New piece

Okay, so I'm reading about the K-Mart troubles and someone mentioned how they need to re-brand themselves and bring back the "blue light" specials so they can compete with Wa--Mart.

So I came up with this simple logo that uses the Myriad Pro font that every corporation wants to change to.

What Makes Me Happy?

What makes me happy? Well, one thing is having all the things I need and want close by enough to walk to.

You see, I was reading the Sunday New York Times and came across an article about the web site walkscore.com. It's like Mapquest but it empathizes how walker friendly your neighborhood is.

Walkscore rates your neighborhood based on what is within a mile of your address and give it a score based on how many essential services are within that radius. As expected New York City and San Francisco rated high and most suburban towns rated poorly.

So, of course I looked at all the places I lived during my life so far and see how they were rated from 0-100 in walkability.

The first place I lived was in Staten Island. I lived there from birth til I was three years old. It was rated a 75, "Very Walkable". I think that's better than when I lived there but since I was too young, I can't judge it. However, when I lived there, my family only had one car. My mom had no problem walking to many of the places in the neighborhood to get what she needed.

The place I grew up, Flanders, New Jersey, was rated a lowly 25, "Car-Dependant" Shortly after moving in, we had to get a second car. It was worse back in the 70's, so the score would have been lower in my time. The neighborhood I grew up was a large development of about a thousand houses that had no town center. On the opposite side of my house was a small mall with a grocery store, pharmacy and what not. Even that was about a mile away. No movies, bars or libraries near by. The 7-Eleven was across a busy highway with no traffic light. This was terrible for a kid. I never went in there myself until I was 11 years old. A typical suburb, no wonder I was bummed growing up there.

The next place I lived was Sloane House, 34th street and 9th ave in NEW YORK CITY. It rated a 98! "A Walker's Paradise!" A great place to be when one's going to art school. Anything I needed was near by, including some things that are illicit. Too bad I had no money at the time. Still, even without money, there was soooo much to see, so much to do. No surprise. I wish I could afford to live there again.

The next place I lived was in the Hamilton Park area of Jersey City, New Jersey. It rated an 89. "Very Walkable". It's definitely more of a walking area now than when I lived there. Still, I lived near a good sized mall, Newport Center. It was about 10 blocks away. At the time I lived there, there wasn't much else in the other directions within that perimeter. These days I would love to live there. It's so great and so close to the great city itself.

After that I moved to Seattle. The first neighborhood I lived in was the "U" district. It's next to the University of Washington campus. This place was rated a 94, a "Walkers Paradise". It was. For me it's up there as the best neighborhood I lived in. I spent two years there. The apartment wasn't much, but man did I have fun in the neighborhood. Everything I loved was close by. A Safeway was the furthest service from me, and even that was only 7 blocks away. The best bike trail in the world, Burke-Gilman was five blocks away. I had the choice of four set of movie houses within short walking distance. Mainstream, foreign, alternative and classic movies galore! The popcorn was the best, the best, Jerry! Restaurants of all sorts were within three blocks.

I moved out when my friend invited me to live in the Greenlake/Greenwood section of Seattle. My neighborhood was rated an 82. "Very Walkable". This neighborhood was at one time considered the suburbs of Seattle. Things are a little stretched out but it was close to my favorite place to shop, Fred Meyer. Though this one didn't have a grocery section. A few good bars were close by and a place called Beth's provided the cure for hangovers. Good thing, I was drinking a lot back then.

Anyway, I met a woman who I got serious with. My roommates and I were being kicked out of the house so I moved to Federal Way, a town 20 miles south of Seattle. We lived on the west part of town and thus it was rated a 40, "Car-Dependant". It was a letdown. It was the suburbs again, and I was not too keen on where I lived. Still I had my girlfriend. I was close to a grocery store, a coffee shop and a few other things. Three miles away was a huge selection of stores. Still, this was a "bedroom community" where zoning laws prevented a good walking environment. I didn't have a car and that was never more pronounced than when I live here. I bummed from my girlfriend but still, I wished we lived elsewhere. 5 years later I got my wish. I went across town, She moved to Kirkland with her new husband.

Across town in the eastern Federal Way was better walking wise, a 75, "Very Walkable". But since my breakup was devastating, I couldn't appreciate it. In actuality, the area was a sea of asphalt near a busy highway. Any store was near by, all chains, except for a mini Korean mall. Lots of TGIF type bars, movies, and a shopping mall within short walking distance. However, you had to dodge cars in parking lots, avoid them on non sidewalk roads and basically endure stares from the car drivers. I couldn't wait to move.

Back to Seattle I went to lick my wounds after the breakup. It helped that I moved to the Queen Anne section. It rated an 85, "Very Walkable". I think it was a little better than that. The site doesn't figure in the steep hills, that's why San Fransisco was rated so high. But I was close to
everything. Also the access to public transportation was phenomenal. I was within four blocks from access to any part of Seattle and its surroundings. It turned out I was within walking distance to all the jobs I had when I lived there. My favorite coffee shop, Caffe Ladro was just down the hill. The library just up the hill. Seattle spoiled me on libraries.

I moved back to New Jersey to be with yet another girlfriend. She didn't get a place for us as promised, so I had to crash at my parents place while I got my shit together. Their place rates a 2.

A 2!!!

Car-Dependant?! Hell Yeah!!

Holy crap! That's terrible, but not surprising. Nothing is near by, It's two miles to the nearest place to get coffee and a newspaper! It's a huge complex of a thousand plus houses in a gated community of cul-de-sacs with one gate. Ugh, it's a nightmare for someone like me. One of the things that gives a place good stores is a neighborhood that is close to parks. Walkscore bases distance by how the crow flies. Well, the park was behind a fence and I would have to trespass in someone's yard in order to get there by the distance noted. So the score would even be lower than two. People do walk there alright but they walk aimlessly, merely for exercise with not a goal to reach. Ewwww. I definitely would not chose to live there. Heck, I'd get a divorce if my wife insisted on living there.

When I got the place that my girlfriend and I moved in Spring Lake Heights New Jersey, it was a vast improvement. 22 times better because it scored a 44. "Car-Dependent". I dunno, I was satisfied living there without a car. The fact no renowned businesses was there as far as getting a decent job may be the reason the score was low. Or the fact the Jersey Shore shuts down in the winter. I was close to a library, which was a plus. I was near the beach, very cool and an excellent ice cream store was down the street. The apartment was great, probably the best one I lived in but I had to move out when my girlfriend left.

In Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. My neighborhood rates a 52, "Somewhat Walkable". I agree. It's great for some of the things I enjoy. I'm close to a library, a weak one but one nonetheless. I'm a skip and a jump from the 5 plex movie theater. I'm not close to a good coffee place or even a 7-Eleven. I am close to my bank, close to the post office and close to a decent bike path. I'm near a Foodtown, a decent liquor store but not near a good karaoke bar.

Now I live in Union, New Jersey. It rates a 75% rating. "Very Walkable" yeah, I guess. It's not great but truth to tell, I am close to most of what I need. The Union library is quite good, The Stop & Shop is really close.

So that's it. Check out how all the places you lived rated. I doubt my fellow PIC members would find a better place than where we lived together in NYC. Especially, the easy access to good friends. But prove me wrong, fellows.

Recession Diets

I've noticed that some people have lost weight recently. Many of the heavier people on my job who've lost weight have said it was because they now walk to stores close to them because the cost of gas has gone up so much. They have cut down on food spending at the airport bringing food from home. They are cutting down on pub food and fast food. Net result: weight loss. This has encouraged them to keep it up. Bicycles are being brought out for small errands which gives them exercise, saves them money and gives us cleaner air, Good for them.




















On the other hand the bad economy can have a reverse effect on people. There are those who used to get the more expensive food like at natural markets like Whole Food Markets. Vegetable prices have increased so much, that they go back to cheaper processed food and non organic ingredients. The economy has made it difficult for people to justify paying for monthly health club fees. So now you have health devotees walking down the soda aisle of cheaper supermarkets looking sluggish and miserable.

They just need to do "Automatic Exercise". Walk to places that are within two miles. Don't drive to a place to jog or bike. Bike to places within five miles. Walk from store to store when you're at a strip mall. Walk when you're hungry, it suppresses appetite. Commute to work by bike if possible. You don't need that health club. Especially if you're paying but not using it because the gas prices make you think twice about going.

Atlantic Highlands vs. Highlands

So I decided to stay another year in my teeny tiny apartment in Atlantic Highlands, NJ. It was made necessary when I had to get a new clutch for my car. Lots of money getting a new clutch. It nearly wiped out the money I saved for moving. It's just as well, because in looking for a place closer to Newark Airport, I was unable to find a satisfying place within my price range.

Besides, I'm planning on moving back to Seattle sometime next year and thought maybe it'll be less stressful not moving yet again before I do that. I have already lived in four different places in a three year period. Besides I can save more money and not have too much stuff to move next year.

Anyway, a lot of people get confused at what town I live in. It's understandable. I live in a rather isolated shore town on the south shores of Raritan Bay. The town of Atlantic Highlands is located next to another town called Highlands. Confusing, I know. My family gets confused at which is which. Heck, even someone I knew who lived their whole life at the shore gets confused. So here's a primer:















Atlantic Highlands:

*Has a downtown movie theater with 5 screens
*Has a Foodtown across highway 36.
*Has a frufru ice cream shoppe.
*Has Victorian mansions dotting its hills of various conditions
*Has a bike trail that goes west to Keyport
*Has no karaoke bars. sigh.
*Has cool stone bridge featured in Clerks II
*Other locations featured in Clerks.
*People are dull but not tacky
*Has Fireman's Fair
*Has casino on its waterfront
*Has teeny tiny disappointing library

Highlands:

*Has the Twin Lighhouses overlooking its downtown
*Has tacky nightclubs like the Sugar Shack.
*Has even tackier karaoke bars
*Most houses are tiny bungalows
*Any big house is a ridiculous McMansion on a tiny lot
*People are xenophobic about the very people who keep their economy afloat
*Sandy Hook is right next to it.
*Has no chain restaurant or grocery stores
*Has plenty of price gouging sea food establishments
*People are not dull but very tacky
*Has St. Patrick's Day parade
*Has cool drawbridge that is being torn down

Both:

*Have stops for ferries going to Manhattan
*Border Middletown
*Have Quik Check and Mt. Mitchell at its border
*Have fishing piers

The Best Invention Ever!

I just got a device I've been wishing for the last ten years!

What is it?

A Mangroomer!


A Mangroomer is a back shaver. This is device I'm sad to say I've needed for over a decade. I hate having back hair, and lord knows many women find it a turn off. I could never ask any of my past girlfriends to shave my back because it's just too much to ask of a woman. In the recent past I have used Nair for men on my back. I had to be clever and use a back scratching device to spread it on. Although it worked it was unpleasant and unreliable in its method. The Mangroomer allows you to see instant results, doesn't smell bad, AND you can do it when no one sees you and as far as anyone knows, you have a hairless back!

Now, I like my body hair. It's a sign of virility in my opinion, but back hair reveals simian roots. It's not macho, it's monkey. So yes, I recommend the Mangroomer. Use it in your empty bathtub so the hair stays contained, take a shower and go to the beach to revel in your hairless back glory.

Waxing? Come on, You think I'm a Metrosexual?

The only drawback is that it's a nonchargeable battery device.

Anyway, buy it, enjoy it, let me know if you like it!

Ssssshhh, I won't tell!

Cheapskate Money Saving Tips

Hey, do you get those soap dispensers that put out soapy foam? Aren't they cool? Well, here's some advice when you quickly run out of the stuff.

I had bought one of those large refill bottles that came with a foamy dispenser. This clued me in the fact that whatever mechanics in the top of the dispenser that makes the soap water foamy is reusable. I then realized the refill container was your standard liquid soap diluted with water.

Wow! That's so smart of you Scan!

Anyway, here's my cheapskate advice.

Buy yourself a large container of your favorite liquid soap, and fill up the foam dispenser half way with the soap and add water. Shake up the mixture and Ta Dah! Instant foam soap.

It works for dish soap too!!!

Your welcome.