I was really willing to enjoy the Red Sox victory up until lunchtime today. Then reality slowly crept in and it became just another day. Tommorow I'll wake up and remember who I am, and what being a Yankees fan means to me, and it'll be back to the same old, same old.
I rarely watch television news programs and whenever I catch a brief glimpse of one I am shocked at the obvious lack of intelligence displayed by these so-called "journalists". While the pundits must be forgiven for their ignorant blathering, it is really a shame to see what was once a noble calling (that of journalist) cast down to the lowest common demoninator. One doesn't have to look far to see the depths that they have sunk to. I suppose it was damn near inevitable that once corporations got involved and money became the driving force that journalistic integrity (remember that phrase?) would take a back seat. But, for crying out loud, the truly bizzare nature of cable and network news shows is just appalling. I can't imagine what life must be like for the people who watch this drivel and believe every word.
I've seen several shows that seem to buck the trend, the most notable being "Frontline" on PBS, and on occasion "Lou Dobbs" on CNN have shown glimpses of what journalism used to stand for; the investigation and exposure of facts, and an in-depth explaination of current events. But overall I am always left with a bad taste in my mouth whenever I watch more than ten minutes of any news program from FOX to ABC and back again. They are all guilty of pandering and worse still, setting aside hundreds of years of journalistic ethics in order to bring the opium to the masses.
We can only hope that over the next few years they see the error of their ways and rebel against the advertizing juggernaut that has been unleashed through television. Then, perhaps we might be able to sit down and watch the evening news without the fear that some coporate
puppetmaster, sitting in a boardroom on Madison Ave., is pulling the strings.
I am not going to hold my breath.
I've seen two this week that I like:
"U.S. out of Vermont"
and
"Save a cow, eat a vegetarian" (made from a "Save a cow, eat vegetarian" sticker)
What is up with all these lawn signs? In the past few days my neighborhood has sprouted hundreds of them. I'm feeling a little nervous that I don't know who any of these people are, and soon enough they will be representing me. The ones that say "re-elect ______" really freak me out because I haven't a clue who ______ is.
Since I'm feeling kinda left out I'm thinking of putting a blank sign on my lawn.
I guess soon enough they will come down and I'll forget all about them. I'll also forget the people whose names are on them. But I won't forget who had which sign, and then I will be forever judging them by their choice of lawn ornament. I wonder what that says about me?
This is taken from conversations, or experiences, I have had in the store. Enjoy.
Originally posted Saturday, July 03, 2004
Dear Mr./ Mrs. Tourist,
Hi there, welcome to my small city, yes it is very cute, thank you. Yes, we do love living here very much. Yes, the people here are very nice. Oh, yes we love owning a store here in this slice of heaven. Yes of course you can use our bathroom. Oh yes, it is very funny that your child has just smeared a twenty dollar lip stick tester all over his face, of course you can use my bathroom to clean up junior. Perhaps you could use our bathroom to change your baby's diaper instead of the floor of my store. No, I'm afraid I can't dispose of that diaper for you.
The highway is just up this street, take a right, then your first left. No Walmart is not walking distance, unless you've got a six hours.
The best places to eat in town are Smokejacks and The Daily Planet. No, I'm afraid there is no "Applebee's" here, nope, there isn't a "TGIFridays" either. Yes, there is a Starbucks, but you'll have to pass five locally owned coffee shops to get there.
The "absolute best thing in the store" is that hand cream with shea butter. Right, it's twelve dollars. Yes, of course I understand that you wanted the best thing in the store to cost under five dollars. No, I'm afraid you can't break the safety seal on that product "just to smell it".
Sorry, no I can't make change. No, sorry I can't make change. Sorry, we can't make change for the parking meters. Hmmm, yes I am sure it's frustrating to have to find a place that will give you change for the meters. Yes, as a matter of fact I do get asked that all day long. Thank you for spending your valuable vacation time in my store, it's o.k. that you've just made an enormous mess, personally I love spending my entire day cleaning up after you. No, of course I don't mind at all that you've coated your entire body with a body oil and then proceeded to leave an oily fingerprint on everything in sight.
Of course, I don't mind it when your husband makes rude comments about my store and it's contents, and I'm sure he's not insinuating that I'm gay at all. Of course, you really intended to spend a whole bunch of money in my store but you need to save it up for your trip to Old Navy, I totally understand. The people who pay six dollars for a bar of soap aren't "idiots" at all, they just don't mind spending their money on a well made bar of soap instead of a Carmel Machiata from Starbucks or a single draft beer. Yes, you can in fact get everything in the store online, coincidently you can also buy it right here without having to pay shipping charges. No actually we are not a chain. Yes we are the original owners, no I'm afraid you're mistaken there was never "the owner before" us.
Of course Fido can come in. No we can't "watch" him while you have lunch at a restaurant down the street. Yes, actually you do have to clean up his poop on the sidewalk. I know how silly that sounds but it's the law.
As a matter of fact I am the owner, and I do in fact "know anything about these products". We have been here five years. Five years. Five years. Just over five years. Five years ago. A coffee shop was here before. No, there never was a store "just like this one" here before. We opened right after the coffee shop closed. No you didn't get that lotion here. Yes I'm sure. Yup positive. Right, of course, you're "100% percent sure" you bought it here two years ago, unfortunately we've never sold this product. I'm the owner that's how I can be so sure. Yes I am sorry that we don't carry that product, no I'm afraid we can't special order it for you, since we don't carry that product.
No I'm afraid I can't take a debit card for a two dollar lip balm. No, I'm sorry I can't give you cash back. No, I'm afraid we can't let you write a check if you live in Spain. I am afraid a three year old gift certificate made out to some other then yourself is definitely not valid. No, sorry I still can't make change for the meters. I'm sure the Body Shop has exactly what you're looking for. Oh, they sent you here. They are very nice people there.
I am sure that you have a very specific type of soap dish in mind, unfortunately we only have a few soap dishes. Oh yes that is very funny that we called the store Soapdish and we don't sell soap dishes. Yes, well, we sell what's inside of a soap dish. I'm sure the nice people at Old Navy would be glad to help you pick out a vintage ship. Or the gentlemen at Pottery Barn would be glad to show the pottery section of the barn. Or perhaps you'll find a nice piece of produce at Banana Republic.
Yes the spa is opening soon. The spa will be open soon. Yes, very soon. Very soon. Yes, you've been waiting a long time for the spa. Yes, of course it's still going to open. Yes very soon. Yes, the fucking spa is opening soon . . .
Someone stole our sign that we had in the doorway to the spa. Luckily it was only a temporary one, since our new sign and sandwich board aren't finished yet. We have no leads as to who might want our sign, but we have replaced it.
A woman came in the store yesterday and told me that she was naming her new catering company . . . are you ready for this? . . . "Dish Catering". . . . *sigh* She proceded to talk right over me, until I told her that she was going to have to talk to Kathy about it. Then she got all nervous, because I was very clear about who was in charge over there and apparently she knows Kathy. She called and left Kathy a message and Kathy hasn't called her back yet.
The landlord has finally finished his work in the building. Exactly two-hundred and forty-two days after our original opening date of February 15th. And 75 days after July 30th, the date he "promised" that we would be open by.
We've been getting alot of appointments and this is good, but we've also had a ton of cancellations as well. After talking to other practioners we've discovered that this kind of thing has been going on a lot lately. Very odd.
On a personal note, I've just learned that a very dear friend of mine may have cancer and it's really thrown all of us for a loop. I'm going to attempt to keep that kind of personal stuff seperate from my little journal, but if it pops up you'll just have to bear with me.
O.K. . . . So I take a break from writing this message and go to help Kathy at the spa and as I step outside I see, about half a block away, a man collapse onto the sidewalk and roll in to the street! I dial 911 and run over as a group of people are gathering and since we're just a couple hundred feet from a fire station someone runs over and within a minute there are paramedics on the scene. I think he had a heart attack.
Can I go back to bed now?
Like most bloggers I love to place a list of my favorite links on my weblog. If you're like me you may glance over at some of these lists if you're really bored, but actual use of the list is secondary at best. So, in order to give you a reason to check out the list, I'm going to explain why the links are included.
dishbeautylounge - our new business, eventually you'll be able to purchase items here.
photobloggin' - my brother-in-law Aaron's photo blog. Updated daily.
the morning news - a very interesting site, it's been my home page for many years.
defective yeti - matt baldwin's site. It never fails to amuse and entertain.
truthout - news and opinion
mighty girl - maggie always has great stories from the bay area, she makes me miss SF badly.
the daily show - one of only three tv shows I watch regularly, and the only news show I ever watch. period.
burlington webcam - this webcam is mounted in the steeple of a building on the University campus that looks down College street towards Lake Champlain.
tony bourdain - what is there to say about the patron saint of line cooks. read about his books and exploits here.
runaway chef - another chef Tim retired from the restaurant business (if that's possible) and now travels throughout Asia. Read his daily journal here.
on the rail - are you in the weeds? If you know the answer to that question then this is the site for you. Keep your eyes open for articles written by yours truly.
saute wednesday - food writing and opinion.
eGullet - Society of culinary arts and letters (a high falutin' way of saying, a food snobs watering hole). Where you'll find me online.
salmmed - see "on the rail"
slow food - take some time to check this site out.
18th street lounge - a selection of great music.
instinct records - ditto
4ad - home of the cocteau twins and other musicians I enjoy
apod - astronomy picture of the day. when you really need some perspective
edward abbey - my favorite writer and a very big influence on my life in general not to mention a damned good source for quotes.
harper's - why read anything else?
My old blog is kaput. For a host of reasons, first and foremost I forgot my user ID and password, plus, the computer I was using to post is now the cash register at the spa, and I had given the address out to a few too many strangers and I was getting some really odd emails.
So, here is my latest attempt at entering the blogsphere (please don't ask me what that means). Since the election is mere weeks away and I've beaten that dead horse to bits this will be a new improved, light and fluffy blog full of happy thoughts and glad tidings . . .
Yeah, right . . .
My newest favorite band, don't get me wrong I still can't take this out of my cd player, but you've always got be searching.
