Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Of David Gregory, Blah Blahs, Irksome Things, And Wait... What Was I Talking About Now?

At one point my friend Sue was all wrapped up in her perimenopause and then saw something on Oprah or Dr. Phil or read something about adult ADD, which she was also convinced she had. I was immediately envious of her on two fronts. She had legitimate reasons for being completely batshit. Two of them, as a matter of fact. I had basically...none. At least none that anyone could do a show on, unless that show was Women Who Just Don't Frikking Care Anymore And Can't Seem To Keep Anything In Their Heads For More Than, Say, A Minute And A Half.

Would you watch that episode of Dr. Phil or Oprah?

Okay, maybe I would. Maybe you would, too. After all, you're still reading this post.

Anyway.

I'm feeling kinda like that again right now. But I am bravely soldiering on. It's past time for a post, and you shall have one. It will be a meandering snarkfest perhaps, but oh well. Here goes.

It pains me to announce this, but announce it I must: I am breaking up with David Gregory. I know. But I've had it. He's just beyond irritating as the new host of Meet the Press. Yes, he had enormous shoes to fill, coming in after the esteemed and beloved Tim Russert. Yes, anyone would take some getting used to. But he is just terrible. He's combative, mean, shows his bias, and interrupts everyone. And, unlike Tim Russert, employs the "gotcha." You know, I used to love David Gregory. He's tall, kinda cute in a boyish charm sort of way, and he is an Unabashed Pink Tie Wearer. But forget you, David Gregory. It's over.

Speaking of the news (sort of, anyway), have you become sort of inured to it all, as I have? I mean, lately, here's what the national news sounds like to me: "stocks took a tumble blah blah blah the economy blah blah blah the nation's automakers blah blah blah in Washington today blah blah blah the Dow Jones Industrial blah blah blah the Federal Reserve blah blah blah life sucks." I used to be a huge news junkie, especially during the Election Rotation, but now I'm sort of watching the news purely out of habit. Don't tell anyone, but if it wasn't for Brian Williams' tie, I probably wouldn't watch the national news at all anymore. I just don't care. Not a whit. (I just reread that last part and actually felt a little guilty. Wait....I re-reread it, and now I don't.)

Here's a thing. I first saw this story on video under the headline Purple Garage Irks Neighbors. What a great headline. Seems that in Oregon, out in a country setting, absentee landowners built a massive garage--no house yet, just a bigass garage--and painted it lavender and purple in Victorian gingerbread style. The owners live in California and admire the San Francisco row houses done that way. Needless to say, the residents already in Sequim are...well, irked. Well, Sequim residents, I feel your pain. There could be a headline in my daily paper that says Stupid Window Clings Irk Neighbor. Or, perhaps, Inexplicably Placed Lawn Chair In Mulch Irks Neighbor. Or this: Awful Plywood Cutout Of Betty Boop Irks Neighbor. Sigh. Most of the time, however, I just sit in my backyard to avoid being irked.

That last part made me start caring a little bit. And not in a good way, either. Is that a symptom of perimenopause or Adult ADD? Feh. I don't know.

Who cares?

16 comments:

  1. One of my closest friends in California has ADD. He really has it. In a way that makes you think, "So that's what ADD is really like. Now it makes sense that they say they're over diagnosing it." The symptoms are so strong and distinct that I can tell within a few minutes whether or not he has taken his medication.

    You don't have adult ADD, or if you do, it's extremely mild. Your mind simply wanders; that's just a part of life.

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  2. My husband has adult ADD. Not sure how he gets things done, but he does. That said? He also forgets a lot of small things unless he writes them down. Which he does. He lives and dies by the pocket daytimer.

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  3. ADD or early onset Alzheimer's? lol. I write a lot more stuff down than I used to. This is good for going to the supermarket. It's embarrassing when you walk from the living room to the kitchen and forget why you went there... while you are on the way! (Perimenopause doesn't worry me; it's been a long time since Peri played a part in my menopause.)

    I am completely enamored of the bigass lavender garage. There are entirely too many irked neighbors in this country. This is why there are commercials on TV about couples who are petrified of being blacklisted by their neighbors because their lawn is overrun with dandelions. (not kidding!)

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  4. I love the word irked. It brings everyone to a stop around here because if I say it then the situation must be serious. It's got that connatation that this little annoyance is on the verge of truly blowing up--and nobody wants that. I think it's the perfect word for a lavendar barn in the middle of nowhere.

    I'm sorry that the news is letting you down. Does the saying "No news is good news" fit here?

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  5. ADD is soooooo done...I enjoy blaming absolutely everything on the barometric pressure which, as you know, fluctuates wildly in the great state of Ohio. And, not only can I not remember diddly--except Bo Diddley--I'm having severe word finding difficulties which is a fabulous thing to behold in a Neuro ICU. I'm all about the charades these days.
    Now the news. That is a whole other ball of wax. It's quite depressing. Not only is it the Dow Jones decline and the Cheney said this and the Obama said that, we in CinCity keep hearing about how the city is $$40 kajillion dollars in debt and how the hell are we going to keep city services running.
    I'm burying my head in a book about murder in wartime London. I feel refreshed there.

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  6. distracted--At least you have the presence of mind to act something out. I just stand there completely paralyzed and wait to be rescued. It's pathetic. And as far as cities in debt: ours has stopped mowing the cemetery. It's so totally depressing. Awful.

    J.--Absolutely! Sounds like it's time for the Thumper Rule: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!" (Although I find I'm mightily sick of the "making a difference" segments. Does that make me a bad or sick or DickCheney-esque person? Yikes.)

    Ortizzle--At one point, I was petrified that I was getting Alzheimer's. I asked my doctor and he said no; that if I actually KNEW i was forgetting things then it meant i wasn't getting Alzheimer's. What a relief. Now, that bigass lavender garage...after watching the video and seeing the gorgeous wide open view they had, i might be a bit irked too.

    apathy lounge--i am a major believer in list-making. i get a major rush from crossing the stuff off when it's done.

    Mikey--i'm way past distracted. i'm just SPENT. you know?

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  7. So, my stupid window clings irk you,do they? Just because my Easter Bunny and decorated egg clings stay up in that window that faces your house until it's time
    to put up the 4th of July stuff? What's the problem?

    It's not like I don't replace them with my goblins and witches in October.. and the turkey at Thanksgiving looks great. I like that Santa stays there looking at you till it's time for the Easter Bunny again.

    About my inexplicably placed chair. It is not inexplicable at all, dear, I know EXACTLY why it's there in the mulch. I like to sit there because it smells so good.

    And the cut out of Betty Boop. That's not Betty Boop, you Ninny, that's my Aunt Marion from Elyria. Come to think of it, she does look a little like BB.....It's the eyes,I think..

    If you think I'm an annoying neighbor, you should see my cousin's purple garage in Oregon.

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  8. Oh, yeah. I understand spent sometime. I just know it's not ADD :-p

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  9. The people irked by the purple garage? They so need to get over themselves.

    And the news? I've never done TV news, just newspapers. Now they stack up to the ceiling before I give them a cursory glance, pull out the coupons and Target ads, and toss them into the recycle bin.

    The perimenopausal ricocheting thought process? I tell myself I am more "creative" than I used to be. Or on LSD. Whatevah.

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  10. V-Grrrl--Watching the TV news is my antidote to the newspapers stacking up. I feel so terrible and wasteful when it happens, but I can't give up the daily papers, and I can't give up watching the news. Being uninformed for me is not an option. Makes me feel just plain stupid and careless.

    Nancy--If you're trying to irk me...LOL.

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  11. I'm really wondering what David Gregory has done to the viewing numbers for MTP. He is awful and I hate that they still have the same music ... it seems like they should have archived it to honor Tim. It was okay while Brokaw was temping, but Gregory is not worthy. I'd rather have Chuck Todd on there.

    I do have a hard time watching the news. Sometimes I watch the first part just to see BW's tie and off it goes. I'm still reading and getting plenty of news elsewhere though.

    We, Americans, are a crazy bunch. We look at a purple garage with disdain and then go on a Caribbean trip and marvel over the brightly colored homes and buildings.

    I always heard that Alzheimer's is not when you forgot where you put the keys, but when you forgot what the keys are. I like my list and my planner. I'm in a bit of a panic because I can't find our camping checklist and we're going camping in the morning. Plus, I have insomnia. Guess I'll be spending time in the hammock once we get there and get set up ... well, if we remember to pack it since I can't find the list. No, it's not on the computer. :-(

    FYI to all--ADD can be related to celiac and gluten issues ... some people find that the symptoms completely go away after going gluten free, without drugs.

    Shirley

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  12. Oh Nance. I'm so sorry to hear about David Gregory. I know how excited you were about him taking over on MTP, how disappointing!!! I have to admit that I haven't even watched a full episode since he started so I wouldn't know what an ass he's become and therefore I still like him. I guess.

    The news has always sucked. Always. Its always bad news. Always. Even during the election, they snuck all kinds of bad stuff in there we were just preoccupied by the not so bad stuff. There is a reason that Brian Williams has started to do the "good news" piece, they know that people are finally realizing they don't want to watch the news because it is so full of negativity.

    Neighbors. Seems like they're either really good or really bad. I swear the lady across the street stalks me, she's always telling me she saw me do this and she saw me do that. Maybe I could get some tax relief for that?

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  13. OMG!!!! That bunny!!!!!

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  14. Nina--I think you are the only one who still checks the Sidebar Bunny. That's okay. I do it for us both.

    Nina, again--You know, I'm even sick to death of Brian's "Happy Time Good News" segments. I really am. I just don't care about that, either, because I know that the only reason they're running those bits is because things suck so damn bad.Shirley--Except for the week of 14 May, MTP has been getting hammered in the ratings. Not remembering what the guest was that week. Anyway, ratings are down. I have officially stopped watching, and it makes me so sad. I flip around or finally get off my butt and get dressed. As far as who else should moderate, I wonder if Chuck Todd isn't too immature and snarky. I am now leaning toward Andrea Mitchell (Tim Russert called her "Mitch"), but we all know what a lousy judge of hosts I make!

    RE: camping. Hope you found your list, but if not, that you managed to have a great time anyway. I owe you a note. Promise that it's forthcoming. Busy end-of-year times right now.

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  15. helloooooo again...I have an award for you over at my place--no strings attached. Realize the countdown is ON--hours and minutes:>)

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  16. dbso--Thank you so very much for the lovely award. I've also thanked you over at your spot. And yes, the countdown is SO ON! Cannot wait for 6-5. Blessed Relief.

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