Nov 21
Work ends in 3 minutes. Yay!
I’m in serious need of some Biore strips.
Nov 21
Man, I love CVS. They’re running a promotion where if you buy $20 in Duracell Batteries, you get $15 ExtraBucks back. You can do this up to the limit of 3 times.
On 11/19, I bought 4 packages of Duracell AAA 8PK for $5.99/ea (reg $8.49) and used 4 75¢ coupons. Since I spent >$20 in Duracell batteries, I should have gotten $15 ExtraBucks. But, the ExtraBucks coupons didn’t print. So, the manager came and printed a $15 ExtraBucks reward manually.
So, net total after coupons and ExtraBucks on 11/19 was $5.96.
Then today, 11/21, I go back to different CVS near work to use my $15 ExtraBucks to buy more batteries. I bought 4 packages of Duracell 9V 2PK for $5.99/ea (reg $8.49). Since I spent another >$20 in Duracell batteries, I should have gotten another $15 ExtraBucks. But, the computer printed $30 ExtraBucks! Why, I don’t know. Of course, I’m not complaining!
So, net total after the extra ExtraBucks on 11/21 was -$6.04.
In essence, CVS has paid me 8¢ to take $67.92 worth of Duracell batteries off their hands.
Nov 19
I continue to be bored. So, I did a comparison of all 5 vehicles I’ve owned since I started driving. Also, I’ve noticed I do comparisons when I’m bored. I wonder what that says about my personality. Anyway, check out this cool chart from fueleconomy.gov.
Surprising, my new Highlander, despite having a bigger engine, will get nearly the same gas milage as the Ford Five Hundred.
Nov 18
Well, I am going to be picking up my new Highlander tomorrow. When I pick it up, it will be minus the leather seats (it will still have the cloth seats) and the running boards. They will be installed at a later date at the dealer. But, I’m bored. So, here’s a comparison of the Five Hundred vs the Highlander.
Crash Test
The Highlander only gets 4 stars for passenger safety. Otherwise, it’s equal to the Five Hundred’s 5 stars across the board, except for roller over resistance where each vehicle gets only 4 stars.
EPA
Both vehicles will produce 12.3 to 12.9 lbs of smog per 15,000 miles. Surprising, since the Highlander is bigger. Both vehicles get an estimated 18 MPG in city driving. For highway driving, the Five Hundred gets 25 MPG while the Highlander only gets 24 MPG, so basically the same. The Highlander’s fuel tank is slightly smaller at 19.2 gal, compared to the Five Hundred’s 20 gal tank.
Handling
The Highlander’s turning circle is only 38.7′ compared to the Five Hundred’s 40′. I can make sharper turns in the Highlander.
Exterior
The Highlander is actually shorter than the Five Hundred. The Highlander is only 188.4″ where the Five Hundred is 201.8″. Both vehicles are about the same width. The Highlander is 6.5″ taller.
Interior
In the both the front seat and rear seat (middle seat in the Highlander), I’ll gain 1″ of extra headroom, 2″ of extra shoulder room and 3″ of extra hip room. In the front seat, the Highlander gives 2″ of extra leg room, but middle seat passengers will lose 3″ of leg room. Max seating capacity in the Five Hundred was 5, where the Highlander can seat up to 7.
Features the Highlander has that my Five Hundred did not:
- Leather Seats
- Captain’s Chairs for rear passengers
- Rear air conditioning controls and vents
- Tinted windows
- Running boards
- Interior air filtration
- Traction control w/ electronic stability
- Driver’s knee airbag
- Side impact airbags in the front seats
- Side curtain airbags for all three rows
- MP3 port
- Rear 12V power port
Nov 17
I’ve f*cking had it with my Ford Five Hundred. Well, I guess I should say I’ve f*cking had it with American built cars in general. They don’t even screw them together tightly. My Ford Five Hundred w/ just only 15,000 miles on it now sounds like a freaking creaky door in a horror movie every time I make a turn. The center console is lose and creaks so loud every time I turn left or right. Something vibrates in both the driver and passenger side doors which is hella annoying. The MPG isn’t great and isn’t anywhere near what’s advertised. It’s clunky. The tilt-wheel lever sticks out from underneath the steering column. How many times have I banged my knee on that stupid thing?! The radio reception sucks - they must have made the antenna out of cardboard. If I turn the wheel to tightly, I hear a grinding noise. I can just so see this car being a constant source of frustration and stress for me. I’m done.
I’m currently online car shopping.
Update: I am going to Bev Smith Toyota tonight to look at some Camrys.
Update: I bought a Toyota Highlander last night. I expressed interested in a RAV4 on their website. I test drove a Camry when I got there and ended up buying a Highlander. How is this possible?
Nov 15
To see pictures, go here.
Thur., 11/13
I left work early and we went to the airport for our flights to Charleston. Our flights were on Delta - 1528 (PBI-ATL) and 1034 (ATL-CHS). We had a 3 hour stop in Atlanta, so we had dinner in the Chili’s in Terminal A. I had the smoked turkey sandwich - it was really, really good (or, I was really, really hungry). We got into Charleston at around 11:30pm. We slept at June & Mel’s house.
Fri., 11/14
We had breakfast at IHOP. Then, we walked around Battery Park. After that, we have lunch at Hominy Grill. Then, we walked around what is known in days gone past as the slave market. It’s mostly street vendors now selling crafts, baskets, t-shirts and stuff like that. After that, we took a nap and then had dinner at Marie and Edwin’s house. We slept at Monn and Tess’s house.
Sat., 11/15
Monn cooked us breakfast and then we went to Fort Moultrie. After that, we had lunch at a Chinese Buffet and then we walked around the Tanger Outlets. I bought 3 shirts at Haggar. Then, we came back to Monn’s and had chicken adobo for dinner. After that, Tess came home from work and Moling came over. We stayed up until 9pm.
Sun., 11/16
Got up at 3:30am. Left for the airport at 4:45am and was at the gate by 5:10am for our 6:40am flight to Atlanta. I think we got here too early. All 3 of us are on flight 1540 to Atlanta. But then, Fely is on flight 1646 leaving at 9:40am back to Florida while Tina & I are on flight 1595 leaving at 11:58am. I asked Delta about changing Fely’s flight to our flight, or the other way around, but they said there is a $50 change fee. $50 for what? Ah well, all three tickets were purchased with frequent flyer miles, so I can’t complain too much. Actually, today’s flights mark the end of my Delta SkyMiles account. I only have 24,400 miles left. Just 600 miles shy of a free flight. (Well, I say that, but it’s damn near impossible to find a free ticket for just 25,000 miles anymore.) Maybe I’ll earn the 600 for the free ticket. But, I doubt it. Frequent flyer programs are the biggest scam going since the 2000 presidential election.
Nov 12
I GG’ed last night at Walgreens, CVS and Winn Dixie. Freaking Walgreens never has what they have on sale in stock. It’s so freaking frustrating. I have to visit Walgreens like 2 or 3 times each week to get all the items I want that they have on sale. Luckily, I pass 3 Walgreens everyday on the way home from work. Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother.
Walgreens
I got several things that were on sale. Jif peanut butter (4), Smucker’s jelly, Borden condensed milk (4), Carnation evaporated milk (2), Crisco shortening (2), Domino sugar (2), Mortons salt (2) and candles for the dining room centerpiece (2).
$43.54 : Before Savings
-$17.18 : Walgreens Coupons
-$5.45 : Manufacturer Coupons
$20.91 : Total / Savings = $22.63 (52%)
CVS
I bought 8 chocolate bars since they were so cheap, some Campbell’s Select Harvest soups and Palmolive dish soap.
$21.57 : Before Savings
-$11.08 : Sale
-$3.25 : Manufacturer Coupons
-$1 : Earned ExtraBucks
$6.24 : Total / Savings = $15.33 (71%)
Winn Dixie
Didn’t buy much at Winn Dixie - Chips Ahoy, Birds Eye vegetables, Breyers ice cream and Betty Crocker boxed potatoes. Everything was B1G1F and I had coupons as well.
$26.92 : Before Savings
-$13.24 : Sale
-$1.90 : Manufacturer Coupons
$11.78 : Total / Savings = $14.33 (56%)
Nov 06
Got my new toy in the mail today - the ultra-portable Lenovo IdeaPad S10 mini-laptop. So far, I really like it. My last laptop purchase was an HP Pavilion I bought at OfficeDepot on Black Friday 2005. So, it’s just about 3 years old. I bought this Lenovo IdeaPad because I think it will be easier to travel with and use at the airport when I’ll be inevitably sitting at the gates waiting for my delayed flights. Check out how the size of it compares to my HP.
Nov 06
Yeah, the election is over. But, this was still fun. Go to http://www.electoralcompass.com/Â to find out what type of political views you have.
On the issues, I tend to have share the views of Progressive Social Liberalism with a lean to the Economic Left.
On trust, I rated Obama and Hilary an A+. I rated George Bush an F. Funny enough, I apparently trust McCain almost as much as Obama, but on the issues, I’m far away from his opinions.
