Food Inc

Important movie-If you have a chance, go see it.

Back in STL

Facebook is still choosing to boycott me, so here are some pics...

The whole fam went to Colorado. We hiked a lot, looked at some mountains, went whitewater rafting, and enjoyed the 80 degree humidity-free weather. Great great vacation.

Look! Snow!

Westward Ho

Tomorrow morning I leave for my Colorado adventure. Five days in the mountains with nothing to do but read a book and look at the view. I think I am more excited about getting out of this unbearable heat.

I was hoping to have Facebook up and running by then, but they have completely lost all my information and don't know where to find it. I have forwarded them the confirmation email and 'friend confirmations,' but no such luck. Hmm, maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.

Green tip: the less you move in this heat, the one degree warmer you can keep your house. Stay cool and drink tap water!

Have a great week!

Thriving

One bad thing about not having TV is that I listen to NPR a little more than anyone should. This is great, trust me, but NPR doesn't give you a lot of easy conversation starters. No one cares about the illegal water harvesting in Denver or every detail of what Obama says analyzed down to the pauses or how boring space walks really are. The Iran election. I was there, I even checked in during the day to see what was going on. NPR had me mesmerized and convinced the whole world was waiting to see the outcome (and then can you believe Obama's restrained comment?!).
To my point...I came across 2 interesting stories lately about what is thriving in this economy. The first story was from NPR. Apparently the iphone (and its counterparts) has not suffered in this economy. While people are cutting out restaurants, vacations, even unnecessary groceries, many people continue to buy a $300 phone. Has the iphone become a necessity? Are people actually not tightening their budgets like the media would like you to believe? Sales are down everywhere though. It seems that we are cutting back in social and community building activities and item, but continue to buy the self-indulgent splurges. Don't get me wrong, I want an iphone, I crave an iphone, but I restrain (for a little while longer at least). Is this economy really not about tightening budgets but more about a polarizing switch in spending habits?
The other story I read in the Wall Street Journal. It seems that freaks are in. Ripley's Believe or Not Museums are really coming around. The theory is that people are so desperate for money they are finally willing to sell that mummified 6 leg calf in the basement. Ripley's can pick and choose what they want, negotiate a good price, and continue to expand their empire.
Wow. Phones that do everything and matchstick cities, these are the success stories of 2009 recession. Who would have thought?

8 things

Thanks Sarah, I like this idea...

8 things I am looking forward to...

1. Colorado and all the other trips this summer
2. A night to do nothing (I think it's Sunday)

3. free things to do in St. Louis over the summer

4. sitting on the patio enjoying the evening

5. a bike ride

6. slowing down

7. reading a book while in CO

8. fireworks

7 things I did yesterday...
1. met up with Celeste, Nord, and Schriber

2. found $5 on the ground

3. jumped a car (as in battery, not gravity)

4. watched a nasty thunderstorm
5. allergy shots

6. learned that there are violent bus mafias in Guatemala (this is what I get for no TV)

7. slept well again, breathing is a great thing, don't take it for granted.

6 things I miss about TV...

1. How I Met You Mother

2. Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern

3. The Soup

4. VH1 music videos (yes, I am a child of the 80's)

5. CNN

6. The crazy Discovery Health shows like "I Have Half A Body," "The world's tallest woman," "the oldest conjoined twins," etc.

Bonus item I miss: Tivo.

Miss is a strong word, I am adjusting.

5 things I wish I could do...

1. have a job where I make a difference in the world everyday (but I would have to leave the country I think)

2. speak another language

3. go back to school, just for fun

4. be as clean as my grandma

5. have a three month summer vacation again

Joining this new century

After many discussions and too many people using the word 'love' and 'addiction,' I have given in. I have joined what the kids are calling 'the facebooks.' I joined the other day, but haven't done anything yet. I am looking forward to it. When I do have time on my hands, browsing the internet gets really boring, I need a little something to focus my time. Please friend me if you see me out there. Hopefully, I will be have time to add pics and browse around soon. Here's the the future.

Trimming The Fat

In honor of this economy, wait, that's a bad choice of words. In following the growing trend of this economy, I am taking a good hard look at my monthly output and determining waste. I actually started this by taking a look at how much I have and how I little I use. Internet, cell phone, landline, satellite, netflix, etc. etc. I use a little here, a little there. I like to maximize my investments and I was failing.

This week, I made some cuts. No more TV, no more landline, no more gym, and I signed up for the 25% cell phone discount through work. My entertainment will now be focused on Netflix and the amazing world of the internet, which has any TV show you could every want. Now I feel like I will get my money's worth out of each.

Hulu, Nextflix and some site that plays on the name juiced (I haven't checked it out yet) have a ton of TV shows. Now that I am not having my TV spoon fed to me, I have no idea what to watch.

We Came, We Saw, We Kicked Its A$$

Last year, my friends from United Way decided we should do some small fundraising and do some charity bartending. If you are not familiar with this, a representative from the charity is behind the bar for a few hours one night and all cash tips go to the charity. It's a great way for a bar to get people into their doors and an easy cheap fundraiser.

Last year, in teams of two, we covered four Fridays in May. The couple of times I have been to these, the bartenders have walked away with a couple hundred dollars for the charity. Not too shabby. The first week, the gauntlet was laid. Play hard or go home. Pyndinowski and SiSi walked away with over $400. My jaw dropped. I was floored. The following week: $450. I was getting nervous. My partner, young Kevin, was confidant. Our night came and we totaled out at $865. When the bartender handed it to me, I was tempted to walk out the door. I had just seen the 'Sex and the City' movie and this would buy me a nice pair of Louboutins. I restrained and handed it over to United Way, but was secretly planning my own charity bartending gig.

Now we come to 2009. Young Kevin and I are back to defend the title. We have a fresh batch of competitors. I have somehow convinced United Way to give a prize to the winners this year: lunch with United Way CEO Gary Dollar. The first week turned in $170. It's for charity, great job. We were second. Kevin and I had our game faces on and ready to pour. At the end of the night, we turned in $1102 to United Way.

I am astonished by the generosity of my family and friends and very grateful to all that came out. Thank you for supporting United Way and thank you for helping Kevin and I continue our reign. I can't wait to see what the next two week will bring.