Just a little type A

Just Like A Real Dog

Beekers having fun chasing the boys.  Shush, don't tell him, he doesn't know he only has 3 legs. 

You Encourage Weirdos

Jeff: "You encourage weirdos."

Driving to meet another couple for dinner, one we don't know, having only met the husband a few months ago at the airport.  I lecturing ask Jeff to not be himself be cautious in what he says.  

Jeff: "Well, you know. You encourage weirdos."

Me: "What do you mean I encourage weirdos?"  

Jeff: "Remember in Long Beach, when we were walking back to the hotel after dinner and that homeless guy came up to us?"

Me: "You mean the man who was selling wooden ships that he made from matches?"

Jeff: "Yes. You kept talking to him and was nice, where I would have been 'Buzz off, buddy'."

Me: "Oh, because I'm polite and not rude?  He had a sales pitch, he's walking alongside us, it's the least I can do is listen as we walk.  So what you really mean to say is not that I 'encourage weirdos' but that I'm too polite."

Jeff: "Call it what you want. But you encourage weirdos."

 

Aloha From Hawaiian Airlines Contest

Win 80,000 HawaiianMiles in Hawaiian Airlines Aloha from contest.

Upload your photo into a destination templates by 11:59 HST on July 4, 2012.

Enter soon to be eligible for weekly drawings of 10,000 HawaiianMiles.

Enter the Aloha from contest here.

Read the fine print here.

 

Bakery Heaven

Based on a friend's recommendation, I stopped by Elizabethan Desserts.  Here's what we're having for dessert tonight...if it lasts that long.  It was all I could do not to buy one of everything in the store.

Peanut Butter chocolate smores bar, mexican chocolate cinnamon brownie, 3 types of Beglian chocolate rice krispy bar with chocolate gnache on top, red velvet whoopie pie (hadn't realized they had chocolate and red velvet), and cheescake brownie.   

Can you say diabetic coma?

1 Night Nets 55,134 Points In So Go Country Promotion

On May 15, Radisson launched their Big Night Giveaway (see this post), they also launched the So Go Country promotion for their Country Inns & Suites brand of hotels.  With a little creativity I managed to turn one night into 55,134 points.  Here's how:

The Country Inns So Go Country promotion awards 44,000 bonus points to the first 35,000 people who register and complete a qualifying stay during the promotion period of May 15, 2012 - July 15, 2012.    The cavet: if you're the 35,001 person to register or complete your stay, instead of 44,000 bonus points you only get 15,000 bonus points.

Since this could be a slippery slope, I choose to complete my stay sooner vs later. Plus, there's only one Country Inn & Suites in San Diego. With limited supply and peak travel season approaching, the best rates are now vs later.

I had planned a stay-cation, booking two rooms (I had registered myself and Jeff for the promo).  But Jeff reminded me that he was riding up Mt. Baldy on Saturday for stage 7 of the Amgen Tour of California, the terms and conditions of the  So Go Country  promo dictate that you have to be physically present at check-in and check-out, so we only booked one room.

But it wasn't a loss since my boys were drug got to experience their first mattress run.

The point breakdown:

I booked into a double Gold Points rate for only $20 more.  This breaks down to $0.07 cents a point (which is the standard rate Club Carlson sells Gold Points), not saving any money but not losing either.

As a Silver member in the Club Carlson program I earn a 25% bonus.

Booking online as a Silver member gave me another 2,000 bonus.

By using the promo code mentioned in this post, I got another 2,000 points.

There's a Staples a block from the Country Inn & Suites San Diego North along with a Shell station.  I needed to fill up on gas so I purchased Shell gas cards at Staples using my Ink Bold. (nod to Frequent Miler; I haven't paid at the pump since February).

I used my Sapphire Preferred card for dining to take advantage of the 2x Ultimate Rewards points on dining. The same card was used to pay for the hotel, also at 2x UR points.

We had happy hour appetizers at Chili's across the parking lot from the hotel.  Then stopped by Extreme Pita (part of the idine program) since it was only 3 miles away to get a few extra miles and points. Since my Sapphire Preferred is also linked to my idine account, I earned 5 miles per dollar spent with American Airlines (my airline of choice).

Here's how:

DESCRIPTION	POINTS	TYPE
County Inn & Suites - San Diego North	2,750	Club Carlson
Silver - 25% Room Points Bonus	688	Club Carlson
County Inns So Go Country 44,000 Bonus	44,000	Club Carlson
Business Rate Double Points Bonus	2,750	Club Carlson
Online Booking Silver Member Bonus	2,000	Club Carlson
Welcome Next Stay 2000 Bonus Points	2,000	Club Carlson
Staples Shell $75 Gas Card purchase	75	Ultimate Rewards
Ink Bold 5x bonus	375	Ultimate Rewards
Appetizers	23	Ultimate Rewards
Sapphire Preferred 2x dining	23	Ultimate Rewards
Dinner	20	Ultimate Rewards
AA Rewards Network	100	AA
Sapphire Preferred 2x dining	20	Ultimate Rewards
Hotel stay	154.78	Ultimate Rewards
Sapphire Preferred 2x travel	154.78	Ultimate Rewards
	55,134	TOTAL

 

Watch for a full review of the Country Inn & Suites San Diego North to be posted soon.

 

Maintenance Mileage Run

(George Hincapie not Jeff: I couldn't find one of Jeff on his bike and since I love me some Hincapie, I figured this was close enough. )

Yesterday...

Me:  "What are your plans for today?"

Jeff: "I think I'll go for a little 35 mile maintenance ride."

Me: "Hmm, maybe I need a maintenance mileage run...."

You Walk Like An Elephant

Me: "So, you're saying I walk like an elephant?"

PT: "Yes."

But I'm getting ahead of the story, let's backtrack a bit...

Since my foot has been broken for a year. Yes, you read that correctly, 1 year, 365 days, 8 765.81277 hours, in other words, a long time.  With the inactivity and not being able to use my left foot, I have loss of function.  Those two little piggies at the end just don't want to play anymore.

So the other day I visited a physical therapist to see what exercises can be done to regain full use of my foot.  During the evaluation he had me walk across the room.

Me:  (Walks across the room and apparently causing the walls to shake and windows rattle.)

PT: "Wow, you walk really loud.  You'll never make it as a cat burglar."

Me: "Oh, man. And I was really hoping to get into that line of work.  So, you're saying I walk like an elephant?"

PT: "Yes." 

At least he didn't say my butt looks like an elephant's, considering I haven't been able to exercise for over a year...

Win a 7 Night Cruise - Shell Yourself Contest

Royal Caribbean®'s new 2013-14 itineraries are now available and you have lots of places to choose from. Tempted? Enter our Shell Yourself Contest and you could win a 7-Night Cruise for two anywhere we sail in the world, plus the airfare to get you there. There's more! We'll also fly you to Miami for a professional photo shoot to feature you in our new WorldWide Cruises brochure.

WHERE IS THE SEA CALLING YOU? Tell us where you want to cruise and how we can treat you Royally. With all of our new itineraries now available, the world is your oyster, or shell.

UPLOAD YOUR PHOTO BY MAY 18TH We want to see how the Sea is Calling you so grab a shell and submit your photo to us by May 18th, 2012.

CAN YOU SAY...WINNING? This is by far the best prize we have ever shelled out. Not only can you be featured in our brochure but you will win your own professional photo shoot in Miami plus your dream 7-night cruise for two anywhere we sail in the world, plus the airfare to get you there. Check out where we go »

Enter the Royal Caribbean Shell Yourself Contest here.

 

100,000 Miles And $2,000 - US Airways Miles Gift Registry Sweepstakes

Enter to win some miles and cash in the US Airways Miles Gift Registry Sweepstakes that begun on May 1, 2012 and ends on June 30, 2012.  It will only take a few moments of your time and you could win 100,000 US Airways miles and $2,000, more than enough for a nice vacation.  Not a bad investment of your time, don't you think.

It took me 10 minutes to earn 61 entries - half that time was signing into my US Airways account since I couldn't remember my password. Ooops. :)  My 61 entries consisted of # 1, # 2, # 4, and # 5.

Here's how to enter:

1. Enter Online: You may enter the Sweepstakes by going to the Sweepstakes homepage and entering your name. e-mail address, telephone number and password. You may only enter once through this method. This entry method will earn you one entry.
2. Register a Gift Registry: You may enter the Sweepstakes by creating a gift registry through the link on the Sweepstakes homepage. You may only enter the Sweepstakes once by this method.Entry by this method will earn you 50 entries in the Sweepstakes.
3. Receive A Contribution to Your Gift Registry: The first purchase of Dividend Miles for your gift registry during the Sweepstakes Entry Period through the Sweepstakes homepage will earn you 50 entries in the Sweepstakes. You may only enter the Sweepstakes once by this method.
4. Like on Facebook. You may enter the Sweepstakes by liking the Site on Facebook through the link on the Sweepstakes homepage. You will earn five entries through this method and may only enter once through this method.
5. Follow on Twitter. You may enter the Sweepstakes by following US Airways on Twitter through the link on the Sweepstakes homepage. You will earn five entries through this method and may only enter once through this method.
6. Share Sweepstakes. You may enter the Sweepstakes by sharing the Sweepstakes through the link on the Sweepstakes homepage. You may earn five entries for each person you share the Sweepstakes with who then enters the Sweepstakes under method (1) above. You may earn a maximum of 25 entries through this method.

Enter here.  Or if you want to help me earn 5 more entries, enter using my referral link here.  After you've entered, leave a comment along with your referral link and hopefully the next person will do the same.

 

Hilton HHonors Battleship Ultimate Hawaiian Sweepstakes

What could be better than winning a 7 day trip to Hawaii?  How about a 7 day trip to Hawaii, a Million Hilton HHonors Points, AND $1,000.

Enter the Battleship Ultimate Hawaiian Sweepstakes and you could win a Grand Prize trip for two to Hawaii to explore the islands where Battleship was filmed. Grand Prize will include:

• 7-day, 6-night stay at the exquisite Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort, which offers the perfect mix of restful accommodations and classic Hawaiian hospitality
• Roundtrip airfare for two
• One million Hilton HHonors™ Bonus Points
• $1,000 Hilton HHonors Gift Card that can be used at any hotel or resort within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio

Two (2) First Prize winners will receive:

• 100 DVD titles in celebration of Universal's 100th Anniversary, including some of the most memorable movies of all time

Enter to win here.