What we are REALLY teaching our kids in school?

What are kids learning in schools these days?

#1) When you have a job, but don't feel like doing work, have your mom write a note. Then, you will be excused. 

#2) Thinking and researching is optional, if you don't know something, it's ok. Google it.

#3) If you don't want to do work, just say you have to go to the bathroom. If the teacher won't let you out of class, see rule #1. (Do this for every class, in every subject & you want have to do any work.)

#4) If you are stopped for speeding, just tell the officer, you are dyslexic and can't read so you were not sure what the speed limit was.

#5) If you are ever arrested, just say it's because you are ADD or ADHD and cannot control your behavior or your actions. 

#6) When you are arrested for yelling at, cussing at or walking away from an the police, just tell them you have ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder) and do not respond well to authority. 

#7) When you are in front of the judge for your sentencing, bring a copy of your IEP or 504 plan to show the judge all the things that you can't do because of your "disability". (This should also be given to your boss, that way he can't make you do work, or anything else that you don't want to do. If this doesn't work, see #1.)

#8) Make sure that your job gives you all of your modifications / accommodations on your IEP or 504 plan to ensure that you are working "at your level". This should include, but is not limited to, a "safe" "cool down" place for when you get angry at your colleagues, someone to read everything that you might be asked to do, a calculator for all math, extended time for tasks, multiple choice answers with 3 of the 4 answers eliminated etc)

#9) Anytime you feel "threatened" by your superior because they are asking you to do your job & complete a task, get your parents to attack the person in charge by insulting their character, professionalism & job performance. After all, they are paid with your tax money, they work for you! 

#10) Because of your "disability" or the "hard life" that you have endured, you really shouldn't be working at all. So just stay home and allow the government to pick up the check. It is after all your right! You've "worked" very hard to get through grades K-12.....well, close enough.

10 years come and gone so quickly

10 years ago, if someone would've asked me where I'd see myself when I was 35, I wouldn't have thought it would be here, in this place.
10 years ago, I would have said that by the time I was 35, I would be married, with one maybe two kids, a house, a two car garage and living the American dream. After all, these days that's what all my friends are doing. However, I am not. That dream was expelled around 8 years ago, and I have never recovered.

I remember someone telling me 10 years ago not to "waste your pretty". She said that's what I was doing. I was wasting my pretty in a life that I didn't want. I didn't know what she meant - then, but I do now.

I hate the person that I've turned into. When I look in the mirror, I hate the person that is looking back at me. She is not pretty. She is fat, ugly and depressing.
She looks back at me with sad eyes, remembering the days when she would look back at me with smiles.
High cheek bones, makeup and a smile that would light up a room. I don't know that person anymore. The happy girl who had a future and couldn't wait to meet up with it. The girl she turned into is a sad shell of that girl.

I remember living with such hope - hope with a life of happiness. Happy is not in my vocabulary anymore. Shame is. Guilt is. Regret is. Fat is. Ugly is. Sad is. I am sad. Very sad. A deep sadness that fills every part of me. Sad from a warning of not wasting my pretty, but doing it anyway. Sad from not heeding the advice given so many years ago. Sad from what my life has become instead of what it could have been.

It could have been so much more. When it was filled with love and laughter, it was a good life. It's not anymore. What's funny is that back then, I loved my life but hated my job. Now, I love my job (especially my students, who keep me alive) and hate the life that I have created. I also hate when people say,"if you don't like something, then change it!" Yeah, like it's that easy. Like I am "Jeannie" who can blink and nod my head and "change it". It's not easy. If it were easy, it would have been done by now. I don't like being miserable. I don't like looking back and seeing all the years I wasted. I don't like looking at my life and the shell that it has become. But this is the life that I have made for myself.

I have wasted the pretty and wasted the past 10 years.

Jon Stewart Breaks down the RNC with HILARITY!

Jon Stewart is my new favorite person. 

First of all, he calls it like he sees it, which I find refreshing, especially during all this political trash taking. Stupid people/things are targets of his foder, no matter what side of the isle they're on. Last week he broke down the Republican National Convention and I can not wait to see what he has in store for Charlotte.

He started his program Friday saying, "It is hotter than a gorilla's anus in this town. Although, to be fair to gorillas, that is a dry heat." Um, Florida? In the end of August? Hot? TRUE, TRUE & TRUE!!!!! Proof positive that the man speaks the truth!

Next, Jon laid into surprise guest speaker of the convention, Clint Eastwood, calling him "a fistful of awesome, who emerged in the night, where he spent 12 minutes, on the most important night in Mitt Romney's life.... YELLING AT A CHAIR!!!!!" Now, I don't care if you are red or blue, black or white, purple, green or polka dotted, that shit is f#$%ing funny! And it's the truth! Clint spent the entire time ranting to an empty chair, that was suppose to represent President Obama, but the fact that he was even GIVING a speech at the RNC put a HUGE shadow on the person who was suppose to be in the spotlight, Gov. Mitt Romney! Jon also points out that the whole week was a scripted and focus-grouped fantasy, where everything was highly coordinated. But then the Republicans decide it would be wise to let Clint Eastwood go on stage and shoot from the hip, like a scene from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly! WTF?

Now I don't have anything against Clint or the Republicans, but really? Even Republicans have to admit that Mitt Romney was overshadowed and Jon Stewart made it even funnier.  The man is a complete genius!

But the best part of Jon Stewart's monologue was when he laid into Romney & Eastwood speeches and called, "BULLSHIT!" on both of them. Like when Romney said he wanted President Obama to succeed, but 8 days after Obama took office Romney said that he doesn't want failed policies to succeed. THE MAN WAS IN OFFICE FOR 8 DAYS!!! Or as Jon put it, an entire Hanukkah! (Im laughing). Then Stewart shows how Clint Eastwood tried to dis Obama by saying that the war in Afghanistan was ok and was worth doing. But as Stewart points out, "Oh snap! You really gave it to the guy who didn't get us into that war!" (I'm still laughing.) Clint also says that he never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to be President. To which Stewart quips, "Yeah, take that Harvard lawyer Barack Obama. You'll never be the man Harvard lawyer Mitt Romney is." HAHAHAHA!

Finally, Stewart ends his commentary by saying that he never understood why the Republicans  describe a world and a President that bears no resemblance to the world and the President that he experiences, but then says that now he knows why..... Because there is a President Obama that only the Republicans see: (cut to the empty chair Clint is talking to) IT'S INVISIBLE OBAMA!!!! (Ok, now I'm laughing so hard, I'm about to pee on myself!)

Oh, it's so good! That dude cracks me up! I can't wait till he breaks down Charlotte.  Please Mr. Stewart, please be gentle. But if you can't, at least don't disappoint and please make me almost pee in my pants again! LOL!

Summer 2011

So with the beginning of summer only a few days away, I've started my summer goals list of things that I want to accomplish while school is out. It's nothing new. I do think EVERY year, and am happy if I hit just five! Disappointing, I know, but maybe this year will be different.

One goals is to read and write more. Since throughout the year, these hobbies usually take a backseat, I try to use the summer to bring them to the for front. Also, because I am constantly working, (this year being no exception: They are trying to kill me in July and August) I will need an outlet to help me get through. What gets me is that all school year, all I want is days off to do nothing, so I don't have to work so hard, and then when summer comes, I work the concert venue so much that I lose all perspective of what I want to do. But today I started something new. Hold on to your hats everyone.... get ready.... sit down..... and pay attention.....

Today I, Reni Guidry, WORKED OUT!!!! Yes, you heard me correctly, I went to the gym at my apartment compex, worked out for about an hour, sweated my ass off and felt great! So why I was do this "new activity", I thought about how going to the pool to cool off would be a great way to end my exercising. So this is one of my goals for the summer, working out and doing some more swimming. By the end of the summer, I hope to be thinner, tanner and well read. (What's going to the pool with out taking a good read.)

Other things are the list include, preparing for next school year, cooking more, keeping my apartment cleaned, which leads to my final goal of the summer.... finding my future husband. It's time! And way over due, if you ask me. But I reallize now what people say about having yourself to gether before you can give yourself over to someone ekse, I haven't gotten there yet. And while I am falling for someone in particular, I know that his feelings will EVER be recipricated unless I don't get myself together. I want to be married. I want to have babies. I want to be happy and hopefully this summer will be the beginning of the rest of my life!

The Coo Coo Cucho Train to CRAZY TOWN!

So tonight is the night we've all been waiting for, The Real Housewives of New Jersey "Throwdown" reunion special. Tonight is the night that (hopefully) Danielle will go down in flames.


Now for those of you who don't know, Danielle Staub is definitely portrayed as the villain of this show. And she lives up to her title EVERY SINGLE WEEK! Like her intro says, "You're either gonna love me or hate me. There is no in between with me." Well, duh! And as a side note, sweetie, we all HATE YOU!


To put it simply, Danielle is a CRAZY BIOTCH!!! In a battle of whose is the craziest and more psychotic, Danielle or Kelly (from Housewives of New York), I think Danielle wins HANDS DOWN!!! To get the full effect of this psychopath, we have turn back the clock a little, because the true craziness started at the last season finale, and has continue to build up to tonight's reunion show.


Last season, we found Danielle trying to make friends with the New Jersey clan. Basically she wanted to be Dina Manzo. (Anyone with half a brain could figure that one out. Yes, she really DID want to skin you, Dina, and wear you like last year's Versache.) When Danielle became shunned by the group, instead of embraced, she took the Coo Coo Cucho Train straight to crazy town! Danielle "claims" that Dina doesn't like her because "Dina is threatened by me" [Danielle]. In the "real" world where we all live, we know this is farthest thing from the truth. But in Danielle's world of "love and light" where she dwells, Dina spread a book around town (Cop Without A Badge) that says Danielle was a prostitute who was arrested, a cocaine addict involved in kidnapping with the Colombian Cartel.... I mean we are talking some seriously heavy shit here.


So as last season ends, Theresa (my favorite housewife) throws a dinner party to extend an olive branch and make peace with everyone after all that had been happening. Things were going well, people were having laughing and fun until Danielle (always needing the spotlight) pulls out "the book" to confront her enemies!!! I mean, who does that? Anyway, since that was the beginning of all the drama which continued into this season, we have to begin by dissecting the dinner party from last season. In a segment that I like to call,


Danielle's numerous trips of traveling on the CRAZY TRAIN:


1. Pulling out the book at the dinner party : With devilish grin and knowing that she's stirring up trouble Danielle admits to taking the book out at the party, "pointed at a 45 degree angle right at Dina." She says she wanted to "clarify things" because the book had been "haunting her", but Danielle's no dummy, she knew sparks would fly and boy did they fly... along with tables!




2. "Lies were spread and people were talking about me." : First of all, any time people are talking about Danielle, she feeds on it. This book was just the tip of the iceberg. Between encounters with the police, sex tapes, extortion plots, to lesbian love affairs etc, Danielle NEVER backs away from publicity, good or bad. She says she was upset because the book was brought out into public, in her town. "I sat at home throwing up with diarrhea for three weeks because of you [Dina]" (Ok, this is really TMI, but honestly, it tickles me.) I can't understand how a book written 25 years ago is SO damaging to her less than pristine reputation, but all the negative publicity she's done TO HERSELF in the past year, is fine by her?




3. "This is not what I wanted. I really did not want this." : Ok, another WTF moment is best summed up in the words of Caroline, "If you didn't want this, then why'd you bring the book?".... EXACTLY, Caroline! You took the words right out of my mouth.


4. Danielle's innocent response after Theresa flips the table: "Wow! Theresa like a caged animal at the zoo. I mean tables need to be thrown at me because I had a book written about me?" No, you dumb bitch - PAY ATTENTION, PUH LEASE!- you had a table thrown at you because you are a lying, sneaky, manipulative, (say it with me) "PROSTITUTION WHORE!!!" (hahahahaha.... me laughing hysterically!)

5. At the end of this episode Danielle states very matter-of-fact : "An apology is in order if ANY of them want to move forward with me. 'Cause if I hear shit gong on anymore, behind my back, I'll be knocking on your door - and I won't be coming alone!"

Uh, can we say BLATANT THREAT!??!?! Ok, Coo Coo Cuchoo, on behalf of the NJ Housewives, here's your apology: "Sorry, you are a dumb bitch and a prostitution whore, but if that's what you were representing at the time - you needed to be called out on it!" - AMEN

Have I proven how crazy Danielle is yet? No? Ok, check out more from THIS season....

A Kell-amity of Major Proportions

Ok, here's another post on RHONY, so if you don't watch, you can turn around now. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200 dollars.


Kelly Bensimon is one of those ditsy girls that you hate. I can't even say "love to hate", because there is no love to be had. She really DOES live in her own world, to which no one is privy to and only makes sense to Kelly. She is so ridiculous in the things that she says, it's a wonder she can string a sentence together.


The underlying fact of the matter is that Kelly is very self-conscious. She is one of those models who wants everyone to like her (because that is all she knows; attention = love) that she tries so hard to "fit in" everywhere and be liked, but inevitably she TOTALLY misses the boat. I know that she loves to deny the following fact, but this season proves she is SO JEALOUS of Bethenny, she can't stand it. As much as she claims to hate Bethenny, and not care about her actions, Kelly truly spends most of her time "worrying" about Bethenny's actions and trying to turn everyone against her.


Hey Kelly, heads-up: IT'S NOT GONNA WORK!!! Bethenny is true, real people. You are a model living in your own make- believe fantasy world! So get over yourself!


If anyone needs proof that Kelly is crazy, look no further than the previous season of RHONY, especially the two episodes of "Scary Island". There, Kelly laid her psychotic behavior out for the world to see (and boy did we see it ). Let's recap shall we:

1) It's quite obvious this season that Kelly saw her chance to scoot in and try to replace Bethenny, in the friends category, and ran for it full steam ahead. This is MOST prevalent in her relationship with Jill and LuAnn. Last season, these two couldn't stand to be around Kelly and her double talk. This season, they are all besties. WTF?

When I can't stand to be around someone, I try to avoid them completely, especially when their conversation style is too confusing to follow. I don't invite said person to lunch and try to guide her in contributing to a conversation. I'm sorry, but a 41 year old woman, model or not, should be able to carry on a conversation and (here's the kicker) MAKE SENSE!!! Kelly, on the other hand cannot do either of these. Again, WTF?

2) Kelly & Playboy - So when Kelly first tells her new BFFs, LuAnn and Jill about her Playboy spread she says, "I was asked by Playboy to do their 40th anniversary cover and a 10 page story...they have a cover try but major interviews and everything, is me!" - UH, NO!!!
This comment is, as with everything that comes out of her mouth, all made up in Kelly's little head. I guess she didn't want to say, "I getting paid to take my clothes off" to her conservative new best friends, so she "created" a setting where it would be considered, ok and chic.

Here are the facts: Kelly was asked to be in Dec 09 issue of Playboy. This was pushed back to the Jan issue and then pushed again to the March issue, where it was finally published. The FIRST issue of Playboy, featuring Marilyn Monroe, was published in December 1953. Now I know Kelly is a bit ditsy, but even if she did come out in the Dec issue, do the math! That's 57 years of Playboy (which Jill busted her on in a later episode, and Kelly tried to weasel her way out). In any case, Playboy celebrated it's 40th anniversary issue in '94 with Marilyn on the cover again, and their 50th anniversary with the January 2004 issue with NO ONE on the cover!
It should also be pointed out that Kelly's "10 page story" in the magazine was actually a 6 page PICTORIAL - no story, no interview. She was NOT the centerfold, that was Kyra Milan. And the interview in that issue was the now "infamous" John Mayer interview about sleeping with Jessica Simpson. So anyway you slice it, Kelly is just a BIG FAT LIAR!

3)Kelly and fur - So we get it Kelly, you like to wear fur. When Bethenny was asked to do a PETA ad against wearing fur, you came out, of course on the opposite side saying, "PETA isn't saying, 'Don't wear fur'. They're saying, 'Don't abuse animals.' And so I'm not abusing animals, I'm just wearing fur." - Um, yeah, cause the last time I checked, skinning a mink to wear it's skin as fashion, was NOT abusive in any way. By the way Kelly, PETA's slogan says "animals are not ours to eat, WEAR, experiment on, or use for entertainment." So yes, they ARE, in fact saying, "Don't wear fur!"

4)Kelly and flirting - Basically, when I flirt with someone, it's about showing them that I am into them and getting them to eventually ask me out. However, in Kellyland, flirting means, getting the person to tell you how fabulous they think you are, as we saw in the vomit inducing "interview" with the journalist from Playboy.

Kelly starts with, "Oh my goodness, you are the most handsome journalist I ever met in my life." Ok, we get it, you like him. Then she asked if he saw the shoot. He says, "Yeah, fantastic. How do you think it went?" (Ok, we know he's seen you naked, before date number 1) Kelly responds with, "Well, you saw the pictures." (She is now obviously fishing for compliments when he JUST told her, he thought they were fantastic.) "Well, what do they look like I can't remember?", asks Kelly. (Probably because your head is filled up with so much air.) Again, he says, "They were fantastic." She then says, "Like what? What was I doing?" I HATE HATE HATE when girls do this. You already know you're gorgeous, and now you are fishing for compliments from someone who is supposed to be doing his job! Then she comes out with the clever comment of, "This [conversation] is an organic experience."

Organic? WHAT? The only thing "organic" about this experience is the sh!# coming out of your mouth. Stop the madness. To make matters even worse, when the guy finally does ask for her number, she's all surprise and gitty. "What? What? Are you, like, asking me out on a date?" - Uh, you posed for Playboy and he's already seen you naked? What guy WOULDN'T ask you out on a date? To put it plainly, he thinks you're an easy lay.

5) So Kelly calls a truce with Bethenny, but then comes out blazing at Alex's fashion show prep. So in an effort not to seem like a complete bitch Kelly "buries the hatchet" with Bethenny in Episode 4. Bethenny takes the apology and asked, "Ok, so we're not going to discuss last year anymore, right?" Good. Wave your white flags girls. Fast forward to episode 5, where Bethenny is discussing how she understands where Alex is coming with the Jill situation and Kelly goes on the defense again saying, "But that's what you did to me, last year when you called me Madonna? You attacked me. You were so unbelievably mean to me!" and then makes a "down there and up here" reference again. Bethenny not wanting to engage says, "Kelly, do you really want to rehash last year? Really?" To which Kelly exclaims, "YES!" - Uh, what happen to the truce? So at the end of the conversation another truce is made to which Kelly says that SHE wanted the arguing to be done. "I wasn't going to argue with her anymore, so I said it's OVER!" - Uh, first of all, no you didn't and secondly, you said that the first time and then called Bethenny out again. So is it really "OVER" now? Like a take two, or something. (Nope, it wasn't. The jealousy and animosity toward Bethenny continues throughout the season)

Parking Wars = Stupid People

So I am sitting here watching one for my guilty pleasures, "Parking Wars" on A & E.

I know this may seem absurd to some, but it is really funny to see grown people act the way they do. Like a little kid when they get caught breaking the rules, they throw temper tantrums. One woman (and I use that term loosely) actually said, "But everybody does it? Why do I have to get the ticket?" Come on, people!!! Didn't your momma ever teach if you, if someone jumps off a cliff, it doesn't mean you have to follow them? Never, ever have I heard of someone who use this excuse and get away with it.

Anyway, here's a couple of things you need to know about "Parking Wars". The setting of our story is the wonderful city of Philadelphia and the show is about the PPA (Philadelphia Parking Authority). The show is broken up into 3 different sections: Impound Lot, Ticketing and Booting.

Each department has it's own rules, it's on way of doing things, and it's own set of problems and complaints. But the similarity that each share is every person who gets "caught" on the show says, it's not their fault and/or "The PPA is ridiculous and/or unfair." It's pretty entertaining how upset people get for something they did wrong. Well entertaining to me, not so much for them!

Why can't people just follow parking rules? It's just like traffic rules, and we all have to pay attention to the rules, plan and simple. Plus, if you KNOW what you are doing is wrong, but you do it anyway, that's stupidity. And you're really upset with YOURSELF because you got caught. Just as I tell my students, you always have a choice!!! As much as I hated paying for the two tickets that I recently obtained (no comments necessary), though it was frustrating and an inconvenience ultimately, I had to pay (and boy did I pay) the consequences.

Ok, so back to our story. Here are a few situations from Parking Wars and my opinion on the situation.

IMPOUND LOT-

After 21 days of being in the impound lot, unclaimed cars are eligible for auction. Why do people wait until the last day and then demand to get their car immediately because they are now ready for it. It's amazing to me, the gaul that some people have.

The Blame Game - Excuses, excuses, excuses. I love to watch these people come out with all kinds of excuses as to why their car was towed.

"There was a no parking sign in front of my car, and behind my car but not where my car was parked. So basically, my car was towed for no reason. If my car was parked illegally, it was purely accidental and if so, well that the city's fault." - Really? It what universe, does this excuse seem like it will work? I mean that's like saying,"Officer, I really didn't mean to shoot and kill my husband, but the gun was just sitting there and I pointed it at him and pulled the trigger, but it was purely accidental that the bullet hit him, and if it did hit him, well that's his fault".

The Run Around - Now I can understand people getting frustrated with this one. But please, it's the Department of Motor Vehicles. Most people are aware of the amount of time it takes there. But people still want to complain about, what they believe is, "The Run Around". The people who work at the PPA are just doing their job, and I am sure that they don't want to be there either. I don't think that the people behind the counter woke up one morning and said, "Ok, let me see how many people I can aggravate and piss off today!"

It also kills me that people drive without a license, registration nor insurance, get upset when they have to pay big $$$. One lady let her brother, who had a suspended license, drive her car and he was pulled over, she's furious that she has to pay so much $$$ for all the fees and fines to get her car back. Sweetie, it's not the lady behind the counter's problem that you let your brother "hold" your car and that he's an idiot. (Must run in the family.) I would take all the $$$ that my brother owes me out on his dumb ass.

Teenagers & "Their" Cars - I hate people. But I especially hate teenagers who feel obligated. One little girl complained about every little thing when people tried to help her.

"Well, why can't they call Geico? It's their job. They are not doing anything else." -Um, yes. Nothing except helping a whole line full of people.

"Why do the insurance people need to call my dad to get permission to release this information? I am 18 years old!" - Um first of all, if you're 18, and think you are a real "adult", why don't you handle your responsibilities your damn self! Secondly, your dad is probably the one who is PAYING for your insurance, right? So stop complaining, and shut the hell up.

Then she goes on to say how ridiculous the system is and how she is going to tell "important people" to fix it, because she knows a lot of "important people". - Who? Who do you know that is SO IMPORTANT that they can "fix" the DMV? Because I need to talk to these "important people" about some other things going on in life that's also "unfair". And then I swear, that her little 18 year old friend says, "Yeah, we need to make a HUGE MySpace Bulletin." - That's the future of America talking, people!!! Anyone else scared?

Another woman got mad at the Parking Authority lady for being "too nice". Now if the lady was rude, she would have gotten even madder. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

TICKETING -

How come some people get mad at the city if they receive tickets, but then also get mad when there is too much traffic? Officers who write tickets are only doing so, in order for the traffic to flow constructively through the areas of congestion.

Perfect example, a guy was double parked in the street next to a bank. He was an employee of the bank. The bank was knocked off twice in the last month, so the police were being extra cautious. The man gets angry and says, "The parking authority is bullshit. They take your money and don't give anything back." Um, I think the giving back part is PROTECTING you and your bank from getting robbed... AGAIN!


And everyone HATES paying for tickets. But use some common sense and you wouldn't have a problem, case in point:

Meter Maid : "Did you know the parking meter was broken?"
Stupid Guy :"Yeah, that meter over there WAS broken."
Meter Maid: "But you parked there anyway?"
Stupid Guy, clearly seeing he was both wrong and stupid, "Well how much is this gonna set me back?"
Meter Maid: "26 dollars."
Stupid Guy gets irate and commences to cussing.... over 26 dollars!!! Seriously?!?


Another person parked between two meters, and put money in the wrong meter. Why didn't she just back up? And if you are going to raise all kind of hell and begin cussing, do you really think that's going to let the parking attendants go easier on you? Negative Ghostrider!

Other excuses - "We just saw you up the street, and now you're over here ticketing my car?" Well, when you saw the man putting tickets on other peoples cars, why didn't you run out to feed the meter or move your car? STUPIDITY, plain STUPIDITY!!!

Some parents at a daycare drop off/ pick up were mad because other cars were parked in the spots in front of the day care. Their solution? They pulled their cars up on the side walk and then argued with the parking authority about why they should not be ticketed. WTF?

BOOTING -

In the city of Philadelphia, your car gets "booted" when you have received 3 or more parking tickets and have not paid for them. If the "booters" traveling around the city scan your tag and it comes up with violations, they will boot your car. Seems pretty simple to me!

Many people who are ticketed, reply with "I'm not paying this ticket!" and sometimes they will go so far as to throw the ticket on the ground or rip it up. Uh yeah, little kid throwing the tantrum? Yeah, you. Just because one destroys a ticket, does not mean that said ticket, goes away.

So first they get pissed because they got the ticket, then the get pissed for getting a boot! You have outstanding parking violations!! No one WANTS to pay for a ticket, but getting that upset won't help, and it most cases it makes the problem worse.

There was one lady who parked to attend a funeral. She had two outstanding tickets and they booted her car, but she thought she could be given a reprieve since she was at a funeral. What's the difference between before or after the funeral, but not during? She still knew she had the outstanding tickets, pay it and you won't have any worries.

Other stupid questions/situations:
Booted: "Does it matter if those plates belong to that car? I mean, if the car doesn't have tags, they're gonna tow it anyway!" WTF? Why is this a question in your mind? Every driver needs to pay for license, insurance and tags. PUT THE TAGS ON THE CAR!

Booted: "My truck has been givin' me problems, that's why I haven't paid the parking tickets. If you look, it has a bullet hole, here, here and here." Dude, if you have multiple bullet holes in your truck, I think you've got WAY bigger problems than a boot on your car!


Heavy hitters - These are people who have over $700 in parking violations. They are given 6 months or more to pay and have been notified several times of these outstanding violations; therefore, their fees have accumulated.

Booted: Crying, "But I don't have a $1000 to pay my tickets." Um, this is not the first time you were "warned" about your parking tickets. Plus, guess where this "citizen" was, when her car was being booted? Getting her nails done!!! And once she was finished complaining about how she didn't have any money, guess where she went? Uh, that would be back into the nail salon. Here's a hint, stop getting your nails done, and use that money to pay your tickets!!!

Booted: Realizing his car is being booted and suddenly wants to pay the fines, "I have to wait an hour!" - Uh, the city has been waiting for more than 6 months to get your fine from you?

"I'm trying to go somewhere and I'm being prohibited from leaving." - Way to go Captain Obvious, THAT's the purpose of a boot.

"Ya'll don't have a copy of the tickets or know how much I have to pay?" - Nope! Your ticket = your responsibility. My job = My responsibility. See how this works?n

"Oh, so you can put the boot on, but you can't take it off?" Yes, and you could have chose to pay your parking tickets or not. You chose the latter, so I guess we are even.

Supervisors - Now, I know that customer service is hard. Especially with a job like this. You are dealing with the public, but it's not necessarily in the best scenarios. People are going to get upset. This comes with the job and the territory. But when people are just trying to do their job, and not getting rude or being combative in any way, why do obligated people always ask for a "supervisor"? The supervisors usually still gives you the ticket. Is that suppose to make the PPA people scared? THEY WORK FOR THE PARKING AUTHORITY!!! They are not making cotton candy and popcorn. They HAVE TO have a thick skin. Just because you call the supervisor, doesn't mean that she's going to agree with you. Here's a hint: Getting a supervisor does NOT equal you getting your way.

So now do you see why I love this show so much? If you get a chance to check it out, you will not be upset. "Parking Wars" is shown on A&E, check your local listings for time slots.