I stumbled across this weight-loss video blog today:
www.thebigthin.com
Alastair, the host, is too funny. You should check it out.
April 5, 2009
April 3, 2009
Life's To Do List
I love lists. I love making To Do Lists and I love crossing things off of them. I'm 100% guilty of adding already complete tasks to a list just so I can cross it off.
There's a number of Internet meme that deal with making life lists: 43 Things, Bucket List, Reaper List, 50 Things and my favourite 101 in 1001. All of them are the same basic idea: create a list of tasks often in a given amount of time. I started a 101 list but it's quickly become far more then 101 tasks.
Here are 6 from my "Totally Random" Section that I've completed already:
There's a number of Internet meme that deal with making life lists: 43 Things, Bucket List, Reaper List, 50 Things and my favourite 101 in 1001. All of them are the same basic idea: create a list of tasks often in a given amount of time. I started a 101 list but it's quickly become far more then 101 tasks.
Here are 6 from my "Totally Random" Section that I've completed already:
- Stay awake for 24 hours
- Be a guinea pig in an experiment
- Cliff dive
- Feed birds out of palm of hand
- Leave a note in a library book
- Go tray-bogganing
April 2, 2009
****** WORK IN PROGRESS *******
This post likely isn't too interesting to you unless you live in Ontario and wish an inexpensive yet reliable phone with long distance and you do most of your calling in the evenings or on weekends.
My Top 10 Questions to Ask Cell Phone Retailers
1) How easy is it to switch a phone number if I move? What's the process and is there a charge for this? Can I change my plan options if my needs change?
2) Is automatic and/or paperless billing an option?
3) What are the roaming charges when I'm outside my local calling area? outside Canada?
4) Can I choose my number? Is there a charge for this? Can I switch over my existing number?
5) What's the call quality like with this phone? Which phone is your best seller? How many people get your basic model and then upgrade?
6) What's the most common reason customers give for terminating their service with you? (or switching to a new company once their contract ends)
7) If I have problems with my phone what can I do? Do you offer loaner phones if I have to send mine away for service? Is there are charge for this?
8) What are you contract terms? What's the penalty for early termination?
9) What's the most common bill related inquire you get? Are there any charges people are surprised to see on their first bill?
10) Is "unlimited" truly unlimited or is there an unspoken upper limit?
Cell Phone Review
Company: Koodo Mobile
Phone: Samsung U410 (Red or Black) $75 (or free after 2 years on the plan below)
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes, 50 Outgoing Text/Unlimited Incoming Text, Unlimited minutes after 7pm M-Th and 7pm F until 8am M ($20)
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Evenings (after 7pm) and Weekends ($15)
Extras: Voicemail $5
Total (after taxes) = $45.20
Extra Info:
- No Activation Fee if Done Online or In Store
- No System Access Fee /911 Fee / Monthly Fee
- No Contract
- No Penalty for Leaving except you have to settle your balance on the phone
Company: Bell
Phone: Samsung a640 or Samsung m300 - Free with 3 year contract
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes, Unlimited Nights and Weekends ($25) or 150 Anytime Local or Long Distance Minutes ($30)
Long Distance: 100 Minutes ($12) or 200 Minutes ($20)
Extras: System Access Fee $8.95 + 911 $0.75
Total (after Taxes) = $34.70 (No Long Distance) or $54.70 (3.5Hrs Long Distance) or $69.70 (10Hrs Long Distance)
Extra Info:
- One Time Setup Fee $35
Company: Rogers
Phone: Samsung A226 $19.99 with 3 Year Contract
Plan: 200 Anytime Minutes, Unlimited Evenings (9pm) and Weekends $30
Long Distance Plan: 200 Canada Wide Minutes $20
Extras: Voicemail $7, System Access Fee $6.95
Total (after Taxes) = $56.95
Company: Telus
Phone: Samsung U540 (Free with 2-3 Year Contract)
Plan: 300 Anytime Minutes and Unlimited Evenings (9pm) and Weekends $30 or 150 Anytime Minutes and Unlimited Evenings (6pm) and Weekends $30
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Wide $30
Extras: Voicemail $7, System Access Fee $6.95 + 911 $0.75
Total (After Taxes): $67.00
Extra Info:
- One Time Activation Fee $35
Company: Fido
Phone: Nokia 2760 (Free with 2 Year Contract)
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes and Unlimited Evenings (7pm) and Weekends $25
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Wide $20
Total (After Taxes) = $45.00
Extra Info:
- No System Access Fee
- One Time Activation Fee $35
Company: Solo
Phone: Samsung M300 (Free with 2 Year Contract)
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes and Unlimited Evenings (7pm) and Weekends $20
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Wide $20
Total (After Taxes) = $40.00
Extra Info:
- No System Access Fee
Company: Virgin Mobile
Phone: Samsung m510 or m300 (Free with 3 Year Contract)
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes, 1000 Minutes Evenings (7pm) and Weekends, 100 Text Messages $25
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Wide $20, Voicemail $7
Total (After Taxes) = $52.00
Extra Info:
- No System Access Fee
- One Time Activation Fee $35
This post likely isn't too interesting to you unless you live in Ontario and wish an inexpensive yet reliable phone with long distance and you do most of your calling in the evenings or on weekends.
My Top 10 Questions to Ask Cell Phone Retailers
1) How easy is it to switch a phone number if I move? What's the process and is there a charge for this? Can I change my plan options if my needs change?
2) Is automatic and/or paperless billing an option?
3) What are the roaming charges when I'm outside my local calling area? outside Canada?
4) Can I choose my number? Is there a charge for this? Can I switch over my existing number?
5) What's the call quality like with this phone? Which phone is your best seller? How many people get your basic model and then upgrade?
6) What's the most common reason customers give for terminating their service with you? (or switching to a new company once their contract ends)
7) If I have problems with my phone what can I do? Do you offer loaner phones if I have to send mine away for service? Is there are charge for this?
8) What are you contract terms? What's the penalty for early termination?
9) What's the most common bill related inquire you get? Are there any charges people are surprised to see on their first bill?
10) Is "unlimited" truly unlimited or is there an unspoken upper limit?
Cell Phone Review
Company: Koodo Mobile
Phone: Samsung U410 (Red or Black) $75 (or free after 2 years on the plan below)
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes, 50 Outgoing Text/Unlimited Incoming Text, Unlimited minutes after 7pm M-Th and 7pm F until 8am M ($20)
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Evenings (after 7pm) and Weekends ($15)
Extras: Voicemail $5
Total (after taxes) = $45.20
Extra Info:
- No Activation Fee if Done Online or In Store
- No System Access Fee /911 Fee / Monthly Fee
- No Contract
- No Penalty for Leaving except you have to settle your balance on the phone
Company: Bell
Phone: Samsung a640 or Samsung m300 - Free with 3 year contract
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes, Unlimited Nights and Weekends ($25) or 150 Anytime Local or Long Distance Minutes ($30)
Long Distance: 100 Minutes ($12) or 200 Minutes ($20)
Extras: System Access Fee $8.95 + 911 $0.75
Total (after Taxes) = $34.70 (No Long Distance) or $54.70 (3.5Hrs Long Distance) or $69.70 (10Hrs Long Distance)
Extra Info:
- One Time Setup Fee $35
Company: Rogers
Phone: Samsung A226 $19.99 with 3 Year Contract
Plan: 200 Anytime Minutes, Unlimited Evenings (9pm) and Weekends $30
Long Distance Plan: 200 Canada Wide Minutes $20
Extras: Voicemail $7, System Access Fee $6.95
Total (after Taxes) = $56.95
Company: Telus
Phone: Samsung U540 (Free with 2-3 Year Contract)
Plan: 300 Anytime Minutes and Unlimited Evenings (9pm) and Weekends $30 or 150 Anytime Minutes and Unlimited Evenings (6pm) and Weekends $30
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Wide $30
Extras: Voicemail $7, System Access Fee $6.95 + 911 $0.75
Total (After Taxes): $67.00
Extra Info:
- One Time Activation Fee $35
Company: Fido
Phone: Nokia 2760 (Free with 2 Year Contract)
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes and Unlimited Evenings (7pm) and Weekends $25
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Wide $20
Total (After Taxes) = $45.00
Extra Info:
- No System Access Fee
- One Time Activation Fee $35
Company: Solo
Phone: Samsung M300 (Free with 2 Year Contract)
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes and Unlimited Evenings (7pm) and Weekends $20
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Wide $20
Total (After Taxes) = $40.00
Extra Info:
- No System Access Fee
Company: Virgin Mobile
Phone: Samsung m510 or m300 (Free with 3 Year Contract)
Plan: 100 Anytime Minutes, 1000 Minutes Evenings (7pm) and Weekends, 100 Text Messages $25
Long Distance: Unlimited Canada Wide $20, Voicemail $7
Total (After Taxes) = $52.00
Extra Info:
- No System Access Fee
- One Time Activation Fee $35
April 1, 2009
License to... Drive!
I took the plunge and got my driver's licence (learner's permit) today! It was super nerve wracking but as soon as I was done it was a great sense of relief. Just making the commitment to myself to see this through really took a weight off my shoulders (that I didn't even know was there!).
For some odd reason the only licencing office in the entire city is located in a not-so-swell part of town. Not a problem. I'm definitely not a girl who's scared to walk through the bad part of town given reasonable precaution such as going during daylight hours but oh my was it an experience! The center wasn't on a road so much as a back ally dirt lane, the 9 foot high chain link fence was less then inviting and the man I stood behind in line for nearly an hour wasn't wearing any shoes.
There were three separate cases of cheating on the permit exam while I was there. More people failed then passed. I wouldn't say the test is super easy but definitely passage if you know the basic rules of the road. A lady who had just failed a driving road test was arguing with the clerk that she was well below the posted speed limit so she shouldn't have failed. The clerk had to explain to her over and over again that major highways (100km/hr) have LOW speed limits too and you simply can't go 60km/hr when everyone else is doing 110km/hr.
Next step is to actually get in a car and start practicing! Anyone have any recommendations for a good driver's education school that can deal with my nervous nature?
For some odd reason the only licencing office in the entire city is located in a not-so-swell part of town. Not a problem. I'm definitely not a girl who's scared to walk through the bad part of town given reasonable precaution such as going during daylight hours but oh my was it an experience! The center wasn't on a road so much as a back ally dirt lane, the 9 foot high chain link fence was less then inviting and the man I stood behind in line for nearly an hour wasn't wearing any shoes.
There were three separate cases of cheating on the permit exam while I was there. More people failed then passed. I wouldn't say the test is super easy but definitely passage if you know the basic rules of the road. A lady who had just failed a driving road test was arguing with the clerk that she was well below the posted speed limit so she shouldn't have failed. The clerk had to explain to her over and over again that major highways (100km/hr) have LOW speed limits too and you simply can't go 60km/hr when everyone else is doing 110km/hr.
Next step is to actually get in a car and start practicing! Anyone have any recommendations for a good driver's education school that can deal with my nervous nature?
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