Debates

Ironically enough, tonight's Republican YouTube Debate was the first debate I've watched at least half of so far. While it mostly reaffirms why I won't be voting for any one of these guys, I decided I kinda like Mike Huckabee. There's something about him that's different from the seven others on the stage and it's quite appealing. He's calm and smart. His answers are professional and thoughtful, and dare I say, real. He answered the first question on immigration with class and smarts, despite how it really didn't fit into the classic Republican anti-immigrant campaign. He defended his policy on granting children of illegal immigrants the same rights to qualify for merit scholarships as citizens with grace and honesty. His answer on the death penalty was moving- though he didn't address the reality of faulty convictions and the current Supreme Court halt on executions. (On the other hand, that comment on putting Hillary on the first rocket to Mars was a little tasteless; yes, everyone else had to mention her, but he was doing just fine without it.)

Don't get me wrong- I wouldn't vote for him. He's super conservative and I disagree with him on many things. But if he got the Republican nomination, I can somehow envision a true shift in national conversation on who should be our next president. His style would dramatically alter the politics and campaigning that we are used to. Perhaps it would be something truly worth tuning in for.

Bad Business Decision of the Day

We've been doing a lot of research into flat panel TVs, since we have this nice big wall in front of our couch that would be just the perfect setting for TV viewing pleasure. We've looked into the differences between LCD, plasma, and DLP, decided what size we wanted, how much we wanted to spend, and narrowed the search down to a few different brands, based upon level of support, quality, and user reviews. Andrew then spent the weekend scouring the ads for good deals, and found this from Frys, a West Coast electronics chain: a Samsung 42" plasma, a $1500 set, for $900. And, to boot, it came with free shipping!

We didn't want to buy the TV without seeing the picture in person, so, on our drive back down to DC yesterday, we stopped at Best Buy and liked what we saw. During the drive, we decided to stop in Delaware, just in case we found something else we wanted, so that we could take advantage of the free shipping. Also, it couldn't hurt to see if anyone would match the price we found online.

We walked into a Circuit City with online ad in hand. Turns out, CC was selling our set for $1199. I approached a salesman and asked him if they would match the price we found at a competitor out West; he asked his manager, and his manager said yes! We were psyched. The guy walks us over to the Samsung, writes down the model number, and takes our online ad, to ring up the purchase. 5 minutes later, he returns with a change of heart: they will match the $900 price but will have to add what overnight shipping would cost (~$198) if we were to purchase the TV from Frys.

Wha?? I looked at the guy and pointed out that ground shipping was free, so we wouldn't actually pay any shipping on the TV. He countered with the fact that we want to take home the TV today from CC, so in essence, it's overnight shipping. So, we said thank you for trying, but we'll just buy the TV online, thank you very much.

Logically, his argument makes sense, but how much does it make sense when stores are trying desperately to keep their share of customers away from cheaper, online purchases? We walked into Circuit City with the intent of dropping at least $900. We were willing customers who would probably have bought a movie or two while waiting in line to buy the TV. But we walked away, in the same position we were in when we walked through their doors- we have $900 to spend on a TV, but instead of spending it (and perhaps more) at CC, we're spending it online, from the comfort of our own home, without the hassle of loading and unloading the car with a 42" TV. I don't care that I have to wait a few weeks for the TV to arrive, no skin off my back; but CC just lost yet another customer to the internet.

I love autumn.
And I love the cherry blossoms.

There isn't anything environmental or having to do with nature that I love more than autumn and the cherry blossoms.

The sheer and absolute beauty encapsulated by the changing colors of the leaves and the blooming of the cherry blossoms just simply can't be beat.

I mean, I love snow, flowing rivers, beaches, and mountains-- basically any picturesque nature scene. But there is nothing as accessible and as absolute and definite than autumn and cherry blossoms, at least in DC.

For as long as I can remember, the end of summer meant the leaves would inevitably change from green to yellow, orange, and red. It is the truth of autumn in these areas; you don't have to do anything, and it's there. The same with the cherry blossoms. As winter turns to spring, the cherry blossoms bloom pink and white, and the Tidal Basin transforms into an even more gorgeous landscape. Again, I have no role in this; it just happens.

So nothing thrills (and distracts) me more than an autumn drive along the George Washington Parkway. Even now, halfway thru November, you are enveloped in the rustic colors of fall and the absolute intensity of the trees against the backdrop of the Potomac River and Georgetown. I drove this the other day and was in absolute awe of the beauty surrounding me. Just a few weeks ago, we went to West Virginia for the weekend just to see the changing of the leaves, but who knew that this splendor was right here, five minutes from my home?

If you have a free moment and a car, jump in it and just drive. Drive north on the GW Parkway and pull over into one of the scenic overlooks and just take in what's around you. You won't regret it.

Yay cheesy!!

Stolen from the lady, Princezz O'Phun:

Copy and post your answers in the comments, and if you post on your site, I'll post my answers:

1. Do you have a tattoo?

2. How old are you?

3. Are you single or taken?

4. Fish?

5. Do you dream in color?

6. Ever seen a corpse?

7. Hipsters or Hillbillies?

8. How did we meet?

9. What's your philosophy on life and death?

10. If you could do anything with me, and have no one know, what would it be?

11. Do you trust the police?

12. Do you like musicals?

13. What is your fondest memory of me?

14. If you could change anything about yourself what would it be?

15. Would you cheat ?

16. What are you wearing?

17. Have you ever peed in a pool?

18. Would you hide evidence for me if I asked you to?

19. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?

20. Which do you prefer - short or long hair?

21. What's your favorite day of the week?

22. What's your favorite color?

23. If you could bring back anyone that has passed, who would it be?

24. Tell me one interesting/odd fact about you?

25. What was your first impression of me?

26. Have you ever done drugs?

27. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you?

Invasion of the chocolate bugs

For the last few months, we would notice just one or two little bugs moseying along in our kitchen near our stovetop. We got rid of them quickly and wondered where they were coming from. We usually wouldn't leave food lying around and kept the area relatively clean. Mostly, there were some papers and a small box in the corner area of the countertop. These little buggers would show up every now and then and keep me confused.

Then last night, as I was cleaning up, I saw a few more. I was in cleaning mode, so I started to clear off the counter, and lo and behold, I lifted a piece of folded paper that had been sitting in its exact place for who-knows-how-long, and found: a partially unwrapped bar of chocolate, which I hadn't seen for quite a while.

And then it hit me: it says wonders that we've had a cleaning service clean our apartment every other week for the last few months and the folded paper and other little stuff we had sitting in that corner was never once lifted to clean underneath. What on earth am I paying them for if they are only going to clean the areas of my home that don't have any "stuff" on it?? I understand not wanting to disturb clutter on a desk, but they would always clean up our table and make neat piles of all the mail. So why not the kitchen??

Ugh.

I gotta hand it to the little buggers, though- after all this time, they didn't bother us anywhere else. All they wanted was that chocolate. But then again, would we all be happy if our world consisted of one big bar of chocolate?