I Believe I've Over Committed.

E-gads, wasn't this supposed to be a daily blog? My apologies to myself and anyone else, but every time I sit down to write something, I either get writer's block (what to write, what to write), or writer's jam (should I write about this, that, the other, the other this, the other that, etc.). ...Sometimes I think the jam is worse than the block.

So (in hopes that putting this in writing will help to cement it more in my character) over committing is far worse than under performing.

I hope to keep this up to the best of my ability as there are a number of things that I'd love to get down in writing. I must now tend to my other obligations, namely the corvair site, and the cruisin' classics site... as well as adding some newer pictures to our family's photo site... Oi!

More to come...

I learned how to moblog...

... and that i like some cigars.

Moldy cheese isn't necessarily bad.

I read DIYLife's site every now and then as it sometimes has handy tips for checking off "honey do list" items in a faster/easier manner. Plus, I find that reading about other people doing something that I need to do makes me want to actually do it (I admit I have low self-initiative, but that's another post altogether).

Anyway, I stumbled upon their stumble upon another site's article (as often happens in blogs) on the shelf life of cheeses. Turns out that the blue fuzzy mold on cheddar's and the like is just on the surface and can just be brushed off. Other things of note are that ricotta's, mozzarella's and the like (soft white uncased cheeses) last only a week (their mold issa notta so good), blue cheese almost never goes bad when stored properly, and that plastic wrap without paper is a no-no unless you like the taste of plastic wrap.

So, our last power bill was $250.

Long story short, 80 degrees Fahrenheit is quite livable... Just be sure to call/knock before coming over. :-)

I think I've wasted a lot of money on gas.

In planning the budget for an upcoming vacation, I realized I've wasting a bit of money of gasoline. Nothing big like sitting in an idle car all night (it was a cold night, and I was in no shape to drive... and my truck lasted about 8 hours), it's all the little trips here and there.

I would take a trip to the local grocery store in my 20 mpg truck or small suv (if bringing the wife and kid) about 4 times a week. For me, it's about 1.5 miles each way. Add in a cold start (equivalent to about 1/8 a gallon for me) and that's .275 gals or $1.10 (if gas is $4/gal). Then there's the trip to the Super Wal-Mart, Target and/or Petsmart (I'll refrain from the links here) made at least twice a week, which is 4 miles away with 2 cold starts (cause let's face it, we almost never run in and out of a Super Wal-Mart). That's .675 gals or $2.70 for each round trip. Finally, since our kid goes through milk, apple juice by the gallon and diapers by the box, we make a trip to Sam's Wholesale Club at least once a week which is about 8 miles and another 2 cold starts (same reason as the Super Wal-Mart) and totals out at $4.20 per trip.

4 - $1.10 trips to the grocery, 2 - $2.70 trips, and 1 $4.20 trip = $14 a week in gas just to buy weekly essentials.

Ok, $56 a month may not seem like much for some, but that's a night of babysitting for us. So, in order to help earn us a night out (or more likely pay down some debt), we're making a few changes.

First, on a recommendation from a friend, I bought a new high performance air filter and timing advancer for my truck. I spent about $100 total (installed) and now get an average of 1.3 mpg more than before (6.1% increase). For me, that's like getting another gallon of gas per fill up for free, so they should finish paying for themselves in another couple months.

Second, and most important, we're changing our shopping routine a bit. Sam's is on the way to work, so I can stop there on the way there or back, and since I'm trying to get to work/home, I'm not as prone to exploring (time saver). Also, we're only going to go to the grocery store and the Super Wal-Mart/target area once a week at most (so we say). Plus, if we time our trips to the Super Wal-Mart right, then I load up a gift card and use it for gas, saving $.03 per gallon.

Last, I'm trying to get the hang of hypermiling... it's a bit tougher then it sounds (at least to produce any noticeable results).

Feel free to share any other tips.

Oh (last minute tip), don't forget that Discover Card holders get 5% cash back on gas purchases July-September ($4 gas will cost $3.80). Not bad.

The "Moon Illusion" or "How our minds misinterpret perspective"

So, with the Summer's Solstice Full Moon upon us, Physorg.com brought to light one of those things that we assumed to occur for one reason, but turns out to be for a completely different reason.

As the moon rises above the horizon the next couple of nights, take notice of its size... big, huh? I always thought this was due to some type of lensing effect from the atmosphere that made it look bigger.

Turns out that is not the case... Turns out, it's all in our head. Don't believe me? Take a picture of it (zoomed out all the way, of course), wait a few hours and take another picture and compare them (same zoom setting). Don't want to wait? Supposedly (I haven't tried this yet), you can also lose the illusion by looking at it upside down.

Of course, I plan on checking all this out tonight... hopefully my next post won't be about not trusting everything you hear on the net.

Gene Roddenberry was a Futurist

Gene Roddenberry foresaw the automatic sliding door, flip-phones, and hand-held computers. He believed in equal rights, VLDB's (the LCARS system), and a galaxy filled with exoplanets. Above all, he was able to present his (and others') ideas of the future in ways that inspired the public to bring them to life. In the vast emptiness of space (where no one can hear you scream), he showed that hope, determination, and respect of others can get you from alpha to delta and back again.

Some newer Star Trek type technologies making it to reality include: the medical tricorder; cloaking; cloning; the holodeck; instant translators (no Klingon yet though).

If I accomplish nothing else in my life, I hope to inspire those around me.
(I'm sure someone said this at some point in the history of men, though it may have been expressed as "ugh.")

Something Lernd - about the blog/me

In an effort to help get a few thoughts down on paper in writing (as well as improve my initiative), I've decided to start cataloging a thing or two I've learned each day. Possibly akin to Doogie Howser's personal journal, but without all that silly moral of the story crap. Look for something new each day or so. Perhaps you'll lern something too...