Thursday, February 12, 2009

Sometimes gross, usually delicious

Accomplishment of the week: We're getting free cable now. I called the cable company and asked them to cancel our subscription. The operator asked why, and I told her the truth: We can't afford it. After that it was like breaking up with someone who doesn't want to be broken up with: "What if we give you a deep discount on your internet service?" "How about we give you digital cable for the same price as regular cable?" "What if we come over and wash your car?"

When I said no to all of that, she said, "What if we give you the cable free for the next six months?" And so the cycle continues. Jon Stewart can rest assurred that I will watch him not online but as God intended, with lots of commercial breaks at 8 p.m. Pacific Time (since we can't stay awake for the original airing).

Remember last weekend? I know, it was a really long time ago, but I did some cool stuff back then. I went snowshoeing, for example, and it was really sunny and warm. I was out on the snow in nothing but a long-sleeved t-shirt. A long-sleeved t-shirt, I say! It was like a tropical vacation. Climate change is fun after all!

Then on Sunday Mr. A. and I finally used the membership to the art museum that my mom got us for Christmas. Right now they have a display of Edward Hopper's paintings of women (mostly women in restaurants in awesome hats) that is pretty cool. It's interesting to think about that first generation of ladies for whom ladies' night was a possibility. I'm glad I don't live during the time of constant chaperoning by the mens. What a drag.

After the art museum, we went to a wine tasting in Pike Place Market that happened to be going on as we walked by. I like wine, but sometimes at wine tastings I feel like I'm taking a test I'm bound to fail. In public. The wine guy zeroed in on me right away and demanded that I describe exactly which flavors were in each wine. He had this chart with all the possible flavors on it and I studied it as best I could. Eventually I started asking Mr. A. for the answers when Wine Guy's back was turned. "What did you get for the Pinot Grigio? Lawn cuttings? Banana?!?"

I guess I have a really unsophisticated palate, but to me wine mostly tastes like wine. Sometimes gross, usually delicious, always more or less like fermented grapes.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on the wine thing - it either tastes good or it doesn't. And it always tastes like wine.

When do you need that list of Chicago stuff or is it too late? I just found the note I wrote myself about it under a scary pile of paper on my desk.

Librarian Girl said...

Cable tv is like crack. Your dealer will give it to for free for a while because chances are you won't be able to stop after a while.

Not that I would know about cable addiction or anything.

And also, I don't get wine.

kickpleat said...

i felt so happy when we moved in to our place because i was dead set against cable and low and behold when i plugged in our cable cord (just to see), we had cable! for free! it's the only way to be.