So Philadelphia has ridiculous amounts of traffic. Not on the NYC or LA level, but a ton of traffic nonetheless. I've gotten pretty used to commuting from South Jersey into the city. It took my a little longer to get accustomed to city traffic in the city. What I mean is, cars on Arch Street or JFK making left turns on red, cutting in front of people, going through red lights, and trying to run yours truly down in the road.
Today was a breath of fresh air. I was walking across JFK on a green light along with a number of other foot-commuters. This professional woman, who was evidently in a hurry, is trying to turn left onto 19th street while the light is red and nearly hits this guy. So the guy turns to her, slaps her car hood with his hand and says, "The light is RED!" To which she replies, haughtily, "I can make a left on red here." He starts screaming, "Look at the sign you idiot!" Sure enough, a "No Turn on Red" sign is staring her right in the face. She had the decency to look embarrassed to which he says, "What the hell is wrong with you?!? Learn how to drive! Better yet learn how to read or you're going to kill someone." This last statement occurred as I was walking next to the woman's driver's side window. So I saw her expression - she was just ashamed. Maybe she'll quit her evil, not-paying-attention-while-driving pet peeves.
This is the kind of thing that warms the cockles of my heart. The guy wasn't nasty or swearing incessantly, he just told her how it was.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The Renaissance Man
No, I'm not talking about the underrated Danny DeVito comedy. I'm talking about my father.
When I was growing up my dad was all about work. Now, he's 54 and for the past four years or so has begun developing hobbies that he never had when I was living in the house. For example, he paints. Watercolors, oils, you name it. He also sculpts on a regular basis. He goes to art shows, he goes to art classes, he buys art books. Additionally, he is currently making a bunch of different wines. He buys grapes with my uncle, he has books, etc. Basically, he's a renaissance man having a renaissance (if that makes sense).
So, I'm in the office last night at 10, wondering if I was ever going to get like that. Currently, I have few hobbies. I enjoy reading any number of fiction/non-fiction books. I play fantasy football (and now baseball). I have an addiction to a computer game (Hearts of Iron II) and an X-Box game (Madden)... although those have been lessening lately. I want to write, but it's more like I make up worlds, characters, general plots, but never but anything substantial down to paper. I play basketball and softball as well.
The point is, as work takes up more of my life (work comes second to my wife), I don't have time for stuff I used to do. So, am I going to find that at 54+ I'm going to begin to generate new hobbies or recycle old hobbies. You will never find out. But for me, it's worth thinking about.
When I was growing up my dad was all about work. Now, he's 54 and for the past four years or so has begun developing hobbies that he never had when I was living in the house. For example, he paints. Watercolors, oils, you name it. He also sculpts on a regular basis. He goes to art shows, he goes to art classes, he buys art books. Additionally, he is currently making a bunch of different wines. He buys grapes with my uncle, he has books, etc. Basically, he's a renaissance man having a renaissance (if that makes sense).
So, I'm in the office last night at 10, wondering if I was ever going to get like that. Currently, I have few hobbies. I enjoy reading any number of fiction/non-fiction books. I play fantasy football (and now baseball). I have an addiction to a computer game (Hearts of Iron II) and an X-Box game (Madden)... although those have been lessening lately. I want to write, but it's more like I make up worlds, characters, general plots, but never but anything substantial down to paper. I play basketball and softball as well.
The point is, as work takes up more of my life (work comes second to my wife), I don't have time for stuff I used to do. So, am I going to find that at 54+ I'm going to begin to generate new hobbies or recycle old hobbies. You will never find out. But for me, it's worth thinking about.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Scrubs - Greatest TV Comedy Ever?
The answer is yes. More on that in a second.
I haven't writ anything for over a month... mainly because I've been working like a fiend. So, I'll take a break and smell the roses. I have a few topics that could take up a few days. But, first, I wanted to write about Scrubs.
Scrubs is an hysterical show and also has an "end of show lesson" thing going for it, that makes it somewhat dramatic. I literally have never seen a bad episode and I've watched Seasons One through Four on DVD. Dr. Cox, played by John C. McGinley, is hysterical. Right up there with Homer Simpson. Does Zach Braff get annoying? Sure. But the episodes are never completely about him... more about how he reacts to the staff and the staff reacts to him.
The point of all this leads me to this point - I don't watch the show on TV. WHAT? The greatest TV comedy ever and you don't watch it on TV?, one might ask. Correct. I either do not have time, or am watching Grey's Anatomy with the little wife. And I'm okay with that because I can rent the DVD next year, watch it, and not have any plot points spoiled for me because no one cares about it. My only concern is that it will get cancelled because I don't watch it, but that's stupid right? It's not like one little viewer like me is going to make a show stay on the air. I read somewhere that it's back for one or two more seasons. Fine, I'll rent them on DVD.
The point of all that, leads me to this point - someday soon, no one will watch TV shows "live" anymore. They will just rent or buy DVDs or TV "shows" to watch on their television or IPod or whatever, whenever they want. I like this idea.
I haven't writ anything for over a month... mainly because I've been working like a fiend. So, I'll take a break and smell the roses. I have a few topics that could take up a few days. But, first, I wanted to write about Scrubs.
Scrubs is an hysterical show and also has an "end of show lesson" thing going for it, that makes it somewhat dramatic. I literally have never seen a bad episode and I've watched Seasons One through Four on DVD. Dr. Cox, played by John C. McGinley, is hysterical. Right up there with Homer Simpson. Does Zach Braff get annoying? Sure. But the episodes are never completely about him... more about how he reacts to the staff and the staff reacts to him.
The point of all this leads me to this point - I don't watch the show on TV. WHAT? The greatest TV comedy ever and you don't watch it on TV?, one might ask. Correct. I either do not have time, or am watching Grey's Anatomy with the little wife. And I'm okay with that because I can rent the DVD next year, watch it, and not have any plot points spoiled for me because no one cares about it. My only concern is that it will get cancelled because I don't watch it, but that's stupid right? It's not like one little viewer like me is going to make a show stay on the air. I read somewhere that it's back for one or two more seasons. Fine, I'll rent them on DVD.
The point of all that, leads me to this point - someday soon, no one will watch TV shows "live" anymore. They will just rent or buy DVDs or TV "shows" to watch on their television or IPod or whatever, whenever they want. I like this idea.
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