Today was a very special day. A day that only comes along once every four years - it was leap day. The day we make up for the fact that it actually takes our planet 365 and 1/4 days to orbit the sun. I knew it was going to be a good day today when something unique happened to me this morning. I saw a guy sporting a mullet haircut.
Yes it's true that mullets were all the rage back in the early 1990s. Heck, even Jason Priestly sported one in the early days of Beverly Hills 90210. But to see a mullet in greater Washington DC in 2008 is a rare treat. And this was no ordinary mullet. It was a gift from the mullet gods. It can only be described as a baldmullet. A bald guy with a mullet. I checked www.mulletsgalore.com - the ultimate mullet classification website - and they did not even have a category for it. Perhaps, I discovered a new species of mullet today. If so, it was quite a find. This guy was not shy about his mulletude. He was sporting a bright orange polo shirt. The only way he could have been more obvious was if he actually had a neon arrow on his shirt pointing to his head. You go boy!
I figured since February 29th only comes along once every four years I should do something out of the ordinary today. I heard on the radio that my bank was collecting winter coats today. So I dug out a couple coats I no longer wear, dusted them off and took them over. It was hard for me to say goodbye to my "Crayola Rocks" LL Bean coat. It has served me well through the years. My college buds always teased me about wearing a bright yellow winter coat. "Crayola Rocks", "Bumblebee", "I can see you 5 miles away" - I heard it all. Luckily, it just bounced right off me. I was like a duck in my LL Bean coat - a bright yellow duck!
Mood: Pensive
Random Movie Line:
"Hey sweet thang. Can I buy you a fish sandwich? " - The Ladies Man
Listening To:
The Cars Greatest Hits
Friday, February 29, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Rites of Passage
There are certain events in your life that even as they occur you are aware of their significance. You immediately know you will carry their memory with you for all time. They are called rites of passage. Things such as:
* Riding Your Bike Without Training Wheels
* Obtaining Your Driver's License
* Your First Sexual Conquest
* Graduating High School
* Buying Your First Car
* Getting Married
* Having a Child
* Retirement
Rites of passage should evoke warm memories for years to come. I experienced my very own rite of passage today. I joined the ranks and ranks of Americans who rent a storage locker. Yes, this is a very important date indeed! It was the day I determined I had accumulated too much stuff to store it all in my home. I need an extra place to store some of my crap - wahoo! Am I living the dream or what?
Truth be told, I am getting ready for some major home improvements and I simply need to make some of my stuff disappear for a while. So really this is just a temporary phenomenon. I hope to be storage locker free within two months. Talk may be cheap but storage is not!
Mood: Stoked!
Listening To:
"High time we made a stand and shook up the views of the common man"
-Sowing The Seeds of Love
Tears For Fears
* Riding Your Bike Without Training Wheels
* Obtaining Your Driver's License
* Your First Sexual Conquest
* Graduating High School
* Buying Your First Car
* Getting Married
* Having a Child
* Retirement
Rites of passage should evoke warm memories for years to come. I experienced my very own rite of passage today. I joined the ranks and ranks of Americans who rent a storage locker. Yes, this is a very important date indeed! It was the day I determined I had accumulated too much stuff to store it all in my home. I need an extra place to store some of my crap - wahoo! Am I living the dream or what?
Truth be told, I am getting ready for some major home improvements and I simply need to make some of my stuff disappear for a while. So really this is just a temporary phenomenon. I hope to be storage locker free within two months. Talk may be cheap but storage is not!
Mood: Stoked!
Listening To:
"High time we made a stand and shook up the views of the common man"
-Sowing The Seeds of Love
Tears For Fears
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Nine-Hundred Thirty-Five
935, thats a pretty big number. It's too big to be a credit score, they only go to 850. Not long enough to be a phone number (just press 2 for a while) or a social security number. Besides, who'd be dumb enough to post either of them on the web these days. So what could it be? Oh, it could be an SAT score. If that was my SAT score I certainly wouldn't be telling it to anyone.
Oh yea, now I remember! 935 is the number of false statements the Bush Administration made about Iraq and the threat it posed to our national security in the 2 years leading up to the war. Remember all that talk about how Iraq is linked to Osama and al-Qaida and Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Finally, someone went back and reviewed the video tape and transcripts of all that rhetoric and that is the number they came up with - 935. (Search for "Misinformation Study" on Yahoo News.)
935 times someone in the administration lied or provided us with inaccurate information to build a case for war. If that doesn't piss you off I don't know what ever will. No wait, I know something else that might piss you off more. Congress is STILL investigating steroid use in baseball. That's right, Congress isn't investigating the sub-prime mortgage crisis or the lack of accurate prewar intelligence. They are still dealing with whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were juiced up during their inflated careers. Give me a friggin break!
Random Movie Quote:
"Stalking is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as compulsive following." - Accepted
Oh yea, now I remember! 935 is the number of false statements the Bush Administration made about Iraq and the threat it posed to our national security in the 2 years leading up to the war. Remember all that talk about how Iraq is linked to Osama and al-Qaida and Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Finally, someone went back and reviewed the video tape and transcripts of all that rhetoric and that is the number they came up with - 935. (Search for "Misinformation Study" on Yahoo News.)
935 times someone in the administration lied or provided us with inaccurate information to build a case for war. If that doesn't piss you off I don't know what ever will. No wait, I know something else that might piss you off more. Congress is STILL investigating steroid use in baseball. That's right, Congress isn't investigating the sub-prime mortgage crisis or the lack of accurate prewar intelligence. They are still dealing with whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were juiced up during their inflated careers. Give me a friggin break!
Random Movie Quote:
"Stalking is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as compulsive following." - Accepted
Monday, January 7, 2008
January Thaw
One of the things I love most about living in NoVa is the weather. I spent 21 long winters in the frozen tundra of the Pine Tree State. Winters here are much more pleasant than they are so far North. I can deal with the cold to a certain degree but there is no doubt that my blood has thinned out over the past 12 years south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
The best thing about winter in the mid-Atlantic region is that every now and then there is a day of total respite. A day that feels like you have magically drifted back in time to a day of Indian summer from the fall or somehow leaped ahead to the spring season still to come. Today was one of those magical days. Sunny and warm with a gentle southern breeze and a high of 71 degrees.
We are lucky enough in NoVa to have a couple of these magical days sprinkled into our winter season each year. They seem to come out of nowhere and they seem to disappear in a flash. They make up for the miserable days of winter. The windy, snowy, cold days that make you want to move to Arizona.
All good things in moderation of course. If you string together too many of these wonderful days in a row or in a month it is just a sucker punch for the days of actual winter weather that await you down the line. Remember last January? I do. I also remember how cold and miserable last February was. Here's to hoping that today was indeed a day of magic not a sucker punch for what the rest of winter 2008 holds.
The best thing about winter in the mid-Atlantic region is that every now and then there is a day of total respite. A day that feels like you have magically drifted back in time to a day of Indian summer from the fall or somehow leaped ahead to the spring season still to come. Today was one of those magical days. Sunny and warm with a gentle southern breeze and a high of 71 degrees.
We are lucky enough in NoVa to have a couple of these magical days sprinkled into our winter season each year. They seem to come out of nowhere and they seem to disappear in a flash. They make up for the miserable days of winter. The windy, snowy, cold days that make you want to move to Arizona.
All good things in moderation of course. If you string together too many of these wonderful days in a row or in a month it is just a sucker punch for the days of actual winter weather that await you down the line. Remember last January? I do. I also remember how cold and miserable last February was. Here's to hoping that today was indeed a day of magic not a sucker punch for what the rest of winter 2008 holds.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Downtown Countdown 2008
Another year is upon us and people all over the planet celebrated the dawning of a new year on Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Maybe you were one of the million plus crammed into Times Square in New York City or perhaps you watched it from the comfort of your warm and cozy living room. Maybe you decided to fly to another part of the world and see how foreigners ring in the new year. I've heard that Sydney, Australia throws quite a party. They have the pleasure of being the first major city in the world to turn the page each year.
Yes, even my hometown of Bangor, Maine has it's own celebration these days. It's called The Downtown Countdown. It has all the traditional New Year's Eve fanfare - music, funny hats, food - and an event that is uniquely Maine. It is quintessential Maine in fact. The highlight of the Countdown is when, precisely at midnight, a green beach ball covered in holiday lights is flung off the roof of 26 Main Street to the sidewalk below. The instant the ball hits the pavement all the holiday lights are smashed into tiny fragments to mark the new year. Check out the video at www.bangordailynews.com You really have to see the video - it is quite a sight!
Doesn't sound too exciting does it? I didn't think so either but 1,200 Bangorians turned out for the celebration this year in 14 degree weather. This proves two things: 1) There is nothing to do in Bangor, Maine and 2) Give people a reason to get out of the house and they will show.
I left Maine for two primary reasons 1) Their wasn't much work or entertainment there for young people and 2) I despise Winter. Downtown Countdown confirms reason # 1 is still valid twelve years later and the Winter of 2007-08 is confirming reason # 2. As of this morning my hometown had received 62 inches of snow in the past 30 days. That is 5 feet of snow people! I don't miss those days.
Still, part of me wants to see that green ball covered in lights smack the pavement. I am not ruling out a trip to the frozen tundra to take part in the Downtown Countdown sometime in the future. You can take the boy out of Maine, but you can't take Maine out of the boy!
Random Movie Quote:
"What? Friends listen to Endless Love in the dark." - Happy Gilmore
Yes, even my hometown of Bangor, Maine has it's own celebration these days. It's called The Downtown Countdown. It has all the traditional New Year's Eve fanfare - music, funny hats, food - and an event that is uniquely Maine. It is quintessential Maine in fact. The highlight of the Countdown is when, precisely at midnight, a green beach ball covered in holiday lights is flung off the roof of 26 Main Street to the sidewalk below. The instant the ball hits the pavement all the holiday lights are smashed into tiny fragments to mark the new year. Check out the video at www.bangordailynews.com You really have to see the video - it is quite a sight!
Doesn't sound too exciting does it? I didn't think so either but 1,200 Bangorians turned out for the celebration this year in 14 degree weather. This proves two things: 1) There is nothing to do in Bangor, Maine and 2) Give people a reason to get out of the house and they will show.
I left Maine for two primary reasons 1) Their wasn't much work or entertainment there for young people and 2) I despise Winter. Downtown Countdown confirms reason # 1 is still valid twelve years later and the Winter of 2007-08 is confirming reason # 2. As of this morning my hometown had received 62 inches of snow in the past 30 days. That is 5 feet of snow people! I don't miss those days.
Still, part of me wants to see that green ball covered in lights smack the pavement. I am not ruling out a trip to the frozen tundra to take part in the Downtown Countdown sometime in the future. You can take the boy out of Maine, but you can't take Maine out of the boy!
Random Movie Quote:
"What? Friends listen to Endless Love in the dark." - Happy Gilmore
Sunday, December 16, 2007
The Mitchell Report
It seems that professional sports in America are engaged in an ongoing battle to see who is the ultimate anti-roll model for our children. The NHL goes on strike and cancels an entire season, then the NBA admits having a referee who bet on games he officiated, next the NFL has Michael Vick - no further explanation necessary - and now MLB has the Mitchell Report.
For those unfamiliar, the Mitchell Report is a 409 page document that details the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs in the business of professional baseball over the past 20 or so years. You can download it for free at www.mlb.com if you are interested.
George Mitchell, a fellow Mainer, and his team of investigators spent approximately 19 months investigating steroid use in baseball. They interviewed players, managers, clubhouse attendants, drug manufacturers, delivery drivers, maids, maintenance workers, landscape contractors........and came up with 92 names linked to the purchase or use of anabolic steroids or other drugs - primarily human growth hormone, HGH for short.
92 names? That's it? That's all you got? I am not impressed. We have been hearing for years that baseball is tainted by steroids. Steroids have made batters stronger, helped pitchers recover faster and changed the game as we know it. If that is true then there should be a lot more than 92 names discovered in an investigation of steroid use over the past 20 baseball seasons. I would need to see hundreds of names to reach this conclusion.
Some of the names are no surprise, some players and former players have admitted to steroid or HGH use - Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmerio, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi. Those guys are the classic suspects - power hitters with huge forearms that bashed the ball over the fences. Other names are a bit of a surprise to me - Ricky Bones, Howie Clark, Jason Grimsley, Gary Matthews Jr. - these aren't the guys you'd expect to see. There are a ton of role players, relief and set-up pitchers, middle infielders and starting pitchers named in the list.
Approximately 1,000 people put on a major league baseball uniform over the course of the 2007 season. The report lists approximately 20 players who were active in the 2007 season. If you do the math you see that 0.2% (20/1000) of this years players have been linked to steroids at some time in their career. This does not sound like an epidemic to me.
Maybe it was just the dumbest players who got caught. The ones who wrote out checks to their supplier - David Sequi, Larry Bigbie, Rondell White, Jason Grimsley. The copies of the checks they wrote are shown in the report. Maybe the other players who used were smart enough to cover their tracks by paying cash.
Perhaps this report is like an iceberg. Only 10% of the iceberg floats above the surface of the ocean. The other 90% is below the surface.
It's Ironic:
That DHL is the official express delivery provider of Major League baseball but both times I have ordered something from shopmlb.com this year it has been delivered by UPS.
Random Movie Quote:
"If lovin' the lord is wrong, I don't want to be right!" - Coming to America
Found Porn:
If you happen to find yourself in Troy, Michigan be sure to visit my favorite airport in the world - Big Beaver Airport. It is located off of Big Beaver Road, which is of course exit number 69 on Interstate 75.
For those unfamiliar, the Mitchell Report is a 409 page document that details the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs in the business of professional baseball over the past 20 or so years. You can download it for free at www.mlb.com if you are interested.
George Mitchell, a fellow Mainer, and his team of investigators spent approximately 19 months investigating steroid use in baseball. They interviewed players, managers, clubhouse attendants, drug manufacturers, delivery drivers, maids, maintenance workers, landscape contractors........and came up with 92 names linked to the purchase or use of anabolic steroids or other drugs - primarily human growth hormone, HGH for short.
92 names? That's it? That's all you got? I am not impressed. We have been hearing for years that baseball is tainted by steroids. Steroids have made batters stronger, helped pitchers recover faster and changed the game as we know it. If that is true then there should be a lot more than 92 names discovered in an investigation of steroid use over the past 20 baseball seasons. I would need to see hundreds of names to reach this conclusion.
Some of the names are no surprise, some players and former players have admitted to steroid or HGH use - Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmerio, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi. Those guys are the classic suspects - power hitters with huge forearms that bashed the ball over the fences. Other names are a bit of a surprise to me - Ricky Bones, Howie Clark, Jason Grimsley, Gary Matthews Jr. - these aren't the guys you'd expect to see. There are a ton of role players, relief and set-up pitchers, middle infielders and starting pitchers named in the list.
Approximately 1,000 people put on a major league baseball uniform over the course of the 2007 season. The report lists approximately 20 players who were active in the 2007 season. If you do the math you see that 0.2% (20/1000) of this years players have been linked to steroids at some time in their career. This does not sound like an epidemic to me.
Maybe it was just the dumbest players who got caught. The ones who wrote out checks to their supplier - David Sequi, Larry Bigbie, Rondell White, Jason Grimsley. The copies of the checks they wrote are shown in the report. Maybe the other players who used were smart enough to cover their tracks by paying cash.
Perhaps this report is like an iceberg. Only 10% of the iceberg floats above the surface of the ocean. The other 90% is below the surface.
It's Ironic:
That DHL is the official express delivery provider of Major League baseball but both times I have ordered something from shopmlb.com this year it has been delivered by UPS.
Random Movie Quote:
"If lovin' the lord is wrong, I don't want to be right!" - Coming to America
Found Porn:
If you happen to find yourself in Troy, Michigan be sure to visit my favorite airport in the world - Big Beaver Airport. It is located off of Big Beaver Road, which is of course exit number 69 on Interstate 75.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Once in a Blue Moon
I am sure you have heard the saying "Once in a Blue Moon". Every now and then something rare and magical happens and that saying is truly appropriate. Today was one of those days. It was Free Taco Day at Taco Bell. For those unaware of this wonderful phenomenon, let me explain. Taco Bell ran a promotion during the World Series (won by my beloved Boston Red Sox) that if any player stole a base in the series America would get a free taco.
They got some good mileage out of this promo as their CEO was even interviewed during Game 1 of the Series to discuss the matter. The players were even talking about it in the dugout during the game. No surprise it was Red Sox players who were discussing the free taco offer, they are a unique and truly laid back bunch of men.
So when Jacoby Ellsbury - pay attention to that name, he will make Johnny Demon look like a retarded schoolboy - stole 2nd base in Game 2 of the Series all of America was an instant winner. That meant everyone in America was entitled to a free taco at Taco Bell. The catch is you had to pick it up today between 2pm and 5pm. No second chances, no rain checks. As I sat in Taco Bell today, wearing my St. Patrick's Day Red Sox shirt, eating my free taco I decided it was the best tasting taco I had ever had. It was the perfect way to put the finishing touches on a second World Series sweep in 4 years for da Sox.
Incidentally, I was so glad the Sox swept the series. I don't know how many more Necco Wafers I could have eaten. I have lost my taste for them completely. I probably won't have another until the next time the Sox are in the playoffs and in need of some magic.
Blog Updates:
We Are All on Drugs:
It is Veramyst that proudly states that Glaucoma is one of the side effects for their drug which treats Allergies. Hmmm, Glaucoma or Allergies? You decide!
Random Occurrences:
It happened again, my ITunes played the same song twice in a row. This time it was Head First by John Waite. I guess this isn't as random as I thought. I think it's more random than my friend Shamun getting picked for the "random" search at the airport but less random than hitting the Pick 6 Lottery.
Random Movie Quote:
"They killed Paco!" - The New Guy
They got some good mileage out of this promo as their CEO was even interviewed during Game 1 of the Series to discuss the matter. The players were even talking about it in the dugout during the game. No surprise it was Red Sox players who were discussing the free taco offer, they are a unique and truly laid back bunch of men.
So when Jacoby Ellsbury - pay attention to that name, he will make Johnny Demon look like a retarded schoolboy - stole 2nd base in Game 2 of the Series all of America was an instant winner. That meant everyone in America was entitled to a free taco at Taco Bell. The catch is you had to pick it up today between 2pm and 5pm. No second chances, no rain checks. As I sat in Taco Bell today, wearing my St. Patrick's Day Red Sox shirt, eating my free taco I decided it was the best tasting taco I had ever had. It was the perfect way to put the finishing touches on a second World Series sweep in 4 years for da Sox.
Incidentally, I was so glad the Sox swept the series. I don't know how many more Necco Wafers I could have eaten. I have lost my taste for them completely. I probably won't have another until the next time the Sox are in the playoffs and in need of some magic.
Blog Updates:
We Are All on Drugs:
It is Veramyst that proudly states that Glaucoma is one of the side effects for their drug which treats Allergies. Hmmm, Glaucoma or Allergies? You decide!
Random Occurrences:
It happened again, my ITunes played the same song twice in a row. This time it was Head First by John Waite. I guess this isn't as random as I thought. I think it's more random than my friend Shamun getting picked for the "random" search at the airport but less random than hitting the Pick 6 Lottery.
Random Movie Quote:
"They killed Paco!" - The New Guy
Sunday, October 7, 2007
"We Are All On Drugs Yeah.........
.........Never Getting Enough (Never Get Enough)".
Those are the words of the rock band Weezer and I think they are so very appropriate these days. I am not sure that the boys from Weezer are talking about the same kinda drugs that I am referring to - the prescription variety.
Open up a magazine, turn on the TV, go to a sporting event and you will be bombarded with advertisements for a myriad of prescription drugs designed to fix whatever ails you. High blood pressure, heartburn, allergies, dysfunctional penis - anything you can think of now has a drug that will cure it. My favorite is for "restless leg syndrome". Yes, scientists have now come up with a drug that fixes the heebee geebees - pins and needles if you prefer - what a fantastic breakthru!
If you pay attention to the ads, listen to the disclaimers and read the fine print, you will see that the side effects of the drugs are often worse than the symptoms of the ailment it fixes. Saw an ad today for an allergy medicine, I don't remember the name of it right now, I think it began with a V. Anyway, one of the side effects of the drug was Glaucoma. So flowers won't make you sneeze anymore but you may go blind. That is a trade off I am NEVER going to make, who would?
Personally, I wonder what the long term side effects of taking any sort of artificial chemical compounds for a long period of time really are. What unknown harm does taking Clartin for allergies cause your brain, kidneys or liver over a period of 20 or 30 years? Nobody knows the answer to this question just yet. The good news is that millions of unknowing Americans have been turned into guinea pigs and we will eventually have an answer to this question. I am simply glad I am not one of them.
Random Good Thing:
I was driving home the other day and I saw one of the rarest wonders of the automotive world - a DMC. It was heading south and I was heading north, so I didn't have a chance to see if it was Marty or Doc. Brown behind the wheel. Either way, it was nice to see that shiny metallic finish and one line immediately popped into my head: "You built a time machine....out of a DeLorean?"
Those are the words of the rock band Weezer and I think they are so very appropriate these days. I am not sure that the boys from Weezer are talking about the same kinda drugs that I am referring to - the prescription variety.
Open up a magazine, turn on the TV, go to a sporting event and you will be bombarded with advertisements for a myriad of prescription drugs designed to fix whatever ails you. High blood pressure, heartburn, allergies, dysfunctional penis - anything you can think of now has a drug that will cure it. My favorite is for "restless leg syndrome". Yes, scientists have now come up with a drug that fixes the heebee geebees - pins and needles if you prefer - what a fantastic breakthru!
If you pay attention to the ads, listen to the disclaimers and read the fine print, you will see that the side effects of the drugs are often worse than the symptoms of the ailment it fixes. Saw an ad today for an allergy medicine, I don't remember the name of it right now, I think it began with a V. Anyway, one of the side effects of the drug was Glaucoma. So flowers won't make you sneeze anymore but you may go blind. That is a trade off I am NEVER going to make, who would?
Personally, I wonder what the long term side effects of taking any sort of artificial chemical compounds for a long period of time really are. What unknown harm does taking Clartin for allergies cause your brain, kidneys or liver over a period of 20 or 30 years? Nobody knows the answer to this question just yet. The good news is that millions of unknowing Americans have been turned into guinea pigs and we will eventually have an answer to this question. I am simply glad I am not one of them.
Random Good Thing:
I was driving home the other day and I saw one of the rarest wonders of the automotive world - a DMC. It was heading south and I was heading north, so I didn't have a chance to see if it was Marty or Doc. Brown behind the wheel. Either way, it was nice to see that shiny metallic finish and one line immediately popped into my head: "You built a time machine....out of a DeLorean?"
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Government Efficiency!
I know what you are thinking when you read "Government Efficiency" in the title line of this post - Oxymoron! It is right up there with Jumbo Shrimp, Senate Ethics, Plastic Glasses and so on. While that is certainly true it is not where I am going with this one. I have an actual example of government efficiency I wish to share.
A couple weeks ago I noticed that VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation) had come along and painted some marks here and there in my neighborhood. I knew what they were for as soon as I saw them. They marked the spots where VDOT would install new road signs. There didn't seem to be any pattern or logic to their placement so I was mystified as to what they needed to suddenly regulate. I could only wait until they magically appeared.
The wait is over - shiny, new No Parking signs sprung up magically overnight on Friday. And today shiny, new parking tickets adorn the cars who are now in violation of this sudden new regulation. Signs go up on Friday and tickets are issued on Saturday - talk about efficiency. Still, seems like that is a pretty shitty thing to do to people with no advanced warning. There were no public notices of this impending change, no warning letters or stickers were left on cars who were destined to be in violation.
I feel bad for the family who might have taken off for vacation on Thursday. How many parking tickets will greet them when they get back into town? Only time will tell, but they certainly aren't much of a welcome home present.
A couple weeks ago I noticed that VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation) had come along and painted some marks here and there in my neighborhood. I knew what they were for as soon as I saw them. They marked the spots where VDOT would install new road signs. There didn't seem to be any pattern or logic to their placement so I was mystified as to what they needed to suddenly regulate. I could only wait until they magically appeared.
The wait is over - shiny, new No Parking signs sprung up magically overnight on Friday. And today shiny, new parking tickets adorn the cars who are now in violation of this sudden new regulation. Signs go up on Friday and tickets are issued on Saturday - talk about efficiency. Still, seems like that is a pretty shitty thing to do to people with no advanced warning. There were no public notices of this impending change, no warning letters or stickers were left on cars who were destined to be in violation.
I feel bad for the family who might have taken off for vacation on Thursday. How many parking tickets will greet them when they get back into town? Only time will tell, but they certainly aren't much of a welcome home present.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
August 21, 2007
Song Lyric of the Day:
"I was flying back from Lubbock, I saw Jesus on a plane. Or maybe it was Elvis, you know they kinda look the same."
Artist: Don Henley
Song: If Dirt Were Dollars
Album: The End of the Innocence
Why It's In My Brain:
I was in line at the post office today. Minding my business, just waiting to mail a package, when I heard it. That voice! It was unmistakable. It was the voice of The King - Elvis Presley. I instantly looked up to see where it was coming from. There he was, a big, hulking man at the counter in a red shirt. Nope, way too young to be the King. He could be The King's secret love child though. So, that is something.
Random Good Thing:
After seeing Elvis's secret love child at the post office I got every green light on the way home. That is four straight green lights in the middle of suburban commuter hell on a Tuesday afternoon - pretty solid!
"I was flying back from Lubbock, I saw Jesus on a plane. Or maybe it was Elvis, you know they kinda look the same."
Artist: Don Henley
Song: If Dirt Were Dollars
Album: The End of the Innocence
Why It's In My Brain:
I was in line at the post office today. Minding my business, just waiting to mail a package, when I heard it. That voice! It was unmistakable. It was the voice of The King - Elvis Presley. I instantly looked up to see where it was coming from. There he was, a big, hulking man at the counter in a red shirt. Nope, way too young to be the King. He could be The King's secret love child though. So, that is something.
Random Good Thing:
After seeing Elvis's secret love child at the post office I got every green light on the way home. That is four straight green lights in the middle of suburban commuter hell on a Tuesday afternoon - pretty solid!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Numbers
Every August I head North to the Pine Tree State for my family's annual camping trip. Here are some relevant numbers from the 2007 edition:
3 - the number of moose I saw during my 4 day visit to the Maine woods.
8 - miles from our campground to the nearest paved road.
9 - the cost in dollars, per person, per night for our lodging in a three sided lean-to.
11 - total number of aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins-in-laws and first cousins once removed (that is your cousin's kids, in case you were curious) that made the trip.
25 - number of miles I hiked during the trip. (Not to shabby, eh?)
45 - the temperature INSIDE my lean-to at 6:00am Monday, August 6th.
86 - the high temperature on Saturday, August 4th, the day I hiked 12 miles.
Infinite - the number of stars you could see after dark while lying down in the grass in the campground's picnic area. (I totally get the whole Milky Way thing now.)
3 - the number of moose I saw during my 4 day visit to the Maine woods.
8 - miles from our campground to the nearest paved road.
9 - the cost in dollars, per person, per night for our lodging in a three sided lean-to.
11 - total number of aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins-in-laws and first cousins once removed (that is your cousin's kids, in case you were curious) that made the trip.
25 - number of miles I hiked during the trip. (Not to shabby, eh?)
45 - the temperature INSIDE my lean-to at 6:00am Monday, August 6th.
86 - the high temperature on Saturday, August 4th, the day I hiked 12 miles.
Infinite - the number of stars you could see after dark while lying down in the grass in the campground's picnic area. (I totally get the whole Milky Way thing now.)
Monday, July 23, 2007
King of the Road
Just got back from a much needed two-week vacation. Put about 2,000 miles on the beemer over the past 15 days. I got a little road weary from time to time but for the most part had a fun trip.
To keep my sanity as I motored up and down the highway I tried to come up with travel slogans for the various states I visited. Perhaps I was a bit jaded by exhaustion or fumes but here is what I came up with:
Maine: "Fun for a week, but you wouldn't want to live here."
New Hampshire: "You have to drive through us to get to Maine."
Massachusetts: "Hey, at least we aren't New York!"
Connecticut: "Everything costs more in Connecticut."
New York: "Hey, at least we aren't Massachusetts!"
New Jersey: "Come see if you can figure out what that smell is."
Delaware: "Welcome to Delaware, now give us your wallet!"
Maryland: "Nothing memorable will happen to you in Maryland."
Virginia: "No radar detectors allowed, but bring your shotgun!"
Random Movie Quote:
"You have shown me a life I could only dream about back home while masturbating in my father's woodshed." - Van Wilder
To keep my sanity as I motored up and down the highway I tried to come up with travel slogans for the various states I visited. Perhaps I was a bit jaded by exhaustion or fumes but here is what I came up with:
Maine: "Fun for a week, but you wouldn't want to live here."
New Hampshire: "You have to drive through us to get to Maine."
Massachusetts: "Hey, at least we aren't New York!"
Connecticut: "Everything costs more in Connecticut."
New York: "Hey, at least we aren't Massachusetts!"
New Jersey: "Come see if you can figure out what that smell is."
Delaware: "Welcome to Delaware, now give us your wallet!"
Maryland: "Nothing memorable will happen to you in Maryland."
Virginia: "No radar detectors allowed, but bring your shotgun!"
Random Movie Quote:
"You have shown me a life I could only dream about back home while masturbating in my father's woodshed." - Van Wilder
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
What's In Your Wallet?
You've seen the ads with the vikings pillaging hither and yonder. Taunting and stealing from the poor, common village folk. Then they look in the camera and say "What's in your wallet?"
But before you apply, let me tell you about my experience with Capital One. I have had a Capital One card for years but I don't use it much anymore. American Express gets the majority of my business these days and will continue to for the foreseeable future. Although, there are still plenty of places that don't take Amex - the entire state of Maine for instance - so it never hurts to have a backup.
I got a letter in April from Capital One with an offer for a balance transfer of 0% until September 2008. It said the only cost is a 2% upfront transaction fee, a pretty reasonable deal. They need to make a profit, I understand. "Sign me up for some of that" I thought to myself. So I promptly stroked a check for $4,800 to knock out all my existing credit card debt, mailed it off and never gave it another thought. Until today.
Today I was perusing my June 2007 Capital One statement and low and behold it shows an interest rate of 18.21% on the balance I transferred over. 18.21% is not 0%, not even close. My initial thought was "What the fuck?" My next thought was: "Where is the phone?"
I dialed Capital One at 10:31pm EST, it took me approximately 3 minutes to navigate through their phone maze to get to an actual person. (Just press zero a bunch of times and you will usually cut the wait time way down.) At 10:34pm Fiola answered the line and I explained my problem to her - got a letter, zero percent til September 2008, being charged 18.21% instead. At first she said they did not have any offers like the one I mentioned. When I offered to fax her a copy of the letter - "because I have it in my hand" - she put me on hold to "research" things. She came back on the line to tell me that she would transfer me to a senior associate who could help me. (Skillz - that's level 2 to you.)
So, 9 more minutes on hold - thank god for speaker-phone - and Myriam came on the line at 10:46pm EST. Again, I explained the situation. She was very familiar with the offer I was referring to, it is a very popular offer for the company. So it does exist, amazing! She said there was an "error" and I was mistakenly charged the wrong rate for the balance transfer. She "corrected" the error and the proper interest rate of 0% will appear on my July statement and they will credit back the $88.17 in interest they charged me this month.
I am not officially closing the books on this one until I get my July Capital One Statement. I actually remember seeing a news article on Capital One on Dateline NBC or some other similar show a couple years ago. They are famous for doing this kind of stuff. Now you know how they operate, don't let them, or any credit card company, pull this type of crap on you!
It's Ironic:
That the people who have the license plate with the picture of the deer on it are the people who shoot deer.
Congratulations to:
Oregon State - Back to back National Championships in NCAA Division One College Baseball. If you go for the three-peat, please play South Carolina. Then I would have my dream of the "Cocks" and "Beavers" fighting it out for the National title. Is that too much to ask?
But before you apply, let me tell you about my experience with Capital One. I have had a Capital One card for years but I don't use it much anymore. American Express gets the majority of my business these days and will continue to for the foreseeable future. Although, there are still plenty of places that don't take Amex - the entire state of Maine for instance - so it never hurts to have a backup.
I got a letter in April from Capital One with an offer for a balance transfer of 0% until September 2008. It said the only cost is a 2% upfront transaction fee, a pretty reasonable deal. They need to make a profit, I understand. "Sign me up for some of that" I thought to myself. So I promptly stroked a check for $4,800 to knock out all my existing credit card debt, mailed it off and never gave it another thought. Until today.
Today I was perusing my June 2007 Capital One statement and low and behold it shows an interest rate of 18.21% on the balance I transferred over. 18.21% is not 0%, not even close. My initial thought was "What the fuck?" My next thought was: "Where is the phone?"
I dialed Capital One at 10:31pm EST, it took me approximately 3 minutes to navigate through their phone maze to get to an actual person. (Just press zero a bunch of times and you will usually cut the wait time way down.) At 10:34pm Fiola answered the line and I explained my problem to her - got a letter, zero percent til September 2008, being charged 18.21% instead. At first she said they did not have any offers like the one I mentioned. When I offered to fax her a copy of the letter - "because I have it in my hand" - she put me on hold to "research" things. She came back on the line to tell me that she would transfer me to a senior associate who could help me. (Skillz - that's level 2 to you.)
So, 9 more minutes on hold - thank god for speaker-phone - and Myriam came on the line at 10:46pm EST. Again, I explained the situation. She was very familiar with the offer I was referring to, it is a very popular offer for the company. So it does exist, amazing! She said there was an "error" and I was mistakenly charged the wrong rate for the balance transfer. She "corrected" the error and the proper interest rate of 0% will appear on my July statement and they will credit back the $88.17 in interest they charged me this month.
I am not officially closing the books on this one until I get my July Capital One Statement. I actually remember seeing a news article on Capital One on Dateline NBC or some other similar show a couple years ago. They are famous for doing this kind of stuff. Now you know how they operate, don't let them, or any credit card company, pull this type of crap on you!
It's Ironic:
That the people who have the license plate with the picture of the deer on it are the people who shoot deer.
Congratulations to:
Oregon State - Back to back National Championships in NCAA Division One College Baseball. If you go for the three-peat, please play South Carolina. Then I would have my dream of the "Cocks" and "Beavers" fighting it out for the National title. Is that too much to ask?
Sunday, April 1, 2007
The saying goes....
...no good deed goes unpunished, but is it really true? I am gonna have to give you a "definite maybe" (oxymoron or what?) on that one. I spent Saturday morning picking up trash as part of the 19th annual Potomac Cleanup. That's www.potomaccleanup.org for anyone interested enough to web surf.
Three hours of picking up cans, bottles, candy bar wrappers, shoes, straws, plastic bags and anything else you can think of. My favorite item was the "No Parking" sign I found in the middle of the woods. It was still attached to its metal signpost but it had obviously seen better days. Silly me - in the woods without any bolt cutters - so this fine wall decoration simply ended up with the rest of the trash.
Now the world is a little bit cleaner than it was on Friday and that makes me feel good. But boy, do I have some sore muscles today. Apparently the muscles you use to pick up trash are not the same ones you use to walk, lift weights or use the stepper. These are all part of my normal exercise routine but they did not prepare me for the endless repetition of bending over, again and again. Who knew you had to cross train to get in shape to pick up litter!?!
Three hours of picking up cans, bottles, candy bar wrappers, shoes, straws, plastic bags and anything else you can think of. My favorite item was the "No Parking" sign I found in the middle of the woods. It was still attached to its metal signpost but it had obviously seen better days. Silly me - in the woods without any bolt cutters - so this fine wall decoration simply ended up with the rest of the trash.
Now the world is a little bit cleaner than it was on Friday and that makes me feel good. But boy, do I have some sore muscles today. Apparently the muscles you use to pick up trash are not the same ones you use to walk, lift weights or use the stepper. These are all part of my normal exercise routine but they did not prepare me for the endless repetition of bending over, again and again. Who knew you had to cross train to get in shape to pick up litter!?!
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Signs of Spring
On a day like today, when the snow is coming down, I like to reflect on any recent signs of spring to remind myself that winter will eventually end. I saw a bunch of Robins last week here in tropical C'ville. I am not talking one or two, but probably 12 to 15 of the little guys and gals. They were out and about on one of our teaser, warm, spring-like days last week. They were bopping around, enjoying the sun and doing whatever else robins do. Some might consider that a sign of spring, but you will see robins on pretty much any warm, winter day here in NoVa. That could happen as easily in November or January as it does in March. I think they must spend winter here too, so seeing them mulling around is probably not an actual sign of spring.
The only definite sign of spring that I am 100% sure about has to deal with the Boston Red Sox. Last week the Sox played the Twins and the game ended in a tie. Each team had 4 runs scored in 9 innings of play but no extra innings were played. That only happens in February and March, games do not end in ties in April, July or October. Those games have extra innings and a winner and a loser. Spring Training is not really about winning and losing. It is about finding your hitting stroke and getting the velocity up on your fastball. It's the only time of the year where the score is incidental. A tie game is the ultimate example of that fact and a true sign of spring. Wahooo!
Weather Report:
Mother Nature is a dirty, dirty whore!!!
Nothing Cooler Than:
Hitting a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 9th inning to give your team the victory. Congratulations, Ed Rogers!
The only definite sign of spring that I am 100% sure about has to deal with the Boston Red Sox. Last week the Sox played the Twins and the game ended in a tie. Each team had 4 runs scored in 9 innings of play but no extra innings were played. That only happens in February and March, games do not end in ties in April, July or October. Those games have extra innings and a winner and a loser. Spring Training is not really about winning and losing. It is about finding your hitting stroke and getting the velocity up on your fastball. It's the only time of the year where the score is incidental. A tie game is the ultimate example of that fact and a true sign of spring. Wahooo!
Weather Report:
Mother Nature is a dirty, dirty whore!!!
Nothing Cooler Than:
Hitting a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 9th inning to give your team the victory. Congratulations, Ed Rogers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
