Souper Freebie Friday!

Hi Gnafia!

Since it's been exactly one week since my last post, I've decided to reward you with a SOUPER FREEBIE FRIDAY! Yes, that means more than double the normal freebie offerings! Huzzah!

Jamaica-Bobsled-Last Freebie - Free 'Beyond Coal' Sticker
Want to show the world that you want nuclear power more than coal? Now you can! Request your FREE 'Beyond Coal' sticker by clicking HERE!

Democrats-In-Last-Election-Second-To-Last Freebie - Autographed Weather.Com Picture
Just as useful as Democrats in their two years of electoral supremacy, you can be the proud owner of an autographed picture by a Weather.com person! I picked Jennifer Lopez because then I can say I got an autographed photo of Jennifer Lopez. Click here to get yours!

Getting-Somewhere-Third-To-Last Freebie - Scented Candle
Does it stink in here or is it just the dog? Either way, light up a free scented candle! Request yours by clicking here now!

Honorary-Runner-Up - Ring Sizer
Have you ever gone 'Damn, I wish I knew my ring size?' I know I do every day. So why not do something about that ignorance, but without going to a jeweler's store? Request your FREE plastic ring sizer via Blue Nile diamonds (whom are responsible for a certain lucky lady's engagement and wedding rings I might add!) by clicking here!

Runner-Up - Tape Measurer
Why just measure your ring size, but also your chest, bust, waist, hips, and tuckus! Hooray for measuring things! Or you could tie it into a lasso and pretend to be a cowboy. Click here to get your measuring lasso!

Third Place - Taster's Choice Coffee
Who doesn't love coffee? This coffee probably tastes like Navy coffee, but it is free. So request your sample by clicking here!

Second Place - Computer Key Brush
Who knows if this works, but it might! Brush off your computer keys and keep them nice and clean! Don't forget the disinfectant! Click here to get your free computer key brush!

WINNER - FREE Maxim Magazines!
Finally, something we can actually cheer for! Free Maxim! I can say this one works, too, as per the three issues already sitting at home. Anna Kournikova in 3D, anyone? Click here to check it out! Francis Pruter need not apply, though.

WTF Winner - Tape Measurer Pen
While looking for a free tape measurer I came across a free tape measurer pen... for all the times you're writing and go, "Damn, I wonder what my margins are on this hand-written note" and compulsively measure your piece of paper. Whatever. You get a free catalog, too. Check it out here!

Thats it for this week, Gnafia! Souper Freebie Friday, gotta love it!

Keep it in the family!

LOVE Friday Freebies!

Greetings Gnafia!

Today I woke up and said to myself, "LOVE!" Literally. So to spread the LOVE I have to ensure that everyone who LOVES FREEBIES gets an opportunity to do so on this GLORIOUS FRIDAY!

Honorable Mention: Foodlers Stickers and Magnets

I'll be honest, I'm not sure what these stickers and magnets are all about, but they're free, so why not! My fridge is looking kind of bare. Click here to request your FREE Foodlers Stickers and Magnets!

Runner-Up: True-Lemon Water Flavorer

I'm a little thirsty, so I figured I'd find something to drink online. I found some free True-Lemon, True-Orange, and True-Lime water flavoring samples! Sounds tasty! Click here to request your FREE sample of True-Lemon, True-Lime, and True-Orange water flavor packets!

Winner: Bottle of Water

Like I said, I'm thirsty, so to go with your True-Lemon sample, why not sample some purified water? Click here to request your FREE 8.4 ounce bottle of purified water!

Oddball of the Week: Zimbi Drinks

I'm still thirsty. So here's a free strange new drink with a throwable bottle. I guess they like lawn darts or something? Click here to request your FREE sample of Zimbi!

Thats it for now, Gnafia! I urge you all to love your life and love some freebies! Love one another! Love everything! HOORAY LOVE!

Keep it in the family. Except love. You can love people outside of the family, too.

Why I Hate Daylight Saving's Time

So we just rolled back our clocks. Not a big deal. My sleep schedule is pretty solid, pass out around 10:30~11:00, wake up around 5:30. Easy day. Even with an extra hour of sleep, or losing that hour of sleep, I have no qualms with. What I do dislike is how it doesn't reset my internal hunger clock. So it was 9:30 am and I was hungry as heck. Like a hungry-hungry hippo, I wanted to gobble down everything in sight. I would feel awkward and wrong saying, "Hey guys, I need food." plus I would be disobeying the first rule of resetting your internal hunger clock - don't give in!

Fortunately time has passed, and I'm still very very hungry (and will be enjoying a delicious Subway Sandwich, because that sounds fantastic right now. If only I could get it for free...) but at least I can chuck deuces for lunch and not feel like a slacker moreso than I already do.

Other reasons I hate daylight savings time -- it's now light in the morning and dark in the afternoon. I hate that. I don't want it to be 5:30 in the afternoon and the sun is setting and by 6:30 it's pitch black! That's like Wisconsin time-stuff! (Oh, the memories of walking down the frigid driveway at 4:00 in the afternoon and the sun was setting... I miss snow, too) Instead, I want it to be light when it should be light out (~6:30 am to about 8:00 pm, every day) and dark the rest of the time. Do I need to move to the equator to do that? Do people who live in perpetual sunlight lead happier lives since dark-time people are depressed?

Well, that sandwich calls. Mmmmm, Subway.

Keep it in the family.

DON'T PANIC: Freebie Alert!

Greeting Gnafia!

If you've read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, this freebie is for you and require's NO explanation. If you're completely lost by this reference, find a copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and read it, then request the following freebie:

FREE TOWEL
Click here to get a FREE towel.

Keep it in the family.

For the Love of Freebies!

Greetings Gnafia!

Halloween is quite possibly one of my favorite holidays. Not because it's All Hallow's Eve, but rather you can dress up and knock on people's doors for FREE CANDY! So I'm counting that as my Friday Freebies this last Friday, despite a blog post.

But wait, there's more! For the love of freebies, I'm going to let you in on a few freebies I've found that you WON'T want to miss. I'm dead serious. One of them is very quick, very easy, and very free.

First Up: Free 5-6.6 bag of cat, dog, or ferret food.
Indeed! We'll start with my favorite, a pet freebie. Fill out the easy form and recieve a coupon for a free bag of pet food! It's called 'Natura' so it's gotta be good, right? We can only hope so. If it sucks, use it to poison your neighbor's pet that is annoying you. Unless I'm your neighbor, then just tell me and we can work it out like civilized adults and not have to resort to subterfuge. Click here to request your free pet food!

On Deck: Free microfiber cloth
For those of us who don't wash our cars often enough, here's an offer you won't want to miss. You'll get a FREE microfiber cloth to wash/dry your car with. How outstanding is that? Sweet! Click here to request your FREE microfiber cloth!

Batting Third: 5 Free Sample Pens
This one goes out to my wife, who LOVES office supplies. I can't wait to surprise her with some AWESOME free pens of the highest quality. At least they better be high quality if they want these samples to actually work. Just click on the pen you'd like to sample (Under $4.99 value per pen) and then select 'Request a sample' from the top of the page. You can do this for up to 5 free pens. I also selected a letter slitter, so nyah! Click here to claim your 5 free pens!

Clean-Up Hitter: $3 free Amazon MP3 Download Credit
This is the king of freebies today folks. It's also only valid today, the 1st of November. Simple click here and enter the promotional code 'STUDENT3' to get $3.00 added to your Amazon.com MP3 Gift Card Balance. Who doesn't want $3 free dollars? I know I do!

That's it for today Gnafia. As always, keep it in the family.

Wednesday Night Scores

Greetings Gnafia!

Last night was an epic evening filled with freebies. The wife and I were able to redeem a coupon for two FREE Halo Spot's Strew dog food (retail value of $1.99 each) as well as a FREE can of Clean+Green Pet Cleaner after rebate. So I'll end up with 7 free points on my credit card reward's program because one of the can's of dog food ended up getting charged and I got cash back. I'm almost ashamed of counting credit card reward points as bonus wins, but you take what you can get, right?

Oh, you too can get these things. The Clean+Green can be gotten at PetCo, where you save $2 for being a PetCo Perks Member which brings the cost to $4.99, and the rebate form should be on the can itself. The Halo dog OR cat food (for cat people) can be obtained by signing up for the Halo News Letter by clicking here. Yes, you do have to sign up for the news letter and print out the coupon, but it's free food for your pet! We'll let you know how the puppy likes it. Be sure to use the Store Locator first to make sure it's available around you. We had to drive a few miles out of our way to find a store, but we needed to go to Michael's anyways.

I've started to look at rebate offers, too. So far there are a few winners that will make their way onto the Rebate Bonanzai of 29 October 2010 for the Friday Freebies. It'll be spectacular, so don't miss it!

That being said, things in general are going well. The apartment is starting to look like a real home instead of a pig style, the dog is barking less, and the job is finally becoming somewhat fulfilling. I need to get back into the swing of volunteering, however, to make my life a bit more complete. Isn't volunteering awesome? Leave a comment about your favorite volunteer event! Lets see how many comments we can get!

Keep it in the family!

Philosophy and Religion

Greeting Gnafia,

I've discovered that times that you're a little out of touch with your body and fine motor functions are great for doing some deep thinking. I'm not saying these are great times in general, but often I get the feeling that I'm floating in some water and my body feels a bit lighter than usual. I try to avoid getting up too fast and other potentially dangerous tasks, which gives me ample time to think. I also realize thinking is probably more dangerous than standing up for me. Oh, the irony.

At any rate, I've had plenty of time to think. I've started to ponder some great topics such as 'What is Heaven like?' and 'Can God give you his undivided attention?'.

Heaven, as the Bible tells us, is the house of God. There really isn't a whole lot else said about it, other than it's a pretty spectacular place to be. I began thinking, however, as to what such a place might be like. If it is somewhere that all people should want to go, and it is a paradise, how do you reoncile if different people have different ideals of paradise? What if under no circumstances would I define Heaven to be any place where I had to share the same space (regardless of how big and endless that space is) with certain people? Or vice versa? Are there separate 'instances' of Heaven for each person?

The answer to the above questions is that it isn't that Heaven is created to be my paradise. No, I do not believe either that the 99 Virginians promised by the Quar'an are a suitable representation of such a place. (But hey, if the extremists want to blow themselves up to go get their asses kicked in the afterlife by the founding fathers, more power to them. Just go explode over there.) Rather, the paradise aspect is because you get to exist in the presence of God. Such a paradise is certainly beyond the reach of human imagination. Though, if you're afraid you're going to have to run into that Department Head or Executive Officer in Heaven, I think John 14:2-3 sheds some light:

"JOH 14:2  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would
have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you
to be with me that you also may be where I am."

So it looks like we each get our own room. I don't have to share with 1st and listen for eternity how he could probably swim to Okinawa or Sasebo from Iwo Jima. Phew!

But this raised a second question. Can God give me his undivided attention? With roughly six billion people in the world, and approximately what, 1.5 billion Christians? 1.5 billion Christians whom, if we presume each recieve an equal share of God's attention, relates to 0.0000576 seconds of God's time that he devotes his attention to me each day. Thankfully God can do anything He wants in that 0.0000576 seconds, and can do everything, too. Otherwise I'd probably be hosed because I couldn't accomplish anything, even blinking, in that short period of time. I mean, in my entire life that's only 1.68192 seconds of God's time assuming I live to be 80 years old! Actually a little more, given leap years, but lets be realistic with the significant figures, eh?

Then it hit me. God isn't restricted by time. Perhapes he give his undivided attention to a single person throughout their entire life, then goes on to the next person in line, heads back to the next person that was born, see's their life through, and so on and so forth. God can be anywhere, at any time, and in as many places at as many times as He chooses! Phew. Of course, that begs to ask the question if humans can ever wrestle themselves free of the grasps of time. How awesome would that be? It might be like TiVo... for your life... sweet.

Hopefully this short insight into my philosophical musings amused you. Feel free to leave a comment if you want. If it sucks, it probably won't justify a reply, though.

Keep it in the family.

Friday Freebies - October 21st, 2010

Hello hello Gnafia!

It is once again Friday. Which usually means it's time for Friday Freebies. Continuing with my 'Oooh, these freebie are geared towards <insert name>' and in the spirit of Wednesday's post, a much younger, more nostalgic Gnafia Gnodfather is the target of today's Friday Freebies. Without further delay, here are your Friday Freebies!

Honorable Mention: Junior Edition Slime
The young Gnodfather at one point had one of those neat mad scientist laboratory kit where you made all sorts of tasty concoctions and delights under the guise of science. It was fantastic. He also watched plenty of shows with slime, and in general, like most little boys, liked slimey, gooey things. So, in honor of that aspect of the young Gnodfather, you can get your own Junior Edition Vial of slime! Click here to get your free vial of slime!

Runner-Up: 5 Free Sports Cards
The young Gnodfather was an avid collector of sports cards. Yes, the Gnodfather's parents would be frequented with requests to go to Schinder's to fuel this collection craze. Well, you too can satisfy that collection itch with 5 free sports cards! Be sure to like 'Breaker Brothers' on Facebook, as that is all they ask in return for 5 cards from the last 3 decades of your favorite sports team. Click here to get your free sports cards!

Winner: First Aid Kit
Like most young Gnafiamembers, the Gnodfather would often get scraped, banged up, and even cut. Not by a knife, but usually by some peice of furniture. The Gnodfather's parents no doubt would have preferred this free first aid kit vice the dirty dish towel used to apply pressure to gushing head wounds sustained during mischief. You can be prepared with a FREE first aid kid! The promo code that is asked for is KIT. Click here to get your free first aid kit!

Double Winner: 50 Pieces of Oragami Paper
Well, the Gnodfather enjoyed building and making things. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any free LEGO's, which would have been perfect. Instead, I did find a way to get 50 free pieces of Oragami Paper, PLUS a lot of online oragami instructions on the same site. Click here to get started with your own oragami building! Or is it more folding, rather than building? Who knows!

Thats all for this week. I must say this is probably one of the better weeks we've had for free stuff. I hope you all enjoy it and take advantage of it! I'll be uploading a picture of the bountiful goodness recieved so far in the Gnafia's Hideout as evidence that these are legit!

Keep it in the family! Or tell everyone, that way the family grows. But keep it in the family, too.

Nostalgia

Greetings Gnafia,

Today I'm here to blog about nostalgia. What brings up this pseudo-random topic? Well, itself of course! I spent the entire lunch hour today discussing LEGO's of all things with a co-worker. I have some very fond memories of LEGOs when I was a child, and other not-so-fond memories where I'd like to go back and punch myself in the face and tell myself to stop being such an idiot. So, as part of this tribute I'd like to thank my parents and my siblings especially for putting up with me as a younger child. I'm sure my antics weren't appreciated, but I greatly appreciate you all putting up with me and helping me get to where I am today.

There is definately a place in a Man Cave for a work bench. I almost feel that any person who has a Man Cave and played with LEGOs as a child ought to have a healthy nostalgia for those little building bricks and of course include them in their holiest of shrines to all things manly. Of course, there shouldn't be anything wrong with going over to a friend's house and bringing a 6-pack of Leinenkugel's and engineering some sort of LEGO contraption. But there is that precept that you're playing with children's toys. To that I say, "I believe the box says '14+', and I am postive I fall into the '+' category!"

Now, if you have something you are particularily nostalgic about, I encourage you to leave a comment. It can be from your childhood, your children's childhood, or something that happened this morning, because I'm nostalgic about my dog whenever I'm not at home with her and my wife. Speaking of dog's, we had a dog as a kid named Cisco. Cisco was a great dog. Hooray for nostalgia!

Keep it in the family!

Swag Bucks Monday

Hey hey Gnafia!

I know it's been about a week since I've last posted. I was on leave last week, hence the lack of posting. But we're back in full force!

I'd like to revisit one of my first posts about Swag Bucks, the site where you can get FREE Amazon Gift Cards and other sweet stuff (including cash) for doing everything you normally do on the web (surfing, voting in polls, clicking links, etc.). If you sign up today by clicking on the Swidget (on the righthand side) or by clicking HERE to sign up you can enter a code for a BONUS 20 Swag Bucks on top of the regular 50 for signing up. You'll be well on your way to the 450 required for a $5 Amazon Gift Card.

As a status update on Swag Bucks, I've earned about $50 in Amazon Gift Cards so far in the ~3 months I've used it so far. It takes about 5 minutes a day and I've been making bank (in my opinion, at least). Make sure to do your dailies: 1) Voting in the daily poll 2) Clicking on 'Trust Surveys' 3) Clicking through the NOSO and 4) Searching for Swag Bucks in the morning and evening.

Easy, easy day. To get your Swag Code, click on the Swidget and select the button at the bottom that says 'Swag Code' and then 'Check to see if there is a code'. Enter that code and you'll end up with some free Swag Bucks! AWESOME!

Thats it for now, Gnafia.

Keep it in the family.

Hello gnafia!

I know, I was slacking last Friday. It happens. But to make up for it, I have your freebies for you today. That means this week will be DOUBLY AWESOME because you'll have Freebie Monday and Freebie Friday. That's pretty sweet, eh?

Honorable Mention: BORBA crystalline drink mix
They seem to want to put everything in drink form these days. Hopefully soon I can get my Big Mac in a tube so I don't have to chew it, too. These are apparently good for your skin and you get two of their four flavors. Not bad! Click here to get your free sample of BORBA drink mix!

Runner-up: Glad OdorShield Trash Bags
I didn't realize you really needed to sample trash bags. At any rate, you can score a free trash bag or two. If you're in charge of taking out the trash like I am, you'll be able to go an extra day or two without having to go, "Dang, we're out of trash bags." Click here to get your free sample of Glad OdorShield Trash Bags!

Winner: Ester-C Gummies!
Who doesn't love gummies? I bet they taste nothing like gummi bears, but at least they're good for you. Cold season is just around the corner, and maybe this is just what you need to avoid a nasty cold! Click here to get your free sample of Ester-C Gummies!

Just For Fun: Natural Nibbles Dog Treats
I heart my puppy, and you should heart your puppy too! Get them some Natural Nibbles Dog Treats! I guess they're natural, and nibbleable, so that's always a plus. Click here to get your free Natural Nibbles Dog Treats!

That's it for today. I need to go cancel a picnic that I was organizing. Bummer.

Keep it in the family.

Ahhh, sweet, sweet sleep... or insomnia...

Guten tag, Gnafia!

I was Facebook chatting with my mother, of all people, today and she asked how my blog was coming. I said I was looking for inspiration for today's post, and I think she mentioned meatloaf. Or I may be thinking of a different conversation had around the same time. Well, meatloaf isn't very inspiring most of the time. But seeing as how I'm frequently battling sleep in one way or another, I'd share some of my personal favorites for either helping you get to sleep, or helping you avoid sleep!

Tips To Sleep:

1. Go to bed at the same time every day, and consequently wake up at a similar time every day. It becomes a routine, and your body likes a routine. It's similar as to how some people are able to retune their bodies to fall directly into REM sleep and only sleep a few hours a day.

2. Get a little exercise every day. Even if it's a 15-30 minute walk, or two hours of vigorous raquetball, exercise is a very good way to promote healthy sleep. Plus, most of us don't get enough exercise as it is. Just try and avoid going for a run right before bed. You'll be hyped up on endorphins. Unless you're crazy tired, then it might work.

3. Get rid of blue lights! Blue light (which is included in white light, mind you) tells your brain to be awake. Don't do it! Turn off the lights and make things very dark for yourself when you want to sleep. Oh, and computer screens and LCD TV's emit a LOT of blue light. I'm personally a fan of red lights, but that's probably because I spent too much time on the bridge on late watches. Ahhh ha ha ha ha.

4. Progressive relaxation. Look it up. It is awesome.

5. Your bed is for sleep and sex. Keep it that way. Avoid playing video games or computer games or facebooking or anything that isn't sleep or sex in your bed. By limiting your bed to those two activities, you'll develop muscle memory so when you lay down your body will say, "Hey, it's time to sleep!" Guys, here's your best excuse for falling asleep before/during/after sex - "But honey, it's muscle memory!"

Tips for Inducing Insomnia:

1. Be cold. Air conditioning, cold water, being naked... all of these things where it might be a little chilly will help you stay awake. Ever noticed how hard it is to stay awake in a room that is really warm and humid? And how many times have you fallen asleep in your freezer? I rest my case.

2. Exercise, exercise, exercise. I recommend light exercise, like a few push ups or some squats. Bear crawls also work. Even a brisk walk. Nothing too vigorous, just enough to get the blood pumping.

3. Let there be light! Turn on the lights, it's harder to fall asleep. Do eeet!

4. Play video games. Not only do you get lots of light, but there is a reason why World of Warcraft geeks and Halo fanatics don't sleep -- these games don't allow them to!

5. Eat fruit. Blueberries, apples, strawberries... these little delicious morsels will give you a little kick of energy.

6. Drink lots and lots of water. Hydration is always good, and getting up to go to the head every 30 minutes will also make sure you're awake. Also, cold water. Remember how cold helps you stay awake? Double trouble!

7. Pull down on your earlobes. Trust me on this one. It's awesome.

There you have it, Gnafia. Now you are well equipped to adjust your level of sleep to suit your schedule and work needs. Time for an all nighter? No problem. Can't sleep on the weekend because you studied so hard this last week? Also no problem. I do, however, not promote insomnia. You will be tired and want to sleep. Trust me.

Keep it in the family.

Freakin' Freebies for Friday - 24 September, 2010

Yes, Gnafia, it is that time again as we find Friday upon us for yet another consecutive week!

What would Friday be without Freebies, am I right? I had a brilliant idea for this week's freebies, and that was to target my specific freebies for a particular person instead of haphazard randomness as I have in the past. If I can continue to do so, I'll keep it up, otherwise back to haphazard randomness next week.

This week our featured guest is an Olympian. So Ms. Olympian, these freebies are for you. Sort of. You won't hurt my feelings if you go, "Um, thanks but no thanks." Also, these products are in no way shape or form endorsed or supported by any Olympian, ever. I'm just trying to find free stuff that fits with my pre-concieved notions of Olympians.

Honorable Mention: Nature's Path Granola Bar

I figured granola is a great source of... nutrition. Plus, it's called Nature's Path, so it's got to be at least someone rooted in nature and organicness, both of which are favorites of Ms. Olympian. So we can all snack like an Olympian. Is that similar to walking like an Egyptian? Olympians in Egypt? Now I just digress. Click here to claim your free sample of Nature's Path granola bars!

Runner-Up: My IsoMass Iced Coffee

Clearly we all need to bulk up. Protein, according to Superman, is of vital importance to building a strong set of muscles. Olympians need muscle. I have no idea if they utilize the various protein supplements on the market, but once again free is free. Is it safe for human consumption? I have no idea. Was it tested on animals? Well, didn't you see that Looney Toons episode where Bugs Bunny was all muscly and pumping iron? Duh. Use at your own risk! Click here to claim your free sample of My IsoMass Iced Coffee supplement!

Winner: olympicmom.com

OK, this is really just a shameless plug for the second best blog in the tubes known as the Internet. But, you can follow it for free, and join their forums for free, so it's a free way to connect with other Olympic supporters and follow your favorite Olympian. So it really kind of is a freebie, isn't it? Oh, and staying in touch with friends and family while abroad -- big, big thumbs up. Trust me. Click here to check it out!

Pseudo-Oddity: Nectavida

Yeah, I'm not entirely sure what this is. It's up there with the IsoMass as a 'use at your own risk' but it's some sort of supper supplement. Sounds dangerous. Right up my alley. Click here to check it out and request your own free sample!

I hope you've enjoyed this week's edition of the Friday Freebies. Three cheers for Friday, and maybe a cheer and a half for Freebies. It better not be the 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie; Oiy, Oiy, Oiy!' cheer, either. This isn't Australia. Though Australia is nice. It's time for a relaxing weekend filled with fun frivolities and puppy folleys for this gnome!

Keep it in the family!

Ub3r Gam3rs

Hello hello!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, especially here in San Diego. The weather is fine, the work is plentiful, and I can't wait to get some of it done! But there is a subject that I encountered last night that I would like to share with you all.

As my wife and dog can attest, I was playing Halo: Reach last night in Matchmaking mode on XBox Live. During one match, the opponents taunted the map choice by saying, "OMG, didn't you play Beta? This map is like shooting fish in a barrel as the Spartans. I guess if you just want to get killed a lot by me, I'll ride you all game long."

Now, if you have to say "OMG, didn't you play Beta?" right there you can deduce a few things about your fellow gamer. First off, they're hopelessly addicted to the game. To the point that probably the sole derivation of pleasure and satisfaction out of life is playing this game. Since practice makes perfect, they are also exceptionally tweaked out in their reflexes and knowledge of the game. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. We all have to be good at something. However, there gets to be a point where an addiction becomes unhealthy. If you are able to time the exact point that your opponent is going to spawn, and the precise location so they can be blown up by a grenade a fraction of a second later, and repeat the process... you probably play Halo a little too much.

Please don't interpret this as whining or me being envious of their 'skill'. Because I'm not. If I devoted my entire life to playing Halo, I'm sure I could match their level of talent. But some of us choose to have a job, and a family, and other activities in our lives besides one video game. To each their own. Afterall, someone needs to work at McDonalds to serve me a hamburger. As long as they are happy with their life, who am I to criticize their actions? A good thrashing every now and then in a game is a solid reminder and excellent motivation to continue playing and get better. Not to be better than them, but to be able to stand up against them and occasionally prevail. Because it's extremely satisfying to kill cocky people like that, even if the end score is 2-8. Because 20% of the time they weren't better than you, and it bothers them more to have only prevailed 80% of the time. I'll take my 20%, especially if it involves a triple kill from blowing up a Warthog or Falcon with grenades or a Spartan laser or something equivalent. Mmmm, triple kill...

But enough Halo banter. Today is a wonderful day because I'm going to go home after work and clean the house. And then it will be Friday and all will be well with the world. If you have any thoughts as to what the wife and I ought to do with our weekend, feel free to leave a comment. I'm thinking mini golfing. I love mini golfing!

Keep it in the family!

You know what we need? Altruizine

Salutations Gnafia,

I figured it was time for a book review. One of my favorites that doesn't get a lot of publicity is a recently deceased fellow named Stanislaw Lem. I won't go into details of who is was, because you can use Wikipedia if you're genuinely interested. I will, however, discuss a little about one of his publications -- The Cyberiad.

The Cyberiad is a series of short stories that all tie into one another following two creators, who are basically omnipotent robotic engineers. There are humerous interactions much akin to the humour that Douglas Adams uses. That's really all you need to know about it to want to go out and read it, for sure. But there is a specific story that I would like to entertain you with. In an attempt to make one world a better place, a hermit robot invents a substance called Altruizine. It enables humans to share every feeling with those around them. One person shared the birth pains of a cow, for example. An entire village flocks to the home of a newlywed couple to share their first night together. These kinds of awkward yet humrous scenarios are detailed in full, and I recommend you check a copy out of your local library and give it a whirl. If you hate it, you hate it. Return it and feel good knowing you've done your civic duty and patronized your public library.

I think some altruizine would be useful for one of my most recent acquisitions -- Halo: Reach. Imagine if everyone who killed me had to share how I feel being so horribly awful at the game. I think some hilarity might ensue there. Or better yet, give some altruizine to mental health providers so they can perfectly diagnose their patients. That alone would make altruizine worth researching, I feel. It would have to be a controlled substance, so it would probably be best to not develop it. Afterall, look how well cocaine is doing as a controlled substance. It'll just be another way for Mexico to make lots of money and kill a lot of innocent people. Which reminds me, Mexico's drug problems are bad, incase you didn't know.

Do I have all the answers? I wish. I can't even answer some very basic questions about myself most of the time, let alone about other people and other things. I live in a muddled mental state. I think sleep would help resolve the confusion. I should work on getting more of that. Sleep, that is.

Keep it in the family.

Return of the Friday Freebie - September 17th, 2010

Greetings Gnafia,

It is once again Friday. Can I get a hallelujha, amen? Well, to echo that sentiment I have a delicious new batch of freebie links for you all to enjoy. And yes, I have been recieving lots of samples in the mail recently, which always add a smile to my face. Until Sadie starts stealing wrappers and smelling things. Like the little pouch of dog food we recieved the other day. But she's a dog, so what can you expect, right?

Without much further delay, here you go! Go get 'em, gnafia!

Honorable Mention: Crest Pro Health Clinical Gum Protection Paste

It's toothpaste. How different can toothpaste REALLY be? Never the less, give those toofers and your gums a treat by trying this tantalizing toothpaste. Click here to request your free sample. I just hope it isn't citrus flavored. My siblings still give me crap for actually LIKING the orange flavored toothpaste.

Runner-Up: Quaker Life Nutrition Bar

Bannana Nut Bread, or Cinnamon Roll Raisin Pecan flavor? Which to choose!? Too bad you can't get both. But you can get one or the other of Quaker's new nutrition bar. With 5g of fiber per bar, and interesting flavors to choose from, hopefully they're actually worth digesting. Click here to request you free sample of Quaker Life Nutrition Bars!

Winner: Kashi Snackdrive

This one goes out to my nutritionally-minded sisters. At one point they were huge advocates of Kashi brand yummies. If that's still the case, then they can enjoy one of three Kashi products for free. Yay. You can choose between a strawberry breakfast bar, a chewy granola bar, or a 7-grain cracker. Score! The wide selection and recognized brand name propel Kashi above Quaker to snag this week's Freebie Winner's spot. Act fast, this offer expires on the 19th of Septemeber! Click here to select your free Kashi sample!

Freaky Freebie of the week: Wisconsin Cheese Guide

With 33 cheeses from Wisconsin, you too may have a hard time choosing which one to eat. Why not all 33? Well, I can't offer you a variety of Wisconsin cheeses to taste, but I can offer you a Cheese Guide. At least Wisconsin doesn't need to run a smear campaign to convince idiots that their daiy is better, because Wisconsin offers products that speak for themselves. 'Happy cows come from California' only qualifies if by 'Happy' you mean heavy-metal poisoned, asthma-ridden, water-deprived, Flaming-Liberal-surrounded, and paranoid-of-poisonous-critters, then yes, those cows do come from California. Simply euphoric cows come from Wisconsin, though. Click here to get your cheese guide on cheeses that come from euphoric cows. Mmm, Wisconsin Cheese.

Also, if you have multiple places you may want to look into seasonal status on some of your utilities like cable. One Gnafia member has reported a savings of over $60 a month on their cable bill by going into a seasonal status on one of their locations where they do not reside during the summer. Please, feel free to respond below if you actually request the aforementioned freebies, or have anything to add like these kinds of money saving tips. Otherwise, I may think nobody is reading. This I know is not true, because I have statistics that show we average about 20 readers per post.

Keep it in the family.

Dystopia of the Mind

Greetings Gnafia,

I realize it's been a week since my last post. I'll have you know that I don't care. I'll post when I darn well feel like it, and either you like it or you don't.

I've returned to hit-or-miss sleeping habits. Saturday I was instructed to discontinue use of one of my medications due to hallucinations. Nothing overly serious, but the decision was made to maintain the peace of mind of both my wife and my dog. For those of you that don't know this yet, dogs generally do not appreciate having socks put on them. It does not matter to them if you think they will fall through the floor otherwise, dogs do not like wearing socks. I wonder if their feet ever get cold?

If you're concerned about the topic of today's post, don't be. It's an exaggeration. Though there are times it feels very much like the truth. The thoughts that seemingly appear out of nowhere, the shifts in moods that don't have a lot of rhyme or reason, and everything inbetween can be very exhausting. There's a certain appeal to losing yourself in an alternate reality. Whether that is in a book, through your XBox 360, with a group of people, or my personal favorite of a text-based adventure, after spending most of my day in my own head it's a delight to escape to the head of someone else that I've created.

On another random topic, my wife is looking for a job. She's applied for a few, and hasn't heard anything back. I suspect this is the whole 'The economy sucks' bit I keep reading on the news. Fair enough. Right now we're a one-automobile family, and soon I may be in the market for another mode of transportation. A motorcycle, perhaps. The public transportation in San Diego sucks, so it's unlikely I will use that. Maybe I can find someone near me to carpool with. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Also, it's nice to have furniture. It looks like a bomb exploded in our apartment, but at least we have a place to sit. Sleeping in a bed is also a nice change from an air matress. Taco pie is on the menu once again thanks to having our Pyrex glass 13"x9" pan. Yes indeed, the quality of life is on the up and up. If only I remember to get an HDMI cable and Oreo's tonight on my way home from work.

Keep it in the family.

More Free Stuff in the Mail

Greetings Gnafia,

I got the mail this morning. Usually good to do that on a daily basis. And lo and behold, but what should arrive but one of the numerous samples I've requested. This was some sort of fortified drink mix. Mmmm, drink mix. Because water is just too boring to drink by itself. Anyways. I'm trying to amass a pile of free stuff I got, take a picture, and then sample a bunch of them. I will, of course, share my findings here once I do. So, two freebies down, ??? more to go!

It's an otherwise uneventful day today. I do enjoy hearing from across my cubicle, "We really need to call the Fraud, Waste, and Abuse hotline against TORTUGA." This is coming from our LCDR Supply Officer. I like her. It's the small things you take for granted and make you smile; the smallest things are just that much more important and must be cherished. And I am cherishing this one.

I heard an interesting radio broadcast about anger yesterday. The host was advocating that anger is a legitimate emotion and rather than managing your anger, you ought to resolve it. Yes, anger resolution. Acknowledge that you are angry, let whomever angered you know you are angry, and then let it go. They claim that when anger becomes bitterness or vengence is when it becomes harmful. I would tend to agree with them. We all may need to resolve more of our anger in our lives, and not freak out and have to get sent to Anger Management classess over Holiday Standdown.

I like to think that I'm not an angry person. I've certainly had periods of extreme irritability, mostly at the incompetence of others. Those periods of extreme irritability lead to great malcontent on my part, primarily because it lead to bitterness and vengence. I would even say I'm still bitter. I really need to stop being bitter. Though I must admit there is a certain level of fulfillment that bitterness provides, and I am fearful that without it I will just be empty inside. Kind of like I already am... hrm...

That's about it for now. Also, I've been tracking the statistics of this blog. We average about 14 readers per new post, with an average stay time of 1 minute and 17 seconds. Not bad. So keep it up, gnafia!

Keep it in the family.

No Stopping THIS Steamroller!

You know, it's a refreshing change to wake up at 0600, wide awake and ready to kick some ass and take names. Saturday I did so and did a boatload of dishes, picked up the house, and even made eggs and toast. Sunday I did so again, and didn't quite get that much accomplished but mostly puttered around having fun. Monday I went back to bed around 1030 because I was cuddling with the dog. This morning I got up at 0700 because I was cuddling with the dog. So! The simple fact of the matter is if I want to get up and be awesome, I should probably keep the dog locked up until I'm ready to go. Heh, sorry Sadie.

This weekend was a much needed reprieve from my normal, depressed self. I'm enjoying the energy, enthusiasm, and motivation to do things. I feel awesome. I could probably go to a ship right now and fix their Safety issues without batting an eyelash, AND go through a SWO Board and pass without going to SWOS. Just to show them.

I also went for a run yesterday with the dog. Fantastic. Probably going to do that again tonight. But for now, I need to figure out lunch. Mmm, lunch.

Speaking of dogs, Sadie is one ridiculously intelligent dog. She's driven by a crazy motivation to steal food. She'll knock things over to climb up on them to get over the barricades we set up to keep her within the living room. She'l get tuna cans out of the recycling to get the tasty morsels of tuna out of them. I'm not sure I've ever had a dog who was so brilliant, and I think she knows it. At least she acts like she knows she's brilliant. We've had no problems teaching and reinforcing tricks, like rolling over and shaking. We're still working on the barking issue, but mostly she seems to bark at activity in the hallway. She's just very protective, I think.

For those of you wondering, Sadie is a beagle/daschund mix. A doxle is the AKC breed name. She's absolutely adorable, loves to snuggle and take naps, chase lights on the wall, go for runs and play at the dog park. She doesn't fetch things very well, but will stand over them as if she's found them. One of the best dogs ever.

Keep it in the family.

Friday Freebies - 03 September, 2010

Greetings Gnafia,

It's time for another Freebie-filled-Friday! The disclaimer still applies that I am not responsible for any spam or unwanted mail you may recieve as a result of requesting these freebies, but I do take care in selecting reputable companies that hopefully won't throw you under the bus like that. So, without further delay, your Friday Freebies!

Honorable Mention: Gas-X Thin Strips

Maybe you get a little gassy after Mexican night? Maybe you don't, but your family is planning something that just sounds like it will wreak havoc on your lower digestive tract for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Never fear, for you can try some Gas-X Thin Strips for free! Click here to get hooked up with some free Gas-X Thin Strips!

Runner-Up: True Lemon Drink Mix

It sounds like a lemony version of Tang, to be perfectly honest. But, they want you to try their product and get the word out. The least I can do in exchange for a sample of their hopefully tasty beverage mix is to tell you about it, too! Click here to request a free sample of True Lemon Drink Mix!

Winner: AstroGlide X Personal Lubricant

Do I really need to say more? It's freaking personal lubricant for use with your significant other or your favorite hand if you're not that lucky. And it's free. And there aren't pictures of naked women and all other potentially inappropriate content. Why delay, click here to get your free sample of AstroGlide X!

Freaky Freebie of the Week: BreatheRite Strips

OK, this really isn't a 'weird' freebie, but I use this slot as a discretionary slot for things I find odd, unusual, kind of weird, or otherwise funny. In this case, it's funny. There's a running joke in my family regarding most things involving snoring, including treatments for snoring. I don't know how many times it's been suggested certain family members use these, but now is their opportunity to get some for free and try them out. So can you! Click here to request your free sample of BreatheRite Strips!

Thats all for today, Gnafiamates. I hope you enjoy your Friday Freebies, I look forward to providing you with high quality samples for next week! If you have a suggestion for a Friday Freebie, let me know via Facebook or e-mail. Cheers!

As always, keep it in the family.

Just another Thursday...

Greetings Gnafia,

You'll have to forgive my lack of posting this last week. I've found myself rather devoid of energy, motivation, and a host of other things important for getting work done. It happens.

You have to enjoy morning when you wake up, think that it's Wednesday, find some small glimmer of happiness that maybe things are starting to look up and this can be the day that you start to get everything in order, only to have it come crashing down when your spouse say, "Wait a minute, it's Thursday."

Damn.

So much for that idea.

I've noticed something about doctors in the Navy. They have a tendancy to not diagnose you due to the career rammifications of such a diagnosis. So in essence you end up with an improper diagnosis, with or without the right treatment, just so something unfavorable doesn't happen. In some cases, perhapes this is the best route to go, no doubt. Doc on USS LASTSHIP definately did his best to try and make it happen, and I am very grateful for it! But this trend keeps popping up. I'll continue to do more research, but I'm not entirely convinced that what little treatment I've been getting is either effective or entirely appropriate. Though, as my mother recently shared with me, "You are your own best advocate when it comes to your healthcare." So true mother, so true.

On a slightly happier note, this week I recieved my first freebie. A 2.75 oz bag of Cheetos. Their suggested retail price is $0.99. I don't know if I would have otherwise purchased said Cheetos, so it's a great thing they came as a sample. When my wife and I tear into the bag as part of a game-induced binge fest, I'll let you know how they are. The flavor of them is Rajin' Cajun & Cool Ranch. Interesting combination. Hopefully things keep trickling in, with an occasional 'Holy crap this feels like Christmas' day of many things arriving at once.

Cheers, and as always, keep it in the family.

Friday Freebies - August 27th, 2010

Good morning Gnafiamates! I've decided that Fridays shall be Freebie Fridays here at the Gnafia Gnook.

Now, here's the little disclaimer - I cannot guarantee that these offers are COMPLETELY legit, nor am I responsible for any spam whatsoever. Hence my recommendation of making a 'freebie e-mail account' as noted in previous posts. I've taken care to select only legitimate companies I've heard of and are offering things people might actually want or use. Fair enough? OK!

Honorable Mention: Kellogg's All-Bran Promise Pack

I guess this offer, from Kellogg's, gets you a free sample of their All-Bran cereal, bar, and drink-mix, plus some coupons. Not a bad deal. Only problem is it's All-Bran. If this was some sort of edible Kellogg's cereal, it would be higher up. Click here to sign up for your free All-Bran Promise Pack!

Runner-Up: Hot Tamales

Who doesn't love those spicy cinnamon candies? Well, for a limited time you can get your very own free package of Hot Tamales candy. they look like a pretty small pouch, but who gives a flying flip, they're free Hot Tamales! I had to play a spinning game for a solid ten minutes to win, but figured out that the winning URL works even if you didn't play the game. Click here to get your FREE Hot Tamales!

Best Freebie: 10 Free Pregnancy and/or Ovulation Sticks

A friend of mine once shared some wisdom her mother gave her. Her mother said, "Shannon, $10 is a good price for a pregnancy test." Well Shannon's Mom, how about free? Now, this is not something I personally will be using, but I know somebody who may use them some day. And since they're free, why not? I just ask that if you're just getting them to get them, I would discourage. Why? Because this isn't a company for profit trying to get you to buy their stuff, it's a non-profit organization trying to better the world. So it's a feel-good thing AND free. Bonus. Click here to get your FREE pregnancy tests!

Best Weird Offer: Free Ice Bag

My first free thing link that I shared is probably the best useless/weird offer of all time, the doggie sleeping bag. Which, by the way, I'm still super excited to recieve. I'll probably figure out how to put pictures on this blog once it comes in. With a dog in it, of course. But today's top free weird thing is an ice bag. Because it's not something that is overly useful, and most people just use a plastic bag with some paper towels. But hell, it's free, right? So why not. There's also a link to it on my facebook page, which I'm not sure is a requirement but it said it was, so I went all out for this one. Click here to get your FREE Ice Bag!

Thats it for your Friday Freebies, Gnafiamates. I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend. I'll be volunteering at a horse ranch this Saturday for an event where handicapped children ride horses as theraputic treatment. It should be a blast. Kids, horses, ranches... what more could a guy want? Besides a doggie sleeping bag and an ice bag.

Keep it in the family!

Who doesn't love free stuff?

So I debated for a short while as to whether to post this, and decided ultimately I would take the risk of public embarassment and shunning in favor of accomplishing my goals set forth at the establishment of this blog.

You may have noticed the addition of the Swidget 1.0 at the top right of the blog. You may have even asked yourself "What the hell is Swagbucks?" Well, as delinated in the first and second posts, I've been experimenting with ways to obtain free stuff. One of the ideas I toyed with in my head was "Wouldn't it be cool if I could obtain either cash or giftcards for use on major sites to either obtain or help obtain what I REALLY want, or things that just seem obscenely cool." More importantly, I wanted something that is legit and works. Not sort of works, or halfway works, but honest to goodness gives me free moohlah for little to no effort.

Now, if you search generic terms like, "free money online" or some variation with synonyms, you'll get a LOT of junk. Things where you're afraid to click on it because you'll probably infect your computer with all sorts of malicious software. I also realize that a lot of these sites just want to spam your inbox with all sorts of crap because they get money for advertising. Well, surprisingly enough there ARE establishments out there that are willing to share their advertisement revenue with you. It's the equivalent of a symbiotic relationship, and really makes a lot of sense.

Swagbucks is one such symbiotic site. You know how Google is a multi-quintillion dollar company? They make their money through advertisements. Those 'Sponsored Sites' that pop up when you search but you probably just ignore? Yeah, companies pay for those links to be put there. Swagbucks is a search-engine combined with other optional advertising gimmicks that awards you their own 'currency' called swag bucks for using their search engine. You can redeem those swag bucks in their swag store for swag stuff. The swag stuff ranged from mechanical pencils, hats, t-shirts, all the way up to the humongous-it'll-take-years-to-accumulate-enough-swag-bucks-to-get prizes like an XBox or an iPod.

If you're thinking, "Ooooh boy, I can get a free XBox!" I'm going to hit you with the mop of reality. I average probably 25-30 swag bucks a day, maybe more depending on how much free time I have at work to do things like an occasional survey about Sapporo beer (who would have guessed that they wanted my opinion on their beer labels? Who has even heard of Sapporo beer without having been to Japan?). In about 10 days I've managed to accumulate 472 swag bucks (current tally available on the Swidget). What can I get for 472 swag bucks? Well, a $5 Amazon Gift Card is 450 swag bucks. So for using Swagbucks instead of Google for 10 days I managed to snag a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Sweet.

I'm sure you're waiting for the catch. Unfortunately, there isn't one. I almost wish there was one, but there isn't. I guess there have been some changes in the last few months, such as limiting the number of each prize available each month. People are still redeeming for their $5 Amazon Gift Cards, so I'm not too worried about those not being available. Afraid to enter your e-mail address due to spam? Aside from the confirmation e-mail, I haven't recieved a single piece of spam. They don't even require your address to register.

I'll encourage anyone reading this to sign up today by clicking here. Try it out. You can delete your account at any time, or just discontinue use. Anyone strapped for cash (i.e. college students, professional rowers, hobos) might just find this to be a useful trick to get a few luxury items (or even food, I guess. There are options for cash via Paypal for 700 swag bucks. I think the Amazon Gift Card is a much better deal.). You'll get started off with 30 swag bucks, which is 6.66(repeating, of course)% of the way towards that Amazon Gift Card. If there is enough interest, I'll post a 'How To' guide on the little intricacies of getting additional swag bucks beyond just searching without a lot of effort. Like voting in the daily poll for 1-2 swag bucks per day.

Keep it in the family.

Liberty Memorial in Kansas City

We're back in San Diego after our whirlwind visit to Kansas City. On Sunday we had the city to ourselves and opted to visit the Liberty Memorial. You may be more familiar with it's colloquial name: The National World War I Museum.

Let me tell you, this museum was the real deal. A lot of museums can just put stuff up without any intruige or information, but to compliment the thousands of artefacts they had videos and timelines and artillery pieces and exhibits on what the different trenches looked like and what it would have been like to have fought in one. They had guns, knives, uniforms, torpedos, a tank, hand grenades, sewing kits, playing cards, everything! There is so much that your low, low admission of $12 (free for active duty and retired career military) you actually get admission to the museum for TWO days.

It was a remarkably lovely experience that definately justified staying an extra day in Kansas City. If you're passing through, make sure you allocate the time to go visit this treasure hidden away in America's heartland.

Keep it in the family.

Toto, we're back in Kansas!

Ah yes. Blogging from a locale that is different from one's residence. There's nothing quite like it. But that could also be said about winning the lottery, punching someone's lights out you really hate, and getting a massage.

The Gnafia's top members are vacationing in Kansas City today. We attended a beautiful wedding yesterday, so congratulations to the bride and groom! It really was a lovely ceremony and we had a lot of fun at the reception!

To save on airfare, I took an extra day of leave to fly out on Monday. So we have all of Sunday to spend in Kansas City. Natually, my first inclination is to find a nearby Civil War Site or something equally interesting to my mother. This is both good and bad. Good, because I can find lots of interesting things to do anywhere. Bad, because I'm turning into my mother. I do have her feet.

While I'm at it, I have a product review. The Hyundai Sonata. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst, and 10 being the best, I give it a suck. This car has very little to offer. The steering and handling is very stiff, you might as well be driving something without windows because your blind spot is bigger than a whale, your rear window fits very tidily into your rear view mirror (i.e. it's REALLY SMALL), and in general is about as much fun to drive as having bamboo shoots jammed under your fingernails. The car has one redeeming feature, which saved it from the tragic suck-minus rating, and that is the center console has a handy shallow storage tub and a deeper one below that. Now, for the silver lining -- I didn't have to drive a PT Cruiser (which is all the rental car company had to offer instead). Holy crap those things are ugly.

That's about it for now, I'm going to catch a few more ZZZ's before church and an exciting day in Kansas City!

Keep it in the family.

Karma says, "Payback, it's like natural selection, now with feelings of euphoria!"

Now, I don't mean to boast. However, when you're having a crappy couple of days, and then something small comes along and suddenly you're full of energy, excited, and get a small sense of vindication out of the deal, I feel as though it is blog worthy.

My current job title is the Assistant Manpower/FIT Analyst for a class squadron. What does that mean? I sometimes get to pour over pages of data regarding the training and schools of various ships that my command is responsible for and provide input to my higher ups so they can make decisions regarding policies and, my favorite, funding. Perhapes the favorite part of my job is that when I actually have something to do, my recommendations and research are ACTUALLY USED. I'll give you a quick example. In essence, the Navy tells each ship how many graduates from each school they are required to have. Some are insignificant and 'nice to have' but have little impact, such as PREVENT (PREVENT is like the Navy's version of DARE, plus some financial management type stuff) to things that have a major impact. Say, a Visit, Board, Search and Siezure (VBSS) Boarding Officer, where a shortfall will decertify a ship's VBSS team. This is bad.

Last Thursday we were vetting a request for money from a ship to send people to school. I pulled up the information on their prospective gains and pointed out that they had a person coming with the school which would put them at their optimal numbers for another year, and recommended that we not fund that request. I saved the Navy $8,200 that evening, and you better believe that's going to be a FITREP bullet!

Well, this morning I come into the office and, lo and behold, a similar request for money from USS LASTSHIP! Guess who they came to as the resident expert on USS LASTSHIP/schools in Japan? If you guessed the guy sitting behind me, please assign yourself one demerit. If you guessed this guy, with the thumbs, give yourself a high-five!

I can't say how things will turn out. They may not even tell me what happens. I just know USS LASTSHIP likes really low numbers, like my last eval!

I get to check out on leave this afternoon to go to Missouri for the weekend. It's going to be a really good day.

Keep it in the family.

Day 1: First Order of Business

Day 1

Yet another uneventful day here at work. I have projects, but I'm waiting on people outside of the command to get me things or do things so I can progress. It's much akin to watching paint dry. So, I decided to give myself a mission.

I thoroughly enjoy cuddling and playing with our 1-year old Doxle every morning and evening. Taking her for walks (or better yet, runs!) and to the dog park are a frequent occurance and is the one solid 'hobby' my wife and I share. However, having a dog can be expensive from a frugalist's perspective. I occasionally get into a 'Freebie Kick' and scour the internet for free stuff. I am, afterall, cheap.

Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't. In order to best facilitate obtaining my freebies, I created a g-mail account to keep all of my free stuff e-mails seperate. I can't check this at work, which is probably a good thing. I want to keep my regular inbox less-cluttered than it currently is. I average about 3-4 e-mails of spam a day in my regular inbox. On top of the dozen or more e-mails from Facebook, I end up deleting most of my e-mails anyways. But I don't want to have to sort too hard, hence the seperate e-mail.

Next, I did a quick search. By far the best hit I came across was this very useful site. There are dozens upon dozens of free offers with no obligations, and some with obligations. I ignored the ones that had an obligation. Sadie should be well stocked in September and October with various samples of dog food, dog treats, and by far my favorite sample is a dog sleeping bag. Why a dog needs a sleeping bag, I don't know. I look forward to picking up the stuffing when Sadie rips it out of the bag, though. It is, afterall, free. There's also ferret toys, iguana food, and samples for cats. I know I don't have an iguana or a cat, but in the event I come across someone who does, maybe I can bargain with them to get something cool for it.

If I had a printer, there are copious quantities of coupons. This requires some additional effort on your behalf, plus the cost of the paper, ink, and gas to redeem the coupon, but at 0.8 cents per piece of paper ($3.99 for 500 sheets at Wal-Mart) for a $3 dog treat is a fair trade in my opinion. We go to PetsMart on a bi-weekly basis anyways, so it practically pays for the gas and then some. I think my next mission might be to get a free printer, or free ink since we have a printer at home. It just isn't set up.

I don't want to overload anybody's reading senses, nor do I want to run out of good ideas to blog about. So I'll wrap up this post.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the family.

Welcome to... the Gnafia

So I'll admit it. I got bored. So, to combat my boredom I have created a blog. Now you, too, can follow me as I try and combat my boredom to improve my overall state of mind!

A little about me...

I'm an ENSIGN in the United States Navy. I'm currently stationed in San Diego, California, on limited duty. I just got back from Japan in June with my beautiful wife. We have a one-year old doxle puppy named Sadie. She is absolutely adorable and loves to play, but also likes to bite. We're working on it.

I believe in goals and missions, so I'm going to outline the overall mission of this blog first and foremost: I have a LOT of free time while on Limited Duty, so I'm going to do my best to make the most of it. Preferably cheaply, given the current economy. I'm usually pretty frugal, so if a lot of my posts are about being cheap and how to be cheap (but hopefully still classy) then so be it. I'll throw in some random rants, too, because I like ranting. So this will just be a place for me to set goals and missions, share experiences and other tips, and overall be a source of entertainment for members of the Gnafia.

Just to answer any questions about the 'gnome fetish': I play a lot of fantasy RPG's. Ever since about 2004, when my childhood favorite MUD introduced two new races of gnomes, I've absolutely loved the little guys. I tend to root for the smaller, under-powered, under-privileged, yet highly intelligent and agile gnomes because they're almost always the underdog. How many times have YOU played a game and gone, "Oh man! Gnomes are the BEST!" In World of Warcraft, there are any number of better races to play on the Alliance side (yes, I was a gnome when I played WoW), and it rings true in every other game I've ever played. If you happen to know of a game where Gnome's don't blatantly suck, please let me know. Until then, any gnome-fan knows that within the gnomish gnooks, the only way to survive is to band together. This particular band... is the Lawn Gnome Gnafia.

To quote my favorite USMC Gunnery Sergeant, "Keep it in the Family."