Taking advantage of my first short work day. Dropped off a bill at the City building, got home around 3:30, went to the bathroom (because the office toilet is out of service), did dishes, shoveled some of the snow that keeps piling on while Aldy played in the edible landscape, did a load of laundry, cleaned/organized our "art" room, talked to my mom, and just started a homemade pizza dinner...
Effing amazing.
February 9, 2010
February 8, 2010
Work less, not work-less
So, to make a long explanation, well, nonexistent, I'll say that my company has been forced to cut hours across the board, at least temporarily. Fortunately for me my employers opted for less hours than less pay per hour--the latter choice would have sent me into blind rage.
To be honest, this could work out very well for me. I'm only missing one day a week and able to keep my benefits, which I might not even need after the baby is born. I get a day off which will be devoted to my personal life which, you know by now, is much more valuable to me than the wage I make. It is supposed to be a temporary situation, but I have already posited that the new schedule could be beneficial to me as a permanent solution in that it could mitigate the cost of daycare once our baby is born. Instead of working to pay for daycare, I'd be daycare for at least a day... Not sure if my boss will buy into it once finances start picking back up, but I think I'll be sticking by that option.
Anyway, I'm not stressed, just a little weirded out, if not partially relieved that something really bad was avoided...
To be honest, this could work out very well for me. I'm only missing one day a week and able to keep my benefits, which I might not even need after the baby is born. I get a day off which will be devoted to my personal life which, you know by now, is much more valuable to me than the wage I make. It is supposed to be a temporary situation, but I have already posited that the new schedule could be beneficial to me as a permanent solution in that it could mitigate the cost of daycare once our baby is born. Instead of working to pay for daycare, I'd be daycare for at least a day... Not sure if my boss will buy into it once finances start picking back up, but I think I'll be sticking by that option.
Anyway, I'm not stressed, just a little weirded out, if not partially relieved that something really bad was avoided...
Boom: David LaSpina
Wow! I just spotted an old friend featured on art blog BOOOOOOOM! today: David La Spina .
Check it:
David was a senior when I was a high school freshman. He and his close friends were always cool to me, invited me to parties and drove me around. Anyway, his friendship meant a ton to me and helped me through that awkward first year at school. I've mostly lost touch with David, except through facebook, and I sent him a message to congratulate him on his feature... though I'm sure he's received much greater recognition for his work... seeing as he is now a regular contributor to the NYTimes... sweet.
David's website HERE
Check it:
February 7, 2010
Weekend
Went to the kickstand ramp today and was braced to drop five bucks to skate. Instead of that, I showed up as the first skater of the day, with 2 people chillin at the bar. I signed myself in, volunteered to sweep the ramp, drank some water, then joined a conversation about having babies. After the crew learned that my first child was due in April, I got an earful of stories about delivery room happenings. After a little while I snuck away and skated. Landed a couple small but new tricks. No charge so I bought a beer.
Got home, installed one of two sets of blinds (this one for Baby's room), and am getting ready for some Super Bowl snacks...
--
Beside the crazy winter storm that blew through (after dropping somewhere are 10 inches on Friday night), my sister and her husband came to spend the night and that was so great. The snow inhibited most of the fun I expected to have, but we had what I consider a great time just hangin out and catchin up... Happy Birthday Amanda!
Got home, installed one of two sets of blinds (this one for Baby's room), and am getting ready for some Super Bowl snacks...
--
Beside the crazy winter storm that blew through (after dropping somewhere are 10 inches on Friday night), my sister and her husband came to spend the night and that was so great. The snow inhibited most of the fun I expected to have, but we had what I consider a great time just hangin out and catchin up... Happy Birthday Amanda!
February 5, 2010
The Winter Chill
So, it's February and this afternoon Ohio expects to be dumped on for Round 2 of "Winter". I've done a great job of ignoring the garden since last fall. I was even able to ignore the lettuce heads that were struggling to live in my half-assed cold frame made of 2 x 4s and a piece of glass from a picture frame.
Anyway, I finally broke open our seed catalog and did a little bit of internet shopping. No buying. "Just looking" as you would say to that stalker of a store clerk haunting you around the shop. I've got a few plans brewing and figured I might as well dust off this virtual journal to share with nobody.
First, I plan on building a few raised beds. They're gonna look great too. I hope. Not sure what's going in them...
Also, zucchini is going in the front yard this year. I had enough problems with vine borers last year. Eff that. And I'm using whatever kind of organic pesticide I can find too. I was pissed about not having any homegrown zucch' last summer.
Pea trellises are going to be 5, maybe 6 feet tall. And that ish isn't going to fall over. And we're going to plant a ton, and freeze most of it.
As for the sunken patio, I need to put some sort of retaining apparatus around the surrounding garden beds. This is a crazy challenge. My first thought is to get some sort of metal or plastic edging. My second thought, pour and shape my own concrete wall... Not sure which is the better choice. Currently we have tiny bricks out there, but they can't hold back anything, especially dirt being washed away by rain.
Our indoor mint plant has been surviving, albeit stressed by cool nighttime temps and lack of direct sunlight. It has been getting super lanky just trying to find a good beam of photons.
Anyway, I finally broke open our seed catalog and did a little bit of internet shopping. No buying. "Just looking" as you would say to that stalker of a store clerk haunting you around the shop. I've got a few plans brewing and figured I might as well dust off this virtual journal to share with nobody.
First, I plan on building a few raised beds. They're gonna look great too. I hope. Not sure what's going in them...
Also, zucchini is going in the front yard this year. I had enough problems with vine borers last year. Eff that. And I'm using whatever kind of organic pesticide I can find too. I was pissed about not having any homegrown zucch' last summer.
Pea trellises are going to be 5, maybe 6 feet tall. And that ish isn't going to fall over. And we're going to plant a ton, and freeze most of it.
As for the sunken patio, I need to put some sort of retaining apparatus around the surrounding garden beds. This is a crazy challenge. My first thought is to get some sort of metal or plastic edging. My second thought, pour and shape my own concrete wall... Not sure which is the better choice. Currently we have tiny bricks out there, but they can't hold back anything, especially dirt being washed away by rain.
Our indoor mint plant has been surviving, albeit stressed by cool nighttime temps and lack of direct sunlight. It has been getting super lanky just trying to find a good beam of photons.
February 4, 2010
February 2, 2010
Clear head
I woke up today and feel okay about paying $5 to skate an indoor mini ramp. It's all good !
February 1, 2010
Kickstand Ramp: now charging
Today on Facebook I saw that Kickstand Pub was starting to charge $5 to skate their mini ramp. That's all I know--no idea what the exact reason is, who is affected, but I'm assuming the worst and I'm really disappointed. It's been open for 3 weeks, with no fee; why start now?
Once you start charging admission to skate, it's about business, not fun. Well, it is about fun--for the people who have connections and get to skate for free. After attendance starts dropping (which I expect), I won't be surprised if 90% of the people who are skating at any given time are people who aren't paying to skate (or drink for that matter). But for someone like me, to them, it's about money. I mean, if I can stop and reason for a second, I can ask myself why shouldn't I pay? It would be like buying a share in something of which I could have only dreamed, taking ownership and responsibility, like a food co-op. Perhaps the problem is that yesterday when I was there to skate, 8 out of 10 skaters were underage. Unfortunately Kickstand doesn't sell food, so at best they are only collecting money for beer from those over 21. For minors, not even that. And then you are only profiting on the mark-up of the beer. Either way, I would guess that their attendance on Sundays and Mondays has doubled or tripled (which doesn't paint an accurate picture, if you consider who is drinking and who isn't). Should they just charge minors that aren't going to be patrons? Aside from that issue, they are attracting new patrons who--because of the ramp--are establishing loyalties to the bar and, thus, a future patronage. In essence, the ramp could be looked at as an investment in more, future patrons. Think of the ramp like every one of Kickstand's 10 flat-screen TVs... but cheaper. I'm guessing about that number, but let's say each one is $550. Times 10. $5500. Plus the cost of cable. Consider the fact that of the 20 people in the bar at 5:00pm yesterday, 10 were there to skate.
But the fee they're charging isn't to pay for the ramp or its upkeep; there are ways around that: namely, sponsorships in the form of banners or stickers on or around the ramp (currently, they have one giant logo for a Harley Davidson dealership right in the middle). I bet you it's because they didn't realize that the paint was going to chip so bad and that they are going to have to resurface it again, and again, and again; and maybe they can't find sponsors. Bummer.
Maybe I'm just pissed it's going to be a choice between drinking a beer and skating. In past weeks, I would drop $6 for a beer and tip, maybe $12. Now, they are getting $5. Ok, so maybe I stop drinking the Sunday afternoon beers I've started to enjoy. Or just drink a beer at home. I can buy a six pack for less than they charge for 2 pints. I guess that will save me a good bit of money after all. Thanks Kickstand.
Thoughts?
--
Alden says "Hi."
Once you start charging admission to skate, it's about business, not fun. Well, it is about fun--for the people who have connections and get to skate for free. After attendance starts dropping (which I expect), I won't be surprised if 90% of the people who are skating at any given time are people who aren't paying to skate (or drink for that matter). But for someone like me, to them, it's about money. I mean, if I can stop and reason for a second, I can ask myself why shouldn't I pay? It would be like buying a share in something of which I could have only dreamed, taking ownership and responsibility, like a food co-op. Perhaps the problem is that yesterday when I was there to skate, 8 out of 10 skaters were underage. Unfortunately Kickstand doesn't sell food, so at best they are only collecting money for beer from those over 21. For minors, not even that. And then you are only profiting on the mark-up of the beer. Either way, I would guess that their attendance on Sundays and Mondays has doubled or tripled (which doesn't paint an accurate picture, if you consider who is drinking and who isn't). Should they just charge minors that aren't going to be patrons? Aside from that issue, they are attracting new patrons who--because of the ramp--are establishing loyalties to the bar and, thus, a future patronage. In essence, the ramp could be looked at as an investment in more, future patrons. Think of the ramp like every one of Kickstand's 10 flat-screen TVs... but cheaper. I'm guessing about that number, but let's say each one is $550. Times 10. $5500. Plus the cost of cable. Consider the fact that of the 20 people in the bar at 5:00pm yesterday, 10 were there to skate.
But the fee they're charging isn't to pay for the ramp or its upkeep; there are ways around that: namely, sponsorships in the form of banners or stickers on or around the ramp (currently, they have one giant logo for a Harley Davidson dealership right in the middle). I bet you it's because they didn't realize that the paint was going to chip so bad and that they are going to have to resurface it again, and again, and again; and maybe they can't find sponsors. Bummer.
Maybe I'm just pissed it's going to be a choice between drinking a beer and skating. In past weeks, I would drop $6 for a beer and tip, maybe $12. Now, they are getting $5. Ok, so maybe I stop drinking the Sunday afternoon beers I've started to enjoy. Or just drink a beer at home. I can buy a six pack for less than they charge for 2 pints. I guess that will save me a good bit of money after all. Thanks Kickstand.
Thoughts?
--
Alden says "Hi."
Resident Skateboards - Columbus, Ohio
small victory
knowing it was unlikely that i'll be riding any more this week, expecting the worst from the 30% chance of "few snow showers" that is forecast for tomorrow, I figured I'd bundle up and hit the road this morning. I believe it was somewhere between 11 and 15-degrees "Eff" with practically no wind.
I did well with this outfit:
Feet: boot socks, skate shoes
Legs: polyester long-johns, double-knee twill work pants (sim. to carhartts)
Top: cotton t-shirt, cotton thermal, flannel shirt, synthetic puff jacket, gore-tex technical shell
Head: merino wool balaclava, fleece neck gaiter, acrylic beanie, helmet
Hands: thick neoprene gloves, windproof mitten shell
Eyes: Cycling glasses with clear lenses in (keeps wind from drying out/freezing eyes)
Plus, a travel mug filled with hot, home-brewed coffee. Priceless.
I did well with this outfit:
Feet: boot socks, skate shoes
Legs: polyester long-johns, double-knee twill work pants (sim. to carhartts)
Top: cotton t-shirt, cotton thermal, flannel shirt, synthetic puff jacket, gore-tex technical shell
Head: merino wool balaclava, fleece neck gaiter, acrylic beanie, helmet
Hands: thick neoprene gloves, windproof mitten shell
Eyes: Cycling glasses with clear lenses in (keeps wind from drying out/freezing eyes)
Plus, a travel mug filled with hot, home-brewed coffee. Priceless.
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