Saturday, February 7, 2009
Playing Pool in a Crowded Bar
Honestly, pool is fine with me. I often enjoy losing at pool.
What is not fine with me is when frat-y guys, or disaffected guys, or bankers trying to forget that next week they will be unemployed insist on playing pool in the middle of a crowded, crazy bar. If the bar has plenty of room, if there is room to walk to the bathroom, or to stand and talk to one's friends, then by all means: play pool. But don't ask me to move for "just a sec" every three minutes so that you can get that perfectly angled bank shot. Christ on a bike!
Don't think that this is only on the people who insist on playing pool in crowded areas; the bars are also at fault. Don't put a pool table in a small space, don't surround the pool table with bar stools, don't put the pool table near points of entrance or bathrooms. Terrible.
What is not fine with me is when frat-y guys, or disaffected guys, or bankers trying to forget that next week they will be unemployed insist on playing pool in the middle of a crowded, crazy bar. If the bar has plenty of room, if there is room to walk to the bathroom, or to stand and talk to one's friends, then by all means: play pool. But don't ask me to move for "just a sec" every three minutes so that you can get that perfectly angled bank shot. Christ on a bike!
Don't think that this is only on the people who insist on playing pool in crowded areas; the bars are also at fault. Don't put a pool table in a small space, don't surround the pool table with bar stools, don't put the pool table near points of entrance or bathrooms. Terrible.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Bossy Walking
My next post in a series about terrible urban behavior:
I used to work with a lady who was great, and a good friend, but who had a terrible habit of being a "bossy walker." When we would walk to lunch, or to run a errand during a break, she would literally walk me off the sidewalk. We weren't drunk (during the day), she was just a bossy walker. I would ask her to watch her step, and she would slowly but surely walk me into parking meters, other people, buildings, gutters and traffic.
For the love of God, this is bad behavior. Bad, urban behavior.
I used to work with a lady who was great, and a good friend, but who had a terrible habit of being a "bossy walker." When we would walk to lunch, or to run a errand during a break, she would literally walk me off the sidewalk. We weren't drunk (during the day), she was just a bossy walker. I would ask her to watch her step, and she would slowly but surely walk me into parking meters, other people, buildings, gutters and traffic.
For the love of God, this is bad behavior. Bad, urban behavior.
Songs that Were Specifically Written to be Featured on Grey's Anatomy
In my incessant quest to make myself weep openly for no good reason, I have taken to watching reruns of Grey's Anatomy while working on the new draft of my thesis. The show stands up to scrutiny, at least the first season and a half...But oh, the music! The emo tunes!
So, we all remember The OC, a great prime-time teen soap that was basically an extended music video. Great show, featuring great diagetic and non-diagetic music of the highest quality, including the band of a family friend of mine, Ambulance LTD. In all seriousness, I learned about a lot of great bands from the OC, including The Walkmen, all introduced to me by sweet Seth Cohen, nerd-hipster extraordinaire.
In the wake of The OC, Shonda Rhimes' show Grey's Anatomy hit the air in 2005, and quickly became know for its trademark fun snark, raunchy and vaguely honest plotlines, and its great sound track. You automatically win my respect when you play Rilo Kiley in your show's pilot. Also, the amazing song inspired by Silence of the Lambs.
But quickly, too quickly, the music (which was, of course synergetically marketed by ABC) became overhwlemingly maudlin, and eventually kind of bad. In particular, I will point you to The Fray's "How to Save a Life." I am sure that this song was probably not actually written to be featured as someone so almost dies in surgery on Grey's Anatomy, but that is how it seems and it makes me nuts. Please. Gross. Stop.
Now, on the show it's one thing, but every once in a while I hear a Grey's song in the supermarket or the coffee shop. It makes me annoyed and sad, simultaneously. I wish these silly songs didn't exist. It's the opposite of a song that reminds you of a fun day, or a hilarious incident, like when my friend and I discovered a mix cd my brother had made for/about his high school girlfriend featuring "Don't Give Up" by the New Radicals, one of the most awesome/terrible songs ever. But every time I hear it, I laugh.
I cannot say the same about The Fray.
So, we all remember The OC, a great prime-time teen soap that was basically an extended music video. Great show, featuring great diagetic and non-diagetic music of the highest quality, including the band of a family friend of mine, Ambulance LTD. In all seriousness, I learned about a lot of great bands from the OC, including The Walkmen, all introduced to me by sweet Seth Cohen, nerd-hipster extraordinaire.
In the wake of The OC, Shonda Rhimes' show Grey's Anatomy hit the air in 2005, and quickly became know for its trademark fun snark, raunchy and vaguely honest plotlines, and its great sound track. You automatically win my respect when you play Rilo Kiley in your show's pilot. Also, the amazing song inspired by Silence of the Lambs.
But quickly, too quickly, the music (which was, of course synergetically marketed by ABC) became overhwlemingly maudlin, and eventually kind of bad. In particular, I will point you to The Fray's "How to Save a Life." I am sure that this song was probably not actually written to be featured as someone so almost dies in surgery on Grey's Anatomy, but that is how it seems and it makes me nuts. Please. Gross. Stop.
Now, on the show it's one thing, but every once in a while I hear a Grey's song in the supermarket or the coffee shop. It makes me annoyed and sad, simultaneously. I wish these silly songs didn't exist. It's the opposite of a song that reminds you of a fun day, or a hilarious incident, like when my friend and I discovered a mix cd my brother had made for/about his high school girlfriend featuring "Don't Give Up" by the New Radicals, one of the most awesome/terrible songs ever. But every time I hear it, I laugh.
I cannot say the same about The Fray.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
People Who Spoil TV Shows
I'm looking at you Time Out Chicago. Thanks for telling me who got kicked off Top Chef last night.
This is the age of DVRs. There's no such thing as appointment television anymore. The one show I care enough about to try to schedule my life around airs on Friday nights (because I'm a nerd), and since I like being married I usually have to wait until Saturday morning to watch. The rest of the shows aren't defining my schedule.
But here's the thing. Just because I didn't watch it last night doesn't mean I won't want to watch it sometime soon. Probably on the weekend when I have more free time. Or some night when I'm going to catch up on a bunch of television. And it's going to be really annoying if I already knows what happens.
There are some obvious boundaries here. I think it's probably fine for me to tell you that Jay wins the first season of Project Runway and that the second season of Lost begins with them finding that Desmond lives in the hatch. Those things happened a couple years ago. It's also ok for me to say that the rag tag fleet finds Earth, and it sucks. But within the first week of a television show airing it is simply inconsiderate to blurt out what happens without fair warning. Fair warning is easy "Hey, did you see Top Chef last night?!" replaces "Oh my god! I can't believe _____ got kicked off Top Chef last night!!" In print and on blogs a bold sentence declares: "spoiler warning: the following paragraph discusses last night's episode." That way when you inevitably give in and read ahead it's totally your own fault. You've been warned.
I'm also not going to tell you how The Murder of Roger Ackroyd ends, unless you ask. You know why? Because that book would stink if you knew the ending going in. Just read and enjoy. The long-term literary merit of reality television shows is much more dubious. However, the immediate entertainment value is similarly ruined if you tell me how it ends.
I just had the realization that most of this blog could be summed up in the following three words: DON'T BE RUDE.
This is the age of DVRs. There's no such thing as appointment television anymore. The one show I care enough about to try to schedule my life around airs on Friday nights (because I'm a nerd), and since I like being married I usually have to wait until Saturday morning to watch. The rest of the shows aren't defining my schedule.
But here's the thing. Just because I didn't watch it last night doesn't mean I won't want to watch it sometime soon. Probably on the weekend when I have more free time. Or some night when I'm going to catch up on a bunch of television. And it's going to be really annoying if I already knows what happens.
There are some obvious boundaries here. I think it's probably fine for me to tell you that Jay wins the first season of Project Runway and that the second season of Lost begins with them finding that Desmond lives in the hatch. Those things happened a couple years ago. It's also ok for me to say that the rag tag fleet finds Earth, and it sucks. But within the first week of a television show airing it is simply inconsiderate to blurt out what happens without fair warning. Fair warning is easy "Hey, did you see Top Chef last night?!" replaces "Oh my god! I can't believe _____ got kicked off Top Chef last night!!" In print and on blogs a bold sentence declares: "spoiler warning: the following paragraph discusses last night's episode." That way when you inevitably give in and read ahead it's totally your own fault. You've been warned.
I'm also not going to tell you how The Murder of Roger Ackroyd ends, unless you ask. You know why? Because that book would stink if you knew the ending going in. Just read and enjoy. The long-term literary merit of reality television shows is much more dubious. However, the immediate entertainment value is similarly ruined if you tell me how it ends.
I just had the realization that most of this blog could be summed up in the following three words: DON'T BE RUDE.
He's Just Not That Into You...
You know what gets my goat? Both the utter rightness and total lack of nuance shown by "He's Just Not That Into You."
It is true. If some guy/girl is giving you the run around, making crazy excuses, pretending to sleep at work, asking to go on a break, not calling you, wants to have a threesome with your best friend, refuses to meet your parents/friends, says he believes in ghosts, doesn't try to have sex with you by Date 3....he probably doesn't like you that much, or maybe it isn't worth it. Cut your losses and run. So right! Thanks, show!
AND yet, the six word phrase that was made so famous in some episode of the "Sex in/and the City" is so completely lacking in nuance, shades of gray, an understanding of the complicated nature of human life--sometimes things are complicated and difficult. Sometimes it is okay to take a break, or maybe the person is scared of families because one time he or she dated a person whose family was super nuts or mean.
All I am trying to say, is that no creepy dating mantra deserves as much press as this nonsense has gotten, and nothing is that easy. Nothing.
And now it is a major motion picture starring everyone on earth, including Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston, who play the "old" people.
It is true. If some guy/girl is giving you the run around, making crazy excuses, pretending to sleep at work, asking to go on a break, not calling you, wants to have a threesome with your best friend, refuses to meet your parents/friends, says he believes in ghosts, doesn't try to have sex with you by Date 3....he probably doesn't like you that much, or maybe it isn't worth it. Cut your losses and run. So right! Thanks, show!
AND yet, the six word phrase that was made so famous in some episode of the "Sex in/and the City" is so completely lacking in nuance, shades of gray, an understanding of the complicated nature of human life--sometimes things are complicated and difficult. Sometimes it is okay to take a break, or maybe the person is scared of families because one time he or she dated a person whose family was super nuts or mean.
All I am trying to say, is that no creepy dating mantra deserves as much press as this nonsense has gotten, and nothing is that easy. Nothing.
And now it is a major motion picture starring everyone on earth, including Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston, who play the "old" people.
Bacon
I suspect that this will seem a strange post coming from me. I mean, I really like delicious foods that are not good for me, and yes, one of those foods is bacon. I put it on top of my meatloaf, enjoy bacon sandwiches for breakfast, etc.
But I am getting really annoyed by the general obsession with bacon that is going on. Why are people always talking about how amazing bacon is? Like that is something new- or that they are just totally wild and unusual. I was watching "Ultimate Recipe Showdown" last night, and one of the contestants made a grilled cheese with bacon & heirloom tomato sandwich & served it with a bacon infused tomato soup. One of the judges said, "Hello?- did you call my husband? Because he would have told you that I ADORE bacon. Anything with bacon is good." What? First, that isn't really true. Sometimes you can have too much bacon. Or adding bacon to the scene is too much (in fact, one judge who I found to be the voice of reason said that he didn't need bacon in both the soup and sandwich) Second, be quiet! It has this weird tone of a dirty confession, "oh, I am such a rebel, and I don't care, I will eat unhealthy food." Which is fine- but confessing a love for bacon is hardly out there. It doesn't make you naughty or strongly resisting some kind of pressure from the hippy-health-food culture. Also, it is only bacon that people feel okay talking about like that. When I talk about my extreme love of sausage, butter, or fudge, I get weird looks. But somehow bacon gets a pass. Also, now with the bacon band-aids, bacon bras, I heart bacon shirts... It is too much. Get over it. All you, "oh, I am so good, but I just can't resist bacon!" people- I recommend that you try some more food. There are other things out there. Let bacon just be a delicious food and not some weird fetish object.
ps. I am sure that I have been guilty of what I have spend this post complaining about. But now I have noticed it, and it totally irritates me, so I will be correcting my behavior.
But I am getting really annoyed by the general obsession with bacon that is going on. Why are people always talking about how amazing bacon is? Like that is something new- or that they are just totally wild and unusual. I was watching "Ultimate Recipe Showdown" last night, and one of the contestants made a grilled cheese with bacon & heirloom tomato sandwich & served it with a bacon infused tomato soup. One of the judges said, "Hello?- did you call my husband? Because he would have told you that I ADORE bacon. Anything with bacon is good." What? First, that isn't really true. Sometimes you can have too much bacon. Or adding bacon to the scene is too much (in fact, one judge who I found to be the voice of reason said that he didn't need bacon in both the soup and sandwich) Second, be quiet! It has this weird tone of a dirty confession, "oh, I am such a rebel, and I don't care, I will eat unhealthy food." Which is fine- but confessing a love for bacon is hardly out there. It doesn't make you naughty or strongly resisting some kind of pressure from the hippy-health-food culture. Also, it is only bacon that people feel okay talking about like that. When I talk about my extreme love of sausage, butter, or fudge, I get weird looks. But somehow bacon gets a pass. Also, now with the bacon band-aids, bacon bras, I heart bacon shirts... It is too much. Get over it. All you, "oh, I am so good, but I just can't resist bacon!" people- I recommend that you try some more food. There are other things out there. Let bacon just be a delicious food and not some weird fetish object.
ps. I am sure that I have been guilty of what I have spend this post complaining about. But now I have noticed it, and it totally irritates me, so I will be correcting my behavior.
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