Friday, November 26, 2010

Black Friday App

As I'm sitting outside Ultimate Electronics at 4:00 am on Black Friday, tired and cetainly not sober, I'm thinking someone with a mind like mine should create an app that lists bars that are open at this God aweful time. The f-ing Renter wouldn't let me bring my flask.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Silver Lining

I wouldn't mind waking up covered in silver paint... Probably cheaper than the price of gold.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Back Ache (With Illustraions!)

With the Packers bye week I had plenty of time to rake leaves on Sunday. Good thing as it was my last day to put the leaves on the curb and the sweepers came around 10:30 pm to take the leaves away.

Back to the Packer's bye week... I think I had three beers on Sunday, probably 20 under the normal consumption. So I hit the gym on Monday, something I normally don't do. I had a good chest workout, actually played with 265 on the bench for the first time in a while.

Tuesday I did the normal back exercises with the exception of the cable rows. Normally I do dumbbell rows with 90 lb weights but on Tuesday I didn't feel it, figured I'd do it all at once with the cable. As you can see in the first photo, that's like bending over, grabbing 180 lbs and pulling it up to your chest, multiple times.

Today, Thursday, the hardest move I did was the shoulder shrug. Normally I put 275 on the bar and with a little lift I'm off to the races with the shrugs for at least 20 reps, or as long as I can hold on to the bar. This didn't help the Tuesday soreness at all. And now that I'm 220 lb I've been wearing my belt tighter so my pants don't fall off. That might be affecting my back, too.

So a little advice, if you're not used to doing these exercises on a regular basis, I'd take it easy. Don't strain anything too much.

And if you whack off daily, somehow "forget" to do it for five days because your life got flipped upside down by an unforeseen occurrence, well, try to space those five times over at least two days. Spanked the wank three times today and, in my old age, that's all he was up to. Still a hero in my book.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Pool

I got roped into playing pool leagues last night, spent at least $50 in beer, not in the budget. Will pay for this.

I Will Gladly Pay You Tuesday For A...

On Monday I weighed 220 with my shoes on. Normally I'm spot on 222. No big deal? Not for me! I ordered two $2 burgers from the cafeteria and made one a double for an even $5. Ate like a king.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Weird Toes

This is just weird. Back in the days my hot Korean cousin could do this, too. Must be something in the genes.

Sorry about the last post. I thought I was sober enough at 10:00 am to post but I guess not.

Home Owenership

I've been questioning my purchase of my house/home lately. I bought it five years ago, pretty much at the peak of the housing market. Not even sure there still is a "housing market". My neighbor bought his house for $45,000 less than I paid, $30,000 less than I owe on mine. That a big difference.

I bought my house because it was a block away from my favorite bar (which has since closed). I was sick of walking eight blocks and slipping on icey sidewalks so hey, let's drop a boat load of money on a house! Sure, I was old enough and financially stable enough, but still, it was a rash decision. I did a little research, made an offer, made a counter offer and moved in. Bang, bang, I was in.

Now I have this rather large cloud hanging over my head. Sure, the FA would say that's "good debt", but it's still a debt hanging over my head. And now that interest rates are below 5% I can't even get that rate without putting another $20,000 against my loan. I'm currently at 5.5% so I'm not that much over 5%, but every percentage helps.

I have a coworker who just moved out of her ex-boyfriend's apartment into an apartment of her own. She's paying $650 for rent. Last mont I paid $660 in interest. Sure, there's a tax credit and all but still, cash out the window. I pay extra towards the principal every month but there's always the FA in the back of my head, investing more, hopefully making more than 5.5%, and having cash on hand verses paying down a debt. It's a brutal tug of war in my mind. Most people wouldn't think this way, but I do, even in my self medicated sleep.

But then, like every night this week, there's the Klipsch SW-450. Since I bought it I've cranked it every night watching movies. I couldn't do that living in an apartment. I'm surprised I can do it with the Renter (she complains that it's loud but I think it actually tickles her vigina a little). The fact that I can crank the stereo to it's limits and not get in trouble is a big plus in my mind. Coming from the guy who had four 10" subs in his '87 Chevy Celebrity.

I don't know, guess I'm fortunate, in today's day and age, that I'm faced with this "problem", saving verses debt reduction, trying to find the right ratio. "Disposable income" isn't a term most people know.

Fuck, now I'm sounding pompous. That's not who I am.

Oh, and my dad, who I haven't had much contact with after he left my mom high and dry, is retiring and moving to Florida with his girlfriend at the end of the year. Bought a house and everything. Maybe it isn't the new subwoofer that's keeping me up late self medicating myself well past my bedtime.

Remember when this blog used to be funny? I don't.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Klipsch SW-450

With the temperature dropping I've found myself spending more time in my basement. Half my basement is finished, the other half has my weights and laundry facilities. I have a decent stereo/TV setup with the 61" LCD and "old school" speakers as the Renter calls them (each has two 10" woofers, a 6.5" and a horn, standing four feet tall and weighing 120 lbs each). But when watching sports or movies lately, while extremely loud and crisp, all the sound was coming from in front of me. It wasn't horrible but it was still lacking something. How did I fix it?

First, I got really drunk. One of those 10:00 am deals.

Then I had the Renter take me to Best Buy. It didn't take me long to find what I wanted. When I'm drunk money becomes no object. I was going to get the biggest, baddest subwoofer that they carried. Looking back on the whole experience, thank goodness it only cost me $450.

I found the Klipsch SW-450 which had a 10" woofer with a 450 watt class D amplifier (200 watts RMS). In the wearhouse setting that most Best Buys pose, I couldn't really get a good sense of how it would perform but again, I was on a mission and I was going to get their biggest, baddest model. I also picked up some cheap surround speakers and the necessary cables and wires.

I got it home and hooked it up in minutes with the subwoofer cable sprawled out across the basement floor. Aesthetics really aren't my thing when I first get a new toy. I placed it behind the couch against the wall hoping it would balance out the front speakers a bit. I put one of my favorite movies in and fast forwarded to a good action scene.

Then I crapped myself.

At only a quarter on the volume knob the Klipsch SW-450 rocked my whole basement. I had to turn the volume down in order to balance out the sound front to back. The Renter just sat there and rolled her eyes. "Really?" It might have been a little loud. I got a stiffy. Then I crapped myself again.

My whole purchase at Best Buy totalled just under $650 and they had a holliday special of 0% apr for 18 months. I can handle $36 a month for all the ball smacking bass my new toy puts out. It's really quite amazing. I haven't put the surround speakers up yet but should get to that this weekend since the Packers have a bye week.

But then there's the post-purchase reflection. Was it really worth it? Did I really need it? No and no, but it's still fucking awesome to watch movies and feel the bass from anywhere in the room (or house for that matter). It's a keeper.

But I'm a cheap bastard. Now, knowing that I'm payng $1 a day for the awesome setup, I've been forcing myself to the basement so I get my $1 worth. Every night.

I've been a zombie all week staying up till after midnight watching movies I've seen eight times already. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, they're all a blur in my head as I couldn't differentiate one from the other if my life depended on it. And of course, staying up past midnight means I've been drinking past midnight. I've had some rather rough mornings.

If you're looking for a subwoofer for your home I'd highly recommend the Klipsch SW-450. If you live in an apartment, don't even think about it. If you didn't know your neighbors before you will certainly meet them if you buy one of these. And no, Klipsch has not compensated me one dime for this review.

(Note to Fred Klipsch, CEO of Klipsch: I'd take a 30-pack of Milwaukee's Best if you offered.)

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Trusting Friends

During the summer months my house was where the party was at. If it was nice outside people would know that I'd be sitting outside and they'd stop over. No calls, no texts, they'd just show up with coolers filled with their own beverages. I enjoyed it. People kept me company.

This also meant I'd have people constantly in my house either going to the fridge or to use the bathroom. Sure, I'd have to keep the house and bathroom somewhat clean but no one ever broke anything or made a mess. A small price to pay for being Mr. Popular.

Now that the summer months are winding down less and less people are stopping over. A couple have moved to Chicago, a couple others I've just fallen out of touch with. No big deal, it gives me a little break till it gets warm again.

I've had two people over in the past week and now, after all the summer activity, now my $1's have disappeared.

I have this little savings habit where I empty out my pockets at the end of the day and put any one dollar bills I might have into a cigar box. It might not seen like much but at one time I had $1,800 in one dollar bills. That was before I found out the local casino could cash 100 into a $100 bill in less than a minute but that's besides the point.

So now I have $350 missing. There are four options why the money is missing.

1. Someone broke into my house and stole it. My bedroom window didn't lock before (does now) and someone could have crawled in and taken it. Mind you nothing else was missing, laptops, TV's, speakers, Playstation 2 (but who would take that?). Nothing but the cash was gone. Maybe the scariest thing is that's the same room where Puppy sleeps during the day. If she were missing... might as well put the cuffs on me if I found out who took her.

2. I have a friend who's girlfriend was over for Halloween, trying on her outfit while the Renter was in the shower and my friend and I were sitting outside. She's broker than Yao Ming but I wouldn't take her for a theif.

3. Then there's the little buddy from down the street. Also broker than shit, but I wouldn't take him for one to steal from me. He did recently get a $230 ticket for parking in a handicap spot (who does that?) but after all I've done for him? The Renter and I got him a cell phone for $40 a month. We got him set up with car insurance when Wisconsin made it mandatory. He was acting a little funny on Sunday, disappearing for 30 minutes while he went out to his car to get cigarettes while I sat downstairs watching football. Then he said he went to the gas station to get two corn dogs for $2 for a little grub. But I know his habits, he doesn't eat that much and when I offered him beef stew two hours later he jumped on it. Just not like him. I felt bad calling another friend he hangs out with asking if he'd watch to see if he was spending a bunch of one dollar bills. Felt like I was already accusing him.

4. Lastly, there's a 5% possibility I stashed the money when I was drunk over the weekend. I've been known to do this in the past. But I've looked in all the usuall places, in one of the forty shoes I have in my room, the usuall high places that only I can reach without a chair, and any othe drawer/closet space that I could think of. I came up with nothing.

The worst part of this is now I don't feel I can trust mu supposed friends. But then again, I could be at fault here and my distrust for my friends would be without cause. I'm a trusting person naturally so I'm not sure if I'm being taken advantage of here or if I'm over reacting. $350 won't kill me. They were all $1 bills and had probably sat there all summer without being touched (kind of the definition of saving). I don't/didn't really need that money. But the fact that it's missing now creases my ass a little. Actually a lot.

I've already (almost) put this behind me. I'll find other ways of saving money without it being accesible to others. One, quite safer, is to put $1 away in an ING account for every hour you work per paycheck (at 1%, don't tell the FA). Live and learn.

As long as there's beer money.

Thursday, November 04, 2010

114

With my lifestyle, I hope I don't have to think I'll live till 114 and look like this. I think I'm good.

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Capri Anderson, Charlie Sheen's Hooker

Have you seen pictures of Charlie Sheen's hooker? These are the tamest ones I could find. I swear, if I had millions I'd have a sex addiction too, especially if I could afford the likes of Ms. Anderson.

And her friends...