Hyper-reality

Okay, so I've noticed that more and more celebrities are getting their own reality tv shows. There was Paris and Nicole, Britney and K-Fed, Hulk Hogan, Kathy Griffith, the list goes on and on. Now Posh Spice has her own show. Honestly folks, are we that desperate for entertainment that we have to watch a former Spice Girl/soccer star wife shop and complain about how much work she has to do in a day? I'll admit that I haven't watched it because a) I'm not into soccer, b) didn't especially enjoy the Spice Girls in their heyday, and c) don't want to depress myself by watching the super rich shop and buy and complain about how they don't have enough Rolexes and Ferraris and how hard their life is.

Can we get beyond this? I'd rather watch the people stuck in a house on that Big Brother show do nothing than watch some of this garbage. Maybe it's just me.

Enough venting at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com

Good Hair Day

So I got the hair done last night. It turned out pretty good considering I thought I would like this:

Thankfully, it didn't. I went to a cosmotology school to have it done. I know what you're thinking, was I smoking crack? Not so much. I've only been there once before, for the perm that I had straightened last night, and other than it taking 5 hours for her to roll all my hair, it turned out okay. I say take as long as you need when it only costs $30 to get it done. I couldn't get my hair cut for that much at a snooty salon.

I'll admit that I had a couple of moments of wondering if my hair would fall out or turn green or some other hair nightmare, but I was pleasantly surprised. She did a really good job, and they got to learn something new as apparently no one else has come in there asking for a straight perm (or a straightening, not sure on the terminology). I gave a rather generous tip considering how little the service cost, but I would happily go back for hair cuts, highlights, etc. Just don't give me the girl whose hair was looking so rough she wore a baseball cap.

Not a good sign at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com

I've come to realize that this blog has become my outlet to basically complain and gripe about various things that irk me. So be it. One of these things is that I would like someone to tell me the truth once in a while. What brought this on you ask? Pull up a chair dear reader and let me regale you with the story of my hubby's car.

So it started with my husband's Jetta not starting so well. He decided that it must be the battery. So he takes out the battery (much yelling and cursing involved), buys a new battery, and in the process of reinstalling said battery breaks a small T-bolt thing that hooks the battery cable to the battery. This piece of metal is only a couple of inches long and looks to cost about two dollars. Was I able to purchase this piece from the local auto parts store? No, of course not. Have to go to the dealership for this thing. So I wait until this morning and schlog myself to the VW dealership to be told that they don't have any in stock. Yippee. I have to wait until tomorrow. I then proceed to contact a VW dealership not too much farther away to ask if they have any in stock. I am then told that I can't buy the little bolt by itself. I have to buy a whole new cable assembly. Double yippee. When I call to check with the first dealership, I'm told that I don't have to buy the whole assembly, I can buy the little bolt. Now why would they tell me I have to buy the assembly do you think? Oh yeah, to totally rip me off. 'Tis the American Way apparently. Has this happened before? Why yes, yes it has. Broke my dad's sideview mirror on his truck so of course I had to replace it. When I called the dealership, I was told because it was a heated mirror, I would need to replace the entire housing which was roughly $250. After I stopped choking on my shock, I called another dealership. This dealership told me, no I could just replace the mirror glass for approximately $35. Quite the difference. Is it me? Is there something in my voice that screams, "Sucker here for the taking"? Just wondering.

Totally not falling for it at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com.

Driving Update

So I live in the retirement capital of the world. We know this already. My irk is that while driving to work this morning, in a 55 mph zone mind you, I and many others were stuck driving, wait for it...a whopping 45 mph. Was there an accident? Construction Zone? Nope, three lanes of traffic all going the same speed because the three geniuses at the front of each lane decided to go exactly the same speed as each other. Classic.

If you are uncomfortable driving the posted speed limit, don't get on the roads. It's not like the Autobahn; we do have reasonable speeds expected of all drivers. Also, if there is no one ahead of you, but you look in your rearview mirror and see a neverending line of cars, chances are you're the problem. Speed up or get over. Ugh! And people wonder why there are so many cases of road rage. I'm pretty sure it's because of these folks.

Breathe in, breathe out at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com.

More than meets the eye...or not.

Hey all you movie buffs (I include myself in this group), I saw Transformers yesterday. Nothing says celebrate the independence of our country from English tyranny like watching CGI aliens battle it out for a CGI cube as they turn into cars, jets and tanks.

I remember the toys and the cartoon from when I was younger. I could only successfully transform Bumblebee as he only required three or so motions to get him from VW Beetle to robot. All others were beyond my limited mechanical capabilities. On this note, when they originally introduced Bumblebee was a Beetle, Megatron was a gun, and Soundwave was a boombox that had the nifty tapes that turned into a dog, a little guy, and a bird. Not so much anymore. Megatron is now a jet, Soundwave is a little annoying spider looking robot, and good ol' Bumblebee is a Camaro. Not only that, but he starts out as a late 70's, early 80's crappy Camaro and by the end of the movie is a rockin' 2009 Camaro. Gone is the little Beetle. Why you ask? Because the movie is basically a multi-million (maybe billion) dollar GM commercial. Don't get me wrong, the vehicles are smokin' hot, but the dialogue leaves a lot to be desired. Way too many over the top cheesy lines and not enough good comedy or drama. The car pees on someone in the movie, for God's sake! I liked Shia, and who doesn't like Josh Duhamel (pretty hot) but it wasn't enough to make it worth standing in line and shelling out 15 bucks to see again.

Waiting for the DVD at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com.

Happy 4th of July Eve!

We have reached the point in the year where we as Americans celebrate our independence. How do we do this you ask? By gathering with friends and family, watching parades and baseball games, eating barbecue and gazing at fireworks which dance across the night skies. Sorry if I wax a bit nostalgic, but I have good memories of the 4th of July doing exactly what I previously listed.

Being a band geek, we had to march in parades early in the morning before it got too hot and sticky. Then we would watch my little brother's little league games. Afterwards, or during depending on the schedule, we would gather with friends and family for grilling (I'll bring the potato salad!) where we would pig out on hamburgers, hot dogs and chips. After a full day of events, we would gather around the high school football field to watch the fireworks. Not impressive by big city standards, but still good nonetheless. Generally, we just tried to not poke each other in the eye with sparklers. Good times, good times.

I now find myself older, and hopefully wiser, and unfortunately more cynical. I hear Independence Day and I think of all the soldiers that are unable to be with their loved ones because they're overseas, either in a combat zone or not. I'm sure they're seeing fireworks they would rather not be seeing. I wish them the best, and pray for their safe return.

Make sure there's an extinguisher nearby at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com.

Die Hard...Again?

So went to the movies this weekend and saw Live Free or Die Hard. I'll admit that I was skeptical as sequels tend to suck and this was sequel number 3. I was pleasantly surprised that it was entertaining on top of the shooting and explosions that are requisite of all action movies. Who can deny loving the whole "Yipey kiyay mother f*&#*$!" Classic Bruce!

In case you haven't read anything about this sequel, a cyberterrorist is holding America hostage for some cash. As Bruce says, "It's always about the money." While the actuality of this happening would hopefully be unlikely, it does make one wonder. If a computer hacker really wanted it to happen, what kind of contingency plan does the government have? As Justin Long's character states to John McClane's same question, "It took FEMA five days to get water to the Superdome." How long would it take the red tape mongers to fix something of this magnitude? Who'da thunk it, a Die Hard movie making me think. What's next, Britney Spears spouting philisophical theories? Yeah, I didn't think so either.

You killed a helicopter with a car at life.sa.laugh@hotmail.com.