Digital Favorites Haul

I realize I have a significant lack of my favorite pieces posted here, so... tada?

Digital, all done with a mouse:

Totoro

Kiki

Coraline & Wybourne, at the well

Paul McCartney

Since everything's going wonky (pictures refuse to be side-by-side-- spotlight hogs), I'll post my hand-drawn favorites later. I favor traditional art, so I'm excited to share those. ^^

Living in an apartment or dorm? Save some money!

I'm a college student living alone in a 1-bedroom apartment. The going gets tough sometimes and I could stand to save money here and there. Here are some tips for any dorm room/apartment dweller.

Use natural lighting.

• Use as much natural light as possible. Open all those blinds, draw the curtains, and only use light switches when you really need them.

Take offers from your parents and generous friends.

• If anyone offers for you to come over for dinner, take them up on it. Not only will you get a free meal, but also company!

• Likewise, if someone offers you any item, take a look. If it's clothes and they fit, why not? If you don't particularly care for whatever it is, think of other friends to whom you could re-gift it (if the condition is good).

Ditch cable.

• Cut out commercials by using Netflix, Redbox, or another movie provider.

• Many apartments and colleges have a television room. Use this when craving TV.

• Libraries have free DVD rentals.

Unplug electronics that aren't in use.

• Okay, so you've probably heard this a thousands times, but it helps your bill significantly! Unplug your desktop, laptop, TV, lamps, toaster, blender, and all other lesser appliances!

• Leave your larger appliances (washer/dryer, stove) plugged in, as constantly unplugging can wear down the electrical outlet and cost you more for repair in the end).

Use Craigslist to furnish your apartment/dorm.

• It's not always the most fashionable option, but Craigslist can have outstanding deals. check out the FREE section. Fold-out sofas are frequently put up for free.

• Many other household items are available on Craigslist, such as decor and smaller appliances.

Take advantage of free samples.

• Sweetfreestuff.com is a site I use often. You can get anything from free cans of Pepsi to free shampoo samples to a coupon for a free burger at a local fast food joint.

Travel smart.

• If you're going away for spring or summer break, consider camping instead of hotels. Many campsites cost $15-$35 a night, as opposed to $100+ for a hotel. Borrow a tent if you can (or even camp in your car) and have fun surrounded by great outdoors while also enjoying the new place you're visiting.

• Look for free things where you're headed. Seek out natural wonders like hot springs, rocks to climb, hiking trails, free concerts, etc. If you know any locals, ask for insider advice on a cheap trip.

• If you live away from family, try to carpool with friends to visit home.

• Pack sandwich fixings instead of eating fast food constantly during a road trip.

• Drink water (with lemons if you like) at every restaurant.

• Chose museums wisely. If you think a certain museum will have the same features as your local one, skip it.

Enjoy the perks of your apartment or campus.

• If your complex offers gas grills, use them often for everything from burgers to beans. If there's a fire pit, use this for s'morse with friends, or roasting hotdogs.

• Your turn to host a night out with friends? Instead of spending on bowling or the like, play volleyball/basketball/whatever if you have access to a court. Also, hit up the pool when the weather is nice.

• Most apartments offer free coffee and tea, so use this instead of brewing your own.

• If there's a community event, check it out. Even if it's for something you don't care about (a Mary Kay party, etc), there's probably free food.

• Use the free workout room and don't be tempted to purchase a membership at the local gym.

*This is also an article on WikiHow. I am the author of that article and would be more than happy to prove such if necessary.

Plan a Colorado Springs Summer Vacation

Where to Stay

• Because Colorado Springs' summer weather is lovely (if not a little hot), consider camping instead of staying in a hotel. This could save you $100+ a day.
  • Here are some campsites for your tent or camper:
    • http://www.coloradospringskoa.com/
    • http://www.coloradocampground.com/
• For hotels, use websites like Trip Advisor to find the best deals based on your check-in/out dates.
• Couch surfing is the free way to stay anywhere! Visit https://www.couchsurfing.orgto find people opening their homes to travelers like yourself.

FREE Things to Do

• Garden of the Gods is so beautiful! Hiking, climbing rocks free-hand, biking-- all beautiful and fun! So much to see there.http://www.gardenofgods.com/home/index.c… The Trading Post is a little restaurant area that has delicious buffalo burgers! You can also pan for rocks there. Horse-back rides are available too.
• The Pioneer Museum is a free museum downtown that talks about Colorado Springs' history. You get to ride in an old-timey elevator, see old guns, take pictures wearing old-timey clothes, see a replica of an old house, and more! (You can ask them for a scavenger hunt. It's most fun if you do it with friends or family and see who can answer the most questions.) http://www.cspm.org/
• The Briargate YMCA has a free skate park. Here's the website with the address:http://www.ppymca.org/locations/briargat…
• Manitou Springs is a nearby city. There's a huge arcade and even a penny arcade (with some antique games)! Walking around there is wonderful because of the many unique shops and a great park. It's what we call a "hippie" town. :) http://www.manitouspringsgov.com/ They have a rubber duck store. It's easy to spot because there's a giant rubber ducky outside. http://www.quackergiftshop.com/manitou.h… There's also an awesome creperie. (The Nutella & banana crepe is to die for.) http://coquettesbistroandbakery.com
• Visit http://www.visitcos.com/colorado-springs-deals-and-coupons-free for more ideas and a calendar with free events!

Things Requiring Money

• Take a tour through the amazing Cave of the Winds! You can take a normal tour, or pay a little extra to do the lantern tour. On the lantern tour, they tell you ghost stories and you carry your own lantern. Highly recommended. http://caveofthewinds.com/ A "bat-a-pult" (a seated zipline) was recently installed. This costs $20. You can pay to pan for rocks here too, as well as visit the gift shop and play an arcade game downstairs while waiting for your tour.
• The Cliff Dwellings are a little pricey but pretty cool if you like history. These are ancient Indian homes that were carved into cliffs. You get to walk around inside the homes (you can climb a few steps or ladders to go to the 2-story ones). There's also a museum there. http://www.cliffdwellingsmuseum.com/
• Glen Eyrie is a beautiful castle and grounds in Colorado Springs! ($6 for everyone except kids 5 and under are free.) You can also pay to have a fabulous, fancy tea! http://www.gleneyrie.org/Reservations/Ca…
• Visit http://www.visitcos.com/ for more events and ideas!

I removed this from my own writing on Wikihow, as I can't use links to other websites on there. This article is also remnant of an answer you may find on Yahoo! Answers, but that is also my work. :P I live in Colorado Springs, so this is an insider's look at this beautiful city.

About Dang Time

Ah, finally made another video, but it took like 3 minutes to film. XD

Wanted to make this long ago, so enjoy. ^^

Gabi's Top 5 Reasons to Quit Cable

Hello! I'm Gabi and these are my top 5 reasons why I don't have cable...
1. Trash.
When I visit a friend's house and sit down to watch TV, I'm shocked at what even the commercials are allowed to show! Without cable, I have one less thing from which to protect my (and my future family's) eyes.

I'm a movie person and I can use the internet to look up the decency of a movie. This is very difficult with television shows because each episode might contain something you can't erase from your memory. (Focus on the Family's "Plugged In" is amazing for all sorts of reviews.)

Youtube has a feature which disables the viewing of any video which has been flagged for inappropriate content. The user will also not see comments on any video, unless they transfer to a page specifically for the comments.

2. Cost.
I have a television which is plugged in to an energy-saving power strip. This means that the TV doesn't use energy from my wall sockets when it's not being used (as well as the attached products like a game console or a DVD player).

I rent from Redbox and Blockbuster and I have a Neflix account. I use an HDMI cable to hook up my laptop to my TV. This way, I don't need a DVD player. (I do own one, however. It was a birthday gift and it allows me to use my laptop for school/whatever while watching a movie.)

By the way, if you use Redbox:
The next time you check out, notice the button that says "Promo Code." Type, "DVDONME" for a free DVD-- once per credit card. :)

3. Commercials.
As previously stated, commercials on television can be appalling  Likewise, Youtube has been known to have some trashy ads in its day. (Namely, the "Blue" series. Made me furious every time.)

On Youtube, I sit through a single advertisement. These are 35 seconds tops, and often as short as 5 seconds play before allowing you to skip the ad.

Netflix has no commercials-- on TV series or movies.

4. Availability.
Online, you can watch as many episodes of your show in-a-row as you please.
With television, unless you have recorded several episodes (which probably aren't in order) or there's a marathon scheduled, you can't sit down and get a belly-full of your favorite show.


5. Time.
The internet is a real time-saver.

There's an almost unlimited amount of online resources which can tell you all the details of the movies that have you asking, "Is this worth my time?"
With this, you don't have to sit through 30 minutes of a show just to see someone's head gorily explode and scar you for life and wish you had known that was going to happen beforehand. Find out ahead of time by reading a review that's 1 click away from your movie.



So quit spending too much on 500 channels when there's nothing on any of them.
Quit rolling your eyes at the Jack in the Box "no nookie" commercial.
Quit searching endlessly for what sounds good.
Quit cable.

Adventures at Jimmy John's

My favorite thing to do at my job is drive-thru! I get to talk over the speaker and take orders and take money. It's exciting and not too over-whelming (and when it is, I can get someone to come over and help me, or say, "Hi, welcome to Jimmy John's! We'll be right with you.")

Here is my favorite drive-thru moment:

I took orders one day, as a boy named Tim took money. Tim took a man's credit card and was typing the credit card number into the computer. The computer switched from the slot where the numbers go, to the slot where the AMOUNT goes.

Tim charged him over 46 billion dollars for a sandwich. Haha, it was amazing! XD
(The manager came and voided the order, no worries.)

Side story:
A few weeks ago, I was making a delivery for my job, and I locked my keys, wallet, and phone in my car. I had to walk 2 miles to my mom's house to use her phone (I have no numbers memorized except my boyfriend's and he did not answer).

It was very, very embarrassing. I thought I'd be fired for sure, so I resigned. The manager said I wasn't fired, and that he'd give me 2 weeks to decide if I wanted to really leave. It was embarrassing to return to him and say, "I can stay" without eye contact...

But! He high-fived me and told me he was happy about my decision. He says I have good work ethic and on two occasions during those 2 weeks he said, "I would like to keep you." :)

I like my job a lot, especially when I can work drive-thru. I love customer service!

The biggest downfall is the gossip. It's so hard to sit around pretending like I don't hear everyone talking about who they'd love to see fired-- or even DEAD! The managers do this as well.

In addition, everyone apparently thinks it's appropriate to talk about their sex lives. They shouldn't be talking about this in a professional setting, especially around food. >_> Yuck.

Nonetheless, I like everyone there just fine, when they aren't discussing how often they 'do it.'

And everyone seems to like me. :)

I wonder what the future will hold for me in this job.~

PS:
I have a little secret.
I've been dreaming of opening a cafe'. I hope to make that a reality (despite my young age) in the next 2 years. <3

xoxo
Gabi

Cheese

I just got a job at Jimmy John's. :D
Well, a few weeks ago.
It's fun. I especially like working on the register. :)


I wanna say something, though. :\
Jimmy John's only has provolone cheese.

It's not a Subway.

Does McDonald's have Swiss, pepper jack, etc? No. They have one kind.

When we ask, "We only have provolone. Is provolone okay?", please stop replying, "If it was ok, I would have asked for it." :(

>_>

Anyway.

My car broke down toniiiight! D:

First time that's ever happened to me.

Poor Carlito.

Drove it to a repair shop; gonna call in the morning.

It was an adventure. :)
Some nice strangers helped roll it out of the street!  :DDD

Time for sleep!
xoxo