Tag: living

Living by Joe WilcoxSep 16, 20064:17 pm

Pump Up Your Common Sense

I really worry about some people, and that is sincerely meant.

This morning, over at the local gas station, the mechanics changed a headlight on our car. Say, how many mechanics does it take to change a lightbulb? Three took about 20 minutes figuring out how to get the old bulb out and the new one in.

While they struggled to see the light, a finely dressed woman drove a polished SUV into the station for fuel. Problem: The gas station had no gas. “Out of Order” signs covered every pump. Undaunted, this woman circled around, eyeing them, before parking before one.

Living by Joe WilcoxJul 6, 20066:23 pm

Black Market Wheaton

What the? According to the Register, there’s a wicked “‘black market‘ near a subway station near Wheaton outside of Washington DC”. I live about two-and-half kilometers from Wheaton Metro and I’ve never seen a black […]

Living by Joe WilcoxJun 6, 20067:57 pm

My Stay in Monaco

This week I’m in San Francisco. It’s a work trip, visiting companies that want to know more about Windows Vista and Office 2007. Today, the big question, “When will Windows Vista ship?” I advised betting against January 2007.

Anyway, my posh hotel sucks. I had a heck of a time finding a place in downtown San Francisco with rooms available for all three days of my business trip. I scoured online services like Expedia and Hotels.com and then directly called Marriott and Starwood, for which I am members of their “rewards” programs. Based on a Marriott recommendation, I ended up at the Monaco, a Kimpton hotel that is a few blocks off Union Square—for $300 a night! Geez.

Living by Joe WilcoxApr 22, 20066:04 am

Short Zzzzzs

Back in my twenties, when I lived a more nomadic lifestyle and slept little, someone told me that former President John Kennedy would take three-minute naps. I found the concept to be totally ridiculous. How […]

Living by Joe WilcoxJan 11, 20066:44 pm

Why NOT?

My daughter is taking a Japanese class with four other kids. My wife pulled the whole thing together, finding a teacher and opening our home for the classes. Anne deserves more credit than she gives herself. Kick-off gathering took place on Monday, the meeting of teacher, students, and their parents.

For days earlier, we scrubbed and cleaned, trying to get the house in order. The getting in order involved a Sunday trip to IKEA College Park, where I found this cool but cheap floor lamp. Seven bucks. I bought four.