Boy Bands

So I was driving down Airline Drive on my way home from work today, blasting this song...

One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful

...when I came to a stop light. The passenger in the large red truck on my left side gave me a strange look. I rocked on.

That got me thinking...

One of my hobbies is trading shirtless photos of celebrities. I guess it's the modern day, gay version of baseball cards.

I run three fairly successful Yahoo groups - 

Male Stars Shirtless

Male Stars Undressed

Male Stars Update

I also frequent and contribute to a message board called Famous Males Forum. Because it's based in the UK, I find out about many stars that never cross over to here in the US.

Even though I have over 100 shirtless photos of, for example, Lee Ryan...

until last week I had never heard a note of his band Blue. That is, until I started compiling my list of...

Top Ten Boy Band Songs of All Time

Or at least that was the original idea of this post. I quickly realized that I liked looking at the members of the boy bands much more than actually listening to their music. Even with 89 listed American Boy Bands -- and 58 listed English Boy Bands - plus the 50+ ones from the rest of the world, this is the best list I could assemble.

Once I assemble a Top Ten Boy Band Members for my other blog, I'll post a link here.

Starting off our countdown is One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful at #7. You saw that video above.

Here's how to correctly remake a song - with style, humor, and a wink to the original version...

#6 - Westlife - Uptown Girl

Bonus points for the best looking member being the one who came out (and the fan base didn't care)...

Here is Billy Joel's original version...

Billy Joel - Uptown Girl

The aforementioned boy band Blue has done both a classy remake...

#5 - Blue featuring Elton John - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

...and a fumbled attempt...

Blue (featuring Kool & the Gang and Lil' Kim) - Get Down On It

Here is Kool & The Gang's original version...

Kool & The Gang - Get Down On It

Of the Disney-Channel-spawned band The Jonas Brothers, this is their best song (though they actually do have some other good ones)...

#4 - The Jonas Brothers - Year 3000

The youngest brother Nick is especially talented. I've heard his solo album - and it's quite good.

Going back to 1996, I still sneak this song onto mixed CD's that I create...

#3 - Hanson - MMMBop

Zac Hanson, the 10-year-old drummer in the video, is now 27 years old, and married with two kids. Taylor Hanson, the lead singer, is now 29, married with five kids. Don't you feel old now?

Interestingly, my top two songs both have the same title..

#2 - The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back

The top of my chart of Top Ten Seven Boy Band Songs of All Time was always going to be this one...

#1 - NSYNC - I Want You Back

What are your favorite boy band songs?

Four Rooms; Four People

I haven't posted an update on my office goings on in awhile.

This past week, our office turned into a logic puzzle. First the set up...

Our office consists of four rooms.

Room 1: Monica
Room 2: Pat and I
Room 3: Keisa and our large (70 copies per minute) copy machine
Room 4: Storage and our lunch room

When we moved into our current office three years ago, I was in Room 3 by myself. That lasted about a week when I switched with Keisa because I didn't want to be in a room by myself.

Early last week, Pat requested that she and the copy machine be moved closer to each other. She is our Copy Coordinator and uses the copy machine the most. She is also our, uh, most senior employee - in her late 50's - and says that her feet sometimes hurt her. Plus, she has arthritis.

The obvious answer was to switch Keisa and Pat. Keisa didn't want to switch. She likes the solitude. Even though I'm the boss, I didn't feel it my place to force the move.

Our next solution was to move the copy machine closer to Pat's desk. We tried that for less than a day, but - because our building and electrical set up is from the 1930's - we kept blowing circuits.

Switching Pat with Monica was not an option. Monica's office has exactly one plug. See previous paragraph.

As we were having our third brainstorming meeting, I mentioned to everyone the puzzle about the fox, the goose and the bag of beans - and how our situation could be viewed as a logic puzzle.

After a few more moves, we ended up moving the copy machine and Pat into Room 4 - and are hoping the electrical set up supports our plan. I also advised Pat that she should keep her original desk in Room 2. I believe that she'll get "lonely" in Room 4 by herself. She's the type of person that needs to talk to someone all day long.

We'll see how this move evolves. For now, we have an office of four people in four rooms.

A Guide To Safe Social Media

For my friends who spent too much time updating everyone on their status. You know who you are.

An Evening with Stephen King

I'm very excited...

From the Octavia Books web site (Support your independent book seller!):

An Evening With Stephen King - 11/22/63: A Novel

• Author Event

Start: 11/12/2011 6:30 pm

Doors open at 6:30PM, program will start promptly at 7:30PM.  Please arrive early.

Please join us for an exciting evening with Stephen King presenting his new novel, 11/22/63.

We are holding the event at The Academy of the Sacred Heart's Nims Fine Arts Center, 4301 St. Charles Avenue (at Napoleon Avenue).
 

Tickets:

Free with pre-purchase of 11/22/63 first edition by Stephen King from Octavia Books, redeemable for a copy of the book at the event. We strongly recommend that you pre-purchase now by coming to Octavia Books or calling us at during store hours at 504-899-7323. Tickets may also be purchased online by clicking here. You must pay for your tickets at the time you reserve them.

A total of 250 first editions of 11/22/63 will be signed by Stephen King prior to the event and will be blended in randomly with the copies available to all ticket holders.
 

ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963, THREE SHOTS RANG OUT IN DALLAS, PRESIDENT KENNEDY DIED, AND THE WORLD CHANGED.

WHAT IF YOU COULD CHANGE IT BACK? In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King—who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer—takes readers on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.
It begins with Jake Epping, a thirty-five-year-old English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching GED classes. He asks his students to write about an event that changed their lives, and one essay blows him away—a gruesome, harrowing story about the night more than fifty years ago when Harry Dunning's father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a sledgehammer. Reading the essay is a watershed moment for Jake, his life—like Harry's, like America's in 1963—turning on a dime. Not much later his friend Al, who owns the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to the past, a particular day in 1958. And Al enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination.
So begins Jake's new life as George Amberson, in a different world of Ike and JFK and Elvis, of big American cars and sock hops and cigarette smoke everywhere. From the dank little city of Derry, Maine (where there's Dunning business to conduct), to the warmhearted small town of Jodie, Texas, where Jake falls dangerously in love, every turn is leading eventually, of course, to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and to Dallas, where the past becomes heart-stoppingly suspenseful, and where history might not be history anymore. Time-travel has never been so believable. Or so terrifying.
 

Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. Among his most recent are Full Dark No Stars, Blockade Billy, Under the Dome, Just After Sunset, the Dark Tower novels, Cell, From a Buick 8, Everything's Eventual, Hearts in Atlantis, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Lisey's Story and Bag of Bones. His acclaimed nonfiction book, On Writing, was recently re-released in a tenth anniversary edition. King was the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and in 2007 he was inducted as a Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America.  He lives in Maine with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. 
 
 
 
 


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Below is a picture of one of my book shelves...

Again, I'm very excited.

Quotes I Live By III

As I walk through my day, many thoughts pass through my mind. Here are some quotes by others that reflect ideas I think.

Take your work seriously, never yourself.

Maturity is the ability to do a job whether or not you are supervised, to carry money without spending it, and to bear an injustice without wanting to get even. - Ann Landers

The skill in attending a party is knowing when to leave.

Angry people want you to see how powerful they are...loving people want you to see how powerful you are. - Chief Red Eagle

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For past quotes, click here.

Fall 2011 Television

For us TV junkies, the Fall is the best time of the year. New shows to sample. Old shows returning.

Here are my Top Ten Television Shows I'm Looking Forward To - Fall 2011...

10. Grimm (New Show - NBC, Friday nights) - I've always been a fan of fairy tales. This show proposes that those tales were real - are running around New York City. It could be interesting; it could be very lame. I'll watch the first episode and decide.


9. Terra Nova (New Show - FOX, Monday nights) - Time travel. I'm hooked before I even see an episode. I love good time travel yarns - the 2007 TV series Journeyman, the 1989 movie Millennium, (though it seems everyone else hates this movie), the 1995 movie 12 Monkeys, the 1979 movie Time After Time - but will quickly turn against bad ones - 2003's Timeline, no matter how cute Paul Walker is; 2004's The Butterfly Effect or any of its sequels - so I'll watch this show just based on that one point.


8. The Amazing Race (CBS, Sunday nights) - My friend Debbie turned me onto this show about five seasons into its run. I'm not a huge fan of reality shows. Except for Survivor, I really don't watch reality TV - though I did watch The Real World through the first New Orleans season. As far as The Amazing Race, if I like the contestants, I stick around.


7. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX, Thursday nights) - Such subversive fun. The people remind me of my friends and I back in high school - if we ran an empty bar and were all sociopaths. Here's a typical scene from one of my favorite episodes:

6. The Big Bang Theory (CBS, Thursday nights) – The first season is still the best. (I think the show is on its fourth season now.) But it’s still the second funniest comedy on TV. The first? See further up my list.


5. The Good Wife (CBS, Sunday nights - moved from Tuesday nights) – Carlos and I sampled this show last season – the show’s first – and loved it. Bonus: Carlos can point out Julianna Margulies’s wig in every shot.


4. Survivor (CBS, Wednesday nights) – As with The Amazing Race, if I like the contestants, I stick around. With Survivor, however, I don’t think I have ever not liked the contestants enough to completely delete the show from my DVR – though certain seasons are definitely better than others.


3. Criminal Minds (CBS, Wednesday nights) - I also watch the reruns on Ion Television and A&E. According to my spreadsheet, I have seen every episode at least three times. I also talk with other fans via two different newsgroups. For those who watch the show, I'd like to tell you that there are two episodes that I refuse to watch again: 100 and Mosley Lane. They're just too disturbing. Sorry: No spoilers here for those who haven't seen the episodes, but if you're a fan of the series, I urge you to see those episodes – but only once. I have tried to indoctrinate Carlos into the show. He can't get past that much of the violence is against women. I can't blame him, but I look past it.


2. Modern Family (ABC, Wednesday nights) – Even when I’m home alone, I laugh out loud. By far, the best comedy on TV. This would be my choice as the best show on TV except for …


1. Supernatural (The CW, Friday nights) – I discovered this show in reruns on TNT during its third season. Until I caught up, I was watching older episodes – first through season five, then back around to season one – along with the newer season six at the same time. I even buy the monthly Supernatural magazine at Barnes and Noble.



Honorable Mention (in no particular order):

Two and a Half Men (CBS, Monday nights) - Just the first episode to see how Ashton Kutcher does. I've never liked this show. Maybe I will now. (Update: I watched the premiere last night. Nope, I still don’t like the show. Though the Darma and Greg cameo, a show also created by Chuck Lorre, was cute.)

Glee (Fox, Tuesday nights) - I have to like the show. It's in my Gay Agenda contract. But I've never really been crazy about it. Please don't turn me in. (Here are my past posts about Glee.)

The Vampire Diaries (The CW, Thursday nights) - I have seen exactly one episode, but Ian Somerhalder is one of my Top 20. Plus, he is from Mandeville - right across Lake Pontchartrain from me.

Bully Beatdown (MTV and MTV2, various nights) – Another reality show from Mark Burnett, the creator of Survivor. In each episode, show host Jason “Mayhem” Miller challenges bullies to fight against a professional mixed martial artist for a chance to win $10,000. The money they get depends on their performance against their opponent, with any money they don’t win going to the bully’s victims. It's great fun to see the bullies get their ass kicked.

1 Girl 5 Gays (Logo, various nights) – A Canadian talk show that premiered on MTV Canada in 2009 and on Logo in 2010. The female host sits down with a revolving cast of five gays to discuss love and sex. (Here is my past post about 1 Girl 5 Gays - from April 2011.) I used to love the show, but now that the novelty has worn off, I seek it out less and less.

Here are a few sample questions from the show:
Would you let someone go down on you if you hadn’t showered?
Is long hair sexy?
Describe your shortest-lasting sexual encounter.
Who would you do – John Stamos or Johnny Knoxville?

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What show are you most looking forward to this season?

Playwright Albee Defends 'Gay Writer' Remarks

I heard this on NPR's Morning Edition earlier this week and really agreed with Edward Albee's position.

June 6, 2011

Edward Albee's recent remarks about being labeled a "gay writer" sparked controversy within the gay community, but the playwright insists such definitions are "prejudicial."

"Maybe I'm being a little troublesome about this," Albee tells NPR's Renee Montagne, "but so many writers who are gay are expected to behave like gay writers and I find that is such a limitation and such a prejudicial thing that I fight against it whenever I can."

Albee was recently criticized for a speech he gave while accepting an award at the 23rd annual Lambda Literary Awards. The ceremony, held May 26, honored work by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender authors. Albee — who is best known for plays such as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Zoo Story and A Delicate Balance — was presented with the Pioneer Award, meant to honor those who have broken ground for LGBT literature and publishing.

In accepting the honor from Lambda, Albee told the audience, "A writer who happens to be gay or lesbian must be able to transcend self. I am not a gay writer. I am a writer who happens to be gay."

He continued by saying, "Any definition which limits us is deplorable."

Some artists in attendance felt Albee's tone was inappropriate for the event and have said that creating and supporting work that is specifically gay is important to the visibility of the gay community.

"The only part of the evening I truly found disappointing was the acceptance speech given by Edward Albee for his Pioneer award," attendee Sassafras Lowrey wrote on her blog. "He spent the majority of it talking about why writing from a queer experience was a lesser art form, how his 'sexual proclivities' have nothing to do with his art."

The Wall Street Journal's Speakasy blog and lesbian website Autostraddle also wrote about Albee's comments and the debate they have ignited about the future of gay writing and publishing.

Albee tells Montagne he has always fought for gay rights and points out that other artists are not put into such categories.

"Who goes around talking about abstract expressionist painters and making a definition or a distinction between those of them that were straight and those of them who were or are gay? Nobody does it," Albee says. "People only do it with writers and I find that so ridiculous."

Albee says he remembers being discriminated against by theater critics who knew about his sexuality early on in his career. He says when Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf — about a professor and his wife throwing a party for a new professor and his spouse — debuted in the early 1960s some critics wrote in their reviews that Albee was likely portraying two gay couples.

Now, at age 83, Albee says he's working on a new play. He isn't giving any details yet, but he says it explores various prejudices.

"None of which, oddly enough happens to concern being gay," he says, "but it concerns itself with prejudices that involve us a great deal more as a society."

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Here is the original NPR story, where there is also a seven-minute audio version of the story for those reading averse.

Economics

Back in college, I took three Economics courses. I remember hearing about "guns and butter" and tuning out. I was totally confused. Somewhere in my third course, however, I had a breakthrough and suddenly understood the concepts.


I never considered being an Economics major - though I did end up studying for four other majors (Psychology, English, Math, and Business) - before settling on the one that I graduated with - Marketing.

I was thinking about Economics recently because NPR's Planet Money ran a story about the website The Economics of Seinfeld. From the website: Seinfeld ran for nine seasons on NBC and became famous as a “show about nothing.” Basically, the show allows viewers to follow the antics of Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer as they move through their daily lives, often encountering interesting people or dealing with special circumstances.

It is the simplicity of Seinfeld that makes it so appropriate for use in economics courses. Using these clips (as well as clips from other television shows or movies) makes economic concepts come alive, making them more real for students. Ultimately, students will start seeing economics everywhere – in other TV shows, in popular music, and most importantly, in their own lives.

I haven't yet read through the seven pages of examples, but the site does bring back the memories of college - and my fascination with Economics.

Awesome Things Video

One of the blogs I regularly read is 1000 Awesome Things.

We can all use some positive thoughts in our life. Here is the accompanying video by the blog's author. Description from the site: Neil Pasricha's blog 1000 Awesome Things savors life's simple pleasures, from free refills to clean sheets. In this heartfelt talk from TEDxToronto, he reveals the 3 secrets (all starting with A) to leading a life that's truly awesome.

TV Show: Extreme Couponing

This past weekend, TLC had a marathon of their newer show Extreme Couponing.

Basically, puffy-haired women and a few obviously-gay-but-married-anyway men spend up to "35 hours per week" (!) clipping, organizing, and obsessing over coupons. Then, they head to the grocery to buy truck loads of crap they don't need but "stockpile" anyway because they're getting a great deal. You do not need 100 bottles of hand lotion. Ever.

"I bought $1000 worth" of stuff I don't need "for $12".


I was buying into the concept until I saw three of my pet peeves in one episode:

1) The word is pronounced "coupon" not "Qpon".

2) Fifty cents is written 50¢. If you write .50¢, you are saying 1/2 of a penny.

3) Your coupon books did not come "from God just in time to save [your] home". They came in the mail. Your mailman is not God. God is busy smiting people. He has no time for your petty hobby.


I can no longer watch this show.

Music Challenge: Producers

Carlos and I were talking a few weeks ago about prominent record producers.

Among the ones we brought up in the conversation were:
Shep Pettibone
Mutt Lange
Todd Rundgren
Nile Rodgers

He offered me a challenge -
Create a mixed CD of your favorite producer's product. I agreed and figured that he'd pick Shep Pettibone, since he'd produced many of Madonna's singles - who Carlos loves though he is definitely "NOT DEFINED BY MADONNA".

He picked Nile Rodgers.

I picked Todd Rundgren. After some research, I have found that Todd Rundgren has produced 58 albums including some of my favorites, and the reasons I picked him:

Badfinger - Ass (though only two of the songs)

Grand Funk Railroad - Shinin' On

XTC - Skylarking (great album!)



Badfinger - Straight Up (One of his best producing efforts)



--------------------

Once Carlos and I both present our compilations to each other, I'll post them here.

How about you: Do you follow certain producers? Who are your favorite producers? Do you feel (strong) record producers shape a band?

The Final Countdown

see more Funny Graphs

Mahna Mahna and other songs

Earlier this week, Carlos and I were playing songs for each other with the challenge, "Try getting this out of your head". Here are our top picks...


Mahna Mahna and the Snowths from The Muppet Show


If I Knew You Were Coming, I'd Have Baked A Cake - Eileen Barton


A Bushel and A Peck - Doris Day


What songs can you think of?

BPM

Whenever I make mixed CD's, I am cognizant of the BPM (beats per minute) of each song - and how each fits together. For years, I have been using my own tapping combined with a metronome.

Gotta love the internet: Today, I found a site dedicated to what I have been sweating over for years.

Now, when I want to make a 160+ BPM CD, I will easily know that this song...



and this song...



can be linked.

New Gap Logo

A story from here:

Gap changed its logo today without fanfare or even so much as a press release. It just kind of showed up on their website, no method of warning considered.

The new logo, a cold and unfeeling blue square crushed underneath the cruel weight of bold, black Helvetica, makes the company look more like it’s about to release a new word processor than a footwear collaboration with Pierre Hardy. Our questions about this abound, but we’ll start with this one: What the hell are they thinking?

BrandChannel points out that while Gap Inc. as a company might have posted over $14 billion in revenue last year, Gap as a brand isn’t doing nearly as well as it has in the past. And now it’s scrambling for a jolt of energy that will send it back to the top again.

“… Ditching the classic logo, recognized by everyone, in favor of whatever that new monstrosity is, demonstrates a prototypical brand panic move. With things not going in its favor, the brand decides to change the one valuable element it has going for it.

Ironically maybe, the new logo is perfect for the brand. It communicates exactly the values currently embodied by Gap: A sense of being lost and a lack of clear vision and creativity.”

Ouch. Well. We hate Helvetica as much as the next person who has a thing for fonts (we had the audacity to tell our 300-level graphic design professor that we thought it was the most banal font we’d ever seen). But we’ve noticed that the company hasn’t changed the logo on its Facebook or Twitter pages, so maybe (hopefully) they’re just testing it out and gauging how consumers would react to it. But if the company can make a design flub this big, should we expect the clothes to follow?

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An update to the above story is here.

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See the trailer for the 2007 documentary on Helvetica.

More Sesame Street

Following up on this post and this post, Sesame Street is again dipping into the world of pop culture, parodying a show that no 3 year old would ever be able to watch.

Their skit...


The opening theme to the original...

Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock

Gotta love The Big Bang Theory!


1) Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock
Scissors cuts paper,
paper covers rock,
rock crushes lizard,
lizard poisons Spock,
Spock smashes scissors,
scissors decapitates lizard,
lizard eats paper,
paper disproves Spock,
Spock vaporizes rock,
and rock crushes scissors.


2) One of my favorites, Wil Wheaton has guest starred twice - so far.


3) They wear cool costumes.

When 1 plus 1 is not equal to 2

Back in college, I was a math major for one semester. (The next semester I had to take Advanced Calculus at 8 am five days a week. I didn't mind the actual course. At 19, getting up for an 8 am class five days a week was not an option. I quickly changed majors.) I am still fascinated by math. Here is a problem that we discussed in our math forums.

I totally stole this post from here.

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Sometimes we make a habit of assuming things. Or sometimes we think we know things but we don't.

Let me ask you this. Does 1 + 1 = 2 all the time?

The correct answer is, it depends on the context. Add 1 cup of liquid (say, a vinegar) and 1 cup of baking soda solution, and you'll end up with less than 2 cups of something.

It's not all the time that you're in the same page as person next to you. Sometimes, your differences compound until it's not a 1 + 1 matter anymore.

It's not all the time that people you deal with are transparent to you. They may seem to be in the same page as you, but at the back of their minds, they are several pages ahead of you.

How do you deal with these kind of people?

1. Know the context of their actions. Learn to factor other significant details to understand why their conclusion is different from yours.

2. Stick to the generally accepted truth. Sure, 1 + 1 = 2 may not always be correct, but most people I know will accept it as such.

3. Build your own contextual support. We may be looking at the same thing but think differently. However, I can fully support my thoughts and give more weight to my side of truth more than yours.

Also, in base 1, 1 + 1 = 11. In base 2, 1 + 1 = 10. In base 10, 1 + 1 = 2. :)

NOW, if you really, really want to stick with the you-idiot-of-course-im-referring-to-the-decimal-numbering-system kind of argument, here's a proof that 1 + 1 = 1:

Let a = 1 and b = 1.

Therefore a = b, by substitution.

If two numbers are equal, then their squares are equal, too:

a^2 = b^2.

Now subtract b^2 from both sides (if an equation is true, then if you subtract the same thing from both sides, the result is also a true equation) so

a^2 - b^2 = 0.

Now the lefthand side of the equation is a form known as "the difference of two squares" and can be factored into (a-b)*(a+b). If you don't believe me, then try multiplying it out carefully,
and you will see that it's correct. So:

(a-b)*(a+b) = 0.

Now if you have an equation, you can divide both sides by the same thing, right? Let's divide by (a-b), so we get:

(a-b)*(a+b) / (a-b) = 0/(a-b).

On the lefthand side, the (a-b)/(a-b) simplifies to 1, right? and the righthand side simplifies to 0, right? So we get:

1*(a+b) = 0,

and since 1* anything = that same anything, then we have:

(a+b) = 0.

But a = 1 and b = 1, so:

1 + 1 = 0, or 2 = 0.

Now let's divide both sides by 2, and we get:

1 = 0.

Then we add 1 to both sides, and we get:

1 + 1 = 1.

But of course, the above formula is flawed. I'll let you figure it out.

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If you figure it out, leave a comment. Or if you glazed over at the sight of a number, let me know that too.

Shopping Feedback

This summer, we stopped at a Chic-Fil-A on the way back from Florida. I was so impressed, I submitted positive comments to the store via their web site. I received back a personal email from their Regional Manager, thanking me and letting me know that the employee that I mentioned and his manager would receive my comments.

I thought I would continue my project: Instead of complaining about bad service (see this post), I would compliment good service whenever possible (but with also being honest about a less than good experience).

Today, I shopped at Pier 1 Imports and our local Rouses supermarket. I didn't make a copy of my Pier 1 comments, but they were basically "the cashier was very nice, but I really DO NOT appreciate being asked for my phone number and email address. I understand why you are asking for it, but it really feels intrusive. If I have the choice, I will shop at another store." I was asked for my phone number at Party City yesterday. That is really starting to become a pet peeve of mine.

I did copy my comments to Rouses:
I was at your Airline - Metairie location this morning, trying to find all the items to create Muffaletta sandwiches for a dinner I am attending this Wednesday. I spoke with Florence (I think that was her name) in your Deli. She was very, very helpful - guiding me through all the items I needed to purchase. She even pointed out that Rouses carried the Olive Salad (in a jar) that I was looking for, but that I had not even asked her about. Great employee!!

I also asked one of your employees in the Bread/Dessert department if my Muffaletta bread would still be fresh if I bought it today (Sunday). She told me that it would not, and then offered to bake a special batch for me that I could pick up Tuesday (for my Wednesday dinner). I did not, however, get her name. There were two employees in the department at the time. The one who helped me also wrote my name (-------) in her log.

I live much closer to Wal-Mart, but drive the extra distance to shop at your store. This is why. Keep up the great work, and please let the employees that I encountered today know that they are doing a great job.

I Bought an iPhone

I have been wanting an iPhone for awhile, but promised myself that I wouldn't buy one until my current cell phone died. Well, for the past week, I have been having to charge my phone at least daily (and some days more). I used to have to charge my cell every three or four days.

That seemed like a good reason to upgrade.

My new iPhone (3GS 16gs) arrives at the end of this week. Updates to follow.