dvd

the first dvd player I owned was not only second-hand, but it was an early generation, manufactured in 1996. that player made it to '06 before being riddled with old age and skips.
in '06, we bought a new dvd unit from the store. there started to be a few glitches about 6 months in. and in the past two months, a rash of consistent errors has plagued the machine.
it irks me, personally, that this machine is showing signs of failure in one-fifth the lifetime than it's predecessor did--yet, logic tells me to view this as an isolated incident and not to drag down the whole system with our single experience of product-performance malcontent. however, once I became vocal regarding these erred symptoms, a chorus of other similar voices chimed in and echoed a myriad of kindred problems with their dvd players as well.
perhaps we're all just homebodies who put too many miles on our units, or perhaps the failing machines are more a result of consumer-demand for cheaper electronics that just don't fit the bill for quality goods.

netflix

recently, we have been the joyful recipient of that click on a movie and find in your mailbox online service. i have to say that we are most pleased with the benefits that netflix brings. including the ability to watch a vast selection of online offerings whilst you await your next film.

we have long been advocates of the local independent video store and all the glory that usually comes with them. alas, our new local video store is the most dysfunctinal and ill-conceived operational model that one could conceptualize for a rather simple service.

i long held it a given that when one enters a video store, they hunt through the isles and come up with a film box or two that will suffice for the evening. you take the box to the front to retrieve the film and pay. you get the movie and go home, right? not at this vid store.

they run chaotically. you don't pull the movie box from the shelf. therefore, there is no guarantee that the movie that you select will be available or not. this wouldn't be such a pain in the arse if it were not for the customers who have learned this model and who will walk in from the street and go straight in line. the lines here typically take a minimum of 20 minutes to weed through, btw. the reason for this wait is that each of these folks begins a dialog with the video clerk as to which movies they wish to see, then the clerk looks up the films--sometimes with only vague tips from the patron as to who plays in them or the general plot. this customer service nightmare can last several minutes per patron. ugh!

last weekend, a. and i went to said store for the last time. we waited in line behind a total of 4 other customers and i watched the clock as my blood pressure rose. it took a heafty 28 minutes to get two movies-- and get this, the one that we really wanted was out. again, if the g-damn box was off the shelf and we were able to make an educated decision based on deductive movie availability reasoning, we would have selected something else. eff this video store, i tell you. and thank you corporate online netflix.

nearly new years

i have always found new years eve to be an overinflated holiday. so much hype, so much build-up, it is destined for a sub-par letdown. i guess that a majority of this could be blamed on the movies and television. ahh, the famous ball drop. big deal.

and don't get me started on new years resolutions. what a bunch of hooey. if you really don't have enough control of your free will to direct yourself the other three-sixty-plus days of the year, then why delude yourself to think that change will take place just by dangling a golden carrot out in front of you on dec. 31?

all bitterness and frustration aside, new years can be a turning of the calendar to reflect upon. to recollect the passing of time, to take inventory of your life, to celebrate or mourn in your own personal way. 07 was a fine year. a wonderful year. i am confident that 08 will bring new challenges, excitement, hurdles, and opportunities.

to my dear friends and family, i wish you the best of all that you wish to take on in the new year.

oh, jeebus...

baltimore, i hang my head in shame. you'll never get your act together, will you? this random beating on the no.27 mta bus through our beloved hampden scars my view of the city that i adore and have faith in. take responsibility of your actions, educate yourselves, and get your shit together, b-more.

too much leftover cake

i have made myself sick on vegan chocolate cake 4x in the past week. today, i polished off the last bits for breakfast and the guilt of gluttony lingers with me as the echo of the sugar-high resounds through my veins. no, i will never learn.

public priorities

i feel the need to express my unrest on the subject of the new google feature that ranks the most searched queries on g-trends. now it is not really the tracking of these stats that concerns me, but the rampant presence of pop culture reality tv iconography that seems to bring people to search for more answers and information on such trivial drivel.

in my opinion, based on this information and the countless millions of cell phone votes that these shows receive every night, the '08 presidential election should be a reality show itself-- "america's next president." we may actually see a majority voter turn-out for that one--as well as scrutiny of the candidates within a platform of voting people off the island or off the stage in a way that we the people seem to understand.

blinded

i detest general overhead lighting. the blinding glow of incandescence from a light fixture suspended in the middle of the ceiling; the off-white strobe flicker from the fluorescent tubes--ugh.

these things have purpose, yes, but i greatly prefer the subdued canned spot lighting that has purpose yet is tame. better yet, lamps. shaded lamps are the bomb. soothing, warm light with utility.