Being A Part Of History

Well...
No.
Not really.

A lot of you know that me and Tim took our simple asses to Washington DC on Aug 28th to attend the Restoring Honor Rally, the Glenn Beck event that was really  nothing more then a spiritual revival. Although if you believe what you heard from the likes of Chris Matthews and such, there were cross burnings and small animal sacrifices.

I can tell you there were not.

I'm also going to repost an entry from another blog that outlines our trip because honestly, whenever we set out to do something, we can NEVER get from Point A to Point B in a straight line.

Anyway.. so while we were amongst the 500,000 or more people (yes, that many. We were there) there was a camera crew interviewing people. I do have to say that a lot of people shied away from it because there had been so much talk from the mainstream media the week prior to the event that people thought that whoever they talked to may be misrepresenting who they were .. what media outlet they were from.. and feared their words were going to be taken out of context.

With good reason, I might add. EVERYBODY who reported on it got it wrong. But that's another post for another time.

But anyway.. so this camera crew happened upon the space where we were hanging and they started talking to the guy from Central PA who was there with his 8 or 9 year old daughter. They interviewed him for something like 15 or 20 minutes. Tim moved closer to hear what the guy was saying and I was standing behind him, a little to his right.

As much of a camera hog as I usually am, not having slept or showered in two days made my vanity get the best of me!

After the guy finished, my anti-social-would-welcome-solitary-confinement guy said, ".. I have something to say!" so they turned the camera on him. I really wasn't able to hear what he said at the time because there were soo many people buzzing about and I have a heard time hearing anyway so after the cameras left, I asked him and he said that we were all here because of God.. because of our faith in God.. and getting back to that faith.

A few weeks ago when Glenn Beck announced that they were putting together a documentary about 8.28 I told Tim that I bet he was going to be in there.. he didn't think so. Like he said, there were SO many people interviewed.. SO much film.. SO many more poignant things that a lot more people probably said.. he was just happy to have been given the opportunity to say his peace.

Last night, the documentary was released. We were all set to watch it when Josh needed help with his homework so I told Tim to start watching it ( because everything on Beck's site usually crashes because of all the traffic ) and I figured if he was already in, I could always catch up to it.

So over D = T x Y problems, I hear ".. LESEE! LEESE! LEEEEEESSSSSSEEEEEE!"

I go running into the bedroom ".. what? what? WHHHHAAATTT?"

He tells me to watch the laptop screen and as I am, still getting chills because yknow.. we were THERE, I hear his voice and see his on the screen.

We both couldn't believe.. it's an odd feeling you get when you see yourself or someone you love in a documentary about something that was so amazing and being watched by hundreds of thousands of people.

What's more amazing is what the showed.. him saying that being there is about God.. about faith and getting back to it.

Even today, it's still a little unbelievable.

If you get a chance to watch the documentary (I'm going to try and get a copy of it) .. he's the bald dude in the blue striped shirt around the 2 minute mark.

Towards the end of the documentary, I had face time. Me in my sweating t-shirt and Dietz and Watson baseball cap.. I'll tell you, it's much more impressive seeing Tim then it was seeing me!! LOL!!

Anyway.. being apart of history is cool. Having it documented? Priceless.

Deli Wars

.. ok, so just TRY and convince me that this wouldn't be a great reality show!!

So back in like, July or something, the pizza joint that's half a block away from the deli closed down and reopened as a pizza joint / deli.

Same owner.. but yknow, those nasty LLC's or whatever means that you can have an unsuccessful business, close it down, and then reopen it under a different name.

His pizza SUCKS by the way...

Anyway.. so now there's a new deli in town a half a block from ours and people being people are going to try it. Maybe because they live closer.. Maybe because Tim has a habit of pissing people off when he's in the front of the deli because he tells it "..like it is" .. which, btw, is why he is NOT ALLOWED in the front of the store!

But for whatever reason, we saw a drop in business.

August is always a struggle anyway.. for some reason, business tanks is January and August.. but this one almost put us out of business. We have no doubt that we'll be some people back.. the other place uses cheaper meats at higher prices and what he is under-cutting us on, he won't be able to sustain.

So while that all seems bad.. it's just a part of being in business and just something that we were going to have to scratch and crawl through. No biggie.

But then the borough decided to hold a Haunted House thingy at the local swim club and came in asking for donations which would entitle us to a sign advertising the business. Cool .. no problem.. AND because WE have THE best mini hoagies around, the borough wanted us to supply them. At a reduced rate, of course.

No problem.

So the dude running the thing comes in and tells us that the ODD (Other Deli Dude) was also willing to donate but he insisted on providing his own sign.. and wanted it in a prime location.. and basically wanted it to look like he was responsible for the whole sha-bang.

Upon hearing that, Tim decided to donate the mini hoagies. Hey.. it's a tax write off, right?

And he decided to bring in the same ham and turkey that ODD is using but sell it a few cents above cost. Being that we live in the welfare nation state, that will bring people in and the thought it that once they are in here, they'll pick up other things that bring us in more of a profit.

Dirty business, isn't it?

Ok.. so with that all laid out, yesterday afternoon this dude walks in and says CHICKEN SANDWICH to me. He obviously has an issue with English.. and I have an issue with hearing so yknow.. it was fun. Anyway, I ask him what kind of chicken.. we have Buffalo Chicken.. Honey BBQ Chicken.. Chicken Salad.. etc.

He wants Buffalo Chicken.

Ok.

Do you want it on a roll? On bread? White? Wheat? Rye? Potato?

He wants it on a roll with everything POSSIBLE on it.

Fine.

He asks how much and how long and I tell him $4.99 and 10 minutes because everything is sliced fresh.

He says he'll be back and leaves.

While I'm slicing the Buffalo Chicken it hits me. Was that ODD?? Was he in here checking out our prices and product?? Was our customers who go there for nasty pizza singing our praises??

Hmmmm....

So I describe the guy to Tim and he's like, yea.. that sounds exactly like him!

Now.. I could have completely blown out the hoagie and make it exceptionally special but our sandwiches already have a half pound of meat on them as it is and really, our smalls are more then enough for two people so screw it. He gets what everybody else is getting.

And then I wait .. and wait.. and wait..

About a half hour goes by and I tell Tim that if this JO doesn't come back for his sandwich then I'm going to call them up and order three pizzas and not pick them up.

He laughed at me because had had a conversation earlier about how uber-competitive I am. For the record, I don't think of myself as uber-competitive. I call it "drive and determination".

Anyway.. so Tim goes outside to talk to the crossing guard for awhile and I'm inside bouncing off the walls waiting for ODD not to show up so I can call in a pizza order.

But he does show up.. and it's NOT ODD.. just some random guy.

So I got all "aaarrrrrrggggghhhhh" for nothing but in my defense .. you kinda get like that when you're trying to save the source of income that feeds your family and puts a roof over your head. 'Cause ODD has the bankroll.. just not the business savvy ..

We're the opposite..

Anyway.. we'll see how this plays out.

John's At It Again..

I would call John Street a "colorful" character .. but my guess he would call the NAACP and have me brought up on charges. Because, yknow.. John is like that.

BTW .. whatever happened to Milton?

Anyway .. I don't want to say that John was the WORST mayor in Philadelphia history (I believe THAT would be Wilson Goode seeing that he bombed a neighborhood) but Street's been involved in so much shady shit and controversy that even Time magazine named him one of the worst big city mayors back in 2005.

But having been a resident of the city during his term in office, it was painfully obvious where his loyalties lie.

And, yknow, nobody is against helping those that actually NEED it .. but to me and most decent folk of ANY racial decent.. one's color shouldn't determine whether you get what you need.

Then we have Michael Nutter, the current Philadelphia mayor. He's been called everything from an "Uncle Tom" to "The Whitest Black Man".

Why is that?

Because he's fair? Because he's educated? Because he's well spoken? Because I believe he truly wants what's best for Philadelphia and isn't afraid to make the necessary changes?

When is that a criteria for ".. not being black?"

Well.. it is if you're John Street.

Read the following:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A longtime feud between former Philadelphia Mayor John Street and his successor has been renewed with racially charged comments from Street, who told a newspaper that Mayor Michael Nutter was "not a black mayor ... just a mayor with dark skin."

The two men, both black, have sparred for years, dating back to when both were on City Council. When Nutter ran for mayor in 2007, he focused much of his campaign on Street, even though Street was term-limited and could not run again.

In an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday, Street questioned whether Nutter -- who faces re-election next year -- was black enough for the city's African-American community.

He is "not a black mayor," Street told the newspaper. "He's just a mayor with dark skin."

Nutter called the statement "undignified" and questioned "these very personal" attacks.

The feud between the two began boiling recently, in the midst of controversy over the Philadelphia Housing Authority, which Street chairs.

Last week, the board fired its executive director, Carl Greene, after allegations he used public money to settle sexual-harassment complaints and coerced top employees to pay into a slush fund.

Street, who has long held great support in the city's black community, has spawned racial controversy before.

In 2002, he galvanized opponents by telling an NAACP conference: "Let me tell you: The brothers and sisters are running the city. ... Don't you let nobody fool you; we are in charge of the City of Brotherly Love." He later apologized.

So really, John.. how is ANYONE (white or black) with any sense about them going to take you seriously with statements like that? Who's really the one wanting to hold progress back to a 60's mentality.

Rodney King got it right.. Can't we all just get along?

Agree or Disagree

Read the following and tell me if you agree with it.. or don't agree with it.. and why. I'm really curious and will fill you in on the rest once you do..

I'm just curious what your thoughts are:

The United States is still a capitalist society, but capitalism in the Real America will be an enlightened way to wealth. Sure, some people will always try to make a buck by squeezing the little people, but in the Real America, I'll be able to make more money .. I'll be able to make more of a profit.. by treating employees with dignity and giving them access to non-governmental health care and paying them what they deserve. In the Real America, the employee will be a partner and we'll all enrich one another.

In the Real America our current plastic politicians will be replaced by the more genuine, lifelike and human robots in Disney's Hall of Presidents. Actually, partisan politics is a tough topic to tackle, but we will, shortly.

Basically, Real Politics in this better America will be based on principle not policy: Real Ethics, Real Values, Real Integrity. As Real Americans, we will not expect to agree with everything a certain politicians says, but we will be able to demand that politicians always say what they mean and mean what they say. The Real American Politician will look us in the eyes and say, "Look, Jack, you may completely disagree with me on this one issue, but here are these eight other issues on which we do agree. And more important, we agree on principles. And that's just the way it is. If you can vote for me, great. If not, I understand 'cause I don't need this job badly enough to lie to you or myself."

Martin Luther King's dream will come true in Real America: a colorblind society.. but without political correctness. Unfortunately, King's dream has been perverted and twisted by so many, white and black alike, that it is barely recognizable today. In Real America, we will know that white men aren't racist; one man can be racist. Black men aren't lazy; one man can be lazy and racism is not an American problem, it's a human problem.

The Real America is the America we all saw on the evening of September 11 and in the days and weeks that followed, but without violence, without sorrow, without mourning. It is an America where the question "How areyou?" is sincerely asked, and the answer is heard with real concern. 

The Real America is a place in our hearts. It's authentic. It's a place we remember. And it's a place we can live in today.

But there are forces keeping us from being the Real Americans and living in the Real America: Now, I'm not one of those people pointing a finger at Hollywood or pointing the finger at television or blaming music, because it's not just that.

But it is just that. It's all of that.. and one more thing.

The most insidious force keeping us from being the Real Americans is ourselves.

Dexter: S5:1

Michael C Hall as Dexter Morgan

So last night was the Season 5 Premier of Showtime's DEXTER.

If you're not familiar with Dexter :: Um.. HELLO?? :: then you need to be because I'm really not sure I can give it justice.

Try reading THIS first and then finish reading the post.

Oh.. and if you haven't been able to watch the season premier yet then just a warning:

SPOILERS!!!

LoL!

Anyway.. so the episode opens up just where last season ended. Rita dead in the tub.. blood spilling all over the bathroom.. and baby Harrison sitting smack dab in the middle of it.

He grabs Harrison and makes his way out to the front lawn while cops start pouring in from all angles. One cop is trying to take the baby from Dexter while basically asking what had happened. Dexter answers " I did it" ..

Those three little words are the jump start to the season.

We already know that Dexter didn't kill Rita .. WE know that he meant that it was because of him that she's dead.. but nobody else does.

Cue to Debra, Dexter's sister, racing over .. telling the cops that's she's Miami Homicide and that Dex works in the crime lab. He hands Harrison over to her. The only person he trusts. His mind is looking for Harry, their dead father who adopted Dexter when he was an infant... who recognized that Dexter was .. ahem.. "special".. and who schooled him on how to feed his desires and still appear normal. Harry is no where to be found.

Quinn, Debra's semi-partner, notices that the neighbor guy is all busted up about Rita while Dexter appears to be working just another crime scene. Emotionless.

Hmm..

We find out that the case was handed over to the FBI because Rita's death appears to be at the hands of Trinity .. last season's serial killer that Dexter had befriended and then ultimately killed.. The locals are upset.. Rita was one of their own.. but the decision was made and they are instructed to leave it all alone.

Dexter and Harrison stay at Debra's apartment. Rita's kids call from Disneyland.. a trip they took with their grandparents.. Dexter makes an excuse for Rita's absence when the kids want to talk to her.. and tells the Grandparents to come to the apartment instead of the house when they return. He explains to Debra that he just wants them to have one last good day.

There's things Dexter needs to do.. go to a funeral director.. the obituary.. what Rita will wear.. meet with the FBI .. but it's blatantly obvious that Dexter isn't in the moment, so to speak. In fact, he is treating this like another routine crime scene.. not his beloved wife. Something that Debra is quick to pick up on and she tells him that she's worried.

Dexter doesn't process emotion. He's a classic socio-path. Without Harry in his mind to guide him, he really is lost. He marvels at how the funeral director can seem so sincere.. watching a grieving widow at a viewing, he knows that grief is what Rita deserves and what he can't force himself to give.

Rita's kids return from Disneyland bubbling with excitement.. putting Mickey Mouse ears on Dexter and showing the pair they got for their mom when Dexter breaks the news.. Aster takes it the hardest.. asking Dexter where he was and why he didn't safe her mother.. it was his job to protect her.. she tells Dexter that he was the worst thing that ever happened to their family.

Dexter's mind agrees. In flashbacks, we see how they first met.. and why he picked the restaurant that he did.. there was a serial killer that he needed to kill. One eye on Rita.. one eye on the serial killer at the table behind them. The guy leaves.. Dexter excuses himself.. confronts the man in the parking lot.. sticking a needle in his neck and pushing him into the trunk of his car. He goes back into the restaurant and makes an excuse to Rita about having to end the date and leave.

Debra goes to Dexter's house where she finds Quinn, who has always been suspicious of Dexter. Something just isn't "right" about him. The FBI has released the house as evidence so Debra is there to clean up the blood and pick out a dress for Rita to wear. Quinn winds up helping her.. and then the two end up on the kitchen floor ripping each other's clothes off.

That's classic Debra. Just as damaged as Dexter but in a completely different way.. she's almost like a praying mantis with men. After the deed is done, she's all weird about what just happened.. embarrassed maybe.. so she starts grabbing dresses from Rita's closet.

There's a gratuitous shot of Quinn's naked ass that literally filled my television screen. Not sure if the tan lines were intentional or just..well.. his tan lines!

As he's leaving, Quinn happens upon the neighbor and in a brief conversation verifies that him and Rita had shared a kiss that Dexter found out about and promptly punched him in the face. Quinn's wheels are spinning.

Dexter is compelled to erase his life.. remove anything and everything pertaining to him and skip. He tells Debra that he wants her to take care of Harrison.. that the baby needs someone who's decent and good. She tells him that Harrison IS her own.. they are family and that Dexter IS decent and good. He hugs her.. tight.. almost digging his nails in her back.. you can see the worry on her face and in her eyes.

Just a side note, Debra is played by Jennifer Carpenter.. Michael C Hall's real life wife.

Debra has things to do before the funeral and Dexter has to meet with the FBI .. he promises he's going to the meeting but he skips it. We know he's going to do that. We know his plan is to get rid of everything and start over somewhere else. He visits Rita.. laying in her coffin and he confesses to her. What he is.. how she deserved better.. and then he grabs his things.. torches the container holding is serial killer stuff.. jumps on his boat and away he goes.

When Debra finds out that he missed his meeting with the FBI.. she's reeling. Scared of how this is all going to look. Her calls to his cell are going unanswered..

While everyone is gathered at the cemetary, Debra is stalling while we see Dexter pulling up at a dock to gas his boat. He goes into a store and there's a man there. Just some low life. They exchange words.. and Dexter follows him into the men's room. The dude is being an ass and Dexter grabs something that springs open into some type of claw thing.

I know it has to do with a boats but I have no idea what it is.. sorry!

Anyway.. Dexter says something to him about having a bad day. That his wife died. The guy tells him that his dead wife can suck his.. well, you know. Dexter tackles him and starts beating him with the claw thing.. and beating him and beating him and beating him. He can't stop until Harry finally appears and whispers that THAT was the most human thing he's ever seen Dexter do.

With that, Dexter finally breaks down. Screaming.. sobbing.. finally finding emotion.

He makes his way back .. to the cemetery and gives the eulogy.

I have mixed feelings about this episode. It hasn't been as good as previous ones but I guess it had to be a little on the dry side in order to recap last season and set up the this season. I do know that it's going to be a wild ride.. especially with Quinn not cutting the case or Dexter any slack ..

Did you watch it? Comment your thoughts!

Comcast Is Like A Yeast Infection

Ok...

I used to have Comcast.
I used to HATE Comcast... for the same reasons why everybody else hates Comcast. Bad digital service.. bad internet service.. bad phone service..

So when our neighborhood got hooked up with Verizon Fios.. I was the first one to call to get it. I had to wait 6 WEEKS for the install but it was well worth it..

Just so happens on the day after my "special rate" expired, a Comcast sales rep came knocking at my door.

Suspicious, huh?

Anyway.. so he offered me this deal that would only cost me 79.00 a month with HBO included.. free wireless modem.. free first month.. 100.00 credit.. weekend getaway to Jamaica and the use of his Class C RV for four weekends a year.

I'm joking about the last two.

But Marcus was a cool guy.. he wasn't this swarmy loungy-lizard sleaze ball. I told him about my experience the last time and he told me that Comcast basically got their shit together.

Yes.. I will sell my soul to save almost 70 bucks a month!

He promised me a next day install :: a Sunday :: and sure enough, the two dudes showed up at around 1pm.

I should have known that it wasn't going to be this easy. I mean really.. there is no small print in the contract of my  life that even SUGGESTS that anything I'm attached to will be easy.

The two dudes tell me that they are here to install.. but they have no paper work so they really don't know what they're going to install.

Um.

So I tell them that I have the paperwork from Marcus and will that help? Oh..most certainly they assure me. I show them where the two tv's where the needed to be hooked up and basically told them to make it as easy as possible. Wanna drill threw walls and run cable wires around door frames and across rooms? Go for it, Bucky.

Actually.. they didn't need to do any of that because there was existing cable hook ups and leads or whatever the hell they call it from the last time we had Comcast so no drilling or climbing or nailing.

All they needed was THREE FREAKIN' HOURS.

Yea. You read that right.

They kept on calling the office and doing this and doing that and finally, they got the cable and internet on. We were so stoked to actually have something working that I didn't even think to try the PS3 online until after they left.

And then it didn't work.

And neither did my  laptop.

The kids computer worked... of course because GOD FORBID if they're inconvenienced.. but none of my shit did.

Since their computer was connected to the ethernet cord, Tim figured that it had to do with the router. So while he was off doing something, I called Comcast's Customer Support and explained to them what was going on.

The chick told me it was my equipment.. not theirs. Um... noooooooo... I may not be a genius when it comes to these things but I'm not an idiot either. Apparently, Debbie the Customer Service Rep was. So before I told her to eat snot, I politely told her that I would have Tim call back since he understands these things better then I do.

Score points for heaven there.

And Tim did call.. and nothing they tried worked and finally after about an hour, the customer service rep he talked to scheduled a tech to come out on Tuesday.

Like.. I had to be without my laptop for like TWO DAYS????

So be it. I did entertain myself before the internet and I'm sure I would be able to do it again.

And I did.. and finally Tuesday came and the tech came and fixed whatever was wrong and everything was happy except I never did get the free HBO that was suppose to be included but I was way too busy doing other things to worry about a channel I never watch anyway.

So all was fine.. well.. and good until tonight and the Season 5 premier of Dexter and that fact that I had forgotten all about it and never called up to subscribe to Showtime.

"Not to worry" says the man who as I type is snoring so God damn loud that I had to put the close captions on the tv! :: yes, I can multi-task :: he does something with the remote On Demand and sure enough subscribes to Showtime ON DEMAND.

NOT the regular Showtime channel that's going to premier Dexter in like .. an hour and 15 minutes!

I had left my cell phone down at the deli so he suggested I go online and order it via Comcast's website.

Ok.. so "suggest" is too soft a word.

But I go online and when I enter my account, I see the bill.

Remember Marcus? The really cool sales man? The one who WROTE on the Service Order that I would get a 79.00 package.. my first month free AND 100.00 credit?

Yea.. my bill reads 126.00.

WTF??

But ok.. ".. deal with THAT tomorrow, Leese" I'm told by the bald man. "Just go to the Live Chat"

Fine.

So I go to Live Chat and I get a rep named Julie. I tell her what I want and she asks me for my account number, full name, address and last four digits of my social.

I give her everything.. she thanks me in that robot way that customer service reps typing off a written script do.. and then comes back and tells me that my social does not match their records?

Huh?

Nooooo... that IS my social and maybe someone at Comcast just typed it in wrong. However, I DO have all the paper work from Marcus and from the installers and was there anything on THERE that I could give her to verify who I was and get me Showtime in time for Dexter.

She ignores that and asks me for the last four digits of my driver's license.

But I never gave my driver's license number to ANYONE at Comcast so how is that suppose to help?

The bald man tells me.. with a degree of certainty.. that they can check my name and stuff. I tell him.. with a degree of certainty.. that he's an idiot.

But I give it to her anyway .. because it's only the last four digits.. and again she tells me that it doesn't match and that I would have to physically go down to a Comcast office with two forms of id.

And that's when the "rage" that's in my blog's title rose up and I went INSANE on this poor woman who I'm sure ran from her desk crying and screaming that THIS is NOT what she signed up for and there was NO PAYCHECK big enough in the WORLD to justify dealing with the likes of ME!

Showtime was turned on about 15 minutes later and according to Julie.. it would be free.

Which means.. I'll probably get another bill for double the amount.

But I did keep a transcript of the convo and I will call the billing department AND Marcus tomorrow.. and then probably get Fios back.

Hair Salons Are SO Overrated!!

So I have this crazy curly hair that is usually up in a pony tail for the majority of the day. Some stupid L&I thing about hair and food and whatever .. don't necessarily understand why the meat slappers at Taco Bell don't have to worry about their hair but yknow.. it is what it is. So pony tail holders and baseball caps are my new best friends.

Generally.. the only thing I really concern myself with are my grey roots. If I let it go too long :: that whole baseball cap thing again :: I can kinda resemble Cruella DeVille .. especially when I'm being a major bitch.

But sometimes I get it in my head that I want a hair cut and when I want a hair cut, I WANT a hair cut.. like IMMEDIATELY. And that happened at around.. oh.. 8:30 tonight.

NOTE: The last time I wanted a hair cut and couldn't get one when I wanted one, I wound up shaving it all off with the dog clippers. And when I mean "all" .. I mean "ALL" .. like buzzed down to like an inch or something. SO short that my mom was too embarrassed to be seen with me in the supermarket because she said I looked like a lesbian.

I did have the hair dye already so figured why the hell not. I went to cosmetology school dammit!! I have a scissors dammit!!

So around 10:30, after Tim and the kids went to sleep, I had the WHOLE bathroom to myself and went in there with a mission.

I must have lopped off around 4 inches of hair :: it was REALLY long :: and now I have this a little bit longer then shoulder length.. with full on bouncy curls!! LUVS IT!

Now.. eh hem.. I'm not going to have that "crazy lady hair" in the morning!!

I tried taking pictures but they came out wacky so you'll just going to have to wait to see it for yourself! LOL!!

But First...

.. an quick explanation before I have to go to the deli:

The blog's URL is CrazyLadyHair because that's what Tim says I have when I wake up in the morning and you can't IMAGINE how many blogs are out there and just how hard it is to think of something unique. On top of that, I'm limited to using words that are PG and under.

The title Rise and Fall.. Rage and Grace is the name of one of The Offspring's CD's and it kinda just sums up me and my  life.

But off to slicing lunch meat..