Cheap & Free Stuff

A lot of newly graduated people go out and stock their apartments or houses with all matching stuff and dig themselves in debt so they can look and/or feel successful.

Some stuff is necessary for living, but I'm not above garage sales and curbside giveaways for the rest. I'm getting a reputation at work for getting all kinds of free stuff, and Becca and I started listing all the free or really cheap stuff we bought or accepted in the last year. It's really not difficult to get a large variety of free and cheap stuff to stock a house until you can save up for the matching stuff. After all, it's just stuff:

Skis: $20
I bought them post-season. I'll be looking at boots for them today...















Mirror: $0
A coworker sold the original dresser and the buyer didn't want the mirror, so I got it for free. Thanks Soccermom.

I know the wood isn't quite the right shade, but we were going to stain the dresser darker some day anyway.












Rental House: $740/mo
It's 2 blocks from work. I heard about it when I was buying my friend;s white car.











White Car: $800
Bought from a friend with too many cars. I needed a car since Becca would be starting school (her car is the red one). Thanks Al.

Black Car: $100
Someone was moving and didn't want to deal with a deadbeat. I jumped it and drove it 20 miles home. Now I want to sell it for closer to what it's worth. Thanks Impatientpeople.




Swing: $0
A friend of mine at work gave me this swing while I was picking up a free grill from his house. Thanks David.










Dining Room Table: $0
Becca's grandfather gave it to us. Thanks Papa.

Sewing Desk & Chair: $35
Someone at work didn't want this desk at home. I happened to be in the market. Tying it to the back of my little car was fun. Thanks Guywithatinydesk.











Server: $0
A friend needed help merging to computers together and I volunteered to help him out. After merging this one and a newer one together, he gave me the old one. Thanks Al.

I have since installed Ubuntu 10.04 Server on it and use it as my home server.











Chair (left): $0
This was a curbside giveaway, and after much cleaning, it's my favorite reading chair. Thanks Oldguyattheendofthestreet.

Chair (right): $0
Becca's dorm room chair given to her by one of her sister. Thanks Cory or Lissa.

Coffee Table: $(bag of candy)
Some guys at work offered it to the first person to give them a bag of candy. I was quick.


Bed: $0
A lady at Becca's church didn't want a king size water-bed frame, towers, dimmer lights, and a mattress anymore, so she gave it to the newlyweds.









Grill: $0
Given to us by a friend who's moving to Colorado. Thanks David.











TV: $50
Coworker was upgrading everything to high definition. Thanks Overzealousman.

Entertainment Center: $20
Coworker's wife didn't like it.

Sony Stereo System: $10
Gathered dust for years in a coworker's garage.

Coffee Table: $0
A friend wanted to upgrade, claiming this one was old.

Couch: $0
My old boss got a new couch. We usually have a slip cover on it, but we paid retail for the cover. Thanks Marc.

My point? Be patient and get free stuff. Be a little impatient and get cheap stuff. We're in the most wealthy nation on earth, and people throw out all kinds of great stuff. I'm not saying you can't have nice new stuff, but until you can put down cash for it, get the nice free stuff. After all, it's just stuff.

Thoughts Continued

The word curious is rather curious. Kuri-\es, curi-\es, and kiuri-\es (schwas). How do teachers explain this word? "When there's a 'c' followed by a 'urious', the 'c' make a 'kiu' sound." (curry, curtain, and curse make a 'ku' not a 'kiu'). This is similar to the sound difference between queen and queue. Apparently the 'que' in queen is like 'kui' and the 'que' in queue is like 'kiu'.

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Rockwell Collins
More Unity
More Diversity
More Tasty
Try our new edible ARC-210.
"Melts in your mouth, not in your joint strike fighter."

That's why I'm not in marketing.

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Robert,
I noticed your IM quote:
"Software is a structure--not a plant; it ought to be designed--not grown."
and was curious about a couple of things:

1. How is software "a structure?"
2. What is the difference between "designed" and "grown?"

Thanks,
Greg

RE: Your quote

This quote came from my frustration at some code I had to write tests for. It was apparent that multiple engineers had added functionality over several years--an extra switch statement here, another if and flag there. That code was grown. I had to write tests for another kind of code a few weeks before seeing the grown code. It was organized, planned, and well structured. The if statements weren't there because of last minute exceptions to the rule, they were there because of a planned flow of control. That code has a blueprint somewhere, and I happen to know that it followed the blueprint closely. That code was designed.

Some code grows to fill in the gaps and reach for the sunlight, but I'd much prefer to work within a structure that can hold itself up even when the sun isn't shining.