Dignity has left the building

I’m not going to go into detail but Jeanine Pirro should learn from Kerik, know when to cut your losses.

Enough said about local politics. Ok, maybe not. I haven’t heard all the tapes but this woman is a scary woman. She sounds obsessed. When you have to resort to spying on your husband, maybe, just maybe you should reevaluate your relationship.

Jeanine is not making any friends with her attitude. Good grief, your husband is speeding and your daughter is shoplifting. Maybe you should take care of home business first. I won’t even bring up the embezzling indictments on your husband.

Ok, your husband had a love child. You got over it and now you think he’s having an affair so you enlist your friends to spy? Call me callous but obviously you guys need a time out.

Jeanine, I don’t know you but seriously, you have got to be better than this. Why let him demean you like this? No man is worthy breaking federal laws. What would you have accomplished if you had the tapes of an affair? Would it have made you feel better? Honestly, no good could have come from tapping your husband.

I was debating which to rant about today: Jeanine or the absurd story of multimillionare that married his daughter and figured there really isn't much more to say about the Bruce McMahan that wasn't said in 5 words.

Related tags: jeanine pirro

Class of 2006-2007: The Candidates So Far

Since I was so particular with my shows last year, this year I decided to give my attention to many of the new shows debuting this fall season.

Of course, I didn’t calculate how much time this required of me. Still so far I’ve checked out the following shows:

The Class
Heroes
Smith
Standoff
Kidnapped
‘Til Death
Happy Hour
Shark
Justice

Some were planned; others accidental. I also planned to check out ‘Help Me Help You’ but alas DVR is tapping multi-shows and it had to sacrificed. If you’ve seen this show and say it’s worth an episode, I might check it out.

Now my rule is simple, I have too many standing shows I watch so if you don’t reach by episode #2, you drop off my DVR list. Tough breaks but you only get two shots with me.

The first casualty on my list was ‘Standoff’. In fact, it dropped off my list after one episode. There was too much focus on the individual employees and not on the actual hostage incident. Plus, there was Moonlighting vibe going on that left a bad taste in my mouth. If they started out with focus on the incident and eventually over time moved towards the personal life of the negotiators, I may have been more interested. To the writers of Standoff: Follow the CSI approach: less personal more about the case.

‘Til Death’ and ‘Happy Hour’ are the shows that popped on while I was figuring out when ‘My Name is Earl’ and ‘The Office’ would be returning. Since there wasn’t anything else premiering and my ‘Little House on the Prairie’ phase is waning, I decided to leave them on. By the way, I’m still at 67% complete with the LHotP episode watching. I’m slowly pushing away from my goal but I’m not causing it a lost cause yet. Still 67% is nothing to sneeze about. If you ever have a LHotP question in a trivia tourney, you can always depend on me as your lifeline.

I don’t love either show but I don’t hate them either. I predict at a better time slot, they may find an audience but they most likely won’t last the season.

‘Smith’ almost lost me after the first ep. I’m pretty certain it’s not going to make it past this season still my husband counts Ray Liotta as one of his ‘boys’ so I plan to continue to tape it. I gave it another chance last night which only confirmed my suspicion. If Smith’s accomplices don’t get him caught, ending the series or converting it to a Prison Break/The Fugitive drama, the ratings will. I just don’t feel any compassion or interest in any character. The blonde gal makes me want to smack her silly. The blonde guy makes me want to smack him silly. Nothing against blondes. I love blondes. My best friend was a blonde and I married a strawberry blonde.

‘Shark’ and ‘Justice’ are one in the same show, smarmy lawyer thinks he’s the cherry. I’m giving ‘Shark’ another try because his relationship with his daughter and his career change from defense to prosecuting should humanize him a bit. I’ll be honest about ‘Justice’, I’m not a Victor Garber fan. I don’t know what it is about him but he gets under my skin and I don’t like that feeling. Maybe it’s his smarminess. Still, I’m watching ‘Justice’ because of one thing, the last 5 minutes where they show you what really happened. Sure I’ve predicted it three times but it’s still fun to watch.

‘Kidnapped’ was a last minute add on because I was high on Nyquil. I’m not sure why I taped it but I did and I plan to give it one more shot. I wasn’t in love with the show but I didn’t hate the show. I want to see the son kick some ass and I’d like to see how the FBI agent is related to the body guard. I have no compassion for the father and I hate to say this but I feel as if he’s part of the whole kidnapping. Then again, Dana Delany can pull a Manchurian Candidate and it still wouldn’t be shocking. It’s hard to feel bad for a rich, wealthy family especially when they keep talking about calling ‘Daddy’ to solve things and speaking in French.

‘The Class’ has potential but it’s not an absolutely keeper for me. There were great lines from the twin sister and the effeminate husband. I’m not sure if they’re trying to make it a Friend’s like story how a group of uniquely different people interact. I’m not sure how people will take to the suicidal redhead. I know he does it for laughs but he’s battling some serious depression. Still it has the carryover from ‘How I Met Your Mother’ so they should do fine.

Lastly is ‘Heroes’. I wanted to hate this show. I wanted to say, “I told you so” but I actually like the premise. Call me a geek. Call me a sci-fi head. Hiro and his friend are my favorites. Hiro is what geeks like me aspire to be, dorky but cool dorky in a dorky way. The cheerleader is annoying me a bit but have a dad that could be evil, the pressure of high school to be like everyone else, newly acquired hormonal angst and a mom that considers the Pomeranian your younger brother and you get pass. I hope people enjoy it enough to keep ratings up. I hope the hype doesn’t dwindle the audience as I predict it may. If it does though I hope the Sci-Fi network picks this up.

‘Heroes’ could find a nice home along side ‘Doctor Who’.

Related tags: fall tv, television premiere

Words to Live By

Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice. James 3:16

Related tags: words to live by

27 years to the date

Last Monday Lrudlrick and I went to see ‘The Who’. We’re not major fans but figure there are certain bands we should see live. This idea was also the reason why I saw the Rolling Stones in the early 90’s. Little did I know they’d be touring well into the new millennium.

Anyway, it was a pretty darn good show. I have no clue who the opening act was but neither did anyone else at MSG.

It was a bit odd to see them perform ‘Teenage Wasteland’ and ‘My Generation’ but Townsend looked good and no one was running out for oxygen tanks.

Lrudlrick went t-shirt happy and we went home with a bag full of tees all XXL. People who see me on a regular basis know I’m more of a babydoll tee girl but you get what you get.

My favorite, and the one I’ve claimed for myself, is a white with red striped target tee. Honestly, I could probably belt the sucker and wear it as a dress but I’m not 18, 86 lbs and Nicole Richie. I’ve been wearing it under my regulation fall blazers. I’ve been tying it in the back to avoid the tent look. Sadly, I think I’ve been ‘rocking’ it a bit much because some of my neighbors are probably questioning if I’ve laundered it yet. Yes I have, thank you very much.

I don’t really take to a clothing item as much as I used to but there is something about this shirt. I mean if I could I’d probably sleep in this shirt.

I have no idea why I’m attached to this shirt. It’s not like I’m ultimate Who fan. If I were to bound with any clothing article in my closet, I would think it would be a pair of shoes. Actually, I try to be an equal opportunist with my shoes. I don’t want one to feel superior. I know. I know. I’m one step closer to that rubber room but I have the perfect pair of shoes to match the white coat.


Set list:
I Can't Explain
The Seeker
Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
Fragments
Who Are You
Behind Blue Eyes
Real Good Looking Boy
Sound Round
Pick Up The Peace
Endless Wire
We Got A Hit
They Made My Dreams Come True
Mirror Door
Baba O'Riley
Eminence Front
Black Widow Eyes
Mike Post Theme
You Better You Bet
My Generation
Won't Get Fooled Again
Pinball Wizard
Amazing Journey
Sparks
See Me Feel Me
Tea And Theatre
-- Thanks to The Who Concert Guide

Related tags: "the who", T-Shirts

This would have been easier if he studied Shaolin

I’m a bit cranky. I don’t like deadlines for silly things to consume me yet I feel surrounded by deadlines.

Anyway, last week, my husband swore up and down that he could fit Clyde in any parking spot. Well, he was put the test last Tuesday when we found a spot that was the exact fit for our car. I mean exact. Take a look.



That is Clyde sandwiched between another mini cooper and an Jeep SUV. As he parked the car, pedestrians stopped and commented, some positive, some negative. One Russian gentleman even went so far as to try to move the parked mini in front of us with brute force. He was unsuccessful.

In the end, Lrudlrick squeezed Clyde into this spot with more determination than sweat. Still it was a feat worthy of an SUV filled with Hispanic men stopping and taking snapshots of the tight squeeze. Two of the men rolled down their windows and gave us a thumbs up sign and then drove off.

With the days getting longer for me and my evening’s trips reduced, Clyde will be staying in the garage for a few days. Hopefully he’ll place nice with others.

Related tags: mini cooper, mini-cooper, mini_cooper, MINI, minicooper, nyc parking

I wish it was a sabbatical but unfortunately it wasn't

A lot has been consuming my time and effecting me physically and emotionally. I apologize for the extended absence. Everytime I sat down to write an entry I found myself returning to my confusion and dismay over my relationship with my mother and the predicament that I know I will need to face and own up to.

Between that and looming deadlines, budgets constraints at work and a staff shortage with a freeze on hiring, I’ve been one big ball of hair losing and a 5 day delay in my period. Yes, I was 5 days late for the first time in over 5 years.

I will be honest. I took it rather in stride. If I was pregnant, I planned to take it as a sign that I should gear my life in a different direction. I was ready to drop my crazy hours and crazy job for something more focused on home and family.

What stressed me out wasn’t the possibility of being pregnant but being pregnant and having to support my baby and possibly my mom. That’s what freaked me out.

The last two weeks I spent a lot of time trying to be more focused on my mother. I try not to promote actions or decisions or ideas my mother and I disagree on but I also knew that I’d have to make an effort to not support the ideas but support the person.

But unfortunately through no fault of my mother’s things don’t come easy for her and by association, things I do for my mom take longer than they should. I’m still hashing things out for her and I really don’t want to go into detail about everything. It’s just been very hard for me to remember it’s not give an inch, take a mile but just the way things are. She’s not doing this on purpose.

When I told my husband I was late, he seemed to be taken a back. Five minutes later though, he seemed fine and supporting.

This afternoon while doing household errands she came and she brought friends, cramps. I’m feeling better now thanks to menthol rubs and hot tea.

It’s been a long time since my body has reacted to stress in an apparent way. No matter what, work, personal or family, my body is strangely resilient usually.

The bigger picture after all of this is that something needs to give and I swear it’s not going to be me and my health. I know this is little compared to other health issues, especially since a friend was admitted last week for chest pains and a colleague’s husband had a massive heart attack. Still, I take it as a sign.

I’m not dropping my responsibilities but I need to take care or priorities and realize in the end what is important isn’t the tangible.

I promise to take more time out this week to return to my daily crazy talk. I still need to tell you my take on several new premieres I’ve watched and share with you Lrudlrick’s birthday present, tickets to see The Who.

Tomorrow, I’ll share with you the parking spot that caused an SUV to back up and take photographs.

Related tags: stress, priorities, happiness, fulfillment

Trying to be supportive of the person not the actions

I have a pet peeve. My mother likes to make excuses. Like all of us, she has a tendency to make up excuses to hide from the truth. One excuse that peeves me is that we can’t do anything because my husband is a finicky eater. The number one excuse is something is the ‘Chinese way’.

I’m not going to lie and say my husband isn’t but in the last 10 years, I can honestly say he has made a concerted effort to try more foods. I mean honestly, the man ate sushi and didn’t flinch. He ate Louisiana cuisine for our wedding reception and didn’t leave a speck on his plate. The man now eats shrimp, lobster and fish without whining. Ok, he whines a little about fish. He swears I leave bones in fillet on purpose. Honey, I’ve seen the life insurance policy. You don’t need to worry.

Why do I bring this up? Well, because my mother told me last week that she wished we could go on a cruise as a family, sort of like the family reunion cruise that I’m not attending this year. The main reasons I’m not attending is work-related. It would not be in the best of interest for me to be outside of NYC during the fall and winter months as I am about to roll-out a brand new IS system to a group of what my co-worker has deemed, children over 40.

Have you ever been on a cruise? Have you seen the smorgasbord of food available and wasted? People should stop sending rations to the starving children and just send a few Carnival cruise ships to them.

Sure, my husband and I would dislike the buffet style meals but there are a few direct order places on cruise ships. I just hate that she makes the excuse my husband. It’s as if it her child could not be at fault. If she were then her parenting would be questioned. Instead, blame the ‘outsider’. I know she doesn’t mean it but it just seems that way.

I try not to make a big deal of these because I know she gets sensitive and she’s a bit Humpty-Dumpty-ish. I didn’t even give it a second thought until today when I was busy trying to research cab companies that I can pre-pay trips for my parents.

Although my mother and I live on opposite planes when it comes to our beliefs, I’m trying hard to make her happy. This isn’t easy for a person that does not like to support or encourage her habits. She doesn’t make it easy though.

For example, she kept complaining to me that she couldn’t find a taxi to take four people plus luggage to the 55th street port. I finally took the queue and told her that I’d take care of it.

Then she proceeded to tell me that she has friends ask her why her kids don’t do what she tells them to like they were supposed to.

M: “My generation believes kids don’t question parents and just do what ever they are told.”
pg: “Mom, my generation believes in sticking their parents in nursing homes. Let’s try to break generational traditions.”

After she lost that battle, she waited a few minutes and then proceeded to complain about other issues.
pg: “Mom, if you need help, you need to ask people not complain about it.”
M: “Well, you know me. I have a hard time asking for help.”
pg: “You don’t have a hard time complaining about it.”
M: “What?”
pg: “Nothing, this is the knitting show I told you about.”

So back to my peeve. How do I tell my mother without upsetting her that I can’t stand when she uses my husband as an excuse? If she wants an excuse, she should blame me. Mom, I don’t want Lrudlrick trapped in a boat for 14 days with my family for fear of divorce.


Related tags: mother-daughter, Family, relationship mother

Numb

This is a weird day. In one word, I can describe it as surreal. I don’t want to linger but I can’t help but reflect on the days events. I don’t know if my mind is protecting me or if numerous specials and news coverage has pushed me from the reality.

I don’t want to minimize the day. I don’t want to see the coverage. I don’t want to remember yet it’s ever-present.

I wasn’t affected as most but in a way, we all were in a personal way. Things changed that day; for the better or for the worse, I don’t know.

For 5 years the area was apart of my life 5 days a week. The area was my second home yet my memories are no longer of those harried lunch hours or power walking ‘suits’ rushing to another meeting. The memories are clouded in white dust and debris lingering well past the month. The smells are engrained in my memories. The eerie silence as I stood on Broadway-Nassau waiting to do what little I could reside with the smells.

Relationships changed. Personalities changed. Life changed. Connections were made. Ties were broken. Some people retreated from society. Others realized the connectivity to one human family.

Some felt hurt. Some felt anger. I felt confusion and I still remember the emotion vividly. I was a child looking for an answer that couldn’t be given. I was an adult that knew the answer wasn’t available for the inquisitive child.

I don’t know anymore than I did then. I still feel the pain. I still feel the confusion. I don’t dwell on it. I don’t purposely think about it but every year, it returns and I’m always left with the same question, why?

Related tags: reflection, "9/11"

Words to live by

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. -- James 1:22

Related tags: words to live by

Lines I love...

"Why would a company called Franco-American make Italian food?" -- Venture Bros. ep. Fallen Arches

Related tags: venture bros, venture brothers, adult swim

Damn you list and the horse you rode on

Most people strive for a thrilling life always filled with adventure or excitement. Although I enjoy getting the heart pumping, I’m a pretty low key person. I truly enjoy routine.

This scares the bejesus out of me because one of my biggest fears is complacency. I suppose though there is a difference between monotony and complacency.

Lrudlrick doesn’t believe this is a big issue but in a way, it is. I’m not an extreme case but I am enough so that it causes certain hindrances. I’ve lived with this long enough that it’s a part of my life and I’m fine with it but others may not. For one, I don’t like when certain things are out of order. I can’t explain what certain things are or the order that things need to be completed. It can be as simple as setting a table. Items needed to be where they should be. It’s not about etiquette either. If I notice a knife facing the wrong way, I fix it. I’ll move things around until it looks ‘right’ to me. When something is ‘off-kilter’, I’ll politely move it while holding a conversation.

I know these are small things and I try to remember that mantra you see in every self help book display at Barnes and Nobles, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, but to me it’s not that I’m sweating the small stuff. To me, it’s just the way things should be. This confuses my husband and he feels that I am running around filled with stress and tension when oddly enough I feel tenser when silly routines like putting the drinks out last aren’t performed.

The problem with living with this is that if you live within proximity of a ‘normal’ human being, you are bound to annoy and eventually stress them out.

It’s funny really. I’ve lived like this all my life and I see nothing wrong with it. I’ve gone to therapy for everything but this compulsion. Only now, I’m sad to say, do I realize how much I’ve hurt the people I love with my idiosyncrasies.

I suppose I should be grateful that I'm not an extreme or severe personality type. I believe I'm not letting these crazy ideals take over my life.

They used to be quirks but now I’m realizing that it leads me to the path where I’ll be in a rocker in Sunnyvale’s Home for the abandoned yammering about how my dentures are the last thing I need to put on before they wheel me to the dining hall.

How do people with more severe forms of this cope and protect their loved ones from the nuttiness? I just want to learn how not to drive people crazy. I’m fine with it. I’m just not fine hurting people because of it.

Related tags: ocpd, obsessive compulsive personality disorder, anxiety

R.I.P Steve Irwin

Sure he was a bit eccentric but I suppose when you have a passion for something you can't help but be.

A note to 24 hour news stations, please stop sensationalizing his lifestyle. He chose this lifestyle to educate others. He didn't have a death wish for him or his family. Move on to your next tabloid story.



Here is a little stop motion film Lrudlrick made with odds and ends found on his desk.
Yes, his toy collection has continued to grow.

Related tags: steve irwin, crocodile hunter, stop motion

Words to Live By

“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.

“From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.” -- Mark 7:14-15, 21-23

Related tags: words to live by

Words to Live By

Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger – Ephesians 4:26

Related tags: words to live by