I went grocery shopping yesterday, and I realized that I'm one of those people. I bring my own bags, and not just bags, but a rolling cart for big items, and not just a rolling cart, but I also have a rolling, collapsible insulated hot/cold cooler. I get comments all the time about both of them: "Oh, that looks like such a great idea!" and "Where did you get your cart?" Curiously, though, I never see anyone who's actually bought one after I tell them where to get it. And I do my own checkout at the U-scan, even loading my own shopping card. And, yes, I'm smug about it. But I try to be cool, too. I try not to stand and sigh and roll my eyes when someone in front of me can't scan 2 items, or figure out how their debit card works. But yesterday I ran into something I just couldn't take.
I was at the pet store buying cat food that I really needed, because the bag is almost empty. I found my bag, got in line, and then realized that in front of me they had a big problem. It seems that the cashier had entered the wrong amount in the cash register when the customer had paid her. I realized this when I heard the cashier say "oh, you gave me a hundred, didn't you." She then proceeded to wave the bill around, hem and haw, and then ask the customer how much change she should get back. And the worst of it: the customer couldn't tell her anymore than she could figure it out. I walked from the front of the store to the back to put my cat food, that I needed, back on the shelf and left the store, because I just couldn't take it.
First of all: WHY do schools not teach their students how to count change any more? It's not hard to do. And if schools don't do it, why don't business establishments make sure employees know how to do it? I realize that cash registers display change automatically now, but what if the cash register is down? Or the wrong amount it entered (although that clearly never happens)? Or, seriously, what if some con artist comes up and tries to confuse the cashier? If they can't count the change back, they and the store are vulnerable immediately.
Second: if she couldn't hit the right button, and she couldn't count the change back, why couldn't she subtract and get the amount of change from the amount of the transaction? Are schools not teaching subtraction now, either? Or is all they're teaching how to use a calculator? No wonder students are crashing and burning in math and science.
And third: what's may be the saddest thing about this is that the customer, who wasn't a high school kid, but an adult, couldn't figure this out, either.
I don't know how long it took to resolve this, or how many managers had to get involved. I felt the phrase "just count the change back and let's get on with it" coming into my mouth and I left in a hurry. Without my cat food. And I'm afraid to go back. I'm almost afraid to go shopping again. Unless I can check myself out.
So what do you think?
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Lady in the Water
I watched M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water a few nights ago. I know some people who didn't like the movie, didn't think it fit with his "body of work," but I respectfully disagree. In fact, I'd almost say this was his best film.
Part of the problem was that after the absolutely stunning surprise ending to The Sixth Sense he was immediately "typecast" by much of the general public. He filmed thrillers; his movies had a surprise twist. If you examine the films, however, (which I did recently, watching one after the other with very great satisfaction) that's not really true. Unbreakable, which came immediately after The Sixth Sense, had a small twist at the end, but if you hadn't guessed it by then you just weren't paying attention. Both Signs and The Village were the same way: the twist was not hidden, but imbedded throughout the whole film for the discerning eye to see. This masterful technique is what makes watching The Sixth Sense enjoyable every time; if not for the intricately woven texture of the film it would just have a surprise ending which after the first viewing would be just another spook show.
So, Lady in the Water. Some people were surprised; some people were even disappointed. The tale was not a ghost story, not a thriller - except that it was a thriller, because didn't we know by then that things don't always work out in his movies? Maybe Story was not going to get home? Maybe the scrunt was going to kill her after all. And no, it wasn't a ghost story, but it was what all of his movies have been, a fantasy story. Fantasy is the umbrella genre under which horror resides, so to expect all the stories to be ghost stories is sadly limiting. In fact, the story was not only a fantasy, but a classic, epic fantasy: a modern fairy tale, with an amazingly layered and superbly crafted texture. The tale deals all at once with both finding out who you are and remembering who you are; with recognizing others for who they are and not judging too quickly who you think another might be; with doing the right thing, no matter what the cost, in situations big and small, and with stepping out of our comfort zones and coming together when needed to do what must be done. If you haven't seen the movie, see it; if you saw it and didn't enjoy it, try it again; and if you saw it and loved it, watch and enjoy it again, because with this beautifully made film there's always something more to see and appreciate. That's what makes the films of M. Night Shyamalan genius.
Part of the problem was that after the absolutely stunning surprise ending to The Sixth Sense he was immediately "typecast" by much of the general public. He filmed thrillers; his movies had a surprise twist. If you examine the films, however, (which I did recently, watching one after the other with very great satisfaction) that's not really true. Unbreakable, which came immediately after The Sixth Sense, had a small twist at the end, but if you hadn't guessed it by then you just weren't paying attention. Both Signs and The Village were the same way: the twist was not hidden, but imbedded throughout the whole film for the discerning eye to see. This masterful technique is what makes watching The Sixth Sense enjoyable every time; if not for the intricately woven texture of the film it would just have a surprise ending which after the first viewing would be just another spook show.
So, Lady in the Water. Some people were surprised; some people were even disappointed. The tale was not a ghost story, not a thriller - except that it was a thriller, because didn't we know by then that things don't always work out in his movies? Maybe Story was not going to get home? Maybe the scrunt was going to kill her after all. And no, it wasn't a ghost story, but it was what all of his movies have been, a fantasy story. Fantasy is the umbrella genre under which horror resides, so to expect all the stories to be ghost stories is sadly limiting. In fact, the story was not only a fantasy, but a classic, epic fantasy: a modern fairy tale, with an amazingly layered and superbly crafted texture. The tale deals all at once with both finding out who you are and remembering who you are; with recognizing others for who they are and not judging too quickly who you think another might be; with doing the right thing, no matter what the cost, in situations big and small, and with stepping out of our comfort zones and coming together when needed to do what must be done. If you haven't seen the movie, see it; if you saw it and didn't enjoy it, try it again; and if you saw it and loved it, watch and enjoy it again, because with this beautifully made film there's always something more to see and appreciate. That's what makes the films of M. Night Shyamalan genius.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Health care - fortune or fiasco?
So, I must confused on this health care issue. Is the government planning on SHUTTING DOWN all health care except for government-run healthcare? I mean, will those people who are complaining about how government-run healthcare is going to put people on waiting lists for surgeries according to need (that's called triage on the battlefield and emergency situations, and is also the way that the organ transplant list is administered), or not pay for your elective boob job not going to be able to go to private insurance providers who WILL fund vanity surgeries or put the haves before the have-nots b/c they can pay for the heart/liver/kidney/whatever?
I've heard the argument that government-run healthcare will put private insurance companies out of business and all I've got to say about that is "THAT'S JUST STUPID." As long as there are people who want coverage beyond basic and are willing to pay for it there will be providers who are willing to make a profit off of them, hurrah for capitalism. So it looks to me like if government-run healthcare goes through and private healthcare goes belly-up it will be b/c the complainers all jumped on the free government healthcare wagon after all, leaving private companies to flounder.
So what am I missing?
Surely all the squabble can't be because the haves just don't want to fund healthcare access for the have-nots. Surely those who have are not still buying into the myth that those who have not are all just a bunch of stupid, lazy n'er-do-wells, who need only to apply themselves to gain money, position, and abundant blessings. Surely the idea that those who can't afford something in the US are only in that position because they don't want to work for it is recognizable as the fallicious and even malicious thought that it is.
So what do you think?
I've heard the argument that government-run healthcare will put private insurance companies out of business and all I've got to say about that is "THAT'S JUST STUPID." As long as there are people who want coverage beyond basic and are willing to pay for it there will be providers who are willing to make a profit off of them, hurrah for capitalism. So it looks to me like if government-run healthcare goes through and private healthcare goes belly-up it will be b/c the complainers all jumped on the free government healthcare wagon after all, leaving private companies to flounder.
So what am I missing?
Surely all the squabble can't be because the haves just don't want to fund healthcare access for the have-nots. Surely those who have are not still buying into the myth that those who have not are all just a bunch of stupid, lazy n'er-do-wells, who need only to apply themselves to gain money, position, and abundant blessings. Surely the idea that those who can't afford something in the US are only in that position because they don't want to work for it is recognizable as the fallicious and even malicious thought that it is.
So what do you think?
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Self indulgence
OK, I'm one of the 15 million unemployed people in America, so I'm going to try blogging so I don't get depressed. I'm going to talk about things I like, things I don't like, and things I just can't stand. Like lawn work: I hate lawn work. The best thing about lawn work is getting it done and over with. One of the high points of my week is when I get the lawn work done so I don't have to worry about it for another week. I do it all by hand, b/c if I'm going to do it I might as well get some exercise out of it. And I hate power lawn equipment. Burn calories, not fossil fuels! Sometimes you have to use some of it, but I use a rotary hand-push mower, and even do the trimming by hand with a wonderful pair of Fisker's clippers. But what I hate most of all is those hellacious blowers. The things burn fossil fuels, polute the area with sound pollution, and put off noxious fumes just to blow hot air. How utterly stupid is that? I can understand (barely) the use of one of those in a commercial setting, but why on earth would any private homeowner need to use something like that? If you can't swing a broom you should be hiring someone to do your yard work or living in an assisted living facility.
So what do I like? Zombieland looks like fun. Anyone up for a matinee?
OK, I'm one of the 15 million unemployed people in America, so I'm going to try blogging so I don't get depressed. I'm going to talk about things I like, things I don't like, and things I just can't stand. Like lawn work: I hate lawn work. The best thing about lawn work is getting it done and over with. One of the high points of my week is when I get the lawn work done so I don't have to worry about it for another week. I do it all by hand, b/c if I'm going to do it I might as well get some exercise out of it. And I hate power lawn equipment. Burn calories, not fossil fuels! Sometimes you have to use some of it, but I use a rotary hand-push mower, and even do the trimming by hand with a wonderful pair of Fisker's clippers. But what I hate most of all is those hellacious blowers. The things burn fossil fuels, polute the area with sound pollution, and put off noxious fumes just to blow hot air. How utterly stupid is that? I can understand (barely) the use of one of those in a commercial setting, but why on earth would any private homeowner need to use something like that? If you can't swing a broom you should be hiring someone to do your yard work or living in an assisted living facility.
So what do I like? Zombieland looks like fun. Anyone up for a matinee?
Glee, anyone?
OK, so I heard a lot about this show "Glee" over the summer. Seems that one episode was produced at the end of the season as a "teaser" to get everyone all excited about watching it this year? Well, I watched it, and, yeah, I liked it, but not in an unqualified way. I mean, I'm happy for those people who do love it, but it didn't make me feel completely happy or nostalgic - in fact, it made me feel a little sad. Yeah, I was definately a "glee": I practically lived in the choir room. But I felt a little like one of those football jocks who sit and talk about their glory days on the field that will NEVER come again, while WE can sing our hearts out at least a couple of times a week at choir practice and church. But how odd that it's on on Wednesday night, which is generally choir practice night. And it also made me feel a little sad...because, even though we CAN sing on our own or at church, or even in a community choir, it's still not the same. And you KNOW all those chorus kids couldn't grow up to be chorus teachers, there wouldn't be room for them all!
Then there's the problem with the wife. She's just too self-centered to be funny to me. I know people like that, and they are NOT funny at all. And the counselor at the school who's got OCD? Is that supposed to be irony?
Then, on the episode tonight, the kids surprise their teacher by doing RAP at assembly. I'm sorry, but there was no singing in that. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I hate it, and I'll watch it again, but it's got a ways to go to convince me to become a fan.
So what do you think?
OK, so I heard a lot about this show "Glee" over the summer. Seems that one episode was produced at the end of the season as a "teaser" to get everyone all excited about watching it this year? Well, I watched it, and, yeah, I liked it, but not in an unqualified way. I mean, I'm happy for those people who do love it, but it didn't make me feel completely happy or nostalgic - in fact, it made me feel a little sad. Yeah, I was definately a "glee": I practically lived in the choir room. But I felt a little like one of those football jocks who sit and talk about their glory days on the field that will NEVER come again, while WE can sing our hearts out at least a couple of times a week at choir practice and church. But how odd that it's on on Wednesday night, which is generally choir practice night. And it also made me feel a little sad...because, even though we CAN sing on our own or at church, or even in a community choir, it's still not the same. And you KNOW all those chorus kids couldn't grow up to be chorus teachers, there wouldn't be room for them all!
Then there's the problem with the wife. She's just too self-centered to be funny to me. I know people like that, and they are NOT funny at all. And the counselor at the school who's got OCD? Is that supposed to be irony?
Then, on the episode tonight, the kids surprise their teacher by doing RAP at assembly. I'm sorry, but there was no singing in that. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I hate it, and I'll watch it again, but it's got a ways to go to convince me to become a fan.
So what do you think?
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