Archive for October, 2009

Motor Lust

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

It’s the time of year when snow birds bring their motorhomes to town and occupy half the Walmart parking lot and a good sized dirt lot on the outskirts of town. You got to wonder how much upkeep on a moving house is. Gas has got to cost at least as much as electricity on a decent sized house and I’d wager that motorhome insurance is more expensive than that for a stationary house. Stucco really hides dirt on a house but on a motorhome I’d feel compelled to get a car wash every now and again. It must cost extra when a car is working as your in-law quarters being dragged along behind you.

But they’re shiny. And the sides can be electronically expanded.

Which is why I want one.

Halloween Shin Dig

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

We just got back from our first attempt at something other than the traditional door to door trick or treating. See last year when we did it the old fashioned way, we were the only ones to be seen anywhere and people weren’t expecting us – more than one of them emptying their pantry because we had surprised them. Apparently in this town it is expected that everyone will go to the town shin dig on main street.

They did.

Thousands and thousands of people packed onto a two lane street for a couple of miles. The businesses pass out candy and fliers (one daughter could have been Charlie Brown with the number of fliers she got instead of candy (a la “I got a rock”)). Happily they got quite a haul and in very little time. Too bad we parked at the top of the hill and had to walk up hill to get back to the car.

Shipping Solution

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

For many large and small businesses in the cyber world, there is not a lot of extra funds to keep a large supply in a large warehouse with a large staff to ship those large packages. Large. Thankfully there are solutions to solve these problems including the people at OWD when it comes to order fulfillment. With a large client base, they can probably handle anything that you might need to make your orders fulfilled.

Amazing Pumpkins, Batman!

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

I am constantly amazed and delighted by the continual variety and talent displayed this time of year by all of the pumpkin carving that occurs just in time for Halloween. I’ve always been curious what customs we would have developed if other fruits or vegetable had become more associated with Halloween. Would we be as amazed by the amazingly decorated kumquat, or carved slivers of vanilla beans? Enjoy the fully operational Death Pumpkin!
dspumpkin

Wrinkly lines

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

Circles can be good. Circles can be powerful. Circles can also show up where you least want them. For example, dark circles under your eyes. Nobody wants those, let me tell you. The proper treatment or cream is what you need to take care of those unwanted dark shapes. Find the right cream and you won’t ever have to worry about facing the day with circles left over from the night before.

Annual Credit Report commercials

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

With the completely ubiquitous presence of credit report commercials on TV and radio that claim to be “free”, it is nice to see that the FTC has put out commercials with more accurate information. We’ve all seen the acoustic rock band that sings about getting free credit reports. We should know that the reports are not free. The only actually free site for credit checks is annualcreditreport.com

Below are two videos that the FTC made. I like them. Too bad less than 40,000 people have seen them since they were posted on youtube.

Perchance to Dream

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

I’m not going to complain about my job.  I like my job.  I am happy I am employed.  But I’m allowed to dream, aren’t I?

I dream of one day be employed in a position that pays well for something I know for sure I’m really good at.  That presupposes that I CAN be really good at something but I think well enough of myself to assume that part of the equation.

My dream goes something like this:  I sitting at work figuring out the proper regression line to apply to term life insurance rates.  As an actuary, I am WELL compensated for this type of thing and the fact that the company is making money makes me happy.  Apparently deep down, I’m a company man through and through.  I wouldn’t want to go into the health insurance field because that would make me feel guilty – having to jack rates every year just to make ends meet.

Anyhoo…I decide one day that I want to go on vacation so I put in for time off right away because I know I have enough money to do it and I know I have enough vacation time to do it and this is AT THE SAME TIME so I do it.  Repeatedly.  Over the course of a couple decades.  Until one day I retire.  Without worrying about money or the price of healthcare because all along I had enough time outside of work to exercise and stay healthy thereby keeping term life insurance rates down for everyone.

V is back

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

ABC has brought back the classic 80′s alien-invasion series, V. I remember my dad watching the miniseries and the following TV show often, but I was less interested at the time because it got in the way of me watching MacGyver. We have to have our priorities.

The show looks pretty good so far with special effects and good actors. I think that this show will also solve the cliffhanger ending for Lost last season. Something tells me that Juliet doesn’t survive that fall and explosion.

Car Grilles as the Latest Bling

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Car grilles are the latest thing to tweek out on your ride. First there was giving the car the ability to bounce up and down. Then it was great paint jobs and more recently those hub caps that twirl independently of the wheel. Grilles were bound to get tweeked eventually.

I’m feeling nostalgic for the days when hood ornaments were stolen and made into bling (but before it was called bling).

Elemental Education

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

With the tragic lack of any new Schoolhouse Rock songs over the past couple of decades, it seems that the members of They Might Be Giants are beginning to pick up the slack. I’m a big fan of the elements video below, and I am enough of a science geek to get every, single, little reference in the video and the lyrics and how everything is related to together and why it’s funny. Yep, I could probably write them an extra verse.