- $4 16oz. White Chocolate-Toasted Marshmallow Latte = Crazy Delicious ($3+$1 tip, I was feeling generious, besides, it wasn't my hard earned money)
- $ .39 Stamp to mail my absentee ballot
- $10 work-wager on the upcoming Seahawks/Pittsburg Super Bowl
- $.30 for a pack of gum
- I lost the rest of it in my girlfriend's car
1/31/2006
How I Spent the Found $15
After a frustrating Monday in the office, I found $15 in the parking lot on my way to my car. Here is how I spent it.
1/30/2006
Monday Rant
The effects of my new position are starting to wear on me. I’ve only been at this a few months now, but the daily whining of an incompetent contractor, an imperceptive architect, and the never-ending
Over the last several weeks I have read at least 10 letters from our contractor who has requested equitable compensation for their inability to write a schedule, coordinate with their sub-contractors, the architect, the owner, and themselves. It was the hilarious the first time I read a letter from our contractor requesting additional money for a requirement they were contractually obligated to pay for. After their 3rd request, I quickly saw where this was heading—anything not put right in front of them or anything that required them to apply themselves requires additional payment because apparently this goes beyond their abilities as contractors—or free-standing, walking, thinking, humans.
Our architect is suffering from a God-like complex. His drawings are PERFECT. They cannot be improved upon. They need no further explanation. His drawings are so perfect that if you removed one dimension on a page, the dimensions would assemble themselves, collectively calculate the missing dimension, and shape the corner of the plans to pick up a pencil from off the table and fill in the missing dimension. If anyone was to try and improve upon his drawings, including the architect himself, the planets would align and the natural balance of the solar system would fail, life would vanish, but the architect would prevail survived only by the plans he had drawn. (sarcasm)
1/28/2006
Bejeweled
A few weeks ago my boss gave me a Palm Tungsten C. It's a hand-held computer that is wi-fi compliant, has an internet browser, an e-mail client, AIM and MSN instant messenging, and a RSS reader. Just when I thought I had a chance at getting away from the internet, I'm given another device to stay connected.
Sure, the Palm isn't the most up-to-date handheld device on the market, Blackberry's and Treo's are clearly the most popular devices on the market combining the handheld PC and the cell phone, but despite the cell-less feature, the Palm has been great to me. The wi-fi allows me to take internet browsing and e-mails to places I've never considered including bathrooms, meetings, and even in the car. Just last week I was able to read The Stranger's news section while sitting in a construction meeting.
The absolute hands-down best feature of the Palm is Bejeweled. Where I can't find wireless internet access, I have Bejeweled to keep me striving for a new high score or to keep me occupied while taking a dump.
Sure, the Palm isn't the most up-to-date handheld device on the market, Blackberry's and Treo's are clearly the most popular devices on the market combining the handheld PC and the cell phone, but despite the cell-less feature, the Palm has been great to me. The wi-fi allows me to take internet browsing and e-mails to places I've never considered including bathrooms, meetings, and even in the car. Just last week I was able to read The Stranger's news section while sitting in a construction meeting.
The absolute hands-down best feature of the Palm is Bejeweled. Where I can't find wireless internet access, I have Bejeweled to keep me striving for a new high score or to keep me occupied while taking a dump.
1/18/2006
Toiletries
In 2005, I was fortunate enough to be sent-off to distant cities to represent myself on behalf of our organization. While I made sure to present myself as a well-educated, groomed, and mature adult while in the company of others, I got ridiculously giddy at the luxuries of staying in high-end and not-so high-end hotels.
I have to be honest, one of the more exciting features to the hotels I stayed at was the attention to detail: the kleenex box with tissue sticking out that was folded and formed into a swan, the extra towels the house keeping ladies gave me after my girlfriend used all 3 provided towels in less than 2 hours, and lastly, the way they folded the toilet paper upon first entering and after house keeping services.
I've gotten in the habit of folding my home toilet paper in a similar fashion. I think it's the OCD in me or my own high attention to detail. Or maybe it's that I secretly want to be a house keeping lady. I dunno.
I have to be honest, one of the more exciting features to the hotels I stayed at was the attention to detail: the kleenex box with tissue sticking out that was folded and formed into a swan, the extra towels the house keeping ladies gave me after my girlfriend used all 3 provided towels in less than 2 hours, and lastly, the way they folded the toilet paper upon first entering and after house keeping services.
I've gotten in the habit of folding my home toilet paper in a similar fashion. I think it's the OCD in me or my own high attention to detail. Or maybe it's that I secretly want to be a house keeping lady. I dunno.
1/16/2006
Retrotarted
2009 Chevrolet Camaro
1969 Chevrolet Camaro
2008 Dodge Challenger
1970 Dodge ChallengerThe 2006 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) was held last week in Detroit. After reviewing MotorTrend's coverage of the show, I am not impressed and a little disappointed by what will be coming out of Detroit in the next few years.
In the past, the Detroit Auto Show was something to look forward to. It was a show that highlighted the manufacturer's current model year cars and dazzled spectators with their leading edge concept cars. The show used to be about performance, innovative design and use of technology, and time-less styling. What the show has ultimately become is a loss of all originality, the loss of imagination, a dependence on what was then--a signaling of ultimate failure.
There is a reason why the muscle cars of the 60's and 70's were retired; their designs were tired, their large cubic inch displacements inefficient, and lastly the increasing costs of oil. This is precisely why the muscle car will fail again. Oil prices will continue to rise, the inefficiencies of driving a 400 wheel horsepower supercar through 35mph congestion will materialize, and the retro trend will end.
I have hope in Detroit and for auto manufacturers across the world in designing cars that will appear timeless, that utilize the latest technologies in making automobiles more efficient, more powerful, more safe, and more enjoyable for the driver.
In the past, the Detroit Auto Show was something to look forward to. It was a show that highlighted the manufacturer's current model year cars and dazzled spectators with their leading edge concept cars. The show used to be about performance, innovative design and use of technology, and time-less styling. What the show has ultimately become is a loss of all originality, the loss of imagination, a dependence on what was then--a signaling of ultimate failure.
There is a reason why the muscle cars of the 60's and 70's were retired; their designs were tired, their large cubic inch displacements inefficient, and lastly the increasing costs of oil. This is precisely why the muscle car will fail again. Oil prices will continue to rise, the inefficiencies of driving a 400 wheel horsepower supercar through 35mph congestion will materialize, and the retro trend will end.
I have hope in Detroit and for auto manufacturers across the world in designing cars that will appear timeless, that utilize the latest technologies in making automobiles more efficient, more powerful, more safe, and more enjoyable for the driver.
1/09/2006
Book Review: Tales of Adam
"No place where there is life is a desert except to man."
"Tales of Adam" is the latest offering of author Daniel Quinn. At only 90 pages, 20 or so which are illustrated, it's his shortest work yet (I read the entirety of the book on a 50-minute ferry ride to Seattle). Unlike previous works of Quinn, "Tales of Adam" doesn't offer us any new teachings nor does it challenge us to think differently or analyze our current way of living as takers. Just like the number of pages, this book comes up short. I recommend reading this book only after you have read "Ishmael," "My Ishmael," and the "Story of B."
1/03/2006
Hamster Calendar
In what started off as a fucking hilarious AIM conversation about Richard Gere, Lemiwinks, and hamsters, the Hamster Calendar seems like a viable product.
A few years ago there was this website that featured dancing hamsters. It was intended as a joke for many, but for a select few, it inspired beyond belief. The inspiration would create an array of dancing hamster related spin-offs including dancing rabbits, dancing goldfishes and would also inspire hamster related goods including little hamster shoes, little hamster boom-boxes, and little hamster cars. Over the years these products would die-off failing to live up to the fame of the dancing hamster website.
As I start off 2006 fresh--with a career, a retirement package, and a growing waistline--I'm thinking BIG! How do I go BIG? With a hamster calendar of course!
The idea for the hamster calendar is to have hamsters dress up as everyday people. A fireman, a doctor, a police officer, a banker, an airplane pilot, a Harley Davidson bike rider, a UPS delivery man...we could even have the hamsters dress up as other animals! For some reason beyond my realm of understanding, people will think it's cute. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson, Brittney Spears circa 2000, dolls with glass eyeballs, a new Mini Cooper...all cute and all sell. The dancing hamster was huge in 2000 and just 6 years later--it's back--but better! Instead of having a dancing hamster on your screen for just a few minutes, you'll have a hamster on your wall for 12-months of the year.
With hamsters going for $5/each and for $3 when bought in quantities over 5, there is relatively low up-front costs and since I'll only be needing the hamsters for a 3-day weekend/photoshoot, I can release the hamsters back into the wild and keep maintenance costs low. Photographing the hamsters will be left to me and the clothing can be purchased at the dollar store for only a few, hmm, dollars. I would estimate total cost of production to be under $25.
If I sold 100 of thesestupid brilliant things, that's well over $2000 in my pocket. Then I could buy more hamsters, breed them, release them into the wild, and let them terrorize the Puget Sound, wait, Washington, or even better, the West Coast, or even better than that, the United States, or better than that, the World, or even better than that, the Universe.
A few years ago there was this website that featured dancing hamsters. It was intended as a joke for many, but for a select few, it inspired beyond belief. The inspiration would create an array of dancing hamster related spin-offs including dancing rabbits, dancing goldfishes and would also inspire hamster related goods including little hamster shoes, little hamster boom-boxes, and little hamster cars. Over the years these products would die-off failing to live up to the fame of the dancing hamster website.
As I start off 2006 fresh--with a career, a retirement package, and a growing waistline--I'm thinking BIG! How do I go BIG? With a hamster calendar of course!
The idea for the hamster calendar is to have hamsters dress up as everyday people. A fireman, a doctor, a police officer, a banker, an airplane pilot, a Harley Davidson bike rider, a UPS delivery man...we could even have the hamsters dress up as other animals! For some reason beyond my realm of understanding, people will think it's cute. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson, Brittney Spears circa 2000, dolls with glass eyeballs, a new Mini Cooper...all cute and all sell. The dancing hamster was huge in 2000 and just 6 years later--it's back--but better! Instead of having a dancing hamster on your screen for just a few minutes, you'll have a hamster on your wall for 12-months of the year.
With hamsters going for $5/each and for $3 when bought in quantities over 5, there is relatively low up-front costs and since I'll only be needing the hamsters for a 3-day weekend/photoshoot, I can release the hamsters back into the wild and keep maintenance costs low. Photographing the hamsters will be left to me and the clothing can be purchased at the dollar store for only a few, hmm, dollars. I would estimate total cost of production to be under $25.
If I sold 100 of these
1/01/2006
New Blog -- First Post
I often can't sleep at night; I have too many ideas running through my head. When my thoughts don't come to be in bed, they come to me when I'm doing repetitive tasks at my job or while driving.
This will be a place for me to write down my ideas, carry out the good ones, and then dominate the world.
My name is Jessie. I graduated from the UW Tacoma in June with a degree in Urban Studies and Environmental Studies. Whenstupid people ask me what Urban Studies is, I tell them that it's Urban Planning. (They still don't know what I'm talking about). I work for a redevelopment agency in Bremerton, WA. I have an intelligent girlfriend who on a daily basis reminds me that I'm not as bright as her--and not as pretty. I am an automobile enthusiast; I drive a turbocharged V6 '94 Ford Probe and garage-keep a '57 Chevrolet Step-side truck.
This will be a place for me to write down my ideas, carry out the good ones, and then dominate the world.
My name is Jessie. I graduated from the UW Tacoma in June with a degree in Urban Studies and Environmental Studies. When
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