O Brother Where Art Thou?

You probably thought this blog was going to be about writing, and it will be, but I find it therapeutic to relieve my frustrations not simply with the quality of literature in America, but all things on the way to and from the reading of same.  Case in point, shopping at Fry's, the largest grocery chain in Arizona, and closest to my house. I can't do this anymore, I'm going to have to venture a couple of miles further afield.
I've thought some about why this market is so creepy and annoying. -- always out of lemonade, refusal to stock local produce, decent pita bread, that sort of stuff but the after today it's finally dawned on me -- its customers, or frenzied ferrets on meth.
Some sense of civility is necessary to maintain a culture whose citizens don't push and shove each other, or worse, but Fry's parking lot and even inside the building, are microcosms of danger that come close to illustrating the possibility of  the complete breakdown of society.
I always park at the far end of the parking lot, just to avoid them, but today even pulling into a lane to get there, it was a war.  Some guy in an old Pinto had backed out to leave, when the cell-phone chatting airhead parked beside him did the same, without ever looking to see if anyone was there.  I patiently watched this near disaster unfold, (there was some yelling but no collision, although airhead missed even me by an inch, pulling away in her unjustified indignation). Before I could move further, two more people backed out in front of me, narrowly missing each other and me as well. I finally parked at the end of the row, passing up those empty spots which by this time only signified chaos, and while walking toward the door, nearly got ran into three times, snarled at twice by these Mario Andrettis of the parking lot. 
I'm pretty damn sure I didn't take my invisibility cloak with me today, nor did my car.
Inside, things weren't a lot better.  People careened around corners pushing carts like Sherman tanks, snapping at their children and sighing in exasperation. I got out fast, without incident, and made it home, but I felt an obscure sense of somehow having narrowly escaped doom. There's an air pocket of nasty around that place that affects people's brains, like Stephen King's market in the Mist.
Which leads to this post, gentle readers. There's an attitude of uncivil behavior that's rampant in this country.  It's worse and better in certain cities,  but one thing I've noticed about Phoenix in particular is it's pretty high, from markets to how people drive.  Scottsdale is a little better, probably because the socioeconomic level is higher, but that's a double-edged sword, because in most areas where that's true, the nouveau riche think it's all right to have a sense of entitlement when it comes to manners, i.e.,  like pigs at the "me first" feeding trough. Just because you're wearing Fendi doesn't mean you get to act like an asshole.
Unfortunately, people without ethics, manners, morals and any sensibility of same are the norm, and it's getting worse, because they're breeding children that are just like them.  One of the main reasons I don't teach school anymore is because I can't tolerate the behavior of the children caused by the stupidity of the parents that are raising them. Pumping $$ into public education in this country is like throwing  it down a rathole. Half the school instruction time is taken up with disciplinary problems and counter-measures for them.Teachers who stand up for themselves and insist on civil behavior don't last long, to the detriment of children who don't act like characters from Lord of the Flies, to say nothing of society in general.
It's a flood, and we're all caught up in it. So let's be kind to each other.  Or,  the next time somebody is appallingly rude to you (which will be tomorrow, most likely), do your part.  Let them know.  They may not appreciate it at the time, but maybe the next person they're face to face with will.  Don't forget to duck, though and check for weapons. Just saying.Oh, yeah, and shop at Safeway.

Hollywood!

So I wanted to go to the movies tonight. I checked the listings, and then I checked Rottentomatoes.com. No point in throwing money away, eh? Pretty dismal. We have New Moon. Teenage vampires/werewolves/virgins written by a Mormon who obviously has some issues with all three. 29% . Men Who Stare at Goats, well intentioned parapsychology and George Clooney, but off the mark, sort of like some of his directorial efforts. 54%. This Is It, Michael Jackson, 81%. Ok, I'm down with the King of Pop thing, but hey, he did like little boys, so I'm not enthralled, and this got high marks, which just goes to show people only care about sentimentality, one of the few things that gets the masses excited these days. It's allright, I mean just because you're a pedophile doesn't mean you can't be a good performer, but for me the music isn't all that good, you know? Moving on. The Blindside. Sandra Bullock taking in an orphan who turns out to be a football star? I think I've seen this one before. Radio? Please. 69%. A Christmas Carol, with Jim Carrey. This is crap. 56% Try DVD for the real thing. Precious, 91%. Ok, I have to look at this. Whoops. I'm sure it's a real heartbreaker but frankly I'm finding it difficult to identify with a 300 pound half-literate chick from the projects who's been on Oprah. The Oprah part is enough to send me packing.

Don't get excited, I'm not some hating sports-cartoon-racist-music monster. I'm just looking for a movie that makes me think or laugh and gives me a moment of awe, that I don't feel guilty about recommending later. Not happening. I think the "studios" are saving it up for December. Gosh, I hope so. When I think about the amounts of $$ these gems cost, I get nauseous. Hope everybody in Hollywood has a merry Christmas, but they aren't going to do it on my dime.

Say it with me now, "Waste your money, and everybody in Hollywood just made a buck or two off the brain-dead American public."

Yikes. Go to the video store, or the bookstore, even better.