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If you happen to live near an IKEA, they have some great deals this weekend. I picked up a chair this morning for $39 (see attached pic)! And today, Sunday and Monday they are giving away free breakfasts. Got one of those, too. 🙂
Philip, it sounds like things are looking up! I’m glad to hear it. We all go through peaks and valleys in our life’s journey, and I’m glad you had friends to help you through that low point.
Heather, what you said about technology enabling support is so true. In my day job, I work on a knowledge management system. We have a saying that “it’s not about the tool.” It’s a reminder that ultimately it’s not about software or technology, but connecting people to people. And that, ultimately, is what we’re about here.
Hey everyone! Just a quick update: I’m exhausted!
I’ve got all my stuff moved in. My dog is VERY happy that she can come inside. I’ve been cleaning and unpacking and getting things setup. I just got my desk setup and thought I’d test it out (it works, obviously).
There is still a lot of cleaning to do, cleaning out the kitchen cabinets and getting all the dust out of the closets. And I keep thinking of little things that I need (light bulbs, something missing in the pantry, etc.). But I’m pretty much burned out for the day, so I’ll pick it up again Sunday morning.
Some friends stopped by this afternoon with lunch and a housewarming gift (a sign that points towards the beach). And my daughter called to say she’s thinking of stopping by for a visit next Monday and staying overnight.
I still have to find a way to pick up the headboard and bed frame and my BBQ, but that may have to wait a week.
And finally, yes, I did say PARTY! 🙂
Hey everyone! Just to let you know, the move has been less than stellar thus far. Things have not gone as planned. The biggest shocker came when I got the rental agency to pickup the truck and realized that my drivers license had expired! So basically I’ve been driving with an expired license since the end of March.
The guy at Enterprise dropped me off at the DMV near their office to sort it out. I hadn’t even thought about it because back at the end of January I got a notice from the DMV saying because of my good driving record, I could renew online, so I did. I’ve been so busy with “life” since that time that it didn’t hit me that I had never received my new license until I went to hand my current (expired) license to the agent at Enterprise.
Ok, no problem, I thought. It probably got sent to the wrong address (I’ve moved around a bit in the last couple years). So after waiting in the horrendous DMV lines, I find out that California won’t give me my license renewal (that they gladly took my money for a couple months ago because of my good driving record) because Arizona had a “hold” on my license.
Ahhh… now I remember the speeding ticket I got almost two years ago on my way to the Grand Canyon. Ok, so can I pay whatever fine is involved and be on my way? “No sir, but here is the phone number for the Arizona DMV…”
And so I’m standing outside the DMV, on hold with the Arizona DMV for over 30 minutes. My cell phone battery is getting dangerously low in a contest to see if they’ll answer before the phone dies.
Finally, an answer! “Sorry, you’ll need to call the William’s County Justice Department, pay the fine with them, have them fax us the information, and then call us NEXT WEDNESDAY and we can release the hold on your license. If the won’t fax it to us (they might not), it’ll have to go by mail and the process will take about a month.”
Great.
So the good folks at Enterprise rental car gave me a ride back to my “old” home, where I starting devising Plan B. I can’t borrow a truck because my license isn’t good. I called the friend who was scheduled to help me move this afternoon and told him what was going on. He offered to rent the truck, but unfortunately, it wasn’t as simple as moving things from one place. I have a mattress and box springs to pick up from one city, a bed frame from another, my current home to load as well as my storage unit which is in yet another city. And then I still have some stuff back at my house in Murrieta. I wasn’t going to ask any friend to drive me all over the place — it was too much.
So I turned to Craigslist and found a mover who is sending one guy with a truck over Saturday morning. He’s going to help me resolve three of the five pick-ups I’ve got — the storage unit, my current home and the mattress and box springs — all for $200 (more than the truck rental would’ve been, but I’ll end up with some professional help).
I still need to figure out how to pick-up the bed frame, but I’m hoping I can get a friend with a larger vehicle to help me out with that one. And the BBQ and other miscellaneous stuff that’s still out in Murrieta (65 miles away) will just have to wait.
The good news is that I did get a hold of the Williams Justice Department and was able to pay off that two year old ticket I had forgotten about on their web site. They said they would fax the info over to the Arizona DMV on Monday, and I should be able to call them on Thursday and get the hold released. Then I just need to go back to the California DMV and get my new license. And THEN, maybe I’ll rent a pick-up truck to get the BBQ.
Phew! I need a cold drink!
The good news is that Plan B is working out. I’m sitting in the living room of the new place writing this, and getting ready to close up the windows and head back to the “old” place for the night.
Thanks to everyone for the wishes. It hasn’t gone exactly as I’d planned, but it’s all coming together.
Anyone up for a Big Blue Beach party this summer? 🙂
The weather is supposed to be awesome this weekend, although it almost always is here. 🙂
And the internet is up and running at the new place. I’m replying from the new connection! The cable is on the wrong side of the room, but I can deal with that. Now to start moving stuff in! (priorities…).
@Nessa 238414 wrote:
Well per you I’m a cheap bastard. 🙂
*I* am the original cheap bastard. Trust me. 🙂
Nessa, since you brought it up, I think there are cultural norms. Servers in the U.S. generally get paid minimum wage plus tips. In many places in the country, minimum wage isn’t enough to live off even if you worked 40 hours a week (which is unusual in the restaurant business).
So why do people accept the work for minimum wage? Because the cultural norm is that people will tip. When I was young, 10% was the norm. Over time, that’s grown to 15% or even 20% for exceptional service.
In many other countries, the cultural norm is entirely different. In much of Europe, you do not tip at all, or if you do, it’s simply to “round up” to the nearest Euro. But the servers there are paid enough to live without the tips. It’s just a different system.
In the U.S., it’s further complicated by the fact that your server is expected to “tip out” to the bus boy, the bartender, or even other servers (often they cover for each other or help with large parties). And on top of that, their employer actually withholds income tax — not based on their actual tips earned — but based on 15% of their gross receipts (or the actual tip, in the case of a credit card charge). For cash transactions with a lower (or no) tip, they end up hurting as a result. Their minimum wage paycheck includes withholding for taxes on tips they didn’t even get!
All that being said, I don’t tip at coffee shops (well, rarely anyway). I don’t tip at places where you order your food at a counter (even if they do deliver the tray to your table). I only tip at “full service” restaurants where you sit down and they take your order.
Full disclosure: my daughter currently makes her living as a server, and one of my sons works at a well-known coffee chain.
Posted to front page: Share your location with Google Talk and Latitude | BigBlueBall
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The Adam Carolla Podcast. Got hooked on Carolla when he was on mornings on KLSX. Even better on the podcast.
@Tigerblade 238310 wrote:
That’s one of those things that has always confused me. I know a few people who have never seen a single Star Trek episode or movie, have never seen a Star Wars movie (any of them), etc. I mean, I get that not everyone is into movies like I am, but… isn’t that part of just growing up? Part of the American cultural experience (maybe for other countries too, but I can’t speak for anything other than America)?[/quote]Right on! Who hasn’t heard of Captain Kirk or Spock or Scotty? It’s part of our culture, whether you were into it or not, you had to absorb some of that by osmosis.
@Tigerblade 238310 wrote:
As for the movie… I thought it was okay. Great action sequences, pretty good writing, but… the plot was a little contrived for my tastes.[/quote]You’re starting to sound like the Trekkies in the Onion report…. 😉
@Tigerblade 238310 wrote:
Also, does JJ Abrams have some sort of fetish for lens flares? Geez.
Leo Laporte said the same thing on his radio show yesterday, but I honestly didn’t notice it at all. Most only effect old people. :p
I usually tip 15-20%. For deliveries, I may adjust a bit. I agree with Tigerblade that $2 tip on an $8 purchase is generous for a delivery guy. I might feel differently if I was the delivery guy. 🙂
Nice review!
Out of curiosity, what did you do with your G1? I thought the G1 was supposed to be the iPhone killer?
As for Gmail, I know it’s a matter of personal taste but I LOVE the message threading. It makes so much sense (to me, anyways).
As for the IM clients, I’m there are alternate IM clients that would use the data network instead of SMS. IM is such a personal thing. Some people prefer SMS for IM messaging, others like an all-in-one client, etc. It makes sense to just download and use what fits your style.
I know you really didn’t get into the third-party apps, but what did you think of Android overall? Eventually there will be other (better?) devices available with Android besides the G1, but if Android sucks out the gates, it doesn’t much matter.
Any impressions on Android overall?
Great suggestion, patndoris!
I added a “trillian_minibar” bbcode. You can specify the color theme as a parameter.
[HTML][trillian_minibar=platinum]astragirl[/trillian_minibar][/HTML]
Replace “platinum” with the color theme you want to use and “astragirl” with your Trillian Astra ID and you can insert in your signature.
[trillian_minibar=blue]bigblueball[/trillian_minibar]
