Assorted Flotsam

• Why is it that every rug store I've ever gone past is continually going out of business? Never out of business, mind you. Just going, going... going. Is this a state law? When you get your lease, do they also issue you an "Everything Must Go" banner? Good economy, bad economy, it doesn't seem to matter. Maybe it's just a standard part of the melodrama. Reminds me of when I bought my Tabriz and asked if there was some room to negotiate the price. The response from the merchant, his arms extended toward me, wrists up, was, "Why don't you just slash my wrists?"

• I had plenty of time during SNOW2010 to check in on the Food Network and what I've come to understand is that, like movie critics, some chefs/cooks are going to jive with my tastes and some aren't. Paula and Ina use way too much fat and sugar for me, the Neelys use too much bacon*, etc. But that doesn't mean they're not entertaining. You can always rank on Bobby Flay's accent or Giada's bobblehead. And each and every one of them makes a great drinking game. You can see how many times they say: "Doesn't that look delish?", "This is one of my favorites", "...lemon to brighten the dish", "I wish you could smell this", etc. The other thing I've noticed is that one cooking show will tell you to add oil to pasta water, another will tell you not to. One cooking show will tell you to rinse mushrooms and another will tell you not to. Where is the Wiki judgy person for Food Network?
  

• Do they no longer feel it's important to heat restrooms in restaurants these days? Has anyone else noticed the drop in temps in even fancy restaurant restrooms? Brrrrrrrr.
  

• We saw a woman on the Metro the other day. She wasn't indigent (unless this was her first day). She was dressed conservatively and sturdily. Reminiscent of nun-wear, if you will... sensible. And she sat quietly for all of a minute before standing, turning toward the other passengers, and saying, loudly, "Are you visitors? Out this window is the Jefferson Memorial and here you can see there's been lots of rain so the water is high..." She proceeded to do a rudimentary travelogue. I nudged the Husband warily. He whispered, "She's with people." I shook my head, "No, she's alone." He looked back and, with some thought, said, "And she always will be." After another minute of awkwardness, she sat down and pulled out a pamphlet that had a profile of Jesus on the cover, complete with thorny crown. I feared we might get preached to--it wouldn't be the first time on the Metro. She sat for two more minutes before she stood and began talking to the man standing by the door with the baby carriage. His face was a mix of embarrassment and politeness--you know, the half-smile and the squinty, averted eyes. She didn't proselytizing, just shared. She was going to get off at this particular exit and go to mass on this street and...blahblahblah. What occurred to me was: Are people who are this lonely more likely to immerse themselves in religion, where they have to be accepted?
  

* That's right. I said it.