I like to people watch.  Anywhere people gather, malls, markets, parks, etc… are excellent place to watch people.  But the best place in all the world to watch people - New York City.

I’ve recently been working in the Big Apple and after work I hit the streets and wander through Manhattan just observing the people.  From Times Square to Central Park to the World Trade area there are plenty of places to just watch people.

People are fascinating to watch.  When in their natural state, people will do rather interesting things. 

I was walking down Madison Ave and decided to count people that just pick their nose.  While no one was full on digging their finger up to the second knuckle picking, there was the quick pickers, the wipers, the two finger two nostril cleaner and the pretend I am doing something else other than picking my nose picker.  In 5 blocks I came across 8 pickers. 

While strolling though Central Park this afternoon I observed couples kissing in the park.  Hetero couples and Homo couples.  Young couples and Old couples.  Public displays of affection was everywhere. 

Then at Times Square you have people everywhere taking pictures or filming theirselves against a backdrop of bright neon lights.  People walking with shopping bags overflowing with purchases from the stores.  If the country is in a recession, it is not occurring in Times Square.   There were people gathered in a circle watching an armless man doing back flips and front flips.  They would clap and cheer.  I was amazed that people found this as entertaining.

Then there are the people in line waiting for the doors to open on the Broadway shows.  People dressed in their finest and people that were dressed in their not so finest.  I overheard one lady proclaim that she was attending her 5th showing of the play.  Her 5th?  Did she not understand the play the first four times? 

People are wonderful.  People are interesting.  People are amusing. 

After an evening of people watching, I feel so much better about myself. 

The scene is a Supermarket, the non foods aisle.  Specifically, Aisle 2 - hairspray, shampoo, hair dyes, hair clips, hair ties hair nets and brushes and combs.  Everything one might need for hair it’s there. 

My wife and I are in that aisle, and as we casually walk the aisle, my wife and I are conversing about nothing.  Literally nothing.  I whimsically make a comment that I can’t believe that Aquanet still exists and I tell her the same old story about when I was in High School, had the long rocker hair that would be teased up like I was member of some 80’s hairband and how my friends and I in the band would douse our hair with Aquanet and rock out.  If only Liquid Life took off and rocked the world.

She is only half paying attention to me as I am pushing the cart and she is walking in front of it scanning the price tags for the sale prices and checking if we have coupons to match.  This is the hell my life has become.

We stop at the end of the aisle, in front of the hair clips, hair ties, fake hanging hair attached to clips, brushes and combs and the following conversation occurs totally out of the blue.

Wife:  You need a new brush!

Me:  I need a new brush?

Wife:  Yes.

Me:  Why?

Wife:  Yours is out dated.

Me:  It’s what?!?!

Wife:  It’s out dated.

Me:  It’s out dated.

Wife:  Yes.  You’ve had it since high school probably.

Me:  Ok.  Let’s assume that you are correct for a moment and that I have had that brush since high school.  How can a brush be out dated?

Wife:  Have you seen your brush?

Me:  Ummm…. yes.  And it looks just like that one (pointing to a similar one on the shelf).  It fully serves its function without fail.  It brushes my hair.  It’s functional and operational.   I did not realize that brushes have expiration dates.  I did not know that they go out of style.  I did not know that my brush was a fashion statement.  I didn’t know that I was no longer hip because I have held onto a brush longer than I have held onto my Members Only jacket.  You should be thankful that I no longer carry my comb in my back pocket.  Carrying combs in the back pocket - that is out dated.  My brush, I’m thinking not so much.

Wife:  Now you’re just being an idiot.

Me:  Me?!?!

Wife:  Never mind.  Keep using that old stupid brush of yours. 

Me:  Ummm….  I was planning on it.

Wife:  Good!

Me:  Good.  Besides, it wasn’t on sale and we didn’t have a coupon for it.

I have completed my Best Of series last week and I have to say that it seemed to have gone well.  I was really impressed by the comments.  I was also pleased by some of the requests for some past posts.  It was interesting to see what a few of you thought were your favorites.  Thanks for the input.

Maybe the same time next year I will do it again, if I remember. 

This stupid blog is 1 year old and I just passed the 10,000 views mark.  Two big milestones at the same time. 

I never figured that I would continue with this blog past a few months, let alone for a year.  It was supposed to be an experiment.  I have found that I enjoy the experience and some of the bonds I have made with a few of my readers.  I have found that I have enjoyed the outlet because it allows me to vent, ramble, journal and it serves as a reminder to me of events that I might otherwise forget. 

I’ll continue through with this silly little blog.  I’ll experiment here and there with different things, like I did with the Best Of.  Some will work, some won’t but I’ll continue to write and entertain myself and maybe a few others while I am at it.

Thanks for being here.

It was a beautiful and sunny day outside today.  I was cutting the grass for the first time and all the neighbors were out working in their yards. 

While taking a break, one of my neighbors called over to me and within a few moments my neighbor and I were into a discussion about another neighbors new SUV.  See, the guy I was talking to is a big “green” guy.  He is into driving a Prius, uses Compact Fluorescent Lights throughout his house, composts, recycles, etc… 

In the middle of our conversation and his bashing of this other neighbor buying a big gas wasting, heavily polluting SUV he pulls out a cigerette and lights up.  I found the moment very funny and ironic and I made the faux pas of speaking before thinking and said that new SUV buyer was just as bad for the environment as a smoker.  It was kinda like the pot calling the kettle black.

With that, I got the look, and he and his lit cigarette walked away.  

Kara over at Here We Go Again has mentioned that this is one of her favorites.  I have to admit that this is also a favorite of mine.  I don’t ever write about the intimacy between my wife and I but this episode was too good not to write about. 

May the Force be with you!

Teeni over at the Vaguetarian Tea Room suggested the following post for a Best Of.  I had totally forgotten about this one and I am glad Teeni reminded me that this one existed. 

On this day, I was able to observe American ingenuity at its finest. 

The following post pretty much sums up the relationship between my wife and I.  She tries to be serious all the time and I am just a goofball that constantly makes fun of her.  I can’t help it.  She just makes it so easy sometimes. 

She is gullible to the point where I had her go to the deli and ask for Imported American Cheese.  The owner laughed in her face and she has never been back since. 

One night, while in the parking lot of the local mall, she was trying to use the car key to auto-start the car from quite a distance.  I told her that if she was to go over to the metal light pole that she would be able to get the car to start from over 100 feet away.  You should have seen her climbing up to the light pole and pushing the buttons on the car key trying to get it started.

For this Best of, I selected the post that has represented my usual conversations with my wife. 

Speaking Without Thinking

In continuing with my best of series this week, the next post below is also a readers favorite.  I receive many search terms about bell ringing that lead folks to this post.  This is second in views to the Animal Testing Is Good post.

I have to admit that I find this post funny.  So did those that left comments.  Unfortunately, there were victims in this post that did not find my actions to be very amusing, as you will read.

 Originally Posted August 24, 2007

Please Ring Bell

The sign says “Please Ring Bell”.  That was all it said.  So I rang the bell and kept walking. 

You see these signs all over.  Very simple handwritten signs that say “Please Ring Bell”.  It comes off to me like a command, a directive.  It is telling me to ring the bell.  So I ring the bell.

I did this once at a CVS.  The clerk was ringing up my purchase and I saw the bell and the sign.  I tapped the bell making it ring and the clerk jumped, suprised that I rang the bell.  She then glared at me angrily so I sheepishly explained that the sign said to ring the bell.  She proceeded to tell me that the bell was only to be rung if there was not a cashier at the counter and a customer needed service.  I pointed out that the sign did not say that.  The sign just simply said “Please Ring Bell” and that if it was only for service then it should say that.  After my transaction I walked out of the CVS never giving it another thought.  I did return a few days later to that same CVS and noticed that the sign was changed at the bell and now read “Please Ring Bell For A Cashier.” 

So yesterday I am walking down this hallway in a building that houses different professional services and I notice a sign on the wall outside of the door.  The sign said “Please Ring Bell”.  It was a simple request so I did and I kept walking.  A woman comes out the door and comes chasing after me.  She was clearly disturbed by my ringing the bell and she loudly informed me that she is running a daycare there and I had disrupted the class by ringing the bell and walking off.  Puzzled, I asked her if I would have caused her any less of a disruption if I had rung the bell and not walked off.  Unamused by my questioning she demanded to know why I would pull off such a childish stunt.  I politely explained my reasoning and how her sign more or less requested that I must ring the bell.  She then explained to me for the third time that the bell was for enterance to the daycare and was not to be pulled as a prank.  I told her that if she wanted the bell to be rung only by people gaining entry to her daycare then her sign should be written in a way that will prevent any future confusion from people like me.

Wouldn’t you know that I walked through there this morning and the sign now reads “To Enter The Daycare Please Ring The Bell”

I’ve toyed with the idea of writing a “Best of” this blog.  I figured that after a year worth of posting, there have been quite a few posts that I have considered some of my best writing and some that were popular with other readers.  So, without further adieu……  My Best of………. 

Interestingly enough, and to my suprise, the post below has been my most read, most commented and most controversial post.  If you get a chance, go back and read through the comments.  There are some really passionate comments made on this post and as recent as last week, it continues to garner comments.

originally posted on October 1, 2007.

Animal Testing - Good

Last week, I asked the question - Should I do a “Best of” for this blog and those that commented mentioned that they thought it was a good idea and I think that I am going to give it a try for the upcoming week. 

For my regular readers, all 4 of you, if there is a post that you consider one of your favorites that you would like to see me re-post, leave a comment here and let me know. 

It should be interesting how this experiment goes.   

I also would like to draw your attention to Kara and her blog,where she wrote a very interesting interview on yours truly.  Head over there and check it out.  For the past week she has been doing interviews of her readers and fellow bloggers.  Her experimentation in this has been most interesting and fun to read.