Day 221: 99 Cent Kid

 

August 9th, 2011Back in the day, when I was a kid roaming the streets of Stanton, I would always go the 99 cent store everyday to get nothing other than a bag of flaming hot cheetos, toy guns, and a vast variety of other assorted items. This was of course when I couldn’t go to my neighbor’s illegal liquor store located within her own apartment. That 99 cent store quickly turned into a 98 cent store, and a 97 store (as if prices couldn’t get even lower). I don’t exactly know what conditon it’s in now, but I know my trip to a 99 cent store in Clairemont Mesa today triggered those memories back to my psyche.

Today, after going to work at EHS, I hung out at Price Center for a bit, before going back home to research teaching credential programs (as well as playing Tetris). I went to Von’s, bought some milk and bananas, and then cooked myself some spam, eggs, rice, & green beans. Everything tasted good except for the green beans unfortunately, but I got some vegetables inside my system for health purposes. Afterwards, Jessica picked me up, and we went (along with her roommate) to the 99 cent store, where I bought nothing, but could see the appeal a kid like me 12 years ago would have in a store like this. We then went to 99 Ranch, which was one of the most asian stores I’ve ever been in, reminding me of all the grocery shopping trips I had with my mom as a kid. Amidst all this chaos of grocery shopping I received a insightful call from Teach for America, and they answered many of my questions. I’m glad I picked up the phone because it was very interesting, and makes me even more likely to apply by the August 19th deadline. I hope I can sit down tomorrow and just zip through the process, constructing a perfect, yet honest personal statement. Afterwards, we proceeded to Wal-Mart, where Jessica bought supplies to make Nachos. We went back to her place, watched some Final Destination, ate the self-created Tacos (with cheese, jalapenos, meat, etc.), watched some of the Office, and then seperated ways. I went back home and called it a night.

In accordance with his statement of resignation the previous evening, Richard M. Nixon officially ends his term as the 37th president of the United States at noon. Before departing with his family in a helicopter from the White House lawn, he smiled farewell and enigmatically raised his arms in a victory or peace salute. The helicopter door was then closed, and the Nixon family began their journey home to San Clemente, California. Richard Nixon was the first U.S. president to resign from office. Minutes later, Vice President Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States in the East Room of the White House. After taking the oath of office, President Ford spoke to the nation in a television address, declaring, “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.” SAD SAD TIMES.

Two Republican state senators lost their seats in recall elections around Wisconsin on Tuesday, but Republicans maintained their control of the State Senate, ultimately handing a defeat to union groups and Democrats who had spent months and millions of dollars trying to wrestle away at least some of the state’s political power. The outcome was seen as a victory for Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican whose move to curtail collective bargaining rights for public workers this year set off a firestorm of protests, then counterprotests and finally a summer of unprecedented recall efforts. Interesting…

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