Rita's, Furloughs and other recession anecdotes

RITA'S TOUR 2K9:

In celebration of the first day of spring, all Rita's franchises give away a free small ice to every customer. And our posse saddled up to tour the Ritas of Middlesex county to claim what was rightfully ours-free ice.

We hit four in total: Edison, Middlesex, South Plainfield and Bridgewater. The Edison location had the longest line and we waited about 20 minutes before getting our ices. Some teenager working there handed out samples to the line, but ran out as he came to us and didn't come back. Punk. I got a vanilla chip creme ice, while everyone else got Georgia peach. The vanilla one was OK. Kind of milky.

The Middlesex Ritas had no line at all, but all they had left was Pina Colada. We took it, but I wish I hadn't. It was overly sweet and the pineapple flavor made me sick to my stomach. I ate maybe 3/4 and started wondering if I could continue on with the trip.

At the South Plainfield Ritas, the line was again long, filled with kids and soccer moms. I got a cherry ice at this location. It was a standard cherry ice. I only ate about half of it.

The final stop was Bridgewater, and we got to the line like 10 minutes before closing. Basil finished his previous ice while standing in line for a new one. My final ice was a mint chocolate chip creme ice and it was really good. I again only ate about half. Everyone else got sweet tea flavored ice and said how amazing it was, which quickly changed over to saying that it tasted like sweetened pool water.

We all congratulated ourselves for actually sticking to our guns and seeing this plan through, but we didn't count on how sick we'd feel afterward. We all were on a sugar high after the first ice, but by the time we got back to Highland Park, we were all in a sluggish coma. Next year we're going to stagger the locations, one every two hours or so. Next year's free ice day also falls on a Saturday, I believe, so we can start way earlier than 8 p.m.

Before you start saying we took advantage of a good thing, keep in mind all Rita's are franchise owned so we're not taking more than our fair share from each location. Also, every location budgeted out a certain amount of ice to be given free, so we didn't cut into their weekly reserve: At the first location, the kid in front of us got the last of the passion fruit, which we were going to order. At the fourth location, I got the last of the mint chocolate chip. Also, we're in a recession and I got my furlough paycheck yesterday. I'm going to be looking for promotional food giveaways more often!

Other upcoming free food days of note include:
Free slurpee day at 7/11: July 11
(Dunkin Donuts, Burger King and Wendy's all have annual free promotion days too, but I'm not seeing them advertised yet.)

Also: The Reverend also blogged the Rita's adventure. Read all about it here.

Furlough, Day 2

I'm trying to plan my furlough days, so I keep myself as entertained as possible this week, while spending the least amount of money possible.



Yesterday, Lewis and I woke up and had brunch with his parents, followed by a walk around Highland Park. In the toy store, I was struck with the idea to go to IKEA to look at picture frames and root around the discount room so off we went. And in what I consider to be an attempt at circumventing a day of shopping, Lewis suggested we go to the next Turnpike exit and take the Path into NYC. So we did that.



It was starting to rain as we got out of the 23rd st. station, but it was nice and warm, so it didn't bother us. We walked to Fish's Eddy on Broadway and 19th, where I was overcome with joy at handling hundreds of glass and porcelain housewares. I walked outta there with a salt cellar in the shape of a duck, and a serving platter in the shape of a piece of green notebook paper, marked down to $6 from $24. See?



The little blue cow is a gift for Lewis's mother, because she likes blue glass.

After Fish's Eddy, we continued downtown and stumbled upon a Pinkberry, where we both indulged in cups of frozen goodness. I had mine with shaved white chocolate, which adds a snappy crunch. I love the texture of crispy food.

Today, I cleaned. I finally finished getting all of my stuff properly put away, wheareas a lot of it was just thrown in closets to get it out of the way. I finally set up my bookshelf, took all my shoes out of their boxes (and discovered a cute pair that I haven't worn in two years. Love when that happens.) vaccumed, put up a new shower curtain, scrubbed the kitchen, and threw out a ton of shit that should never had made it here in the first place. I have a rule-If I bring new things in here, some of the old things have to go. This may be boring to whoever is reading, but I love throwing things away. It's a small thrill to have that space back again so I can cram it full of newer, shinier things.

Tommorow, I go to Middletown for the day, and Wednesday, I am going to Costco with Rebecca (I think). Friday should entail another movie marathon at Casa de Gapin con Leela, because it's Friday the 13th!

So, if anyone wants to hang out this week, give a holla. I am around and looking for adventures.

Ker-smash

It's very warm out today. I hope this means that spring is sooner than we think and I can start leaving my apartment windows all night without freezing. I've had enough fo winter. Fo' realz. There was too much snow, and in an urban area like Highland Park/Edison/New Brunswick, snow doesn't look pretty. It gets black and grey and fills up the roads and ices over my car and generally makes everyone miserable. Snowfall is prettier in Monmouth County, but only on days that it isn't getting in the way of work.

Tommorow, I will have had my Honday Civic for one year. Yesterday, while returning from a lunch run (at Wawa, of all places), I was t-boned by an SUV that went through a yield at the end of a jughandle and either see me or tried to beat me.

I have the gnarliest, ugliest, bruise ever on the underside of my left arm from my shoulder to my elbow, where she impacted the driver side of my car, but I am not seriously hurt. But from a distance, it looks like I got my arm slashed open. It's huge, disgusting and itches. Yuck.

The funny thing was, when she hit me, I yelled a lot and then as soon as I got out of the car, all my anger vanished and a calm came over me and I wasn't mad at all.

But, after multiple insurance company calls from three different people, two recorded statements, endless questions asking me to go over what happened again and again, having to get the car towed to a body shop, dealing with police and a general feeling of exhaustion since last night, what bothers me the most is that fact that this woman didn't even attempt to say "I'm sorry''

When I finally got the car over to the side of the road, she gave me a look of complete horror and stopped her car. She got out and stared at the damage to her SUV with her hand to her mouth. I asked her three times if she was OK. She look up at me in shock and then climbed into her car and stayed there. The cops issued her a summons and recognized the fact that I was completely blameless.

I had a big self-pity tirade typed out but I won't post it, because it's useless. I am not hurt. I am driving a big, gaudy bright blue car now with awful speakers, but it's better than driving nothing. My furlough begins in a week, but Watchmen comes out on the sixth. So, I can't be anything less than OK right now.

What I'm feeling a lot of right now is the creeping realization that I need to find something else. I need a new job, particularly after this happened while I was at work for a job that I don't like anymore, picking up lunch from a place I didn't want to go to.

I am hoping to channel this energy into a new spat of job searching, and hope to find something that makes me feel good to do, rather than just puts money in my hands. I don't know what that is, but I've put off finding it for the past year, and I need to get myself back to a good place because where I am now is not healthy, mentally, creatively and physically. I'm ready to go back to my life.

Thanks Giving

It's been a long time since I updated my blog. A long time. Lots of stuff has happened, but it's a combination of not having internet connection in my place, finally getting an internet connection in my place but not being around to use it, and finally, when I am around, preferring to nap instead of putz around on the net.

But enough about that. I'm behind. You get it.

This is a Thanksgiving post.

I was inspired by Nick's (much better produced) entry about what he is thankful for this time of year, and even though Thanksgiving is over, I think this enitre stretch between Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year's is all about reflection on what's good in your life.

I've been in a bit of a stressed out funk lately, but that's not what I'm going to talk about. This is some of the stuff I am thankful for this year:

Pulling a steady paycheck

Intelligent media (Gawker. Pacifica Radio. NPR. The New York Times)

My puppy, who is always a good sport, even though I drive him nuts.

Living in a free, developed, Democratic country (This is not an Obama endorsement. This is more in line with watching what is happening in other parts of the world where women and children are gunned down because they happened to be in the rich part of town. This is after watching millions of people who never had a thing to believe in in their lives get excited about something and actually exercize their rights (obligation?) as citizens and participate in the democratic process.)

Finally finding a good apartment that doesn't have pest problems, noisy neighbors or uncaring building supers.

My family, for helping me move in, giving me furniture, cookware, plates, glasses, groceries, toilet paper and everything else one needs to live in an apartment on a daily basis.

My friends for being patient with me even though I haven't been the friendliest person lately.

Good chinese takeout (and Ellios frozen pizza, when the money is tight)

My old man, for allowing me to boss him around all day, and listening patiently when I'm on about something and loving me anyway.

At the moment, that's what's keeping me sane these days. I think I'm ready for the Christmas season. It will be interesting to do Christmas on a shorestring budget, but maybe this year, I'll be ble to sit back and enjoy the Christmas season instead of worrying so much about shopping.

R-O-C-K in the USA!!!

The fact that the American dollar is burning is really casting a cloud over my personal parade for moving into my new apartment.

There isn't anyone who can convince me now that I won't lose my job in October when the Press is forced to cut more people. When I started this job two years ago, I set a deadline of two years and said no matter what, I'd leave by September 2008. It wasn't for any particular reason, two years just sounded good to put on a resume. Maybe I'm clairvoyant. Hmmmm.....

2008 VMA Liveblog

(From Sunday)

It's VMA time again folks. I don't know about you, but I enjoy the VMA's because even after 25 years of this show alone, MTV STILL can't get their live broadcasts together. As of 9:37 p.m., Jamie Foxx came in with a nearly 5 second delay after the camera cut back to him, Demi Moore walked out onto the stage without her microphone. And the camera cuts are atrocious.

Opening : Britney looks good; she lost a lot of weight. I'm sure her management company threw a shit ton of money at MTV to have her dominate the first 10 minutes of the show. By the way, that’s what actually happens at the beginning of the show: everyone walking to the stage gets an escort to the stage and then off the stage. They also as you, a la cliché, if you're nervous. It's cool; you feel like a rock star.

Russell Brand is still an obnoxious fuck. I'm surprised MTV decided to go so political with the opening monologue. He wasn't ready for this gig; I almost feel bad for him.

9:00: Rihanna’s opening was kind of cool, but she sounded strained.

9:25: Why the fuck did Demi More wear her pajamas?

9:30: This is actually the very first Jonas Brothers song I have ever heard. I was worried that some of those gyrating teenage girls in the windows were going to fall two stories onto the lot.

9:35: Katie Perry sucks live. She doesn't have the vocals to handle a Madonna song. And Madonna doesn't have a spectacular voice, so that isn't saying much.

9:40: Oh Phelpsy, you're so cute.

9:47: Fanny Pak won the dance award? Are you fucking with me? Kabba Modern is the best crew to appear on that dumb show to date.

9:48: Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls definitely thinks she is going to the prom.

9:59: Paramore’s Haley has already kicked both Rihanna and Katie Perry in the teeth in terms of being able to handle a live song. And she says it’s their last show of the year: hopefully that means they’re going to work on some new music. Why bother saying they’re “on the other side of town” like six times if they’re, uh, not?

10:03: OK, someone needs to tell Paris Hilton that having a show where people have to COMPETE to be your friend isn’t cool. Show’s where people want to date you, ok, maybe, but having to solicit for friends doesn’t seem like something I’d want associated with my image.

10:04: Duh, I’m completely aware the show is fake. It’s just a loserish concept.

10:08: I don’t think Slash has changed his clothes in the last 25 years.

10:21: The Ting Tings! They’re so fun and cute.

10:22: Ashlee Simpson is fucking HUUUUUGE. She looks like she is going to eat Pete Wentz.

10:35: I’ve seen Christina Aguilera’s fragrance commercial four times now, and she looks like a tard in every one.

10:38: And, Christina is the first vocalist of the night to lip-synch her performance. Why??? Girl has pipes!

10:52: Britney wins again. Best female video and now best pop video. This is totally make it up to Britney night on MTV’s part. After 16 snubs, she wins awards on a mediocre album?

11:12: And poon tang takes her third award, who gives a fuck. How delightfully scripted.

I am sick of being reprimanded for writing articles in the manner of assuming that my readers will be able to easily understand what I am talking about without dumbing it down. I'm SICK of having to go back and rewrite and spell every little thing out and jam my point in your face so you'll be sure to understand it.

So, the next time you pick up a newspaper, any paper, consider the fact that the paper you are giving your money to thinks that you can't follow what they are talking about without them spelling it out explicitly. Chew on that for a while.