Baskin Robbins 31¢ night

We went last year and filled up. Unfortunately for this year, it's predicted to rain on Wednesday :(

You can always sign up for their birthday club. You can sign up anyone of your family members, friends, whoever. Trick is the group the birthdays together so that when you go, you'll have more than just one coupon in hand for all your kids.

Keep the Change

If you bank at Bank of America, they have a promotion called Keep the Change. Here's the verbiage from their website:

With the Keep the Change program, you can grow your savings automatically.

After your enrollment, we'll round up all your Bank of America^® debit card purchases to the nearest dollar amount, and transfer the difference from your checking account to your savings account.

Every cup of coffee, tank of gas and bag of groceries you buy adds up to more savings for you. What could be easier?

We’ll even match your savings

We'll match 100% of your Keep the Change savings for the first 3 months. After that, we'll continue matching 5% a year. The maximum total match is $250 per year.

I signed up because I'm really only interested in the matching part. As you can guess, to best maximize the rewards is to charge something for $1.01, $2.01, $3.01, etc. Here are some top maximizing scenarios:

1. Rent from Redbox. Each $1 rental with tax comes to $1.10. With a 90¢ match, your cost is only 20¢.
2. Buy from McDonald's Dollar Menu (sundae, 2 apple pies, breakfast burrito) or any other fast food restaurants with dollar menus. Charge each item individually. Again, with a 90¢ match, your cost is only 20¢.
3. Shop on eBay. Look for items that are 99¢ with free shipping. Ask a friend to bid at 99¢, then you outbid him at $1.04. When paying with Paypal, be sure you link your debit card to pay. With 96¢ matching, your final cost will be 8¢. (A best bet is iPhone accessories)
4. Go nuts at Dollar Tree. One transaction at a time.
   
5. Use it to pay your Comcast or garbage bill, $1.01 at a time.
   
6. When pumping gas, pump until $x.01 each time. Of course you can practically get a free fill up if you pump $1.01 say 40 times, but that will take forever and your card may raise a red flag due to "unusual activity"

You get the idea. If you do three transactions a day for 90 days straight, you'll be able to reach the $250 limit. Nothing is illegal because we're following their terms and conditions. We're just maximizing the benefits of the first three months, because after that, quite frankly, the 5% is a joke. Happy shopping!

Sign up here.

More free food

Free Food

Link

On April 15 at participating Starbucks locations, receive free coffee when you bring in your own reusable travel mug. Click here to find a store near you.

jackinthebox.com

Latest great idea from the Captain

So el-cheapo Captain Insano has this great idea: "How about we embrace the free web (YouTube) and post some instructional videos on how to take public transit? To save money, we'll do it all in-house. And to save even MORE money, we'll make the employees do it with their own personal equipment and on their own personal time! And then we'll give the winner four worthless tickets to some unfamily-friendly, unheard-of music fest that no one cares about anyway. Brilliant!"

No imagination or over-dramatization required here. Man, I can't even make up stuff that's this good!

Poor Jon. Poor Tony.

So did you watch Dancing with the Stars last night? It's week 2 and believe it or not, I've watch every episode so far. This season's 11 contestants are the most intriguing thus far. Personally, I'm rooting for Evan because he's the most likeable (and I don't even care if you were to tell me he's gay). Evan all the way! Many of the others are either too snotty, or too slutty, or just has that yuck factor. But today I'm only here to talk about one, Kate Gosselin.

I've never seen her reality show, Jon & Kate Plus 8, but I've heard plenty of the demise of the show/marriage from the tabloids and news. I mean, who hasn't? Naturally, the public would sympathize with Kate, while victimizing Jon as the no-good cheating, absent father that abandoned the family. But after last night's spotlight of Kate's meltdown, I actually feel sorry for Jon. I'm actually amazed Jon stayed with her that long. And those poor kids...

This woman Kate is insane! What a piece of work! She says, "I love how you teach but you're not taking into consideration how I learn." Translation: "Everything you say is right but I'm too much of a psycho control-freak to care."

Her partner is Tony – arguably the nicest, soft-spoken, most patient dance partner in the show – and she drove him to quit. Wow! Good luck on your love life after this show. Any potential suitors have been given the green light to run! It's obvious to everyone but herself when she says repeatedly, "I don't get it."

Unfortunately, this unofficial YouTube video shrunk the actual performance to promote another site, but believe me, you missed nothing. Even my wife said "she was painful to watch." Honestly, I've seen Chinatown merchants swing a bag of rice with more elegance. Poor Tony. Hopefully tonight she'll get voted off.

And to you husbands out there, I encourage you to sit through this video. By the end of the clip, I guarantee you'll love your wife even more. If not, then at least you'll find comfort knowing you're not alone (although Jon got out). God bless your soul.

To watch the entire episode, go to ABC.com.

Dear Faithful Readers

I apologize for the long absence. I know you come here week after week looking for insight and entertainment only to be disappointed the past month. I'm sorry to have left a void in your workday. And I know your dinner conversation has suffered during my absence… I know how you feel. It just isn't fair. It's like when I was in college and there was this cute girl in lecture hall. Every day I would try to grab a seat closer to her hoping she would notice me. Then a few weeks into the quarter when I finally score the seat right next to her, I notice she's pregnant… OK, so it's not really related, but disappointment nonetheless!

Like I noted in an earlier post, Blogger is blocked here in the dungeon. And for me, my blogging comes in spontaneous spurts. If I get an idea, I'll need to post it immediately. Otherwise, when I get home, my energy is quickly sapped by a little three-headed six-legged monster, and then even the most gallant efforts are gone. Without that instant direct-connect at work, my once-spirited lifeline to the outside world is severely crippled.

Also, my life hasn't been very interesting lately. Haven't gone anywhere, no photo assignments, zero free food… I mean why blog unless I have something of value to offer?? Isn't the whole point of blogging to show how much better my life is than yours? (And then to follow up showing how much worse it is also??) Quite the quandary. I'm reduced to being just like everyone else.

And then there's peer pressure, or may I say, the lack of… Yeah, don't get mad at me, just look at my once-vibrant community of bloggers. When was the last time they posted? I want to know whether it's Inconceivable that the Sensible Stamper still has any sense. Are they still Living the Dream or have they dropped out of the Urban Race because they ran out of Kash?! Sadly, their once-great blogging is now cheapened and repackaged as Facebook and Twitter updates. Sigh (don't get me started). Don't they realize how much of an inspiration they were to me?? How I relied on them for encouragement and banter? Like Jerry Maguire would say, "You complete me."

So for now I'm just a lonely prisoner rambling by myself. Perhaps it'll get better. Maybe you'll invite me for dinner, take me on a trip, watch my kids for a week…. you know, give me something great to blog about... because I'm NOT going to stinkin' Africa just to have content to post (sorry, nothing personal, Ray). Or maybe, just maybe, my fellow bloggers will start blogging again...? Perhaps it is me that needs to offer them encouragement and inspiration. Maybe it's me that needs to complete them... Time will tell.

Our first snow trip

Last weekend we went to the snow for the very first time. My kids have never touched snow and I myself haven't touched snow in 30 years. Can you believe it? Yep, I think the last time I went to the snow was with YTF. Fortunately we found a couple of seasoned families to accompany us newbies.

Some of you may be thinking that I really missed out on the fun of skiing/snowboarding all these decades... and maybe you are right to some degree. But the way I see it, those fun activities come at a steep cost that don't justify the fun. Honestly, I've heard way too many stories of people getting stuck in the snow/traffic resulting in seven hours of travel time and just the thought of being trapped in a car that long with my screaming kids would kill me. And then you have to buy the gear, and take lessons, and take a day off from work... And did I mention the risk of injuries? Just last month two CIBCers had a dislocated shoulder and broken arm! Um, no thank you. I survived this long without swimming, I think I can do the same without skiing.

Thanks to Hebron, we were able to secure a wonderful cabin in Twain Harte. The grand total for two nights rental, food and gas came out to about $270/family. The 2.5-hour, 125-mile scenic drive was a breeze with zero traffic and no need for chains. In fact, we didn't even see snow until 15 minutes before our destination. I'm guessing by next month most of the snow will be gone.

The kids, aged 3 to 9, played very well together. Dustin has been dying to play in the snow. He would often tell me how his friends always go up to the snow every year and how come we don't. And how they've gone to Disneyland every year and us only once... My response would be, "Sorry Dustin, but who said life was fair? If life was fair, your friend's parents would've given birth to twins and you would be born into their family. And it's not just unfair to you... If life was fair for me, I would have children that appreciate being part of our family and not whiny little ingrates that wants what everyone else has." Life is so unfair.

The first day the incredible Hung shoveled a nice long slope for us just above the cabin. And here was my first interaction with snow in 30 years! It was an absolute blast!

The second day we discovered a giant open space below the cabin.
We called this place the "lake".

Lining up for the sled race.

We had nice sunny weather in the low 60s, I didn't have to wear my jacket once.

I wonder if those sleds have a weight restriction.

Both nights I waited until the final (north) round to stage my miraculous comeback.
Them women don't know what hit them!

The view from atop the giant slope. Everyone vacated at lunch time
and we owned the mountain. Sweet!

We owned the lake too. There was no one else in sight.

The gentle slope on the lake was perfect for the younger kids.

My van seats 8, but we easily fit 12. All the slopes were within walking distance
but we were quite pooped after several hours of playing.

After a long day, half of us passed out immediately.

Below is a three minute video that summarizes the weekend.
It was such a delight, we're already planning for next year.

Photo credit to most photos: HM

Free Grand Slam at Denny's again

Just like last year, Denny's will once again offer a free Grand Slam breakfast on Tuesday, February 9. And like last year, I'm sure to be there again. It will be a great start to my long day of sitting in a courthouse listening to boring testimony. Yes, I am currently on jury duty.

Follow the link for more details:

http://www.dennys.com/superbowl/splash1.html

My latest assignment: press photographer

Last week at the eleventh hour, I was summoned to be official press photographer (although I prefer to be known as a photo-journalist) for some big event involving the members of the Enormously Vile Infamous Leaders. Apparently some important Mega-Lord was visiting. As always, the Captain can't get her act together and is too cheap to hire a pro... So I'm sent out with my five year-old, mostly-working, half-dependable D70. Enjoy.

My handiwork is visible on all three vehicles. You already know I designed the community bus.

Remember my green logo?

My first buswrap design. This bus is like a rolling classroom (with flat screen tv's) educating seniors and the disabled about taking public transportation. Hmm, I wonder who's inside...

We readily offer crash courses in driving. And we only hire the best drivers. You're not qualified unless you're able to make the bus look like this.

OMG!! Is that really Senator Blablah Bonkers??!! She's so much taller on television.

Reporter: Um Senator... Senator... Hey, this isn't really her! We've been tricked! It's a wax dummy! Oh wait, it's breathing...
Bonkers: Sorry boys, I was just having a rigor mortis moment. What? You think it's easy living with ice in your veins??

Henchman: You see Senator, this motor can shred a person into a hundred unrecognizable pieces. Now we just have to figure out how to get Carly to stand in front of the bus..."
Mayor Chucky: She's meeting with me next week. We can make it look like an accident.

Reporter: Mr Mayor, what are your plans beyond your term? Will you run for re-election?
Mayor Chucky: I'm currently in talks – or may I say "grunts" – with Hollywood for the next Addams Family movie. They think I'm a shoo-in for Lurch!

Bonkers: Let me tell you all, Obummer is a wimp! That's right, I said it! It was MY idea to waste these stimulus dollars for a fleet of unneeded hybrid buses and Prius vehicles to combat that ludicrous global warming concept. Yes, mark my words, this will be MY legacy! Because after I'm long gone and after the hybrids become obsolete... your children, and your children's children... they will all continue to remember me. How's that you ask? Because they will still be paying off the bill!! Muwahahahahahaha!!!!

Reporter: Senator Bonkers, with last week's crushing defeat in Massachusetts, is it true your party has lost touch with not only Republicans but Independents also? What can you do to reach across to the other side... to let them know you understand their frustration and feel their pain?
Bonkers: Quite frankly, what you are asking is impossible. I absolutely CAN NOT do that. I mean, how can you expect me to feel for the other half of the country when on most days I can't even feel the other half of my body?!

Reporter: Senator Bonkers, as a tireless champion for a woman's right to choose and protecting the right to partial birth and late-term abortions... in your opinion, when is a fetus considered to be a human being?
Bonkers: When it votes Democrat!