282 - chilled coffee and shoes

I kinda feel silly posting this after just reading Darwin's post, but I know he is a kindred spirit and has a thing for shoes. How are my feet?

Last week, I participated in a focus group. They wanted to know my opinion and they wanted to pay me $75 dollars for it.

I will honor the coffee company and not say their name, but a certain national coffee chain (not from Seattle, but maybe Colorado) that has a 4 legged animal with a rack of horns on it logo wanted to test their new add campaign for their new chilled coffee in an aluminum can. (Whoa, that is a long sentence.)

We got to look at eight billboard ads and listen to two radio commercials. Several of the billboard ads hit on the trend of "office" humor and the radio ads where making a point of their coffee being for the average Joe vs. the snooty coffee drinker. The radio ads were funny in the vein of "real men of genius."

I am real honest with my opinions, but part of me feels like a bit of sell-out...and I bet that is how all advertising and marketing is. I helping them come up with ideas or preferences that would help sell their product, when I know that I won't be buying it. Why won't I buy it. I try to live healthy and that involves making healthy choices. It is probably too expensive for me to consider. I have a bad Coke Zero addiction I am trying to break; I don't need another one.

The highlight was when they brought out the product for us to sample. Chilled cans of French Vanilla, Espresso, and Regular flavored goodness.

It is no secret that I have a thing for shoes (and jackets- maybe a future post sometime.) I have had my eye on this pair of shoes all summer and now thanks to a couple of hours of drinking coffee and giving my opinion (which I loved to do), I am $75 for the better and I ordered my shoes online.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you my new kicks - Keen Ventura

281 - Is that it???

Just one week of tempertures in upper 90's/lower 00's and gone? The past weekend and a few days before have been quite normal and actually sometimes a little cool. What's up with that? I don't want to go to the pool if the air is chilly and the water is cold. Is that the best summer has to offer? I hope we get at least another week of temperatures in 90's so that we can finish up the pool season on a high note. If not, I hope it stays in the 80's and 70's all september and october. I don't like going from summer to winter in the span of one month.

280 - whoops

Last Christmas, I had talked about redoing our master bathroom. Such thoughts included a new tile floor, new cabinet and countertop to replace our current sink, fix a couple spots on the ceiling, and figure out if there is a way to replace the shower with a tub and shower. It's not a large bathroom, so the tub thing might not work.

Now I have the chance to put those idle thoughts into action.

The other night, I was going to do a quick repair on the faucet. The water was not coming out quite right. The spray was not uniform. I was going to loosen the nozzle and clean it out. I ended up braking the nozzle off. Our sink and faucet is now out of comission. It would be easy to replace just the faucet and continue on as normal but...

now I have the opportunity to do the whole thing. The only problem is...

• can we wait?
• this isn't the best timing with the extra busyness of a new child.
• do we have the funds?
• and I sorta like to plan things out before I jump into something.
• can I do it? Sure. It shouldn't be that difficult. I can get help from my dad and there are how-to books and the internet. No problem.

Oh well, I guess I'll start exploring and pricing things out. Wish me luck.

279 - Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

I finished this book last week and it was probably the quickest I have ever read a book that size. Being off work and spending days at the pool helped quite a bit.

I think this is my favorite of the series. It is action packed and some scenes are pretty intense. I am not going to say anything about the plot for those who have not read it yet.

Good book.

Good series

It's over (or is it?)

278 - July's Music

Here are the albums I picked up this month:

Interpol - Our Love to Admire

Listen here.

Straight from the inside of Cabella's comes the new Interpol album...

Not a lot to say about this album. It is a good, strong album. It sounds like an Interpol album. Not a big departure in sound. Their song writing and music is better in my opinion than Antics. Antics bored me after a couple weeks, hopefully this will have a longer life.

Editors - An End has a Start

Listen here.

What a coincidence that Editors and Interpol release their new albums a week apart, since they are often compared. Mainly, because their vocalist sound like they are related and people like to compare their vocals back to Ian Curtis of Joy Division. Vocals are very important to me in music and you know how much I loathe the "man" voice and the growl: pearl jam, collective soul, creed, third day, hootie and the blowfish-yawwwlp...and to be honest I have always preferred New Order over Joy Division. What should I call this new vocal style trend - the post-punk, new wave goth voice??? I am referring to goth of the '80's. The "basement" voice. The basement voice is okay - not great - but I don't dislike it.

Musically, I like this album and I always thought their music was more diverse than Interpol. Maybe, I am just partial to music that uses electronics and wall of sound guitars. Good, strong album.

Great Northern - Trading Twilight for Daylight

Listen here.

I am a sucker for the female voice and boy does she have a voice!!! I got this album because of the voice. This is a band of 2boys and 2girls (I think) and their is often the interplay of male/female voices (much like Stars, Viva Voce, etc.) but it is primarily female vocals.

The music is separated into their slow tempo, dreamy, vibey songs and their upbeat, smart, poppy beach songs. I think they are at their best with the grand, dreamy, vibey songs, but I understand that is where my taste lies.

277 - back again

Back to work today. Bummer.
I enjoyed my time off last week.
I was literally up at the pool every day with the boys.
And when they went to the sand pit to make castles and rivers, I got to read Harry Potter.
I am almost done; I got a few chapters left.
I know, how can I stop reading when I am almost there.
Work...in the morning.
Will finish tonight.
I literally stayed away from the computer last week.
Will try to catch up soon.
Will soon post on recent music.