Saturday, August 31, 2019

Phases and .... rants



Kind of an odd juxtaposition, but wanted to get rid of two birds with one post.

First Bird, serious…sort of.
Seem to be blitzing social media today, but 56 years ago today, Bill Moody and Carol Otto got married, in the chapel at Michigan State University.  Presided over by our long-time friend, the Rev. Robb Lapp.  Both sets of our parents were there (and no longer here), Jackie and Moody (as he was known), Dorothy and Louis (known as Ham) and our good friends Roger Brown and Ed Henry.   Was kind of a low key affair, matching the participants.

It’s interesting that as the years go by, anniversaries and birthdays seem to gather more importance.  Maybe as we age, the fact that another of these milestones is reached, it affirms the fact we’re still alive, and survived another year together.

We’re planning on “celebrating” with friends tonight over good food at the Ale House on St. George island.  It’s what I do best!

Second bird(s)

emptying the rant tank in no particular order.  Being quite restricted in mobility a lot have to do with television and sports (No Pictures, no pictures)!

The insurance wars
If you watch almost any TV, you can’t escape seeing incessant commercials from insurance companies.  The big five include Geico, Progessive, State Farm, Allstate, and lately Liberty Mutual, pretty much in that order of frequency.  Thumbnail reviews and comments:

Geico by far out strips the other with the Gecko, but come up with creative situations and interesting comments.  Although I do struggle a bit with “help with renter’s insurance” from the episode where the guy has a miniature horse but treats it as a dog.  They are offering to “help” you if you give them money, how does that help.

Progressive puts their stock in “Flo” (Stephany Courtney), inexplicably dressed in a white smock, but always in some rather odd situation.  Lately they have taken a position of disrespecting “parents”.   “oh, you bought a house, one more step in becoming your parents” and often said parents portrayed in plaid shirts and corduroys being a general fuddy duddy.  I’m not sure of the strategic reason for selling insurance with that. With all due respect, I wouldn’t mind turning out like my father.

State Farm mostly features Dennis Haysbert, extremely earnest and the famous “you’re in good hands” line

Allstate is now ballyhooing the “Don’t mess with my discount” inanity, whereby people are trying for a discount with “Safe driving”.  “mommy I have to go potty!  I do too honey but we’re going to hold it longer for my discount” or lady in car  in obvious labor, refusing to go faster as hubby recommends: “DON’T MESS WITH MY DISCOUNT!!

Liberty Mutual has employed an Emu.  Just weird

What’s the weather?
Our friend the Weather Channel foaming at the mouth ready to bring you their usual documentation of Dorian disasters and destructions, Right?

Forty Love
 The US Open Tennis Tournament presses on!  It poses Chrissie Evert with a new problem.  Her undying devotion and worship of Serena is now being challenged by young CoCo Gauff, the new darling of media.  John McEnroe is warning of “too much too soon” for the 15-year-old.  Without getting myself in hot water about women’s tennis - Quick! Name the major male tennis players today.  Easy, right?  Joker, Raffa, and Roger.  Boom!  Now, name the three major female tennis players today.  Serena, um, serena, and well, serena.  No challenges for her quest for major victories..  Possiblilites like Halep crumble, maybe some of the younger Americans (CoCo, Sloane, Keys) might eventually, but right new she (mostly) just mows down qualifiers.


Good Grief (may not be suitable for all audiences) 
Listening to late night sports talk shows as I do (already predicting who’s in the Super Bowl, for God’s sake).   There are increasing commercials for a product to be used in “manscaping”.  Use your imagination, I’m not going further

Upcoming: reviews of the lowly chicken sandwich

Meanwhile,
DFD for the anniversary gathering and
I won’t have to worry about MJ at the Ale House.  More civilized



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