Changing faces of currency?

A rumor?

Or, fact?

Is our government really looking at changing the faces on our paper currency?  Or, adding additional coins like the Susan B. Anthony dollars?

Why?

Could you imagine...

Or would it be Reagan? Ted Kennedy? Obama?  And, not Osama. 

We could take it back to the days of livestock, particularly cattle, and plant products such as grain, when they were used as money in many different societies at different periods. Cattle are probably the oldest of all forms of money, as domestication of animals tended to precede the cultivation of crops, and were still used for that purpose in parts of Africa in the middle of the 20th century.

Going back to:

405 BC	Aristophanes' comedy The Frogs is produced
In the play Aristophanes refers to how the new, inferior coins have displaced the old superior ones from circulation - probably the world's first statement of Gresham's law, that bad money drives out good.

390 BC	The Gauls attack Rome
The cackling of geese in the capitol, where the city's reserves of money are kept, alerts the defenders. The grateful Romans build a shrine to Moneta, the goddess of warning, and from Moneta the words money and mint are derived.

313 Christianity becomes the official faith of the Roman Empire Constantine adopts Christianity and following his conversion, he confiscates the enormous treasures amassed over the centuries in the pagan temples throughout the empire. Consequently, unlike Diocletian, he has easily enough bullion to replace the earlier debased gold coinage. However he continues to produce debased silver and copper coins. Thus the poor, unlike the rich, are left with an inflation-ridden currency.
c. 435	Coins cease to be used in Britain as a medium of exchange
As a result of the Anglo-Saxon invasions Britain, uniquely among the former Roman provinces, ceases to use coins as money for nearly 200 years. When they are re-introduced from the Continent they are used initially for ornament.

																																												So, what does this all mean? You tell me.  With the advent of the iPhone, auto payments, etc. Money transfer will be the No. 1 consumer application in year 2012, according to Nov. 18 report from consultant Gartner. The app is expected to have more revenue potential than mobile search and browsing, mobile health monitoring and mobile music. In fact, mobile transfers are expected to be an even bigger business than various types of mobile payments, such as using cell phones to pay for produce at grocery stores or for your favorite experiences.  The bigger question, do we still need money?

Footloose and Fancy Free

It's the clash of the generations.  

Last weekend, I entertained a few friends.  It was a nice and relaxing Sunday afternoon. From 55 year olds to 29 year olds.  The weather was hot (finally).  The BBQ was working overtime with a secret recipe for chicken (not tofu) and the laughs could be heard blocks away.  Cigars.  Mojitos. Organic carrots. Purified water.

The best things about my friends are they are an eclectic bunch.  Some are democrats, some republicans, some have children, others don't but above all we love music.  It was a bit frightening however when some grabbed their iPhones and iPods and we began a war of the songs.  I proceeded to the record player and reached for some vinyl.  

My friend who will remain nameless (Tamitha), had no idea what/who Footloose was.  What?  "You don't know what Footloose is?"

I believe the look of horror took her by surprise.  "Play me a song or two and I might recognize it."  "Doubtful," I said, "it's a movie from the early 80s but the soundtrack, very nice.

You see, the movie came out in 1984 and she was born in 1981. But really, it's pop culture trivia, people.

A few more:

Def Leppard - "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (one of the most popular Karoke songs ever) sung by most Gen Y's.

Dexys Midnight Runners - “Come on Eileen”

Flock of Seagulls - “I Ran (So Far Away)”

A-Ha - “Take On Me”

Tommy Tutone - “867-5309 - Jenny/Jenny"  (Truax, it's not my new phone number)

Soft Cell - Tainted Love”

Toni Basil - “Mickey” (And, my personal favorite Karoke song)

Modern English - “I Melt With You”

Bow Wow Wow - “I Want Candy”

Kajagoogoo - “Too Shy”

Frankie Goes to Hollywood -  “Relax” (And, who my cat is named after)

Gary Numan - “Cars”

Animotion - “Obsesssion”

And, last but definitely not least, Thomas Dolby - “She Blinded Me With Science”

What I enjoy the most,  is bringing people together who wouldn't normally come together.  One thing is clear, I am the common denominator and I truly appreciate all of you.  So, on this fourth of July weekend, please know whether you are here with me or far away, I am thinking about you and just for old times sake, listen to, Bruce Springsteen's, Born in the USA.  Or, for my international friends, take a listen to Bruce's, Glory Days. 

Please tell me you know who Bruce Springsteen is!

Be safe.

Peace out, yo.

I've been KISSed

Two free tickets to the recent KISS concert?!

Why yes, yes, I will.

Can you say people watching?  There were 7 year olds and 70 year olds.  Gene Simmons is right up there too.  In fact, the open vested, made up legendary band was in Spokane last weekend and they rocked the Arena.  Their entertaining pyrotechnic display of rock and roll exceeded my expectations.  

One idea:  zip up those costumes. Chests should not be publicly shown after you turn 45 years old.

I enjoy a wide variety of music.  From KISS to Norah Jones, I have a plethora of vinyl, CDs and iTunes at the ready.  My favorite band is Def Leppard however KISS wasn't too bad.  

Do you remember your first concert?  I was 15 and my friends and I went to the Scorpions, Blackout tour.  

But this past weekend, I was part of the KISS Army.  In fact, right after the concert, as I was driving home, I was rear ended by a woman.  She kissed my bumper.  She was insured but slightly intoxicated.  I didn't ask her whether she was at the KISS concert - frankly, I just wanted to get home safely.  What I can't understand is the statistic I learned the next morning when I picked up the paperwork for the accident report.

I pulled into my local fire station and a nice firefighter greeted me.  He said, "what happened?"  I explained the accident.  He said, "that doesn't surprise me, you live in Spokane and you have a red car." 

Huh?

"90% of the rear enders in the state of Washington occur by/against red vehicles."

Really?

That's it.  I am turning in my car for a new color.  You see, this is the second time I've been rear ended in two years.  Granted, the other time, I was in Oregon but it was the day before I was moving back to Washington.  

So, I am on a mission.  A new color.  Your thoughts?  Or, maybe, I should jump on the KISS Army bandwagon and buy a camouflage Humvee. 

Fatherless Day

My dad died when I was 5 years old to cancer. When my mom remarried a few years later, I remember I didn't care for this man who was going to be my step father.  His name was Jerry.  He was big.  Way bigger than my 8 year old person and he was boisterous.  (Kind of like I am now).  I recall he was not my father.  The one that I can't remember now but he wasn't the same.  All I knew at that moment was he was taking the place of my dad and it just didn't feel right.

I grew to love Jerry.  He taught me about hunting (maybe that is why I am vegan now), he taught me to laugh loud, he pushed me to try new things, he pushed me to take risks (safe but reach), he shared with me his trucking stories while on the road (that could be why I love to make up voices and names of fictitious people and pretend to be them - insert Crazy Larry and Judy Ann).  Jerry genuinely cared about me.  

However, Jerry died too, of the cancer.  I was twelve when he passed away.  The ambulance arrived at our home and took his body to the hospital.  He didn't make it.  I was in eighth grade.  My mom never remarried.  She was to be my mother and my father. 

So, at times like this when most people celebrate their fathers, I celebrate my mom.  I take time to remember my dad and my step dad, my "unc" and my other male mentors.  I push myself to try new things like mountain climbing and never let any day go by without being thankful.  

Cheers to all the fathers out there, new ones and old ones and soon to be ones.  

In honor of you, I'll go climb a mountain or two.

I relapsed - eating my way through San Francisco

I thought this blog post would be fun to post photos of eating my way through my recent trip to San Francisco.

I left my heart and stomach in San Francisco - vegan style soup at Soup Freaks

And a visit to Chinatown

The best Thai food ever

Even a veggie sandwich at Alcatraz deli on Pier 33

Just a little break from eating - a regatta regalia off Fisherman's Wharf

 And, a dueling piano bar named Johnny Farley's on O'Farrell to top it off.

Thanks to Mel's Diner, Lori's Diner and Ducca's as well.  Don't forget the Wine Shop at Pier 1 and the relapse of all time...ice cream and coffee.  Yes, you heard it,  ice cream and coffee.  Thanks to Dreyer's and Peet's Coffee. I am not vegan in California.

I really did leave my heart and non-vegan life style in San Francisco!

Mini Grant - my experience at the gym Part 2

I am training for a triathlon.  My first ever.  For those of you not familiar...there are three parts to a triathlon.  Swim. Bike. Run.  In that order.

A little secret...

Barb doesn't know how to swim.  Most friends say I was abused as a child.  "Your mom didn't teach you how to swim?"  

"You didn't take swimming lessons?"

"Didn't your grandparents own a cabin on Diamond Lake?"

Yes..yes and yes.

So, I am now 41 and am getting ready to take swimming lessons for the first time.  I signed up for a triathlon so I would learn how to swim.  Because really...it is unsafe.  I love the water.  I love to doggy paddle.  I love the idea of feeling muck and seaweed in between my toes while getting hit on top of the head and body by other swimmers all while racing to some point in the lake where I then turn around to swim back and do it all over again.  

It is a sprint triathlon.  In fact today, I did a brick - I did the bike and run portion of the race for the first time.

The reason I can do this is two fold:

1.  I have a best friend (Angela Brown) who signs me up for these things.

2.  I have a person trainer (Grant Smith) who places me in situations like this one.

Allow me to explain my leg day at the gym on Friday.

I love to get my trainer up real early.  Even though I pay him for his services, he complains he loses beauty sleep so he pays me back by placing me in urban exercise routines.

Step 1:  It's called the sled.  I get on a treadmill which is unplugged.  He places his foot on the back while burning his toe (yes, I look like a Clydesdale running up hill).  In fact, at one point, I sounded like a horse.

Step 2:  Proceed to the stationary bike.  I think the resistance goes to 25.  Well, he started me on 25 and then to 20, back to 25, oh wait, or was that 20.  Grant decided my quads needed to "lean out."  I inherited by father's thighs.  

Step 3:  Tire turns outside:  My gym is next to a day care.  You ask, "what does this have anything to do with tire turning."  The children decided to be voyeurs through the fence.

"What is she doing?"

"She's playing with a tire."

Mind you, it was a 200 lb tire...squat, lift, turn.  While the dirt destroyed my manicure...HELLO. 

Children:

"Go faster."

"She needs to bring it all the way over here."

"Hurry."

And, hence mini Grants.  Those children are mini Grants - they all want to be personal trainers.  Throwing about verbal demands, motivating me to obtain my goals and stating the obvious.

Grant was so proud...I think what would have made him even more proud had one of the little 6 year olds said, "squat lady!"

Lastly, the new name of an exercise I did to lean out my body.  It's called the hot mess.  Yes, the hot mess.  You can only imagine but here is what it looks like post hot mess...

Thank you to those five days at the gym and to those who have helped me along the way.  My triathlon is August 21.  I promise to begin my swimming classes next week.

Gone Fishin'

5:30 am

I walk downstairs,

To find my three year old gold fish, Boxer 2, lying on the floor. (YES, his name is Boxer 2)

He wasn't gold anymore but had a tinge of green.  

I grabbed him and placed him back in his bowl.

A few minutes later, bubbles surfaced.

I changed his water.

He looked beaten.

Bruised.

Bloody.

My 8 month old cat, Cooper, was the culprit.

For so long now, Cooper has watched Boxer 2, gazed at his bowl and took sips of water to quench his thirst.

Today, was not Boxer 2's day.

A few hours later, I took a break from work and visited the local Petco.  Not only is it where the pets go but it's where this fish owner and adoring animal lover went to seek solace with a fish expert.  The salesperson gave me antibiotics, crystals to coat the water and a bit of hope for my fish (a fish I might add who has personality and spunk like his owner). 

I went home.  Boxer 2, still traumatized from the morning's festivities, was swimming ever so lightly on the bottom of the bowl.  But he was breathing.

Five hours later I came home from work.  I needed to change to go to another evening function.  Boxer 2 was alive, swimming at the top now,  his orange color coming back.

But when I returned two hours later, he took his last breath (almost like he was waiting for me to get home) and died.  Rest in peace, buddy.

So, a shout out to all the pets I've owned. I've learned so much from you and have enjoyed the unconditional love you have shared.

In honor of Memorial Day, this blog entry is about believing in something other than yourself.  It's about caring for a pet when they are sick or advocating for them when they are down.  If you've never owned a pet out of fear or hate, try out a fish.  Not only are they a joy to see swim, they actually bring levity to your life.  They take on your personality and enjoy your voice.  PS, could you imagine living with your personality and your voice all the time?

Memorial Day is a US federal holiday honoring soldiers and is observed on the last Monday of May (May 30, 2011). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates US soldiers who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I, to honor Americans who have died in all wars. Memorial Day often marks the start of the summer vacation season, and Labor Day its end.

Today, I remember, my father who served in the Korean War (RIP, 1975) and all of my family and friends who have lost loved ones.