My lady friend is out of town on Oscar night, and I promised to record the show for her. Come the day of the event, and I realize I am caught between eras. No DVR, not even a TV-ready video card. And I had to pause to remember where our VCR was. I found it in a guest room, in use as a remote-friendly tuner for my first TV, a 13-inch RCA tube with knobs.

I felt sure we had some tapes stacked up somewhere, and planned to record over a Seinfeld collection. But they must have gone out with the trash, sometime before the Great Divestment of 2008. I went to three stores looking for videotape, and took advantage of the chance to pick up some edamame. Rite Aid hooked me up with some Maxell tape and an impulse-buy 1GB SD card for $3 after rebate.

Now I just have to get through 24 hours without finding out who got Best Picture.