June 2008

So Earl and I needed a few items from the market to get us through the weekend to our traditional grocery day. I had a total of 12 items on my list. Back in the late 1990s we could go to “Great American”, a chain of relatively small neighborhood markets. It was a little more expensive (as the stores were locally owned) than the big box stores, but it was convenient and it was always busy when we went in there. (It was also the site of the Great Chip Incident of 1999 but we’ll save that for another blog entry).

In the early oughts it was decided that two Wal*Mart Supercenters within 10 miles of our home was not enough and therefore two more were built. So, we now have four; within 25 miles of our home we have FIVE Wal*Mart Supercenters. Now THAT is selection. I hate them.

Unable to compete with these monstrosities, as well as the larger big-box grocery stores that surround the closest Wal*mart (“Always White Trash, Always”), Great American subsequently closed. The building was torn down and it was replaced by a gym that only opens between 9 and 5 on weekdays. So when we need something from the store, we are left with two choices, grab it at the local convenience store where everything is VERY expensive or drive eight miles to one of the big box grocery stores. These stores are so large you have to take a bus to get from produce to dairy. It’s not convenient and you have to deal with all the traffic that surrounds the big box arena in a local suburb.

All I want is a place where I can pick up a few items. We live in a large town, I can’t be the only person to feel this way. If we were to win the lottery tonight I would push to have a neighborhood market built right here in our lovely neighborhood.

Until then, I hate grocery shopping.

I don’t know why we call a certain genre of television “reality television”. Who in their right mind thinks that what they see on a reality tv show is real? Are there people out there that really think that network X scooped Joe Citizen off the street to make him star? Please.

I was folding laundry and turned on TV Land hoping to catch an episode of something classic: “The Munsters”, “Leave It To Beaver”, “I Dream of Jeannie”, something nostalgic. Apparently TV Land has shucked the whole nostalgia angle because now they’re showing “She’s Got The Look”, a reality tv show aimed at making women over 35 into models. They scooped them right off the street.

Yeah, right.

As I tuned into the middle of tonight’s episode, a very angry barely-female looking woman was ranting and raving about not being understood. She had a lot to say about stereotypes and how the world is superficial and no one gets her. It would have been somewhat interesting and mildly amusing if I hadn’t seen it LAST year when she gave the SAME speech dressed up some superhero, I think it was “The Shrill”, on “Who Wants To Be A Superhero?” And yet we see another duplicated real person on a reality tv show. Remember that Man-Beast Toni who was on “Love Cruise” and then “Paradise Hotel”? You know, that ugly chick on steroids with the bugged-out eyes¹. She made her rounds on the reality TV shows and now she’s gone.

We can only hope that Paula, a.k.a. “The Shrill” meets the same fate.

And while I’m ragging on TV Land and their as of late idiotic programming, I know that I have mentioned how much I dislike the ads for medicine on television before. I don’t know what the latest miracle drug was for (maybe it was another one to make taking a dump more comfortable) but one of the listed side effects was an “irritated pancreas”. “If you have an irritated pancreas you should consult your physician.” What the hell does an irritated pancreas feel like? I’m not even sure I could point to where my pancreas is. I’m pretty sure it’s in the torso. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone in a grocery store say, “I should eat more brussel sprouts to help my irritated pancreas.”

And while I’m having a fit about these stupid drug commercials, for the love of all that is worthy would someone please pull those damned medical ads from the movie theatre chain preview shows? I have yet to see someone abandon their popcorn and intended movie to run out and have an MRI. “My GOD I haven’t had an MRI in years! I must leave!” Or those varicose vein ads – “Someone please get rid of these varicose veins right now!” It’s disgusting and detracts from the enjoyment of popcorn, M&Ms and Raisinettes.

Thank you.

¹ Wow, I’m a little harsh tonight!