May 29, 2009
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Things I don’t undesrstand
1. Bad drivers: do you really know how bad you are? Hasn’t someone honked at you, slam on their brakes because of you or flick their high beams at you? How the heck did you ever become so bad at driving?
2. Cyclists who ride without helmets, lights and any reflective gear. You must have a death wish. You’re just lucky I’m not granting any wishes today.3. Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers and High School Musical (any of them).
4. All those TV shows with entertainment news and gossip. Why would we want to know what celebrities are doing in their own time? Who cares if so and so got drunk? Are their lives really that much more interesting than ours?
5. Reality TV shows (e.g. Paris Hilton’s British Best Friend; talk shows that test 5 guys that have slept with some girl in order to find the biological father, the show who stalk cheaters…) If Obama can put an end to torture, why can’t he ban these types of shows?
6. Star Trek – despite having bleeding edge technology, why don’t they have shoulder harnesses or seat belts? The guys on the bridge get jolted out of their seats all the time.
7. Stock Market – I understand capital losses very well. While I’ve experienced the odd capital gain here and there… I want to know what it’s like to experience this regularly.
8. Xanga front pages – for the most part, I can’t relate to the blogs that grace Xanga’s front pages. Some of the most popular ones just leave me scratching my head. Seriously – these are the most popular writers that Xanga has?
ed note: corrected spelling error in Miley’s name
Comments (32)
Answer to numbers 1 and 2 :
Entitlement.
See above.
1. at the back of my head, I suspect I might be one of those… so no comment
2. lack of education for road safety and poorly enforced law
3. hm… who are they? =P
4. no idea, just like I don’t understand why
the Brits are so obsessed with the royal family as well
5. never watched them. I suspect they are like wrestling.. all FAKE
6. They have gravitational control and inertia dampers that supposed to
do away with the need to seat belts. Of course they never learned that
those things are the first to go in an attack or accident.
7. I share your confusion
8. Sometimes there are good ones. Most time, it’s all about votes.
Well, the Star Trek shows I must stand up for – If I could stand! Yes I am Trekkie. The others raise the same questions for me.
HAHA…I liked this…a lot! I agree with you.
Oh, we have a lot of people who bicycle without helmets, etc at night the wrong direction on the road! Regarding your list, I was totally on board with you until #6. I was thinking, “No wonder I like reading Matt’s blog so much – we think similarly.” But then you boldly went where nobody has gone before… as dissed Star Trek.
Seriously, though, I think the answer to question #8 lies in number 4 and 5. These forms of entertainment – celebrity (or any type of) gossip and reality shows, reflect a very deep issue within my people. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it is like they are so insecure about themselves or so unsatisfied with their own lives that they have to live vicariously through the lievs of others. That’s pretty sad.
Perhaps #6 star trekkies wear velcro suits like the guy in the Bruno movie
You think like me Matt. I am with you on each of these except the star trek dealies…I don’t watch those shows and have never enjoyed them. I am totally with you on the xanga front pages. Occasionally there will be something good there though. So I keep waiting.Good post.
I think you spelled Cyrus’ name wrong. That doesn’t matter anyway.
Very bright observations! I loved reading this!
@SeanYee - yeah, I think that’s one of the big reasons.
@ZenPaper - you’re a bad driver? nah… maybe a bit mechanically challenged.
@Fatcat723 - I’ll try not to write about Star Trek … don’t want to get you out of your chair. I hope your back is recovering.
@macphoto - glad you liked it, thank you for the recommendation.
@christao408 - interesting theory about the gossip and reality tv shows… it just boggles my mind because the time could be better spent bettering one self. (not that I practice what I preach). As for Star Trek… no sacred cows on my blog. hee hee…
@alchemystfury - hahahaha… I never thought about that.
@ZSA_MD - I will wait with you for more good writing on Xanga’s front pages. Thank you for the recommendation.
@UnpredictableIdentity - you’re right! I googled it and thought it was correct. I didn’t realize there are so many errors out there. I found an “official” site. I can’t believe I actually corrected her name. *rolls eyes*
@Mystery_Cowboy - thank you, glad you liked it.
I still shake my head when I see any of those mentioned in #3. What is that all about? and the helmet thing.. you wouldn’t catch me without one.
your number 6 gave me a chuckle..
Have a great weekend my friend,
*~matthew~*
you must be a genie or a fairy godmother. Had I known you were granting wishes, I would have rode a bike without a helmet months ago. Now, genie, I wish for a bike. I make it spiffy
I feel you big time on number 3 + 4. I have no clue what those Disney kids are doing/who they are, and celebrity gossip is just too much of a waste of time.
Nice observation about Star Trek. I still love Star Trek, though. The first movie I saw was the current one that’s screening.
Some drivers are impatient. When I try to turn left, I have to wait for people to cross the road before I enter. A car behind me keeps honking at me to cross. I want to strangle that loser for not being able to put 1 and 1 together! This happens here and there, so it warrants this rant
Thanks for the entertaining post.
Hahaha… the star trek one is so funny!
Who does understand Miley Cirus? Or the Jonas Brothers? No one that young should A)Have two personalities and B) Be that famous for shitty music
1. Agree. May I add “agressive” and “road rage addicts” to that description? That seems to be the main cause of accidents out here in Tucson. A lot of people seem to think driving is a competitive sport.
2. Ignorance? Stupidity?
3 & 4 & 5. I have no idea. It all leaves me numb.
6. Give me the old Star Trek, pleeeease.
7. I have no idea. My dad was an economist, but unfortunately none of his financial wisdom rubbed off on me.
8. I think Xanga picks these on purpose for the same reason TV gives us the nonsense in #3-5.
p.s. I love Rod Stewart!
@ElusiveWords - For the past couple of years, I’ve been reading your blog wondering when you were going to have the entry about sacred cows. And now you tell me that there are no sacred cows on your blog. Aiee!
I have similar issues with your pointers too. Especially Point #2, I frequently see people biking downhill in my neighborhood wearing a skimpy bikers outfit and a helmet.
I guess Sean Yee is right…I always thought I learned my bad driving from my dad, but now I realize he was entitled!
I think the answer to number 1.) is that they are too busy texting to notice all the road rage surrounding them. I had a friend like that in highschool. I usually ended up driving from the passenger side while she put on her 5th layer of mascara. *sigh* (and no, she didn’t think she was a bad driver O_O)
@jojobaDESIGNS - @bleuzeus - glad you got a chuckle out of it … you have a great weekend too.
@alchemystfury - fairy god mother? HAHAHAHAHA…. I can only give you a hug…. so *HUGS*.
@Devilzgaysianboi - I figured you would know what those Disney kids are … but I am glad that you don’t. I hope school is going well for you.
@stepaside_loser - I’ve been honked at several times while waiting for pedestrians to finish crossing too. Feel free to rant anytime… drop by again.
@Dezinerdreams - I have to be careful about Star Trek. I had no idea so many people are so passionate about them.
Maybe you can give them a fashion overhaul?
@theeskimogameshow - I did force myself to listen to their stuff for a bit just to if they were indeed young muscial geniuses. They weren’t. Thank you for dropping by.
@jojobaDESIGNS - looks like we have a few things in common.
@christao408 - sacred cows… on a serious note, I enjoyed your recent essay. I wrote something about Japanese gay porn in my old blog once. It’s tough to write about relationships. My partner reads my blog so it’s not fair to him if I use us as an example. I think these are probably some of the sacred cows that I eventually want to explore.
@curry69curry - there are some very good and careful cyclists but there are some that just drive me nuts with their dangerous behaviour.
@CareyGLY - hahahaha… hey, weren’t you the one who sings ABBA and takes pictures while driving 70mph?
@a_place2freely_scream - sigh… some people are just so engrossed in their own world. Wow… driving from the passenger side! I wonder if that’s where your Xanga name comes from?
Thanks for dropping by.
I like Star Trek! Have you seen the movie that came out a few weeks ago?
@mmmagination - not yet, I hope to see it soon. My bf and I have just been a bit busy.
It’s a great movie! I loved it! Curious… with a bf, do you do stuff with other friends too or do most things with bf?
@mmmagination - mostly with him, sometimes with some mutual friends.
@ElusiveWords - Oh, so true about the cows and relationships. My blog was set up initially as a tool to communicate my goings on to friends and family, saving me from having to repeat the details in email after email, phone call after phone call, postcard after… you get the idea. Because of that, there’s just so many things about which I censor myself. Relationships are talked about only in roundabout terms. One of the reasons I waited nearly a year before publishing the series on expat friendship was because it was initially written in response to some specific incidents. I had to allow time to cool down and revise the essay several times so several people who read my blog, and who know (or are) the incidents, wouldn’t take offense.
There are times I wish I could be a little less restrained, but then I read some bloggers who seem to use their space just to bitch and moan, and I think there is a very fine line between venting and dwelling on negative emotions. I don’t want to risk crossing that line, so sometimes it is better to have those constraints in place, even if I’m the one placing them.
Anyhow, sorry for blabbering on. You struck a chord, I guess.
hahaha i hate #1….i will honk the driver if i were you!!
1. Road rage
I am guilty. That’s why I moved to SF and sold my car. I know I am guilty…
2. MUST protect hair!!!
Kidding…
3~5 & 8. Me neither.
6. Good point!
@christao408 - no need to apologize…
I blog anonymously (well, almost) but you don’t and you have a large readership.
@lcfu - yeah… I do if I’m about to be hit. But usually that just aggravates the situation.
@Wangium - I can’t believe you on #1. You come across as a peaceful, easy going kinda guy.
@ElusiveWords - I have my moments
@ElusiveWords - @Wangium - Don’t be fooled by that profile picture of Jason hugging (sleeping on?) a whale and think he’s peaceful and easy going! =)