Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Travel season is upon us!
The weather in Madison has turned cold. In the last week we've had 10-12 inches of snow, so winter is definitely upon us. The lakes in town are on the verge of freezing for the season. This would be about 3-4 weeks ahead of when they froze last year. Fortunately, air travel allows (relatively) quick and easy access to warmer environs.
So, now we're into travel season. I journeyed home to Renton for several days over Thanksgiving and enjoyed nice weather, with sun every day. I helped to put the lights on the roof, and actually did it in the sunshine and was so warm I had to remove a layer of clothing! I have a clause in my contract that says I will only put up the lights if it is raining, freezing or dark, but I decided to do it anyway, since I won't be home for Christmas. (I think my parents have pictures of this)
Just before the snow came to Madison last week, Katie left for the west coast. She endured wind and rain in Seattle and Portland, but missed out on the snow and ice in Madison. From there she went to San Francisco. Temps were in the 50s, with sun.
So with the weather turning cold and Katie gone to the Best Coast, I was more than happy to get out of town and go to Miami. Miami was unlike anyplace I'd been before. It was still Florida (all the nuts roll downhill and end up in Florida) but it was definitely not like Cocoa Beach. It seemed at times like a tropical paradise, and 85 degrees was a lot better than neg. 5 degrees in Madison! I could definitely get used to that sort of climate. And the Cuban food and Mojitos also helped make Miami enjoyable. And people-watching on Lincoln Ave in South Beach was something everybody should experience. There were lots of people spending lots of money, wearing fancy clothes and driving cars that were more expensive than most homes in Madison. Fast cars, big boats, big money and big boobs in tiny tops does a good job of describing Miami. It was a good place to go for a weekend, but it was all a bit much for any longer. So after a bit of a delay (and several miles of walking in the Miami and Chicago airports) I'm back in Madison.
Katie should get home either late Monday or early Tuesday, and we're already getting set for our next adventure to warmer temps: Peru and Dallas. Then after two days in Madison, back to Florida (two weeks in Cocoa Beach.) In Peru we will live like movie stars. In Dallas and Cocoa, it will be more like normal folks.
And here is one bit of news from the gross-out file: Minn. Slaughterhouse Workers Fall Ill
So, now we're into travel season. I journeyed home to Renton for several days over Thanksgiving and enjoyed nice weather, with sun every day. I helped to put the lights on the roof, and actually did it in the sunshine and was so warm I had to remove a layer of clothing! I have a clause in my contract that says I will only put up the lights if it is raining, freezing or dark, but I decided to do it anyway, since I won't be home for Christmas. (I think my parents have pictures of this)
Just before the snow came to Madison last week, Katie left for the west coast. She endured wind and rain in Seattle and Portland, but missed out on the snow and ice in Madison. From there she went to San Francisco. Temps were in the 50s, with sun.
So with the weather turning cold and Katie gone to the Best Coast, I was more than happy to get out of town and go to Miami. Miami was unlike anyplace I'd been before. It was still Florida (all the nuts roll downhill and end up in Florida) but it was definitely not like Cocoa Beach. It seemed at times like a tropical paradise, and 85 degrees was a lot better than neg. 5 degrees in Madison! I could definitely get used to that sort of climate. And the Cuban food and Mojitos also helped make Miami enjoyable. And people-watching on Lincoln Ave in South Beach was something everybody should experience. There were lots of people spending lots of money, wearing fancy clothes and driving cars that were more expensive than most homes in Madison. Fast cars, big boats, big money and big boobs in tiny tops does a good job of describing Miami. It was a good place to go for a weekend, but it was all a bit much for any longer. So after a bit of a delay (and several miles of walking in the Miami and Chicago airports) I'm back in Madison.
Katie should get home either late Monday or early Tuesday, and we're already getting set for our next adventure to warmer temps: Peru and Dallas. Then after two days in Madison, back to Florida (two weeks in Cocoa Beach.) In Peru we will live like movie stars. In Dallas and Cocoa, it will be more like normal folks.
And here is one bit of news from the gross-out file: Minn. Slaughterhouse Workers Fall Ill
Monday, November 5, 2007
Must be time to talk about the weather...
I guess we've been lucky here so far this fall in Wisconsin. But the good times are past. Even as we had temps around 70 last week, today we've had our first snowflakes of the season. We'll have flurries and 25-25 mph wind tonight, and a "hard freeze" in the middle of this week. Brrr. At least I got some new gloves. Working outside my hands have been getting cold (because when I'm working outside, I'm pretty much the only one not working hard enough to stay warm....)
On a last note about the Volvo, I purchased petrol today for the first time Sept. 30.
Now onto one of my other favorite topics. I was walking to my car today and as I walked past the back, I noticed that my rear bumper had been tagged by some idiot, scraping the paint off of the corner. Pretty typical for the clientelle around here. We have a few really nice Euro rides in the lot, but quite a few dumpy Japanese cars in various states of disrepair. I'm pretty sure one of them pulled in and didn't quite make it past my car.
In other Volvo news, the old "R" wheels I used to have on my car were sold this weekend. I have had the standard "Turbo" wheels on since the fall of 2004. It was pretty sporty with the old ones, but I couldn't find tires for them that were up to the challenge of carrying the heft of the Volvo.
On a last note about the Volvo, I purchased petrol today for the first time Sept. 30.Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Stay thin to cut cancer risk
Well, I'll give it my best. This article on bbc.co.uk lays out ways to cut your risk of cancer. Top recommendations:
- Limit red meat
- Limit alcohol
- Avoid bacon, ham, and other processed meats
- No sugary drinks
- No weight gain after 21
- Exercise every day
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Three things...
These three topics could not be further apart:
Alicia Silverstone has an ad promoting vegetarianism. It was too provocative and was pulled from Comcast Cable in Houston. Was it the beef manufacturers, or the bible belters?
Blackwater USA has posted a classified ad (#18370, posted 9/19 )on a popular rowing website (www.row2k.com) looking for personal trainers for Navy SEAL candidates.
And French President Nicolas Sarkozy declared that "France doesn't want war." LOL! With 600 years of French military history, I can see why.
Alicia Silverstone has an ad promoting vegetarianism. It was too provocative and was pulled from Comcast Cable in Houston. Was it the beef manufacturers, or the bible belters?
Blackwater USA has posted a classified ad (#18370, posted 9/19 )on a popular rowing website (www.row2k.com) looking for personal trainers for Navy SEAL candidates.
And French President Nicolas Sarkozy declared that "France doesn't want war." LOL! With 600 years of French military history, I can see why.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Cost Calculators
Here is a really simple tool for figuring petrol cost per mile, adjustible for the current price of gas. It puts me at about $0.15/mile at today's prices ($3.20) but was about $0.10/per mile at $2.00, which it was not so long ago.
As far as determining cost per mile, the IRS give $0.405/mile for tax purposes, so based on raw numbers, I am still (amazingly) ahead of that, but that is figuring in depreciation as well. When I figure depreciation (I paid $14,565 and dorve 73,396 miles, the car is now valued at near $3848) this comes to $0.146 per mile.
So, figuring that my average price put me somewhere around $0.12 per mile, the depreciation at $0.146 per mile and repairs at $0.158 per mile, total cost per mile is $0.424.
The AAA says that it costs $0.522 per mile. Here is a guy who says he did it for $0.375 driving 20,000 miles per year in his FoFo. I don't really trust his judgement too much because he has another post in which he says "I’ve always wanted a Toyota Camry V6 XLE!" Arrgh!
I guess that I have generally overlooked the obvious here. The key to the whole cost per mile problem is that as mileage goes up, cost per mile goes down. Time to start piling on the miles!!!
As far as determining cost per mile, the IRS give $0.405/mile for tax purposes, so based on raw numbers, I am still (amazingly) ahead of that, but that is figuring in depreciation as well. When I figure depreciation (I paid $14,565 and dorve 73,396 miles, the car is now valued at near $3848) this comes to $0.146 per mile.
So, figuring that my average price put me somewhere around $0.12 per mile, the depreciation at $0.146 per mile and repairs at $0.158 per mile, total cost per mile is $0.424.
The AAA says that it costs $0.522 per mile. Here is a guy who says he did it for $0.375 driving 20,000 miles per year in his FoFo. I don't really trust his judgement too much because he has another post in which he says "I’ve always wanted a Toyota Camry V6 XLE!" Arrgh!
I guess that I have generally overlooked the obvious here. The key to the whole cost per mile problem is that as mileage goes up, cost per mile goes down. Time to start piling on the miles!!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
