Thursday, March 28, 2013

Them That Gots Gets!

I was reading about the delayed New York bike sharing program on Gothamist today and the city put out a new map detailing where these bike shares will be available.  I didn't see any kiosks around where I live in Brooklyn (no surprise there).  The majority of the Brooklyn sites seemed to be around Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights.  But, as someone commented, "Them that gots gets" meaning those who have a lot get a lot.  Hello!  There are other parts of Brooklyn!  Kensington may not be Williamsburg (and thank God it isn't), but I suspect people around here would use a bike rental service if available.  I know I would.  I'm hoping if this thing ever gets off the ground I'll at least be able to rent a bike somewhere around Prospect Park.  Wouldn't it make sense to put bike rentals near the park where there are actual bike lanes?  I guess the powers that be are too busy trying to appeal to the hipster and moneyed crowd rather than serving the needs of Brooklynites who might actually appreciate these kind of services.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Man Panties

The new issue of Rolling Stone is out and Jon Hamm is on the cover looking very Don Draper-ish.  Hamm's been getting a lot of press lately about his tendancy to go without underwear and in the interview, he said he's not happy about it.  (If you haven't seen any of Hamm's crotch shots, they're all over the Internet.  All you have go to is Google "Hammaconda" or "Hamm Dong" and the stories will come to you fast and furious.)  Let me say that I like Jon Hamm.  If he came to me and said, "Kim, I want you" I'm pretty sure my response would be, "Okay!"  I still can't believe he's older than I am (one year, but still).  He seems like a nice guy, he's good looking, he's from the Midwest, and he's funny (when he's allowed to actually cut loose on Saturday Night Live or 30 Rock or Bridesmaids).

But I digress.  This post is about Jon's underwear problem.  According to gossip reports, he's refusing to wear man panties while filming the latest season of Mad Men and his freeballing is causing problems on the set.  If I could talk to Hamm, I'd say, "Jon, baby, put on some drawers when you're at work.  If you want to go commado off the clock, then do so, but when you're on the job, wear some undies.  It's the right thing to do.  It's the sanitary thing to do!  Think of the children!"  Okay, maybe that last line would go, but you get the general idea.  I don't think it's unreasonable to ask someone to wear underwear on the job.  But what are the Mad Men folks going to do?  Fire Don Draper?  I don't think so and neither, apparently, does Jon Hamm.   

Monday, March 25, 2013

Kindle Sample Complaint

Before I start complaining, let me just say that I love my Kindle and I love the fact that I can get samples of books on my Kindle to read before I decide if I want to purchase a book.  However, I recently got samples from two books I was considering purchasing and both of the samples were filled with lengthy introductions rather than actual book chapters.  This is so frustrating!  When I get a sample downloaded, I don't want to read some critical analysis of the work, I want to read the work itself.  Give me the first chapter, not some blowhard's discussion of how "groundbreaking" the novel was for its time. 

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Do the Time or Pay the Fine?

A guy seated next to me on the F train was talking rather loudly to his friend across the aisle about going to court and being given the choice to do 20 days in jail or pay a fine of $680.  I don't know what kind of crime he had committed, but it must not have been too serious given that he had a choice whether to do time or pay a fine.  I'm sure most folks would choose to just pay the fine.  However, maybe a little time behind bars would help a person to get it together mentally.  Personally, as someone who is terribly claustrophobic, I doubt I'd choose to do the time, but if I didn't have this phobia, I'd probably do the time and try to use those twenty days of incarceration to reflect on what I'd done and how I was going to work to improve my life once I got out. 

Monday, March 18, 2013

Oversharing

One of the big stories in the news around New York today involves the Fire Commissioner's idiot son and his derogatory Tweets against blacks, Jewish folks, and women. Why do people feel the need to share every thought with others via Twitter, Facebook, and other social media outlets?  There is such a thing as oversharing.  Maybe it's not wise to put every opinion you have online.  The Fire Commissioner's son found this out the hard way since he's now resigned from his job after his awful Tweets were brought to light.  I have no sympathy for this guy.  He's getting all the grief he deserves.  However, his swift downfall should be used as an example for others.  It's a brave new world, people.  You're free to have your say online, but just remember that your words can come back and bite you in the ass, too.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Please Stand Clear of the Closing Doors

When I got on the elevator to leave work this evening, I was alone and I thought I'd be riding down from the 45th Floor to the lobby alone.  But the elevator stopped on some floor in between...and no one got on.  So I waited for the doors to close, but then, at the last minute, I heard someone running for the doors.  The doors started to close and what did I do?  Did I reach for the button to keep the doors open? No.  Did I reach for the button to close the doors?  No.  Instead, I did nothing.   The runner did squeeze a hand through the crack in the doors and they sprung open and she was able to get on the elevator.  She gave me a dirty look when she saw me, too.  I'm sure she was angry that I hadn't opened the doors for her.  I should have done that, but I didn't.  I just didn't feel like it.  I'm sorry.  Some days, I'm not courteous.  Maybe tomorrow if someone's running for the elevators and I'm near the buttons, I'll hold the doors open.  Then again, maybe I won't.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Marilyn Monroe

I saw a headline in the Internet somewhere about someone finding the lost diary of Marilyn Monroe.  I cannot understand the fascination with Marilyn Monroe.  Granted, she lived and died before I was born so maybe that has something to do with my lack of understanding about her.  She was an actress who possibly (probably) had an affair with a president and died too young.  She had a tumultuous life. Okay.  Does this mean we need a new book on the market every year or so about her?  Does this mean more articles need to be written about her?   Haven't this woman's bones been picked clean already?  What more is there to say? 

Monday, March 11, 2013

Suck It, Bloomberg!

So a NY Supreme Court judge overturned Bloomberg's ban on big soda pop that was supposed to go into effect tomorrow.  Rock on, Judge Tingling!  This judge realized that the ban was so subjective and half-assed that it wouldn't really do anything to reduce obesity.  How can you ban a big sized Coke at McDonald's while ignoring some caramel-whip cream topped drink from Starbucks?  It makes no sense!  Some of those coffee drinks have just as much sugar and calories as a soft drink, yet they weren't banned because you can add your own sugar to coffee drinks.  Right. 

Yes, Americans have a weight problem.  I would like to drop some pounds myself (and I'm working to do that), but banning large soft drinks won't stop the problem.  People have to take control of their own lives.  Bloomberg should focus on doing something meaningful in his last term.  Kids graduate from NY public schools not being able to read or write.  What is he doing about that?  Rents are out of control in the city.  What is he doing about helping to get some affordable housing around here?  Instead, he's too busy worrying about how much Coke someone is drinking.  Sad.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Theater Kids

I went to an alumni function for my undergraduate alma mater, Wayne State University tonight. I enjoy attending functions sponsored by the alumni association and since they don't have a ton of functions in New York, I think it's good to attend the ones they do have in town. Tonight's function featured several small acting skits and songs performed by graduating theater students. The students were great and so young. It was all very Glee-like. Everyone can't be on Broadway, but I hope these kids end up doing what they love for a living regardless of where the future leads them.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Brooklyn is a Deathtrap!

The streets of Brooklyn are dangerous and I'm not talking about the persistent crime.  I'm talking about the vehicular accidents.  Rarely a week passes without hearing that someone got mowed down by a speeding driver in the borough.  When I heard about the tragic accident over the weekend with the young couple and their unborn child, I was not surprised that it happened in Brooklyn.  People simply drive too fast here.  I don't know why they feel like the highly residential streets are a speedway or the Autobahn.  I think the high fatalities occur because (A) people are just driving too fast and (B) many of these drivers are simply bad drivers because they learned to drive at such a late age and, therefore, haven't had years of experience driving or learned to drive in some country where the driving rules are a lot more relaxed (if there are any rules at all).  I frequently see people running lights and speeding between lights and stop signs in Brooklyn.  During the six months when I had my car in the city before I sold it, I feared for my life behind the wheel.  Drivers were out of control.  I still fear for my life, but now I fear for it while I'm on foot.  Just crossing the street around here means taking your life in your hands. 

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Farewell, Warm Delights!

In my effort to try and drop some pounds, I'm giving up the tasty Warm Delights microwave cakes that I love so much (along with other sweet foods full of sugar and goodness). The Warm Delights cakes were becoming harder and harder to find. So farewell, Warm Delights. Maybe we'll meet again once I lose some weight.