Thursday Rant

Why do people talk on speakerphone by themselves?  Maybe I’m just cranky today – but when you’re in a confined area with a couple other people, try to pay attention to how loud you’re talking on the phone and you really don’t need to use the speakerphone and talk louder.  They’re usually pretty sensitive, you don’t need to talk really loud into the phone.  Try a headset.  And use headphones when you’re listening to music/videos.

Double doors.  Seriously – if you’re going to unlock one, unlock both.  I don’t know if I’m just backwards from the rest of the world, but 90% of the time I will try to walk through the one you were too lazy to unlock.  One of these days I’m going to end up with an arm through the glass and sue someone’s ass.  Maybe even make it some kind of law.  Am I alone here?  I’ve started unlocking the other door if I can get to it.

Stop using your cell phone in a public restroom.  I cannot stress this enough: stop.

If you are a merchant taking my credit card as a method of payment, do not have the reciept print out my entire card number.  I can and will scratch it off.  It’s already in your little machine, I do not need you throwing that paper in the trash for someone to find.

If you are jaywalking and a car honks at you because they’re about to hit you – do not give them the bird.  You are in the wrong, they have every right to lay on the horn.  Conversely – if you are driving and turning to go through a crosswalk and almost run-over a pedestrian that has the right-of-way, accept the angry look/gesture/pocket full of change thrown at your car.

Going down to Hollywood…

… they’re gonna make a movie from the things they find crawlin ’round my brain.

A few weeks ago I was thanked for being normal. I went to get my haircut after work at the walk-in place that had the shortest line. Actually, this place had no line. Did the normal chit-chat stuff you do when someone’s cutting your hair and at one point she said “I just want to thank you for being normal” I guess the weather, moon cycle, or that it was around the first of the month brought out all the crazies that day and she had enough. People complaining about having to wait, the ‘call ahead’ list controversy, and the “you messed up my hair I’m not paying for this!” tirades took her to a point where she was ready to lock the door and go home. My favorite tidbit was the lady who wanted a perm, she tried to talk her out of it, lady insisted so she did it. Ended up looking like a poodle, stormed off, was going to call corporate, etc etc. Crazy poodle lady’s daughter asked if they were hiring….
“How old are you?”
“Sixteen”
“Do you have your license?”
“No but my sister has her permit!”
“No, I mean you license to do hair”
“…”

She spent probably more time on my hair than she needed to.  Was ok though, I was the only one left in the place.  My favorite part of the whole experience was when I was leaving… I’m not even sure how it came up, but she mentioned she spoke Klingon and said something to me in it.  It may have been an insult or she may have told me how good I looked.  I’d like to think she just said “Thanks for being normal” again… in Klingon.

My ADD is about to kick in, so hang on…
Speaking of licenses – I know a guy that got a DUI and lost his. Yes, drinking and driving is bad, I’m pretty sure we agree on that. However, this particular guy ended up losing his license for a year and consequently lost his job. He did not drive for a living, but the DUI was unprofessional conduct. His job might have been a little more difficult without a license, but not impossible. Still, pretty much ruined his life. Had he been a president/COO of an investment company here in town, he could have gotten out of it completely. I’m probably not legally allowed to name names, but the president/COO of the company I used to work for got pulled over and taken in for DUI. At the end of it, he paid like a $250 fine and walked away. I’m sure his lawyer made a pretty penny on it. It just annoys me that people like him get the breaks that people like the guy I know actually need. COO has enough money, he could hire a driver for a year. I also never understand how celebrities get caught drinking and driving or trying to buy drugs or something goofy like that. You have an ass-ton of money – hire someone. But anyway… “A hungry Negro steals a chicken, he goes to jail. A rich businessman steals bonds, he goes to Congress. I think that’s wrong.” Pretty decent movie there – The Great Debaters. In Bruges was the other decent I saw lately. Actually, it really had me right up until the last 15 minutes or so. Like so many other movies/stories, it started off really strong and just fall apart at the end. Deus ex machina abounds.

I told you my ADD was kicking in…

Nothing spectacular on the entertainment side of things… The Mist was a good Stephen King flick. Charlie Wilson’s War was excellent as was Lars and the Real Girl. Good number of 4-star ratings in the last month or two, but nothing higher. Juno was worth watching. The Orphanage was good but a little long and there was subtitle reading involved. Can’t really do suspense/horror movie where I have to read subtitles… ruins it a little. I guess I never realized the number of movies I’ve seen staring Philip Seymour Hoffman until I just now looked 😀 He was in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, which I enjoyed. I just clicked over to IMDB and found all the other movies he’s been in and I didn’t realize it. I knew he was in Capote… duh… but some of the others surprised me.

Hmmm… yeah… going to end this one abruptly today. Stay tuned for home improvement pictures. I have about a billion of those here somewhere.