Small Talk and more Stuff

Well, it's been a while but I'm back at the computer and blogging again. I've gotten requests from friends who want more blogs. Not a whole lot to blog about but here goes.
The Oscars are coming up this weekend and while I think they are on the bottom rung of the program ladder I can't help but watch them faithfully every year. I don't believe that the best movie, or star, or director is really the BEST, I just think they campaigned harder and maybe - just maybe - greased a few palms. Nahhh, they wouldn't do that would they???

I recently joined Netflix and if you rent and watch movies this is the best thing going. I started out with the lowest choice - one movie at a time, 2 per month. I suddenly realized after looking at what seemed like all 70,000 titles on Netflix, that I needed to upgrade to unlimited movies, but still one at a time. You order it today, it's in your mailbox tomorrow, you send it back and receive the next movie on your queue the day after that. I love it. No postage, just drop it in your mailbox. The ones I just saw are Little Miss Sunshine, The Departed, Derailed, Inside Man and one "chick" movie that I already forgot. I now have 21 movies in my queue and hope to see all of them before I leave for Michigan. I got Babel in the mail this morning and will watch it tonight. I want to be armed when the Oscars come on so I can see who won that didn't deserve to. LOL.
BTW, if you want to see a powerful and excellently acted movie, don't miss The Departed. Everyone deserved an Oscar for this one. And Alan Arkin should win for the ditzy, nutcase grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine.

I made my plane reservations for Michigan the other day and I have to tell you this. Makes you scratch your head in wonder at what's going on. I called American Airlines (I always fly American) and gave the guy the info; when I wanted to leave, when I wanted to come back, the plane I preferred ,and the seat I wanted. First class, aisle bulkhead seat, 757 model, leaving at 11 am on 5/25, returning 7 AM 9/21. All the info was in place, no problem, then he gave me the fare. $1400 . I told him I thought that was overpriced since I flew last year and the year before for $1200. He said, "sorry, but that's the best I can do." I said " I know you can do better - how about trying?" click, click, click, "Hmmm" he said, "looks like that's the best rate. " I said I wanted a lower fair and please don't make me go to Delta. He said, "hold on, let me try something else," click, click, click, "How about $1009?" Well I'll be darned, we went from $1400 to $1009 after he told me twice that his first fare was the best he could do. I don't take no for an answer EVER and almost always get what I want, but it makes you wonder how much cheaper we can get what we want with a little negotiation. I PUSH, I want to. I pushed my cable company a couple days ago and told them that because I get EVERYTHING they have to offer, (2 TV's with full cable digital channels meaning all the channels they have, DVR recording systems and computer cable hook up) I thought I should get a better rate. Again, hmmm, best we can do bull crap. Again I said they can do better, how about trying a little harder? I'm looking into satellite and Dish TV ( okay, I lied, but I could) and she said, how about if we drop your monthly rate by $25.00? Well, that suits me just fine. PUSH for what you want and you'll be surprised at how much you can get. I love the negotiation part. It's fun.

A whole bunch of social fun stuff coming up for the month of March, then I have to get ready to leave. That means getting rid of that full freezer and pantry. I won't have to buy groceries for the rest of this month or next. LOL.

I lost a bunch of plants, my favorites with the 4 days of below zero temps (went into the low 20's) and I'm really bummed about that. I've had it with this damn landscaping. I'm not replacing the plants. I'm seriously thinking of putting down artificial turf, but I hate anything fake. On the plus side, I won't have to worry about watering, weeds, or the plants dying off. What a pain!!! I'm wondering how my trees, shrubs and flowers held up during the awful Michigan winter. Frankly, as cold and with as much snow as they have in Michigan, I don't think that in all the 45 yrs. I lived there I was EVER as cold as I have been this winter here in Nevada. I still can't warm up.

I have 3 friends who are having their knees replaced in the next couple of weeks. What does that tell you? Tells me we are ready for a complete overhaul. I could use a tune up, new paint job, and my whole body put on a lift.