Are You...Sick?

As small business owners, Sweetie and I like to support other local businesses when at all possible. That was easier when we lived in Blue Ridge.  In a small town there are not as many large chains.  Our favorite hamburger joint was a local place called Sue's Sweet Shop, but the sign on the building read 'Sue's Best Burger in Town'.  That was the truth.  Yummy.  Miss it.

In Baldwin County, we have a much larger community, but we still tend to seek out local businesses to spend our hard earned dollars.  I love going to downtown Milledgeville.  It is a hip, due to the colleges, but quaint, historic area where you can park and walk from shop to shop, restaurant to restaurant, bar to bar. (OK, we
don't really frequent the bar scene here, but we read about it, thanks in no part to that football guy)

Downtown Milledgeville

I recently found a new place to get my hair cut. Located in a really neat older building on West Hancock Street, it is a cool, hip place. I am usually the oldest person when I am there, but Amanda at ExtraordiNailry Salon & Spa always makes me feel welcome and maybe not so fuddy-duddy.

I don't quite feel like a complete fuddy-duddy...yet.  I think I am probably just at fud.  I wanted to use just the first two letters, f and u, but then my fuddy-duddiness took over and I didn't want y'all to think I was a fan of the letters f and u. 

The Odd Couple, 1968

                                                                      

Those letter, f and u, are part of one of the funniest scenes in the movie The Odd Couple, starring my favorite actor of all time, Walter Matthau.  Playing Oscar Madison as only Matthau could, he yells at Felix, played by Jack Lemmon, about notes Felix had been leaving for him in the apartment.  For six weeks it seems Oscar thought Felix was ending his notes with the letters f and u, until he realized it was Felix Unger's initials... hysterical!

Imagine if you will, why my sweet and funny hair stylist stared at me in surprise when I mentioned a character on the TV show Law & Order, SUV.  I had been watching the episode on the salon's flat screen as she trimmed my hair.   Amanda and I had been discussing the episode as she worked on me.  I knew the outcome because I had seen it before.  It turned out that the mother of the brainy, but kinda geeky teenager was discovered in bed with her daughter's secret crush, a cute guy who was a really big jerk.  Amanda was shocked when I said, "that is really sick."

All right, I meant 'sick' as defined in Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1973, sick, definition 2. spiritually or morally unsound or corrupt, c. filled with disgust or chagrin.  Not 'sick' as found in the Urban Dictionary online, sick, definition, 1. crazy, cool, insane.  So I quickly added, "and I mean that in the strictest, old fashioned way." 

She looked at me and I felt my fud level ease over into fuddy.  She gently patted my shoulder and nodded, as if she understood.  Then she handed my glasses to me, helped me out of the chair, placed my cane in my hand, and draped my crocheted shawl around my shoulders.  I wobbled out.

P.S.  There is no cane or shawl and my new hair cut ROCKS!





Hearts, Sting, Botti, & Supper

Happy Valentine's Day Y'all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHYImlfwpN0<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tHYImlfwpN0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Not usually a Sting fan, but I have to say, he tugs at my sentimental streak when he sings to his wife, Trudy. 

Chris Botti, man oh man, what else can I say? 

Special Valentine Supper for Sweetie tonight.  On the menu, poached salmon, angel hair pasta with a sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce, and steamed green beans.  For dessert, heart shaped brownie with black walnut ice cream on top. 

p.s.  I wish I knew how to make video appear in this post instead of all that stuff you have to click on...sorry about that, but I hope you do click on it...it's a good 'un.

Super Bug

Did you watch the Super Bowl last night for the football game or for the commercials?  If you watched for the commercials, well here is my first ever, Super-duper, commercial critique. 

Super Bowl XLV.  Forty-five.  I figure I have watched a hefty number of Super Bowls over the course of my life.  Some I actually remember watching.  Like the time I sat on a piano bench for hours it seemed, in a law student's small apartment with a bunch of guys.  Yeah, it was fun. 

I've been to a few Super Bowl parties too.  Some fun, some not so much, but what else would you be doing on a dreary Sunday night in the middle of winter?  Right. 

This year Sweetie and I watched together, no party, no booze, just chile nachos and a lot of Tums.  Man, I hate getting old!  Oh, we did bring the little kitty in that I've been feeding outside.  I've been calling him PJ Leggs.  He's mighty cute, but Miss Kitty, our elder cat, is not so amused.  Presley and Itty Bitty are resigned to the fact that this little one might be joining the clan.  I am well on my way to being the crazy lady with 40 cats.

OK, so out of all the commercials, I found myself writing the words lame or stupid on most of them.  Where are the clever and funny ones I remember over the past few years?  Did imagination get lost as the price for a 30 second ad climbed? 

I found several ads violent and gross.  I realize I am not the demographic these advertisers are targeting, but I do spend some hard earned cash on products.  The Doritos finger sucking ad sunk to the lowest of the low, in my humble opinion.  I'm guessing thirteen year old boys laughed their heads off. 

And Budweiser, always one of my favorites even with some silly ads over the years, lost me this year.  Usually, any time the Budweiser Clydesdales are in the ad, I love it.  This year, not so much.  Both Sweetie and I thought it was stupid.  Tiny Dancer? Come on, you can do better than that.

Most of the Bud Light ads wavered between lame and stupid.  I'll admit to enjoying the dog-sitter one, but I'm a sucker for dogs playing poker.  Again, I think they can do better.

It seemed like every other commercial was for a movie or for Fox Network shows.  Can some one please tell me where Glee started and Chevy ended?  The line seemed blurred.  I did like some of the House commercials, especially the send up of the famous Coke/Mean Joe Green ad.  Sweetie doesn't like House, so he gave it a thumbs down.  Disregard his vote on this one.

Many, many automobile ads, so little of interest.  In the automobile division BMW, especially the BMW Diesel with cha, cha, cha, change.... was a standout. The 'designed in America, built in America' was patriotic and also got my vote because a former customer of ours worked in their South Carolina plant and we love our customers!

I also liked the Audi prison break commercial but Sweetie rolled his eyes which surprised me.  He is a big Kenny G fan.  Me, not so much.

Several prominent advertisers were missing this year.  Hallmark should have run one ad targeting the male viewer.  Here's my pitch.  Handsome, professional, thirty-something man rushes into generic mall.  The first store is a hip, young, clothing store.  A hip teen holds up a ripped and torn, but expensive pair of jeans.  He shakes his head and dashes out.  The next store is a fancy lingerie shop.  A beautiful, curvy young woman holds out a tasteful, but sexy negligee.  He ponders it for a moment, smiles, but shakes his head no, dashes out.  Then he finds the Hallmark store.  An attractive older woman nods and lead him to the racks.  Closing shot.  Handsome young man standing a  front door with an armful of long stem roses, a box of candy and a card.  The door slowly swings open.  "Hey Granny!" He exclaims as her face lights up with joy and love.  The end.

Also missing in action: Viagra and Cialis.  Their target audience was parked in front of their big screens.  Did Fox Sports block ad for impotent, I mean important male medicines?  Hmmmm.

Alright, so which ad did I pick as my favorite?  Overall, I think Volkswagen took the prize.  The Passat  young Darth Vader one was cute and funny and seems to be one of the fans favorite.  But I pick....drum role please.... the Volkswagen Black Beetle commercial, bam-a-lam!  Clever, imaginative, and a catchy tune.  A winner!
http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=f93a6bb6-44ff-407f-ac4c-dc5bbd26269a&from=foxsports_en-us_videocentralhttp://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=f93a6bb6-44ff-407f-ac4c-dc5bbd26269a&from=foxsports_en-us_videocentral

A Good Book is Hard to Put Down

Note to readers:  I am not a Jane Austin scholar, 'nuff said.

Every night I like to read in bed when the house is quiet and still.  If I'm reading a good book, I will stay up until the wee hours, telling myself, 'just one more chapter, then lights out'.  Usually it is Sweetie who rolls over, groans, and mutters about too much light.  Even when I know I have to get up the next morning, I will continue to read knowing I will regret it when the alarm rings.

Some people believe reading puts them to sleep.  I am just the opposite.  A good book keeps my mind racing long after I finally turn out the lights.  NyQuil and Tylenol PM do the same thing with me.  Instead of getting drowsy and drifting off into a restful sleep, those so-called nighttime over the counter medicines rev me up.  Just like a good book!

Exception:  Over the past year, I have been reading Jane Austin.  It had been years since I read Pride & Prejudice and I've only seen bits and parts of the movie version.  A few months ago, I reread Emma and this week I'm reading Mansfield Park for the first time.

Maybe it's the language, maybe something else, but for the last two nights, I have barely been able to get through twelve pages.  Twelve pages!  It took me two weeks to reread Pride & Prejudice and I knew the story!  I don't remember how long Emma took this time, I guess I erased my memory drive. 

I'm a fast reader.  Always have been, without any speed reading courses.  Of course, reading fast can mean that I don't recollect certain passages or even an entire book.  I started an Anne Rivers Siddons novel a few years ago and was halfway through when I realized I had already read it. If time is on my side, I can and will read a book a day.  Usually vacations are the only time that happens, in the real world, late at night is my reading time of choice.

I hate it when a good book is over.  Yes, I'm glad for the resolution, but it's over...sometimes I'll start back over or at least, reread the final few chapters.  There are several favorites that I reread and reread, easing them into the unread pile of books.

I am not a quitter, so I will muddle through Mansfield Park.  In the six page forward, the Jane Austin expert warns that many readers do not empathize with Fanny Price as they do Elizabeth Bennett and even Emma, so I am somewhat intrigued to learn about this little creature.  Fanny is thrust into a situation she is completely ill prepared to handle.  I'll see where this goes...slowly, I'm afraid.

I know there are thousands, nay millions of Jane Austin fans who will wrinkle their pretty little noses and shake their fair heads as I admit this.  I'm sorry, but I prefer contemporary fiction.  I'm getting way too much sleep!


two nights, too few pages