2/12/06--it was long ago, when the world was a different place

And an 8 year kid who was living in Key West, Florida first started following football.

1969 Minnesota Vikings-NFL Champs!

2/6/06---Wife #1=the big N.C.

The big N.C.?   "No class".  So my neighbor at work, Leslie....who's black....tells me a great story today.  It seems that her next door neighbor had been called for jury duty and lo & behold ends up in the courtroom of the beloved former Mrs. Me #1.
Well Leslie didn't get a chance to find out if her neighbor had been selected or not, so she goes over to the beloved former and asks:

"I was just wondering if my neighbor had been selected on your jury."

The ex replies....as only she can----

"Well how would I know?  I had more than one black person on my jury."

Leslie looks at her and says...
"Um...my neighbor is WHITE."

In the immortal words of Homer J Simpson:
DOH!

Open mouth...insert foot.  What a dumbass.
Folks, she didn't learn that shit from me, I'll tell ya that.

Later,
Jeff

2/4/06--more adventures in home furnishings

So I'm sure you'll remember our last entry, in which I detailed our evening spent in search of a new television.  We also purchased a slightly larger entertainment center that evening, complete with assurances that it would be delivered on Saturday---the day before the arrival (we hope) of our new television.  Stay with me here...its quite a ride.

Just to recap:

So our salesman had told us that he would put a rush on our order, have the item delivered to us by Saturday, but that he couldn't give us a window of expected delivery.
(i.e., 7am to noon---noon to 6pm, etc)  We were told that he was going to put into the computer that the delivery would be the 8th (I can't remember why), but that because the rush was put on the delivery, it would come on the 4th.  He turns to the office manager to make sure this is okay, and I asked him who he was talking too.
"Oh, that's Rochelle....one of the managers."
"Oh.  Hey, Rochelle.  You know Danny Serrano?"
"Sure." she says.  "He's one of our managers in Pembroke Pines."
"He's been a friend of mine for years.  His wife and I used to work together.  Matter of fact, his wife came to our wedding but Danny couldn't come because he had to work."
"Oh yeah.....make sure this guy's order goes through for a Saturday delivery."

Its all about who ya know people.  Kim looked at me and asked what that was all about.  Never hurts to drop a name every once in awhile.  Our salesman then tells us that he would call us in a day or two to give us the details as well as hopefully offer us whatever window he could for when they would arrive. 

So then a couple of days go by....and its Friday.  And we hadn't heard from our salesman just yet.  So naturally the wife has entered pre-freakout mode, wondering if the entertainment center was still being delivered the next day.  She asked me to call the store and see what was what.

So the first time I called I got a young woman named Alisha.  She informed me that according to the computer we were scheduled for delivery on 2/8/06.  This was not sounding good.  Besides the fact that no one would be home, we wanted the thing on Saturday--the day before our television was being delivered.
So I called back.
And I got my future best friend for life---Toya.
Naturally, neither our salesman (Jonathan) or Rochelle were working that day.  Why would I think THAT would happen?  So I asked to speak to a manager but Toya said I had to tell her what the problem was so she could advise the manager.  I tried to explain
the problem that I had and how there must be some error with what the computer was showing.  Nope.  We were scheduled for the 8th.
"Well....I know that Jonathan isn't there.  But is there anyway someone could call him and ask him about this situation."
"No sir.  We can't call him at home."
"Look.  The salesman and Rochelle told my wife and I that we would be getting our item on Saturday and I don't understand why now I'm being told something different."
"Well sir, I'm trying to help you and now you're being rude to me."
(Huh?)
"Look, all I want to know is if my item is going to be delivered on the day that the salesman told me that it would be delivered."
"Well sir, you signed a contract saying that it would be delivered on the 8th."
"Yes, I know I did.  But I also assumed since the salesman told me that it would be delivered on the 4th that it would be delivered on the 4th."
"Well sir, that's what you get for assuming."

And she just had that nasty little snippy bitchy tone to her voice.

"Well, okay.  I want to cancel the contract.  Tell me how I do that."
"Just a second."

She came back about 10 seconds later.

"Okay, your order is canceled."

And I was amazed.  Mainly because I thought at the very least at that point that she would go and get her manager to try and facilitate matters....or smooth things over with an unhappy customer...or anything that involved do something OTHER than canceling the order and screwing the salesman out of his commission.

So then I called Kim and told her.  She suggested that maybe we could go to another store that evening and buy another entertainment center.

When we headed out to do just that, I decided that I wanted to make sure that our order had indeed been canceled and that we would be on the hook for two items, one from different stores.  So I called the old 1-800 number for the first store.  After being advised that the contract was canceled, I decided to try another tactic.

"Can you please tell me the name of the area supervisor please?"

I figured I would just skip my way up the old change of command to try and get some satisfaction.  I got the number and made the call...and was connected with her.

I began to give her the Reader's Digest version of what had happened, concluding with the fact that I had canceled the order and that I was on my way to her competitor to make a purchase.  She was very polite and apologized for the situation, telling me that if I had called her earlier that perhaps she could've helped me out with the order.
I thanked her, offered to her that perhaps Toya might need some further training in her phone skills and bid her adieu.

And then I went to the competition and made a purchase.  When I got home I had a message waiting--and I mean it was from about 10 minutes after I had spoken to the area supervisor, from my old friend Danny Serrano.

"I hope you didn't get him in trouble because you mentioned his name," Kim said.

This morning I spoke to Danny.  I was glad to hear that he hadn't gotten any grief over my phone call.  On the contrary.

"She called me and asked me if I knew you.  I told her yes and she explained what had happened.  She asked me who you were and I said....'oh he's not really anyone important.  Just a judge.'  (laughing) I mean to tell you there was 10 solid seconds of dead silence."
"She thought I was a judge?"
"Well...she did until I told that technically you WORKED for a judge.  It still made an impression.  Dude, why didn't you just come to my store?  I woulda hooked you up."
"Well, basically the woman on the phone pissed me off so much I canceled the order."

And we talked a little bit more.  Wished each other well and that was it.  I'm still waiting for my furniture.

And wondering if Toya has scheduled that phone skills class yet.

Later,
Jeff

2/2/06--Jeff & Kim go shopping for a new television

So this past Monday evening was a REALLY, REALLY good day for our family.
Besides finding out that our refund would be our best ever, Kim also found out that she would unexpectedly be getting a performance bonus for the last 3 months.
Of course, you know that no one gets a windfall without something bad happening, which would explain why the day before we noticed our television beginning its slow fade into obvilion.  Or maybe you could just say that we began to notice the whole picture beginning to disappear thing. 
Anyway, we decided Tuesday night to make a "Best Buy run" (one of my favorites things) to look into a new television.  I'm a guy, so naturally I was thinking BIG when it comes to televisions of any sort or model--while Kim was there (supposedly) to be the voice of reason.  HA!  So we're looking around and I start the proceedings off:
"Okay, give me an idea here.  What are my guidelines size & price wise?"
"Well....I'd really like a television that's the same size as we have now.  That way we won't have to change our entertainment center."
"Okay...that gives me something to go on."

So after a few minutes looking around, I find a nice HDTV 31" Samsung with a flatscreen.  I call Kim over to give it a look.

"Well, whatta ya think?"
"Well...maybe its a girl thing, ya know?"
"What's a girl thing?"
"Well I don't like that it has a space between the screen and the shelf.  Its going to make so you can see the wires and stuff behind it."
"Alrighty.  I'll keep looking."

So a few minutes go by, and Kim comes up and tells me she's found one.  We walk over and Kim points out the 46" Toshiba.  Man do I love this woman.

"Well honey, that's fine except....its not going to fit on our entertainment center."
"Ah," she scoffs, "we'll just go across the street to Rooms to Go and get another one."

I wanted to kiss her....with an open mouth, and passionately....right there in the store.

So then we venture over to Rooms to Go, which is a fine store--except for it seems like I can't go in there without buying a new couch.  I immediately told her not to even think about looking for any furniture.  Only entertainment centers.

So eventually we find one we like and we begin to negotiate on the whole delivery before the Super Bowl thing...and we're not looking good in that area.  I point out to the wife that getting the television BEFORE the entertainment center would not be good.
We want the E.C. to get to our house FIRST---then the television.  Our salesman is pondering how to make that happen when he asks his manager a question.  I ask the manager if she knows the husband of a friend of mine who, ya know....used to be a store manager at Rooms to Go.  Why yes, she says....she knows him.
We're booked in for the day before the big game.  Kim shakes her head, amazed.

Back over at Best Buy, we start dealing with the salesman.  We narrow our search down to two sets, the 46" Toshiba and a 42" Samsung.  The salesman recommends the Samsung (they were both about the same cost) which was good, because that's what Greg the Cable Guy had recommended also.  And then......

And then the collateral damage began.  Oh yeah....old Greg (and I mean that literally---cough, cough) didn't mention that when you upgrade to the HDTV, you have to also upgrade your cables that go from your television to the VCR, the DVD and the home theatre system.  And that you need to upgrade your Directv to HDTV.   Oh yeah, and your probably need to get some sort of warranty, and oh yeah.....
Collateral Damage.  Yikes.

So the bottom line is that by gametime on Sunday, I should have a new television, the afore-mentioned 42" Samsung HDTV sitting on my new entertainment center--the one that holds up to a 58" television (hey, maybe down the road--ya know?).  Its all planned.  Supposedly.  We'll wait and see.

Later,
Jeff

1/29/06---Yet another movie list!

From the 12/05 issue of HOTDOG magazine...the top 100 movies since the magazine has been in existence (which would be around late '99)

100) Napoleon Dynamite
99) Finding Nemo
98) Narc
97) The Man Who Wasn't There
96) Finding Neverland
95) A Mighty Wind
94) Farenheit 9/11
93) The Pianist
92) The Bourne Supremacy
91) Chuck & Buck (I've never heard of this one)
90) Before Night Falls
89) Spellbound
88) The Devil's Backbone
87) Jackass: The Movie
86) About Schmidt
85) The Way of the Gun
84) Cabin Fever
83) House of Flying Daggers
82) Mystic River
81) Master and Commander
80) Erin Brockovich
79) Bubba Ho-Tep (an absolute classic!!!!)
78) Super Size Me
77) Dodgeball
76) Unbreakable
75) Dog Soldiers
74) Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
73) Sexy Beast
72) Bowling for Columbine
71) Secretary
70) American Movie
69) Dogtown & Z-Boys (terrific documentary)
68) The Incredibles
67) Broken Flowers
66) Far from Heaven
65) Moulin Rouge
64) Dancer in the Dark
63) The Virgin Suicides
62) 24 Hour Party People
61) Downfall
60) Best in Show (hilarious!)
59) Chopper
58) Gosford Park
57) Russian Ark
56) Wonder Boys
55) Shrek
54) Batman Begins
53) The Rules of Attraction
52) A History of Violence
51) Shaun of the Dead
50) Morvern Callar (I have no idea)
49) Big Fish
48) The Motorcycle Diaries
47) American Splendor
46) Kung Fu Hustle (*****)
45) Audition
44) Spirited Away
43) X-Men 2
42) Ocean's Eleven
41) Before Sunset
40) In the Mood for Love
39) Kill Bill Vol 2
38) Traffic
37) Pirates of the Caribbean
36) Bad Santa (brilliant in its own twisted way)
35) O Brother, Where Art Thou?
34) Talk to Her
33) Garden State
32) Amores Perros
31) Lord of the Rings-Return of the King
30) The Insider
29) Gladiator
28) Dead Man's Shoes
27) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
26) Toy Story 2
25) Adaption
24) Y Tu Mama Tambien
23) Battle Royale (Japanese)
22) American Beauty (*****-awesome!)
21) Amelie
20) Almost Famous
19) Hero
18) Spider Man 2
17) Memento
16) Three Kings
15) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
14) Ghost World
13) Kill Bill Vol 1
12) Lord of the Rings--The Two Towers
11) The Royal Tennebaums
10) Mulholland Drive
9) Oldboy
8) 21 Grams
7) Lost in Translation
6) City of God
5) Donnie Darko
4) Magnolia
3) Being John Malkovich
2) Lord of the Rings--Fellowship of the Ring
1) Requiem for a Dream

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Jeff

1/22/06--Playoff picks and a controversial list

Just for the record....I'm going with the Carolina Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I'm not a fan of any of the teams left in the playoffs, so as my judge would say..."I don't have a dog in this fight".

Now then....I picked up a special issue of Total Film magazine   Total Film - Home and enjoyed their thoughts on the 100 Greatest Films of Alltime.  Here's the list, and some of my thoughts on their picks.  Let me know what you think.


  A recent magazine put out by Total Film magazine.   Sort of controversial in my opinion, and I think it will spark a little conversation.  The list includes some movies that I've never even heard of, and I have to say that I'm a huge movie buff, so the fact that I've never heard of it says something--the ones I've never heard of are more along the lines of the classic French stuff from the 50's.   And away we go:   100) Goldfinger
 99) Three Kings
 98) Casablanca
 97) Trainspotting
 96) Stand by Me
 95) The Usual Suspects
 94) Magnolia
 93) Salvador
 92) Back to the Future
 91) Dekalog (1989 film from Poland)
 90) Psycho   Thoughts from the first ten:  I like that Goldfinger was included....I think Casablanca & The Usual Suspects are both rated too low IMO...Stand by Me=great coming-of-age film.   Next 10:
 89) Rio Bravo
 88) Get Carter (original with Michael Caine)
 87) Donnie Darko
 86) Kind Hearts and Coronets
 85) The King of Comedy
 84) Metropolis
 83) The Wizard of Oz
 82) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
 81) The Shining
 80) Day for Night   Thoughts--I like that The Shining is on the list.
Not your ordinary "horror" film.   Next:
 79) The Wicker Man
 78) The Graduate
 77) Lawrence of Arabia
 76) Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
 75) The Wild Bunch
 74) Raiders of the Lost Ark
 73) Hoop Dreams
 72) The Terminator
 71) North by Northwest
 70) Dawn of the Dead   Notes:  Some great films here, although IMO The Graduate & Close Encounters seem a little dated.
Personally, I always thought T2 was better than the original.  The first one now seems so very "80's".   Next:
 69) Sideways
 68) This is Spinal Tap
 67) L'Atlante (1934 French film)
 66) Seven
 65) 8 1/2
 64) The Conversation
 63) The Matrix
 62) The Night of the Hunter
 61) Halloween
 60) The Outlaw Josey Wales   Notes:  Outlaw Josey Wales is in my own personal top 10...Spinal Tap is one of the greatest parody films ever.  I've heard that most rock bands on tour insist of having the film brought along so it can be played on the tour bus.   Next:
 59) Blue Velvet
 58) Die Hard
 57) Sweet Smell of Success
 56) The Shawshank Redemption
 55) Kiss Me Deadly
 54) Miller's Crossing
 53) The Deer Hunter
 52) Sullivan's Travels
 51) Aliens
 50) It Happened One Night   Notes:  Two of my personal top 10 in this grouping with Shawshank & Deerhunter.  If you're ever looking for one of the great twisted movies of alltime, look no further than Blue Velvet.   Next:
 
 49) Pulp Fiction
 48) Singin in the Rain
 47) Blade Runner
 46) Nashville
 45) Mean Streets
 44) Annie Hall
 43) Heat
 42) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
 41) The Last Picture Show
 40) ET   Notes:  this grouping includes my own choice for my favorite movie of alltime:  Blade Runner.
Pulp Fiction and Heat are both tremendous.
Didn't really enjoy Mean Streets that much, and always felt Annie Hall was overrated.   Next:    39) Monty Python & the Holy Grail
 38) Badlands
 37) Touch of Evil
 36) 2001:  Space Odyssey
 35) A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
 34) The Searchers
 33) Star Wars
 32) Les Enfants Du Paradis
 31) Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
 30) Reservoir Dogs   Notes:  Badlands has always had a reputation of being a film that critics loved.  The Searchers was, IMO, John Wayne's best film.   Next:    29) La Regle Du Jeu
 28) Raging Bull
 27) Some Like it Hot
 26) The Third Man
 25) Sunset Boulevard
 24) Rear Window
 23) The Godfather
 22) Sunrise
 21) Crash
 20) Apocalyspe Now   Notes:  this grouping will surely lead to some controversy.  The Godfather at #23??  Its in my personal top 10 and I think this is way too low.
Iloved Apocalyspe Now, but its no Godfather.   Next:    19) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
 18) All About Eve
 17) Once Upon a Time in the West
 16) The Apartment
 15) Its a Wonderful Life
 14) Taxi Driver
 13) Manhattan
 12) Chinatown
 11) Persona (1966 Sweden)
 10) His Girl Friday   Notes: my main problem with this group is that if you take the list as a whole, then it would mean that they believe that #17 is the best western ever made.  Puh-leeze.  Hello...."Unforgiven"?
I'm happy that Manhattan is rated higher than Annie Hall, but the Woodman's best work was his early stuff (Take the Money & Run, Bananas, Sleeper).  And I just don't buy Texas Chainsaw as the greatest horror film of alltime.  It was really good stuff, don't get me wrong....but I don't see it ranked above the freakin Godfather.   Next:    9) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
 8) The Empire Strikes Back
 7) Tokyo Story
 6) Citizen Kane
 5) The Godfather Part 2
 4) Fight Club
 3) Jaws
 2) Vertigo   and the number one film of alltime....according to Total Film magazine?  
 1) Goodfellas   Notes:  I don't understand how the magazine can list the Lord of the Rings trilogy all together but seperate the Godfather movies and the Star Wars films.  This grouping had two of my top 10 with the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Jaws.
Thought Goodfellas was a great film...but #1??
Hmm.....   Later,
Jeff
 

Parenting...the right way....and the wrong way

So last night I got to sit and videotape Kellie as she performed with the All-County Band in concert locally here in Ft Lauderdale.  As I watched the videotape and I zeroed in on her, sitting in the 2nd chair playing her flute....I found myself thinking back to how much she's grown up and changed in the almost 7 years since I first met her mother.
I was really proud of her, and I made a point of telling her what a great job she had done.  I even through her the ultimate compliment---by letting her have one hour of computer time this weekend as a reward for her achievement.  That's something I didn't think I'd be saying to Kellie for quite awhile.

On the other hand, tonight at dinner, Kellie asked me if we had any interesting cases in court this week.  I remembered a case from yesterday, that had two people, a man and a woman, who were charged with misdemeanor child neglect.  What did they do?
Well, it seemed that the couple had two daughters.  One was aged 14 and the other was aged 12.  The older girl somehow became involved with a young man of around 23 years old (don't ask) and after a short period of time found herself pregnant.  Meanwhile, the younger sister....that's right....the 12 YEAR OLD, begins to see a man who is 26 years old (I'm going to imagine they must have tons in common).  Surprise, surprise...soon afterwards she is pregnant also.  Two daughters...14 & 12....both pregnant.  So, what do the concerned parents do about this situation??
A) Call the police and have the two men arrested for statutory rape.
B) Take the two girls to a rape crisis or treatment center
C) Figure out where you are going to hide the bodies of the two young men--after you kill them.

Well, the truth is that the parents decided to go off the board and select "D".....

D) Invite the two young men to live with them and their two daughters as one big happy, dysfunctional pathetic family unit.

Uh...these folks selected "D".  The county prosecutors are currently looking into upgrading the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.
(Sigh)

Later,
Jeff