day 43- what did you say? oh.. it's time to clean out the ears

i never seem to have these things around. i buy them... they run out, and i forget to buy some more. it's a good thing most people keep them out in gandy little dispensers in their bathrooms.

that's right i'm not just using your facilities when i come over. i might be cleaning my ears too.

q-tips are one of the most versatile hygiene products ever created in my opinion. not only do they clean up the yuck from the ears better than anything else ever invented, but they are good for detail cleaning of just about any small area around the house. absolute genius.

only problem with them. they should not be placed inside the ear.

it's dangerous to do so.

it could result in severe injury

or death.

"huh? sorry, i didn't hear that. you see my ears are all clogged and if it was safe to use a cotton swab in my ear i wouldn't have this nasty wax blocking up the works. i'm afraid to put the cotton swab in my ear because the label says it's dangerous." says scary guy wearing the tin foil hat.

that's right.. check the label. those things are dangerous. killers.

i am sure a few people over the years have died, or been seriously injured using a q-tip, but i don't think it's that dangerous. these things have been around for almost 90 years.

when was the last time you heard of a bathroom q-tip incident?

if you are afraid of the q-tip then there is always the candle wax remover. to me that is a little scary, and gross.

after i clean my ears i am going to do some detail cleaning of my remote controls and computer peripherals. many of them are getting a bit gritty. i think it's time.

for a buck83 i can use a whole bunch of them and make one of those monster faces in the mirror... just like lane in better off dead. ok not just like him.. i am sure he was using "real" "q-tips". not some store brand, but as you know a buck64 only goes so far.

i also look forward to the good feeling i get when i clean my ears.

you know you like it too.

wrapping up

531.88 at the start

a buck83 spent

the kitty stands at 57cent

maximum spending tomorrow

2buck21

i can spend that much tomorrow

you can't stop me.

day 42- harvest bags.

the summer garden is really springing up here at the pitt. for some reason my computer is not currently seeing my usb ports (probably due to some hurried video conversions for my vacation next week) so no pictures right now, but its up and its green. the peppers and green beans are exploding. the tomatoes are looking huge, but unfortunately are still green so i think i will be waiting another week for the tomato overload. these bags, at a buck51 will help me keep my harvest contained and in control in the cramped kitchen.

i have a lot of hot peppers. more than i can use for just eating so i am going to be pickling some and putting a bunch into various liquors for some extra flavoring. spicy vodka and tequila will be hanging out around my house for sometime to come. barrio chino does this and offer up some really good margaritas. i am going to do the same. if you know me and want some peppers, let me know.

or if you want some pitt tequila come see me in a few weeks when its really ready.

i was checking out the "other" stimulus site and i found this guy... burning his check.

he says he does not want the money. he just wants bush to fix everything. well guy. the money was borrowed and there you are burning the future. if we all followed your example then the economy would be in recession now instead of later this year. i do see your intentions, and the statement you wanted to make, but you could have stuck it to the man with your check in other ways.

600bucks could have paid for a lot of good things. charitable things. you may not have wanted it, but someone else could have used it. now the money is gone and you just look like a jackass. three cheers for you.

wrapping up

531.88 at the start

a buck51 spent

the kitty stands at 76cent

maximum spending tomorrow

2buck40

i can spent that much tomorrow

you can't stop me.

day 41- crankin' your ac till you're sick.

the temperature is 91 degrees with a "real feel" of 98. i usually don't pay attention to the "real feel" temp. i think the "real feel" is stupid. it's called heat index people. i think they actually jack up the "real feel" to sensationalize the weather. it keeps you coming back for the middle of the local news to see what the weather is gonna be. they give you a teaser before the drums roll and the newscast begins and tell you to "stay tuned for unaccuweatherfive" or some such.

you know what mr weatherman? it's summer. it's gonna be hot. some days are gonna be hotter than others, and if you live in the new york metropolitan area, there is gonna be at least of 20percent chance of rain from now until october.

in the summer they should save the sensationalist weather for the hurricanes or a debilitating heat wave.

nyc is not in the middle of one of those now, but it is darn uncomfortable. it's time for me to wear a short sleeve button down and leave it sort of unbuttoned while walking around the city and waiting for the train. my own personal air conditioning.

air conditioning is so choice. i highly recommend it. i know i am not being all green by swearing by it; being comfortable is one of the marks of advanced civilization, but it also brings with it the summer sniffles.

you know what i am talking about. the sniffle you get when you jack the ac up to max, go to bed and wake up all stuffy from those cool breezes.when you wake up you are genuinely cold.
cold like a february morning in minnesota.. in 1843. the fire has gone out and as there is no farming to be done so you roll over, pull those blankets around you and go back to sleep.

when and if you get the summer sniffle, it does not seem to want to go away. why? because you love your ac, and it loves you. loves you to flemmy death.

this morning i woke up cold as a mutha. while i did not have a sniffle i knew that there could be one down the road so i picked up some tissues to be ready. at a buck7 they will help me get my chilly summer mornings going with a bit of nose revelry.

am i worried about paying extra for the ac? not yet, but it seems that we are gonna see an almost 10percent increase in out power bill next year due the rising costs of fuels. time to change all your light bulbs to those fluorescent twisty bulb doo-hickeys. if you have not, then i highly suggest it. they use less power and are almost like the real thing. at the very least they don't make you look like you have the cancer like most fluorescents.

rising energy costs really should be on out minds though. if gas for the autos is rising, then our electricity is not far behind. no one wants a nuculear power plant around so we have to make do with what we have. fossil fuels. mmm fossil fuels.

luckily for us t. boone pickens has announced that he is going to front up some considerable cash to help out america and show us the way, and his way is the wind. he plans to show the u.s. that we can use windmills to provide the whole country with 20percent of our electricity. he says that if the government gets their shit together, in 10 years we could be on our way to switching over to natural gas powered vehicles and no longer be so dependent on foreign oil.

it is a good plan. it really could help us out. though i think that the person it is gonna really help is pickens. he is offering up billions to jumpstart the program and as the head of one the largest natural gas producers in america i am sure the end windfall for him will be insane.

you know what? if he wants to give this a shot and then get rich then so much the better for him. hydrogen cars are a long way off and the government's current plan of expanded fossil fuel exploration is like 20 years from having any effect.

start saving for that new natural gas-mobile. say good bye to your trunk space and hello to short distance driving. those natural gas-mobiles don't go very far you know, and there are only 1300 filling stations in the country. if you run out. your stewed.

house rep leader pelosi had a nice little solution for easing the gas price crisis for us americans. she called on bush to release of oil from the strategic oil reserve and put it on the market. at 30bucks a barrel she says it would have an effect on the prices. 40 million barrels, if put up for sale, would also amount to 4 billion bucks in revenue. this money could be used to research and implement renewable resources.

gee. great idea. it would have been nice if congress had thought about this research a decade ago. pickens, and people like him might be our only help. pickens, who also owns more water than anyone else in america might just the coming to "save" us.

really if these people are looking to get relected then they need to get their heads on straight and start thinking about the future. not the next "term". the next 20-100 years.

we use 21million barrels a day here in the u.s. selling 40million is not going to help the people. it might help fund our future, but it is just a drop in the bucket where long term oil prices are concerned. ( it will be however free gas for two days... well sort of, but not really. i think maybe the government really just wants to get in on the oil futures market.)

government, you should have allocated that money years ago.

shame on you.

wrapping up
534.46 at the start
a buck7 spent
the kitty stands at 63cent

maximum spending tomorrow

2buck63

i can spend that much tomorrow

you can't stop me.

day 40- 40 days and nights of dim sum

it's day 40. for some reason today this feels like a milestone. i am not sure why, but it does. most of the checks are out there. the people are spending their free government cash and it seems like the news stories are cooling down on the whole subject.

sorry you late rebate receivers, you might be assed out. no local news interviews for you. if congress gets another rebate passed then you might get another chance, but with congress basically drawing to a close for their summer break and the election coming up i don't really see it happening. it might though.

it just might.

then again most of them will be the suffering from lame duck syndrome...
right when we the american people need them. need them to do something. anything.

in my book, people will remember what you did last month in congress more than what you did 2 years ago. it's time to take a stand for what's right, and what's right in my opinion is if they all cut their vacations short to show their support for the american people and the issues that are in front of us. not what is appealing for an election year.

a faltering economy, crazy gas prices, environmental issues and of course.. don't forget there are a few wars on.

they will be making their big push and those who are up for re-election will be out there strutting their stuff for us though. that will be entertaining.

a congressional peacock dance.

dancing around the easy issues. issues i think they leave for the end of the year. when we are all watching.

the possibility of a second stimulus, if it ever really gets out of the gates will be big in the news. obama is all for it. mccain, not so much. the extension of unemployment benefits that were extended last month will, i think really be chump change for those who are having a tough time finding work. with the slowdown in progress those jobs are not making themselves.

the dems might be able to pull a second cash stimulus out of their hat. after all it's an election year and no one wants to say no to the handing out of free cash around then. if the republicans want to keep any standing on the hill i think they might just have to buckle. it would just be a shame if it was used by any incumbent to hang on to his or her seat.

for those of you out there who would encourage this second stimulus, just remember. though we get this cash, and maybe in time to make an otherwise dismal christmas better, the cash in the end is not going to make things better.

oh.. and someone is going to get rich off it. these things are paid for with bonds and loans you know.

enough about that what about the buck64 for today?

today's purchase is a trivet/steamer stand. my mini steamer had some issues with the pot i was using as the water well. the steamer kept slipping down into the water.

now for a buck75 i will be able to keep that steamer level and not have it slip into the water, expand and get locked in till it dries and i can pry it out.. i think i am all equipped for the dim sum. now i just have to find some cheap stuff to steam up.

mr. asian grocer.

here i come

wrapping up.
536.21 at the start
a buck75 spent
the kitty stands at 6cent

i can spend that much tomorrow

you can't stop me.

day 39- making that home made popcorn better.

while i am all about the microwavable popcorn and its convenience, i do very much like to make popcorn the old fashioned way.

no, not with jiffy pop, but in the pot.. with some oil... and some garlic and curry. rosemary is good too. yeast is nice.. but not to much.

when you make it with oil it can be hard to get the butter in there without getting a greasy mess. this butter flavored popcorn salt will do just the trick. at a buck89 i should be able to perfectly season my popcorn without having to have a stack of napkins waiting next to me in the chair.

look out rosemary plant. i comin' in for a harvest.

as for the candlepin bowling? hmmm. i didn't do so good.

ball small. me like big ball. big ball go smash. smash many pins. small ball i throw hard. ball go fast. ball go straight. i hit two pins. other 7 pins laugh at me. they still laugh.

i never thought it would have been so difficult. i did poorly. my technique was terrible, my aim nonexistent, and my spin might actually do someone else bodily harm if i had continued to use it.

i got stomped by a 24 year old girl in a forever 21 sundress. the pins never laughed at her.

i might never play the little pins again.

time is short again. the holiday weekend means no rest, as i am sure you are aware. i'll be back on point tomorrow.

wrapping up
536.21 at the start
a buck89 spent
the kitty stands at 17cent

maximum spending tomorrow

a buck81

i can spend that much tomorrow

you can't stop me.