February 25, 2006

Give a Little!

Two-Thirds of Katrina Donations Exhausted

For years I’ve always trashed those annoying requests from charities and kept the stash of cute return address labels they sent along as a “gift.”  In my business, it is either feast or famine and I figured all the rich people can do the contributing, as it is a big fat tax right-off.

I was about to do the same this week when going through a stack of unopened mail.  One was from the American Institute for Cancer Research. No, they are not the “big” cancer charity, but I liked what I saw.

First they listed by percentage where there money goes. In their case 68% goes to research and public education. 10% goes to administrative costs.  Now, I’m not sure if that is a stellar distribution of funds relative to other charities, but it sounds pretty good to me.

Second, most of their research goes into prevention.  Wow, what a novel idea!  What we put into our bodies may be a big factor in either preventing us from getting cancer or suffering the devastation of cancer.  What we are exposed to in the environment is clearly a factor as well.

Well I was close to trashing those return envelopes again this year - one also came from the American Heart Association (yes they are a “big” charity but focus on prevention as well).  I mean, after all, I’m on sabbatical, with little money coming in, I have a big mortgage and car payment each month and I want to buy a big boat next year.  Let the growing hoards of rich people take the tax write off!

I’ll tell you what changed: I had an epiphany this week that brought me to tears. It is far too personal to talk about here and no, it has nothing to do with me personally.

Although I’m watching the dollars carefully, I gathered what seemed like a ton of spare change.  I put all the quarters in rolls: $160 into my checking account.  The smaller change was a bit more overwhelming so I took it to one of those Coin Stair machines: $125 after they took their cut.

So I immediately wrote a check for $125 each to American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Heart Association and mailed them that day.  With the $35 I had left, well I treated my self to a nice Chesapeake Bay seafood dinner on Solomon’s Island (grilled, not fried).  After all, I was feeling good about myself.

Next week, all those designer shirts and pants that are clogging my closet and don’t quite fit are off to the Salvation Army.  Then all the excess furniture that I have from merging my Florida and Maryland homes is off to Good Will.

Now in the scheme things, my little contribution amounts to a hill of beans.  But given there are thousands of you that foolishly come back here each month, if you all were so moved to do the same, that epiphany of mine would translate into some real good.  Don't like the main stream charities, find a local one!  Go – do something – NOW!
 

February 22, 2006

As many new readers are having trouble following the Don Laing Story, I have republished the parts in an easy to find order.  Also, I found the original manuscript which I wrote in 1986, with a wealth of new insight.  The story begins at the revised Introduction. I'll be adding a new part over the weekend.

February 18, 2006

Car Crazy?

     Here I’m thinking that I’m the savvy consumer, rarely influenced by the marketing hype of any consumer driven product – especially damn automobile consumer products.  Boy did I take a fall!

     This all started when the weather forecast promised two days in the mid 60’s. To my friends in California and Florida that temperature is chilly at best.  But remember, I just returned from an assignment in Vermont and my poor new car endured more than a few road-salt-enhanced trips on the worst of the I-95 corridor (NY to DC).  It needed some TLC and I, for once, had the time to give it some.

     So I dug out some car soap and wax that I had from last year.  The wax was Maguire’s Deep Crystal System Carnauba Wax.  I figured that I was all set, until I read the instructions and discovered that the wax was Step 3 of a three step process.  So I went to their web page to find out what that was all about.  It’s really a five step process, I discover (if you include the washing part).

     I’m thinking this is a new car and I sure don’t need to do all those steps, right?  So I join the forum and ask the question.  I got a few kind responses saying; “no you don’t really have to do the five steps but . . .” All the “buts” made sense and I headed down to the local AutoZone.  $75+ later, I was all set (I opted to get stuff to clean the inside of the car as well).

     Now I have to admit that until a few years ago, I didn’t even know what “car detailing” was.  But with my research and spending complete, if I got up early the next day, I'd have most of it to get these five steps accomplished.  The rims, tires and interior could slide until the next warm day if needed.

     So Thursday turns out near-perfect – warm, breezy and a light overcast preventing any harsh direct sunlight on the car.  I knew that my attention span, based on past experiences, was capable of washing and drying a car.  So that part went just fine, even though I felt I should have been finished with the whole ordeal as the car looked great with just the wash.  But I was determined to go through the whole process, given I spent all that money.

     Step 2 was totally new to me: Claying. You take this special clay (which cost way too much for what you get), and form it into a pancake.  Then you spritz on this special spritz, which comes with the clay, and rub the clay over the entire surface of the car.  You wipe it all down as you do the "Claying."  In case you're curious, the purpose of this step, so the marketing hype says, is to “safely restore a smooth-as-glass feel to your paint by removing bonded contaminants from the surface.” I get finished, thinking this is work, a lot of work, and I take a long break.

     For Step 3 you put the paint cleaner on and buff it off. That was fairly simply and did remove some early light scratches.

     Step 4 is a repeat of Step 3, only using polish this time.  For some reason the petroleum based goop that carries the suspended polishing abrasive was much harder to buff out.  In fact it was a pain-in-the-butt. Finally, after sacrificing 3 perfectly good white bath towels, I got the polish residue off the surface.  I was
ready to quit at that point, but there was only one remaining step: the damn wax.

     Oddly, during my shopping spree, I decided that the old wax was not good enough for my new car and I spent an extra $16 on the “NXT Generation Tech Wax.”  I apply it and let it dry per the instructions.  I come back to finally finish the day-long operation as the sun is setting, only to find this Tech Wax does not buff out either.  Another 3 good towels sacrificed.

     Exhausted, I examine my work.  Flawless – well not quite, there are still traces of polymeric residue, if one looks closely and the light is right.  $16 for hi tech car wax!  I felt victimized by my own gullibility.

     So, has this man-to-bimmer bonding experience made me “car crazy” as defined by Meguiar’s cute little web forum?  No chance in hell.  I stayed a safe distance from my clean shiny Sapphire Black Metallic sheet metal all day Friday, opting for something fun & relaxing to do on Friday.  Naturally I was afraid to drive it, fearing all my hard work would be lost.

     Lesson learned:  Next time I am going to do my part to support small business AND minimum wage labor in America by paying someone else to do it!  Jeez – I still have the tires, rims and interior to do.  Thank god the heat wave has left for a time.

February 12, 2006

Snow, What Snow?

Had I still been up in Vermont, the thought of more snow would have just been another annoying reminder that the only time I really enjoyed living in Florida was November through March.

Here in Piney Point, the early forecast was for 10-12 inches.  That number shrunk each time the forecast was updated.  Oddly, I was slightly disappointed, as I was well stocked with supplies and had absolutely nowhere to go over the weekend.

We did get a few inches of wet sloppy snow as the warm waters of the Chesapeake and Potomac kept the temperature above freezing much of the night.  So there is no sense in reporting the event from here, as those in New York and Eastern New England should have that task.

I did mange to get out and find two young teen girls create a new twist on the traditional "snowman." 

I had wanted to get a shot with them and their creation, but their mom shooed them back in the house when she saw a man with a camera pull up in a black BMW. 

Go figure!

February 5, 2006

Super Bowl Four-0

I almost became a Seahawk's fan, as that's where I'm headed and I'm always for the underdog.  But their coach spent way too much time looking at his cheat sheet and Pittsburg proved the stronger team.  The game had it moments, at least until midway through the 4th quarter.  But was it Super Bowl caliber? Well no, but there's not much the viewer can do about that.

 When it was finally over, being a diehard Green Bay Packer Fan, I was happy to see Bart Starr deliver the Vince Lombardi Trophy.  Well - diehard is perhaps the wrong word, as I maybe watched all of 3 games last season.  I have better things to do on a Sunday afternoon.

This is the first Super Bowl Game that I watched at home in high definition, and I tell you America - it's long overdue.  I mean, we Americans should have access to Super High Definition here in 2006 (even though it doesn't exist), but sadly, even plain old high definition is still suffering from growing pains.  "Steer away from plasma screens as they burn out after a few years," so advised my cable guy when I got the hi-def box hooked up this week just in time for the game.

At half time, the Stones looked their combined age of 230 years (excluding Ron Wood), but I liked the simplicity of the show.  The half-time NFL marketers learned a lot from past overindulgence, but the NFL still saw the need to lean on censorship to avoid controversy by dropping out two words (come and cocks - as in male chickens) from a band that should all be dead by now (excluding Ron Wood).  Like anyone could possible understand a word old Mick was singing.

Jeezz, this is not Saudi Arabia after all, although pandering to fundamentalists seems the norm these days.  Is it any wonder that I never watch network TV anymore.  Well, that's not the reason, it's all the petty worthless junk the "Big 3" produce these days.  24/7 "news" is far more entertaining for the hour or so of daily TV that I watch.

Worst ad of the show: General Motors with their robot impregnating a monster to create a Hummer H3.  How dumb can you get?  GM should fire their entire marketing department or risk pending bankruptcy.  Toyota blew them out of the water - literally.  Fed Ex and Gillett had pretty good ads, but I'll never pay that kind of money for a Fusion Razor Blade with, how many, individual blades on it?

Well, I'll never have a real award winning chili, unless it is at a health fair.  But the spicy shredded chicken breast chili hit the spot.  Our addiction to salt is difficult to overcome.  One secret: all the "essence" should be added while sautéing the shredded chicken.  The recipe is still under development.

I did have some new neighbors over for the game: a young attorney with wife and new baby.  I let them bring the dog over as well.  My new young friend was complaining that his buddies from law school have all gone off to DC firms earning big bucks, while he's clerking for a local judge.  I told him he's getting a jump start on them to the Supreme Court, but to watch his "paper trail" very closely.  They, understandably, had to leave after halftime, but I sensed, enjoyed a night out, even though it was a mere two doors down.  All-in-all, it was a very good night!

A final thought: John Madden is a living American Institution and should be elected to the Hall of Fame!  I'd love to sit down and have a few beers with that guy while he's cruising home on his super bus!

February 2, 2006

Carbonboy's Diet & Exercise Experiment

Yes, yes, the D & E challenge has been a recurring theme here.  And for good cause, as most of us average folks need it hammered into us (myself included). 

I've got about a six week sabbatical before I head to the Pacific Northwest and, damn, I'm going to make the most of it!  I'm starting with beans - well bean soup anyway.  The quintessential "Soup & Salad" at your local favorite eating establishment sounds harmless enough, but beware, the soup is loaded with sodium.

If you are in perfect health, not to worry, but who of us are in "perfect" health, and if you are, stop eating the soup at Joe's Diner if you want to stay that way.  Even the canned "healthy" variety is over-loaded in salt.

So, granted, people that work for a living may not have this option: 15 Bean Soup from Hambeems. I bet the brand has been around for 50 years, maybe 100.

The first thing I do is throw out the "favor packet" as it is 90% salt.  Then I soak the beans overnight.

The recipe on the bag is simple enough: add a can of tomatoes, some garlic and onions and a pound of browned beef stew meat, and you are good to go.

Well, I have no recollection of ever buying strew meat before, but I know it is tough and has to be cooked for hours.  So just to make sure I got this right, I sautéed the beef in olive oil, mushrooms and red wine.

I added a few carrots and a stalk of celery, as I recall that's something my mom would do.  Also, I threw in a cup of cooked Brown Basmati Rice, as I recall a rice/bean combo forms a complete protein.

Given that I threw out the favor packet, I, at whim, added a bit of turmeric, cumin, savory, marjoram, sage and some red pepper to boot.

Well, four hours later I sampled my first batch of home made soup.  It needed SALT.  So I measured carefully, and "favored to taste."  Remarkable!

I was so excited that I invited my neighbors over for a taste.  Of course one can't just serve plain old bean soup. So I sliced a little Swiss cheese and some whole wheat bread (more on the later) and popped open a Pinot.  Result: happy neighbors!

I tell you, remember the Seinfeld episode about the "Soup Nazi?"  Soup is sooooo good, if done right - just don't add too much salt, but always offer your guests a sea salt grinder before serving.

For Super Bowl Sunday, I'll attempt a spicy shredded chicken breast chili.

Anyway, man can not live on soup alone (or mankind can not).  In the past, the average man could forgo the "salad" end of things altogether, unless it is packaged with a big burger and a bun (that's called a California Burger).  Well, over time the male species has managed to evolve somewhat and they do indulge in the salad thing (at least for lunch and as long as it has some meat on it).

That was my approach to a lunch salad all these years - until I made this soup with just a bit of beef in it to satisfy my male carnivore cravings.  So now, for lunch, while I am on sabbatical, I have my soup and a meatless salad.  That works fine for me.

Current Blog     Last Month    Archives    C-B-D    Email Carbonboy    Top of Page

© 2006 Composites-By-Design Corporation -