Super Bowl 1,2,3

I remember to this day how I found out about the Super Bowl. I was on my first Transatlantic flight from Europe, on January 19, 1998. The guy next, to me, Sari, and I struck up a conversation and he was introducing me to American culture, as he, as an Indian immigrant, had learned it. So, he told me: “In a couple of weeks, there is a big American celebration. It’s called the Super Bowl Sunday. And they show on tv the final game of the NFL (that’s American football) game. People get together, have food, and it’s a big party. You’ll like it”. I have no clue what I did for my first Super Bowl. In fact, I have no clue what I did for the first four of them or so … After those years, I have always tried to do something: get together with friends, or strangers, go out on my own at a Sports bar and just enjoy the atmosphere and the food and just watch it, what have you.

I still don’t agree with Sari that it’s a “big American celebration”, certainly not like Fourth of July and Thanksgiving are! But it is something, I tell ya, definitely a reason to get together over snacks and cheap beer, a time where all the living rooms of America feel like a live stadium!

It’s a day where even people that have no clue about football (like yours truly) or never watch it for a minute during the year (same yours truly) become a fan of some team, for some reason. All of a sudden, things make sense to me on the field, and I know what going on. Most of anything: I know who should win! Usually, “my team” never wins!

This year, there was not get together and no going out to feel the adrenaline rush of others at the sports bars of Greensboro for me. I watched it from my couch. Alone. Well, with the cats. And when you’re alone, your mind works, and comes up with totally useless things to ponder on. I have three notes to make about The Super Bowl.

1.0 What in the world are they ever going to do when Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen all the Rolling Stones and The Who and all the other old bands of Europe and America are going to all die?!?! Who is going to play the half time show? Pray tell me? Since “the Janet” incident (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XXXVIII_halftime_show_controversy) I have been watching this show for new stuff and nothing. Same thing goes for the Grammys, really: if U2, Dave Matthews, Bon Jovi, can’t or won’t play anymore, we’re in trouble, people!

So, bring up all your advanced tech, 21^st century special effects commercials during the Super Bowl, we’re still stuck in the 60’s at half time! I am all for variety, and I really love the 60’s, but it does say something about the current music status – if you can’t “trust” a decent music (not exhibitionistic, cheap and mediocre and nothing but noise) band to do the job. What are the kids supposed to relate to at half time? Oh, that’s right, they’re texting during that time. I forgot! *eyeroll*.

2.0 And speaking of commercials. And of America. For the life of me, I cannot understand why overall, the entire American population (regardless of sex, age, background etc) flips through commercials all year round, and tunes in by millions to watch them at the Super Bowl. They even invented tv systems where you can fast forward through them, during the year. You folks realize that the advertiser is after the same thing both times, right? Folks tell me “oh, the Super Bowl ones are good!”. Really? Maybe I have worked in marketing and I am jaded, but to me a commercial is a commercial. I see good, even outstanding, commercials during the year, too, that are clever, and deliver the message with clarity, while they are fun and creative. Take the e-trade commercials, for instance. Not sure if they premiered on a Super Bowl night, but they have played for years, and they are awesome. Same thing with CreditReport.com. In my opinion. For years, I fail to see the humor, the (extra) brains or the attraction in Super Bowl commercials at all. I did have a favorite this year, and as all the feeds in the nation proved it today, I was not the only one. It was, of course, the Doritos commercial with the little boy! But it didn’t kick it out of the ball park for me. It was just a clever (and cute) commercial. Period. And yes, I knew that was another sport!

As for the others, I never understand why year after year, we have the same sponsors, too, at The Super Bowl: Coke, Monster.com, Budweiser, and GoDaddy.com! If this is such an “American celebration”, what does this say about America?! We love sugary drinks, we’re constantly looking for jobs, we love cheap beer, and we would like our website to be hosted by a hooker! After a thorough consideration, that is not such a crooked picture after all, I guess.

3.0 The third note I had was more of a personal nature! I am thinking looking for a party on Super Bowl might not be such a good idea after all. Not that I am a snack hog or anything, but when you watch it alone, there is plenty of double dipping allowed in the salsa! Oh, yeah!

Oh, and “my team” won this year, too! That’s double pleasure, I guess.

Anyway, I am glad it’s over, so now people can close the “Holidays” chapter and start buying homes, as they say, and another American myth I am testing. It’s what I am waiting for next, anyway.

And the Super Bowl 2010 commercial that made me chuckle

New Year’s Resolution – of Sorts …

Just like you would expect, a boy puts a ring on my finger and I freak out and start dieting . It’s not that I am fat, by all definitions, I think , it’s just that now, I am overcritical of my figure, because I don’t look as slim as I did when I was 18! … Insert your stereotypical bride joke here … I won’t deny it … All of a sudden, I am obsessed with who I am not anymore.

I have been shopping for dresses lately, and man, all of a sudden, my true and tried sizes are too small! Only by a hair, but still! Or they look like crap on my out of shape body! This is what you get for getting married after The Holidays, I figured. Or after 30!

And this is how I discover that I am getting old and rusty, too. And losing 5 lbs in a week by eating salads only doesn’t do the trick anymore … And today, after a lovely chat with my dad, I realized, I need to be reasonable! I need food, and starving is not a solution. And sometimes, what I might think it’s gaining weight might just be part of the whole aging process. As long as I don’t jump BMI brackets – I am fine. Nothing like a good talking with dad to bring me back to earth and talk some sense into me!

He said: “Honey, I want you to write this down, and frame it somewhere! In fact, I really think you should write to whoever is in charge, and this should be written on the Time Square ball when it drops for New Year’s every year in New York City. Just so ALL Americans be aware of it”.

I go, with doubt in my voice and eyes rolling: “OK, dad! What is it?!”
Him: “Are you writing it down? It’s important! You need to frame it!”

Me: “OK! Shoot!”

Him: “This is supposed to be your motto for the year. And definitely for the wedding. So, here it comes: Stress makes you fat. Dieting is stressful. Done. Do you understand?!”

And just like that – in those very simple words, I understood!

Then, he goes on a lecture about how this year will be nothing but stress, and I need nourishment to carry me through it! And to stop starving myself and just let life roll. And he is so right. I need to love myself before I put myself to the tasks I have planned for this year. In any shape.

So, I’ll watch portions and I’ll make time to walk … but I should not kill myself … Hunger makes me very cranky, anyway. And like any reasonable person out there, I know that stress holds on to fat as comfort … And I’ll just need to get a size or half of a size bigger dresses for the wedding.

After all, I am not 18 anymore! And I need to embrace my age. However rusty and metabolism-slowing it is! And something tells me my man would not care much if my dress came in a size 1 or a 1 and ½! Yes, they have 1 and ½’s out there!! Or even a 2! I hope … No: I know!

The … Planet Nazi?! …

Tonight, at Walgreens, the pharmacy, all-and-everything store chain, I have encountered a rare experience. At least in America. At least as much as I have traveled…

This very handsome young man behind the counter took some chances I rarely come across with. The person in front of me, a father with three little girls, was buying three pieces of candy – one for each of them. I was not paying attention to the conversation, but I heard the dad starting to laugh as a response to the attendant’s question (which I did not hear) and answer with an annoyed shake of a head and a shrug: “Yeah, OF COURSE I want a bag! Geez!”.

Didn’t think much of it but I wondered why the attitude in the dad. After all, three pieces of candy that would probably be consumed by the little girls the minute they hit the car seats hardly seems like enough trouble for a bag.

My turn comes. And I buy three loose items which weigh a total of probably a pound. The attendant goes: “Would you like a bag, ma’am?!”

But before I could answer, he continues: “…Uuummm… hopefully NOT!” And stares intently these big, pitch black, eyes at me …

I am so shocked, I can’t answer. I am used to “do you need a bag?” question for maybe a pack of chewing gum, or a lipstick, but I have a couple of things tonight, and am definitely not used to being suggested that I do not in fact need a bag. So this comes as a surprise! Before I knew it, he is putting my things on the counter in front of me, and goes on: “You see, I am trying to promote clean living and the environment”, and makes a wide gesture with his hands, as if to suggest The Earth.

I started laughing awkwardly and told him “Good for you!”. Picked up my stuff and started off to the car.

What shocked me more, though, was not his professed care for the environment, so much as his courage. In America, we like our bags! We expect our bags! As a mainstream, unfortunately, people mock the environmentalists. In Canada, they pay for their bags, if they need them, not only at Ikea, but also at the Pharmacy, convenience stores, the mall, and even at the most common grocery stores. In Germany, you pay a fine if they find one item in the wrong bin: recyclables go to recyclables and trash goes to trash. You put one bottle in the trash, you get a ticket from the City.

But in America, we love customer service, and we love to be pampered, and we love the freedom to do whatever we want with our stuff! Even the freedom to litter: if it’s convenient for us, who cares about the planet, right?! It’s part of the package, it seems, of instant gratification, consumerism, high expectations and taking for granted – all, sadly, very American traits.

Now, I realize the response of the dad is more like : “Do not touch my right to a bag, a**h*le!”. And I tell you, I salute that man behind the counter, that faces the American consumer, probably the most spoiled on Earth, to refuse their right to a bag! I hope his spirit will outlive the carelessness of most people and will not jade. After all, all it takes is one small step!

North and South: Same Country. Different Attitudes

A disgruntled blog about snow

OK, I have to admit, I do miss snow once in a while. Not the snow itself as I miss what snow brings: comfort food, the excuse to somehow consume millions of calories - mindlessly, working from home, fireplace going, mashed potatoes, and naps. A lot of them.

The one thing I would rather do without when snow comes to North Carolina is the whole town going apey about it! Seriously, folks, the weatherman says we’re getting 10 inches of snow, not that The Great Famine is coming! The grocery stores on Friday looked more crowded than on Christmas Eve. Sure, business is good when snow hits the South, but as a pedestrian, a driver and just a regular consumer, I can do without the rudeness, frantic-ness, people forgetting the laws of driving and common decency!

My back patio, this morning

I cannot help but wonder: do families, however large, really consume 10 gallons of milk in a couple of days? Or do old people really consume 5 cans of the same WalMart brand veggie soup, in the two days they’re stuck in the home? Or how can cold milk and stale bread help you if your power gets knocked out and you’re freezing in the home? Just wondering!

I would love to see how much leftover stuff people have in their homes after a snow weekend. You could probably feed a small nation with the surplus groceries of one small town!

It makes me smile, also, how snow is somewhat of a breaking news everywhere: people talk about nothing besides snow. Forget the war, politics, health care, job loss, latest news in entertainment, like what Angelina did this week, we’ve got snow! I swear, if Leno took over this weekend (and not two weeks ago, or whenever it happened), we, down here, would never know about it! We would have no way to find out! All that the TV talks about is snow, so does the local paper, on the home page, and the front page, you get no other “status updates” on Facebook from anyone other than: it’s snowing; we got 6 inches; thank God for whiskey in the snow; recipes for snow ice cream (really?!? Whatever happened with “do not eat snow!”?! ); kids cranky that snow’s not good enough for playing in it; cabin fever – you get the idea…

The little cynic in me doesn’t like it one bit how a seemingly natural and ordinary element like snowing is glorified to the levels of a show stopper like snow is in The South! After all, people, we live at 36 degrees Northern Latitude, not in the Sahara Desert! It’s a little bit more than comical. It’s bordering on the absurd, in my opinion!

I took a trip to Michigan a couple of weeks back, or as many call it, The Great White North. And I am telling you, it deserves the nickname. There is nothing but great whiteness up there. All the time. For six months, I am told. No blade of grass for that many months. The air even is milky with fog, most days … Icicles are as long as the frame of the home itself, and mountains of snow pile up in parking lots, taller than buildings at times. And then, there are the lakes. In the case of my visit, one of the Great Lakes – a big, wide, open sea of white. No water, well, no liquid water, in sight!

And somehow, life moves on up there, uninterrupted. Kids go to school every day, and traffic moves right along. Plows do their job and roads are clear. Waitresses wear shorts, and people don’t bother for a coat if they just walk from the car to the restaurant. In other words: a snowy day is just another day. Wait it out, it’ll melt! As much as I would hate the length of it, I really enjoyed the ordinariness of snow up there.

Not in the South. Barricade yourself and prepare for The Great Famine. Sure, it’ll melt. But what if not before we’re out of milk?! And stop sending Facebook and text updates on the snow! I have windows in my home. I can see it’s snowing. Use airwaves for something less mundane. Maybe.

In South Haven, MI, on the shores of Lake Michigan. Or where snow lives.
Please click on the picture for more Michigan winter shots