What I learned from reading "The Little Engine That Could"

You know you REALLY want to watch a movie when you hit the "power" button on and off at least two dozen times in hopes that the stupid metal box it will read the disk that you know in fact you have placed in the tray even though the screen tells you otherwise. Then you move on to opening and closing the try a dozen times. Then you clean off the dvd with your spit and pj's and try both of the for-mentioned three dozen more times each.

In frustration you jam the dvd into the tray and get it stuck. Then get it unstuck by hitting it really hard and waking up your Hubby. Then you run to the kitchen and grab a knife and try to get it out that way because it's not stuck anymore but it's lodged in the wrong place and refuses to come out.

Then you run back to the kitchen and find a screw driver and take the stupid metal box apart so you can grab the dvd and put it back in the try in hopes that all the drama made it want to work for you. When that lets you down, you open and close the try a dozen more times while meticulously watching it go in and out.

You grab the disk and manually try to spin it. You bend the tray. You blow and blow and wish you had one of those cans-of-air to blow the crap out of it until it surrenders. A light bulb goes off and you remember something you read in the bathroom so you run there and grab a few of them. Q-tips.

They are good for cleaning electronics, at least that's what you remember the box says. You don't read the box again, to make sure you remember correctly, because you could be wrong and you don't want to be wrong, and of course that just takes up precious time anyways. You stick your hand and q-tip into the metal box and think "this isn't dangerous is it?" but quickly throw that thought aside. You swab everything in sight.

Then you place the dvd in the tray and cross your fingers and toes. Still nothing. You pull the other side of your hair out. Then you grab the other q-tip and swab the heck out of it. Nothing to loose right - it's already broken. You swab and swab and swab that part that you think is the 'eye-that-reads-the-disks'. Then you try one last time. It works.

You very gently set the nice metal box down on the ground, unscrewed and all. Climb into bed with a huge smile on your face and watch the movie. Falling asleep mid-way through.