Really?

Back in the last 1980's Arsenio Hall had a late night talk show that included a monologue on "Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm?"

I have a few of those thing now too.

1.  What the hey is Benneton thinking with their ads featuring world leaders kissing.   For instance:

I may be alone here but I don't think this is at all respectful to any world office, and is absolutely not something I want my President featured in.  I'm not talking about the man, I'm talking about the position of President of the United States, period.  Man or woman.

2.  I watched a Dr. Phil I had DVR'd because he had Prosecutor Ashton on from the Casey Anthony trial.  I had seen a commercial where he asked "How did you get it so wrong?" about picking a jury.   He also had Mark Geragos from the Michael Jackson molestation case and Marcia Clark from the O.J. trial on as well.   The whole point is... Have you seen Macia Clark lately?

If he had not introduced her by name, I wouldn't have known who she was.  Now that I think about I don't look like I did back in 1995 either.  I look older.  She doesn't.  I'll drink that water.

3.  This one is more trivial, but if you are a DWTS fan, and those that are fans know that is "Dancing With the Stars".    I was a fan until this season which slipped about as far as they could go to call these contestants "Stars", so I haven't been watching.   But, I've still been hearing ans seeing my guy Maks, one of the Pros, behaving badly.   He's always been more verbal than the other Pros about the judges scores, but this season his criticism has been over the top, I feel.    I have a feeling his contract may not be renewed for the next season, which is too bad because he is one of the more popular Pros, but Maks, Maks, it's only dancing buddy.  Get over yourself.

4.  This last thing that makes me go hmmmmm is the Chevrolet Dealership where we've taken our car for work.  After  hurricane Irene came through but before we went to Savannah, I went to the dealership, sat for 2 1/2 hours to get a front end alignment and 2 new front tires.  2 Days ago Terry took the car to another service place for 4 new tires and another alignment.  The new tires were extremely worn in the same pattern as the first time.  That car sits in the driveway most of the week.  I don't go far  and rarely do we go far on the weekend.  We did take our trip south, but that's about it.  He doesn't  think the dealership did the alignment.  Now we're out $500.00 more.  I told him I would take it back to the dealership but he said they would just say we hit a hole or something  to cover their butts. 

Has something been making you go hmmmm too?   

The Cost of Convenience

This is me at 15 and this is pretty much where I spent my four years of high school.   On one side of the divider was the kitchen, as you can see, and on the other was the living room.  This was the only phone in the house so all those family members watching the only TV in the house were three feet from me.  There were no secrets.  No bad language.  I was free to talk until Mom got tired of listening to me or the TV watchers were bothered by the constant drone of conversation.

 My brother was once sitting on the living room side of that divider when my mother was washing dishes.  He said some smart comment to her so she took the glass she was washing, that was full of water, and soaked him good. 

We lived in a small town that had it's own phone system that made it impossible to call any other town without it being  long distance.     So, therefore, we did not call anywhere else unless you asked permission and it better be for a good reason.  Like someone died.   On Christmas my parents would call the grandparents and then pass the phone to us kids when they ran out of stuff to talk about.

Terry and I were talking yesterday about the high cost of living  we have now that our parents didn't have.  Things like cell phones are hugely expensive compared to their house phone bill.   We have not had a land line phone for about 8-10 years.   Our cell phones are more than double that land line charge. 

Then there is the cable and Internet bill.  Forget the Internet even.  Just go with your television cable bill.  Our parents had an antenna.  Do you remember when you could turn the dial and the thing would move?  That was high tech!    Once they bought the antenna, there was no other bill.

I would like to see the price comparison for an average date then and now, with allowance for today's dollar value.  The kind of date that teenage girl on the phone went on.  A regular go to a movie, get some popcorn and pop at the concession stand date.  I know Terry and I don't get refreshments at a movie unless there's a special of some sort.  My teenage dates were pumping gas or bagging groceries after school.  Some were working at the local orchard on weekends.  They didn't have much money.

It just costs more to live today.   There's gas....we know that's horrible.  Can you think of any other comparisons?