Whew.
1.21.2009
It's bee a full day, but it feels like I got ton done, which is always good.
The first thing on the agenda was to go down to Chinatown and get my visa paperwork submitted. The lady was really nice and was impressed with the whole 3 phrases I used in Chinese (I couldn't understand her English so it was easier in Chinese!). It was such a simple process though. I just filled out a form, handed over some money, a picture, and my passport, and that was it. She said I'd get a call to pick it up in 3 weeks.
Since I was in Chinatown I couldn't resist visiting my favorite Vietnamese sandwich shop (OK, so it's more Asiatown and less Chinese-exclusive) and ordering my typical $2.50 BBQ pork sandwich. Fresh bread, pickled veggies, and an amazing sauce. So incredibly good. After that I stopped by Jiffy Lube for an oil change, and came to a re-appreciation of bargaining:
Me: How much is a basic oil change?
JL guy: $40
Me (walking away): Ok, thanks.
JL guy: You wanna pull the car around?
Me: I think I'll pass. The price is almost double some others I've seen down the street. Can you bring it down?
JL guy: Uhm... Ok. Sure. How about $30?
Me: That's still high. Can I get more than just the oil change for that?
JL guy: Yeah, ok, we'll vacuum it, check the fluids, and fill the tires.
Me: Eh. Sure.
Probably still high for what was involved, but I thought it was funny how easy it was to get a 25% discount. Things to keep in mind!
Once I got back to my place I set about rearranging and reorganizing everything, making it easier to process orders and less cluttered. Threw away a ton of stuff I didn't need, and as a result the place looks almost empty! It's crazy how long it takes me to do this kind of stuff. I literally spent 6 hours at it. Crazy!
A lot of these changes were made specifically with Michelle (the friend of mine who will be taking over operations here while I'm away) in mind. Since she'll be bringing her stuff she'll need shelf, closet, and storage space. She'll actually be over in a bit for some training.
Anyhow, it's been a day.
posted by Mr. Linty @ 9:14 PM,
