I can't believe the deal!

You're watching your favorite show on television and they break to commercial. Ugh! Now you'll have to endure 2 to 4 minutes of ads for products that you don't even want. You would mute the commercials or change the channel until your show came back on but the remote is too far away and you're tired. You work for a living and you need your rest. So you submit. First there's a commercial about a new cleaning product that will revolutionize the act of cleaning. The man on the television says that he doesn't know how anyone could live without it and that he personally guarantees the effectiveness of its renown cleaning power. Next comes a commercial for the local burger hut. I've yet to have food served to me at one of those restaurants that even looks close to the one in the advertisement. I blame illegal immigration! Well, not really but that is what some of my right-wing friends would have me think. But that is another issue. Lastly, a commercial for the newest sleek looking car on the road. Oh, you have my attention. Who doesn't like a nice looking vehicle. The announcer tells me how my life will change and somehow I'll be the successful, super-macho man that I've always wanted. Then he tells me that if I come in before Saturday that all I have to do is sign a contract and drive it off the lot. I am really excited now! Over the next 15 seconds I am assaulted with images of 'my car' cruising through the city or on the perfect windy country road. But wait, I hear muttering. Is someone talking? Oh right, the sign and then drive promotion does not include taxes, licensing, and fees. So really I'll have to lay down $2 to $3 thousand, then sign and drive the car away.

What is it about advertising that requires they sell you on the product and then quickly tell you about of the things that make the deal or product unattractive? They must think that the average consumer is a moron, and maybe they are right. I personally don't mind disclosures. I think that they are there for a purpose, but they should be obvious... not hidden or delivered in rapid-fire speak.

I recently visited a sandwich shop. You know, the one where the guy ate like three sandwiches a day and walked 2 miles each way to get them. Yeah, that's how he really lost the weight. You try starting out morbidly obese and then force yourself to walk 6+ miles a day just to get your food. You'll lose weight too. Anyhow, a couple of coworkers and I decided to hit the shop and try the newest promo... a foot long sandwich for only 5 bucks. It seems simple enough. We walk into the store and there are signs everywhere about the promotion. 'Just pick your bread, meat, and toppings, and we'll do the rest.' I decided that I was feeling good and was going to get the roast beef on Italian cheese bread. I added pepper-jack cheese, jalapenos, olives, green peppers and a stripe of Dijon mustard. (I like spicy food.) The attendant was cheerful and quick. My coworkers and I commented on how could the chain be making money on a deal like this. I get to the register with my carefully wrapped sandwich in hand. I tell the cashier that I have a foot long roast beef on Italian cheese. She tells me, 'That will be $9.02.' 'There must be a problem,' I said. After a rundown in the screw job, I come to find that only 4, yes 4, sandwiches on the menu are eligible for the deal. All three of us purchased sandwiches not on the 'approved list'. We were informed that only the sandwiches with a check mark next to them are part of the $5 foot long promotion. For those of you who haven't seen a Subway menu recently, they have changes the low-fat sandwiches that qualify under the amazing weight losing endorser's plan from being specially marked to their own category. The menu now has a Fresh Fit section (these are the <6 grams of fat sandwiches, then there are the Fresh Toasted, and lastly Local Favorites (These are the cold cut combo and tuna. Are they really 'favorites'?). Anyway, had the sign, the sandwich maker, or even the commercial told me this I would have made sure that I looked for the check marks. Incidentally, one of the choices is turkey and I love turkey. I'm not saying that I won't go there again, but just that I will watch out when buying a sandwich on a deal.

The Land not so Enchanted

So I just finished spending another week in the heart of New Mexico...Santa Fe. When I think of Santa Fe, I think of the things that I learned in history class when I was a teenager. Santa Fe was established over 10 years prior to the Plymouth Colony. This was to be the centre for the Spanish Empire north of the Rio Grande. Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in North America and the oldest European community west of the Mississippi. The 'square' in the heart of town is very similar to what it would have been over 150 years ago. The streets are narrow and cobbled, and the buildings are made of adobe. Santa Fe has a height ordinance in effect that restricts structures to 2 stories of 15 feet each. The ordinance limits the height of structures so that the surrounding vistas may be enjoyed by all those in the area and not just those who can afford to build higher. The county is strict in enforcing the code and exceptions are not made. Even McDonald's is required to limit the size of the 'golden arches' and plant them on the ground. I have to say that it is nice to see some trees and not just buildings when driving by on the highway. You can almost pass the area by without noticing the city. But all of these things aside, I don't find the attraction. The town is very 'old school' in the ways that things are handled and bureaucracy is king. I am not a fan of southwestern art, so the shops filled with hand crafted rugs, turquoise jewelry, and endless paintings of a desert sunset do nothing for me. As Santa Fe is a tourist destination, everything is expensive. I even got the shaft a Subway shop in the downtown area that charged me nearly 9 dollars for a foot-long roast beef sandwich. I was not impressed. I lived in New Mexico for 9 months in 2006 and drove around most of the state. I don't have anything against the people that live there, but it's not for me. I probably won't visit the city outside of business trips. If you have the time and money to take a vacation and the choice of where to go, I would pick somewhere else and just browse the pictures that others have posted on the Internet.

Great music

Have you ever been to a concert, or heard a song on the radio and said, "I wish that was cool again"? If you are like me, it happens on a regular basis. Recently, I went to the Smashing Pumpkins concert in Phoenix, AZ. It was awesome. Billy Corgan hasn't lost any of the energy he exuded as a young punk. I still couldn't believe that he's 40! But then again, I haven't been in high school for 11 years. Ahhh, reflection. Anyhow, the concert kind of awoke those feelings of invincibleness that we all have when we are young. You know, you tend to have more thoughts of 'Hey, I can do that' or 'Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but it's what I want to do.' The other thing that the concert instigated was my thoughts to other bands that I near worshiped in high school. Most of them have gone by the wayside, no longer recording or performing. There are the resolute few, that continue to perform old hits no matter how small the venue. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when I found out that the Pumpkins had at least somewhat come back together. My wife and I attended their second to last show back in 2000. It was cool. Of course, there is something about a 6' 3" bald guy yelling into a microphone at a crowd of devoted listeners that is odd. I digress. The other bands from the 90s that still record usually stink. The band is off drugs and have come to inner peace. It was the drugs and constant turmoil that made them great. Case in point, Stone Temple Pilots. Then there are those that have expired due to various causes. Another example, Midnight Oil. I don't mean to ramble, but with all the crap on the radio today how can one not reflect upon a better musical era. The only thing that gives me comfort is that 'Pop' finally passed and the likes of Christina, Britney, and all the boy bands are behind us.

Golf in the desert

I am going golfing today. I am not quite sure why since it is supposed to be like 107. There I will be sitting on the fairway of the 8th hole. Did I mention that my tee time is at noon? There is a little method to this madness. It's called fiscal responsibility. Really, I am mostly just cheap. What else would I do with $20? I will enjoy 3 hours of sweating in the burning hot sun. It's not all that bad. Supposedly, someone from the clubhouse comes around with ice to refill your cooler (if you brought one), and you can find water every couple of holes. Of course, a local boy got sick just a couple of weeks ago from drinking from one of them. What's life without a little risk, right? My next post may be from a hospital bed. I could be laid up with a bacteria or parasite from quenching my insatiable thirst, nursing a pulled muscle (I am not a proficient golfer), or suffering from 3rd degree burns. Here's to having fun!

Are you that person?

Do you ever feel like you are the only sane person that you know? Or maybe that at least one person is definitely just off? Whenever you are in a group that is organized of people not of your own choosing, it is almost guaranteed that there will be that one person. You know them. They seem like they are trying, but just don't get it. Their personality seems to rub with everyone else in the group. Why are they still here? I ask myself. I usually don't have a good answer. I happen to be in a group right now working on a 'special project'. My person, lets call her Jane, has been with the company for nearly 15 years. Perhaps that is the first clue into what she is. Anyhow, she somehow has an answer for everything. Regardless of the topic, she has to provide information that may or may not be relevant. Jane considers herself to be an expert on all topics. Not only that, but all her comments have to include cliches. For example, when we were finished for the day and leaving the building, she said 'Same Bat-Time tomorrow?' Perhaps that shouldn't annoy me that much, but after 9 hours in a room with someone trying to add comic relief that isn't comical I get a little edgy. We all have to analyze the groups that we are in and determine who that person is. Usually, tolerance is the best option. And if for some reason you look at everyone and can't determine who 'that person' is...it just might be you!

Mile High City

Sometimes I travel for work. It has it's good and bad points. This week I am in Denver for a couple of days. Instantly, upon arrival, I am greeted with the crisp coolness of mountain air. The city seems to have a beat of its own. There is music coming from store fronts and the smell of street vendors. People have a type of spring in their step as they listen to their favorite tune on an iPod. Then it begins to rain. Those that I'm with are bummed. 'It's so dark outside,' and 'I can't go out in this' is about all I hear. A coworker and I brave the rain to go to lunch. Do you ever miss playing in the rain when you were a kid? Perhaps you never did, but can you imagine it? Who cares if you get a little wet? With a few exceptions, your clothes will just dry and that's it. It's a rejuvenating feeling. I wish sometimes that we had a little more precipitation where we live. But I guess that the grass is always greener.

The environment and my yard

We all hear about the environment and how delicate or resilient it is. Everyone has to form their own opinion and decide where they fit in. I'm not sure where I fit in. I recently watched Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth. I found it very interesting, but then again one of my favorite channels is the History Channel. That may not say much for me, but it is who I am. I was impressed by the evidence that we are having a dramatic impact on the earth. I have to admit that I visited the website that is the media base for the film, www.climatecrisis.net/. I checked other websites that had information about how to be 'carbon neutral' and other means of reducing my personal impact on global warming. The advice that is out there on the web is good. A large portion of it even viable. I don't have any problem doing something 'extra' to help the environment, but my primary motivation is not for the greater good. I could be described as 'frugal' or 'monetarily conscientious'. My wife just tells me that I'm cheap. It could all be true. However, when I can do something that will ultimately save me money, I am all over it. For example, Energy Star qualified appliances is a no brainer. You pay a little more up front for something that you were going to buy anyway. But you also get the added benefit of knowing that your electricity bills will be slightly lower because of it. Needless to say, all of the appliances that we have purchased have the little blue star symbol on them. I also have all compact florescent bulbs in our house. The models now a days are much better than before. The size is the same as your regular incandescent bulb and you can choose the type, or color if you will, of light that you want. I know, I know, you are saying "but those bulbs cost way more than regular bulbs". It's true. Anyway, I got thinking about of this today because I broke down and purchased a lawn mower and trimmer. We live in a dry climate and the amount of grass in our yard is limited to a patch about the size of a small swimming pool. I went to the local Home Depot and picked out a manual push mower. No engine, no gas, no cords, and no pollution. I am the motor. The trimmer, however, had to be powered by something else. So I choose electric. I got them both for about $110. I thought that it was a deal. I get some exercise, the yard looks good, I am not polluting the air with toxic emissions or noise, and best of all...it didn't cost much. I was thinking tonight, as I was trying it out for the first time, about when I was a kid and we only had a push mower. It was hard work when the grass got long, but I enjoyed it. Maybe that was my initial draw, but then it was cheap, and I am helping the environment.