Netflix Picks and Recommendations for 2018

Last year around this time, I did a recap of some of my favorite shows and specials on Netflix and since some time has gone by and new titles have been added, I figured I would make another list of recommendations to check out. Here are some of the tv series, comedy specials, and movies worth checking out now on Netflix:

Glow

Set in the 80's and based on a women's professional wrestling organization, Glow is one of my favorite new series available now. It features Alison Brie and Marc Maron as well as a large cast of characters as they try to put together a women's wrestling show from scratch. There is a good deal of drama, emotion, and even a great soundtrack! 

Haters Back Off

I reviewed the first season of Hater Back Off last year which I really enjoyed. Recently I got a chance to watch the 2^nd and final season which was very good as well! It is about a girl who wants to make it big as a singer and entertainer but is oblivious to the fact that she really does not have that kind of talent. This show is not for everyone but if you like quirky off beat style shows, I recommend checking it out. 

Somebody Feed Phil

Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond has started making documentary style shows such as “I'll Have What Phil's Having” and his most recent series “Somebody Feed Phil”. In these shows, he travels around to different countries and tries out some of the best local food. If you like travel shows and shows about food mixed with a little bit of humor, this is the show for you. 

Ozark

Ozark is about a family man who gets mixed up with the wrong crowd and ends up laundering money and working with drug cartel leaders. If the description sounds similar to Breaking Bad, it is because it is very similar. While it may not be quite as good as that show, it is still very suspense filled and enjoyable to watch. If you like thriller type shows, I recommend checking out Ozark. 

Ryan Hamilton – Happy Face

If you have not heard of comedian Ryan Hamilton yet, now is a good time to check out his new comedy special. His routine is professional and well polished and covers many original topics in a funny way. His style and even his voice can be compared to Jerry Seinfeld, so if you like Jerry, chances are you will enjoy this special. 

Fred Armisen – Standup for Drummers

One of the most unique and interesting comedy sets I have seen recently belongs to Fred Armisen with his Standup for Drummers. It is a combination of stand up comedy mixed with musical drumming performance and really shows a wide range of talent in both areas. Even if you are not familiar with drumming, this special is very funny and educational as well! 

Dave Chappelle – Equanimity

No stranger to the stand up comedy world, Dave Chapelle has some new specials on Netflix now including this new set entitled Equanimity. Dave has confidence and stage presence and is not afraid to talk about controversial issues and tell it as it is while maintaining a sense of humor. 

Crisetla Alonzo – Lower Classy

Another funny special is this one by Cristela Alonzo where she talks about her life growing up and some of the events that shaped her life to what it is today. It a good mix of comedy, nostalgia, and even some emotional stories mixed in at the end. 

The Founder

Also streaming now is the movie The Founder which is the story about how McDonalds was started and how it grew into the biggest fast food restaurant in the world. It stars Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, the man behind the success of the franchise. It is an interesting story and fascinating to see what can result from hard work and perseverance. 

If you have any favorite series, specials, or movies on Netflix now, feel free to recommend them in the comments below!

Tub Spout Dripping – How to fix with new cartridge and tub spout diverter

For a while I noticed the tub spout in my shower had a slow drip when it was turned off. While it wasn't losing that much water, it was more of an annoyance because it would not stop dripping. Also even when the diverter on the spout was pulled up to turn on the shower, water would still drip out the bottom. I did a little research to figure out what needed to be done to fix these problems.

For the the slow drip when turned off, the cartridge needed to be replaced. This is a cylinder piece that is behind the handle that lets you turn the water on and off and adjust the temperature to either hot or cold. This can be done on your own, but I did have some help to replace this part. The exact steps to replace can depend on the model of cartridge and faucet you have but mainly it involves taking off the handle and pulling out the old cartridge for replacement. Also make sure the water is turned off before taking out the old cartridge.

Once the cartridge was replaced, it became so much easier to turn the water on an off. If the knob or handle in your shower is hard to pull or turn, chances are it could use a new cartridge. Not only is it much easier to turn on and adjust but now it no longer has the slow constant drip when the water is turned off.

Next it was time to replace the tub spout with the diverter. I picked up a universal tub spout at the hardware store for about $15. There are a few different kinds of spouts and different ways they can be attached. Mine was a screw on kind but some have a little screw on the bottom that must be unscrewed to pull it off. For the screw on kind, you just twist the spout in a counter clockwise direction. It might be a little difficult if it is stuck on there so it may need a little effort.

Once it is off you will be able to see how to attach the new spout. If it is a universal spout, it will have directions on how to attach the new spout. Also it is recommended to use plumbers PTFE tape to put around the threaded parts to help seal the connections. I actually had to adjust it a couple times and re-tape it a couple times because it was dripping from the back when I first put it back on.

Also before putting on the new spout, I noticed there was some space around the pipe and the wall where you could see in. I decided to cover up this extra space with some clear tape to help prevent any water from leaking through and going behind the wall.

As I installed the new spout, my main concern was that it might not line up exactly right, but the way it threads on a little bit at a time and has the rubber washer inside, it gives it some ability to adjust more than you might expect. To get a good seal, I found it became pretty snug with the spout facing upward and then I just turned it an extra half turn to line it up with the bottom. This gave it a secure fit and seal so no water dripped out.

Once it is all done, test it out to make sure everything is working well and there are no leaks from any of the connections. If there are still leaks, you might have to try it again and add some more tape and try to tighten it a bit more. Hope this helps and good luck!

Amazon Locker Review – Trying out the self service delivery option

Recently I was making a purchase at Amazon and while I usually have it delivered to home as usual, I noticed they had an option called Amazon Locker where you can have it delivered to a secure location near by. This option is particularly useful for areas where it is difficult to have packages delivered safely. I never had a problem with the traditional delivery, but I was curious to try out this service so I decided to give it a go.

At checkout, it asks for your location to help find the nearest Amazon Lockers. I found one near by located in the Whole Foods a couple miles away so I set it as the delivery point. What's nice is there is no extra charge for this service so anyone can use it to have packages delivered without having to pay anything extra.

Before placing the order, I played around with the shipping options to try to compare the prices. Amazon seems to make this more difficult than it needs to be because it will not tell you the cost of shipping until you get to the end. I usually go with the free shipping but I was in a bit of a hurry so I tried out the 1 day shipping. Somehow it gave free shipping even with this option. I'm not sure how that happened, but usually it would charge for the 1 day shipping.

So the next day, I keep an eye on the tracking but it does not show up on time as expected. The tracking showed they tried to deliver it late at night after the store was closed so they were not able to get in to access the locker. A little inconvenient but it should be delivered first thing the next day right?

Another day goes by and still it does not get delivered. So I contact customer service to see if they can check on the status. They said it was supposed to be delivered on the first day or the 2^nd day but for some reason it was not. They said they would send out a new order and the original order would return to them.

Again this was more of a delay than I expected, but the new package did show up in about 1 day. They emailed me an access code and barcode to take to the locker. I went to the Whole Foods and found the Amazon Locker up at the front.

With the barcode from the email pulled up on my phone I approached the screen and scanned the barcode to the scanner. Immediately a locker opened up and I was able to retrieve my package. It was surprisingly simple and fast once it actually got there. I figured there would be a bunch of screens to go through and it would be confusing, but it was about as simple as can be.

Later that day I get another email saying the original package has now been delivered. Somehow it must have gotten re-routed back to the locker. It said if it is not picked up within 3 days it will return automatically for a refund, so I let the 3 days pass and it was picked up to be returned back to Amazon.

Overall, even though there was a little bit of a delay and confusion on the shipping, I would use the Amazon Locker service again. I think it is a great way to have packages delivered securely especially if the item is valuable and you do not want it left outside unattended. I recommend giving it a try in case there is one near you.