good tidy, so you tidy the garden. The list just goes on and on.
Estate Agents
Then, of course, you have to deal with the estate agents. Even now, after eight-plus months, I am not sure if the estate agents are telling me the truth, a version of it that they think I want to hear or are just lying to me. I have no idea. Do I trust them? No, I don’t think they are all trustworthy? Do they talk a good talk? Absolutely. They all sound convincing, they seem as if they speak with conviction, but I am sure behind my back they have a giggle.
Also, my Cottage for sale is tiny, in comparison to the Million pound houses they sell. It’s a first-time buyer cottage and would suit a girl or a young couple. So do they push it, yes? Do they want the sale as much as me, I don’t know. There is a flat fee if they sell but nothing if they don’t. However, after eight months are they board of trying to sell it? I don’t know, I know I am bored of trying to sell it.
My Cottage for sale and those purchases
What I have learnt so far about any prospective purchasers is that they are blind, naïve or have no imagination. How is it that they can walk into a room and see that it’s packed with the current owner’s possessions and not see themselves living in there. What is it that a purchaser sees when they look around the house. I was told to ignore the positions people have and look at the ceiling. That will give you an idea of the space available and what it is you are buying. The current possessions in the house will be gone when the owners move out. Don’t look at them, don’t judge them, just look at the ceiling and use your imagination.
In Conclusion – A Second Viewing of my Property
Am I happy about the second viewing of my property? I think I am excited but daunted at the prospect of having four people criticise my cottage. Do I want to sell my cottage, yes absolutely? The cottage will look its best and offer that cosy blanket!
I went to see my mother over the weekend and we started to talk about crafting and being talented. She told me that she isn’t talented at all and wishes she was more like her mother who could paint some of the most beautiful watercolour landscapes.
It has been almost eight months since I made the decision to put my cottage for sale. Although I had an offer and he pulled out 48 hours before exchange (his work sent him to another office) this is the first, second viewing of my property I have had.
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