The Unspeakable Madness of Region Codes

So I'm thinking that I might have to come up with a system of colored stickers, or something, because I am driving myself crazy with DVDs.

My little region-free portable DVD player is on its last legs - it's nearly unwatchable at this point, because it keeps adjusting the contrast all by itself so that the entire screen slides back and forth between completely white and completely black. So I can't really use it anymore, which is sad. But I have a portable Region 2 player that I got on deep discount right after Christmas. And I can play Region 1 DVDs on my computer. I can also play Region 2 DVDs on it, but this requires at least 30 minutes of preparation and some illegal software, plus I have to save the movie as a file, and my external hard drive is almost full, so I just use the new portable for Region 2's.

And msot of my movies are on the hard drive anyway, but I also have about 50 DVDs that I have picked up since I got here (because it costs 3 pounds to borrow them from the library, but if they are older I can get them on sale at HMV or on Amazon for 4 pounds. See, it actually does make sense. I realize that there is a third option here, and that option is JUST WATCH WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE, but I am a movie whore and cannot do that for long, alas). And they are a mix of Regions 1 and 2. And this is why I am going insane. Because I have to remember that, for instance, all my X-Files are Region 1, except for season 3, which is Regon 2 because David got it for me for my birthday and he used Amazon. co.uk. And I bought that one on Amazon.co.uk, but it's Region 1 because it never came out in England, and my parents brought me this one for Christmas, so it's Region 1, but I got its sequel here so that's Region 2, etc. And yes, it does say on the cases which region it is, and also the Region 2 ones have the British age rating system on them, but I am apparently really talented at absent-mindedly sticking the DVD in the wrong player, because I evidently enjoy error messages. I need big, obvious stickers.

I would, someday, like to have all my DVDs in one country (preferably this one - I forsee a lot of going home for Christmas with empty suitcases in my future) and this is not good. I may as well start using a sticker system now, or resign myself to keeping Region 1 DVDs and player in one room, and Region 2's in an entirely separate one. You know. When I'm rich.