In my real life, I work on a contract basis. I write code for a nice hourly rate and that’s about it. Since I’m not an employee, I don’t have to deal with stuff like reviews or silly employee surveys. I simply do my work and collect a check every week.
The downside of this arrangement is that I give up some benefits. If I have to travel for work, I pay for it myself. While my travel is infrequent, I always take time to figure out the cheapest way to make the 1000 mile journey from Denver to Chicago. Usually, driving comes out cheaper.
The work trip I’m currently on is no different. I left my home last Friday and drove to Madison, Wisconsin to meet up with a relative for the weekend. Because of her chaotic living situation, I hooked up with an airbnb property. That was an interesting experience as you’ll see in a moment.
Anyway, I’m far too busy right now to compose anything close to a coherent post. However, I have had my Rant Radar turned to full power the whole trip. Here are some of my random observations.
I am a calm driver, but I go out of my mind when people do their best snail imitation in the left lane. The left lane is for passing. If you want to go 55 while (insert one: chatting on the phone, facebooking, looking at yourself in the mirror), please move over to the right lane and stay there. I have places to go.
Equally annoying is when people fly past you in the left lane, get in front of you and then slow down. I have my cruise control on, so I know it’s not me.
How about the folks in the right lane who decide it’s a good idea to hit the gas when you pass them. You ease back into the right lane and then catch up to them again 2 minutes later. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
How come bad drivers are always going to the same place as me?
Almost everyone I know talks endlessly about Game of Thrones. I have no time for TV, so I checked out the audiobooks from the library for my 14 hour drive. Less that an hour into the trip, the CD player quits working. *@&^!!!
Some of the older folks in my family are completely obsessed with the price of gas. They will go miles out of their way to save a nickel a gallon. It doesn’t make sense to me either. I couldn’t care less about a nickel price difference. My goal is to make as few stops as possible, so unless I’m somewhere very rural, I don’t stop until the gas light comes on. Apparently, Eastern Iowa is a rural place. I managed to make it 25 miles after the gas light came on (owners’ manual said it was only good for 20). I pulled into the gas station with the needle below E.
I still see way too many of those stickers on pickup trucks with the kid peeing on the logo of the truck brand that the owner doesn’t deem worthy. And really, one is way too many. Come on people, you’re smarter than that. Well, maybe you’re not. Bonus bonehead points if you adorn your 4×4 with these.
I stayed in an airbnb place for the first weekend of my trip. The apartment was a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom condo with a married couple living there. A shared bathroom isn’t perfect, but not the end of the world either, especially for the low price. About 30 minutes after I got there, the couple announced that the other bedroom was also rented out. At this point, the next logical question was, ‘Where were they going to sleep?’ I was tired and didn’t want to open a can of worms, so didn’t bother to ask. I didn’t have to wait long though for the answer. I went to the bathroom a little while later and noticed the host couple making a bed on the floor of their family room closet. I’m all about the hustle too, but not to this extreme. (Update: Just wanted to point out that the experience turned out to be fine. After that first evening, I never saw the hosts or anyone else. The place was clean, quiet and comfortable, just what I need in a temporary place.)
Have you heard about the newest trend gripping neuron-challenged motorists called rollin’ coal? I’ll bet that there is a high correlation between people who “roll coal” and those who have those peeing kid stickers on their window.
Finally, sometimes I take my insanely awesome working-from-home arrangement for granted. This hit home the first day of my work trip. On Monday, I left at 5:45am to miss traffic. Who was I trying to kid? There is always traffic in Chicago. A mere hour later, I completed my 13 mile journey into work. Commuting sucks.
On a positive note…
I spent the weekend in and around Madison, Wisconsin. Madison is my favorite city in the world. It and the surrounding countryside are beautiful. Do make it a point to visit if you’re ever in the area. In the meantime, I hope you like the pictures.
Also, Even Steven and I will be at Pequod’s Pizza tonight (Thursday, 10/2) in Chicago at 7pm. If you live in the City by the Lake, please stop by and say “Hi!” First round is on me.
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Mrs. Frugalwoods says
October 2, 2014 at 5:18 amWish I could meet you two for pizza tonight! Would be kind of a far drive for me though :). Glad to see Frugalsaurus and Spendosaurus got to enjoy the trip. I too am impressed by your AirBnB hosts’ hustle, but I don’t think I’d be doing that. Frugal Hound needs her fluffy dog bed and we need, well, our bed. Mr. FW and I did sleep on a twin-sized air mattress together when we first bought our house because we didn’t own a bed yet. And, we thought it was a double air mattress until we blew it up. Surprise! Of course we were too cheap to go buy another one so we just toughed it out until Amazon delivered our internet mattress. Hope the rest of your trip is smoother!
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Retire Before Dad says
October 2, 2014 at 5:42 amMr. 1500,
Something similar happened to me once years ago. A friend and I were backpacking in Romania and two young girls approached us at a train station and asked if we were looking for accommodation. We were, so we took them up on their offer, just $20 total per night. Our room was nice, but in the morning we left to find both girls sleeping outside our door on the floor. It was strange to us at the time, but probably very common now with AirBnB.
-RBD
Retire Before Dad recently posted…If My 2 1/2 Year-Old Son Could Buy Stocks
Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies says
October 2, 2014 at 5:50 amWork travel that you have to pay for? But per diems are the only redeeming thing about work travel sometimes! =)
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Ryan says
October 2, 2014 at 7:47 amDid happen to check out the new-ish library? That thing is impressive! Perhaps I’m just not used to the types of libraries that exist in larger cities 🙂
Ryan recently posted…New Look for Peer & Social Lending
1500 says
October 2, 2014 at 2:51 pmI walked right past it, but didn’t go in. I’ll check it out when we go back in November.
Russell says
October 2, 2014 at 8:02 amThe little kid peeing is usually Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes, who has never been licensed by his creator, Bill Watterson. So not only are those stickers obnoxious, they are also all copyright violations.
1500 says
October 2, 2014 at 2:50 pmYeah, Bill Watterson is much too good of a person to ever allow something like that. I wonder if he utters a little curse every time he sees one on the road?
Jules says
October 2, 2014 at 9:00 amLove your rants — you hate the same things I do. My biggest pet peave you mentioned is the people in the right lane that step on the gas as you are trying to pass them. I (a woman) especially notice this with old coots as I drive up north to our cottage in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We will be on a passing lane, which are two lane highways that have been upgraded to four lanes so that people can pass safely, but certain people (as named above) don’t like to be passed on these either. I get so mad and just stomp on my gas pedal, sometimes getting to over 90 mph just to pass these suckers. I usually have my mom and sister with me, and then we just laugh our butts off (and also complain a little) about the idiot we just passed. I’m just lucky I have not received a speeding ticket in one of these areas yet. I know people who have gotten tickets and they were not going near as fast as I do sometimes!
kay ~ frugalvoices.com says
October 2, 2014 at 10:55 amWow! You’ve taken the rant to a whole new level here! The only road rant I can think of offhand is when someone tailgates so close that you think you can see the color of their eyes. If I have to stop fast to avoid a squirrel, a dog, a KID, that car behind me is going to become a permanent part of my back end. Seriously, if the guy in front of me is going the same speed I am, I can’t go any faster “guy behind me”!!! Love this post. TOO funny! 😀
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Jen @ Jen Spends says
October 2, 2014 at 11:07 amA trip to Central NY would provide you with many Thursdays worth of rants! Thankfully we don’t have the commuter traffic very much, but yes, truck nuts (eww!), rolling coal, etc. etc. There is an infamous car around here that is an old green Honda with the front of a white BMW somehow welded onto it. I love the area I live in, truly, but sometimes I feel like I come from a different planet.
My husband is now a manager, so he needs to travel at least once per quarter. Annoyingly, he usually needs to pay all costs, including airline tickets and hotel up front, and then we wait for them to get around to reimbursing. On the plus side, at least we get the reward points from our credit card.
Kipp says
October 2, 2014 at 12:53 pmPeople have all of those driving habits here in Michigan, as Jules mentioned. Chicago is a drive-able distance from here but not just for one night of pizza :). Hope you have a good time!
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Even Steven says
October 2, 2014 at 12:53 pmMadison is always a nice place to go visit, great college town. You hit the nail on the head with putting stickers, etc on your vehicle, it’s not allowed in the Even Steven family! I look forward to having a nice cold one with you after this week so far, some guy told me the pizza not to shabby either!
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debs @ debtdebs says
October 3, 2014 at 6:50 amHope you enjoyed your pizza night! I hate it when people drive slow in the passing lane and you have no choice but to pass them on the right. It is more dangerous to do this, because you could be in someone’s blind spot. My cousin told me that in England there’s a custom (don’t think it’s a law), to not pass on the wrong side. It’s road etiquette. This was about 20 years ago he told me that, not sure if things have changed. I didn’t know you worked on contract. I thought you worked for a corporation. Not sure why I got that impression.
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Mr. Maroon says
October 3, 2014 at 7:35 amDuring the five year span of my last employment position, I drove…A LOT. I usually averaged +40,000 miles a year. I, too, have turned into my father when it comes to driving (except that I do insist on driving the speed limit). I keep one sticker on my pickup, that of my alma mater, which I proudly display. Believe it or not, it is a reminder to me to not drive like an asshole. I prefer to improve the reputation of the school’s former students, rather than tarnish it and have been guilty of sharing that with others whose vehicles wear the same badge when I catch them driving aggressively or poorly.
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G-dog says
October 5, 2014 at 7:10 amOh god yes to all your driver complaints.
I’d love to meet you when you are passing through Iowa again.
And, everyone needs to know – no Chicago deep dish pizza on this trip?
1500 says
October 5, 2014 at 7:42 amG-dog, I love Iowa*! We do RAGBRAI almost every year. I’ve also had some pretty fun weekends in Iowa City. Where are you located?
*One exception: I do not love the police officer who pulled me over for going 4mph over the speed limit and then wanted to search my vehicle. This is what happens when you have Colorado plates.
G-dog says
October 7, 2014 at 6:04 amIn the Des Moines area, right off I-80, but went to university in Iowa City – I love that town!
1500 says
October 7, 2014 at 7:13 amYeah, Iowa City is a lot of fun. So is Iowa in general. Except for some of your highway patrol. They do not like Colorado plates. That is a story for another time.