So everyone should know that I love the Chappelle Show.  One of my favorite skits is "When Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong" with Vernon Franklin.  I'm assuming you've all seen it so I'll fast forward to my version - WHEN KEEPIN' IT GREEN GOES WRONG!!!

Yesterday I got off of work and I had made up my mind that I was going to head to the Richmond and get some take-out from Burma Superstar.  I walked home from the train, headed straight to get my keys, and down to the garage to get in my car and drive across town from South Beach.  I get to the garage and my car is gone... and I am LIVID!!!  I could have ridden my motorcycle, but I didn't want Burmese Curry drippin in my backpack as I rode through the city (I know this would happen from experience). MY ROOMMATE HAD TO HAVE TAKEN MY CAR!!!

My roommate had just sold his car but I let him use mine to get groceries and run errands if he needs it, but I had never imagined that he would take it without asking (especially when I was as hungry as I was).  HOW INCONSIDERATE!!!  So I walk to the corner market to get a sandwich for dinner and what do I see, but my car sitting across the street with a ticket under the windshield wiper.  Now I'm even more pissed because I thinking "why would he take my car just to drive across the street?"  So I sent him the following text message:

You need to ask if you're gonna take my car.

1. I now have a ticket

2. What if I needed to go somewhere

3. You just sold your car.  If the car I have is OUR car, you need to help pay for it.

His response:

Whoa whoa whoa - Hold on.  When do you think I used your whip?  When was the ticket and what are the details?  BTW, I don't mind paying but I never received a ticket.

THEN I STARTED TO THINK.....  Did someone steal my car and park it across the street (dumb)?  Maybe there is another car like mine with Michigan plates and a Stanford Alumni license plate holder (dumber)?  Or maybe I drove it there and forgot that I did (dumbest...but the right answer)?

Two days ago I stopped at the corner market on my way home.  I had to drive my car to work (approx. 40 miles) that morning because I was dropping it off to get new tires and an oil change.  Since I've never driven to the store that is on my block I must have come out and walked back home like I normally do.

How could I have done this, you might ask?  I NEVER DRIVE MY CAR.  I walk to work, to go out anywhere within 1.5 miles, and definitely to the corner store. I hate driving in SF because you always get parking tickets...always!  Just another reason why I think it's time to get rid of the thing.  Speaking of tickets I had two of them on my windshield totaling $120. Plus I had to apologize to my roommate for assuming he took my car. 

Captain Planet, I WANT MY MONEY BACK.... YOU GON' PAY WHAT YOU OWE!!!

So here's my ode to the money I lost.  There is a lot of cursing in this one!

Money Mix

I must have been living in a vaccuum, but I was recently introduced to the motto REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.  I wasn't a totally wasteful person, but the 3Rs were drilled into my head by a good friend of mine, and I consciously made an effort to do my part to help the environment.  In my home state of Michigan, we've always been good about recycling beverage bottles/cans.  It did help that we got $0.10 per beverage bottle/can, but I believe that it doesn't matter why you do the right thing... just that you do the right thing.  I mean, I originally started walking and taking public transportation because gas was $4.50/gallon and I have a mid-sized SUV.  Now out of habit, I only drive when I absolutely have to.  

I recently made a promise to the environment on this website called Green Laces.  It's a cool place where you publicly state how you plan to help the environment, and get yourself some green shoelaces to show your support for a greener planet earth.  A pretty neat and simple concept that I hope catches on.  I plan to rock a pair in my running shoes, but since I currently am unable to run, I threw them in my old school NIKE CORTEZ.

The reason why I've brought this up is because the music industry is really good at practicing the 3Rs.  They have reduced the amount of original production, by reusing and recycling the same beats over and over again.  This isn't necessarily a criticism, just an observation of what has gone on with music.  My ability to detect it in almost every song that I hear lets me know that I listen way too hard.  It's gotten to the point where I can't even enjoy music as much because I'm always trying to figure out where that baseline came from, or what song has the same drums and samples.  The record labels should hire me cause I can detect sampling that may not have been cleared from a mile away.

So this mix is for everyone who has ever had an older person tell you something like this..... "Boy that ain't nothing but the Isley Bros. - Footseteps In The Dark!" - while listening to Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day.  The mix features four originals and some of the songs that they've birthed.

3R's Mix

Captain Planet would be proud of the music industy and my green laces.