Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
Random Awesome Stuff
On Facebook this week, I asked a random question about my in-home Internet speed and would my son’s PS4 gaming effect the rest of us and our iPhone, laptop, and iPad stuff and I pretty much determined the answer was, “yes.” Then many friends started texting me advice, emailing me “buy this” links of products they swear by, and almost everyone said, “go with Comcast and cable Internet.” One suggestion were two Apps called Oolka’s Speedtest app and Wifi Analyzer, and both revealed I have Internet download speeds slower than my cell phone. Soooooo …I made the switch. The guy I finally talked with at AT&T seemed to almost be apologizing for the terrible DSL they have for me (because U-Verse can’t be hooked up at my address) and even he suggested I talk with Xfinity/Comcast (I hope that phone call wasn’t recorded because today he’ll be fired). The guy I talked with at Comcast was incredibly cool and knowledgable and tried mightily to bundle me up with home phone, Internet, and dropping my DirecTV, but in the end, he gave me Internet and home phone (I get to keep my #) for 40% less than what I’m paying AT&T.
Like Ice Cube might say …today was good day.
Next up, I re-purposed a pair of suit pants to be stand alone pants. The suit coat they were paired with was big, had shoulder pads, and looked every bit of 10-years-old …but the pants are in fine shape. I’m wearing them today. I think they look good. Co-worker A.B. will certainly tell me if they look “good”, “OK”, or, “no, Don, go change immediately you look like an unfashionable old man.”
I have a new kitchen. I haven’t really blogged about this because it seems a bit braggy, but on January 19th we pretty much demolished our entire first floor, right down to the studs, and rebuilt the kitchn as one, big giant kitchen that takes up the space our kitchen, dining room, dining area, and living room used to occupy. We’re back in the house and there’s just a little bit of painting to be done, and I gotta say …I don’t feel like it’s my house. It’s going to take some getting used to. But boy oh boy, is this a life changer. “Really, Don? Your life is changed because of a new kitchen? Isn’t that a bit overdramatic?” No. It’s not overdramatic at all.
My Buick has a timer as a dashboard feature. I’m timing my daily commute and logging in a spreadsheet. My average commute is 23:07. It’s a nice stat, but I think I need to add Departure Time and start to analyze how that impacts the commute time. Talk about begging you to come back to my blog often …I know …teasing you with the ongoing analysis of my daily commute is like pandering. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone contacts me about making that into a movie.
Two big announcements! One, I’m going to repair, clean, and paint my old aluminum siding this spring. With massive big-foot homes going up in my neighborhood, when a home is even “a little junk looking”, it really stands out. And I’m noticing my aging siding every day. It’s not all that damaged, but it’s fading a little and dirty. But it’s aluminum and I know it can be fixed up and made to look like knew. Second “big announcement” is I’m going to overhaul my garage, storage systems, repair and paint some walls, and make a “drop zone” for my family’s boots, bags, coats, and shoes because the new kitchen doesn’t have a mud room or drop zone where I want dirty boots and shoes. Oh, you thought the dashboard timer was exciting, wait until I start posted before/during/after pictures of the garage makeover. One question …hooks on drywall, or pegboard?
Update on Lent. If it weren’t for my incredibly disciplined 12-year-old son, I wouldn’t be doing Lent very well. But that kid is soooooo dilligent about his daily 40/40/40 exercise routine and his nightly Rosary (which I do along with him), I’m having a successful Lent because I have him as my son.
And finally, back to the kitchen. It’s fascinating that I know my kitchen is bigger and I have much more cabinet and storage space, but I’ll be damned if we can’t find places for everything. How could this be? I think my wife and I need to stuff everything into every nook and cranny and drawer and cabinet and work backwards, because this slow and steady has the kitchen cabinets and drawers filling up and yet, the basement where we put all our stuff during the remodel …it’s still overwhelming and has nowhere to go.
Been a long time since I blogged about nothing. Feels good.
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Don Kowalewski 
Super pumped to hear about the commute analysis! Will there be charts? Please tell me there’ll be charts!
I fully intend to have a chart.