The City

I was never really a fan of The Hills... mostly because I'm not a fan of L.A. But when they decided to make The City spinoff, I figured I had to give it a chance. (And in case you've been living under a rock or just simply living in the MTV-less real world, The City is a semi-reality show about a nobody girl trying to make it in the fashion business in New York City...with the help of clever MTV producers who spin her "real" life into a plot fit for a soapy TV show.)

So, the first season of The City just ended this week. Now that I've had time to digest the show as a whole, here are my thoughts:

I've grown to like Whitney. I especially like her pink lipstick...so cute! Anyway, I was proud of her in this last episode for standing up to evil Upper East Side snob Olivia and to her hunky downtown hipster sleazebag ex-boyfriend Jay. Go Whitney! ...Though, of course, this plot clearly falls in line with my prediction of this show being made to emulate the trials and tribulations of Sex and the City's lovable Carrie and love-to-hate Mr. Big. Case in point: In the finale of the first season of Sex and the City, Carrie tells Mr. Big to take a hike too. Sigh...how predictable.

I like Allie. I hate her player boyfriend, Adam, though. I definitely fell into the producer's love/hate trap here. And I bet all the male MTV viewers who watch this show (yeah, you're out there) love Allie and give props to Adam for scoring such a hot chick while getting some on the side. Those MTV producers are geniuses.

I like Olivia. She obviously got this gig specifically by agreeing to play the gorgeous, snobby, rich-girl villain. And why the heck else would she be working as an intern for DVF other than to implement the character of Whitney's frenemy in the workplace. Love it!

Jay, Jay, Jay.... As I've already mentioned, he's obviously styled to be the hipster version of "Mr. Big" ... obviously without any of the "bignesss." The producers are clearly setting him up to be the guy Whitney dumps and takes back...over and over again. I bet the number of expected break-ups and reunifications are spelled out in their contracts.

So, all in all, it was a great season. And yes, I know the show is blatantly set up and not real at all. (Why else would Jay's ex-girlfriends, for instance, "happen" to show up in the most unexpected places again and again?) But I know that taking "real" people and setting them up to deal with life's most awkward moments is exactly what keeps us all watching. For that, I give props to MTV.

Delta: You'll Love the Way We Fly...Without You

Going "airline" is this decade's "going postal."

I was close to "going airline" today at the Delta terminal in JFK Airport. Turns out the $500 airplane ticket I purchased on expedia.com was not for a "seat" on Delta flight 1823 from New York to Miami, but rather for a "reservation" for a chance at a seat. Turns out Delta overbooked my flight by an extra dozen passengers (and does so routinely for all their flights) without letting me know until I arrived at the gate...after I had checked my liquid-filled bag for a $15 fee. Turns out I lost the seat "lottery." Turns out Delta runs three flights a day from New York to Miami on the eve of spring break. Turns out Delta overbooked all its Miami flights. Turns out that your checked luggage can get on an overbooked flight...even when you can't. Turns out my luggage was in the company of another dozen or so bags that went on vacation without their owners. Turns out that when your luggage goes on vacation without you, you don't get your $15 back.

I was close to going postal...or rather, airline, on someone at Delta today. Instead, I wrote this post.