I watch way too much television, it’s true. Our DVR has so many shows on it, I’m not sure when I will ever see the percentage get down to the single digits again. But I can’t help watching some shows. They are schlocky and ridiculous but yet, I’m mesmerized by them and I’m not sure why.
One such show is Gossip Girl. I may not watch it religiously every week but I do marathons and I’m so hooked. It’s not as though I find any of the actors overly attractive and I can’t not watch because they are so yummy (it’s happened before…ahem ‘Smallville’) that my eyes are glued to the tv set. The plots are interesting but slightly formulaic and/or predictable (not like Lost which I confess to everyone is one of the best shows ever!!). Maybe it’s the clothes that the girls wear on the show. I wish I could fit into some of those outfits. Or maybe quite frankly it’s the fact that these people play teenagers and their skin is flawless!! When I was a teenager, please!! Bumps popped up left and right at any given moment….why don’t they have this problem??
Of course I know it’s because the actors are in their 20s so they don’t have teenage acne. But they don’t have adult acne either!! And none of these people have braces which I had in my early teens. And all of these girls know how to put makeup on well. Please, that took somewhere in my mid to late 20’s to get decent (let’s not talk about perfecting..I’m still working on it). Maybe I’m just fascinated by airbrushing…and that’s why I watch the show.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Honesty...Best Policy?
Many parents teach their children to be honest and it’s a great lesson. As you get older though, that lesson’s theory becomes quite different in practice. I am a firm believer in being honest but there are times when I’m not so sure if my instinct to do so is such a good idea.
For instance, because I’m a big believe in Murphy’s law, I don’t like to tell the complete truth if I think that it might bring about bad luck. For instance, a friend of mine was interviewing for a position different than the one she was already occupying and she asked my advice. She wondered if she should tell her current boss that she was interviewing. My advice to her was ‘No’. Now some people would say that’s dishonest but I would say it’s better to be cautious. Since you can never tell how a person is going to react when you tell them the truth, it’s sometimes better to just avoid telling them for a while. I know, I’m horrible. But in this instance, what if my friend’s boss got upset that she was interviewing? She could begin to make her current work life a million times more horrible than it already was. Or, what if she didn’t get the job that she was interviewing for and her boss now knew she was interviewing, then the boss might get upset that she was looking to leave and make her current work life a billion times worse than it already was. Plus, by going out there and saying she was interviewing seemed silly if there wasn’t a job offer yet. Don’t count your eggs before they hatch type of deal, you know??
I’m a big believer in treating others as I’d like to be treated. So if one of my employees were to tell me they were interviewing, I don’t think I’d get upset. I might want to know why or how I had failed them as a manager, but I don’t think I would become vindictive. But the problem is that you never know how others will act.
Let’s take an example from the past when I’ve been honest. Long ago I told someone my true feelings for them and they seemed happy with the news at first. But after some time, the person began to be someone other than who I thought they were. And that’s fine and I could say that I finally learned what the person was really like by being honest. But I certainly would have enjoyed not feeling like a big ball of confused poop for that time when they were deciding how to deal with my news.
Basically, being honest in every single action isn’t as easy as the advice to be that way is. Overall, I think it is best to be honest but the fact is that I can’t expect that everyone around me will be as open to honesty and be as mature with the information as I think I am. And that my friend is part of the honesty is the best policy talk that I think every parent and person should pass along.
For instance, because I’m a big believe in Murphy’s law, I don’t like to tell the complete truth if I think that it might bring about bad luck. For instance, a friend of mine was interviewing for a position different than the one she was already occupying and she asked my advice. She wondered if she should tell her current boss that she was interviewing. My advice to her was ‘No’. Now some people would say that’s dishonest but I would say it’s better to be cautious. Since you can never tell how a person is going to react when you tell them the truth, it’s sometimes better to just avoid telling them for a while. I know, I’m horrible. But in this instance, what if my friend’s boss got upset that she was interviewing? She could begin to make her current work life a million times more horrible than it already was. Or, what if she didn’t get the job that she was interviewing for and her boss now knew she was interviewing, then the boss might get upset that she was looking to leave and make her current work life a billion times worse than it already was. Plus, by going out there and saying she was interviewing seemed silly if there wasn’t a job offer yet. Don’t count your eggs before they hatch type of deal, you know??
I’m a big believer in treating others as I’d like to be treated. So if one of my employees were to tell me they were interviewing, I don’t think I’d get upset. I might want to know why or how I had failed them as a manager, but I don’t think I would become vindictive. But the problem is that you never know how others will act.
Let’s take an example from the past when I’ve been honest. Long ago I told someone my true feelings for them and they seemed happy with the news at first. But after some time, the person began to be someone other than who I thought they were. And that’s fine and I could say that I finally learned what the person was really like by being honest. But I certainly would have enjoyed not feeling like a big ball of confused poop for that time when they were deciding how to deal with my news.
Basically, being honest in every single action isn’t as easy as the advice to be that way is. Overall, I think it is best to be honest but the fact is that I can’t expect that everyone around me will be as open to honesty and be as mature with the information as I think I am. And that my friend is part of the honesty is the best policy talk that I think every parent and person should pass along.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
What’s in a Name?
My man, Bill Shakespeare said that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. He may have had a point there. What Willy Shakes didn’t quite consider is what happens when you mess up a person’s name or give them a completely different name.
My husband has a horrible memory for people’s names. He often decides to christen them a name completely different from the one their parents gave them at birth.
Here’s are a couple of examples:
1) The brother of my good friend has been renamed David by my husband. His Christian name is Joseph. I have no idea why my husband thinks that David fits him better but Gosh forbid I can get him to call him by his real name any more.
2) At a wedding we met a couple whose names were Pablo and Elizabeth. Pretty easy to me. But when we saw them at the airport the next morning my husband claimed ‘Hey there is Mike!’
My response was to look around to see if there was a Mike around that I knew. No Mike!
“Where is Mike?”
“Right there” he pointed to Pablo
“Honey, that’s Pablo. Not Mike.”
“He doesn’t look like a Pablo and his wife doesn’t look like an Elizabeth. Maybe a Carolina but definitely not an Elizabeth.”
I basically just rolled my eyes and continued to wait in the check out line
Now, don’t get me wrong. This kind of thing has happened to me as well.
In the early stages of one of my book clubs, we were meeting at particularly noisy places. We went around introducing ourselves and one gentleman said his name was Devon. And so that his name stuck with me and I would remember it, I repeated it. Later on, I learned his name was Daniel. To this day though, I refer to him as Devon even though I know his name is Daniel.
What I’m suggesting is that no matter what we want, we should try to really learn people’s names, even if they don’t ‘fit’ them.
My husband has a horrible memory for people’s names. He often decides to christen them a name completely different from the one their parents gave them at birth.
Here’s are a couple of examples:
1) The brother of my good friend has been renamed David by my husband. His Christian name is Joseph. I have no idea why my husband thinks that David fits him better but Gosh forbid I can get him to call him by his real name any more.
2) At a wedding we met a couple whose names were Pablo and Elizabeth. Pretty easy to me. But when we saw them at the airport the next morning my husband claimed ‘Hey there is Mike!’
My response was to look around to see if there was a Mike around that I knew. No Mike!
“Where is Mike?”
“Right there” he pointed to Pablo
“Honey, that’s Pablo. Not Mike.”
“He doesn’t look like a Pablo and his wife doesn’t look like an Elizabeth. Maybe a Carolina but definitely not an Elizabeth.”
I basically just rolled my eyes and continued to wait in the check out line
Now, don’t get me wrong. This kind of thing has happened to me as well.
In the early stages of one of my book clubs, we were meeting at particularly noisy places. We went around introducing ourselves and one gentleman said his name was Devon. And so that his name stuck with me and I would remember it, I repeated it. Later on, I learned his name was Daniel. To this day though, I refer to him as Devon even though I know his name is Daniel.
What I’m suggesting is that no matter what we want, we should try to really learn people’s names, even if they don’t ‘fit’ them.
At a Loss for Words
As I’ve grown older, I am less likely to talk. Yes, I am becoming the curmudgeon I always thought I’d never become. (Well, I guess I’m not really a curmudgeon because they usually yell and rant and rave, right? They are usually men too but you know what, I think curmudgeons can be any gender!) I just feel like people don’t listen so what’s the point in talking.
It’s funny because this has been a constant bone of contention with certain people. They want me to talk more but these are the same people who interrupt me when I talk. Or they squash exactly what I have to say. And whenever I do talk to them, they don’t listen to a single thing I say….So I say why talk when no one is listening?
It gets more and more complicated when you feel like the people who have been listening to you all along have now turned a deaf ear to you. When did it become so difficult? When did people stop listening? I’m sure the need to be heard will not go away. So, my friends, how do we get people to listen?
I’ve been accused of not being a good listener by some but I don’t think that’s true. Perhaps the problem lies in me. In order for more people to listen more attentively, I have to be able to listen more attentively myself.
It’s funny because this has been a constant bone of contention with certain people. They want me to talk more but these are the same people who interrupt me when I talk. Or they squash exactly what I have to say. And whenever I do talk to them, they don’t listen to a single thing I say….So I say why talk when no one is listening?
It gets more and more complicated when you feel like the people who have been listening to you all along have now turned a deaf ear to you. When did it become so difficult? When did people stop listening? I’m sure the need to be heard will not go away. So, my friends, how do we get people to listen?
I’ve been accused of not being a good listener by some but I don’t think that’s true. Perhaps the problem lies in me. In order for more people to listen more attentively, I have to be able to listen more attentively myself.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Useless Information
Pigs, dogs, and some other animals can taste water, but people cannot. Humans don’t actually taste water; they only taste the chemicals and impurities in the water.
As you can tell from scanning my blog, I have this silly gadget called ‘Useless Information’ in the top portion of the page. I pulled this bit from it a while ago. I thought it was quite interesting. I’ve often complained about this very thing to people. How can I drink the recommended amount of water every day when it doesn’t taste like anything but plastic, chemicals and such?
My dogs, they drink up water the way I eat chocolate – with fervor and reckless abandon. I wouldn’t mind doing that. Why can’t they make water taste like chocolate?
Anyway, that’s my input for the day.
As you can tell from scanning my blog, I have this silly gadget called ‘Useless Information’ in the top portion of the page. I pulled this bit from it a while ago. I thought it was quite interesting. I’ve often complained about this very thing to people. How can I drink the recommended amount of water every day when it doesn’t taste like anything but plastic, chemicals and such?
My dogs, they drink up water the way I eat chocolate – with fervor and reckless abandon. I wouldn’t mind doing that. Why can’t they make water taste like chocolate?
Anyway, that’s my input for the day.
Adjustment Bureau
On a recent walk around the block at work, my co-worker and I noticed some signs of a movie being filmed. The name on the signs was “Adjustment Bureau”. This didn’t sound like a decent movie name to me. My co-worker asked who I thought might star in a movie like that. I said ‘No one because it sounds like a fake movie name to me’. My thinking was that if they put the real name up, people would be flocking to these locations to be ‘extras’ on these movies.
My co-worker decided to look up ‘Adjustment Bureau’ on Google. And lo and behold, it’s a real movie. I still don’t think I’d want to see this movie. The title does nothing for me but who knows. Based on the actor, I might go see it.
Goes to show you, you can’t just a movie by its title.
My co-worker decided to look up ‘Adjustment Bureau’ on Google. And lo and behold, it’s a real movie. I still don’t think I’d want to see this movie. The title does nothing for me but who knows. Based on the actor, I might go see it.
Goes to show you, you can’t just a movie by its title.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Don't Stop Believin'
A few days ago my husband sent me a video of someone caught dancing at a wedding or some other type of festivity. The dancer was clearly drunk but boy! could this guy move! I mean that sarcastically. I have to find a way to link to the video on my blog so you can see it.
What I loved about this video, aside from its making me cry, is watching the pure joy this person was having while dancing. The creativity alone was something that amazed me beyond the extension of my dumbfounded jaw hanging off my face. Basically, it reminded me that every where you go now, someone has a camera. And if you can't believe how stupid people can be, this one will evoke the title of this blog.
I'm pretty sure my husband has a link to it on his page. It's called Baile Duranguense....enjoy!
What I loved about this video, aside from its making me cry, is watching the pure joy this person was having while dancing. The creativity alone was something that amazed me beyond the extension of my dumbfounded jaw hanging off my face. Basically, it reminded me that every where you go now, someone has a camera. And if you can't believe how stupid people can be, this one will evoke the title of this blog.
I'm pretty sure my husband has a link to it on his page. It's called Baile Duranguense....enjoy!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Laughter in New York
I’m catching up on a lot of blog writing I should have done a while ago. Every so often my husband and I go to comedy events. After all laughter is the best medicine. Last month we went to see the British comedian, Ricky Gervais, give a show at Carnegie Hall.
It was the second part of a show that he did last year which was on HBO.
Now he’s got something that I find very funny. I’m not entirely sure what it is but he just has a way of putting things that make me crack up. And I know that the job of comedian but it’s sometimes the subject(s) of their routine that make them more memorable than the comedian themselves.
Ricky Gervais likes talking about animals and wildlife and useless fact about animals. I find this very funny and endearing. The best part of his routine was an explanation of the Noah’s Ark story that just made tears stream down my eyes from the silliness of it. It’s what I appreciate about being an adult. You often see and hear things as a child that you take at face value. But as an adult you notice things from a different perspective and you question those ideas/thoughts you once had. I guess that’s what I appreciate about his comedy.
And what made this event even better is that at the end of his act, there was a guest appearance by none other than Elmo, the Sesame Street character. Not only was this to celebrate 40 years of Sesame Street but it was also a way of showing Ricky Gervais in an entirely different and endearing light. He and Elmo belted out “New York, New York” together to much applause. Overall it was a lovely end to a very lively evening.
It was the second part of a show that he did last year which was on HBO.
Now he’s got something that I find very funny. I’m not entirely sure what it is but he just has a way of putting things that make me crack up. And I know that the job of comedian but it’s sometimes the subject(s) of their routine that make them more memorable than the comedian themselves.
Ricky Gervais likes talking about animals and wildlife and useless fact about animals. I find this very funny and endearing. The best part of his routine was an explanation of the Noah’s Ark story that just made tears stream down my eyes from the silliness of it. It’s what I appreciate about being an adult. You often see and hear things as a child that you take at face value. But as an adult you notice things from a different perspective and you question those ideas/thoughts you once had. I guess that’s what I appreciate about his comedy.
And what made this event even better is that at the end of his act, there was a guest appearance by none other than Elmo, the Sesame Street character. Not only was this to celebrate 40 years of Sesame Street but it was also a way of showing Ricky Gervais in an entirely different and endearing light. He and Elmo belted out “New York, New York” together to much applause. Overall it was a lovely end to a very lively evening.
Reflections on the Past
I’m not sure how I let so much time go by without talking about a recent event. Two months ago I went to see U2 (my super favorite band) in concert. It was a truly magical night even if I can’t say it was their best performance. It’s even hard for me to say that because really every time I see them I am mesmerized. And I was mesmerized but in a very different way than I had been in the past.
A few of the times I’ve seen them they have played arenas and for me that is where they shine. There is a level of intimacy with the audience that is reached in those smaller venues that makes you feel like you are transcending human flesh. This time around, seeing them in a stadium, I was reminded of their creativity. The stage looked like an immense spider with legs located in various points of the globe. The circular stage (what I would call the body of the spider) had a bridge that spun around the whole circle allowing the band members to reach and be seen by all audience members. This design made the group viewed by all – 360 degrees of U2. (That’s pretty much how they got the name of the tour.) I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Part of why I didn’t comment about this earlier is that I was testing a hypothesis. As many of you know, I adore this group – each and every one of them. Of course I think Bono is the best thing since chocolate. But I wanted to see if perhaps I’m not tooting their horn a bit too much. Before their recent album came out I voraciously read every article and review. The band had mentioned how they went to Fez and the music and ambience there had considerable inspired this album.
Having returned from Morocco (a place I’d always wanted to go to anyway), I can and can’t say that I felt this influence. There wasn’t a lot of Muslim musical influence but there was a sense of peace in the album that I definitely sensed in Fez. This is what I was testing out. Were they pulling my leg with that malarkey about Fez? No. Many other people said they felt the same thing and they didn’t mention any appreciation or love of U2.
This made me more convinced of how wonderful this group is. Even though some people say they have sold out, which I can totally see, they have an enormous place in my heart. It’s rare that you find a group whose lyrics and spirit fill you with a sense of pride and emotion. They certainly have not been a flash in the pan. Although some people say they are past their prime, I still think they have a lot left to say and contribute to the world.
A few of the times I’ve seen them they have played arenas and for me that is where they shine. There is a level of intimacy with the audience that is reached in those smaller venues that makes you feel like you are transcending human flesh. This time around, seeing them in a stadium, I was reminded of their creativity. The stage looked like an immense spider with legs located in various points of the globe. The circular stage (what I would call the body of the spider) had a bridge that spun around the whole circle allowing the band members to reach and be seen by all audience members. This design made the group viewed by all – 360 degrees of U2. (That’s pretty much how they got the name of the tour.) I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Part of why I didn’t comment about this earlier is that I was testing a hypothesis. As many of you know, I adore this group – each and every one of them. Of course I think Bono is the best thing since chocolate. But I wanted to see if perhaps I’m not tooting their horn a bit too much. Before their recent album came out I voraciously read every article and review. The band had mentioned how they went to Fez and the music and ambience there had considerable inspired this album.
Having returned from Morocco (a place I’d always wanted to go to anyway), I can and can’t say that I felt this influence. There wasn’t a lot of Muslim musical influence but there was a sense of peace in the album that I definitely sensed in Fez. This is what I was testing out. Were they pulling my leg with that malarkey about Fez? No. Many other people said they felt the same thing and they didn’t mention any appreciation or love of U2.
This made me more convinced of how wonderful this group is. Even though some people say they have sold out, which I can totally see, they have an enormous place in my heart. It’s rare that you find a group whose lyrics and spirit fill you with a sense of pride and emotion. They certainly have not been a flash in the pan. Although some people say they are past their prime, I still think they have a lot left to say and contribute to the world.
Guilty Pleasures Redux
I love the show ‘Glee’. Even though I find a couple of the characters incredibly annoying and grating on my nerves, the rest of the show and characters truly makes up for it. I love the writing as some of the lines make me howl (leading my husband to always ask what I’m watching).
I’m happy that it’s doing well and that people are watching it. I’d hate to get inspired and enthusiastic about a show again only to see it canceled. (See past blog ‘Idiot Box’) The musical numbers along with it are creative and the story lines are clever. If you haven’t caught the bug, I suggest you give it a try. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised.
Now I’m going to make my way to another site to see what they said about last night’s episode.
I’m happy that it’s doing well and that people are watching it. I’d hate to get inspired and enthusiastic about a show again only to see it canceled. (See past blog ‘Idiot Box’) The musical numbers along with it are creative and the story lines are clever. If you haven’t caught the bug, I suggest you give it a try. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised.
Now I’m going to make my way to another site to see what they said about last night’s episode.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)