March 2, 2017: These credit cards have recently died. I was expecting them to last another year or two, but they don't have that chip the newfangled readers insist on. They quit working. Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced the replacements, so I'm wandering around with much less ability to spend money than I'm used to. Grrrr.... In other news, Virginia and I participated in Taji 100, an exercise challenge she is super pumped about. I ended up walking 154.32 miles in February. She did 250, an amazing feat. In other other news, how about that Fort Moultrie quarter I found in my change?

March 10, 2017: This is the kind of change that I really don't like. I open my mail and find out that the money I had in the AOL savings plan went up someone's nose. Yuck. Six hundred million plus dollars disappeared while we weren't watching. I'm starting to understand why those assholes flew jets into the World Trade Center. To say I feel pissed is an understatement.

Sunday March 12, 2017: Yup. Finished the Go Green Half Marathon in 3 hours, 44 minutes and 3 seconds. Proud of that, even though I was the last finisher before they closed down the finish line apparatus. I got the Nixon and Kennedy dollars from a NO DAPL event in San Francisco the previous evening. There was a guy vending buttons from a cart. He had a green mustache. Sold them for cash value, but I was so grateful I paid full price for a Janice Joplin pin. I'm a bit sad, because that means the presidential dollar series is (almost?) over. Wondering what's coming next.

Sunday March 26th, 2017: Finished the San Francisco Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon in 3 hours, 41 minutes and 12 seconds. Proud of that. The day before I'd picked up my shirt and race bib at the expo at Pier 35. One of the things in the packet they gave me was a bag of Pop Corners chips. The morning of the race, headed for the starting line, I was hungry. Found the chips and ate them. Sweet and salty, with overtones of popcorn flavor. Quite delicious. I was in a good mood when I noticed the above across the top of the bag. I looked at the address on the back, and it was nothing familiar to me. Ended with "Liberty NY 12754". Whatever, they gave my new personal record a rebellious quality.

Friday May 12th, 2017: At the SVBC Bike Away From Work Bash Rich gave me the above coin, just because I wanted to buy it from him for cash value. Probably it's the "oldest picture of a bird" on my website by a lot.

Tuesday July 25th, 2017: I'm feeling like both of these stories tell of people that represent unfunded mandates for local governments. A mandate to provide good water, sewer, and roads for those honorably discharged veterans with physical lives and UPS delivery addresses. Okay, so the robot cars just need roads, WIFI, and gas stations. I'm hoping the veterans do it all by bicycle. That way they're a force multiplier for good citizenship. The revolution will not be motorized!

October 4th 2017: Virginia and I went to the Tour de Cure volunteer appreciation party at BJ's in Cupertino. Buying beers for both of us I got this coin in my change. First Missouri State Park quarter I've seen. The other notable thing that happened was that I had an idea while I watched the guy explaining what the Diabetes Association does with the money. Stuff like educating people about the dangers of consuming too much sugar. I thought "With the possible exception of oil, sugar is corporate america's favorite drug." Only later did I remind myself that electricity is a quick hit drug I'm still very addicted to.

October 26th 2017: Found all the stamps above in my mailbox. Liking that Sustainable New Zealand is urging us to grow our own broccoli! In honor of their "Save The Kiwi!" campaign, I've paired that stamp with a coin whose bird in the picture looks kinda like a kiwi.

November 8th, 2017: Reality Winner is a vegan that was born in Texas and is in jail in Georgia for releasing evidence of government wrongdoing. That sentence is such a microcosm of what's wrong with the USA that I had to honor her with an appearance here. The sticker came from a StandWithReality.org speak out at the Community Media Center in Palo Alto. The lawyer said "It's hard to discuss the case without bringing up 'reality' puns and 'winner' puns." I'd like to be able to comment on the website, but the link didn't work when I tried it. Bad connection or obsolete software or whatever. Planning to try it again soon.

Happy New Year! California's weed decriminalizing trumps all!

January 22nd, 2018: Found this coin on my way home from my first legal marijuana purchase. It was laying on the ground in the bike lane. Saw it while riding along. Obviously it was laying on the street for a while. The weed itself came in a jar, but they gave me this nifty bag (background plastic) with a good seal. Told me if I brought it back next time they'd take fifty cents off my bill for reusing it.

February 2nd, 2018: Found this report from the power company in my mailbox. Proud that not only am I pulling down on the average for local power bills, but I'm also pulling down on the average for "efficient homes". I think this is partly because I've been putting LED bulbs and fixtures in the parts of my home I light most. Another reason is that I often spend time at the girlfriends nowadays, when the only things running here are the fridge, a few clocks, and a night light in the bathroom.

  

March 13th, 2018: Got this beer at Costco when Virginia and I went there with her daughter two days ago. Found the coin after it had been hiding under the back burner of my stove for a long time. I think being reheated there a few times is what gave that its blue tint.
March 26th, 2018: San Francisco style means "delicious" in the case of these beers. A tasty and satisfying beverage.