Pet Peeve Positively Pinpointed

A local man pinpointed a new pet peeve Friday after watching television.

Mike Treadway, a 23-year-old Caucasian male, was watching "Firefly" with his 27-year-old brother, Josh, when his brother rose to make dinner during an episode. Seemingly confused and annoyed, Treadway paused the episode so that Josh wouldn't miss important dialog and plot elements, sources said.

After hours of reflecting on this and other similar circumstances, Treadway came to a new realization. It makes his blood boil when viewers do not pay attention to a television show or movie.

"I guess I just don't understand it when people watch a show or movie and spend the whole time texting or walking around or talking. It's one thing when you have to pee in a movie theater, but you can pause anything at home these days," said Treadway.

Treadway is a firm believer of paying attention to whatever it is you are watching. It avoids what he calls stupid questions.

"It just seems that if we're both watching something, and you turn to me and ask for a plot recap of something that just happened or was confusing because you missed something earlier, and it was in no way confusing, then you have really no interest in watching it in the first place," said Treadway.

When asked how he planned to deal with this new pet peeve, Treadway said he would probably passive-aggressively complain about it on his blog.

Fallen Brethren

I went into Albertsons today and I came to a realization: soda has gotten really expensive.

They were selling a 2-liter bottle of Pepsi for $1.69! On sale! From $1.99! *Gasp* *Ack* Since when has brand name soda been that much?

A little shocked, a lot confused, I walked outside towards my car. To my right a line at the Redbox was beginning to form. DVDs from a vending machine. What a day we live in. Then a question hit me right between the eyes: where did all the soda vending machines go?

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself this one? Where, outside of a theme park or other such places, have you last seen a soda vending machine? And not bottles, but cans. I am talking about a soda can vending machine. Put a quarter in, a 12 oz. can of soda comes out. Now we swipe a credit card and get the newest release starring Jennifer Lopez or Aniston (or insert crap actor whose movie I'll likely never willfully see). Mind decay instead of tooth decay seems to be on the agenda.

Next time I go to the grocery store I want to make a libation of a 12 oz. in honor of those beautiful machines that quenched my thirst on so many Escondido summer days.

Like so many other things, now that I know they're gone, I miss them.

P.S. Do you remember how every store had their own kind? Some play on a real soda name, like Dr A+ at Albertsons. (Am I supposed to think that guy was first in his class or something?) Price Club had Dad's Old Fashioned Root Beer. Amazing.