Lost in the supermarket

A few weeks ago Erin and I started a new system where one night a week it's my job to prepare for and make dinner.  I'm perfectly happy to do this.  Erin is definitely the household leader in cooking, and though I try to help with meals and do dishes, etc. she is clearly putting the most effort in.  I discovered a long time ago that I'm most productive with chores if I have a specific task so this works great for me.

So yesterday (Wednesday) was my day to cook and I went to the store to prepare.  I decided on Bobili pizza (with peppers and pineapple), salad and some veggie crisps.  Not fancy, but plenty good and right in my sweet spot of capabilities.  

The most difficult part for me was navigating the store to find the ingredients.  I'm sure there is logic to supermarkets, but it's not how my brain works.  I was starting to get frustrated when I dreamed up a kiosk system that would tell me where items were.  Everytime I go in the store I walk around aimlessy for 10 minutes.  All my problems would be solved if I could walk up to a screen and map out everything I needed.  It could even print me a little road map.  I can't believe they don't have this.

Well, this morning I saw a news article that shows researchers agree with me: Elderly shoppers to get 'sat nav' gadget to find their way around supermarkets. If I have to fake dementia to get this gadget I will.  And until this goes to market (pun intended), if you want to invite us out to dinner, make it a Wednesday.

A little bit of humor on gloomy day

Tonight was difficult for me.  It was the last Warriors game of the season and it turned out very similar to 52 other games this season (the Warriors finished 29-53).  I got upset at the refs, I got upset with the other team and I got upset with the Warriors.  I did my best to remain calm, but I still lashed out a few times at the TV.  Apparently I thought the referees and opposition could hear me despite the fact that they were 500 miles away and it all happened an hour earlier (I was watching on DVR).  Luckily for me though, I was able to find great humor in the antics of those who went out to protest today.

Perhaps the greatest humor for me was that they chose to be identified with the Boston Tea Party.  From an immature male point of view I laughed at the thought of these people being called Tea-Baggers.  If you don't know what tea-bagging is I suggest you go to www.urbandictionary.com and look it up (yes, it's juvenille and gross).  The only thing better than calling the protesters tea-baggers was the protesters calling themselves tea-baggers because they didn't know it's double entendre.  One never looks as pathetic as when everyone gets the joke but you.

From an intellectual point of view it's funny because in the 1700's people were protesting Taxation with Representation.  I guess the protesters of 2009 didn't realize they had a fair chance to vote in the last election, as well as the previous two - which they won and voted in a huge buffoon who is partly to blame for the current problems.  It's also funny, because I didn't hear many descenting voice as Bush and the Repubs made mistake after mistake.  In fact, these were the same people who said it was "Un-American" to question the president and his policies. 

Personally, I'm fine with the Tea-baggers protesting.  They have every right to and I'm not going to stop them.  However, they better recognize that if they don't start dealing with REAL problems and creating REAL solutions, they will just remain on the fringe.  Personally, I hope the intelligent, thoughtful Republicans go out and start to make postive strives.  The Democrats would be better off if they can be pushed by an effecitve Republican party.  The last thing I want is a monopoly - that just means the Dems can get fat and lazy.  Competition is a good thing and it will drive the country to better solutions.

With that said, thanks Tea-baggers for providing some needed humor to otherwise glooomy end to the Warriors season.