New TV Show - The Neighbors

I am so excited new sitcoms are finally being produced.  The "reality show" seems to be here to stay as yet more and more keeping rolling out.  I'm fairly sure they've reached their apex, but I doubt they will ever go away.  They're just much too popular.  Unfortunately, TV execs latched onto this hot format at the expense, and near death, of the old standby sitcom.

The Big Bang Theory was the lone funny show for far too long.  Others tried and failed.  Then Raising Hope and another show Mike and Molly came out.  I was almost surprised when friends and coworkers also followed these shows.  By the way, if you haven't seen these two, and you really enjoy sitcoms, look them up.  Oh, and Two Broke Girls, that's funny too.

Last night I happened across another one, The Neighbors.  It's brand new and is pretty funny.  It makes me think of Coneheads without extra cranium space.  A human couple has moved into a neighborhood inhabited by extra-terrestrials.   All of the aliens have sportstar names, like Jackie Joyner-Kersey and Larry Bird.  Hubby thought it was stupid, I heehawed all the way through.  It has promise, I hope they keep up the momentum.

Sad Over Davy

I think I remember someone saying something about being "old" when your teen icons start to die off.  Okay, I'm not quite there yet, but my first crush, Davy Jones died yesterday.  Granted I was only a preschooler when I fell for the quirky guy with a British accent, but it doesn't erase the devastation.

That Davy died wasn't enough, but talking to coworkers a generational rift came to the surface.  "WHO?"

Well shit.

Once I said "The Monkees" realization dawned upon them and they shared my sadness.  Further discussion ensued and it was clear that to a younger crowd "Davy Jones" inspires immediate thoughts of SpongeBob.  That defined the line between us and them, the young and the not-so-young.

A Facebook battle came about as one coworker tried to use this to define ethnic or cultural differences since I wasn't nearly as distraught over Whitney passing.  Maybe there could be some truth to that, but let's compare apples to apples, okay?

Whitney has only been in my life since I was a young adult.  While I loved her voice, I never wanted to kiss her or tried to see how my name would look if we got married and I took her last name.   I didn't have a crush on her.  I just liked her music.  A lot.  Davy has been with me since I was a wee tot.  I'm sure I kissed the TV set when he was on and he IS the reason I love men with Brittish accents.  I have an emotional attachment to the man, and I am truly sad he's gone.

I'm in mourning.

So if you'll excuse me, I'll be busy listening to Daydream Believer, Last Train to Clarksville, and one of my all-time favorite songs, the theme to the Monkees.  And I will listen to them over and over bawling my eyes out because Davy is gone, never able to give me that one kiss and a toothy smile in person.  Anyone who mentions SpongeBob in my year of mourning will find a square sponge promptly shoved up their ass, damn youngsters.

Farewell Davy, I loved you.

Adam-12

It finally happened.  Yesterday, I made a reference to something that the under-35 crowd didn't understand.

The night before I heard the "N" word said on Adam-12.  Someone at the lunch table had a perplexed look, interrupted the conversation and asked, "what's Adam-12?"

And then three more people chimed in, "yeah, what is that?"

Oh holy shit.  These people are too young to have heard of it, let alone watched it. 

Of course, they could accidentally see Adam-12 on cable, unlike me who willingly watches it.  But who would want to watch an early 1970's cop show other than old people with a sense of nostalgia?

I bet those wippersnappers haven't watched Emergency either. 

Friday Fragments - Dec 9, 2011

When the pudding cup is filled with liquid that sloshes back and forth, it's just a guess that maybe you shouldn't eat it.  ~count this as a friendly, helpful tip~  So I didn't open the buldging top and just tossed it right into the trash.

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 I really hate the news stations.  I watch both local and national news.  They always glom onto a set of few topics and drive them into the ground.  St. Louis news is all atwitter over Albert Pujohls accepting LA's bigass contract  (baseball, in case you don't know/care).  They are so worked up they can barely squeeze in the weather report.  It's going to be huge news here for a while.

I just watched my recorded sunday morning shows and saw a quick, barely 3 second report about a WWII mine found in the Rhine River.   THAT is interesting.  Who cares if it isn't something unfolding on our soil?  Give me more information.  I think they said something about evacuating the town so they can detonate it.  This is huge.  And yet I'm getting play by play of anything Kardashian - WHO THE HELL CARES?  And for those who do care, there are plenty of ways to fulfill the last three minutes of their lives.  Ugh.

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 My Nashville trip has been postponed yet again.  Bummer.  But that's okay, I have plenty of other things to fill my time.  I'm a little frustrated because no one really took the lead in getting this trip put together so I was patting myself on the back for coordinating everything instead of waiting until the last minute as would have happened if the other participants had stepped up.  So instead, nearly in the last hour, it was decided for reasons beyond our preparation to hold off.  Maddening.

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 I saw Santa Claus walking out of Burger King last night.  Red suit and all.  He lingered around a pickup truck and then crossed the lot.  I bet he was waiting for his ride to swoop down from the roof of Bed Bath and Beyond.  Just guessing.

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Words With Friends.   OMG.  1) I wondered how I hadn't sought out this incredibly popular game  2) oh yeah, my easily-addicted-to-games personality.  Oh holy shit, I'm having fun.  I might have to download it on one of my other facebook accounts... er, my husband's account.  Did I mention how easily I get addicted to games?  Yeah, this girl?  Totally mastered Zelda.  Twice.  Zelda One AND Zelda Two... twice.

Oh, yeah, I assume you know what I'm talking about, but maybe you've been hiding like I was.  Scrabble.  AWESOME!  It's not a timed game so you can play a word and then go brush your teeth, work 8 hours, fix dinner, eat it and then hope your opponent played their word so you get your turn.    I was playing it on my iPhone but it was draining the battery something fierce.  My brilliant son suggested I find if there's an app for our iPad.  TA DA!  AND it's easier for my squinty eyes to read.

PS.  If I gave birth to you and you happen to be reading this, PLAY WITH ME.  I know you own an iPad, be nice to your old mom, let me kick your arse with triple point words containing V.

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There you go, a truly fragmented post (sorry I wasn't very fragmenty for the past several Fridays).  Check out all of the other fragmenters...

 

Royal Wedding

Do you care?

Most people in my circle not only don't care, but really wish the news would quit reporting every single fart from Will and Kate.  Most would rather watch Charlie Sheen rant and sink further into his psychosis than learn about any wedding preparations.  Me?  Totally love it... and quite honestly, I wish for Charlie's sake someone would lock him away because the cameras are feeding his frenzy and only hurting him further.  This is a family issue and the public needs to back off or we're going to see him planted six foot under quite shortly.

But back to the royals.... love them.  I sat up to watch Charles and Diana's wedding.  Because it was the day after my birthday I can tell you their anniversary was July 29 1982.  I also watched Sarah and Andrew's wedding.  And I cried when Diana died, bawled like a baby when I watched her funeral - her sons walking behind her casket totally did me in. 

I'm not a fanatic.  I won't be buying any souvenirs and certainly not that fake ass ring that's advertised all over TV - FUGLY.  I doubt I will be attending any royal watching parties, but I'm pretty sure I will park my ass in front of the TV despite the bitching and moaning of males in my home.  I just love the whole idea of being a princess - you'll have to take it up with my inner four year old.

Dear TV Set Designers

Dear TV Set Designers,

Please leave New York City and the surrounding New England area for a little jaunt across the country.  Visit suburbia and take a gander at the homes the rest of us live in.  Not everyone lives in a two story house or apartment.   Surprisingly, a good deal of middle class Americans reside in single-story ranch houses built during the post-war frenzy of the 40's, 50's and 60's.

It's great that TV shows like Raising Hope and My Name Is Earl show characters living in single story homes, but seriously, more than the down-trodden call the suburban ranch "home."  Over the past 44 years I have lived in 1 college dormitory, 4 apartments, and TWELVE houses.  All of the houses I lived in were single story ranch or "bungalows".  Five of those houses had a basement.  Not a single one had an "upstairs", not even a renovated attic.  Not one.

Yes, yes, I know, the building craze of the last twenty years has rejected the suburban ranch for sprawling two story houses (all equipped with "great rooms" and open kitchens), but the older neighborhoods are still standing strong.

Thank You,
A Regular TV Viewer

PS  Happy, quiet, middle class neighborhoods (old and new) are devoid of classic colonials with the stoic, white columns and vast lawns as seen in Risky Business and  (movie, I know, but it's a pe


Help me out regular readers - exactly what style of home do you live in?

Hellooooo Winnie The Pooh!

In other words, this is a very blustery day. 

I slept through the big gusts, but my son heard it.  This morning the trees are swaying like crazy and news is reporting bits of damage all through the St. Louis area.  The storm has passed us but is gathering strength so Illinois and Indiana are going to get pummeled later today.  Hang on y'all and stay safe!

Happy reminder - tonight is the Rocky Horror version of Glee!  Of course I agreed to attend a candle party so I guess I'll watch it tomorrow morning.  How on earth did I survive before Tivo?

Rocky Horror

Do you watch Glee?  I do.

Have you seen Rocky Horror?  I have.

Aren't you excited as all get-out that the Glee cast is going to do Rocky Horror on the next episode????  I AM!

St. Louis, actually University City, used to host Saturday night showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show complete with hardcore regulars dressed up and re-enacting the entire movie.  My boyfriend at the time claimed to have seen it over 100 times.  He took my virgin self along with best bud, Piranha, for an eye-popping experience.  OH MY!  And I loved every second. 

I loved the music and I loved the crowd.  Years later when I saw the movie on video, sitting in my boring livingroom, EW.  The movie SUCKED.  There is just no way to fully appreciate RHPS without the dressed up crowd tossing toast and rice, screaming out alterations to the script.

Next Tuesday I will have the TV cranked and will be singing along at the top of my lungs.  Quite excited.  My husband?  Not a fan.  He doesn't get it, he never had the live experience.  The music?  Annoys him. 

Sucks to be him next Tuesday!  Because THIS will make me happy and he will do whatever it takes to make me happy, even sitting through the worst TV show EVER  re-enacting the worst movie EVER.  He loves me. 

I'm sure I'll be dancing the Time Warp right in the middle of my boring livingroom.


SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

PBS National Parks

I dearly love and adore PBS. They have the most interesting programs. The most recent is a set of documentaries by Ken Burns about America's National Parks. The history geek in me has thoroughly enjoyed learning the history behind the formation of our national parks. The tourist in me has enjoyed the pictorial display and the many memories it spawned.

Granted I haven't been to many of the national parks, but my most favorite memories are usually in a park of some sort whether it be a city park, a state park, a national park, or just an outdoorsy tourist trap. I've enjoyed them all. It would be cool to visit all of the national parks. I think there's a club for that. I know you can get a season pass good for any national park. Maybe one day...

In the meantime I'm happy to have seen the places that I have:

Bonneville Salt Flats
Crater Lake - you will never regret making a trip to Crater Lake. It is so big and so beautiful. It also means a trip to Oregon and that is always a good idea!
The Grand Canyon... okay I've been in a pissy mood both times I've visited this fantastic location so I'm not sure if it's the excruciating drive there or what, but I'm glad I've been just the same.
The Gateway Arch... as a St. Louisan it's mandatory to make this visit, but really, it's cool. I love standing under it and looking up.
The Redwoods
This was a small detour after leaving Crater Lake, I don't remember the name. A small picnic area and waterfall. I doubt it is even a state park, but glorious, simple and beautiful.
Multnomah Falls... this is possibly one of my most favorite places on the Earth. Again, in Oregon. Seriously, visit Oregon. It is beautiful.
I don't think I understand people who don't find pleasure in these places. Each park has its own beauty. Most bring a sense of awe, some allow you a chance to meditate, others simple pleasure. I hope I get to add many more parks to my resume.

No Cable

I live under a rock. There are whole conversations that I can never participate in because I don't have cable. (((SHOCK))) How the hell can I function without ever seeing Sex In the City, Sopranos or South Park? To be honest I do feel deprived. But somehow I manage to string my days together and survive just the same.

For the most part, the decision to live sans cable has been financial. My AOL subscription is about the only luxury I've allowed myself. But it's also because I'm such a TV junkie. I doubt if I had 24 hour access to the History Channel that I would ever pry my ass off the couch. I can see calling in sick to work because I just came off a Cooking Channel flan marathon and need some sleep. Eventually I would lose my job and get behind on my cable bill and then be in the same boat I am now with no cable, but also no job, and curled up in the corner, shaking from withdrawl, because I can't watch the lastest episode of some ghost buster show.

It's clearly in my best interests that I subsist on Free TV. Being hooked on Grey's Anatomy, Desparate Housewives, Medium, and Boston Legal consumes enough of my time as it is. Having Grey's bumped for the Oscars threw me into a tizzy. Last night I went on a rampage looking for a shadow box that I hadn't seen since I moved two years ago (I knew it made the move, I could not have left it at the old house!). Fortunately I found the shadowbox, but I also missed Medium. DAMMIT!

But all is not lost. Sex In The City, Sopranos, and South Park have come out on DVD. Us under-rock dwellers who have managed to come into possession of a DVD player can finally be let in on the secret. Albeit 5 years after the fact.