Category: Rants & Observations

Blockbuster, how you toy with me

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Last week our local Blockbuster messed with my head for a moment when I saw Dead Like Me, Season 1, Disc 4 on the shelf (read this entry for the background story on this), but it was Disc 3 in the wrong spot. Just as I suspected, they didn’t remove the Disc 4 box. I mean, why would anyone want to run a successful business after all?

I started calling around to other Blockbusters in the area to hunt down this disc. Everyone was very friendly and apologetic when they said they didn’t carry the series, and one guy informed me that you can actually check stock of a particular store online at the Blockbuster site. Well, theoretically since the service has been “temporarily unavailable” for over a week now.

After my fourth call, I finally located a store that carried the series, but the disc I was looking for was out. I called back yesterday morning and it was back in. I asked if they’d hold it, which they do, but only for two hours. I told the guy I’d call back later since I wouldn’t be able to make it over there until after 5 pm but he said he’d hold it for me anyway and took my name. That was nice.

If only Little Miss Unfriendly at our usual store could train with that guy. I don’t know what crawled up her butt, but she never smiles and the only words out of her mouth during the entire transaction is “here you go” when she hands you the movie. I don’t know if she’s just a biotch, or she doesn’t like us in particular, but she makes me uncomfortable.

Grammar police chick

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Ok, what the hell is wrong with you bloggers? And by YOU, I mean everyone on the internet, not my dear readers. Let’s go over this again: fish is the plural of fish; it is not ‘fishes’. Well I guess it can be, but it really shouldn’t. :)

An apostrophe does not follow something that should be plural just because it happens to look nicer. For instance, it’s not “I have 10 DVD’s,” it’s DVDs. Does it look a bit weird? Yes, but it is correct.

In addition, you are supposed to do something, not suppose to do it. I know I don’t have perfect grammar, but I learned the basics in school and they should not be that difficult to remember.

Another pet peeve of mine: people who break up a single thought into several incoherent sentences. It’s called a comma! Learn it, use it, love it. Here is a list of interactive quizzes you can take to hone your grammar skills. Call me a dork, but I love this stuff!

Lowes – Improving Home Improvement Rebates (please!)

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My first experience with Lowes Home Improvement rebates was rather frustrating, although all ended well yesterday when I got my check for $35 from them. Of course, it begs the question – did I get ripped off initially, or did they make a mistake in my favor? But I’m getting ahead of myself.

In November, we bought some paint that offered a rebate of $5 per can. I can’t remember how many cans we bought, but I thought it was seven. On January 13th, I checked the rebate status on Lowe’s website, and it said the check was mailed on Dec 27th. I thought it a bit odd that the check hadn’t yet arrived, so I emailed them the following day, hoping they could track the check’s status:

“Hi, I see on your site that my rebate check was issued on 12/27/04, but at this time I still have not received it. The rebate number is ### and the submission number is R2#####. Is there any way to confirm with the post office where the check is? I find it hard to believe that it hasn’t made it to me in two weeks. I appreciate your help!”

Two days later, I received the check, so I cashed it. I didn’t bother to email Lowes back because I was certain that a) they read and responded to emails in the order they were received, meaning my “nevermind” would be useless and b) they could see in their records that the check was indeed received and cashed by myself. Do you see where I went wrong there?
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My idea of eye candy

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To my women readers – raise your hand if you’ve gotten the “Eye Candy Calendar” in your e-mail box recently. Two of my friends sent it to me today and I found it interesting that at least three of the months featured Brad Pitt. Are there not enough “hot” men to go around? I find it hard to believe they couldn’t find 12 different guys to put on this calendar.

And honestly, is Brad Pitt even that sexy? Ever see him with a nasty cigarette hanging out of his mouth? What a turn-off! Personally, I didn’t find any of the men in the calendar appealing and I deleted the e-mails. As far as celebrity men are concerned, I’d be hard pressed to pick 12, but if I did, my list would be …

Nick Lachey, John Corbett, Robert Smith, Matt LeBlanc, Jimmy Fallon, Adam Sandler, and I’ve run out of steam already. I don’t find a lot of men attractive because I have to like what I know about their personality before I develop any kind of “crush”.

Besides, I’d take Joe over all of them any day of the week!

So who is on your list? And yes, I’ve posted about lists in the past. I’m an anal person and I like lists, so sue me.

Incredibly Ridiculous

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We intended to see The Incredibles this morning, as we both really didn’t want to wait the unusually long time it takes for Pixar films to make it to DVD. After seeing the matinee price at the theatre, however, we ended up leaving, and are uncertain whether we’re going to try a different theatre next weekend or just wait to buy the dvd when it comes out since it would cost the same and then we’d own the movie.

As I lamented back in July, Sony Loews continues to increase their matinee prices. Last time we went to a movie, it was $6.75. They have increased it yet again, to $7.25!!! For a matinee! I remember what that was regular price! I refuse to pay that price when for $15.50 I can own the movie. It’s bad enough they want $8 for a Coke and a popcorn, and now this. And I don’t feel bad to admit here I sneak food and drinks into the movie theatre all the time because I am not paying their outrageous prices. Now the ticket prices are insane too.

I’m sure the movie theatre’s argument is that with the introduction of dvds and increasingly higher-tech home theatre systems with huge high-definition televisions, more people are staying home to enjoy movies, thus they need to increase their prices to stay in business. Perhaps it’s even true. But I am done paying for it. As I’ve ranted before, I am not going to pay those prices just to be annoyed by the idiots who have no respect for the people around them who actually want to hear the movie.

I have a love hate relationship with Sony to begin with. I think the majority of their products are piss-poor, yet they charge more than their competitors. So I guess it’s no surprise that their movie prices are over $1 more than the Marcus chain, for instance. The only reason we didn’t go to the Marcus to begin with is that their earliest showing was noon, and Sony’s was 10:45 am. I like going to the movies as early as possible so my entire afternoon is free for shopping. :)

I hope if you saw The Incredibles this weekend that you paid a decent price and enjoyed it. I can’t believe it’s two hours long! I really can’t wait to see it. Hopefully it won’t take a year before it’s available on dvd. :p