Music!
This is my favorite Dixie Chicks' song:
Enjoy!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Oops, I did it again
I bought a $320 suit for $54 at Macy's. And it's a classic style in charcoal gray, a quality brand, so nothing weird about it. Amazing. I needed a blazer and Ann Taylor had one on sale for $60 that was okay, but then I went to Macy's and the whole suit -- the only one left in my size -- was on sale for $60 and then I had them knock down the price 10 percent because it was missing a button (I can reattach it myself). Not bad, not bad at all. I love being a bargain hunter :-)
I bought a $320 suit for $54 at Macy's. And it's a classic style in charcoal gray, a quality brand, so nothing weird about it. Amazing. I needed a blazer and Ann Taylor had one on sale for $60 that was okay, but then I went to Macy's and the whole suit -- the only one left in my size -- was on sale for $60 and then I had them knock down the price 10 percent because it was missing a button (I can reattach it myself). Not bad, not bad at all. I love being a bargain hunter :-)
Monday, June 18, 2007
2000
Unintentionally, the Barak Obama post was number 2000. This is post number 2001. The management apologizes for the uncoolness of the 2000th post, as it was totally intended to be hot AND cool at the same time. But alas, righteous indignation took over and voila, Barak Obama is the proud, proud recipient 2000th post. Bah humbug.
Unintentionally, the Barak Obama post was number 2000. This is post number 2001. The management apologizes for the uncoolness of the 2000th post, as it was totally intended to be hot AND cool at the same time. But alas, righteous indignation took over and voila, Barak Obama is the proud, proud recipient 2000th post. Bah humbug.
Makes no cents
Phooey on Senator Obama, who has lost my support (tepid as it was) for the primary season (is it over yet?). I'd been shifting between Obama and Hilary Clinton for some time now and have been leaning more towards Clinton, but this latest memo of his smearing Indian Americans just about killed any pre-nomination support I might have had for him. I have no idea what he (or someone in his campaign) was thinking. In my non-scientific research, Indian Americans are well-off, educated, are leaders in a variety of fields, but more importantly, they vote Democrat. A lot. Maybe Indian Americans aren't a huge population so Obama wasn't worried about ticking us off, but still... Incredibly stupid and so now the next time the Obama campaign calls me looking for a donation, I'll remind them that I'm an Indian American and they don't seem to want MY support. My checkbook is CLOSED.
The worst part is though, if he gets the Democratic nod, I've got no choice but to support him. Of course, I can vote, just not give money. Grrr. IDIOT.
Phooey on Senator Obama, who has lost my support (tepid as it was) for the primary season (is it over yet?). I'd been shifting between Obama and Hilary Clinton for some time now and have been leaning more towards Clinton, but this latest memo of his smearing Indian Americans just about killed any pre-nomination support I might have had for him. I have no idea what he (or someone in his campaign) was thinking. In my non-scientific research, Indian Americans are well-off, educated, are leaders in a variety of fields, but more importantly, they vote Democrat. A lot. Maybe Indian Americans aren't a huge population so Obama wasn't worried about ticking us off, but still... Incredibly stupid and so now the next time the Obama campaign calls me looking for a donation, I'll remind them that I'm an Indian American and they don't seem to want MY support. My checkbook is CLOSED.
The worst part is though, if he gets the Democratic nod, I've got no choice but to support him. Of course, I can vote, just not give money. Grrr. IDIOT.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Milestone
This blog is coming up on its 2000th post. Which, I think, is amazing, because that means I've had 2000 things to say. Actually, if you know me in RL, you know I have a lot more than 2000 things to say and sometimes I say them all at once, and often times without any preamble. Sometimes, I think it's awful because people aren't living in my head. Imagine how much I could say if people were living in my head and were actually *with* me, conversationally-speaking. Of course, that could lead to all sorts of very strange conversations too (my friend Andrew once observed that sometimes my conversations were disjointed because I would just start talking about the thing I was thinking about and just expect everyone else to be RIGHT THERE with me).
The point is, I've been talking in RL and talking on this blog to the point of 2000 posts. About what, I couldn't quite tell you, and frankly, I'm scared to go back and read what some of the other 1,997 posts are. I used to think the blog would make a great diary and I'd go back and fondly recall good times I was writing about and all of the wacky, crazy ideas and opinions I held, but I don't because I'm not sure the tone of the blog and the subject matter always matches what's going on in my head or what I'm feeling, so it's not even an accurate representation of what was.
So watch for it, the 2000th post coming some day soon. It's gonna be hot. No pressure or anything...
This blog is coming up on its 2000th post. Which, I think, is amazing, because that means I've had 2000 things to say. Actually, if you know me in RL, you know I have a lot more than 2000 things to say and sometimes I say them all at once, and often times without any preamble. Sometimes, I think it's awful because people aren't living in my head. Imagine how much I could say if people were living in my head and were actually *with* me, conversationally-speaking. Of course, that could lead to all sorts of very strange conversations too (my friend Andrew once observed that sometimes my conversations were disjointed because I would just start talking about the thing I was thinking about and just expect everyone else to be RIGHT THERE with me).
The point is, I've been talking in RL and talking on this blog to the point of 2000 posts. About what, I couldn't quite tell you, and frankly, I'm scared to go back and read what some of the other 1,997 posts are. I used to think the blog would make a great diary and I'd go back and fondly recall good times I was writing about and all of the wacky, crazy ideas and opinions I held, but I don't because I'm not sure the tone of the blog and the subject matter always matches what's going on in my head or what I'm feeling, so it's not even an accurate representation of what was.
So watch for it, the 2000th post coming some day soon. It's gonna be hot. No pressure or anything...
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Confessional...
Also, don't tell the "Sex and the City" girls, but I'm wearing a scrunchie right now, and by gosh darn it, my big hair and I LOVE it. (I think I may have even sewn my own scrunchie way back in the days when they were popular. However, as enamored with scrunchies as I am, I never did fall for the blue eye-shadow/leg warmer/leotard/big bangs look. There is some comfort there...).
Also, don't tell the "Sex and the City" girls, but I'm wearing a scrunchie right now, and by gosh darn it, my big hair and I LOVE it. (I think I may have even sewn my own scrunchie way back in the days when they were popular. However, as enamored with scrunchies as I am, I never did fall for the blue eye-shadow/leg warmer/leotard/big bangs look. There is some comfort there...).
Monday, June 11, 2007
Internet!
Oh Internet, my Internet! How I have missed you!
For those of you not in the know, sometime last week (Monday most probably), my phone line died. Dead, dead, dead. No landline, no Internet. It was a sad situation, especially when I realized I was getting very close to using up all of my anytime minutes on my cell phone and then learning it would take nearly a WEEK for AT&T to come out and repair the line. In the meantime, my phone would ring endlessly, even if I picked it up, but no one could hear me on the other end nor would my answering machine pick up. It was highly frustrating.
So, I'm back now, well back as long as AT&T will keep my phone line operating. I do believe this is the second time in four years that my landline has gone out like that, but the last time, I think the repair guy was out in 24 hours. Seriously, my jaw hit the floor when I found out that they couldn't get someone out here before the 11th. The good thing is, they've promised to credit my account for the length of the outage.
Now, to get to all those emails, blogs, and other various things I have missed over the past week...
Oh Internet, my Internet! How I have missed you!
For those of you not in the know, sometime last week (Monday most probably), my phone line died. Dead, dead, dead. No landline, no Internet. It was a sad situation, especially when I realized I was getting very close to using up all of my anytime minutes on my cell phone and then learning it would take nearly a WEEK for AT&T to come out and repair the line. In the meantime, my phone would ring endlessly, even if I picked it up, but no one could hear me on the other end nor would my answering machine pick up. It was highly frustrating.
So, I'm back now, well back as long as AT&T will keep my phone line operating. I do believe this is the second time in four years that my landline has gone out like that, but the last time, I think the repair guy was out in 24 hours. Seriously, my jaw hit the floor when I found out that they couldn't get someone out here before the 11th. The good thing is, they've promised to credit my account for the length of the outage.
Now, to get to all those emails, blogs, and other various things I have missed over the past week...
Saturday, June 02, 2007
What's that again?
I really don't like the phrase "The more you spend, the more you save". Huh? It doesn't make any sense. Say you can buy one shirt for $5 and you can buy two shirts for $8 or three shirts for $12. You can say it's a good deal ONLY IF you actually need three shirts. Otherwise, if you go for the $8 -- spend more to save more -- you actually spend $3 more than you otherwise planned to and if you go for the three shirts, then you've spent $7 more than you planned to. You didn't actually save money; you spent more. You just got what you were looking for for less, but in more quantity and my guess is that most people don't actually need the quantity necessary to 'save more'.
My cable company just sent me a letter that said if I bought one of their packages for $56, I would actually be saving money. Which makes no sense because my current package cost me... $0. And it's even more nonsensical because I don't have time for 160 channels and so in theory, if I 'saved' by buying their $56 package, I'd actually be paying more because out of those 160 channels, I'd probably watch less than a quarter, so I'd be paying more for the channels I was actually watching (I have a whole theory on 'cost per use' which I'll tell you about another time). So it makes no sense. They try to package it as savings, but it's really not. If you're not going to use it, it's not a savings.
I really don't like the phrase "The more you spend, the more you save". Huh? It doesn't make any sense. Say you can buy one shirt for $5 and you can buy two shirts for $8 or three shirts for $12. You can say it's a good deal ONLY IF you actually need three shirts. Otherwise, if you go for the $8 -- spend more to save more -- you actually spend $3 more than you otherwise planned to and if you go for the three shirts, then you've spent $7 more than you planned to. You didn't actually save money; you spent more. You just got what you were looking for for less, but in more quantity and my guess is that most people don't actually need the quantity necessary to 'save more'.
My cable company just sent me a letter that said if I bought one of their packages for $56, I would actually be saving money. Which makes no sense because my current package cost me... $0. And it's even more nonsensical because I don't have time for 160 channels and so in theory, if I 'saved' by buying their $56 package, I'd actually be paying more because out of those 160 channels, I'd probably watch less than a quarter, so I'd be paying more for the channels I was actually watching (I have a whole theory on 'cost per use' which I'll tell you about another time). So it makes no sense. They try to package it as savings, but it's really not. If you're not going to use it, it's not a savings.
Up, up and away
I have this crazy idea that you ought to be able to fly anywhere in the country for $250 or less. More than a few times, I've managed to head east for under $200 and once even got to Boston for $150 round trip. One of my favorite tools is on My Yahoo! which allows you to track flights to your favorite destinations and gives you a good idea of what the going rate is for a flight.
I've also started using farecast.com, which is essentially a forecast for airfares. It's a good guide since it shows you a trend, but I have yet to make a decision based on what farecast.com says. I also like checking what Southwest offers to a particular market because they tend to be the low-cost leaders in some, but not all markets. If you live in a hub city for an airline, chances are that airline will be the cheapest and most likely non-stop service to whereever it is you want to go.
I've also been using kayak and sidestep.com to get an idea. These are aggregate search engines that pull results from a variety of sources including the big guys at Travelocity, Expedia, Hot Wire, and a whole host of others. The good thing is, you put in one search and you get a whole lot of answers back. It saves you time and money.
Other tricks:
* Try to fly on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
* For international travel, book 6 to 8 weeks out
* For domestic travel, book 4-6 weeks out
* Try other nearby airports (within a 90-minute radius from your location, otherwise I'm not sure the savings are worth the hassle).
Airfares can change on a day to day basis. When I went to Philadelphia recently, the ticket price on a Friday was $350 and the following Saturday, the same flight had dropped to $176. I checked back on Tuesday and it was at $212 and four days later, it was at $165. So you never know. Just keep checking as your trip comes closer and when you see something you're willing to pay, just take it. The airfare may go up and it may come down. The key is to do your research ahead of time to make sure you're getting the best possible deal.
I have this crazy idea that you ought to be able to fly anywhere in the country for $250 or less. More than a few times, I've managed to head east for under $200 and once even got to Boston for $150 round trip. One of my favorite tools is on My Yahoo! which allows you to track flights to your favorite destinations and gives you a good idea of what the going rate is for a flight.
I've also started using farecast.com, which is essentially a forecast for airfares. It's a good guide since it shows you a trend, but I have yet to make a decision based on what farecast.com says. I also like checking what Southwest offers to a particular market because they tend to be the low-cost leaders in some, but not all markets. If you live in a hub city for an airline, chances are that airline will be the cheapest and most likely non-stop service to whereever it is you want to go.
I've also been using kayak and sidestep.com to get an idea. These are aggregate search engines that pull results from a variety of sources including the big guys at Travelocity, Expedia, Hot Wire, and a whole host of others. The good thing is, you put in one search and you get a whole lot of answers back. It saves you time and money.
Other tricks:
* Try to fly on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
* For international travel, book 6 to 8 weeks out
* For domestic travel, book 4-6 weeks out
* Try other nearby airports (within a 90-minute radius from your location, otherwise I'm not sure the savings are worth the hassle).
Airfares can change on a day to day basis. When I went to Philadelphia recently, the ticket price on a Friday was $350 and the following Saturday, the same flight had dropped to $176. I checked back on Tuesday and it was at $212 and four days later, it was at $165. So you never know. Just keep checking as your trip comes closer and when you see something you're willing to pay, just take it. The airfare may go up and it may come down. The key is to do your research ahead of time to make sure you're getting the best possible deal.
Friday, June 01, 2007
LotD
I was looking for information on Burger King's whopper -- are they actually flame broiled or is it marketing speak? -- and came across this essay on echeat.com. Just wow. I can't imagine someone actually printing this off and turning it into a teacher. It reads nothing like 'professionally written' and makes gross generalizations and doesn't includes sources, not to mention if I can find it on google, a teacher can find it on google and that'll hurt a whole lot more than just writing the dang paper yourself.
I was looking for information on Burger King's whopper -- are they actually flame broiled or is it marketing speak? -- and came across this essay on echeat.com. Just wow. I can't imagine someone actually printing this off and turning it into a teacher. It reads nothing like 'professionally written' and makes gross generalizations and doesn't includes sources, not to mention if I can find it on google, a teacher can find it on google and that'll hurt a whole lot more than just writing the dang paper yourself.
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