consumer warning: popcorn

While walking home from Ballston Metro today I came upon a man walking along with a full bag of popped,yet unopened, microwave popcorn – you know, the beware of steam when opening popcorn bag. I’m flummoxed by the whole scene: why would anyone be carrying an unopened bag of popped microwave popcorn? There is a 7-11 a few blocks away and maybe he doesn’t have a microwave at home so he either sneaks over with his own bag from Costco and uses their megawatts or, buys the tasty treat at the shop, pops it, and heads back to his place somewhere in South Arlington. I could almost make up a strange, late day scenario where he’s sitting down with his girlfriend to watch a DVD before remembering that popcorn would be excellent with the movie. “Hey baby. You want some popcorn while we watch The Matrix Trilogy?” “That would be great Jimmy, thanks,” she replies. “Right, I’ll go get some…” I’ve no idea what I’m on about.

We’ve done the house cleaning this evening in order to avoid a Friday cleanfest after G. leaves in the morning but before Laurel arrives on Saturday. It’s really a combination of a visitor and me going to the playoff game on Friday night...pick your poison.

I got through two documentaries this week and I call that a fine accomplishment. The more interesting of the two was An Unreasonable Man about the career of Ralph Nader before and after his political forays. I was a little unsure of the influence and success he had in his earlier career; I knew some of the basics but had no inkling of the number of everyday consumer rights he pushed through. What struck me during two different interview scenes with him was his definition, or dismissiveness, of loyalty which involved deciding whether or not someone was moving with you toward the same end goal. Essentially, he blackballed any former associate who moved onto another career and didn’t remain true, in his mind, to the Nader ideal. He was perfectly at ease haranguing those former comrades. On the other hand, any associates that moved along to new ideals and blackballed him he found to be nothing but heretical. It seems the same ideal in type but it’s clearly not in his mind.

We’ve had a cold spell that’s probably frozen out the cherry blossom tourists all this week. It’s suppose to warm up through the weekend so Laurel and I will head down very early on Monday or Tuesday to do a loop of the tidal basin before the Ohio hordes arrive after breakfast. A few museums and lunch at the Museum of the American Indian will no doubt follow.

Hey to all.

t.