As if the shrinking amount of parking on the UA campus isn't enough to think about, the City of Tucson is talking change in the realm of parking meters.
Not in getting rid of them and creating more free public parking, but rather replacing the parking meters we have now with newer meters that take credit cards and cash, control 10 meters at a time and call the parking authority when it's time to give you a ticket.
There's going to be a pilot program this fall for three months to see if the new meters work in Tucson. There will be a few on University Avenue, but the majority will be downtown.
Apparently other cities have tried them. In New York, the worked well. But in other places, people found them too confusing and hard to use. I can only guess how they'll be received in Tucson...
22.5.08
Way of the future
If you've looked at the New York Times lately, you might have seen an article by Paul Krugman about the future.
"Stranded in Suburbia" basically said the rest of the Western world needs to pay attention to Berlin, Germany, to figure out how to progress.
Although there are a lot of problems in Berlin, Krugman's got a point. Basically, more public transportation + densely populated areas close to public transportation, shopping and jobs = efficient and better than what we have now.
As I've always said, we really need (better) public transportation in Arizona.
I encourage you to read the article.
21.5.08
Community bike ride
I went out on a limb and tried something new last night.
I went on the Tucson community bike ride with a group of friends...and about 150 other people. Some of my friends were intimidated by the crowd when we got to the meeting place, the turn-around out front of UA's Old Main.
I was not at all intimidated by the eclectic-hippy-grunge crowd before us. I just wanted to ride, damnit.
The ride is supposed to start at 8 p.m., and we finally started to snake down University Ave. around 8:30. The ride, which I guess takes a new route every Tuesday, snaked through Southwestern Tucson and took us through back alleys and creepy neighborhoods with lots of dogs barking at us.
Had I been alone or with a small group of people, I would have been scared shitless. But it wasn't so bad with all those other people.
When we started out, it was also friggin' hot outside. But the breeze crept up, the night cooled the air a bit, and the ride was pretty nice by the end--before it started to get just plain windy.
Cons: the going was too slow and there was a lot of bottle-necking
Pros: opportunity to see parts of Tucson you never imagined seeing and getting to go on a leisurely ride with friends
It was an overall good experience. I'd recommend you try it at least once.
I went on the Tucson community bike ride with a group of friends...and about 150 other people. Some of my friends were intimidated by the crowd when we got to the meeting place, the turn-around out front of UA's Old Main.
I was not at all intimidated by the eclectic-hippy-grunge crowd before us. I just wanted to ride, damnit.
The ride is supposed to start at 8 p.m., and we finally started to snake down University Ave. around 8:30. The ride, which I guess takes a new route every Tuesday, snaked through Southwestern Tucson and took us through back alleys and creepy neighborhoods with lots of dogs barking at us.
Had I been alone or with a small group of people, I would have been scared shitless. But it wasn't so bad with all those other people.
When we started out, it was also friggin' hot outside. But the breeze crept up, the night cooled the air a bit, and the ride was pretty nice by the end--before it started to get just plain windy.
Cons: the going was too slow and there was a lot of bottle-necking
Pros: opportunity to see parts of Tucson you never imagined seeing and getting to go on a leisurely ride with friends
It was an overall good experience. I'd recommend you try it at least once.
20.5.08
Economy down, salaries up?
Seeing as I (and a whole bunch of other people I know) just graduated from college, it's always interesting to know what we'd be making in the real world, should we choose to go out into the real world rather than going straight to graduate school, as I am doing.
My Mom sent me yet another MSN article (I think we're at two-three a day, mostly about finances...I take it as a hint). I found this one super interesting.
Apparently, if I were to go out into the world with my liberal arts degree and try to make a living, my starting salary would be around $33,258.
If I decided to use my journalism degree, my salary would be a little less, at $32,250.
If had decided at the beginning of my college career that I hated words and wanted to work in the medium of computers, my salary would be somewhere near $56,921.
The moral of the story? If you like words, you're destined to stay right around the Arizona poverty line in your post-graduation years. Yay, right? Eh, nothing new.
The main point of the article, however, was that salaries for new college grads are higher this year than last year. That's a good thing.
It's just pretty weird because the economy is tanking like crazy. Wild.
My Mom sent me yet another MSN article (I think we're at two-three a day, mostly about finances...I take it as a hint). I found this one super interesting.
Apparently, if I were to go out into the world with my liberal arts degree and try to make a living, my starting salary would be around $33,258.
If I decided to use my journalism degree, my salary would be a little less, at $32,250.
If had decided at the beginning of my college career that I hated words and wanted to work in the medium of computers, my salary would be somewhere near $56,921.
The moral of the story? If you like words, you're destined to stay right around the Arizona poverty line in your post-graduation years. Yay, right? Eh, nothing new.
The main point of the article, however, was that salaries for new college grads are higher this year than last year. That's a good thing.
It's just pretty weird because the economy is tanking like crazy. Wild.
19.5.08
Pricey, but quality
On a vein similar to yesterday's post, I want to talk fashion and combine it with cost (hehe).
I've discovered a couple of lines that are really quite fantastic, as are the prices. But as I've said again and again since the dawn of time, if you buy a few pricey items, it beats buying a shit-ton of cheap, trendy ones you have to keep replacing.
Here are a few things to remember when you're shopping in the most fantastic realms of fashion--which you really should be doing (it just means you have to *gasp* save your money first!).
1. Don't buy obviously trendy clothing.
2. Classic pieces will last you forever.
3. Think functionality: will I wear this once, or can I adapt it over and over? Can I wear it for work and play?
4. Is it dry clean only? And if yes, do I want to go to the dry cleaners often?
5. Read up on the types of pieces that will flatter your figure, and get a second opinion in the store. At some stores, the person helping you will give an honest opinion if you just ask.
6. Purchase versatile pieces to be the building blocks of numerous outfits.
7. Think undergarments. If you love this dress that you can't wear a bra with and you NEED to wear a bra, chances are you'll never be able to pull it off.
8. And going with 7, if it doesn't fit now, don't buy it under the presumption you'll fit into it later.
And now, a few places to start trying these tips at.
Ralph Lauren
Anthropologie
Ann Taylor Loft
Searle
Mango
DKNY
If you can think of any other high-quality stores, let me know. I'm always open to new experiences.
I've discovered a couple of lines that are really quite fantastic, as are the prices. But as I've said again and again since the dawn of time, if you buy a few pricey items, it beats buying a shit-ton of cheap, trendy ones you have to keep replacing.
Here are a few things to remember when you're shopping in the most fantastic realms of fashion--which you really should be doing (it just means you have to *gasp* save your money first!).
1. Don't buy obviously trendy clothing.
2. Classic pieces will last you forever.
3. Think functionality: will I wear this once, or can I adapt it over and over? Can I wear it for work and play?
4. Is it dry clean only? And if yes, do I want to go to the dry cleaners often?
5. Read up on the types of pieces that will flatter your figure, and get a second opinion in the store. At some stores, the person helping you will give an honest opinion if you just ask.
6. Purchase versatile pieces to be the building blocks of numerous outfits.
7. Think undergarments. If you love this dress that you can't wear a bra with and you NEED to wear a bra, chances are you'll never be able to pull it off.
8. And going with 7, if it doesn't fit now, don't buy it under the presumption you'll fit into it later.
And now, a few places to start trying these tips at.
Ralph Lauren
Anthropologie
Ann Taylor Loft
Searle
Mango
DKNY
If you can think of any other high-quality stores, let me know. I'm always open to new experiences.
18.5.08
Long time no clothes
I've noticed lately, especially with the influx of financial information I've been publishing so far, that this blog has really strayed from its original function. Way back in the day (like six months ago), this was a fashion blog. Can you believe it?
So, I thought I'd take a trip back in time and deal with a bit o' fashion. So here goes.
Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is dresses. Not because I'm shallow and I think about clothes all the time, but because it's graduation season, getting into wedding season.
I've been to six graduation events in the last week that I had to dress variously for, and although I'm not invited to any weddings, it's good to think about how I would clothe myself to attend one.
This Anthropologie style would work best on someone with a smaller frame, especially with a smaller bust. Wear with heels--even if you're tall, go with a short heel.
This Ann Taylor Loft dress is a bit longer than the others, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's elegant and grown-up. Would work well on most frames, even the bustier ones (as long as it fits well!) 
and can go with heels or flats.
This Ralph Lauren dress would work best with heels, and can go with a medium frame or a smaller one.
This Searle dress is a good night-time look and, in the right size, would fit most shapes well. Wear with heels--either a tall one (if you're short) or a short heel (if you're tall).
This Searle dress would definitely work best on a smaller physique, and in white, definitely on someone with darker coloring. Wear with shorter heels or flats.
Be careful with yellow, blondes. For everyone else, this Searle dress will be great on you unless you're really small on top. Wear with medium heels or flats.
And, last but not least, this Searle dress will go best with lighter complexion, smaller figures and flats or short heels. Darker complected people will also look OK in this dress. Bigger busts and overall figures will not look OK in it. And if you try pairing this with really high heels, you will look like a hooker.
So, I thought I'd take a trip back in time and deal with a bit o' fashion. So here goes.
Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is dresses. Not because I'm shallow and I think about clothes all the time, but because it's graduation season, getting into wedding season.
I've been to six graduation events in the last week that I had to dress variously for, and although I'm not invited to any weddings, it's good to think about how I would clothe myself to attend one.
This Anthropologie style would work best on someone with a smaller frame, especially with a smaller bust. Wear with heels--even if you're tall, go with a short heel.
This Ann Taylor Loft dress is a bit longer than the others, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's elegant and grown-up. Would work well on most frames, even the bustier ones (as long as it fits well!) 
and can go with heels or flats.This Ralph Lauren dress would work best with heels, and can go with a medium frame or a smaller one.
This Searle dress is a good night-time look and, in the right size, would fit most shapes well. Wear with heels--either a tall one (if you're short) or a short heel (if you're tall).
This Searle dress would definitely work best on a smaller physique, and in white, definitely on someone with darker coloring. Wear with shorter heels or flats.
Be careful with yellow, blondes. For everyone else, this Searle dress will be great on you unless you're really small on top. Wear with medium heels or flats.
And, last but not least, this Searle dress will go best with lighter complexion, smaller figures and flats or short heels. Darker complected people will also look OK in this dress. Bigger busts and overall figures will not look OK in it. And if you try pairing this with really high heels, you will look like a hooker.
14.5.08
Iceless Ice Bears
It's a good day for the polar bears, but it's been a bad year .
The New York Times reported today that the U.S. Interior Department declared polar bears an endangered species because of melting sea ice.
The more the ice melts, the more the bears' habitat and hunting ground disappears. You may have heard about the bears drowning or starving to death because of melting sea ice. It's really quite sad.
SO, it's great that our government is finally acknowledging a problem and adding the bears to the endangered list. I'm wondering what steps they're going to take to actually put a stop on global warming, though.
My guess is nothing will happen until the Bush administration is gone, provided another Republican administration doesn't take its place.
The New York Times reported today that the U.S. Interior Department declared polar bears an endangered species because of melting sea ice.
The more the ice melts, the more the bears' habitat and hunting ground disappears. You may have heard about the bears drowning or starving to death because of melting sea ice. It's really quite sad.
SO, it's great that our government is finally acknowledging a problem and adding the bears to the endangered list. I'm wondering what steps they're going to take to actually put a stop on global warming, though.
My guess is nothing will happen until the Bush administration is gone, provided another Republican administration doesn't take its place.
This is a car state
Growing up in little Willcox, Ariz., the idea of not having a car seemed beyond absurd to me.
Not to mention to the fact that Willcox could fit onto the UA campus. Or that you wouldn't have to worry about getting obliterated in traffic there as a pedestrian.
Everyone in Willcox had a car except for poor people, and it definitely wasn't cool to be poor. No, you need to have a car. And so does your spouse, each of your children, and you need to have a backup and a truck for hauling. For example, there is a family of three in my neighborhood with six cars lining their lawn, driveway and sidewalk. And these cars aren't the old, rusty ones you see heaped up to rot in the fields outside of city limits--all of these cars still function.
So it was completely natural that I got a car when I was 15. My parents didn't want me walking anywhere, after all. They were convinced it wasn't safe to do so, especially in the morning or evening. When I was 16, I got a new car (because the old one was on its way out, really). And when I was 17, my dad traded in his old car to get me a new, safe one for college. Today my parents have two trucks (one of which they're trying to sell), an Explorer, a motorcycle and the car I drive. That's five vehicles we've accumulated for a three-person family in which only two people know how to drive.
Thus I have always been perplexed when someone's parents refuse to buy them a car, or someone doesn't have a car waiting at home for them--even if they don't drive it regularly. The way I was raised, a car is a necessity for everyone. And I'm definitely not the only person who was raised that way.
I just read an article about the possibility of living with *gasp* just one car per family. One of the lede paragraphs stated, "According to a 2004 Department of Energy report, the average household with two drivers owns 2.1 vehicles. Those with one driver have 1.2 vehicles." And therefore, there are more cars than people in this country. That's actually kind of mindboggling.
In light of the rising cost of fuel and impending effects of global warming, the article discusses how the concept of the single-car family is on the rise, as is public transportation use. At the same time, the number of SUVs on the road is also increasing.
Since I've gotten out of Willcox and educated myself a bit, I think it's smart to stick with the single-car solution. After all, if more people rode public transportation in Tucson (like they do in big cities and all over Europe), it wouldn't seem so scary.
Not to mention to the fact that Willcox could fit onto the UA campus. Or that you wouldn't have to worry about getting obliterated in traffic there as a pedestrian.
Everyone in Willcox had a car except for poor people, and it definitely wasn't cool to be poor. No, you need to have a car. And so does your spouse, each of your children, and you need to have a backup and a truck for hauling. For example, there is a family of three in my neighborhood with six cars lining their lawn, driveway and sidewalk. And these cars aren't the old, rusty ones you see heaped up to rot in the fields outside of city limits--all of these cars still function.
So it was completely natural that I got a car when I was 15. My parents didn't want me walking anywhere, after all. They were convinced it wasn't safe to do so, especially in the morning or evening. When I was 16, I got a new car (because the old one was on its way out, really). And when I was 17, my dad traded in his old car to get me a new, safe one for college. Today my parents have two trucks (one of which they're trying to sell), an Explorer, a motorcycle and the car I drive. That's five vehicles we've accumulated for a three-person family in which only two people know how to drive.
Thus I have always been perplexed when someone's parents refuse to buy them a car, or someone doesn't have a car waiting at home for them--even if they don't drive it regularly. The way I was raised, a car is a necessity for everyone. And I'm definitely not the only person who was raised that way.
I just read an article about the possibility of living with *gasp* just one car per family. One of the lede paragraphs stated, "According to a 2004 Department of Energy report, the average household with two drivers owns 2.1 vehicles. Those with one driver have 1.2 vehicles." And therefore, there are more cars than people in this country. That's actually kind of mindboggling.
In light of the rising cost of fuel and impending effects of global warming, the article discusses how the concept of the single-car family is on the rise, as is public transportation use. At the same time, the number of SUVs on the road is also increasing.
Since I've gotten out of Willcox and educated myself a bit, I think it's smart to stick with the single-car solution. After all, if more people rode public transportation in Tucson (like they do in big cities and all over Europe), it wouldn't seem so scary.
13.5.08
More Scary News
Did you know lip gloss could contribute to cancerous lips?
Yes, that's as gross as it sounds.
Apparently some dermatologists think lip gloss makes your lips more prone to UV ray penetration and deadly cancers.
Another something to worry about, right ladies?
The suggested solution: wearing lip products with SPF in them, just like sunscreen.
It sounds plausible. I'm just wondering if the dermatologists who say lip gloss is bad for you aren't the ones whose names grace those SPF lip products. Has the notorious Patricia Wexler got one in her line?
Yes, that's as gross as it sounds.
Apparently some dermatologists think lip gloss makes your lips more prone to UV ray penetration and deadly cancers.
Another something to worry about, right ladies?
The suggested solution: wearing lip products with SPF in them, just like sunscreen.
It sounds plausible. I'm just wondering if the dermatologists who say lip gloss is bad for you aren't the ones whose names grace those SPF lip products. Has the notorious Patricia Wexler got one in her line?
12.5.08
Living cheaply
It seems my theme lately has been money. Oh well.
So I read this article (yes, yet another article from Mom) that gave tips for living on $7 a day. I scoffed at the title. Bwah, I can barely get by on $40 a week for groceries and gas, and that doesn't include putting away $5 or $10 a week to save for retirement. What's a poor college student to do when the week's allowance slips away like dandelion fluff in a hurricane?
Now, I'm not anti-money saving and frugality. Americans are notoriously the worst of all Western countries at saving, so I definitely support change.
I'm just not sure how plausible it is to save money when you're in college, with stores targeting you as a consumer, yellow being all the rage this season, gas prices rising, summer heat waves approaching and the economy flushing itself down the toilet. But it's worth a try, right?
The $7 a day tips aren't too terrifying. They range from buying food in bulk (Costco, anyone) to comparison shopping. It's all common sense, and it comes down to planning (another tip mentioned, which I have known about all along).
With planning in mind, I thought it apt to list some of my own tips for living cheaply, which I think are much less painful than giving up food for a month so you can afford textbooks.
1. Plan a weekly menu and don't deviate
2. Try to eat meals over the course of the week that share ingredients
3. Plan trips out in the car so you're not driving back and forth and wasting gas--plan a route that is most effective in hitting all the stops in a loop or straight line.
4. If you have a TV at home or the Internet, you don't need to go out every weekend to be entertained. Hell, why not stay home and read? Books don't even need to cost money--ever heard of a library?
5. Coffee is not a necessity for life. Cut it out of your daily budget (you know how you are, Starbucks regulars) and you will have more money and a smaller waistline. The same goes for fast food.
6. Try public transportation. While I haven't grown enough balls to do this in Tucson yet, I'm working towards it. The bus is way cheaper than spending $40 a week on gas--especially if you get the U-Pass and university discount.
7. AC at night, blinds closed during the day.
8. Don't turn on all the lights in the house. Use only those you need, which is usually one at a time.
These are just suggestions. They work. You can try them if you like (and you should).
Also, the person from the $7 a day article reads the Simple Dollar financial blog, which is worth a look-see.
So I read this article (yes, yet another article from Mom) that gave tips for living on $7 a day. I scoffed at the title. Bwah, I can barely get by on $40 a week for groceries and gas, and that doesn't include putting away $5 or $10 a week to save for retirement. What's a poor college student to do when the week's allowance slips away like dandelion fluff in a hurricane?
Now, I'm not anti-money saving and frugality. Americans are notoriously the worst of all Western countries at saving, so I definitely support change.
I'm just not sure how plausible it is to save money when you're in college, with stores targeting you as a consumer, yellow being all the rage this season, gas prices rising, summer heat waves approaching and the economy flushing itself down the toilet. But it's worth a try, right?
The $7 a day tips aren't too terrifying. They range from buying food in bulk (Costco, anyone) to comparison shopping. It's all common sense, and it comes down to planning (another tip mentioned, which I have known about all along).
With planning in mind, I thought it apt to list some of my own tips for living cheaply, which I think are much less painful than giving up food for a month so you can afford textbooks.
1. Plan a weekly menu and don't deviate
2. Try to eat meals over the course of the week that share ingredients
3. Plan trips out in the car so you're not driving back and forth and wasting gas--plan a route that is most effective in hitting all the stops in a loop or straight line.
4. If you have a TV at home or the Internet, you don't need to go out every weekend to be entertained. Hell, why not stay home and read? Books don't even need to cost money--ever heard of a library?
5. Coffee is not a necessity for life. Cut it out of your daily budget (you know how you are, Starbucks regulars) and you will have more money and a smaller waistline. The same goes for fast food.
6. Try public transportation. While I haven't grown enough balls to do this in Tucson yet, I'm working towards it. The bus is way cheaper than spending $40 a week on gas--especially if you get the U-Pass and university discount.
7. AC at night, blinds closed during the day.
8. Don't turn on all the lights in the house. Use only those you need, which is usually one at a time.
These are just suggestions. They work. You can try them if you like (and you should).
Also, the person from the $7 a day article reads the Simple Dollar financial blog, which is worth a look-see.
11.5.08
Pet bills...ugh
Everyone should know at this point that pet ownership is expensive. If you didn't know, now you do: owning a pet is expensive.
While I've been lucky to have a mixed-breed dog free of the infirmity that often comes from inbreeding (i.e. purebreds), I have had to shell out some dough for my doggie.
The biggest thing about owning a pet is saving up for vet bills. There is great technology to help pets so we don't have to put them down when they get hurt. But that technology costs.
For example, when my dog had a prolonged cough and regular vomiting, I took her in and had to pay $50 for the visit plus $90-something for a blood test to see if she had valley fever. Then we got antibiotics for $30-something. Right there, you've got almost $200 in vet bills, plus the gas it took to get to the vet and the mental distress your dog would sue you for afterwards if she could.
I read an article today about the costs of pet ownership. As with most articles I've read lately, the information was common sense.
I did learn a few interesting things that could save you an expensive pet-related bill in the future:
-The following foods are poisonous to dogs: grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts and onions. (Whoops.)
-Animals do not need massive toy collections. (Whoops.)
-Taking your dog to a nearby veterinary school is a good way to get cheaper pet care.
So if you're a starving college student like me and you want a cute little puppy or kitty or piggy or ___, think about the money before you give in to that precious face. At this stage in life, you shouldn't be getting a baby animal anyway, because you don't have the time to train it and give it adequate care.
You need to think about the time factor, and you also need to think about how much you have (or will be able to have) saved up for visits to the vet, groomer, store (for food and treats), park (for exercise, hopefully) and any other emergencies that come up along the way. And what about pet insurance? Designed to help you out in case of emergency, it's yet another monthly cost to consider. And guess what. The costs of everything pet-related have been rising.
While I've been lucky to have a mixed-breed dog free of the infirmity that often comes from inbreeding (i.e. purebreds), I have had to shell out some dough for my doggie.
The biggest thing about owning a pet is saving up for vet bills. There is great technology to help pets so we don't have to put them down when they get hurt. But that technology costs.
For example, when my dog had a prolonged cough and regular vomiting, I took her in and had to pay $50 for the visit plus $90-something for a blood test to see if she had valley fever. Then we got antibiotics for $30-something. Right there, you've got almost $200 in vet bills, plus the gas it took to get to the vet and the mental distress your dog would sue you for afterwards if she could.
I read an article today about the costs of pet ownership. As with most articles I've read lately, the information was common sense.
I did learn a few interesting things that could save you an expensive pet-related bill in the future:
-The following foods are poisonous to dogs: grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts and onions. (Whoops.)
-Animals do not need massive toy collections. (Whoops.)
-Taking your dog to a nearby veterinary school is a good way to get cheaper pet care.
So if you're a starving college student like me and you want a cute little puppy or kitty or piggy or ___, think about the money before you give in to that precious face. At this stage in life, you shouldn't be getting a baby animal anyway, because you don't have the time to train it and give it adequate care.
You need to think about the time factor, and you also need to think about how much you have (or will be able to have) saved up for visits to the vet, groomer, store (for food and treats), park (for exercise, hopefully) and any other emergencies that come up along the way. And what about pet insurance? Designed to help you out in case of emergency, it's yet another monthly cost to consider. And guess what. The costs of everything pet-related have been rising.
10.5.08
Hypermile much?
Going through the backlog of articles my Mom's sent me this semester, I discovered one called, "Get 50 mpg--in your own car" that introduced me to an interesting concept.
Have you ever heard of hypermiling? I hadn't until I read this MSN Money article, which was actually published last year.
Apparently, there is a group of people who use outrageous means to drastically improve the gas mileage their cars get. The main hypermiler cited in the article, Wayne Gerdes, got 165 mpg in a car the EPA gave a 60 city/66 highway rating.
While people like Gerdes do some illegal things (like super-tailgating on the Interstate, obscuring the proper flow of engine emissions and speeding around curves and turns), the article gave rudimentary hypermiling tips that are supposedly translatable to everyone else.
The tips are pretty much common sense, though I don't know anyone (except the elderly) who would willingly follow most of them.
1. Brake sparingly. As in, time your travel through red lights so you don't have to stop. I do attempt this at times, but the lights are usually longer than the road before me, and I'm forced to stop. I guess this also includes staying far enough behind people so that you don't have to slam on the brakes when they suddenly stop in front of you.
2. No idling for more than 10 seconds. Apparently, if you're going to sit in the car for more than 10 seconds, you need to turn it off. Now in Arizona, I can't see many people doing this in the summer. I'd rather waste gas than melt for three minutes--heck, I even sit in the car for half an hour before class sometimes and listen to the radio with the engine running. But I guess that exemplifies how disciplined we want to be if saving money on gas is important to us.
3. Don't speed. Yes, we all know this, but who actually does it? I don't even pay attention to the speed limit half the time--I stay somewhere between 35 and 45 at all times in Tucson, and between 70 and 90 on the Interstate. But the faster we go, the faster we burn gas. The hypermilers suggest driving at around 50, 55 mph on the Interstate, and staying close to the far right line so the 90-mile-an-hour people don't destroy you.
4. Warm up. In our busy world, I don't know many people who take the time to allow the engine to properly heat up before driving. I used to do this in high school, but can't bring myself to do it now. I tried over the winter, as a means of trying to warm the car so I didn't freeze to death in the mornings, but I could never allow myself to let the car warm up for more than 30 seconds. The hypermilers say it's important to let the engine warm up, because your gas mileage will be more efficient when the engine is warmest.
5. Loose thy appendages. If you've got things hanging off your car, like flags, spoilers, bells and whistles, they're slowing you down and wasting gas. The hypermilers suggest streamlining your car as much as possible so it glides along with out any gas-wasting resistance.
6. Slim down. Take heavy things out of your car, and it will get better gas mileage. While this makes perfect sense, I just hadn't thought of it before. What a concept.
7. Steady incline. When going uphill, accelerate and then lock your foot so the speed stays consistent. The hypermilers say this will get you the best uphill gas mileage.
8. No tire squealing. According to the hypermilers, easing into a start is more efficient than slamming on the gas so you can race all the other cars to the next light (which is impossible in Tucson, anyway, because the first person at the light usually sits and ponders the meaning of green for 15 minutes before pressing on the gas). This tactic is supposed to go in hand with rule No. 1, because if you haven't stopped yet, you don't need to waste gas by accelerating from zero to 20--you can just keep on driving.
9. Pressure and lube. Make sure your tires are filled to maximum capacity and use synthetic oil. Not sure how I feel about the synthetic oil, but the tires part sounds valid. Which reminds me that one of my tires is a bit low...
So yes, a lot of these rules are common sense. But in combination, they're supposed to raise your gas mileage at least 50 percent and save you a ton of money on gas. Not sure if I'd want to become a professional hypermiler, though...
Have you ever heard of hypermiling? I hadn't until I read this MSN Money article, which was actually published last year.
Apparently, there is a group of people who use outrageous means to drastically improve the gas mileage their cars get. The main hypermiler cited in the article, Wayne Gerdes, got 165 mpg in a car the EPA gave a 60 city/66 highway rating.
While people like Gerdes do some illegal things (like super-tailgating on the Interstate, obscuring the proper flow of engine emissions and speeding around curves and turns), the article gave rudimentary hypermiling tips that are supposedly translatable to everyone else.
The tips are pretty much common sense, though I don't know anyone (except the elderly) who would willingly follow most of them.
1. Brake sparingly. As in, time your travel through red lights so you don't have to stop. I do attempt this at times, but the lights are usually longer than the road before me, and I'm forced to stop. I guess this also includes staying far enough behind people so that you don't have to slam on the brakes when they suddenly stop in front of you.
2. No idling for more than 10 seconds. Apparently, if you're going to sit in the car for more than 10 seconds, you need to turn it off. Now in Arizona, I can't see many people doing this in the summer. I'd rather waste gas than melt for three minutes--heck, I even sit in the car for half an hour before class sometimes and listen to the radio with the engine running. But I guess that exemplifies how disciplined we want to be if saving money on gas is important to us.
3. Don't speed. Yes, we all know this, but who actually does it? I don't even pay attention to the speed limit half the time--I stay somewhere between 35 and 45 at all times in Tucson, and between 70 and 90 on the Interstate. But the faster we go, the faster we burn gas. The hypermilers suggest driving at around 50, 55 mph on the Interstate, and staying close to the far right line so the 90-mile-an-hour people don't destroy you.
4. Warm up. In our busy world, I don't know many people who take the time to allow the engine to properly heat up before driving. I used to do this in high school, but can't bring myself to do it now. I tried over the winter, as a means of trying to warm the car so I didn't freeze to death in the mornings, but I could never allow myself to let the car warm up for more than 30 seconds. The hypermilers say it's important to let the engine warm up, because your gas mileage will be more efficient when the engine is warmest.
5. Loose thy appendages. If you've got things hanging off your car, like flags, spoilers, bells and whistles, they're slowing you down and wasting gas. The hypermilers suggest streamlining your car as much as possible so it glides along with out any gas-wasting resistance.
6. Slim down. Take heavy things out of your car, and it will get better gas mileage. While this makes perfect sense, I just hadn't thought of it before. What a concept.
7. Steady incline. When going uphill, accelerate and then lock your foot so the speed stays consistent. The hypermilers say this will get you the best uphill gas mileage.
8. No tire squealing. According to the hypermilers, easing into a start is more efficient than slamming on the gas so you can race all the other cars to the next light (which is impossible in Tucson, anyway, because the first person at the light usually sits and ponders the meaning of green for 15 minutes before pressing on the gas). This tactic is supposed to go in hand with rule No. 1, because if you haven't stopped yet, you don't need to waste gas by accelerating from zero to 20--you can just keep on driving.
9. Pressure and lube. Make sure your tires are filled to maximum capacity and use synthetic oil. Not sure how I feel about the synthetic oil, but the tires part sounds valid. Which reminds me that one of my tires is a bit low...
So yes, a lot of these rules are common sense. But in combination, they're supposed to raise your gas mileage at least 50 percent and save you a ton of money on gas. Not sure if I'd want to become a professional hypermiler, though...
3.5.08
Our generation sucks at money
It was no surprise to me the other day when I read yet another article about Generation Y being "broke." We spend like crazy. We need the latest gadgets, the trendiest clothing, the newest car. If you're an only child like me, you were probably raised getting whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted it.
According to the article, 52 percent of high school seniors tested passed a financial literacy test. The other 48 percent? Surely looking forward to bankruptcy.
Money isn't the only thing we seem to flail around with, though. What about grammar, punctuation and spelling? The number of books we read in a year? The amount of sleep we get on average? Our ability to perform basic tasks like building a dog house or assembling old school legos? (No, not the prefab legos they sell today--two pieces, stick them together, and you have a house!)
So we must be the doomed generation, right?
Just something to think about.
According to the article, 52 percent of high school seniors tested passed a financial literacy test. The other 48 percent? Surely looking forward to bankruptcy.
Money isn't the only thing we seem to flail around with, though. What about grammar, punctuation and spelling? The number of books we read in a year? The amount of sleep we get on average? Our ability to perform basic tasks like building a dog house or assembling old school legos? (No, not the prefab legos they sell today--two pieces, stick them together, and you have a house!)
So we must be the doomed generation, right?
Just something to think about.
2.5.08
More memorial, less fun
During the summer of 2006 I visited the Auschwitz I site in Oswiecim, Poland--the one where the Final Solution was invented and pioneered. The experience was terribly disturbing for me--not because of the camp itself (although it was quite depressing), but rather with the behavior of the other tourists.
There were people posing, full of smiles and laughter, with the ovens in the crematoria. People were joking around about the wall where firing squads killed inmates. There was laughter and smiling everywhere we went.
Now, I'm all for making light of a bad situation. But the Shoah? Come on.
I'm not saying everyone who visits a death camp must be dreary and depressive for the entirety of the experience. But people should be more contemplative while they are there. The point of keeping these camps intact and showing them in the public is so that people will remember what happened and learn from past mistakes so we never repeat them.
That in mind, my mom sent me an article about a group of young Jews and survivors who marched at Auschwitz II, the massive camp next door to Auschwitz I (the facade of which we always see in the movies), to remember the Shoah and terrible things that happened in camps like Auschwitz I and II.
I'm not saying we need to have marches and memorial processions in these camps every day. The concept of memory needs to be on people's minds as they visit the camps.
I mean, it's totally insulting that anyone would go to the camps and joke around, practically getting inside the ovens to take a picture. It's sickening, and I hope that next time I tour a camp, I never see any such spectacle.
There were people posing, full of smiles and laughter, with the ovens in the crematoria. People were joking around about the wall where firing squads killed inmates. There was laughter and smiling everywhere we went.
Now, I'm all for making light of a bad situation. But the Shoah? Come on.
I'm not saying everyone who visits a death camp must be dreary and depressive for the entirety of the experience. But people should be more contemplative while they are there. The point of keeping these camps intact and showing them in the public is so that people will remember what happened and learn from past mistakes so we never repeat them.
That in mind, my mom sent me an article about a group of young Jews and survivors who marched at Auschwitz II, the massive camp next door to Auschwitz I (the facade of which we always see in the movies), to remember the Shoah and terrible things that happened in camps like Auschwitz I and II.
I'm not saying we need to have marches and memorial processions in these camps every day. The concept of memory needs to be on people's minds as they visit the camps.
I mean, it's totally insulting that anyone would go to the camps and joke around, practically getting inside the ovens to take a picture. It's sickening, and I hope that next time I tour a camp, I never see any such spectacle.
1.5.08
Bad water in America? Impossible!
So my mom has been going on for several days about how terrible bottled water is for you. She sent me links to three articles which seem to support her fears.
While researching my journalism thesis, I read an article in Vogue magazine that mentioned several chemical additives that cause infertility in women. The article was being friendly to advertisers, however, and didn't name ANY products containing those chemicals. One of the chemicals, bisphenol A, is the chemical that has my mom all in a fluster.
Bisphenol A is a standard ingredient in plastic. When plastic gets warm, like when you leave a water bottle in the car, the bisphenol A actually leaches into the water and finds its way into your body. Several studies have shown that many people actually pee this chemical because they are so exposed to plastics containing it.
Nalgene bottles, Aquafina bottles, baby bottles, even some polyester clothing--they all have this crap in them. My mom bought everyone in our family a stainless steel water bottle from Kleen Kanteen. I have found that once this bottle gets cold, it stays cold for a super-long time. So, fantastic. We're getting rid of our Nalgene bottles and stuff. Just to be safe, you may want to do the same.
While researching my journalism thesis, I read an article in Vogue magazine that mentioned several chemical additives that cause infertility in women. The article was being friendly to advertisers, however, and didn't name ANY products containing those chemicals. One of the chemicals, bisphenol A, is the chemical that has my mom all in a fluster.
Bisphenol A is a standard ingredient in plastic. When plastic gets warm, like when you leave a water bottle in the car, the bisphenol A actually leaches into the water and finds its way into your body. Several studies have shown that many people actually pee this chemical because they are so exposed to plastics containing it.
Nalgene bottles, Aquafina bottles, baby bottles, even some polyester clothing--they all have this crap in them. My mom bought everyone in our family a stainless steel water bottle from Kleen Kanteen. I have found that once this bottle gets cold, it stays cold for a super-long time. So, fantastic. We're getting rid of our Nalgene bottles and stuff. Just to be safe, you may want to do the same.
28.3.08
Animal Abuse = Bad. So we have a new puppy.
As if they needed another dog. Yes, my parents got a new bundle of joy to add to their canine menagerie yesterday. It partially fulfills my mother's desire to have a new chihuahua a year after our 17-year-old long hair, Figaro, died. It also fulfills my family's desire to help all of the dogs on earth, even if we don't have room for them all.
So this puppy mill got busted in Tucson a few weeks ago. I didn't hear about it until my dad said they were going to go get a puppy. But when my parents went to the pound to pick one up, they came home empty-handed. My mom said there were hundreds of people there, with a line out the door, all waiting to get a puppy. My dad said when they got in, they were told it was just large breeds left, and of course everyone wanted the toy pups. My parents can't have another big dog (not with two big boxers and a German shepherd-akita mix already ruling the roost), so they went home without adopting.
Then, last Friday, my dad said something about having a 10-day old Chihuahua puppy lined up for my mom, a female, who had been born sometime around the bust and wasn't available for adoption yet. I had to swear secrecy.
Then, my mom asked me on the phone if my dad had said anything to me about a puppy. I played dumb and found out he'd told her, and she wasn't sure if he was pulling her chain, or both of our chains or what (he jokes around a lot).
And yesterday, my dad brought home a puppy. It wasn't the wee one they were signed up to get. Instead, it's a six-month-old male, short hair. He gets really stressed out because Sophie is a big brute and smacks him around (yay, a new toy), and Leo tried to bite his head off when they first met (two males can be problematic--that's why they wanted another female). He also has never been outside before.
What I have heard about the conditions is that the dogs were stuffed into cages and the cages were stacked on top of each other in RVs. The proprietors would pour dog food into the top cages, and if anything fell down to the lower cages then those dogs got to eat. There was also no newspaper or bottom to the cages, so the dogs were going to the bathroom on the ones below them. They never saw the light of day, never went outside.
And now, I guess many of the people who adopted the dogs that first day are taking them back to the pound because they don't "act like normal dogs." Well, duh. They've been abused. I think that's so terrible, and people are so stupid and impatient when it comes to pets. But another thing I've heard is that people are buying up bunches of the dogs, basically repeating the cycle of hoarding them, and trying to sell them on eBay for big prices. Isn't that just the most horrible and absurd thing you've ever heard? I can't believe anyone would treat a poor, abused animal like that (not that I can believe how anyone could abuse an animal, in the first place).
My parents' puppy is 2.5 pounds. He's a miniature chihuahua, and he's still about a half-pound underweight. They haven't neutered him yet because he's still too malnourished to go under the knife. The vet who cared for him before she gave him to my dad said she was able to put 1.5 pounds on him herself. My mom says he gets really stressed when they go outside, because it's bright and there are new sounds. They're not sure how it's going to work with an enormous puppy swatting at him and two old, cranky dogs snapping at him, but we're really hoping the puppy works out because he's already been moved from an abusive kennel to the pound to the vet to my parents, and that's a lot of stress for a tiny, bewildered creature.
My parents haven't named him yet, just in case they think it's not going to work, but my mom wants to give him a "big" name, like Thor or Brutus or something. She says my dad, on the other hand, is thinking more in terms of his Italianate roots and wants to name the puppy Giuseppe, Guido or Salvatore or something silly like that.
We'll see how it goes. When I see him, I'll post a picture. He sounds cute (blonde, with a white ring around his neck, and teensy).
So this puppy mill got busted in Tucson a few weeks ago. I didn't hear about it until my dad said they were going to go get a puppy. But when my parents went to the pound to pick one up, they came home empty-handed. My mom said there were hundreds of people there, with a line out the door, all waiting to get a puppy. My dad said when they got in, they were told it was just large breeds left, and of course everyone wanted the toy pups. My parents can't have another big dog (not with two big boxers and a German shepherd-akita mix already ruling the roost), so they went home without adopting.
Then, last Friday, my dad said something about having a 10-day old Chihuahua puppy lined up for my mom, a female, who had been born sometime around the bust and wasn't available for adoption yet. I had to swear secrecy.
Then, my mom asked me on the phone if my dad had said anything to me about a puppy. I played dumb and found out he'd told her, and she wasn't sure if he was pulling her chain, or both of our chains or what (he jokes around a lot).
And yesterday, my dad brought home a puppy. It wasn't the wee one they were signed up to get. Instead, it's a six-month-old male, short hair. He gets really stressed out because Sophie is a big brute and smacks him around (yay, a new toy), and Leo tried to bite his head off when they first met (two males can be problematic--that's why they wanted another female). He also has never been outside before.
What I have heard about the conditions is that the dogs were stuffed into cages and the cages were stacked on top of each other in RVs. The proprietors would pour dog food into the top cages, and if anything fell down to the lower cages then those dogs got to eat. There was also no newspaper or bottom to the cages, so the dogs were going to the bathroom on the ones below them. They never saw the light of day, never went outside.
And now, I guess many of the people who adopted the dogs that first day are taking them back to the pound because they don't "act like normal dogs." Well, duh. They've been abused. I think that's so terrible, and people are so stupid and impatient when it comes to pets. But another thing I've heard is that people are buying up bunches of the dogs, basically repeating the cycle of hoarding them, and trying to sell them on eBay for big prices. Isn't that just the most horrible and absurd thing you've ever heard? I can't believe anyone would treat a poor, abused animal like that (not that I can believe how anyone could abuse an animal, in the first place).
My parents' puppy is 2.5 pounds. He's a miniature chihuahua, and he's still about a half-pound underweight. They haven't neutered him yet because he's still too malnourished to go under the knife. The vet who cared for him before she gave him to my dad said she was able to put 1.5 pounds on him herself. My mom says he gets really stressed when they go outside, because it's bright and there are new sounds. They're not sure how it's going to work with an enormous puppy swatting at him and two old, cranky dogs snapping at him, but we're really hoping the puppy works out because he's already been moved from an abusive kennel to the pound to the vet to my parents, and that's a lot of stress for a tiny, bewildered creature.
My parents haven't named him yet, just in case they think it's not going to work, but my mom wants to give him a "big" name, like Thor or Brutus or something. She says my dad, on the other hand, is thinking more in terms of his Italianate roots and wants to name the puppy Giuseppe, Guido or Salvatore or something silly like that.
We'll see how it goes. When I see him, I'll post a picture. He sounds cute (blonde, with a white ring around his neck, and teensy).
19.3.08
Cafeteria = Good ??
Reasons why a (free) cafeteria in the workplace is a good idea.
My personal observations at the College of Pharmacy:
-Medication Therapy Management Center workers come in with McDonalds coffee and breakfast in the morning.
-They eat lunch at McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc.
-They do this every day, sometime going out a third time for milk shakes.
-Then they complain about getting fat.
Yesterday we had a pizza party at work. Today we're having a (homemade) pasta party.
-Everyone partakes of the free food.
-It's healthier than the crap they'd be paying for outside.
-They'll have less reason to complain.
If you opened a company funded cafeteria (anywhere), and made sure the food was super tasty (and healthy), I bet your employees would eat there most of the time. And enjoy it. And be thankful. And it would be so worth it.
Then we wouldn't have to have these companies going out and making it mandatory for insurance purposes to have all their employees visiting a gym every day. American obesity would decline. And people would stop complaining.
Yeah, it would cost money. But so does forcing a workout plan on overworked people who don't have the time or desire to go to the gym. And then having to fire them and hire new people because the workout plan isn't working.
Oh, America.
My personal observations at the College of Pharmacy:
-Medication Therapy Management Center workers come in with McDonalds coffee and breakfast in the morning.
-They eat lunch at McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc.
-They do this every day, sometime going out a third time for milk shakes.
-Then they complain about getting fat.
Yesterday we had a pizza party at work. Today we're having a (homemade) pasta party.
-Everyone partakes of the free food.
-It's healthier than the crap they'd be paying for outside.
-They'll have less reason to complain.
If you opened a company funded cafeteria (anywhere), and made sure the food was super tasty (and healthy), I bet your employees would eat there most of the time. And enjoy it. And be thankful. And it would be so worth it.
Then we wouldn't have to have these companies going out and making it mandatory for insurance purposes to have all their employees visiting a gym every day. American obesity would decline. And people would stop complaining.
Yeah, it would cost money. But so does forcing a workout plan on overworked people who don't have the time or desire to go to the gym. And then having to fire them and hire new people because the workout plan isn't working.
Oh, America.
18.3.08
Employers are missing something
My boss left an interest press release on my desk today as an FYI.
The release came from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and was titled, "Multiple Choice Tests and Institutional Assessments Judged Ineffective by Employers Looking for Improvements in College Learning."
A lot of the release is pretty basic, and says things we all (should) have known for years: not everyone does well on multiple choices. Employers have decided test scores and college transcripts aren't that important as they decide whether or not to hire a candidate. The methods colleges use to measure "institutional knowledge," or how well all students at a college have learned the same curriculum, don't actually tell that much about the level of education an individual student receives.
It's good colleges are acknowledging this.
But I have a beef with employers.
OK, a 3.6 GPA isn't going to tell you exactly everything you need to know about a potential employee. But I think there is a lot of value to the letters and numbers on a transcript.
If you get an applicant who seems really motivated and has lots of great ideas and recommendations, that's good. But what if he has a 1.9 GPA? What does that tell you about how motivated he was to go to his classes and excel in coursework that attempted to prepare him to work for you? Was he perhaps just as motivated when he got to college, but decided it was too much work? I think a transcript can open up a lot of potential questions like these, and they're important questions.
If I were hiring college grads, I'd want to know why there are deficiencies in their schoolwork. Why would you do anything you can't excel at? (That's my personal philosophy: don't do anything you can't do well.) And if you're bad at something that's preparing you for a future job, why would I believe you'd be any better at the job than you were at preparatory coursework?
There is a good amount of importance to the transcript. You just need to think critically when you look at it.
Other interesting points from the release:
The data the release was written about came from the Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) initiative, and can be found online in a report, "College Learning for the New Global Century", if you have any desire to read it.
The release came from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and was titled, "Multiple Choice Tests and Institutional Assessments Judged Ineffective by Employers Looking for Improvements in College Learning."
A lot of the release is pretty basic, and says things we all (should) have known for years: not everyone does well on multiple choices. Employers have decided test scores and college transcripts aren't that important as they decide whether or not to hire a candidate. The methods colleges use to measure "institutional knowledge," or how well all students at a college have learned the same curriculum, don't actually tell that much about the level of education an individual student receives.
It's good colleges are acknowledging this.
But I have a beef with employers.
Employers find college transcripts of limited use in evaluating college graduates' potential to succeed in the workplace. Only 13% of employers find transcripts very useful. Sixty-seven percent find transcripts just somewhat or not useful.
OK, a 3.6 GPA isn't going to tell you exactly everything you need to know about a potential employee. But I think there is a lot of value to the letters and numbers on a transcript.
If you get an applicant who seems really motivated and has lots of great ideas and recommendations, that's good. But what if he has a 1.9 GPA? What does that tell you about how motivated he was to go to his classes and excel in coursework that attempted to prepare him to work for you? Was he perhaps just as motivated when he got to college, but decided it was too much work? I think a transcript can open up a lot of potential questions like these, and they're important questions.
If I were hiring college grads, I'd want to know why there are deficiencies in their schoolwork. Why would you do anything you can't excel at? (That's my personal philosophy: don't do anything you can't do well.) And if you're bad at something that's preparing you for a future job, why would I believe you'd be any better at the job than you were at preparatory coursework?
There is a good amount of importance to the transcript. You just need to think critically when you look at it.
Other interesting points from the release:
A majority of employers (57 percent) think that half or fewer college graduates have the full set of skills and knowledge needed for advancement in today's workplace.
Employers prefer assessments that require students to demonstrate depth of knowledge and advanced capacities in problem-solving, writing, and analytic reasoning. They believe that multiple choice tests and assessments that evaluate institutions rather than individual students are the wrong choices for assessment and accountability in higher education.
The data the release was written about came from the Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) initiative, and can be found online in a report, "College Learning for the New Global Century", if you have any desire to read it.
17.3.08
Just suck it up
So the other night I did something that went against the grain.
I sang while we were playing RockBand.
I don't normally sing unless I'm alone and in my car. I abstain at all costs because of a traumatic experience my freshman year when I was trying out to sing in one of the UA choirs (the director's response: "Ugh, we'll put you in the uh, Community Choir" + big frown = not good). I never thought I was a fantastic singer, although I was proud to make it into my high school's show choir one year--which I didn't end up joining because it conflicted with my Honors English course (yeah, nerd).
So for months of RockBand play I stuck to only the guitar (which I'm OK at) and the drums (which I'm better at) and nothing more. I'm actually not sure why I never tried bass, to think about it.
So I decided to sing on Saturday night. And I did pretty well on the easy songs (99 percent on first try, Weezer). But then it got worse as the evening went on and they threw me to the hard songs (Orange Crush from R.E.M. is fricking awful/impossible).
Why did I do it? Why did I bend the rules of my being?
To prepare for my harp recital, which is coming up on March 29.
I don't know why, but there's something about stepping out of your comfort zone that makes other parts of life seem less scary. So try it sometime. I bet you won't regret it.
I sang while we were playing RockBand.
I don't normally sing unless I'm alone and in my car. I abstain at all costs because of a traumatic experience my freshman year when I was trying out to sing in one of the UA choirs (the director's response: "Ugh, we'll put you in the uh, Community Choir" + big frown = not good). I never thought I was a fantastic singer, although I was proud to make it into my high school's show choir one year--which I didn't end up joining because it conflicted with my Honors English course (yeah, nerd).
So for months of RockBand play I stuck to only the guitar (which I'm OK at) and the drums (which I'm better at) and nothing more. I'm actually not sure why I never tried bass, to think about it.
So I decided to sing on Saturday night. And I did pretty well on the easy songs (99 percent on first try, Weezer). But then it got worse as the evening went on and they threw me to the hard songs (Orange Crush from R.E.M. is fricking awful/impossible).
Why did I do it? Why did I bend the rules of my being?
To prepare for my harp recital, which is coming up on March 29.
I don't know why, but there's something about stepping out of your comfort zone that makes other parts of life seem less scary. So try it sometime. I bet you won't regret it.
16.3.08
Eating Out
This rarely happens. I swear. And when it does (which it hasn't in at least four years), I normally end up feeling very sick.
That's right. I ate out four days in a row. And then one more time.
How is this possible for someone who tries not to go out for food in general (it's expensive and I have no control over the kitchen...and fast food nauseates me)? But it's easy: you get started, and then your friends can't stop. And you're stuck on the band wagon with them.
Here follows the epic saga with a brief synopsis of the week in food--and how I survived.
Monday: Hungry Howie's
The only reason I ate here was because Ian wanted wings and the Wing Stop is next door. Not that I dislike Hungry Howie's--their pizza is actually pretty good. But the thing that really drew me in was the Howie Bread. It's delicious, comes in small pieces so you feel less guilty about eating them until you realize you've eaten half the box, and it's...tasty. The pizza itself is pretty basic, cheese of course, with garlic herb crust. Not recommended for leftovers--the cheese and sauce get nasty after they've been in the fridge. Howie Bread on the other hand, excellent for a week afterwards. Especially with ranch dressing.
Tuesday: Sushi Ten
Cheaper than Takamatsu but with a similar selection. I used to love going here (all of twice, albeit) because for $9 you could get edamame, a salad (requested vegetarian of course), California rolls, soup, tea and a huge entree. Since new owners took over, the great deals have gone away and I decided to stick with sushi this time around. I got the avocado roll and veggie roll. Both came with eight pieces, but they were teeny-weenie little pieces. Yes, cheaper than Takamatsu, but also much less food for the price. I guess that means the sushi is easier to eat with chopsticks for those who are new at it (as I'll admit I was about a year ago).
Wednesday: Rocco's Little Chicago
As I've said in a previous post, the food is good. We went for Wednesday night wings, which I can't eat. So I got a deep dish 9-inch cheese pizza. It was good. I ate two-thirds of it, and it was huge. And soooo good.
Thursday: Zona 78
The first time I ate here, three long years ago, I had a salad. I'm not sure what I was thinking--the pizza crust is delicious. I met an old pal for pizza and wine. We both had margherita pizzas. It wasn't quite what I was expecting--instead of chopped tomato covering the cheese, there were whole slices of tomato. Still tasty, though. Natalie ordered a pinot noir and I ordered a shiraz. Everyone seemed happy with their choice. We also finished off the meal with an apple tart with vanilla gelato. Split two ways it was just enough, and quite invigorating to the tastebuds--crispy, soft, cold, hot, sweet, spicy. Yum.
Saturday: Ted's Country Store and Brooklyn Pizza
For a late lunch/early dinner Ian took me to this new place on Glenn we discovered. A bit pricey, but convenient by bicycle. I had the vegeterian club--it was basically a mass of sprouts and chopped carrots sandwiched into three pieces of a very light rye. There was a slice of cheese somewhere on the bottom, next to the cucumbers and mayonnaise. There could have been more cheese. It was refreshing, though.
And then, at the RockBand party of the evening, I had pizza for the fourth time in one week. Eeee. But it was surprisingly good for a fourth time in one week. Just nothing extraordinary to note. It was cheese, it was hot. Rocco's was definitely better.
I am now set on cooking for myself, as is my usual habit, for the next five months to make up for all the past week's eating out. After we eat at the Melting Pot tomorrow, anyway.
That's right. I ate out four days in a row. And then one more time.
How is this possible for someone who tries not to go out for food in general (it's expensive and I have no control over the kitchen...and fast food nauseates me)? But it's easy: you get started, and then your friends can't stop. And you're stuck on the band wagon with them.
Here follows the epic saga with a brief synopsis of the week in food--and how I survived.
Monday: Hungry Howie's
The only reason I ate here was because Ian wanted wings and the Wing Stop is next door. Not that I dislike Hungry Howie's--their pizza is actually pretty good. But the thing that really drew me in was the Howie Bread. It's delicious, comes in small pieces so you feel less guilty about eating them until you realize you've eaten half the box, and it's...tasty. The pizza itself is pretty basic, cheese of course, with garlic herb crust. Not recommended for leftovers--the cheese and sauce get nasty after they've been in the fridge. Howie Bread on the other hand, excellent for a week afterwards. Especially with ranch dressing.
Tuesday: Sushi Ten
Cheaper than Takamatsu but with a similar selection. I used to love going here (all of twice, albeit) because for $9 you could get edamame, a salad (requested vegetarian of course), California rolls, soup, tea and a huge entree. Since new owners took over, the great deals have gone away and I decided to stick with sushi this time around. I got the avocado roll and veggie roll. Both came with eight pieces, but they were teeny-weenie little pieces. Yes, cheaper than Takamatsu, but also much less food for the price. I guess that means the sushi is easier to eat with chopsticks for those who are new at it (as I'll admit I was about a year ago).
Wednesday: Rocco's Little Chicago
As I've said in a previous post, the food is good. We went for Wednesday night wings, which I can't eat. So I got a deep dish 9-inch cheese pizza. It was good. I ate two-thirds of it, and it was huge. And soooo good.
Thursday: Zona 78
The first time I ate here, three long years ago, I had a salad. I'm not sure what I was thinking--the pizza crust is delicious. I met an old pal for pizza and wine. We both had margherita pizzas. It wasn't quite what I was expecting--instead of chopped tomato covering the cheese, there were whole slices of tomato. Still tasty, though. Natalie ordered a pinot noir and I ordered a shiraz. Everyone seemed happy with their choice. We also finished off the meal with an apple tart with vanilla gelato. Split two ways it was just enough, and quite invigorating to the tastebuds--crispy, soft, cold, hot, sweet, spicy. Yum.
Saturday: Ted's Country Store and Brooklyn Pizza
For a late lunch/early dinner Ian took me to this new place on Glenn we discovered. A bit pricey, but convenient by bicycle. I had the vegeterian club--it was basically a mass of sprouts and chopped carrots sandwiched into three pieces of a very light rye. There was a slice of cheese somewhere on the bottom, next to the cucumbers and mayonnaise. There could have been more cheese. It was refreshing, though.
And then, at the RockBand party of the evening, I had pizza for the fourth time in one week. Eeee. But it was surprisingly good for a fourth time in one week. Just nothing extraordinary to note. It was cheese, it was hot. Rocco's was definitely better.
I am now set on cooking for myself, as is my usual habit, for the next five months to make up for all the past week's eating out. After we eat at the Melting Pot tomorrow, anyway.
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