It’s September.
Actually, it’s almost the end of September. Where is the time going? And why are the arms on the clock and the pages in the calendar moving so damn fast?
(Deep breaths, calm thoughts)
Well, since autumn is upon us, I thought I’d just rattle off a few things that have been driving me crazy, making me think and piquing my interest. As always, this illustrious list was written in no particular order.
Penny For Your Dreams
Is it just me or is the whole “talent competition” show format wearing a bit thin? I mean, American Idol, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, The Sing-Off…it’s all giving me a headache. And while I certainly applaud the contestants for getting out there to make their dreams a reality, I feel like, in the end, they’re just getting pimped by Hollywood (like the rest of us!).
The Basketball Wives Franchise
Seriously? I truly can’t believe that grown women would stoop so low for a paycheck. I am embarrassed to admit that I’ve been watching the LA chicks (or more specifically, fast-forwarding through via DVR) and I think I’m just in shock. Talk about taking us back a coupla decades…eesh!
The Miseducation of 9/11
This year marked the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks and I’ve noticed that each year, the images of those affected seem to get paler and paler. I remember exactly where I was when the planes hit and the towers fell. It was a devastating experience for everybody, from all walks of life, not just a select few. It’s so interesting how the media seems to pour white paint over any story that includes people of different backgrounds. It’s so, so tired.
An Eye for An Eye?
I’m all for sending folks away to rot in their own misery for eternity, but who really wins after a death row inmate is administered a lethal injection? Add to that the fact that the wrong person might have been arrested and convicted of a crime, and the whole thing is just a hot, wrong mess. Again, does anybody really win or feel that justice is being served? I don’t know…
What To Read Next
As per my usual, I’m torn between about three books and don’t know which one to pick up next. Oddly enough, I have such self-inflicted “literary guilt” that I can’t start the next book until I’m done with the current book. Right now, I’m halfway through Belong to Me, which I bought during my local Borders’ close-out sale, and then there’s Martha Southgate’s The Taste of Salt and Scott Poulson-Bryant’s VIPs and then, there’s a bunch of other titles I’ve read about over the last few weeks. Oh, and not to mention, I’ve got sparkling, new October mags strewn all over the crib.
Where, oh where, do I begin? On the page that I last bookmarked, I suppose.
Fall TV
I’ve still not watched The Playboy Club (it’s DVR’d), but I did watch Up All Night and Free Agent…hmmm, so far, not so good. Not really sure I care about Maria Bello’s new show. It could be good, but I can’t stomach any more crime dramas at the moment.
Of course, I can’t wait for Maher’s return on…wait, when does he return? Yikes. Although it’s now been shelved into DVD history, I was actually quite pleased with the Entourage finale. It all seemed very possible in this land called Hollywood and at the end of the day, Ari shall always be Ari, which I love. As a sidebar, I saw Adrian G. at a party last weekend…Q-T!
OK, I’m supposed to be talking about fall TV. Sadly, I can’t think of anything that I’m really all that excited about.
Thanks, but “No Thanks”
I’ve had many folks open doors for me (literally and professionally), speak kind words on my behalf and a select few have even paid my invoices in a uber-timely fashion. That said, I understand the power of a genuine ‘thank you,’ whether it be in the form of a note (handwritten or even an e-mail), a dozen flowers or sometimes, a simple phone call to let someone know that you appreciate them. Truth be told, I have boxes and boxes of blank ‘thank you’ notes at home. It’s not a game for me.
Last week, I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from someone who was pleased with a story that I wrote about her. I thought it was a lovely gesture, so I let her know via an e-mail and told her again when I later saw her in-person. This week, I got a late-night call from someone whom I’ve been very helpful to over the past year or so. Long story short, a lead that I sent her way panned out and she wanted to share the news. Now, I’m not suggesting that I be honored with a parade or even a box of Godiva, but what I don’t want is another coat of shellac on an old promise of a real ‘thank you’ that wasn’t really a ‘thank you’ in the first place. I know that might sound shady, but again, this is coming from someone who knows what a proper ‘thank you’ is…and that ain’t it. The next time she calls, I think I’ll just say, “No thanks.”
That’s all I can think of at the moment. I’m sure something else will come to mind as soon as I hit “Publish Post.” If so, I promise to log on, jot it down and hit “Publish Post” one more time!