Five Things I Don’t Get

Yikes! Hammertime of Team Hammer’s Musings has tagged me with a meme. In a way I’m honored. In another way, I’m annoyed, as I remember how difficult it was coming up with interview questions for him on a previous meme. He made the most of my poor questions, so I owe him. Memes can truly be as frustrating as fun; nevertheless, I’ll go with the flow and see how this one works.

List five things that people in your circle of friends or peer group are wild about, but you can’t really understand the fuss over.

1) Charmed — This is my girlfriend’s favorite television show … by a freakin’ mile. Many a time its scheduling has had to be taken into account during our social planning. I’ll admit she’s quite willing to record but I know she’d rather watch the broadcast. I’ve caught maybe ten minutes — nice eye candy but quite the silly, trite yawner. As the old saying goes, there’s no accounting for tastes. That, and she willingly puts up with me. Yup, she’s a keeper. Besides, sooner or later Charmed will go bye-bye.

2) Reality TV — Survivor and its ilk have nothing to do with reality or entertainment. A fad that can’t fade fast enough.

3) The designated hitter — This is probably the result of moving to an American League area after growing up in cities on the senior circuit landscape. Call me a purist, but I prefer the idea of all nine playing the same game at the plate and in the field. I prefer the strategy required with juggling the line-up for a pitching change. I despise the fact that the DH has now spread like a plague to practically every level of the game, be it minor league, college or high school.

4) Atkins/ South Beach — First, the diet: nothing tragic, but how about eating reasonably and exercising? Second, the dieters: do y’all have to treat it like a new-found religion? The time-tested zealots can be particularly condescending and annoying.

5) Starbucks — Bad coffee. Bad prices, pompous employees, pathetically elitist menu and, oh yeah, bad coffee. One should be able to order coffee by saying a size, preferably in English, and uttering the word coffee instead of some eight-syllable mumbo-jumbo. One should then receive a cup of joe that does not taste burned. One should then hand the employee of the establishment a buck or two. One should definately then receive change. That is all that Starbucks is not.

I now get to tag five people to do this meme themselves. Participation should be viewed as purely voluntary. How about…

Eric
Phil
JohnL
Raven
and any other volunteer.