Apocalyptic Gas Fill-up

On a hot sunny Friday you expect the gas station to be busy, especially starting at 4pm as the evening commute collides with folks leaving town for the weekend. Busy was an understatement for the swarm of activity that was occurring today at lunch. It was like watching ten piglets fight over six teats. There was absolutely no organization to it. People were cutting others off to get to the pump, some pulled up to the wrong side of the pump, other's were backing in at weird angles, some just stopped in the middle of the parking lot staring in confusion, and the whole while tons of vulgarities were being exchanged. Add the confusion of the drive-thru car wash on top of that. It looked like salmon spawning, expect with blonde housewives in their SUVs. Two lanes of vehicles fighting over the one lane car wash. They almost needed to bring in a couple airport traffic controllers to sort it all out. From a third party view, you'd think a natural disaster was immanent and there was a shortage of gas. I somehow managed to pull into the parking lot and straight up to the next free pump, no problems. I just stared in shock at the stupidity of everyone. Good thing this gas station was in a nicer area of town, there were probably murders occurring at gas stations by the ghetto apartments across town. While we're on the subject of gas station annoyances, what's up with dipshits that insist on keeping their car stereo's booming rap music while filling up. Are they trying to impress folks? People seriously need to chill, put on some jazz music, and try smiling. That's going to be my philosophy tonight as I have to battle the crazy commute traffic on my journey out of town for the weekend.

Who Killed the Theatre Experience?

I am a movie buff! I love movies and the experience they provide. For a couple hours you get to see life through another's eyes, understand different perspectives, see exotic places, go on an adventure, etc. It's an experience! Movie theatre management is ruining that for us all, and the MPAA thinks it's the p2p networks that are ruining box office revenues. The local average price of a ticket ranges from $6.50-$9.00 depending on the day/time that’s 2-3 times the price of a rental, the purchase price of a bargain DVD, or the cost of a one month - 1 DVD at a time Netflix membership. In the end it'll cost about $30 for the average couple to see a movie (2 Tickets + $10 for pop & popcorn). For that cost you get to pick the movie you would like to see, the rest of your theatre going experience is up to fate; an exciting game of Russian Roulette. Of course it's one that must be played. To get the full experience of any movie you must see it on the big screen, with the high quality sound system. For the last couple of years I've started to be highly selective about which movies I choose to see in the theatre. Most movies I simply wait for them to be released on DVD, because most of them are utter crap. There are some movies however that just HAVE to be seen in large format to appreciate. Mainly sci-fi, fantasy, action, horror, etc. Anything that has lots of action, special effects, or large scenery. It's hard to appreciate the massiveness of the Death Star on your 27" home TV. Now when you go see it on the large screen and the space station is towering over you at 10' across you start to respect it more. When I go to see these movies on the big screen, I want to see it on the biggest screen possible. I don't want to see it in the small 20' screen auditoriums, I want to see it in the 50'+ screen ones. This has been such a huge annoyance in my life lately. I expect that if I go see a movie on it's premiere weekend, and it's a high enough grossing film, it had damn well AA be in the theatre's largest auditoriums. Often though I buy my ticket and when getting to the auditorium I find that I've been sent off to the smallest auditorium in the building. I have to presume this is the overflow section, and it is in fact also playing on the larger screens. They desperately need to integrate a theater diagram into Fandango, and list which auditorium each show time is playing in. Of course they won't do this because they know no one will purposefully buy a ticket to the small screen showings. I think from now on if I get sent to a small screen auditorium I'm going to demand they exchange it for tickets to the large auditorium showings. Maybe if I'm annoying enough they'll start making some changes. I also have to have the perfect seat. I have to sit in the exact middle of the screen, center row, center seat, and if at all possible away from annoyances (talkers, miss-behaving children, crying babies, seat kickers, teen make out couples, scream prone girlies, popcorn spilling gluttonous fatty, etc.). And why the hell can't people respect others viewing experience and get a baby sitter for their children? I'm a parent and I know better then to bring my child to a prime time showing. If I decide it's a film he must see in the theatre we will go to a weekend matinée, and I will make sure that he's quiet and respectful of others. Often I'll go see a horror film, at primetime, on a premiere night and some dumbass will bring their baby along. Oh and guess what happens at the first loud jolt in the movie the baby starts screaming. And they don't leave the theatre. Dip shit! I think babies should be banned from the theatre all together. Fortunately here in Vancouver one local business owner and film fan opened Cinetopia. And they have 21+ age restricted auditoriums and show times. That should take care of 90% of the annoyances that ruin my experience. Plus they serve Beer and real dinner food before the show starts, that should help increase my enjoyment. I haven't yet been to a showing there. I think I'll go check out a viewing soon. Hopefully it'll be everything I've always dreamed about and I'll bring all my business to them.

Yappy Neighbor Dogs

I'm about ready to tear into my new neighbors. They moved in about 6 months ago and brought their yappy little dogs. Which for some reason they banish to the backyard for extended periods of time, during which all the dogs do is bark/howl/cry until they are let back in. Or if it's day time they start barking matches with dogs in other yards. All the other neighbors have been very respectable regarding their animals, and they bring them inside promptly after hearing their dog(s) bark. These people have got to be deaf because it goes on for hours. I can hear these dogs over my TV in my sunken basement and I'm a lot farther away then they are. The part that really annoys me is these people put the dogs outside late at night and early in the morning. I've even been woken up a few times in the middle of the night (2am-4am) due to their dogs barking. You'd think these people would have a hard time sleeping too and finally get up to let them in, but NO! it's goes on for hours. Last night really pissed me off. I was already having a hard time sleeping, and then when I finally got to sleep I wake up to these dogs again! And it's not just me, my good friends next door have also complained about them. Brandon even suggested we split the cost of a nice air soft rifle. It's really gone on for way too long. At this point these people are either completely ignorant or just a bunch of assholes!

I took some time to read up online about the problem and what the proper legal course of action is. I found the proper course of action as outlined by the city municipal code. I'm going to follow it and get this resolved. I'm starting off by writing a nice letter explaining the problem and asking them to please resolve it. If that doesn't work, then hell with them. I'll get Animal Control over there to talk to them, and if necessary I'll get a petition from all the surrounding neighbors and get the police involved. Should be interesting to see how all this plays out. Stay tuned.