No Shame for LA Lawyers

I have a small car. A really small car. My little VW Rabbit can literally fit in almost any spot. She's compact in every way. So I usually do park in "compact" spots if possible, as that is the appropriate size spot for my vehicle.

Yesterday I drove to downtown LA for a court appearance and parked in a nearby parking garage. I parked on an end, up against the far line of my spot, and was initially satisfied that I had more than enough space.

Before I could even get out of my car, a huge ass SUV parks in the spot next to me. The *compact* spot next to me.

Dude gets out and starts putting on his suit jacket, same as me. Says good morning, as do I. Then I can't help myself. I say "That sure is a big compact vehicle." He laughs. He tells me that "If I park anywhere else in this garage I get dinged. I always get dinged. So I park here instead." Of course, this makes absolutely no sense, so I respond "Maybe your car gets hit because you park it in too small a spot." Dude has nothing to say to this because, you know, it makes sense. So instead he says: "You're trying to shame me! But I'm a lawyer, as are you, correct?" He goes on to tell me that lawyers have no shame, that trying to shame him is a waste of time, and that he in particular never is shamed. WOW. And he tells me this with a smile on his face, almost like a badge of honor.

The only thing I could choke out was "Well I must be in the wrong profession because its inhuman to never feel shame and I never intend to be like you."

The gall of people just amazes me. He was proud of himself. And you know what, I couldn't help it when I dinged his car. Bastard parked too close.

WTF

So I am not big into the Oscars, but I did have them on in the background last night while making dinner. I didn't see half of the movies nominated, including The Hurt Locker. TL saw it and said it was pretty good, I'm not really into that kind of movie. Didn't seem like there were very many laugh-my-ass-off moments.

So when they were presenting for Best Director I didn't pay much attention because I didn't see most of the movies (I was kind of rooting for Quentin Tarantino because I did love Inglorious Basterds, but no biggie). I kinda noticed that "the woman," Kathryn Bigelow won. I refer to her as thus since the only things we know about her are (1) she's a woman that directed, gasp, a war movie, and (2) she was married to Jim Cameron. So good for her, finally a woman won. Apparently it was the first time in Academy history. Not really a surprise since Hollywood is such a male dominated industry.

But when she was done giving her acceptance speech, that's when my ears piqued up. What song did I hear? Turned up the volume and.......that old classic "I Am Woman." That crap stopped me dead in my tracks. Are they *really* playing an old '70s "feminist" song right now? Wow.

Yup. They just reduced Ms. Bigelow's win into a cheesy ridiculous moment. I felt so sorry for the woman. Check it out here if you missed it, the Oscar orchestra is playing the Helen Reddy classic at the conclusion of her speech.