Today's Random Thoughts

Today I can't seem to narrow down my thoughts enough to focus on one topic, so I'm making this a random hodgepodge. Beware, reading this may give you greater insight into my brain than you ever wanted.

I read something this morning that said our lives are mostly spent "waiting for the next 30 seconds to reveal what's next". I was just thinking about how seldomly the next 30 seconds reveals something I didn't do yesterday.

VICTORIA'S SECRET

To start things out, I had the great pleasure of walking by the new Victoria's Secret store at the Tyson's Mall last night while I was out with my friends from Tucson. And yes, it is quite racy. I don't really know what they were trying to do with this attempt at harnessing sex appeal through deliberately posed practically nude mannequins. Victoria's Secret is (was) a place where most adults feel comfortable walking in to buy something for themself or their partner. I considering myself rather open-minded about such things, and I'm not easily embarrassed by sex appeal, but I would feel a little "dirty" going in there. I mean, it's all red lighting inside, the mannequins are embarrassingly underdressed. It's a sight to see.

Everyone has a different opinion on what's offensive. However, I think the difference here is that other such flagrant displays of a sexual nature, such as magazines, are covered on a newsstand so only people who pick it up and uncover it can see it. The models in VS's window are LIFE-SIZED and in your face. You go into the mall to watch a movie, you end up getting a free peep show instead. You might not stop shopping at VS, but I dare you to walk in there without feeling guilt. It's like Frederick's of Hollywood only way more slutty (um, multi-media!).

So wait, now not only are we competing with airbrushed models, now we must compete with PLASTIC??

NEW BANKRUPTCY LAW

"Two weeks before a new, more restrictive national bankruptcy law goes into effect, financially strapped Americans are rushing to file for protection from their creditors, with filings climbing to an unprecedented average of 13,000 a day last week."

OMG, 13,000 people a day file for bankruptcy? Is there no self-control in this country? Not only are most Americans overweight, they're financially irresponsible as well? And we wonder why we have such a huge national deficit. If politicians are anything like the average joe, we've got a huge problem.

GAS vs. LATTE

From a funny little article in the Motley Fool about how recently more Americans have not been paying their credit card bills on time. The credit card companies blame this on rising costs of gas, but how long can people hide behind that excuse?

"To fuel their gas habits, consumers clearly have to cut one weekly latte out of their budget or face the consequences of making their credit card payments. That' s 45.8 million lattes. Every day. What will baristas do with all that extra foam?"

AMAZING RACE:

The Amazing Race *used* to be my favorite show (and apparently many others held the same sentiment seeing as how it's won the emmy for best reality show for 3 years now). However, that was before the Family Edition began last week. I've since had to rethink my devotion to the show. The Entertainment Weekly wrapup (linked above) says it all:

"Let's face it: Nothing spices up a Race more than watching Americans struggle to overcome a language barrier. Sure, America is fine and dandy, but that doesn't make it a fun place to watch people race across. This season comes across more like a junior-high educational film than entertainment...

Oh, sure, in Third World countries they'll stuff contestants onto a bus with 420 chickens, a shipment of human feces, and a tour group heading to a syphilis convention, but for this race, they're kept preserved in their American SUVs. I say put these people on a Greyhound, sitting next to drunks being sent out of town by police and wheezing old people who fall asleep resting their goiters on the racers' shoulders. Now that's an amazing race!

It began anticlimactically enough when Phil announced that the teams would have to first drive 15 miles. Fifteen miles? Is this a race or an errand? If the next eating challenge consists of large quantities of green eggs and ham, I'm handing this column off to the first sixth grader I see.

TATTOOS

This is my third attempt to write about tattoos, since blogger doesn't think it's worthy and keeps shutting me down. Timoni suggested I copy the text every 2 minutes. Good in theory… but it'll never happen. My mind is devoid of the ability to repeatedly do anything on any kind of time schedule.

So, what I was gonna say about tattoos is… oh nevermind -- just read this (from the article linked above…
"He has erased tattoos from every part of the human body surface, even parts you'd think are far too tender to be exposed to a tattoo needle. The phrase "love pump" was tattooed on one guy's . . . well, never mind."

One might think I've spent all day reading Washington Post articles -- oh wait... (see: Word of the Day: Fraud)