Guidelines 2004

Shop Globally, Buy Locally

2004.gif When buying new items, try to buy from locally-owned businesses. Revenue spent
in large big-box type stores does not stay in the community and does not get
re-invested into the surrounding neighborhood. Even more bonus points for buying
union-made apparel.

Buy Used

Paired with buying locally when possible – buy used as well. This makes me
feel much less guilty about buying books. I compare the rush of buying a new
book in the store versus the anticipation of getting a ‘present’ in the mail.
Just got a book on public domain sources for artists to use that retails for
$35 at a store or $29 on Amazon. I’m still so enraged that Armani Exchange was
selling sandpaper so you could make your brand new jeans look used. Gimme a
belt sander and a classroom of Malaysian kids and I’ll show ya how to really
move.

Fight the Power/Get Renegade

fist.gif I resolve to get locally active and activated. I spend way too much time posting
about political events and remote actions – I live in a huge diverse city –
surely some group can get me inspired and motivated. I want to adapt my skills
in theatrical staging to a new set of events.

Cut Personal Possessions by Half

I don’t need to carry all this crap around with me for the rest of my life.
This includes a long weekend home to get rid, give away or scan books and notes
and such. This may merit investing in a sheet-fed scanner and a document management
software package.

Underpromise

I just screwed up on another web design client. I over-promised what I was
unable to deliver – especially once the new job kicked in. This has happened
before. I have to way the merit of ‘being pleasing’ with having integrity and
honesty.

Recycle

recyclesymbol.gif I was doing so well at my old place. I don’t even know if the current dumpster
service sorts out blue bags. That’s a damned shame.

Find Free Fun

Ron and I have become way too accustomed to spending money to entertain ourselves.
Again, this is a huge, diverse city and every weekened there are numerous free
talks, lectures, screenings and concerts that we could be attending. Or Chicago’s
public access channel has video production training. I think that’d be a ball.
I still think I could wreak some havoc with a video camera.

Cook

The eating out five times a week has got to stop. I’m ashamed to even admit
that – God my mom would kill me if she knew how much money I’m spending
on restaurant food. Hell, my grandmother would look at me sternly with icy-blue
eyes and hum her tri-tone ‘Now, Andrew I know your mother taught you and your
sister better than that.’ This may merit purchasing a microwave so I’m
not always heating up the stove to do everything. Or is that just a lame excuse.
Buck up Ikea-boy.

Repair

Complete physical therapy on my right ankle, knee and shoulder. I’m only 28
for God’s sake! This also includes regular massage therapy – even if I have
to fly to Nashville and pay my sister to do it! I want to be able to run this
summer. I missed it last year.

Ronflict

I need to stay mindful of the conflicts that Ron and I have and learn from
them. We’ve weathered some tough arguments and I need to keep in mind that ignoring
problems won’t make them go away. Oh and like Alan and Jessi say, ‘You’ll always
fight about money.’ I mean hell, we’ve already picked out baby names (Margarita
Rosa and Victor).

Visit Karen

I’ve already emailed Brig for us to schedule a long weekend jaunt with Karen.

Tribal Council

I have a long list of people I’ve been meaning to call but somehow just can’t
quite pick up the goddamn phone and dial a ten-digit sequence of numbers. What
is my problem? I have a large network of people out there that want to stay
connected to me and to eachother – as they say: dig your well before your thirsty.

New Tattoo(s)

dragontattoo.gif me_tattoo.gif I’m still trying to find an armband design that I like or a dragon. I’m also
thinking of riffing on the Irish heraldry for my dad’s surname. Maybe I’ll just
get all three. I’m trying to connect to Gaelic/Celtic without being too plain
– or too stereotypical. I’m backing away from the Eye of Horus. But like the
first one I got – I’ll wait until I’ve wanted a certain design for a long time
before I get it. Maybe work it into the existing solar icon design.

Learn Tagalog

phillippinesflag.gif It starts here and now. I gotta start learning Ron’s native tongue. That will
impress his mom, let me decode his gossip with his friends and enable me to
berate my kids in a foreign language in public places. What is going to be more
satisfying than pulling up to the elementary school in the Jeep with trance
music blaring and screaming Margarita! Victor! Taya na!

Solvency

Continue to slouch towards solvency with an 18 month savings plan.

Purge Wardrobe

I mentioned this to Ron and he started to say something and then stopped.

Andy: What?

Ron: Nothing. (pause) Nobody wears rayon shirts anymore and tapered pants
are out of style!
(sigh)

Andy: You’ve been waiting two and a half years to say that haven’t you?

I didn’t even know I had tapered pants. Yes, mom – this includes ultra-bleaching
all my whites.

F_ck the RIAA

anti-riaa.gif Don’t buy new CDs anymore. Listen to freely available and legally downloadable
music instead. I just got Missy Elliot’s latest for $12 including shipping –
online elsewhere it’d be $15 or more in a store.

F_ck Hollywood

Granted, my monthly movie pass is in service to Blockbuster/Viacom but it lets
me watch tons of movies for a lot less. Unless there’s hobbits in it – there’s
no reason to see it on a big screen. Note to self: Remember how much you hate
cellphones in theatres – that alone should keep you home. One-time showings
of indie films don’t count.


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Comments

One response to “Guidelines 2004”

  1. MLC Avatar

    Andy, I’ll work on getting some clearer tattoo pictures for you. Thanks for all the site promotion, by the way!

    Yeah — fuck Hollywood!

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