EY's Rants and Raves

Gentle Reader, I've been cured of my new car fever. No, not by bringing home a lovely new shiny toy, but rather by not being able to get exactly what I want. No silver Civic coupes within the region. I could get one from afar, but I don't NEED a car bad enough to pay the destination charge. Sales guy, who was very nice, tried to talk me into another color, maybe a sedan, perhaps an Accord? I'll keep saving so that when my car is totally worthless, I'll still have something to put down. Maybe I'll try my luck in a month or two....

New Car Fever, that is. Man, the 06 Civic Coupe is sweeet. And a silver one may become mine-all-mine in less than 24 hours. Do I need a new car? Horridly, no. The 98 Accord is perfectly fine. It's only crime is that it's older, has 106K miles and it's not cute. If that were my spouse's requirements for a wife, I'd be getting some keys now....the keys to the street. Doesn't stop me from wanting a car. And I can keep a Civic for a good long time (yes, I know that 100K miles on an Accord is "just broke in"). Sigh. Cars have almost always been impulse buys for me. It's why I don't go to car dealerships often. Will I get a new car tomorrow? Will I give in to my lust for shiny new toys? Tune in tomorrow.....

I really don't like Denver. I'm not in love with KC either, but I hate Denver. Never thought much of them one way or another until they beat Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII. To make matters worse, a "good friend" (usually) came to work the next day in navy pants and an orange polo. Darn you. (That wasn't what I told him at ALL Gentle Reader, but I'll spare you the harshness.) Ten years earlier, I was a much happier girl. My beloved 'Skins beat Denver 42-10.

The car thing has gotten interesting. A good friend (the orange/navy fellow above) would like to be considered as a new home for the Accord, a local bank has some sweet loans advertised, I'm going to check out the new Civic on Wednesday.

17-0.....bleah, Denver

The title of today's post is a quote from my non-football husband. Football is the "that" in question. I guess I should cut him a break...it's only the third week of the season; he hasn't really had time to adjust. A few ties today, but all came out in the right for me (Jacksonville, Miami, Philly). Never really noticed too much before, but Jack Del Rio isn't bad looking. The Burger King commercials where the King does a little dance after he scores just crack me up. The King's head is a bit big, but I think I'm getting used to that.
OK, I have done more than just sit on my tail in front of the TV. I've done laundry, emptied the dishwasher and I'll clean the mess that someone (who doesn't like football) made on the stove.
He's been odd lately. The weird FB comment, yesterday he says that "now" isn't the time for me to be buying a new car. When I ask why not, the best he can come up with is "it's just not". Uh, thanks, dude. I have a ready buyer for my car (which at over 100K miles is losing value quickly), a decent amount saved up that I can add to that for a down payment, and Honda just released a kewl new Civic. I'm at a loss to find a downside. Sigh.

Well, Minnesota got a win. I feel a little bad that it had to be against the Saints. CBS has Bonnie Bernstein on sideline in the Pats vs Steelers game. (I'm sure this isn't totally her fault) She is SOOOOO annoying. They always have her ask the stupidest things RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME. That's the producers' fault, not hers, but still it annoys me. The Jax vs. Jets game was very lightly called. Loved that. One of the announcers even said "I'm not talking over the game". How refreshing. And that was CBS's "B" announce team. Jim and Boomer need to take a lesson.

# posted by EY @ 3:41 PM 0 comments

Is really too much for one set of tastebuds. But is quite a challenge to undertake. Went to a mega wine tasting and had (as I usually do when presented with fun food and lots of great wine) a blast. How do you prepare for that many wines? It takes some doing. You can't just start at #1 and work your way around. For me, any wine I've ever tried (even--especially--favorites) is off the list. Coppola Black Diamond Claret? Oh love my love....have to pass you by tonight. Can't even look at the bottle. I prefer tastings where you know the price of the wine. I might try a $10 bottle, so why bother with it tonight? Now the $100 bottle, I gotta get some of that. Tonight was just random guesses.
The folks doing the pouring really knew their stuff. Even the chick I went to college with who tried to make a move on my (then) man. We'll never be best friends over it, but I think I can cut her some slack on that one. After all, he's married to someone else and so am I.
Saw some folks who I hadn't seen in a while. One has been working out and eating right. She looked FABULOUS and I said so. Unfortunately, I saw another friend who has been following the "EY Chubby and Happy" diet. And in an empire waisted dress, looked, well, expecting. So I asked her about 'the new little one'....I mean, she did get married about a year ago. They both had kids previous, but maybe they wanted an "ours". Nope, she's NOT expecting. I felt like a total heel. A slug, a cretin. I'm no skinny Minnie myself, what business did I have pulling a stunt like that? (Goes without saying that you'd have to tie me up to put me in an empire waist, overalls, a jumper or anything else that might suggest forthcoming progeny.) Apologies will abound tomorrow.
Saw a friend who owns his own business now. He asked if I'm a "lifer" at my current place or if I'd come work for him. I think I was pretty diplomatic. If he were in my town and I had tons more patience, I probably would. He drives me insane, but we did work well together back in the day. Of course, that was with him driving me nuts and ignoring it and me busting my butt for him and bitching about how much he was driving me nuts. We talked about how I'm pretty much turning into a policy wonk and he asked when I was going to work for the government. I said not soon, I still have a soul. He cackled at that. Which was nice to see.

So my 500 wines buzz is about gone, killed primarily from fighting with @#%& hotmail. Just give me my freaking email already.

Read an interesting review of books focused on porn on Slate (Is Porn Ruining Sex?) today. As an avid Nerve.com, literotica.com and HBO's Thursday night Smut night (Real Sex, Pornucopia, G String Divas, Cathouse) I read with interest. I think porn can be exploitive and lead to unrealistic expectations for both genders. But it's also a lot of fun...I'm no expert. For the guy who thinks that "real women take too long", I got news for you, I have yet to find a man who can hit the money shot exactly when I want him to.

HBO's new Smut Night offering is "The Sex Inspectors". I'm not sure what to think of this show. I've seen one episode and didn't find it helpful. She wants more sex (don't we all, dear?), he's busy working and isn't thrilled about dinner at the Y (in my best Chris Rock voice, 'do they MAKE men like you anymore?'). They did end up trying some things, but I have to wonder how much of that was from the pressure of having cameras in their bedroom? Knowing that they'd be grilled about their escapades later? Wonder how they're doing months later? Is he still secretly ambivalent about going down on her but acting like he likes it (which does NO ONE any good)? Does she still feel like he doesn't care since he won't touch her?

Oh well, my fav HBO show at the minute is, since it's fall, Inside the NFL. No sex, but Dan Marino is great eye candy to a Fins Fan. It will be on in a few minutes, but so will Good Eats. Dan Marino, Alton Brown? Both networks tend to air their shows over and over, but I have to go with Alton now and catch Dan and company later.

Watching the "late" Monday Night Football game last night, I thought "Washington has had NO offense, it's nearly 11, there are 6 minutes left in the game. I've seen this story over and over for the past few years...I know how it ends. I'm going to bed." Imagine my surprise to read espn.com today and hear about Mark Brunell's 2 touchdown victory over long-time rival Dallas. Brunell, I never thought you could do it. And for that, I'm a bad fan. However, that still doesn't put you anywhere near earning all the kizash you're getting for the season. If you can do it once, how about let's see it every game this year...although earlier in the game would be preferable. Yes, TMQ explained how the Dallas defense slipped up (although really guys....twice? on the exact same play?) and not everyone will fall for that until January.

Sigh....such is life as a 'Skins fan.

This blogging stuff is pretty cool. All my posts seem relatively short, even though I feel like I'm writing tons. A friend has a blog and his posts are seriously long. Of course, he's a seriously furious typist with far more compelling things to say. Me? Oh, I'm just a dilettante football fan vain enough to want to see her name (well, nickname) in large font.

Nine minutes until a new House....

Arkansas is playing USC (#1 team). We fought to get Vandy on our schedule, then we blew it. Now, it doesn't look like we'll beat the spread of 30 points. It's just into the third quarter and it's 49-10.....Don't know if Pete Carroll reads Tuesday Morning QB on NFL.com, but I hope he starts sub'ing soon. Dear Reader, if you're not familiar, TMQ believes (with good reason) that the Football Gods smite teams who run up the score needlessly against obviously beaten opponents. I have a horrid feeling that Arkansas will be mentioned this week as an example of this. Frank Broyles (AR AD), I certainly hope you're getting a lot of $$ for this spectacle. I'll bet you thought we'd win, didn't you? Appreciate the faith. Too bad it's not based in reality. AR has no business playing USC. Now the QB is hurt, we're down 29 points, their defense just woke up and it's going to get ugly. Woo indeed.

This week's schedule isn't giving me much joy. I'm sure it would if I had NFL Sunday Ticket, but then I'd just be a stark raving lunatic on Monday mornings. I really like football, but I think that would push me overboard. I like booze a lot too, but I try to be moderate in my drinking--I'm only 34; this liver has to last for at least 50 more years, I figure.

Well, I looked at what our area is being offered and while the games aren't great on Fox (Rams and AZ Cards), CBS is offering eye candy, if nothing else. Jax and Indy will be good to Matt Jones Watch. It should be a good game even though I have little love for either team. Respect? Sure, love? No. Next is Cincy and Green Bay. I don't really love the Packers, but if Brett Favre showed up at my door needing female company, I wouldn't be kicking him to the curb. Wsh and Dallas would be more fun Monday night if Joe Gibbs could decide how to have an offense. I read today that Ramsey is ready to leave. Can't blame him. "You're our QB of the Future", "No, you're not", "We're looking to have you long term, so we signed washed out Mark Brunell for more money than he was worth when he was 10 years younger! Aren't you excited?" I doubt he was....nor should he be. Poor guy has barely had anything of an offensive line to protect him when they DID let him play.
Reading a guy on espn.com who would agree with my statement that Mike Martz of StLRams is just nuts. I only ranted about the wasting of timeouts in the 15 min that I heard the game....if I'd known he challenged the kickoff (yes, if you didn't see it either, he did), I'd have ranked him crazier than a pet racoon. I'd almost written that I think he's crazier than a pet squirrel (which is one rung less crazy than a racoon), but I'm glad I didn't, seeing as how I was wrong. (Hey, no flak from any dear readers who have pet squirrels or racoons. I'm sure they're great and all and I certainly don't mean any offense.)

OK, off to real stuff now.....

I'm quite sure that today's Tuesday Morning QB will remind Andy Reid that even one player with a "Me First" attitude can kill a locker room. And we saw the results last night. For every pass that TO should have caught or Brian Westbrook could have done more with, I had to wonder "Contract issues on your mind, gentlemen?" We all know how difficult it is to feed a family (Is TO even married??) on a few million a year, especially when the endorsements also aren't what they should be. Losing to the Falcons? Well, you won't be able to do that too many times and still make the playoffs, where you'll likely see the Falcons again and a performance like Monday night's in Dec will DEFINITELY be a problem.

Andy, I hope you've got a plan or it's going to be a long season. On the up side, I'm really not much of an Eagles fan, so this may be a good excuse to get in touch with Milner again and give him grief.

I cannot recall buying Levi's before today. Oh I've seen them, thought they were "traditionally cool", tried them on, they never fit. Ever. Today, however I found a pair of 505's and 550's that look great. Sigh. I'd say "oh how wonderful to be a simple girl", but almost anyone I know who comes across this would cackle. So, Levi's good.

Mike Martz....I suppose I shouldn't be criticizing a coach with a team that's been much better than my favs (Bears, Washington, Miami) for the past few years. Listened to the StL/SF game on the radio today while running errands. Offense has the ball in the last few minutes and Martz uses 2 timeouts. Nevermind that an incomplete pass, run out of bounds or other things will stop the clock. The announcers weren't happy with his decision. I seem to recall from past seasons that this is fairly typical for Martz. Wondered why they didn't remember that. Just glad I'm not a Rams fan.

Miami is showing signs of life. 34 points. Way to go 'Fins!!! Now if Washington and or Chicago could figure out how to run an offense, I'd have more to rave about and less to rant.