Sunday 25 July 2010

Stop Press

A few observations that I thought were worth mentioning...

1. Drive Through

Whilst out walking one day, checking out my 'hood; I walked past a car park and at the front was a sign for a chiropractor. My vision then went towards a drive 'thru' window on the side of a building right next to the car park. My mind boggled - a drive thru chiropractor? How does that work? Do you drive up, someone comes out, you open your door to them, they wiggle your back around and then you drive off? But then I noticed that the window was for the bank (which was the building next to the car park). Ahh, that makes much more sense...!

2. Take Away

Most days I make lunch at home. But on the odd occasion when what I have in doesn't tickle my fancy, I pop out to the local bagel place or deli to grab something. I've learned that to get a "tuna bagel to take away" meets with a blank stare and a " Sorry ma'am?". The term used is 'to go'. So, whilst trying to remember this terminology, I end up tripping up on my words and getting even more confusing looks! Therefore, as I approach any food establish to grab a quick bite to eat, my mantra is "to go, to go, to go".

3. Call of Nature

Don't ask for a bathroom or toilet...always the 'restroom' and occasionally accepted as the 'ladies'.

4. Trust at Starbucks

The local Starbucks is frequented with people armed with laptops, study notes, presentations, business problems, personal problems and even exam papers to mark. This means there is a whole plethora of people sitting around sipping their tall-soy-mocha-chocca-latte-frappacino's. Now, this also means that they stay for a while and therefore, the need to use the restroom eventually arises. Now, call me paranoid but I'm amazed at how many people just get up and go, leaving their laptops, books and bags until they return. I find this very odd in a world where we are told everyday to 'be aware of unattended bags'. I suppose on the upside, I should be happy that my 'hood is safe enough that people feel fine to leave their bags unattended. But am I the only one to find it strange that no-one else is bothered?

5. TV Shows

Family Fortunes is called Family Feud; the US love, love their sport...nascar, wrestling, basketball...But the best programme is Jeopardy. Love it. Can't get enough of it. After years of seeing it on US TV shows or books making a reference to it, I can see why its still being aired. Hubby and I spend most evenings shouting out the answers (ok, I do) and if we/I don't know the answer we revert to the 'Groundhog Day' movie where Bill Murray, having seen the programme several times knows the answers and our favourite answer that he gives is "What is Lake Titicaca?" Great movie and a great answer....and even better it recently came up as an answer...love it.

6. Mobiles

Unbelievably, folk over here still drive whilst talking on their mobiles (or as the US call them, cells). Legislation is just coming through to ban people from sending/reading a TEXT whilst driving...crazy, crazy people.

7. Adverts...and then some

So many adverts...and on some of them at the bottom they have 'dramatization' or 'actor protrayal'...it does make me ask - why does this need to be stated? I thought that most adverts were portrayed by actors? Does the cartoon Kool Aid pitcher need to have the words, this is a cartoon? Yes, I know...I'm being a tad sarcastic, forgive me....but it does make me laugh!