You know what jobs do well in any economy? Sign makers and printers. How many different names has your bank had? The local hospital? Somebody has to design these new logos and have the signs and advertising material done. The banks alone could keep them in business.
These days, it seems you cannot just go to the doctor. They force you to go online and complete questionnaires, confirm appointments and view test results. And yet, when you arrive for the confirmed appointment, having listed all of your current medications and ailments, they ask you anyway. Who is looking at all of this stuff? Is anyone looking? I recently had a colonoscopy, and I had to email a photo of the results from my last trip to the bathroom (I’m trying to say this delicately) to the surgical center prior to my arrival. First of all, it turned out NOT to be my last trip, but who knew that would happen? And who looked at it? No one said, “Hey, thanks for the pictures from your recent visit. Everything came out so clear!” If you are having a bad day at work, remember, your job may feel shitty sometimes, but at least you don’t have to look at other people’s pictures of actual…You get the idea.
Truth: Once you remove something from the box, you will NEVER get it back in the box the same way again.
Everything lasts forever if you don’t use it. Conversely, nothing works the way it is supposed to if you don’t use it. Take skin cream, for example. My hands get cracked and dry, so the dermatologist told me to apply it right after I wash my hands. But since I fail to follow those instructions religiously, my hands will remain dry and the samples she gave me will last forever.
Bananas have strings. Corn has strings (silks). Both are oblong. Coincidence? Related? Discuss.
I live in fear that I will mix up the Aspercreme for my sore back with my toothpaste. That would be an interesting experience.
Do you walk into a room or open a drawer and HOPE you remember why? Sure you do!
I keep seeing Tom Selleck in commercials for reverse mortgages. His eyebrows are so dark and big that they distract me from what he is saying. All I can think of is Groucho Marx.
Here’s something I just learned: The inspection station (here in New Jersey) just checks your emissions these days. No more watching anxiously while they slam on your brakes; no more checking your headlights and brights. Not that I miss the long wait and time spent there, but I have to admit that previously I felt a little safer knowing these things were being checked. The upside is that I was in and out in about five minutes. And I passed.
I love technology, but this 3D printing thing has me totally confused. People are designing and printing everything from body parts to guns to houses! I keep thinking of paper mache, something that will fall apart if it gets wet. I guess my regular HP printer won’t do the job. If you are printing a gun, do you also print the bullets? Today I saw a spine being created via 3D. All I know is that if I started printing something, I would either run out of paper or I would get a message that my printer cartridge was getting low and I should replace it with genuine HP parts!
Because I was up, showered and dressed at 7 AM on the day my new file cabinet was to be delivered, and because I cancelled all of my plans to stay home for the delivery, and because I stayed in my office all day so I could keep an eye out for the delivery truck pulling into the driveway, nothing was delivered. When I finally got the tracking information and called, I was told I would have to “make an appointment” for the delivery. My response was, “And when were you going to let me know that?” So, on the appointed day, I was up and dressed at 7 AM and watching the driveway to see if the delivery that was scheduled between 7 AM and 1 PM actually happened. You KNOW that if I went out for 10 minutes, even to the back yard, the truck would pull up and then disappear forever. In the words of the late, great Sylvia Gordon, “I spend half my life waiting for these people to show up.” OK, not exactly half, but you know what we mean! PS – It arrived, all 100+ pounds of it, dropped in the middle of my office for me to unwrap and put in place – with my sore, aching back. Done. When I am determined to do something, there is no stopping me.
A recent episode of the TV show “Younger” was sponsored in part by AARP. Am I the right demographic? I guess so.
The importance of having a compelling title and good cover art for a book is probably more critical now than ever. So many people (including me) now buy their books online (thank you, Amazon) rather than go to a physical bookstore where they can pick up the book and read the jacket synopsis. Online merchandising means the publisher has to come up with something that grabs your attention or you will scroll right by it. The problem with reading a book on my Kindle is that I forget the name of what I am reading. With a printed book, you have the title in front of you at all times, but reading on the Kindle sometimes forces me to go to the home screen to remind me of what I am reading. Or, it could just be that I am getting old(er) and more forgetful.
I would have much more time to read if I didn’t have to keep up with the book recommendations sent to me every damn day by Book Bub.
When it comes to Weight Watchers, when I’m good I am very, very good, but when I’m bad, it better not be on the day before the weigh-in.
Unless you are going into a field that requires extensive knowledge of math, here’s all you really need to know: How to calculate the tip on the dinner bill and divide among all of your friends (which you can do on your phone); how much 25% off is at a Macy’s One Day Sale; how ShopRite figures I saved $16.72 when I didn’t even use a coupon; and how much Kohl’s owes YOU when you buy something on clearance, on sale and you have the 30% off coupon. I know people who have walked out the door with money after buying things on sale. That’s pretty much it for your math needs.
My scale recently just decided to display my weight in kilograms, which I must admit is a much friendlier number than its equivalent in pounds. I found the switch and changed it back. Reluctantly.
I have to question the productivity in the workplace these days when I see so much online activity by people who I know have jobs…
I don’t mind going to the dermatologist. First, thankfully, I have had no skin cancer or other skin issues that needed more care than applying moisturizer. Second, she’s the only doctor who doesn’t make me get on the scale. And finally, she tells me my skin is really good. It never seems that way to me, but she IS the professional here, so I bow to her opinion.
I’m starting to feel like my own personal Help Desk. Last week I set up my new computer and transferred my files all by myself. Then I found a program that shreds files and installed it on my oldest computer, wiped out most of the programs and finally was able to remove the hard drive after many unsuccessful attempts. I also managed to extricate the CPU, rendering the old computer useless. And just to be sure, I smashed the hard drive and CPU with a hammer. Of course, I realize that a 10-year-old could reassemble in minutes what it took me hours to accomplish. But I am proud that I could handle my own technology issues.
One more computer thing: One of my requirements for this new computer was that it had to have a 17” touch screen. Wow, was THAT the right choice! I can enlarge the screen in any application, which makes it so much easier on my eyes. No more squinting to read my email!
There is a day coming in my future that I have dreaded for years. I know it is inevitable, but I won’t be relieved when it gets here. I’ll just resign myself to it. It is the day when I come to grips with a jar that I cannot open. I don’t give up easily. I have gadgets, grit, determination – and less hand strength than I used to have. There’s no one here to ask for help, so I will battle to prevail over the jar. But I know that day is coming, and I’m not happy about it.
Try to be the highlight of somebody’s day.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Tina's August 2018 Movies
This month just 10 movies made the cut, but that total makes me exceed 100 for the year with four months left. Movies marked with an asterisk are ones I had not seen previously, and all movies are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 being the top rating. Numbering picks up from previous months.
94. Murder by Numbers* (2002) – With a cast headed by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Gosling, this movie had my expectations high, but it didn’t fulfill its promise. Bullock plays an outwardly tough police detective with a new partner (Ben Chaplin) assigned to solve the case of a murdered woman. While the evidence neatly leads to a school janitor who conveniently shoots himself, Bullock is convinced that two high school students are involved in the crime. Gosling is a wiseass rich kid and Michael Pitt is a loner who falls under his charmed spell. But did they do it? How did they do it and why did they do it, and can the detectives’ meticulous search for clues pin it on two kids? I didn’t much like Bullock’s character, and while Gosling is always a personal favorite, he isn’t very captivating this time around. 2½ cans.
95. Like Father* (2018) – This lightweight Netflix movie features two appealing performers (Kelsey Grammer and Kristen Bell) trapped in a contrived, formulaic comedy that is neither funny nor worthy of viewing. He is the father who abandoned her as a child. With perfect timing, he shows up after 20-something years to attend her wedding – where the groom abandons her at the altar when she has her omnipresent cell phone hidden within her bouquet. Father and daughter somehow decide, after a drunken night, to go on her honeymoon together, where they encounter every cliché character possible and proceed to have madcap adventures and hijinks. I just saved you about 90 minutes, because you know she will become less uptight and he will become a better father. You’re welcome. 2 cans.
96. Mr. Mom (1983) – Jack Butler (Michael Keaton) loses his automotive engineer position and his wife Carolyn (the always reliable Teri Garr) goes to work to support the family with a job in advertising under the supervision of Ron Richardson (the always perfectly smarmy Martin Mull). Jack thinks he can handle the household and the three children, but between leaving calls for “clean-up in aisle 3” all over the supermarket, going the wrong way to drop the kids off, and trying to master the vacuum cleaner nicknamed “Jaws,” he proves not only how utterly inept he is around the house, but how challenging it is to manage a household and children. Granted, this is not exactly a classic comedy, but the affable Keaton is perfect as the befuddled dad who morphs into, well, Mr. Mom. The scene with Jack and the neighborhood moms playing cards and using coupons as cash is one of many that made me laugh out loud. 3½ cans.
97. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society* (2018) – This movie is about a book club, but it is not like any book club YOU are in. First, it is co-ed, which happens to have a few advantages over the usual, single-gender variety. And second, it features four actors straight out of my beloved “Downton Abbey.” Lily James is author Juliet Ashton, who corresponds with members of the GLPPPS and decides she must meet them. The action takes place just after WWII, and the members of the club can recount their experiences during the war, when Guernsey was under Nazi rule. This is an engaging story, filled with warmth, as the group becomes a family. Also starring Downton Abbey faves Matthew Goode (in a brief part), Jessica Brown Findlay and Penelope Wilton. It is based on a book, so you might want to stay true to its original purpose and read it instead of watching it, but then you’d miss the loveliness of the location and the talents of the actors. 3½ cans.
98. Puzzle* (2018) – Poor Agnes (Kelly McDonald) leads a dull and unstimulating life, serving as housewife and mother and practically handmaiden to her tone-deaf husband (David Denman) and two nearly grown sons. In the beginning of the movie, she is setting up for a birthday party, serving the food and putting candles on a birthday cake that turns out to be hers. One of the gifts she receives is a jigsaw puzzle, and when she finally takes time for herself to give it a try, she gets through it with blinding speed. Soon she is out at a puzzle store, embracing her new interest and contacting a man (Irfan Khan) who is looking for a puzzle partner with whom he can enter a puzzle competition. Agnes comes more alive, taking trips into New York, forgetting about church meetings and failing to show up on time to feed her wary brood and instead showing her amazing gift for puzzles to a stranger. This is an interesting story about a woman who needs order, who needs the pieces of her life to come together, but who uncharacteristically strays from her routines and broadens her views. If you’re looking for action, adventure or laughs, you can skip this one. But sometimes I like to see a quiet little story about how people live their lives and how something so unexpected comes along to change them. 3½ cans.
99. As Good As It Gets (1997) – Jack Nicholson is Melvin, a feisty, obsessive-compulsive man who people try to avoid. His routine consists of a daily trip to the local restaurant (which he gets to by assiduously avoiding stepping on any cracks in the sidewalk) where only Carol (Helen Hunt) will agree to serve him. He is a bully and a bigot – but you know that he will not end the movie the way he starts it. When he is stuck caring for the dog of his gay neighbor Simon (Greg Kinnear), he actually shows a break in his armor by liking the dog, though he belittles Simon at every possible chance. That, too, will change. Nicholson is at his best as a blustery bigot, and Hunt’s single mother of a sick child helps to inject a more humane approach in Melvin. Sometimes you have to check your situation and wonder about your own life, “Is this as good as it gets?” 4 cans.
100. The Remains of the Day (1993) – Each time I see this masterpiece, I find something new in the story of an unspoken, unrequited love story between a butler and a housekeeper serving a large English estate. Mr. Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) is the always-proper butler and major domo of the household, loyal to his master and able to manage the staff and the household with alacrity. For someone always so present, he can practically make himself invisible. He dares not take in the discussions between the German-sympathizing lord of the manor and his would-be diplomatic friends that take place between the two World Wars, lest he be distracted from his duties. Not even the death of his father, a man formerly of his position but now resigned to mops and brooms in the household, can take him away from serving. His counterpoint is Miss Kenton (the wonderful Emma Thompson), who serves by his side for many years, always calling him Mr. Stevens and answering to his Miss Kenton. Will these two people acknowledge that their relationship is more than butler and head housekeeper? Can they express their feelings when given an opportunity? If you are a Downton Abbey fan, you will love this look at the downstairs folks that shows their dedication as well as their sacrifice of self to the duties of service. 5 cans.
101. Running Scared (1986) – Ray and Danny (Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal) are two Chicago undercover detectives charged with apprehending drug kingpin Julio Gonzalez (Jimmy Smits). They are best friends and running buddies, unconventional in their approach to police work, wise-cracking and nearly fearless. The story here matters less than the chemistry between the two men and the action, with plenty of car chases, including a race along Chicago’s L train, and a shootout in the State Building. Hines and Crystal have magic between them, which makes this buddy movie worth seeing. If you want to see a couple of guys on the run in a much funnier movie, check out “Midnight Run.” 3 cans.
102. The Last Movie Star* (2018) – Burt Reynolds plays Vic Edwards, fading former Hollywood star, who accepts an invitation to be honored at the Nashville Film Festival. Little does he know that the festival is nothing more than a Vic Edwards Fan Club meeting of a small but loyal group of mostly men in their 20s who adore the star and his somewhat campy movies. Vic is put out, but he uses the opportunity to walk – slowly – down memory lane, accompanied by the young woman (Ariel Winter) assigned to pick him up at the airport and drive him around. This is a poignant story of a man who recognizes exactly where he is on the career path, who but can’t help looking back on what once was. The producers managed to work in scenes from his actual movies, sometimes keeping the virile superstar walking with the present-day model, even showing off that infamous Playboy centerfold of Reynolds at his peak of popularity. Wow, I guess we have all gotten old. I found this on Amazon Prime (free to members). 3 cans.
103. All the Queen’s Horses* (2015) – The most famous citizen of Dixon, Illinois, was President Ronald Reagan. And then Rita Crundwell came along. As a finance person in the city administration, Rita was responsible for paying bills, keeping accounts and practically every financial matter for Dixon. Renowned as a horsewoman who owned many expensive, prize-winning quarter horses, Rita was well known to the townspeople. But she became truly infamous when it was discovered in 2011 that she had embezzled $57 million from the town’s coffers over 20 years, enabling her to purchase real estate, take vacations and live the good life on the salary of a municipal worker. I couldn’t help but wonder what the town budget was if no one noticed the disappearance of $57 million over time. How did she do it and how was she caught? It was remarkably simple to pull off: She simply created a phony account with phony invoices and transferred the money from the city accounts to her own. And no one questioned it. This story’s red flags are blinding, yet the auditors and the banks with whom the town did business picked them up. For more details, take a look at this documentary on Netflix. Maybe those televised town meetings on the local community channel are more interesting than I thought. 3 cans.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Summer Silliness
If the bags under my eyes get any bigger, I will have to check them with my luggage when I travel because they won’t qualify as carry-ons.
Everyone who has ever lived in the Somerville area is familiar with the nightmare we call the Somerville Circle. So what idiot decided it would be a good idea to put a new QuickChek – complete with a gas station, not just a store – right between the entrance to the circle from 202 and the exit to 206 South? They might as well leave a patrol car and an ambulance in the parking lot, because with all the traffic in that area already, the last thing anyone needed is a business that is based on people pulling in and pulling out constantly. This is absolutely an accident (actually, many accidents) waiting to happen.
What is more frustrating than walking around Kohl’s with a 30% coupon in your pocket and not finding ANYTHING to buy?
I must toss and turn more in bed than I thought. This morning, by the time I got out of bed (after a few trips to the bathroom), I had already logged three-quarters of a mile on my Garmin Vivofit fitness tracker.
I recently subscribed to “Book Bub,” a service that sends me daily emails with recommendations of books I might like to read, based on categories that I select. The books are available digitally and they are inexpensive, so I can stock up and always have a “stack” of books on my Kindle. The problem is that the email announcing the books comes EVERY SINGLE DAY! Who can read that much? I might have MORE time to read if I had fewer of these messages to review every day. Books that look interesting are ones I may choose to download, but will I ever get around to reading them? I’m beginning to feel like Lucy in the candy factory episode when the supervisor tells production to “speed it up!”
What a pleasure it is to have a working computer again! My previous laptop was on Death Row for a long time. It would be randomly unable to connect to the Internet or disconnect itself from the Internet, refuse to give me the sign-on screen (which I would get rid of in a heartbeat if I could figure out how) and periodically freeze when I was in the middle of working on a Word doc. The new one turns on and gets right to work. I don’t ask for much in life, so if this is what makes me happy, so be it. I give myself props for doing the entire set-up and transferring over all my files all by myself. I’m not ready to be the Help Desk for anyone, but at least I didn’t have to pay the Geek Squad for doing something I could do on my own.
For the first time in 46 years, I had to go to a drugstore and pay retail for BAND-AID Brand Adhesive Bandages. My leftover stash from my 34 years at Johnson & Johnson finally diminished and the few remaining were so old that they still had strings! Believe me, it was traumatic. My colleagues with whom I shared this incident all suggested I go to the company store or order online, but neither the drive nor the shipping cost was worth it for a single box. Let’s see how many years it takes me to get through this new batch.
It’s not fair that we must carefully care for our gardens, feeding and watering the flowers and the vegetables – even talking to them – and yet weeds can spring up anywhere, like through cracks in the sidewalk or driveway or even among the bushes, and they remain strong and hearty without getting any water aside from what Mother Nature supplies
.
I’m sending a big thank you to the person who invented the stain stick. I always seem to drop meal remnants on my tops – even though I generally use a dishtowel to protect my clothes. A few swipes of the stain stick and the stain is gone. Shout out (get it?) to the inventor!
Why do I always pick the wrong checkout line? You know, the one with the person with 25 items in the 20-or-under line. Or the one with the person who buys 40 things and has 35 coupons. The one with the person who has to enter in his phone number because his card isn’t among the 50 things dangling from his keychain. Or the one where the register tape needs to be changed, or it is time for the cashier to go on break. ALWAYS.
And speaking of checkout lines, are there really that many people who buy beef jerky? There are all different types of beef jerky, and the product is often on display while you are waiting to check out so they can entice you into buying it. Am I the only person who has never eaten beef jerky and who cannot imagine even trying it?
Having an expiration date on a product – food or drug – would be even more helpful if you could actually find and read them. I have spent 10 minutes examining a jar of spaghetti sauce just to see if I could locate the expiration date. My jar of cocktail sauce features the expiration information in YELLOW type on the WHITE lid! On some products, the package is coded. If I am making dinner and want to use a can of whatever, how am I supposed to crack a code that is unintelligible? I would like to see packages that I don’t have to hold up to a light so I can read the date. And everything this side of paper napkins should be clearly coded. OK, rant over!
I was disturbed recently to see an unconscionable increase in the price of my beloved Bumble Bee Tuna (premium albacore in the 2.5 oz packet) from $1.69 to $1.99 each. Not that I am giving up tuna and not that I would EVER eat anything other than Bumble Bee. Just don’t tell the company, because I’ll be eating their tuna when it costs $5 a package. I didn’t grow up with the nickname “Tina Tuna” for nothing, you know.
The other day I actually cooked, after having taken some time off and relying on leftovers or eating out, etc. I don’t mind cooking, but when I am done, the kitchen looks like the victim of a home invasion. I practically have to repaint the room. And as for the suggestion that I clean up as I go, I had two pans going at the same time, so cleaning wasn’t on the schedule with all that cooking going on! Luckily, the house was thoroughly cleaned the next day, so it looks better than it did BEFORE the cooking began.
Let’s face it – pretty much ANYTHING tastes good when fried. I think I could put bread crumbs on a shoe, throw it into a pan of hot oil and it would be yummy. (Recipe not included.)
I’ve reached the age when half of my freezer is filled with ice packs. Ice packs for lunch bags, yes, but mostly ice packs for various body parts: One in a wrap that I can use when my knees ache, a small one with an elastic wrap I can use on my hands, and the latest addition, one that fits neatly over my eye to soothe it if it gets irritated from the monthly eye injections I get to combat macular degeneration. Ice, ice, baby!
On a similar topic, I have a bag of various boots and braces I have worn for aching Achilles tendon issues and plantar fasciitis. I also am the owner of several types of wrist braces for carpal tunnel. I feel like I own a medical supply company! This getting old is not for the weak.
I’m pretty sure the sound of my sneezes is different than it used to be. They sound more like my father’s sneezes, which were a very loud “CHA.” I also seem in general to be making more sounds that are reminiscent of my parents, such as when I get up off the couch, bend over or lift something. Let’s face it, this is the soundtrack of old age.
I recently had to load staples into my stapler. The box, which I have had for years, contains 5000 staples. That is a lot of staples, enough that I guess I will end up leaving them to someone in my will.
One of my many idiosyncrasies is the direction of my money. All bills must be facing the same way and must always be in ascending order. You don’t even get them from the bank this way anymore.
Kudos for whoever designed the nooks and crannies in an English muffin. A little blueberry preserves or melted butter hiding in those places makes the muffin experience so yummy!
I just stupidly subscribed to New Jersey magazine, which means I will no longer have anything to read at the doctor’s office beyond Diabetes Digest. And an offer to re-subscribe to Vanity Fair was too good to pass up (plus they threw in a Vanity Fair canvas tote bag, just in case I don’t have enough tote bags already). I stopped getting the magazine, which I really enjoy, because I found myself not getting around to reading the articles (the fashion part is lost on me). And here we go again. I guess I will just bring it with me when I go to the doctor!
The things you have to do take up the time in which you have to do them. Example – if you only have half a day to do all your errands, you will squeeze them in. If you have a full day, you may not accomplish more than you did with half the time, but you just do the same things more slowly (and maybe stop for some refreshments). True or false?
Everyone who has ever lived in the Somerville area is familiar with the nightmare we call the Somerville Circle. So what idiot decided it would be a good idea to put a new QuickChek – complete with a gas station, not just a store – right between the entrance to the circle from 202 and the exit to 206 South? They might as well leave a patrol car and an ambulance in the parking lot, because with all the traffic in that area already, the last thing anyone needed is a business that is based on people pulling in and pulling out constantly. This is absolutely an accident (actually, many accidents) waiting to happen.
What is more frustrating than walking around Kohl’s with a 30% coupon in your pocket and not finding ANYTHING to buy?
I must toss and turn more in bed than I thought. This morning, by the time I got out of bed (after a few trips to the bathroom), I had already logged three-quarters of a mile on my Garmin Vivofit fitness tracker.
I recently subscribed to “Book Bub,” a service that sends me daily emails with recommendations of books I might like to read, based on categories that I select. The books are available digitally and they are inexpensive, so I can stock up and always have a “stack” of books on my Kindle. The problem is that the email announcing the books comes EVERY SINGLE DAY! Who can read that much? I might have MORE time to read if I had fewer of these messages to review every day. Books that look interesting are ones I may choose to download, but will I ever get around to reading them? I’m beginning to feel like Lucy in the candy factory episode when the supervisor tells production to “speed it up!”
What a pleasure it is to have a working computer again! My previous laptop was on Death Row for a long time. It would be randomly unable to connect to the Internet or disconnect itself from the Internet, refuse to give me the sign-on screen (which I would get rid of in a heartbeat if I could figure out how) and periodically freeze when I was in the middle of working on a Word doc. The new one turns on and gets right to work. I don’t ask for much in life, so if this is what makes me happy, so be it. I give myself props for doing the entire set-up and transferring over all my files all by myself. I’m not ready to be the Help Desk for anyone, but at least I didn’t have to pay the Geek Squad for doing something I could do on my own.
For the first time in 46 years, I had to go to a drugstore and pay retail for BAND-AID Brand Adhesive Bandages. My leftover stash from my 34 years at Johnson & Johnson finally diminished and the few remaining were so old that they still had strings! Believe me, it was traumatic. My colleagues with whom I shared this incident all suggested I go to the company store or order online, but neither the drive nor the shipping cost was worth it for a single box. Let’s see how many years it takes me to get through this new batch.
It’s not fair that we must carefully care for our gardens, feeding and watering the flowers and the vegetables – even talking to them – and yet weeds can spring up anywhere, like through cracks in the sidewalk or driveway or even among the bushes, and they remain strong and hearty without getting any water aside from what Mother Nature supplies
.
I’m sending a big thank you to the person who invented the stain stick. I always seem to drop meal remnants on my tops – even though I generally use a dishtowel to protect my clothes. A few swipes of the stain stick and the stain is gone. Shout out (get it?) to the inventor!
Why do I always pick the wrong checkout line? You know, the one with the person with 25 items in the 20-or-under line. Or the one with the person who buys 40 things and has 35 coupons. The one with the person who has to enter in his phone number because his card isn’t among the 50 things dangling from his keychain. Or the one where the register tape needs to be changed, or it is time for the cashier to go on break. ALWAYS.
And speaking of checkout lines, are there really that many people who buy beef jerky? There are all different types of beef jerky, and the product is often on display while you are waiting to check out so they can entice you into buying it. Am I the only person who has never eaten beef jerky and who cannot imagine even trying it?
Having an expiration date on a product – food or drug – would be even more helpful if you could actually find and read them. I have spent 10 minutes examining a jar of spaghetti sauce just to see if I could locate the expiration date. My jar of cocktail sauce features the expiration information in YELLOW type on the WHITE lid! On some products, the package is coded. If I am making dinner and want to use a can of whatever, how am I supposed to crack a code that is unintelligible? I would like to see packages that I don’t have to hold up to a light so I can read the date. And everything this side of paper napkins should be clearly coded. OK, rant over!
I was disturbed recently to see an unconscionable increase in the price of my beloved Bumble Bee Tuna (premium albacore in the 2.5 oz packet) from $1.69 to $1.99 each. Not that I am giving up tuna and not that I would EVER eat anything other than Bumble Bee. Just don’t tell the company, because I’ll be eating their tuna when it costs $5 a package. I didn’t grow up with the nickname “Tina Tuna” for nothing, you know.
The other day I actually cooked, after having taken some time off and relying on leftovers or eating out, etc. I don’t mind cooking, but when I am done, the kitchen looks like the victim of a home invasion. I practically have to repaint the room. And as for the suggestion that I clean up as I go, I had two pans going at the same time, so cleaning wasn’t on the schedule with all that cooking going on! Luckily, the house was thoroughly cleaned the next day, so it looks better than it did BEFORE the cooking began.
Let’s face it – pretty much ANYTHING tastes good when fried. I think I could put bread crumbs on a shoe, throw it into a pan of hot oil and it would be yummy. (Recipe not included.)
I’ve reached the age when half of my freezer is filled with ice packs. Ice packs for lunch bags, yes, but mostly ice packs for various body parts: One in a wrap that I can use when my knees ache, a small one with an elastic wrap I can use on my hands, and the latest addition, one that fits neatly over my eye to soothe it if it gets irritated from the monthly eye injections I get to combat macular degeneration. Ice, ice, baby!
On a similar topic, I have a bag of various boots and braces I have worn for aching Achilles tendon issues and plantar fasciitis. I also am the owner of several types of wrist braces for carpal tunnel. I feel like I own a medical supply company! This getting old is not for the weak.
I’m pretty sure the sound of my sneezes is different than it used to be. They sound more like my father’s sneezes, which were a very loud “CHA.” I also seem in general to be making more sounds that are reminiscent of my parents, such as when I get up off the couch, bend over or lift something. Let’s face it, this is the soundtrack of old age.
I recently had to load staples into my stapler. The box, which I have had for years, contains 5000 staples. That is a lot of staples, enough that I guess I will end up leaving them to someone in my will.
One of my many idiosyncrasies is the direction of my money. All bills must be facing the same way and must always be in ascending order. You don’t even get them from the bank this way anymore.
Kudos for whoever designed the nooks and crannies in an English muffin. A little blueberry preserves or melted butter hiding in those places makes the muffin experience so yummy!
I just stupidly subscribed to New Jersey magazine, which means I will no longer have anything to read at the doctor’s office beyond Diabetes Digest. And an offer to re-subscribe to Vanity Fair was too good to pass up (plus they threw in a Vanity Fair canvas tote bag, just in case I don’t have enough tote bags already). I stopped getting the magazine, which I really enjoy, because I found myself not getting around to reading the articles (the fashion part is lost on me). And here we go again. I guess I will just bring it with me when I go to the doctor!
The things you have to do take up the time in which you have to do them. Example – if you only have half a day to do all your errands, you will squeeze them in. If you have a full day, you may not accomplish more than you did with half the time, but you just do the same things more slowly (and maybe stop for some refreshments). True or false?
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Tina's July 2018 Movies (and more)
You can see that I had a little time on my hands in July, and I used it to watch 21 movies. This month's haul includes a couple that I rated worthy of 5 cans (scoring is on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 being the highest). New movies are marked with an asterisk and numbering picks up from the previous month.
73. Darling Companion* (2012) – From the title, you would assume this is a love story between two people, but it is mostly about a woman’s unrelenting love for her beloved dog. Diane Keaton is the wife of Kevin Kline, a smug, self-centered doctor who pays much more attention to his practice than he does to his wife. When she brings home a rescue dog, Freeway, they both assume custodial duty, but he is always on his phone while taking the dog out for a walk. When they are at their cabin in Colorado, he loses the dog, and she refuses to leave until they find the pet and rescue him all over again. This is a light movie which probably plays better to pet lovers than it did to me. But I love both Keaton and Kline as actors, so it was worth watching just this once. 2½ cans.
74. The Four Seasons (1981) – M*A*S*H* star Alan Alda appeared in a number of movies around this time, all intended for grown-up audiences. Here he co-stars with Carol Burnett as his wife and good buddies played by Len Cariou, Rita Moreno and Jack Weston as three couples so close that they vacation together. When Cariou’s character has the temerity to divorce his bland wife (Sandy Dennis) and fall for a vivacious, younger woman (Bess Armstrong), he upsets the balance among the group. Their respective annoying habits and insecurities come out through their banter and they can really get on each other’s nerves – as couples and as friends. Armstrong’s character is the most honest, while the more “mature” adults are either too reluctant to express their issues or they go overboard. This movie has its moments of warmth and humor in depicting married people whose relationships ebb and flow. 3½ cans.
75. Billie Jean King: Portrait of a Pioneer* (HBO) – Billie Jean King is probably as well-known for what she did for the women’s movement in the 1970s in this country as she is for her tremendous accomplishments on the tennis court. This documentary traces her rise from the courts of Southern California to the courts at the Old England Racket Club and beyond. A champion at Wimbledon many times over – in women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles – Billie Jean worked just as hard to ensure equal pay for women. She not only ushered in big-time tennis for women professionals, she summarily dismissed Bobby Riggs in their spectacular “Battle of the Sexes.” Even today’s tennis pros and the organizers of the sport understand the gratitude they owe to Billie Jean, as evidenced by putting her name on the stadium where the US Open is played. I have to confess, BJK is one of my sheroes. She should be one of everyone’s heroes. 4 cans.
76. Glory Road (2006) – I am old enough (barely) and have been a basketball fan long enough to actually remember the events captured by this movie. Josh Lucas portrays Don Haskins, hired as the new coach of Texas Western University in the late ‘60s, who does something unprecedented: He recruits inner city players and improbably brings his inexperienced team to the NCAA Championship in an era when black players were barely considered for college play. In the NCAA 1967 final against Adolph Rupp and his all-white Kentucky team, Haskins starts five of his black players. In the course of the season, Haskins shows his team how to win – in the game and at life. An uplifting, inspiring story that recalls how racism is everywhere – then and now. 4 cans.
77. Catch & Release* (2006) – Jennifer Garner has to face the death of her fiancée while discovering that she didn’t know as much about him as she thought she did. She learns more by hanging out and getting close with his roommates (Kevin Smith, Sam Jaeger and Timothy Olyphant), maybe a little too close. Cute but nothing really worth writing about here. 3 cans.
78. Die Hard 2 (1990) – I don’t watch many action movies, but the original “Die Hard” stands out for its action, its humor and for Bruce Willis as LA cop John McClane. Here, instead of a building being taken over by terrorists, it is an airport in Washington DC, where McClane is waiting for the arrival of his wife (Bonnie Bedelia) when terrorists take over the airport. McClane outwits the airport security team as well as the bad guys in once again saving the day (you didn’t think our hero was going to perish, did you?) The first one in this series was so much better, and the last one was forgettable. This one? I could see this a dozen times and still not understand what the bad guys were trying to pull off. And when McClane finds his way through the labyrinth of underground passageways to the right runway to stop the plane, I had to call bullshit. I can’t even find my way around the airport with signs everywhere! 3½ cans.
79. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – When I posted on-line that I was watching this film for the umpteenth time, some wise friend noted, “You can’t NOT watch it.” True. It is the perfect movie, about strength and friendship, respect and hope -- and all under the guise of a bunch of criminals who live at a prison in Maine. Tim Robbins is understated and touching as convicted murderer and former banker Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman is outstanding as his best buddy, Red. If you have not seen this movie or if you don’t love this movie, I’m pretty sure we cannot be friends. 5 cans.
80. A Star Is Born (1976) – It may be corny, it may be a cliché, but this version of the classic story of a rock star whose career is on the decline who meets and falls in love with a woman whose career is on the rise is compelling to see. Barbra Streisand is at the height of her vocal prowess as Esther Hoffman, an unassuming woman who isn’t looking for love when John Norman Howard (an underrated Kris Kristofferson) bulls his way into her life and sets her on a path to stardom. He is nothing but trouble, drinking excessively, using drugs, being stubbornly irresponsible (he doesn’t even know how many rooms are in his LA mansion), but he has a sweetness about him that makes it easy for her to fall for him. He has been singing the same songs for a long time and his stardom is fading just as her bursts of creativity are making her well-known and a popular new music star. There is a new version of this movie heading our way, starring Bradley Cooper (who also directed) and Lady Gaga in the lead roles, so I figured this was a good opportunity to brush up on the ASIB lure. I loved it 40 years ago and still love it. 4 cans.
81. Robin Williams: Come Inside my Mind* (2018) – I’m not sure there would have been room inside Robin Williams’ mind, which is filled with so many characters you’ve seen and hear in his epic comedy rants. This HBO documentary traces the clever comedian’s life, growing up almost like an only child and wanting to win approval. Moving from Michigan to Northern California put Williams in the right place at the right time, giving him the chance to develop his amazing comic chops and band with a brotherhood of comedians. Well trained in drama, Williams fed his addiction to comedy with stand-up, followed by TV and movies, always entertaining his fellow thespians with material not exactly in the script. Here a plethora of comedy comrades talk lovingly but realistically about his excesses – from drugs and booze to women and performing nonstop. It is hard to watch his life story without feeling a tremendous sense of loss – for his family, his friends and his fans. He was a gifted and amazing man and it is unlikely we will ever see a performer like Robin Williams again. 4 cans and a few tears shed.
82. Shattered Glass (2003) – Young (25) writer Stephen Glass gets caught up in a fraud of his own making in this drama that is based on a true story. A writer for The New Republic magazine, Glass (Hayden Christiansen) is a bright and eager-to-please young talent. His insecurities manifest themselves with his constant asking of peers and superiors, “Are you mad at me?” His boss Chuck (Peter Saarsgard) at first indulges his charm yet he is wary when Glass spins detailed accounts of amusing incidents. Then one day Chuck gets a call from a digital magazine that raises doubts about a story Glass wrote on a “hackers” convention. His notes are full of details, but it becomes increasingly clear that they are fabrications. Glass has excuses and denials, but when Chuck accompanies him to the place where the alleged convention took placed, he knows for sure that Glass made it up. This is a shattering story of an ambitious young person without journalistic integrity but he is certainly not the only prominent writer to have committed this journalistic impropriety (The Times’ Janet Cooke won a Pulitzer Prize for a story she largely concocted) – not that I am condoning it in any way. Ironically, today Glass is a lawyer, living and working in Washington, DC, so his fall from grace was not exactly lethal. 4 cans.
83. Die Hard (1988) – OK, since I watched Die Hard 2 earlier in the week, I thought I’d let myself go back to see where this franchise began. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is the perfect wise-guy hero, a live action figure with great lines, whose estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) just happens to work in a building that is taken over by terrorists looking for millions in bonds. There is plenty of action – shooting, crawling through elevator shafts, sending dead bodies flying out of skyscraper windows) – and how McClain not only survives by outwits, outplays and outlasts the bad guys is the stuff movies are made of. Mindless but entertaining. 3½ cans, as action movies go.
84. Absolute Power (1997) – Ten years after he played the Secretary of Defense in the terrific “No Way Out,” Gene Hackman is back to play the President of the United States, still flexing his power and looking for someone to blame when his illicit girlfriend is killed. Clint Eastwood, who directed this suspenseful thriller, is an old jewel thief, a real pro at the top of his game, and he is immediately suspected of the murder when the authorities find that the woman’s jewels have been stolen. Oh, he was there, alright, so he actually knows what happened but he is forced to stay one step ahead of the authorities and the bad guys looking to blame him. This movie really held my attention as Clint’s Luther has to outfox the good and bad guys and protect his estranged daughter since the authorities want to use her to get to him. 4 cans.
85. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) – No, it isn’t Thanksgiving, but I was looking for something that was funny and light, and this Steve Martin-John Candy buddy movie fits the description perfectly. Martin’s Neil Page is desperate to get home for Thanksgiving, and when he runs into traveling salesman Del (Candy), who is also headed home, the two are first rivals and then grudgingly friends as they face the worst travel adversities (including trains, planes and automobiles – plus a few trucks). Del is a talkative guy who drives Neal crazy as the two are thrown together. This is a guy you don’t want as a seatmate. Anything that can go wrong here does go wrong, and in hilarious style. Candy driving down the highway in the dark while listening to Ray Charles singing “The Mess Around” is only one of the great scenes. 4 cans and a suitcase full of laughs.
86. Beverly Hills Cop (1974) – This is the comedy-action movie that propelled Eddie Murphy from Saturday Night Live to movie star status. His Axel Foley is a Detroit cop who is quick-witted and unconventional. When a childhood friend returns home from California to visit Foley and is murdered, Axel heads west to track down the killers. The Beverly Hills cops are not pleased to see him disrupting their version of law and order, but he eventually wins them over as his unorthodox methods lead them all to the bad guy. Murphy plays all of his comedy cards here and gives a memorable performance. This movie and “Trading Places” are still the best movies in his long resume. The story alone rates 3 cans, but Murphy’s performance pulls this movie up to a 4.
87. Witness to Murder* (1954) – Cheryl Draper (Barbara Stanwyck) lives close enough to Albert Richter (George Sanders) to see into his window, and one night she sees something she wishes she hadn’t – a murder. She contacts the police and Lt. Matthews (Gary Merrill) and his partner come over to check things out. In the meantime, however, Richter has moved the body to an empty apartment, leaving exactly no clues for the investigators. The case starts to really go awry when the clever Richter starts gaslighting Ms. Draper by sneaking into her apartment and writing threatening notes on her typewriter, making it appear that SHE is sending them to him. Even the cops think that she didn’t really see a murder, telling her that it was just a dream. Eventually, she starts questioning herself: Could she have written the notes? Did she really see the murder or was in her imagination? I thought this was a very intriguing drama, and it reminded me of “Rear Window” and of a book I recently read, “The Woman in the Window.” The moral of the story? Close the curtains! 3½ cans.
88. ET: The Extra Terrestrial (1982) – I typically have no interest in any kind of science fiction since I am so down-to-earth that I have trouble suspending my sense of reality. But suspend away for this incredibly moving story about the gentle extraterrestrial creature who ends up on earth and in the home of Elliott (Henry Thomas). Elliott is a typical kid, with an older brother and younger sister (an indescribably adorable Drew Barrymore at age 5 or so). He is curious, and when the creature he ultimately names E.T. (for Extraterrestrial) shows up, he gets over his initial fear and becomes friends with this new creature. This is not so much a sci-fi movie as it is a story of hope, love, friendship and acceptance. When someone or something comes into your life that doesn’t look like you, talk like you or understand you, reach out, teach him and you may find a memorable experience that will enrich your life. The superb acting by the kids in this movie, the amazing direction by Steven Spielberg, the fanciful script and the soaring music by John Williams all make this movie one of the best movies EVER. 5 cans, and don’t forget to phone home.
89. Paper Clips (2005) – This remarkable documentary tells the story of Whitman Middle School in rural Tennessee, where, in 1999, students collected 6 million paperclips (the final tally was 29 million) to honor the victims of the Holocaust. The collection demonstrated to them the enormity of the horrors of intolerance and hate and seems especially relevant in today's fractured US society. We cannot allow such dehumanization of any people to happen again. Bring tissues. I own the DVD but caught the movie on Jewish Life TV (JLTV) on Comcast. 5 cans.
90. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?* (2018) – Mr. (Fred) Rogers became a TV icon with his children’s show that aired on PBS for decades. His gentle approach to serious, everyday subjects won him acclaim from parents and parenting experts and adoration from kids. His quiet conversation, delivered in a languorous way of speaking, gave children reassurance that each child is “special.” By calling each child special, he wasn’t advocating that annoying “every kid gets a trophy” philosophy. He promoted trust and faith in themselves. As an ordained minister, he was well equipped to deliver important, impactful messages in a non-secular way. He believed in love and trust and educated children with the kind of subtlety that contradicts the car crashing, video gaming mentality that is often what children see on TV. He delivered good, sound and simple advice in the wake of national tragedies, such as the assassination of Robert Kennedy and the explosion of the Challenger aircraft. Built from clips from his shows and interviews with Mr. Rogers, his colleagues, friends and wife, this documentary offers insight into a simple man with a simple message that had more depth than a submarine. If Mr. Rogers were your neighbor, you would be assured of a quiet neighborhood. 3½ cans.
91. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again* (2018) – If you go into something with really low expectations, it is less likely that you will be disappointed, and such was the case with this sequel of the original musical. This festive romp about a young woman who gives birth to a daughter but isn’t sure which one of three men (Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgard) is her father, builds on the original. Through flashbacks (nicely edited), we see Sophie in the present day (Amanda Seyfried) trying to reopen the hotel dreamed about by her late mother (Meryl Streep) in the land that she loved – Greece. Flashbacks show Sophie’s Mom Donna (Lily James) at Sophie’s age and we meet the three young men who eventually became her father. Her mother’s old bandmates (Christine Baranski and Julie Walters) are on hand for the festivities, still mourning the death of their friend the prior year. The movie weaves in the ABBA songs well and the entire movie is, as a friend pointed out, the equivalent of a “beach read” – light on the drama and overall just a fun day at the movies. If you want suspense or action, this movie is not for you. But any movie that has Cher AND Meryl Streep is one I will always watch. And, thankfully, Pierce Brosnan barely sings at all this time around. 3 cans.
92. Three Identical Strangers* (2018) – This movie proves the old adage “Truth is stranger than fiction.” When Bobby Shafran enrolls in college, he is greeted as an old friend by people who are strangers to him. That’s because they mistake him for his brother, Eddie, a brother whom he had never met. A mutual friend tells him he knows Eddie and knows they share the same birthday. Sure enough, Eddie and Bobby were given up by their mother and their adoption was arranged by the same agency. Overjoyed to meet each other, the young men are even more surprised when a third brother, David, surfaces. The boys soak up their 15 minutes of fame, making TV appearances and hanging out at Studio 54. But families have their secrets, and as close as the boys are (they lived together at one point and even started a club together), they have different backgrounds and very different adoptive families. This story is gripping, with twists and turns and ethical issues you probably won’t see coming. Oh, brother! 4 cans.
93. Orange Is the New Black, Season 6* (2018) – I waited more than a year to see what happened to the ladies of Litchfield prison after last season’s riot and the murder of a guard. And then I watched the entire 13-episode season in 4 days. The new season is much less intense than the powerful drama of last year. Overall it is lighter, brighter (they actually go outside for fresh air) and funnier (pretty much anything is funnier than a prison riot, I guess), BUT, now the inmates have been moved from minimum security to max, where the rules are harsher and where there are preexisting gangs built around the geography of the prison and not organized by race or nationality. Some characters have disappeared this year, moved to other prisons, but erstwhile star of the show, Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), and her girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon), are still on hand. Among the new characters are a pair of feuding sisters, a small but fierce tough woman and a psychopath. Just as much of last year centered around inmate Tastee, who handled negotiations for the inmates, this year sees Tastee (Denise Brooks) in a prominent role, accused of the murder of the extremely abusive guard who was killed in the riot. To reveal more would not be fair to the fans of the show who have yet to enjoy the whole series. But I will say that my favorite line of the season, and maybe of the series itself, takes place when the inmates are allowed to make a phone call, and Black Cindy (Adrienne C. Moore), a convert to Judaism, calls her rabbi and greets him with, “Rabbi, it’s your girl, Tova.” Kudos especially to Brooks and Moore for stellar work this year. (There is also a great line that has to do with the Wahlberg brothers, but since this is a family blog, I’ll refrain from sharing it.) The only downside is that I have to wait another year to watch Season 7. 4½ cans.
73. Darling Companion* (2012) – From the title, you would assume this is a love story between two people, but it is mostly about a woman’s unrelenting love for her beloved dog. Diane Keaton is the wife of Kevin Kline, a smug, self-centered doctor who pays much more attention to his practice than he does to his wife. When she brings home a rescue dog, Freeway, they both assume custodial duty, but he is always on his phone while taking the dog out for a walk. When they are at their cabin in Colorado, he loses the dog, and she refuses to leave until they find the pet and rescue him all over again. This is a light movie which probably plays better to pet lovers than it did to me. But I love both Keaton and Kline as actors, so it was worth watching just this once. 2½ cans.
74. The Four Seasons (1981) – M*A*S*H* star Alan Alda appeared in a number of movies around this time, all intended for grown-up audiences. Here he co-stars with Carol Burnett as his wife and good buddies played by Len Cariou, Rita Moreno and Jack Weston as three couples so close that they vacation together. When Cariou’s character has the temerity to divorce his bland wife (Sandy Dennis) and fall for a vivacious, younger woman (Bess Armstrong), he upsets the balance among the group. Their respective annoying habits and insecurities come out through their banter and they can really get on each other’s nerves – as couples and as friends. Armstrong’s character is the most honest, while the more “mature” adults are either too reluctant to express their issues or they go overboard. This movie has its moments of warmth and humor in depicting married people whose relationships ebb and flow. 3½ cans.
75. Billie Jean King: Portrait of a Pioneer* (HBO) – Billie Jean King is probably as well-known for what she did for the women’s movement in the 1970s in this country as she is for her tremendous accomplishments on the tennis court. This documentary traces her rise from the courts of Southern California to the courts at the Old England Racket Club and beyond. A champion at Wimbledon many times over – in women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles – Billie Jean worked just as hard to ensure equal pay for women. She not only ushered in big-time tennis for women professionals, she summarily dismissed Bobby Riggs in their spectacular “Battle of the Sexes.” Even today’s tennis pros and the organizers of the sport understand the gratitude they owe to Billie Jean, as evidenced by putting her name on the stadium where the US Open is played. I have to confess, BJK is one of my sheroes. She should be one of everyone’s heroes. 4 cans.
76. Glory Road (2006) – I am old enough (barely) and have been a basketball fan long enough to actually remember the events captured by this movie. Josh Lucas portrays Don Haskins, hired as the new coach of Texas Western University in the late ‘60s, who does something unprecedented: He recruits inner city players and improbably brings his inexperienced team to the NCAA Championship in an era when black players were barely considered for college play. In the NCAA 1967 final against Adolph Rupp and his all-white Kentucky team, Haskins starts five of his black players. In the course of the season, Haskins shows his team how to win – in the game and at life. An uplifting, inspiring story that recalls how racism is everywhere – then and now. 4 cans.
77. Catch & Release* (2006) – Jennifer Garner has to face the death of her fiancée while discovering that she didn’t know as much about him as she thought she did. She learns more by hanging out and getting close with his roommates (Kevin Smith, Sam Jaeger and Timothy Olyphant), maybe a little too close. Cute but nothing really worth writing about here. 3 cans.
78. Die Hard 2 (1990) – I don’t watch many action movies, but the original “Die Hard” stands out for its action, its humor and for Bruce Willis as LA cop John McClane. Here, instead of a building being taken over by terrorists, it is an airport in Washington DC, where McClane is waiting for the arrival of his wife (Bonnie Bedelia) when terrorists take over the airport. McClane outwits the airport security team as well as the bad guys in once again saving the day (you didn’t think our hero was going to perish, did you?) The first one in this series was so much better, and the last one was forgettable. This one? I could see this a dozen times and still not understand what the bad guys were trying to pull off. And when McClane finds his way through the labyrinth of underground passageways to the right runway to stop the plane, I had to call bullshit. I can’t even find my way around the airport with signs everywhere! 3½ cans.
79. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – When I posted on-line that I was watching this film for the umpteenth time, some wise friend noted, “You can’t NOT watch it.” True. It is the perfect movie, about strength and friendship, respect and hope -- and all under the guise of a bunch of criminals who live at a prison in Maine. Tim Robbins is understated and touching as convicted murderer and former banker Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman is outstanding as his best buddy, Red. If you have not seen this movie or if you don’t love this movie, I’m pretty sure we cannot be friends. 5 cans.
80. A Star Is Born (1976) – It may be corny, it may be a cliché, but this version of the classic story of a rock star whose career is on the decline who meets and falls in love with a woman whose career is on the rise is compelling to see. Barbra Streisand is at the height of her vocal prowess as Esther Hoffman, an unassuming woman who isn’t looking for love when John Norman Howard (an underrated Kris Kristofferson) bulls his way into her life and sets her on a path to stardom. He is nothing but trouble, drinking excessively, using drugs, being stubbornly irresponsible (he doesn’t even know how many rooms are in his LA mansion), but he has a sweetness about him that makes it easy for her to fall for him. He has been singing the same songs for a long time and his stardom is fading just as her bursts of creativity are making her well-known and a popular new music star. There is a new version of this movie heading our way, starring Bradley Cooper (who also directed) and Lady Gaga in the lead roles, so I figured this was a good opportunity to brush up on the ASIB lure. I loved it 40 years ago and still love it. 4 cans.
81. Robin Williams: Come Inside my Mind* (2018) – I’m not sure there would have been room inside Robin Williams’ mind, which is filled with so many characters you’ve seen and hear in his epic comedy rants. This HBO documentary traces the clever comedian’s life, growing up almost like an only child and wanting to win approval. Moving from Michigan to Northern California put Williams in the right place at the right time, giving him the chance to develop his amazing comic chops and band with a brotherhood of comedians. Well trained in drama, Williams fed his addiction to comedy with stand-up, followed by TV and movies, always entertaining his fellow thespians with material not exactly in the script. Here a plethora of comedy comrades talk lovingly but realistically about his excesses – from drugs and booze to women and performing nonstop. It is hard to watch his life story without feeling a tremendous sense of loss – for his family, his friends and his fans. He was a gifted and amazing man and it is unlikely we will ever see a performer like Robin Williams again. 4 cans and a few tears shed.
82. Shattered Glass (2003) – Young (25) writer Stephen Glass gets caught up in a fraud of his own making in this drama that is based on a true story. A writer for The New Republic magazine, Glass (Hayden Christiansen) is a bright and eager-to-please young talent. His insecurities manifest themselves with his constant asking of peers and superiors, “Are you mad at me?” His boss Chuck (Peter Saarsgard) at first indulges his charm yet he is wary when Glass spins detailed accounts of amusing incidents. Then one day Chuck gets a call from a digital magazine that raises doubts about a story Glass wrote on a “hackers” convention. His notes are full of details, but it becomes increasingly clear that they are fabrications. Glass has excuses and denials, but when Chuck accompanies him to the place where the alleged convention took placed, he knows for sure that Glass made it up. This is a shattering story of an ambitious young person without journalistic integrity but he is certainly not the only prominent writer to have committed this journalistic impropriety (The Times’ Janet Cooke won a Pulitzer Prize for a story she largely concocted) – not that I am condoning it in any way. Ironically, today Glass is a lawyer, living and working in Washington, DC, so his fall from grace was not exactly lethal. 4 cans.
83. Die Hard (1988) – OK, since I watched Die Hard 2 earlier in the week, I thought I’d let myself go back to see where this franchise began. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is the perfect wise-guy hero, a live action figure with great lines, whose estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) just happens to work in a building that is taken over by terrorists looking for millions in bonds. There is plenty of action – shooting, crawling through elevator shafts, sending dead bodies flying out of skyscraper windows) – and how McClain not only survives by outwits, outplays and outlasts the bad guys is the stuff movies are made of. Mindless but entertaining. 3½ cans, as action movies go.
84. Absolute Power (1997) – Ten years after he played the Secretary of Defense in the terrific “No Way Out,” Gene Hackman is back to play the President of the United States, still flexing his power and looking for someone to blame when his illicit girlfriend is killed. Clint Eastwood, who directed this suspenseful thriller, is an old jewel thief, a real pro at the top of his game, and he is immediately suspected of the murder when the authorities find that the woman’s jewels have been stolen. Oh, he was there, alright, so he actually knows what happened but he is forced to stay one step ahead of the authorities and the bad guys looking to blame him. This movie really held my attention as Clint’s Luther has to outfox the good and bad guys and protect his estranged daughter since the authorities want to use her to get to him. 4 cans.
85. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) – No, it isn’t Thanksgiving, but I was looking for something that was funny and light, and this Steve Martin-John Candy buddy movie fits the description perfectly. Martin’s Neil Page is desperate to get home for Thanksgiving, and when he runs into traveling salesman Del (Candy), who is also headed home, the two are first rivals and then grudgingly friends as they face the worst travel adversities (including trains, planes and automobiles – plus a few trucks). Del is a talkative guy who drives Neal crazy as the two are thrown together. This is a guy you don’t want as a seatmate. Anything that can go wrong here does go wrong, and in hilarious style. Candy driving down the highway in the dark while listening to Ray Charles singing “The Mess Around” is only one of the great scenes. 4 cans and a suitcase full of laughs.
86. Beverly Hills Cop (1974) – This is the comedy-action movie that propelled Eddie Murphy from Saturday Night Live to movie star status. His Axel Foley is a Detroit cop who is quick-witted and unconventional. When a childhood friend returns home from California to visit Foley and is murdered, Axel heads west to track down the killers. The Beverly Hills cops are not pleased to see him disrupting their version of law and order, but he eventually wins them over as his unorthodox methods lead them all to the bad guy. Murphy plays all of his comedy cards here and gives a memorable performance. This movie and “Trading Places” are still the best movies in his long resume. The story alone rates 3 cans, but Murphy’s performance pulls this movie up to a 4.
87. Witness to Murder* (1954) – Cheryl Draper (Barbara Stanwyck) lives close enough to Albert Richter (George Sanders) to see into his window, and one night she sees something she wishes she hadn’t – a murder. She contacts the police and Lt. Matthews (Gary Merrill) and his partner come over to check things out. In the meantime, however, Richter has moved the body to an empty apartment, leaving exactly no clues for the investigators. The case starts to really go awry when the clever Richter starts gaslighting Ms. Draper by sneaking into her apartment and writing threatening notes on her typewriter, making it appear that SHE is sending them to him. Even the cops think that she didn’t really see a murder, telling her that it was just a dream. Eventually, she starts questioning herself: Could she have written the notes? Did she really see the murder or was in her imagination? I thought this was a very intriguing drama, and it reminded me of “Rear Window” and of a book I recently read, “The Woman in the Window.” The moral of the story? Close the curtains! 3½ cans.
88. ET: The Extra Terrestrial (1982) – I typically have no interest in any kind of science fiction since I am so down-to-earth that I have trouble suspending my sense of reality. But suspend away for this incredibly moving story about the gentle extraterrestrial creature who ends up on earth and in the home of Elliott (Henry Thomas). Elliott is a typical kid, with an older brother and younger sister (an indescribably adorable Drew Barrymore at age 5 or so). He is curious, and when the creature he ultimately names E.T. (for Extraterrestrial) shows up, he gets over his initial fear and becomes friends with this new creature. This is not so much a sci-fi movie as it is a story of hope, love, friendship and acceptance. When someone or something comes into your life that doesn’t look like you, talk like you or understand you, reach out, teach him and you may find a memorable experience that will enrich your life. The superb acting by the kids in this movie, the amazing direction by Steven Spielberg, the fanciful script and the soaring music by John Williams all make this movie one of the best movies EVER. 5 cans, and don’t forget to phone home.
89. Paper Clips (2005) – This remarkable documentary tells the story of Whitman Middle School in rural Tennessee, where, in 1999, students collected 6 million paperclips (the final tally was 29 million) to honor the victims of the Holocaust. The collection demonstrated to them the enormity of the horrors of intolerance and hate and seems especially relevant in today's fractured US society. We cannot allow such dehumanization of any people to happen again. Bring tissues. I own the DVD but caught the movie on Jewish Life TV (JLTV) on Comcast. 5 cans.
90. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?* (2018) – Mr. (Fred) Rogers became a TV icon with his children’s show that aired on PBS for decades. His gentle approach to serious, everyday subjects won him acclaim from parents and parenting experts and adoration from kids. His quiet conversation, delivered in a languorous way of speaking, gave children reassurance that each child is “special.” By calling each child special, he wasn’t advocating that annoying “every kid gets a trophy” philosophy. He promoted trust and faith in themselves. As an ordained minister, he was well equipped to deliver important, impactful messages in a non-secular way. He believed in love and trust and educated children with the kind of subtlety that contradicts the car crashing, video gaming mentality that is often what children see on TV. He delivered good, sound and simple advice in the wake of national tragedies, such as the assassination of Robert Kennedy and the explosion of the Challenger aircraft. Built from clips from his shows and interviews with Mr. Rogers, his colleagues, friends and wife, this documentary offers insight into a simple man with a simple message that had more depth than a submarine. If Mr. Rogers were your neighbor, you would be assured of a quiet neighborhood. 3½ cans.
91. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again* (2018) – If you go into something with really low expectations, it is less likely that you will be disappointed, and such was the case with this sequel of the original musical. This festive romp about a young woman who gives birth to a daughter but isn’t sure which one of three men (Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgard) is her father, builds on the original. Through flashbacks (nicely edited), we see Sophie in the present day (Amanda Seyfried) trying to reopen the hotel dreamed about by her late mother (Meryl Streep) in the land that she loved – Greece. Flashbacks show Sophie’s Mom Donna (Lily James) at Sophie’s age and we meet the three young men who eventually became her father. Her mother’s old bandmates (Christine Baranski and Julie Walters) are on hand for the festivities, still mourning the death of their friend the prior year. The movie weaves in the ABBA songs well and the entire movie is, as a friend pointed out, the equivalent of a “beach read” – light on the drama and overall just a fun day at the movies. If you want suspense or action, this movie is not for you. But any movie that has Cher AND Meryl Streep is one I will always watch. And, thankfully, Pierce Brosnan barely sings at all this time around. 3 cans.
92. Three Identical Strangers* (2018) – This movie proves the old adage “Truth is stranger than fiction.” When Bobby Shafran enrolls in college, he is greeted as an old friend by people who are strangers to him. That’s because they mistake him for his brother, Eddie, a brother whom he had never met. A mutual friend tells him he knows Eddie and knows they share the same birthday. Sure enough, Eddie and Bobby were given up by their mother and their adoption was arranged by the same agency. Overjoyed to meet each other, the young men are even more surprised when a third brother, David, surfaces. The boys soak up their 15 minutes of fame, making TV appearances and hanging out at Studio 54. But families have their secrets, and as close as the boys are (they lived together at one point and even started a club together), they have different backgrounds and very different adoptive families. This story is gripping, with twists and turns and ethical issues you probably won’t see coming. Oh, brother! 4 cans.
93. Orange Is the New Black, Season 6* (2018) – I waited more than a year to see what happened to the ladies of Litchfield prison after last season’s riot and the murder of a guard. And then I watched the entire 13-episode season in 4 days. The new season is much less intense than the powerful drama of last year. Overall it is lighter, brighter (they actually go outside for fresh air) and funnier (pretty much anything is funnier than a prison riot, I guess), BUT, now the inmates have been moved from minimum security to max, where the rules are harsher and where there are preexisting gangs built around the geography of the prison and not organized by race or nationality. Some characters have disappeared this year, moved to other prisons, but erstwhile star of the show, Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), and her girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon), are still on hand. Among the new characters are a pair of feuding sisters, a small but fierce tough woman and a psychopath. Just as much of last year centered around inmate Tastee, who handled negotiations for the inmates, this year sees Tastee (Denise Brooks) in a prominent role, accused of the murder of the extremely abusive guard who was killed in the riot. To reveal more would not be fair to the fans of the show who have yet to enjoy the whole series. But I will say that my favorite line of the season, and maybe of the series itself, takes place when the inmates are allowed to make a phone call, and Black Cindy (Adrienne C. Moore), a convert to Judaism, calls her rabbi and greets him with, “Rabbi, it’s your girl, Tova.” Kudos especially to Brooks and Moore for stellar work this year. (There is also a great line that has to do with the Wahlberg brothers, but since this is a family blog, I’ll refrain from sharing it.) The only downside is that I have to wait another year to watch Season 7. 4½ cans.
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Bits and Pieces
Can someone explain why we still continue to price gas to the tenth of a cent? What is the point of that?
Who has a better job than Jimmy Buffett? He shows up for work barefoot, wearing whatever suits his mood (but no SUITS!), he can be late and no one will complain, and when he arrives on stage, the audience explodes into cheers. Who among us goes to work and gets that kind of reception? It’s a nice gig if you can get it.
The ladies of “The Golden Girls” must have had enormous closets to store all of those clothes they wore on the show. Just the shoulder pads could take up a closet of their own!
One thing I can guarantee you is that the hotter and more humid the weather, the colder it will be in ShopRite. Today as I wandered around the store in my denim jacket, I was amazed at how many people were wearing tank tops and shorts. I was freezing, and when I went to buy frozen vegetables, I thought my arm would snap off from the chill!
I am equally sure of this: The colder the weather, the more likely I am to see someone in ShopRite wearing shorts. I don’t get it.
You know you are watching your weight when you go for an after-dinner walk instead of an after-dinner mint.
I admire those women who can wear a sweater draped over their shoulders without having it slide off. I can’t even keep bra straps securely placed on my shoulders. That look is both classy and classic (not the bra one…)
I love Frank Sinatra, but the older he got, the more extraneous lyrics he would throw into a song. I think that was so he could speak the words and not have to hold the notes, which is sad to hear in the older singers.
I would like to thank the inventor of the stapler. Great idea.
Is it just me or do you feel that the staff at the eye doctor’s office is trying to trick you with those questions? You know, when put those lenses in front of you and ask, “Which is better, one or two?” I always feel like they aren’t actually changing anything between one and two but just waiting to see if I will say that I see a difference, and I’m worried that I will give the wrong answer. Maybe it should have been #1? Does that make sense if I already chose #2? And then they throw it #3? Stop! Personally, I found taking the SATs was less nerve-wracking.
Enough with the surveys! I just got a request to rate my recent visit to ShopRite. I went, I bought food and light bulbs, I went home. Why should I bother to “rate” it? Enough!
I just caught myself rotating the dinner plates in the cabinets, taking the ones on the bottom and putting them on top of the ones that I just took out of the dishwasher. I guess I was thinking that they would wear more evenly this way???
At my most recent Book Club meeting, we discussed “The Woman in the Window,” a suspenseful mystery similar to “Rear Window.” The discussion included the existence of the so-called “red herring” and how many of us fall for these false clues routinely (raising my hand here). I’m not sure why we call them red herrings, and I don’t eat herring, but I sure do fall for them and I always have. I first realized this trait (or shortcoming) in myself while watching the old TV series “Mission Impossible” years ago. The writers lead you down a path that you are sure points directly at the killer, but, then, NO! It’s not him/her, so we go down the next alley, equally certain THIS IS THE RIGHT ONE and NO, it is not. I don’t know about you, but I’m ALWAYS FALL for these red herrings! They sure never fooled “Colombo!”
I did not realize how many cleaning products I had stashed under my kitchen sink until I had to remove everything so the plumber could repair the garbage disposal and unclog the drain. I was amazed/appalled at both the variety and quantity of cleaners, polishes, glass products, cleansers, etc., tucked away. Judging by the quantity alone, you would think that I either have the cleanest house in town or the dirtiest (hence the need for so many products). Some bottles were so full that I couldn’t even combine two of the same products into one container. And, of course, I am NOT going to ditch anything I can use, so I bought a bunch of plastic bins, sorted everything out, cleaned the cabinet and placed all of the bins neatly under the sink. Now I know what I have and where it is, even if I have to wonder WHY I thought I needed 4 bottles of floor cleaner. I know for sure that no package of Fantastik, Scrubbing Bubbles, Windex or any of the 5 varieties of granite cleaners/sealers/polishes will be on my shopping list for at least the next year! And the cabinet under the sink hasn’t looked this good since I moved in three years – or 30 bottles – ago!
When did greeting cards get so expensive? There was a time when I would slip money inside a card as a gift. Now the card is more valuable than the money, and, therefore, the card IS the gift. Listen, friends, I love you, but do I love you for $7.95? I’ll have to think about that one.
What happens to men as they age? Their eyebrows stage some sort of revolt, growing like an untrimmed hedge, usually in white, matching none of the pictures of them at any other stage of life.
The first person who can figure out a way to fasten a seatbelt without messing up a manicure will get my vote for the Nobel Prize. Not that I have a vote, and not that there IS a Nobel Prize for nails.
I didn’t know whether to be happy or offended when the guy at the nail salon told me he accidently charged me the regular rate for a pedicure instead of the senior rate, which I didn’t know existed and therefore did not request. So I saved $2, but my pride is just a little wounded…
And speaking of nails, there must be a law that every strip mall MUST have a nail salon. It used to be that the only people I would see getting a manicure were the women in that Palmolive commercial with Madge the manicurist. Now, there are women, men, teenagers and little girls getting their nails done. Gone are the days when Sylvia Gordon would haul out the red polish and get herself all dolled up for a night out at the JCC Hootenanny!
And one LAST comment about the nail salon – I always bring my own polish, just so I have it available for touch-ups. I have had this same bottle for at least 15 years. It is a bottomless pit of polish. I am truly amazed at its longevity!
I have some strange attachment to songs by Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Remember “This Diamond Ring?” How about “Just My Style,” “Save Your Heart for Me,” “Everybody Loves a Clown” (a reference, I suspect, to his father, comedian Jerry Lewis) and “Count Me In?” When a Gary Lewis and the Playboys tune comes on the oldies station on the radio, I pay rapt attention. Yet I never hear anyone say they like this guy and his group or mention any of his tunes. Just another strange Tina thing, I guess.
What is more annoying than seeing the car ahead of you in the next lane drive for MILES with a turn signal on? Is he moving over or not? Do I need to leave him space until I know for sure? And how is it that he doesn’t hear or see the flashing signal? Equally annoying are the people who speed ahead in the adjacent lane before a merge into your lane and then expect you to let them in. In my quest to avoid any possibility of road rage, I give a merging cars plenty of leeway, but the driver keeps going, failing to do the merge until his lane vanishes, when he comes almost crashing into my lane. And then there are the people who just don’t bother to signal at all to let you know they want to get into your lane. People, let’s be careful out there.
And speaking of driving leads me into parking, specifically parking decks, which I abhor. You circle round and round in your quest to find a spot, which is often so tight that you can barely open your door. Once I was so crammed, I had to get in on the passenger side and climb over the center console to the driver’s seat. Not a pretty sight! I can never figure out how the deck is designed so that the up traffic goes up only and down goes down. Where is the up traffic when you are on the down side? I need some kind of diagram.
As a movie fan, I find it hard to see anything with the “Weinstein Company” logo on it (out of business now, but I’m talking about older movies here) without cringing, just thinking about that vile man and how he sexually abused scores of women. Disgusting. And honestly, I rarely pay to see a Woody Allen movie in the theaters anymore. I don’t believe is innocence for a minute. But I do miss “Annie Hall.”
When did the use of the term “You’re welcome” go out of style? Instead, the response to a simple “Thank you” has become “No problem.” I really didn’t think it would be a problem for the waiter to bring my order, so when he serves me and I thank him, I don’t expect the response to be that it was no problem. After all, that’s his job, right? And apparently it is not a problem for people to hold the door for me, to hand me something I can’t reach (which is MY problem), etc. I’m just saying “thank you,” and the proper response is “You’re welcome.” And you are.
Who has a better job than Jimmy Buffett? He shows up for work barefoot, wearing whatever suits his mood (but no SUITS!), he can be late and no one will complain, and when he arrives on stage, the audience explodes into cheers. Who among us goes to work and gets that kind of reception? It’s a nice gig if you can get it.
The ladies of “The Golden Girls” must have had enormous closets to store all of those clothes they wore on the show. Just the shoulder pads could take up a closet of their own!
One thing I can guarantee you is that the hotter and more humid the weather, the colder it will be in ShopRite. Today as I wandered around the store in my denim jacket, I was amazed at how many people were wearing tank tops and shorts. I was freezing, and when I went to buy frozen vegetables, I thought my arm would snap off from the chill!
I am equally sure of this: The colder the weather, the more likely I am to see someone in ShopRite wearing shorts. I don’t get it.
You know you are watching your weight when you go for an after-dinner walk instead of an after-dinner mint.
I admire those women who can wear a sweater draped over their shoulders without having it slide off. I can’t even keep bra straps securely placed on my shoulders. That look is both classy and classic (not the bra one…)
I love Frank Sinatra, but the older he got, the more extraneous lyrics he would throw into a song. I think that was so he could speak the words and not have to hold the notes, which is sad to hear in the older singers.
I would like to thank the inventor of the stapler. Great idea.
Is it just me or do you feel that the staff at the eye doctor’s office is trying to trick you with those questions? You know, when put those lenses in front of you and ask, “Which is better, one or two?” I always feel like they aren’t actually changing anything between one and two but just waiting to see if I will say that I see a difference, and I’m worried that I will give the wrong answer. Maybe it should have been #1? Does that make sense if I already chose #2? And then they throw it #3? Stop! Personally, I found taking the SATs was less nerve-wracking.
Enough with the surveys! I just got a request to rate my recent visit to ShopRite. I went, I bought food and light bulbs, I went home. Why should I bother to “rate” it? Enough!
I just caught myself rotating the dinner plates in the cabinets, taking the ones on the bottom and putting them on top of the ones that I just took out of the dishwasher. I guess I was thinking that they would wear more evenly this way???
At my most recent Book Club meeting, we discussed “The Woman in the Window,” a suspenseful mystery similar to “Rear Window.” The discussion included the existence of the so-called “red herring” and how many of us fall for these false clues routinely (raising my hand here). I’m not sure why we call them red herrings, and I don’t eat herring, but I sure do fall for them and I always have. I first realized this trait (or shortcoming) in myself while watching the old TV series “Mission Impossible” years ago. The writers lead you down a path that you are sure points directly at the killer, but, then, NO! It’s not him/her, so we go down the next alley, equally certain THIS IS THE RIGHT ONE and NO, it is not. I don’t know about you, but I’m ALWAYS FALL for these red herrings! They sure never fooled “Colombo!”
I did not realize how many cleaning products I had stashed under my kitchen sink until I had to remove everything so the plumber could repair the garbage disposal and unclog the drain. I was amazed/appalled at both the variety and quantity of cleaners, polishes, glass products, cleansers, etc., tucked away. Judging by the quantity alone, you would think that I either have the cleanest house in town or the dirtiest (hence the need for so many products). Some bottles were so full that I couldn’t even combine two of the same products into one container. And, of course, I am NOT going to ditch anything I can use, so I bought a bunch of plastic bins, sorted everything out, cleaned the cabinet and placed all of the bins neatly under the sink. Now I know what I have and where it is, even if I have to wonder WHY I thought I needed 4 bottles of floor cleaner. I know for sure that no package of Fantastik, Scrubbing Bubbles, Windex or any of the 5 varieties of granite cleaners/sealers/polishes will be on my shopping list for at least the next year! And the cabinet under the sink hasn’t looked this good since I moved in three years – or 30 bottles – ago!
When did greeting cards get so expensive? There was a time when I would slip money inside a card as a gift. Now the card is more valuable than the money, and, therefore, the card IS the gift. Listen, friends, I love you, but do I love you for $7.95? I’ll have to think about that one.
What happens to men as they age? Their eyebrows stage some sort of revolt, growing like an untrimmed hedge, usually in white, matching none of the pictures of them at any other stage of life.
The first person who can figure out a way to fasten a seatbelt without messing up a manicure will get my vote for the Nobel Prize. Not that I have a vote, and not that there IS a Nobel Prize for nails.
I didn’t know whether to be happy or offended when the guy at the nail salon told me he accidently charged me the regular rate for a pedicure instead of the senior rate, which I didn’t know existed and therefore did not request. So I saved $2, but my pride is just a little wounded…
And speaking of nails, there must be a law that every strip mall MUST have a nail salon. It used to be that the only people I would see getting a manicure were the women in that Palmolive commercial with Madge the manicurist. Now, there are women, men, teenagers and little girls getting their nails done. Gone are the days when Sylvia Gordon would haul out the red polish and get herself all dolled up for a night out at the JCC Hootenanny!
And one LAST comment about the nail salon – I always bring my own polish, just so I have it available for touch-ups. I have had this same bottle for at least 15 years. It is a bottomless pit of polish. I am truly amazed at its longevity!
I have some strange attachment to songs by Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Remember “This Diamond Ring?” How about “Just My Style,” “Save Your Heart for Me,” “Everybody Loves a Clown” (a reference, I suspect, to his father, comedian Jerry Lewis) and “Count Me In?” When a Gary Lewis and the Playboys tune comes on the oldies station on the radio, I pay rapt attention. Yet I never hear anyone say they like this guy and his group or mention any of his tunes. Just another strange Tina thing, I guess.
What is more annoying than seeing the car ahead of you in the next lane drive for MILES with a turn signal on? Is he moving over or not? Do I need to leave him space until I know for sure? And how is it that he doesn’t hear or see the flashing signal? Equally annoying are the people who speed ahead in the adjacent lane before a merge into your lane and then expect you to let them in. In my quest to avoid any possibility of road rage, I give a merging cars plenty of leeway, but the driver keeps going, failing to do the merge until his lane vanishes, when he comes almost crashing into my lane. And then there are the people who just don’t bother to signal at all to let you know they want to get into your lane. People, let’s be careful out there.
And speaking of driving leads me into parking, specifically parking decks, which I abhor. You circle round and round in your quest to find a spot, which is often so tight that you can barely open your door. Once I was so crammed, I had to get in on the passenger side and climb over the center console to the driver’s seat. Not a pretty sight! I can never figure out how the deck is designed so that the up traffic goes up only and down goes down. Where is the up traffic when you are on the down side? I need some kind of diagram.
As a movie fan, I find it hard to see anything with the “Weinstein Company” logo on it (out of business now, but I’m talking about older movies here) without cringing, just thinking about that vile man and how he sexually abused scores of women. Disgusting. And honestly, I rarely pay to see a Woody Allen movie in the theaters anymore. I don’t believe is innocence for a minute. But I do miss “Annie Hall.”
When did the use of the term “You’re welcome” go out of style? Instead, the response to a simple “Thank you” has become “No problem.” I really didn’t think it would be a problem for the waiter to bring my order, so when he serves me and I thank him, I don’t expect the response to be that it was no problem. After all, that’s his job, right? And apparently it is not a problem for people to hold the door for me, to hand me something I can’t reach (which is MY problem), etc. I’m just saying “thank you,” and the proper response is “You’re welcome.” And you are.
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