tramplings and taking things back

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over the weekend i watched with horror at the reports of a walmart worker being killed by "black friday" shoppers at a long island, ny shopping mall. shoppers, many of whom were reportedly angry that the store had closed during the night to restock, not only busted the door off of its hinges, but also trampled the worker and four others (including a 8 months pregnant woman) in efforts to beat other shoppers to the best deals. shoppers tromped on, over and by the 34 year-old employee, crushing his trachea, and apparently, not noticing or not caring as paramedics worked to save the man's life. while the worker, sadly, died the other four were treated at the hospital and are recovering.

authorities, thankfully, are pouring over security camera footage hoping to identify the killers, hoping to catch glimpses of the perpetrators' greedy faces, make positive i.d.s and prosecute the hell out of them. while i share the sentiment, i do wonder if it's possible to do this. isn't the very nature of a mob the fact that identities become blurred, thinking fuzzy and actions robotic and frenzied? won't the "mass-ness" of the act be what's prominent on the tapes? won't the pictures show an anonymous, hurried, chaotic, breathless, adrenalized blob of dark winter coats and heavy duty winter boots moving en masse to the electronics department where the x-boxes are marked down 75% and the big screen t.v.s are $400 off? won't the films show that, true to mob motion and mentality, the people in back surged forwared and the people in front kept on moving, almost as if against their wills?

there can be no true justice done here. it's down to only a matter reparative degrees now: shoppers at an american store trampled a human being to death and didn't notice or care enough to stop and help, let alone give a damn. decency has already died in the dock as a store clerk--who apparently was a seasonal employee just trying to make an extra buck--has died from irreparable physical damage incurred as he was opening the door of the store where he works. no more christmases, hugs from family or breaths of any kind for that guy, all because greedy AMERICAN people--"civilized," western people--had so little self control or decency as to avoid trampling another person to death while they walked through the doorway of a consumer outlet.

in a society where liberal humanists and other enlighten individuals call for the end of war and protection of the environment, citizens trample each other in hopes of getting the best price on toys. it makes one wonder just where this society is headed. it makes one want to vomit, pray and scream all at once.

*

i found myself moving against the crowd this weekend, but not in the dramatic fashion depicted above. at least, not dramatic to anyone but me. due to an unusual number of outstanding november work reimbursements i found myself a little short at the end of the month. looking with dread at dec 1, the day an auto-w/d for health insurance will hit my account, i wondered what i should do. i decided to return some already-purchased christmas gifts to raise the bit of cash needed.

now, this is a strange endeavor, you can imagine. while stores crawl with crowds of shoppers looking for bargains, i was in the return line looking to make some money. at first i wanted to make up stories--"this wasn't the right size"--or concoct guilty excuses--"i'm so sorry. this just didn't work for me"--but after the first store (I went to two) something happened inside me. i felt free and responsible.

let me explain. of late i have been really trying not to put charges on my credit card, which sounds like it would be easy (just don't do it!), but since, as i mentioned above, i often purchase things for my job and then get reimbursed, every end-of-month finds me in crunch mode. i usually end up either borrowing from my savings or charging a few items, incurring the interest and chalking it up to vocational hazard. and since the last two months have found me with above-and-beyond expenses--car repairs and a tooth crown--my reserves are depleted and option #1 wasn't possible. i'm sick of charging so i tried to stretch my funds and it just didn't work. i was short. thus, the return-o-rama scheme was hatched.

i must admit that before freedom and responsibility hit me, a little shame did. i mean, come now, who returns gifts to make money? (answer: really greedy teens or really poor newlyweds). yet freedom came to me in knowing that in a culture where shoppers kill other people in a frenzied rush to acquire goods, i was, in a small way, bucking that system. i was calmly returning items, not slavishly clamoring for them.

freedom also came in realizing that i wasn't folding and relying on credit which is increasingly expensive these days, you may have noticed. responsibility came in knowing that as the cfo of company kelli i was making a wise choice for my investors (me!). i raised the capital i needed to stay solvent, and i know where to go if i want to buy those items back.

and really, do my neices and nephews really need the just-released kung fu panda movie that, like three months from now, will be marked down from $19.99 to $7.99? uh, no. do i need the raiders of the lost ark dvd just because it's $3.98 and just because harrison ford was really cute back then? again, no.

On The Road (After Bed)

so, my last post lamented that my local pbs station wouldn't be airing a highly anticipated national series, spain on the road again ("rocky mountain high?). much to my delight and surprise a rep from kcts, my local station, emailed me right after the post went live to let me know that they will indeed be airing the series, just a month or so later than other affiliates. i said: great! i can wait until october.

well, tonight's the big night. i just checked the evening programming guide for kcts to see exactly when i can let myself be transported to spain and all things gwen and mario. i found out the airtime is tonight at 11 pm. now, is it just me or is that, like, BEYOND primetime? not to whine (more than necessary), but come now. spain on the road again is pre-empted by:

1. baseball (apparently a dramatic show, NOT a game)
2. conversations at kcts (not sure what this is, but please let it NOT be a donor drive)
and (this is my fave)
3. get ready for digital

the other day my friend kate asked me if i had seen the show on iTunes, since she knows i haven't seen it broadcast on tv yet and since the first episode download from iTunes is free and since every civilized person on earth has access to iTunes (being on par with having a flush toilet). i said, noooo, i'm waiting for the show to air to support my local pbs station.

smug little me.

not anymore. the gloves have come off. my enlightened liberal poise is taking a backseat (a spot way back in the trunk?) to facility. bring on the download, i say.

question: do you think the station didn't have to pay as much for the rights to air the show if they aired it after 10 pm? just wondering why (i presume) an infomercial for the switch to digital tv in '09 would pre-empt gwen and mario. or why it would pre-empt ANY show at all.

rocky mountain high? (on the road again, part 3)

everyone, stop what you are doing. i just found out some very sad news: my local pbs station, kcts, will NOT be airing, spain on the road again. i know, unconscionable, but true. i just downloaded the kcts september schedule. in the september 20, 7 pm time slot they will airing--wait for it--JOHN DENVER. please, feel free to locate kcts' email and send them very stern reprimands!

i'm going to have to get creative. i'm not normally about doing the bit torrent thing (aka, internet rip offs) but i'm definitely tempted on this one. maybe i should buy myself an early christmas present and just pre-order the dvd set...

ideas?

on the road again and soon

so, the time has come. finally. you'd think it was months and months since i blogged about the upcoming pbs series, spain: on the road again. but it's only been a few weeks, since august 12. i think it's that weird time thing that happens to us when we're excited (how the trip to disneyland takes forever to come and christmas morning eons to arrive, that sort of thing).



check out the site. mario will be blogging about the series, which is pretty cool. i did notice, and react with an understanding laugh, that his blog does not allow for comments. i'm sure he doesn't want to deal with a bunch of silly remarks. i can imagine them coming from all directions:

(the food enthusiast): "mario, i just LOVE your dad's deli in seattle" (that's something i'd prolly say if i ever got to eat at his dad's deli--read my august 31 post to see what my whining is about)

(the food network junkie): "mario, why DID they cancel molto mario? is fine living network REALLY a sister station?"

(hormonally charged guys): "mario, is gwyneth paltrow as hot in person as she looks in the movies? what was it like to spend 4 whole months in spain with her?"

(sycophants of any gender): "mario, where do you get all your orange shoes?"

(mothers/mother-types): "mario, don't you catch a cold from always wearing shorts?"

so, no blog responses from The Great One. that's okay, i'm looking forward to the sights, sounds and smells of italy (at least the imaginary smells coming through my tv) and i'm okay with not becoming mario's blogger bff.

it also looks like mario's "fellow travelers" will be blogging and i must say since my friend, kate informed me that mark bittman is pretty cool, i look forward to hearing his thoughts. and honestly, i have nothing against the girls, i really don't.

on a more contemplative note: i think we all pretty much get it now that there is no such thing as the simple release of a movie or show, at least not high profile ones. gone are the days when you just showed up at the theatre (with your nickel) and "saw the picture." gone, also are the days when you looked at the current listings of tv guide to see what's on. now it's about the release, the preview of the release and the preview of the preview. the fact that this is my second blog about a show that hasn't even aired is proof of that. not to mention that the series will be feature on an upcoming oprah episode and also graces the cover of this week's people magazine (which, incidentally will be the second time people has covered the show. may 12 was the first time).

i wonder if mario, who comes across as a very down-to-earth-guy (but a savvy one at that) ever just shakes his head at all the goings on?

ah, well. cynicism aside, i'll admit it: i'm excited to watch the series. bring on september 20, the day the first episode will air.

now, if only i could keep the wine cupboard stocked with rioja...