Monday, April 30, 2007

Today I found 26 cents . . .. 1 quarter & 1 penny.

The penny was found at a gas station early this morning. I stopped there on the way to a meeting to get a drink. I parked at a gas pump and when I opened my car door the penny was sitting on the ground, just between my car door and the pump.

At lunch this afternoon I spotted and retrieved a quarter from the coin return slot of a newspaper box. The slot was prohibitively deep, which probably prevented someone else from snatching the abandoned change. One of my co-workers offered me a pocketknife to use for leverage, but my dexterous fingers were able to retrieve said quarter without artificial assistance.

___________________________

April Monthly Report:

This month I found 257 pennies, 18 nickels, 27 dimes, and 16 quarters. Change was found in Hawaii and Texas.

Monthly Total: $14.17
Change Cycle Days: 3
Dollar Days: 4
Monthly High: $2.01 (April 26th)
Monthly Low: 2 cents (April 22nd)
Daily Average: 47.233ish cents
Favorite Post: April 2nd (Opening Day of the baseball season)

Totals for the day: 26 cents
Race Totals: $530.28

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Today I found 60 cents . . .. 2 nickels, 1 dime, 1 quarter, and 15 pennies (The Great Change Cycle). I also found a Depeche Mode cassette tape. Sadly, the tape will not count toward the daily totals.

On the way to the post office I stopped at the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash. There I found 55 cents (one nickel, 1 dime, 1 quarter, and 15 pennies) scattered about. At the post office I found a nickel in the coin return slot of a stamp machine.

It was at Al Gator’s Car Wash that I found the Depeche Mode cassette tape. It was the Music For The Masses album. It has been quite awhile since I have seen a cassette tape and I don’t think I have anything to play it in, but I decided to keep it nonetheless. The tape has already been placed in the “Not Change Cup,” keeper of such items.

It was kind of a bummer day at the ballpark this afternoon. Not because the Astros lost the game (dropping the last nine out of ten), and not because the give-away for the day was for kids only. The real bummer was hearing that Josh Hancock, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, died early this morning in a car crash. I can’t say that I ever got to know Josh, other than the times that he signed my team ball, but he seemed like a really nice guy.

A few weeks ago when the Cardinals were in town I walked out of the ballpark with Scott Spezzio in order to get him to sign an autograph. The ball I had was blank and as we walked I explained to him that it was going to be a team ball. Scott signed appropriately, and out of nowhere appeared Josh Hancock, who had been following us unnoticed. Josh reached over and took the ball and said that since it was team ball he wanted to sign it as well. Not many players, without being asked, are willing to do that, especially since hadn’t even noticed him. I leave you this evening with a picture of the signature:


Totals for the day: 60 cents
Race Totals: $530.02

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Today I found 41 cents . . .. 1 dime, 2 quarter, and 6 pennies.

I slept in this morning and then stopped at a local taco stand for some lunch. While waiting for my order I walked around the parking lot and found four cents.

Later in the day I headed down to the ballpark to watch the Astros play the Brewers. The Astros won the game 10-1 and George and Barbara Bush were in attendance, enjoying the game while sitting with former Texans quarterback David Carr. What really matters about the game is that I found a quarter in a vending machine return slot before the game, two pennies across the Home Plate Bar and Grill during the game (where I went for dinner), and a dime at the base of a parking meter as I walked to my car.

Totals for the day: 41 cents
Race Totals: $529.42

Friday, April 27, 2007

Today I found 73 cents . . .. 1 dime, 2 quarters, and 13 pennies.

At lunch this afternoon I spotted and retrieved a penny from the floor of a Mexican restaurant. During lunch I thought I had heard the sound of dropped change, but had been unable to confirm the drop until I was leaving.

At the Astros game this evening I found another single penny, this one under some seats on the lower level. On the way home from the ballpark I stopped at the Kwick Kar Wash and found 26 cents (one quarter & one penny). The final, and most profitable, stop of the night was at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex. There I found 45 cents (one dime, one quarter, and 10 pennies) scattered about on the ground.

Totals for the day: 73 cents
Race Totals: $529.01

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Today I found $2.01 . . .. 2 $1 bills and a penny.

This morning I found a penny in the parking lot of my apartment complex. In the evening I was at the post office to mail a book to Bailey and on the way in I saw a crumpled receipt on the ground that looked like it had a dollar bill folded inside of it. Upon closer inspection it had two crumpled dollar bills.

Totals for the day: $2.01
Race Totals: $528.28

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Today I found 34 cents . . .. 1 nickel, 2 dimes, and 9 pennies.

My plane left Honolulu last night at 7:20pm Tuesday evening and arrived in Houston at 8:05am Wednesday morning. Sufficed to say I was a bit tired. Still, in the evening I took a trip to the post office and found seven cents (one nickel & two pennies). The first penny was on the ground by a newspaper box and the second penny and nickel were in the coin return slot of a stamp machine.

Following the trip to the post office I stopped off at the car wash next to the post office. There I found my remaining change. All of it was located at the bases of various vacuum cleaner stations.

Totals for the day: 34 cents
Race Totals: $526.27

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Today I found 6 cents . . .. all pennies.

It was my last full day in Hawaii and I made the most of it. In the morning I found all my change at the base of two parking meters. At the first I found five pennies and at another one I found a single penny.

I also got in some last minute hiking before I headed to the airport in the evening. My last hike of the vacation was to the Maunawili Falls, which are located just outside Honolulu. The falls are not huge, but again the scenery was well worth it. Below is a picture of the mountains that I took from along the trails:


Also a picture of the falls, complete with a random girl wearing a bikini that really didn’t fit:


I was personally more impressed with the falls than the girl, but I’ll let you, the loyal reader, be the judge.

Totals for the day: 6 cents
Race Totals: $525.93

Monday, April 23, 2007

Today I found 10 cents . . .. a dime.

It was found at the base of a parking meter in Kailua, a city not far from Honolulu. I was there in the morning for breakfast. The reason that I didn’t find any other change was that I spent the rest of my day hiking some of the trails on Oahu.

The hike was through some tropical sections of the forest and I took a few pictures, including this one of a 30-foot fern:


And this one of some tropical plant:


It was a relatively easy hike and the scenery more than made up for the fact that I was hiking with my still sunburned feet.

Totals for the day: 10 cents
Race Totals: $525.87

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Today I found 2 cents . . .. both pennies.

All change was found in downtown Honolulu, where I spend most of the day. One penny was found at the base of a parking meter and one penny was found outside a Burger King.

Totals for the day: 2 cents
Race Totals: $525.77

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Today I found 22 cents . . .. 2 nickels, 1 dime, and 2 pennies.

This morning I found a 11 cents (one dime & one penny) in the Honolulu airport as I was boarding a plane to Maui, one of the major Hawaiian Islands. It was a last minute decision to visit Maui, but thanks to some very cheap inter-island flights it was quite affordable.

After landing in Maui I found a penny in the airport and another penny at the not so amazing Maui Mall, where we stopped for water. I also found a nickel outside the top rated (and perhaps only) Italian restaurant in Maui.

Still, Italian food and the Maui mall were not the reasons for the trip to Maui. The main reason was Haleakala, which is Hawaiian for House of the Sun. It is the largest mountain/dormant volcano in all of Maui and stands just over 10,000 feet high at the summit. Sadly, it was more like House of the Clouds on the day we visited, as you can see from this picture:


I am told that on a clear day you can see all the way to Honolulu. Today all I saw were a lot of clouds.

Totals for the day: 22 cents
Race Totals: $525.75

Friday, April 20, 2007

Today I found 15 cents . . .. 1 dime & 5 pennies.

Thanks to a friend of a friend I got a behind the scenes tour of the Honolulu Zoo this morning. The tour was great and I got to hand feed giraffes, a hippo, a tiger, multiple chimps, three zebras, two elephants, and a few other animals that I’m sure I’m forgetting to mention. The zoo was also responsible for adding 13 cents (one dime & three pennies) to my daily totals. Outside the zoo I found a penny in the dirt and by the giraffe cage I found another penny. In the parking lot outside the zoo I found a dime and a penny by the base of parking meters.

Walking back to my friend’s place I found a penny in the dirt by an amphitheater and later in the evening I found a penny on the ground at Borders Books, where I purchased a book by Tom Robbins. Robins quickly became one of my favorite authors (although I must admit that my judgement might have been swayed because the book was partially based in Hawaii, where I was, and the two heroes were redheads, a hair color I have always been partial to).

Totals for the day: 15 cents
Race Totals: $525.53

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Today I found 4 cents . . .. all pennies.

In what was my first full day of vacation in Hawaii I chose to walk around Waikiki Beach. It is safe to say that never again will I forget to put sunscreen on the tops of my feet, which burned quite nicely. While walking around and getting sunburned feet I found four cents in the general beach vicinity.

Totals for the day: 4 cents
Race Totals: $525.38

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Today I found 12 cents . . .. 1 dime & 2 pennies. I also found a Mexican peso. Change was found in Texas and Hawaii.

I found my first penny this morning as I cleared the TSA Checkpoint at the airport in Houston, TX. While walking to my gate I found a Mexican peso on the ground near a money exchange stand. Although said peso will not count toward the daily totals it has since been deposited into my “Not Change Cup,” keeper of such items.

Once on the ground in Honolulu, Hawaii I found a dime under a soda machine at the airport. In the evening I was at Foodland, a local Hawaiian grocery store, and found a penny by the front door.

Totals for the day: 12 cents
Race Totals: $525.34

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Today I found 16 cents . . .. 1 nickel & 11 pennies.

The first two cents were found at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex. I stopped there this morning on my way to work. The remaining change was found at Sonic, where I went for a late lunch. The majority of the change at Sonic was found in the parking lot, but a few lone pennies were scattered about on the patio, and the surrounding dirt area.

Aloha means hello and goodbye in Hawaiian. I bring this up only because I will be saying Aloha to everyone (the second meaning) for the next week while I vacation in Hawaii. I anticipate having some Internet access there and hopefully carefree tourists will be dropping change left and right. I will, of course, keep you posted.

Totals for the day: 16 cents
Race Totals: $525.22

Monday, April 16, 2007

Today I found 52 cents . . .. 2 quarters & 2 pennies.

On the way to the ballpark this evening I stopped at a Chevron gas station to get a drink. When I walked in I spotted a penny on the ground by the front cashier stand. When I paid for my drink I retrieved said penny, and then noticed another penny and two quarters that were stuck in a candy display, directly under the cashier stand.

There was finally something to cheer about at Minute Maid Park this evening. The Astros won the game in a 9th inning walk off single and I obtained the autograph of former President George Bush, who was gracious enough to sign a baseball for me as he left the stands quite early today (5th inning vs. his usual 7th inning stretch departure).

Totals for the day: 52 cents
Race Totals: $525.06

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Today I found 47 cents . . .. 1 nickel, 3 dimes, and 12 pennies.

All change was found at a mish mash of car washes in the greater Houston metropolitan area.

Totals for the day: 47 cents
Race Totals: $524.54

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Today I found 99 cents . . .. 2 nickel, 5 dime, 1 quarter, and 14 pennies (The Almost $1 Change Cycle). I also found a plastic cartoon dog wearing a tie. Sadly, the dog will not count toward the daily totals.

Following a late evening with friends I found a penny outside the bar/restaurant where we had gathered. In the morning I was doing a load of laundry and found a penny on the ground in the laundry room. It was stuck to the floor but I was easily able to pry it free and add it to the daily totals.

This evening I took a poster to the post office for mailing. On the way home I stopped at the car wash next to the post office and found 97 cents (two nickels, five dimes, one quarter, and 12 pennies). The vast majority of the change was sitting one the ledge of a car wash station, although some was found on the ground in the same car wash station and some was found by a bank of vacuum cleaners.

It was at the car wash next to the post office that I found this:


It is a plastic dog in a suit, wearing a tie. The dog is slightly taller and wider than a US quarter and it was found on the ground by a bank of vacuum cleaners. Although the dog will not count toward the daily totals it has already been deposited into the “Not Change Cup,” keeper of such unique items.

Totals for the day: 99 cents
Race Totals: $524.07

Friday, April 13, 2007

Today I found 26 cents . . .. 1 nickel, 1 dime, and 11 pennies. One of the pennies was a 1955 Wheat Penny.

All change was found at a no-name car wash on Louetta Road. This car wash usually has nothing to offer so I almost didn’t stop. One of the pennies was a 1955 wheat penny, which is in excellent condition other than some general ground grime that was covering it when it was retrieved.

Totals for the day: 26 cents
Race Totals: $523.82

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Today I found $1.02 . . .. 1 $1 bill & 2 pennies.

I had to be in the office this morning but it paid off, so to speak. On the way out to lunch I spotted a dollar bill on the edge of the parking lot. I was with my co-worker Jennifer, who only noticed the dollar bill once I pointed to it. Despite Jennifer’s undignified efforts to push me out of the way and claim said dollar I was victorious.

In the evening I attended a lecture at the Wortham Theater in downtown Houston (the speaker was Joe Klein, who wrote one of my favorite novels of all time, Primary Colors). For those keeping score in the past week I have attended several Houston Astros baseball games, a tennis match, a speech at the George Bush Library, and a lecture downtown. Quite the week. Anyhow, on the way home I stopped at McDonalds for a snack and found two-cents outside the restaurant.

Totals for the day: $1.02
Race Totals: $522.82

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Today I found 32 cents . . .. 1 quarter & 7 pennies.

All change was found at the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash, where I stopped before taking some packages to the post office and taking my watch in for repair.

Totals for the day: 32 cents
Race Totals: $521.80

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Today I found $1.23 . . .. 1 nickel, 1 $1 bill, and 18 pennies.

My first penny was found on the floor of a store I was working at this morning. I found another 14 cents (all pennies) at a no-name car wash on the way home from listening to a speech at the George Bush Library in College Station, TX. While checking my mail I found another penny by the mailbox.

Later in the evening I went to Food Town, a local grocery store, to purchase some toothpaste that was on sale. Walking through the parking lot I found a crumpled dollar bill in an otherwise empty parking space. My final find of the day was seven cents (one nickel & two pennies) under a change counting machine.

Totals for the day: $1.23
Race Totals: $521.48

Monday, April 9, 2007

Today I found $1.51 . . .. 3 nickels, 2 dimes, 4 quarters, and 16 pennies (The Marvelous Change Cycle).

I had the day off today and one of the things on my list of things to do was to go pick up poster mailing tubes for some posters that I was going to be shipping. Sadly, I had to take the toll road. Happily, I found 85 cents (one dime & three quarters) at one stop.

In the evening, after a post office run, I stopped at the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash and found the remaining change, 66 cents (three nickels, one dime, one quarter, and 16 pennies). My first find there was a quarter, which may mark the first time in change race history that I broke $1 in change without finding at least one penny. Thankfully, the pennies, as well as the nickels and dime, soon followed.

Totals for the day: $1.51
Race Totals: $520.25

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Today I found 5 cents . . .. all pennies.

On the way home from watching a baseball team whose name I refuse to mention due to their putrid performance, I stopped at a Shell gas station to pick up a drink. While at the store I found two pennies at the base of the front counter. In the evening I went to pick up some KFC for dinner and three pennies were on the ground, also by the front counter.

Totals for the day: 5 cents
Race Totals: $518.74

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Today I found 27 cents . . .. 1 nickel, 1 dime, and 12 pennies.

Walking the concourse at Minute Maid Park this evening I heard the familiar sound of coin hitting concrete. I looked around and spotted a penny, then another, and another. When all was said and done I had found 11 cents (one nickel & six pennies).

On the way home from the ballpark I stopped at Sonic for dinner and found 16 cents (one dime & six pennies) scattered about. The majority of the change was between parking lot spaces, but a few lone pennies were found on the patio.

Totals for the day: 27 cents
Race Totals: $518.69

Friday, April 6, 2007

Today I found 42 cents . . .. 1 nickel, 1 quarter, and 12 pennies.

All change was found at the Kwick Kar Wash where I stopped on the way home from the Astros game.

As mentioned yesterday movable force met immovable object, as the 0-3 Astros and Cardinals met at Minute Maid Park. Something gave and the Astros are now 0-4.

In a special change update I am happy to report that Rich, who is the husband of semi-frequent blog contributor LP, found $170 today. He found a $100 bill, a $50 bill, and a $20 bill all together in the parking lot of a hotel. This is quite encouraging for me, since Rich wasn’t even looking for change. Perhaps my big break is just around the corner.

Totals for the day: 42 cents
Race Totals: $518.42

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Today I found 17 cents . . .. 1 dime and 7 pennies.

At the Kwick Kar Wash I found 15 cents (one dime & five pennies) and another two cents was found at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex.

No baseball for the Astros tonight so I ventured to the River Oaks Country Club where I watched Martina Navratilova play an exhibition match against Monica Seles. Following the match both were kind enough to sign single baseballs for me.

An immovable force meets a movable object tomorrow at Minute Maid Park. The 0-3 St. Louis Cardinals come to town to play the 0-3 Houston Astros. Something has to give.

Totals for the day: 17 cents
Race Totals: $518.00

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Today I found 43 cents . . .. 1 dime, 1 quarter, and 8 pennies.

At JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex, I found 30 cents (one quarter & five pennies). On the way home from the stinking Astros game I stopped at the Kwick Kar Wash and found 13 cents (one dime & three pennies).

Despite the three game sweep by the Pirates I rate the opening series as a huge success. Not because of the on field performance by the Astros, but because of my autograph achievements. I tied my personal best for autographs in a three game series, a mark which I have only achieved one other time (and that was four years ago). During the series I obtained autographs from the Pittsburgh manager and 24 of the 25 members of the team. Were in not for catcher Ronnie Paulino I would have completed my team ball.

Totals for the day: 43 cents
Race Totals: $517.83

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Today I found 37 cents . . .. 1 nickel & 32 pennies. I also found a French Franc and a Mr. Gatti’s token. Sadly, the Franc and token will not count toward the daily totals.

At a no-name car wash in Tomball this morning I found nine cents (one nickel & four pennies). On the way home from another embarrassing Astros game I stopped at the Kwick Kar Wash and was rewarded by the Penny Gods when I found 28 cents (all pennies). Two of the pennies were in the front of the car wash and the remaining 26 pennies were scattered about the ground in the back by several banks of vacuum cleaners.

It was at the no-name car wash in Tomball that I found the French Franc and the Mr. Gotti’s Family Amusement Center token. Both were jammed in separate coin return slots at car wash stations. Both vaguely resemble quarters so I assume some person or persons tried to pass them off as such in an attempt to get a reduced price car wash. Although neither the Franc nor the token will count toward the daily totals they have already been deposited into the “Not Change Cup,” keeper of such items.

Totals for the day: 37 cents
Race Totals: $517.40

Monday, April 2, 2007

Today I found 56 cents . . .. 2 dimes, 1 quarter, and 11 pennies.

After an appointment in Pearland, TX this afternoon I stopped at a no-name car wash and found 29 cents (one quarter & four pennies) on the ground by a bank of vacuum cleaners. At a nearby Sonic, where I stopped to use the restroom, I found 12 cents (one dime & two pennies). The dime and a penny were on the patio and the other penny was on the sidewalk. In the evening I found a penny at the base of a parking meter in downtown Houston by Minute Maid Park and on the way home I stopped at the Kwick Kar Wash and found 14 cents (one dime & four pennies) scattered about on the ground.

Opening Day in baseball is perhaps my favorite day of the year. Christmas is good, but from an excitement standpoint I would have to say that Opening Day is better. Although the Astros lost and our closer continues his troubles I had a great day. It was helped by the fact that I got 17 of 25 Pittsburgh Pirates to sign my team ball and added three Astros to my nearly completed Astros team ball. I also obtained my first single signed ball of the season, country music star Clay Walker who sang the National Anthem.

Totals for the day: 56 cents
Race Totals: $517.03

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Today I found 36 cents . . .. 2 dimes, 1 nickel, and 11 pennies.

Becca and I went to The Woodlands House, a local Chinese restaurant, for lunch and I found 22 cents (one nickel, one dime, and seven pennies) in the dirt by the front door. Later in the day I found one penny under a change counting machine at Kroger, a local grocery store. The final find of the day, 13 cents (one dime & three pennies) was found in the drive-thru lane at Brewster’s, an ice cream store next to the post office.

Yesterday I posted a photo of a baseball that former President George Bush signed for me. My change race friend Bailey noted in the comments that it appeared to be a bit sloppier than the usual George Bush autograph, and he was correct. Anyone interested in autographs might get a kick out of the way that the president’s autograph has changed ever so slightly over the years.

This was an autograph that President Bush signed for me several years into his term. It was signed on a photo, which is certainly easier to write on than a baseball. Note that he signs his first name "Gy" instead of George (he has always done that) and that every letter in the last name is clearly written:


This next autograph is one that was obtained in person on a baseball during the 2004 baseball season. Note that the first name is again "Gy" but the "y" is not as neat as it had been. Also, the "s" in Bush is kind of faded into the name and is starting to disappear:


The third sample is from a book that he signed for me during the 2005 baseball season. The "Gy" is getting a bit sloppier and the last name now reads "Bh," as the us in Bush have been cut out:


Finally, this is the autograph that I obtained yesterday. The first name is now just a G and the last name is just B with a sloppy "h" on the end:


Obviously, anytime I get an autograph I’m not going to complain. However, it is kind of neat to see how a person’s autograph will change over the years.

Totals for the day: 36 cents
Race Totals: $516.47