205 Carry-on craziness!

Carry-on craziness!

Why does the person who carries on far more than allowed always takes his or her time storing it while holding up everyone else waiting to get seated!! 

The person appears to be completely oblivious to what is going on around him or her. Does this person think no one else wants to get seated or ready to go? It is often hard to tell what motivates this type of person. On a recent flight, a gentleman (and I use the term loosely), who had at least three bags to store, took forever to put them in the overhead bin while holding up at least 10

to 20 people who just wanted

to get by. Just when you thought he was finished, he pulled out something else he absolutely had to store. The final straw was 

disrobing in the middle of the aisle, pulling his sweater

over his head. That is something

the rest of us did not need to see. 

Again, he was holding up the other passengers so he could be comfortable while appearing completely unaware that he was affecting so many others. We were already seated so we got to watch this spectacle unfold feeling tremendous sympathy for those waiting for this idiot to complete his storing ritual.

I can’t figure out how people are so unaware of what is around them or how their actions affect others. I know this may seem trivial but it can cause the plane to be late taking off. I remember one case in which a family could not decide who was sitting where--the seats they had purchased--and the flight attendant kept warning them to take a seat or the plane would be delayed! Again, total disregard for the rest of the passengers. 

While the aforementioned gentleman was obnoxious, one of the worst I have witnessed was a woman who sat in front of me on a non-stop flight to Paris from D.C. If she was out of her seat once, she was up 100 times (a little exaggeration but not much). She just had to retrieve items from the overhead bin over and over and over again.

I could not imagine what she needed so desperately that she had to open and close the bin as well as her carry-on case countless times, disturbing all those around her including me!

Again, like the carry-on king previously mentioned, she was completely oblivious as to what she was doing to the rest of the passengers. I kept hoping she was not going to be on the same tour we were meeting in Paris. Thank goodness she wasn’t, as I found out later!

As we were preparing for the landing and exiting the plane, she started searching frantically around her seat and then exclaimed – “I can’t find my shoes!”

My initial reaction was laughter, but I contained myself and tried not to make eye contact. I busied myself with what I had to do to get ready to leave so I am not sure of the outcome of her lost shoes, but I would be surprised if those were the only things she couldn’t find.

Please readers when you enter or exit a plane, keep in mind the others around you. This is not your living room and personal space you own. We are all in the same boat trying to get from one place to another, so try to be as considerate as you want others to be. How many items do you really need to carry on!! If you do need to store an item, move out of the way so others can get by. It really can be accomplished with consideration and concern for others.

Frances                    

204 Grocery store etiquette

Grocery Store Etiquette

I like to go to the grocery store. When I go without my husband, "Mr. Rush-Down-Only-Aisles-You-Need," I leisurely take my cart down almost every aisle--maybe not the baby aisle--but all the rest. I like to see what new products are on the shelves or discover ones I have never tried.

Walmart has been advertising its shop-for-you service. Now at Martin's, I see employees loading up carts for their Groceries Go Customers. Not for me! Similarly, I like to try on clothes before buying them or drive a car before ordering it!

But there are things that really irritate me when shopping. These people in the grocery store aisles had to drive a car to get to the store, right? So why don't they follow the rules of the road? When stopping to pick up an item from the shelves, I pull my cart as far to the right as possible even if I have to park a little bit away from my intended shelf--so anyone can get by me. You don't stop your car in the center lane when stopping so why leave your cart EXACTLY in the middle so no one can get by it going either direction?

With a group shopping together, the gang takes up the entire aisle even when they see you coming. And then there are those fascinating conversations in which two or three carts are gathered around for a talk. Make room for passer-byes while you chat!

I find it less annoying than amazing are those people who talk on their phones the entire time they shop. The conversations, which I can't help but hear, sound pretty mundane. And it is downright RUDE to check out while talking on the phone!

I try to ignore the folks who are eating the produce while shopping, but keep your hands out of the salad bar! A few months back, I saw a woman at the tomatoes with almost every package open, sorting and moving tomatoes until she had the perfect package. 

I asked the young man stocking produce if he could stop her, but he just shrugged. I wanted to buy a package of tomatoes, so I asked her which packages she had not touched and bought one of those. But now each time I go, I wonder if she has been there before me.

I bet the people who work in grocery stores have many stories that are even worse than mine. But I feel better--stating what I wish I would say to those folks when I encounter them!

Now back to relaxing, mindless shopping!

               Trish

203 TV Ads

TV Ads Drive Me Crazy 

Hello savvy readers! It’s a sort of rant from me today. After dinner last night, dear husband and I plunked ourselves in our easy chairs for a night of TV surfing and watching. We have a number of shows we have set up to record – many are PBS mysteries and “light” science shows. 

Every now and then, after watching Jeopardy, we flip through the channels (we have DirecTV – that’s another story for another day) to see if we might catch something funny or new or different. 

Like Savvy Frances & Trish, we are fans of cooking competitions (not that we are going to try any of the recipes!). 

Our favorites are Gordon Ramsey shows but we also like Duff Goldman, “the king of cakes,” who judges many smaller market cooking shows and was just in a cake competition himself. He seems to enjoy himself!

Sorry, I digress.

What I want to fume about is TV advertising. Too much, too many, just too, too, too! I wondered if it was just my lack of patience or whether the ads are annoying others, too. I Googled the Nielsen Report: 14 minutes and 15 seconds of ads are the norm for one hour of TV programming. So, subtract from 60 minutes….

FOX has the most ads per half-hour show. This surprised me as their demographic of watchers is the lowest age group (the 20-40-year-olds) whereas the old seasoned stations like NBC, CBS, and ABC direct their marketing to those 58 years and older. Wouldn’t you think younger watchers would be more likely NOT to watch the ads?

And from my dear pal Google, these are the top TV advertisers--all with multi-million dollar budgets: GEICO, Mercedes- Benz, Toyota, AT&T Wireless, Progressive, and Taco Bell.

Now I ask don’t I seem to see a plethora of drug ads? Where does “big pharma” rank in all this? From the PharmaDive website, I learned that “187 commercials for about 70 prescription medications have collectively aired almost a half million times in 2018 ... for which they shelled out about $2.8 billion.” That amount per drug company is far less than GEICO who spent $20 million on TV and upwards of $1.2 billion in all marketing and advertising. Hmmm. I suppose I believe this. Maybe we just enjoy “old folks shows” where the medicines are directed.

Nor will I take the time to address the law firms that will help you with your medical problems! Again, a different story for another time. If you can read the fine print, it’s a BIG story. [One of my aside snarky comments: I don’t even know what half the drugs are for unless I see an actor running for a bathroom.] 

If you are becoming like dear husband and me, we are taping many shows for binge watching. Also, here is a secret that I am ashamed to admit. Next to Google, I think I love Amazon Next best. I ordered light bulbs, a couple of books, a black tee shirt, and Necco Wafers (that supposedly NO ONE has anymore) all in the same order and it arrived the NEXT DAY. It is the ability to stream the Amazon Prime shows that is so compelling–-this is where you see Mrs. Maisel. I wish I could shop more locally but time, energy, and money have taken precedence. Shame on me! I really enjoy, though, uninterrupted streaming of some really quality TV shows WITH NO ADS!!! Thanks, Amazon Prime!

We would love to hear how you handle TV advertising--or if you do! Or what you think if it? 

And to all the Mothers out there – I hope you had a happy and restful Mother’s Day!

                   Glenne

202 Cooking Shows Redux

The fascination with cooking shows 

I am a cooking show advocate, but it doesn’t seem to translate into my own culinary skills.

I felt the need to elaborate on this subject after Savvy Trish listed her favorite cooking contest shows in her latest blog.

She also included the quote from “The Atlantic” which supports my premise --- most people who watch TV about cooking don’t cook! They basically watch for the sport of it or the fun of it.

I completely agree. There must be some hidden motive that makes me watch and possibly a secret wish that it will translate into better skills in the kitchen. All I know is I have several favorites that I hate to miss.

Who could not have loved the Cake Boss which featured Buddy and his loving family. It makes your mouth water as the pastries fill your sense of sight. Would love to visit and sample the goodies.

The show began in 2009 on TLC and featured Carlo’s, a family-owned bakery, which was originally opened by Carlo Guastaffero in 1910. It was acquired by Bartolo Valastro Sr. in 1964. After the untimely passing of Bartolo Sr. in 1994, his wife Mary and children expanded the business. Thus Buddy (Bartolo Jr.) became the leader of the pack. 

The cakes are breathtaking as he and his staff concoct amazing feats that defy all past images of baking products. Getting them delivered unscathed added to the tense situations but rarely was there a mishap from the shop in Hoboken, N.J. The show will be returning this year but to a new network, Discovery Family.

If it wasn’t enough that this show kept you on the edge of your seat as weekly challenges pushed the staff to uncharted limits of cakes resembling racecars, the Statue of Liberty, and any other such objects the public requested, Buddy is featured in a new show, Buddy vs. Duff, which pairs Food Network Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman with Buddy. A little different from Cake Boss, this reality show pushes the limits of baking prowess. 

Moving on to other cooking show favorites, I cannot leave out Lidia Bastianich on PBS. She had a regular series but now mainly hosts specials that take her on many journeys to illustrate her cooking superiority.

My husband always says her dishes aren’t that pretty but look really delicious. 

I especially love when Nonna makes an appearance to give her approval or not of the completed dishes. The family warmth is evident throughout all her shows.

Of course, the queen of all cooking shows, Julia Child, appears in reruns on PBS with her many guest chefs. Often the dishes are very completed but nonetheless fascinating to watch. She especially displays a love of the art of cooking and sampling of the finished dishes. If only, we could share in the final products too! 

Her entire kitchen is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. An exhibit you won’t want to miss if you get near the city.

Some of you may remember her shows with French chef, Jacques Pepin. The two really concocted some amazing dishes. He continued with shows about what he calls Fast Food My Way. For most of us, we would not consider it fast at all!

So what is the fascination for those of us who are not considered cooks but who manage to get meals on the table or who bring in prepared dishes--I have no idea. But it is hypnotic to watch others prepare these culinary extravaganzas and make it look so simple and easy.

Of course, we know it is not.

Frances