Friday, August 13, 2010

Some Things Friday for August 13, 2010

I can't believe it's been a whole week since my last post. I suppose it's just that I haven't been in a very good mood. Yesterday Tom made a silly joke about something and when I stopped laughing I realized that was the first time I had laughed all week long.

Well, it is Friday the 13th and although the superstition generally attributes this day to bad luck, I think I'm going to take the high road and attribute it to good luck, whatever may transpire. So, on that note, once again I am not going to follow the usual Some Things Friday format and just hit on a few things that have been on my mind this week.

  • The Weather: I have serious cabin fever. It has been unseasonably hot for far too long. So far every day this month has been at least 100°. Right now, 10:35am, it is 92° with 50% humidity it "feels like" 107° and the temperature is supposed to reach 103° today. Averages for August should be in the high 80's, relatively tolerable. It's not.
  • My Computer: It got a virus. I got rid of the virus, but it took a file with it, the azicelot.dll file. I have no idea what that file does, but it apparently has something to do with the speed or memory or both because my computer is now unmercifully slow. I am a fair weather friend where my computer is concerned. I've ordered another and it should be here around the 17th. Once I've moved all my important stuff to my new computer, then I will take this one in to my local computer repair shop for an attitude adjustment. Then Tom can use it.
  • The Rev. Al Sharpton: I know. He's somewhat of a controversial figure...well, at least here he is controversial. Just use his name in a sentence and commenters go balistic calling him, among other things, racist (oh, the hypocrisy). Anyway, I don't always agree with the Rev either, but I like him. The man is a preacher in the very best sense of the word and I'll bet he can deliver an old school sermon. Just listen to part of the speech he gave at Charlie Rangel's 80th birthday party. Okay, you might have already judged Rangel, but you have to admit, Rev. Sharpton's speech was rousing, to say the least...

  • The Overtly Racist Environment: This is scary to me. I haven't seen such overt hatred and racism since the 1960's civil rights movement. And it's not just the fringe Teabaggers. Many GOP members of Congress and GOP candidates running for office, rather than denouncing the blatant racism at rallies and town hall meetings, embrace the hatred by remaining frighteningly silent. In the 2006 election, Virginia Senator and 2008 Presidential hopeful George Allen lost his seat because of a racial slur he used at a rally. I'm beginning to think that if Allen were to run today under the same circumstances, he would win. Just recently, another candidate in Kansas, Mike Pompeo, called his opponent a "turbin topper." Four short years after George Allen is run out of office for a racial slur, Mike Pompeo's comments are barely noted, let alone condemned. This is frightening stuff folks. I am starting to wonder if I woke up in a different country.
  • Prop 8 Outcome: I know the proponents of Prop 8 have appealed Judge Vaughn Walker's decision, however, I don't think they (the proponents) have the right to do so because they are not the State and the State (thank you Jerry Brown!) refuses to defend Prop 8. Those right-wingers can never ever see the hypocrisy of their beliefs. They constantly scream about the Constitution and government staying out of their pockets, their lives and their bedrooms, but they sure as hell don't mind passing laws completely contrary to those values they claim to hold sacred.
  • My New Workout: It's going well, thank you. I've been trying to keep my sidebar updated even though I haven't posted a blog. I like the Jeff Galloway 30 minute 30/30 (30 seconds running alternated with 30 seconds of walking) workout. The runs increase in speed, but I have not attempted to keep pace when it increases beyond my capabilities. I am not running outside. I'm using the treadmill....with the fan set to the highest setting.
  • Flying the Friendly Skies: How could I possibly end the week without mentioning our favorite flight attendant, Steven Slater? You know, the JetBlue guy who finally snapped after 28 years of dealing with stupid ass passengers, grabbed two beers from the fridge, deployed the emergency chute and embraced his take-this-job-and-shove-it moment. But now some passengers who were reportedly on the plane prior to Slater's disembarking are coming forward to complain about how rude he was and how it was his fault. One passenger said that, prior to take off, she asked Slater to do something (sorry, I don't remember what) but his response was, "Sorry, honey. Maybe after we get in the air. Right now I have to take care of myself." Holy Crap! He didn't break the rules (he had to strap himself in for take-off) and grant her wish. Oh my God! How rude! Someone else said that, while in the air, Slater served half of the plane then stopped for a period of time before he resumed serving. Oh no!! I guess he was supposed to carry a backpack of juice, sodas and ice on his back so he could replenish his cart so as not to inconvenience the passengers on the second half of the plane! What a jerk! And yet another passenger described Slater as bumping into people in the aisle. My question...how can anyone NOT bump into someone if there is more than one person in the aisle? It's hard enough for one person to navigate the aisle in an airplane without touching the seats on either side, let alone two people needing to pass each other. No, passengers aren't rude, critical and demanding at all.
  • The Rachel Zoe Project: I am addicted to the most shallow, intellectually insignificant television program ever filmed. No, I take that back. Jersey Shore, The Real Housewives of Anywhere, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette....and there might be more....are worse. When I was really sick earlier this year, I spent a lot of time in bed recuperating. In between naps, I'd flip on the television and channel surf but always wind up on 24/7 news on MSNBC. One day when I was tired of the news drones and looking for something to watch that wouldn't overstimulate my brain and required very little attention, I landed on The Rachel Zoe Project. I watched the episode. All the way through. Another episode followed and I watched that one, too. All the way through. I was hooked. I secretly set the DVR to record the rest of the reruns of the season and I watched every single one....all the way through. The new season started this week. I'm recording it. Last night I watched the first two episodes. Rachel Zoe is a stylist to the stars. Last night she dressed Demi Moore for a magazine photo shoot and Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, Paula Patton and Jennifer Garner for the Golden Globes. I think I might need an intervention.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Agree with everything (except the last; I don't know who she is).

The money and energy spent on keeping two people from marrying annoys me no end. Half the Fox radio guys screaming about the sanctity of marriage have several divorces under their belt. Til death do us part.

Ditto on the scary racism.

Terri said...

I absolutely would not expect you to know who Rachel Zoe is...you are not as shallow as I am.