Inspired by $4.29/gallon

I was recently exploring the Web 2.0 directory when I discovered a budgeting site that I thought might be of good use, especially in light of the insane gas prices.

No, the website won’t pay for your gas, or even discount your gas.  But, it will help you figure out just how much you’re spending on gas (and everything else).  It’s called Budget Pulse. 

The site describes itself as a “simple application to track finances and payment obligations.”

The application is, in fact, quite simple to use.  They use big icons and keep the navigation fairly simple.  The dashboard is easy to digest, as well.  It shows me my upcoming expenses (not so digestable, I know), plus it identifies how I’m doing with regard to my overall budget.  My account balances are always displayed on the left hand side of the page, below the secondary navigation.

But, the layout isn’t the only thing worth mentioning.  The site also allows you to import and/or export your data via Excel or CSV (very convenient).  Plus, you can look at a monthly calendar with all of your data on it, which makes for a nice top-level view of things.  The site also includes news from the major search engines if you’re into browsing financial related stuff.

There are still plenty of features I haven’t yet explored.  For example, it looks like I can invite others to Budget Pulse.  But, I don’t believe there is any social aspect to it.  At least I hope there’s not.  As much as I love my online friends, they don’t need to know my account balances.

Also, one reviewer of Budget Pulse was quoted as saying he liked the RSS option.  Now, perhaps I’m blind, but I can’t seem to find that option.  This would be a great feature, if added.  I could be notified about my upcoming expenses, or if my account balance was dangerously low.

But, even without the notifications, I still like the site.  I recommend you check it out.  You may be surprised to find out just where your dollars are going (not just to Exxon).

 

 

Exploiting Fear

You know, I was watching TV the other day and an ad came on that totally disappointed me. I understand that It’s not anything new to see commercials that play to the fears of its audience. For years, the insurance industry has fed worst-case scenarios to the masses. The pharmaceutical industry has taken advantage of the elderly. The diet industry fibs to fat people. This type of advertising is effective. I get it.

But, it doesn’t make it right.

And, I’m not the only one that thinks this way. Today, I read an article that said essentially the same thing. It also discussed the negative effects this type of advertising can have on a brand. Interesting stuff. Plus, it included the lovely video I’ve posted below.

So in efforts to fight the unethical world of advertising…

Memorial Day Madness

So, I’ve made a discovery. It’s likely to become an obsession. And it was all prompted this past Memorial Day weekend.

This past weekend I went up to visit my sister. Whenever I visit my sister I can count on two things happening. Number one, I’ll have plenty of cereal choices in the morning. And number two, I’ll be reminded that my body is NOT in the shape that it once was.

This last trip did not disappoint. We walked, we jogged, we sprinted, we played basketball, we played tennis. And, I ate crunchy cheerios for breakfast. By the time the weekend was over, I was sore and bloated.

But, all that soreness sparked motivation from deep within (well, that may just be my little muscles cramping). I’ve decided that I need to get back in shape.

But, I need help. Accountability is critical to the process. So, I decided to look to the Internet for help. After all, it is filled with social networks of people who are willing to hold each other accountable. My discovery was gyminee.com.

The website is pretty cool. You can find workout programs or create your own. You can log nutrition intake for the day (it also has recipes and meal planning). You can weigh in and track goals. You can have buddies. And that’s just scratching the surface.

Right now, I’m earning a “B” in exercise. I’ve exercised four times this week (but, I set up some very unrealistic goals for myself). And, I have an “F” in nutrition. Apparently, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at lunch are not the ideal way to loose weight.

Have I convinced you to join? If you do, let me know and we’ll become GymBuddies. I don’t really know what that means yet…cause I don’t have any GymBuddies. But, I’m told GymBuddies help members stay motivated. Buddies can view exercise and nutrition progress, post in your journal and/or send private motivational messages.

How great is that??

Yes, I was a tomboy.

So, I was watching 30 Rock a couple weeks ago and I was reminded of my childhood. One of the characters had a toy car in her mouth. She pulled it out, looked at it and stuck it back in. No, I didn’t used to eat toy cars. Yes, it was a very strange scene, but that’s not the point.

It reminded me of some of my favorite toys growing up. I think it was Hot Wheels that had the cars that changed colors in warm or cold water.

I was also reminded of the toy cars that came in the Honeycomb cereal box. Whenever we would go to the store and get new cereal, that next morning was a race to breakfast between my brother, sister and myself. I used to get so mad at Sarah because she could sleep until 2PM if Mom would let her and yet, if there was a toy in the cereal box to be claimed, she would be up before the sun.

I also got to thinking about other toys that I loved growing up. In doing so, I was reminded that yes, I was a tomboy. For example, for Christmas or birthdays it was a pretty safe bet that I would be receiving some sort of sports-related item.

I was also obsessed with NFL Starting Lineups. When I was in third grade I had a double hernia operation. I remember my sister giving me an Ickey Woods starting lineup as a get well present. And yes, I still know the “Ickey Shuffle.”

The first Christmas that we (as in us kids) bought Christmas gifts for each other, Sarah bought me a turbo football (and a very lovely watch that had changeable colored rings).

I had some other key indicators that I was a tomboy. I was against brushing my hair, for example. I also hated wearing tights.

Thankfully, I’m no longer anti-hair brushing. But, I still have an obsession with the NFL. I love my fantasy football. I also still participate in my fair share of sports. But don’t worry Mom, I try to find balance by painting my nails and wearing lots of pink.

Men in Dresses

It’s not everyday that I have men willing to pay me to wear women’s clothing.

That’s right. Last Saturday, hundreds of men (well, 80 to be exact) eagerly adorned themselves with some of the most hideous ladies’ apparel I’ve ever seen. And liked it. Why?

Well…I’ll tell you…

I volunteered at a fund raising event to raise money for breast cancer research at Shawnee Golf Course. It was a golf scramble, followed by a raffle and then an auction during dinner. For the scramble, I, along with two other friends, was comfortably seated at the 4th tee.

As groups played the hole, we would request their participation in our raffle. All they had to do was pay us $5.00 and they would have their name entered into a drawing for a set of Maxfli irons that had been generously donated. Oh and they had to dress up like women and get their picture taken. But, they would also get to hit from the ladies’ tee.

Before we began, I didn’t really know what to expect. The first group of four refused to dress up. Only two guys from the second group dressed up. And while the two in dresses tee’d off from the ladies tee, the two other men yelled highly inappropriate things (like va-j-j) at them. I was completely offended and was beginning to dread the rest of the day.

The next group was a young group of guys who turned out to be more than eager to throw on a frock or two, feather boas and Kentucky Derby hats of the 1950s. They posed for their picture, hit from the ladies’ tee and were on their way.

From that point on, the majority of groups participated. It may have helped that the later it got in the day, also meant more beer had been consumed.

I’ve got to say, it was really fun to see how men reacted/behaved when dressed in pink or leopard print. As you can imagine, some were crass, others were a bit rude and some were just plain funny.

One gentleman looked at me after using my shoulder to balance his weight in order to pull up his mini-skirt over his jeans and said, “my balls are showing.” And yes, as it turned out, you could see both of the golf balls he had in his pocket, underneath his mini-skirt. At least he had immediate remorse and apologized for his joke. He would fall under the “crass” category.

Other guys hit on each other. Some even asked if they could keep the dress.

All in all, it was pretty entertaining. Five hours of men paying me to humiliate themselves just can’t be beat. Our raffle ended up raising $400.00. I’m not sure what the entire event brought in, but no matter what, I would consider it a success.

Grass Cutting

So, I moved in on Labor Day weekend (Friday, to be exact) this last year. It was also in September that I purchased a lawn mower. I even bought gas. BUT, I didn’t cut my grass.

The grass in the front yard wasn’t that bad. This is because most of it’s dead. No, I didn’t kill it. My yard is shaped in such a way that it collects water. So, with all the rain we had this year, you can imagine what my front yard looked like. Let’s just say it’s very mossy.

My backyard, on the other hand, is lush and tropical. So, it was quite tall.

Last Saturday, I decided it was time. I went out to my garage, walked over to the lawn mower and made up my mind to tackle the project. First on the list was getting the thing ready.

I began by pouring gasoline into it. That was easy enough. Then I had to add oil. I pulled out the little dip stick thing and saw that it was way below the line. So, I poured in the oil…waited a while…and measured again. Still not enough. So, I poured in the oil…waited a while…and measured again. Still not enough. This went on for a while, but I eventually managed to pour enough oil into the machine.

My next hurdle was choosing between bagging or mulching (I guess that’s the word). I was leaning toward the bagless option, but I couldn’t figure out how to put on the side shoot thing. So, I decided to bag it.

The mower was ready.

So, I opened my garage and wheeled the thing out. Now I was ready to start it. I remembered that there was a primer button on the thing (I had read the manual last September). So, I searched for it and found the button. It had a nice little sticker by it telling me what to do. I pushed it firmly for one second and released. I had to do this three times. I then went to pull the start cord.

The thing didn’t budge. I thought, oh great. I tried the primer button again. Then pulled the cord. No luck. That thing wasn’t moving.

So, I went inside to see if I could find the manual. I looked everywhere. Nope. Couldn’t find it.

I went back outside to again try to start the thing. No luck. By this point I wondered what my neighbors were thinking. I again went back inside, leaving my mower in the front lawn.

By this time I was upset. I decided to see if I could find the operator’s manual online. So, I went upstairs to my computer and started searching. I had to go back outside two more times to see if I could a. figure out the name of the model and b. find the model number. Thankfully, the mower had lots of stickers on it with all of the necessary information.

I was convinced the neighbors were laughing at me.

Finally, I found the correct manual for my machine. I went to the section on how to start the thing. Apparently, you have to engage the blade by pulling the lever when you go to start the thing. So, I did this and it started quite easily. Victory was mine!

The front yard was easy to mow. Once I finished the front, I moved on to the side yard. The side yard was a piece of cake. And I finished in no time. Then it was time for the back yard.

The grass in the back was so long, I could barely open the gate. But, I opened it and continued with my mowing. I had only mowed a small section of the back when my mower died. I realized what had happened right away. I killed my lawnmower after only 3/4 of a use.

Ok, I didn’t kill it. The grass was too tall and I had clogged the thing. So, I ended up raising it to its highest setting, shaking it violently to get out all the grass and was back to mowing in no time.

I ended up having to mow my back yard twice…once on a very high setting, then on a more normal setting. I filled up four garbage bags worth of grass. But, I finally finished the job.

I don’t think I’ll be mowing this weekend. However, I did read that it’s recommended that you cut your grass twice a week. Haha! No, no. This weekend I’ll be edging. Until next time…

Home Tonight

Just wanted to share some song lyrics with everyone. “Home Tonight” is a song done by Chris Rice. I think everyone can relate to it in some way or form. It is sort of a modern take on the Prodigal Son. I think there are moments in our lives when we stop and realize we’re not living how we should be living. However, we can be hopeful. We will always be welcomed home (no matter where we’ve been)!

I’ve come to my senses
How did I get so far from home
The lies dissipating
Revealing I’m so alone
And I remember now how strong love can be
And I wonder how did I ever leave

Burn your fire on the altar
Leave a candle on the porch
I’m still too far away to see it
But I’m aching for its warmth
And I’m so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside
So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, ‘cause I’m comin’ home tonight

This isn’t the first time
I’ve wandered away from home before
You’d have every reason
To slam and dead-bolt the door
But I remember now how strong your love can be
And I wonder how you might welcome me

Burn your fire on the altar
Leave a candle on the porch
I’m still too far away to see it
But I’m aching for its warmth
And I’m so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside
So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, ‘cause I’m comin’ home tonight

Into your arms, to my back yard
Where I used to play
How I miss the days…

So burn your fire on the altar
Leave a candle on the porch
I’m still too far away to see it
But I’m aching for its warmth
And I’m so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside
So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, ‘cause I’m comin’ home tonight

Southern Adventures

So, a few weeks back it was snowing and cold in Louisville, Kentucky. That was about the time a couple of friends and I decided it was time to visit the great state of Florida.

The plan was to leave on a Wednesday night after work. We would pack up our things and drive through the night. Now, when I say “we”, I really mean everyone, but me. Our arrival time would be the following Thursday morning. We would have Thursday, Friday and Saturday on the beach. And we would head back Sunday. Sounds pretty perfect, right?

Well, nothing is ever “perfect”…so as you can expect, we faced a few challenges. We left after work on Wednesday around 7:30PM. Once we had been on the road for a while we decided to stop and grab some dinner. Naturally, we opted for something light (preparing for our bathing suit attire)…so we ate at Taco Bell. I ate a giant burrito. Okay, so when I say “light”, I really mean hydrogenated oil-soaked goodness.

After dinner, I did my best to stay awake. But, I had the whole back seat to myself. It wasn’t long before I found myself drifting off to sleep. “Drifting off to sleep” sounds so peaceful. Sleeping in the car is never peaceful. Let’s just say, I had a forehead print on the window that I was propped up against. Guess we hit a pot hole.

Anyway, the ride down was smooth…well except for breaking down in Nowhere Florida (aka Jasper). Thankfully, one of my friend’s had AAA. Bobby Joe (for anonymity sake) with Dennis’ Garage came and towed the car. Yes, we had to be towed like 30 miles down the road. It’s amazing to think about the conversation we had while riding with Bobby. He couldn’t have been a nicer guy…aside from pulling a shotgun on his neighbor. But there was good reason for that…his neighbor was insisting he cut his (not the neighbor’s) grass. Wouldn’t you pull out a shotgun?

Anyway, we made it to Lake City, Florida. Most of our Thursday morning was spent at Kings Tire. But, hey, the sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. AND, they had GREAT coffee. It sounds strange, I know. But, I had a good time.

We eventually made it to St. Petersburg. Once we were there and settled into our hotel rooms, we decided to get something eat. We spotted an IHOP and again partook in a “light” meal. After food, we returned to the hotel and lounged around the pool for the rest of the day. Did I mention the weather was beautiful? Cause it was.

On Friday morning, we ran some errands at Target. I had to get some sun screen. I picked up SPF 75 and was immediately made fun of…so I opted for the SPF 50 (peer pressure). We ate lunch at Panera (half a sandwich and a giant smoothie…don’t worry I think it was with low-fat ice cream). We stopped for gas, broke down again, got towed to a dealership, rented a killer Honda Accord and were on our way to the beach.

The next two days were filled with lounging, burning, beach soccer and football, eating, more burning, jet skiing, Uno playing, sleeping and burning. It was great!! The burning actually wasn’t all that bad. Thanks to my SPF 50, I didn’t even blister. However, I did have one slight glitch. Apparently, my armpits did not get the necessary sunscreen coverage. So, yes, I burnt my armpits. Thankfully, I brought my aloe vera gel with me and applied such gel to my armpits twice a day.

Now my armpits are tan…I look like I have dirty armpits. Oh well. At least I have tan lines. Haha!

We drove back all day Sunday and I didn’t sleep a wink. Of course I regretted that choice come Monday afternoon when I was about to fall asleep at my desk. But, that’s okay. We had gotten in around 1AM (BTW, the car was fixed at the dealership).

All in all it was a good time. We certainly hit a few speed bumps along the way, but it helped us appreciate the 80 degree weather, cloudless sky and sandy beach that much more.

Until next time…

Feeling Cultured

My roommate and I seem to like to come up with unique, inexpensive things to do around town. It doesn’t happen very often, but every once in awhile inspiration strikes.

For several weeks we had heard advertisements on the radio for “Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs” that was playing at the IMAX Theater at the Louisville Science Center. Kinda nerdy, I know. But hey, let’s be honest, Egyptian culture is fascinating. Anyway, we decided to go.

Wanting to make an evening of it, we, along with another friend, headed downtown one Saturday. We had intended on going to an early-evening showing of the film, but alas we were late. And unlike the movies at the local cinema, if you’re late to the IMAX, you’re not getting in.

In order to pass the time, we decided to visit some other museums around town. We had three hours to kill, after all. As we drove downtown, we started listing off all of the museums we could think of and almost everything we came up with cost money to get in.

So, I suggested we visit 21C Museum Hotel. It’s free, plus I had never been. For those who have never gone, it’s more like a modern art gallery. Some of the stuff in there was really good, other stuff was a bit too artistic for me, if you know what I mean.

After making our way through the gallery, we decided to visit Proof on Main (also located in the 21C building). We found a spot in the bar area to sit down in, relax and enjoy a beverage.

As soon as we walked in, I noticed the different art pieces on display in the restaurant. Atop the bar was a frightening mythical-like creature that seemed to offer his apple to all who passed by. I can’t imagine the kind of fear that thing would instill in someone after they had a few drinks. The wall directly opposite to where we sat was adorned with boobs. Thankfully my line of site was blocked by customers, tables and wait-staff, so I wasn’t quite as distracted as my friends. The wall to my right was lined with several painted faces. I thought the piece was quite interesting and found myself staring at it throughout the evening. I wondered what it would be like to have my face on a wall for all to see.

After Proof, we made our way over to the Science Center. For those who have never been, outside the center is a giant satellite dish-type of thing that has several individual square reflectors on it. When standing in front of it, looking into it, you see a thousand reflections of yourself. The dish has been there ever since I was a child.

Let me just pause to say a few words about my childhood memories of the Science Center. Every year, when I was in elementary school, we would take a field trip to the Science Center. It was, without a doubt, my favorite field trip of the year. I still remember the feelings of anticipation, the excitement of packing my lunch, the smell of the diesel fueled school bus. Those were the days!

Anyway, I was excited to walk around the Science Center to see what sort of exhibits still remained. The giant pendulum was still there. So was the bubble machine. However, I was pretty disappointed to find out that the sound room was gone. They had this room where you could speak into this hole and you could be heard on the opposite end of the room. It was the coolest thing ever.

They did have some other cool stuff, though. They have an entire section dedicated to brain activity and how we percieve things. For example, our brains often group shapes together to make whole objects. Isn’t that interesting? They also had an area dedicated to nutrition (I passed the quiz with flying colors). Of course my roommate found the exhibit on reproduction. It was just like being in 5th grade again.

The IMAX film was short, yet educational. We learned about Egyptian culture, religion, medicine and a few of the Pharaohs. I thought it was pretty interesting. So did the five hundred kids behind me. Okay, I’m exaggerating. The kids probably didn’t like it.

All in all, it was an enjoyable evening. The tour of the science center, along with the IMAX show only cost $15 a person. Plus, I learned a few things. What’s better than that?

My Childhood is unOfficially Over

Life can be segmented into phases. And, as the years pass by, we can easily identify each phase. First, you have your infancy, followed by your toddler years, then comes your youth (aka childhood), which flows into the teen years and then you conclude with adulthood. And yes, adulthood could be broken down into three additional segments: young adult, middle-aged and senior. But, I’ll leave that alone, for now.

Anyway, these phases are not just identified by age. I think that when certain events occur, we are reminded of the phases we’re currently in, as well as those phases that seemed to have quickly passed us by.

Generally speaking, when you start walking and spouting out the occasional word, you are no longer considered an infant. You are a toddler. Right? Or how about your teens? Not only does 13 - 19 years of age establish this phase, but so does the awkwardness in how you look and behave. You can vote in your late teen years. However, it’s not until adulthood that you actually care. Right?

Personally, I can identify a number of events that inevitably remind me that I’m currently in the adulthood phase. For example, Rice A Roni is no longer “the San Francisco treat”; Zach Morris has graduated from college; Alanis has released an acoustic version of Jagged Little Pill; and more recently, Google has become a verb. It’s all very sad.

What’s even worse is my childhood phase unofficially ended this morning when it was unofficially announced that Brett Favre will be retiring. After 17 years in the NFL (16 years with Green Bay), one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game has decided to hang up his cleats.

I remember playing football on the driveway with my twin sister (very girly, I know). She was always Brett Favre. I liked to rotate between Dan Marino, Troy Aikman and occasionally Steve Young. Yes, I tried to throw the ball left-handed. Sarah didn’t like that too much.

But, I digress.

The point is…well…I’m not upset about the final door to my childhood being slammed shut. I’m just really going to miss watching Brett Favre play the game. He IS one of the greatest.