Thursday, May 31, 2007

Today I found 30 cents . . . 2 dime & 10 pennies.

Penny number one was found on the ground at Minute Maid Ballpark. The remaining change was found at the Kwick Kar Wash, where I stopped on the way home from the game.
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May Monthly Report:

This month I found 334 pennies, 20 nickels, 60 dimes, and 11 quarters. I also found a $20 bill.

Monthly Total: $33.09
Change Cycle Days: 2
Dollar Days: 4
Monthly High: $22.30 (May 19th)
Monthly Low: 2 cents (Multiple Times)
Daily Average: $1.0674ish cents

Totals for the day: 30 cents
Race Totals: $563.37

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

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

While driving to work this morning I was stopped at a red light and I spotted some change in the street. I was able to retrieve two cents, but it was a somewhat hollow victory as there were two pennies that had to be left behind due to location and brevity of the light. Still, the two cents have been added to the daily totals. On the way home from the ballpark this evening I stopped at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex, and found 15 cents (one dime & two pennies) scattered about by the banks of vacuum cleaners.

I feel that this baseball season I really haven’t been doing a good job of giving autograph updates. Thus, today I decided to provide a detailed autograph report:

1. I had two Cincinnati Reds sign my team ball (the Reds are a good signing team but my ball is almost full—I have room for one or two more guys—so I decided to hold off and get a few more tomorrow).

2. The guy who won the Indianapolis 500, and his hot wife Ashley Judd, were at the ballpark this evening. Indi winner guy threw out the first pitch and Hot Wife was on the field before the game. I figured I would get them both on baseballs but they took an unexpected exit and I ended up missing both of them. That was unusual for me and I was a bit bummed.

3. Shortly before the end of Astros batting practice I was finally able to get Craig Biggio to sign my team picture. Keep in mind that I have been asking him for the autograph for about 30 games at this point. After I asked he said, “Come on man, you know I have a meeting to go to” to which I responded, “Craig, I know you have a meeting every day, but I figure at some point you are going to sign for me so I keep asking.” At this point Mr. Biggio told me to hand down the picture. He signed and was off before anyone else could get him.

Totals for the day: 17 cents
Race Totals: $563.07

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Today I found 29 cents . . . 1 quarter & 4 pennies.

This morning I stopped for a snack/breakfast at Shipley’s Donuts and found two cents in the parking lot. I also swung into a Shell gas station for a drink and found one penny at the base of the cash register stand (it was sitting on top of a candy display). In the evening I found 26 cents (one penny & one quarter) at Minute Maid Ballpark. The penny was found before the game on some stairs in the lower section. The quarter was found after the game in an otherwise empty section by the visitor’s dugout.

Several interesting, although somewhat random things that I will share this evening:

1) I finally got Carlos Lee to sign my Astros team picture.

2) I received a solicitation in the mail this evening that contained a nickel (the nickel does not count toward the daily totals since it was mailed to me, but I did search the trash near the mailbox hoping to find some discarded envelopes containing nickels, which I would have counted—none were found).

3) The Astros have lost nine games in a row now.

4) A guy sitting behind me at the ballpark overheard me discussing my nickel collection hunt and tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I had any extra 1941 nickels, the only one he needed to complete HIS collection (I did and I’ll be mailing it to him tomorrow).

5) I left my cell phone at the office this evening. It really is a major pain not to have a cell phone when you are used to having it with you all the time.

Totals for the day: 29 cents
Race Totals: $562.90

Monday, May 28, 2007

Today I found 23 cents . . . 2 dime and 3 pennies.

Memorial Day in Houston and more rain. Nevertheless, I didn’t let the weather dampen my spirits. In the afternoon I met my friend Tara, who is leaving for a month in Australia on Wednesday, for lunch. After lunch we went to Brewster’s Icecream for a snack and I found all my change for the day. The first penny was at the base of the order window and the remaining change was scattered about in the parking lot.

Totals for the day: 23 cents
Race Totals: $562.61

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Today I found 38 cents . . . 1 dime and 28 pennies.

Despite more torrential rain I decided to stop in at the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash. There is no way that people have been washing their cars in the past few days but for some crazy reason I found 38 cents (one dime & 28 pennies) scattered about on the ground by the vacuum cleaners.

When it doesn’t rain I don’t find that much change in pennies so I really have no idea what is going on. Still, I’m hoping for the rain to keep falling if it brings pennies with it.

Totals for the day: 38 cents
Race Totals: $562.38

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Today I found 91 cents . . . 4 nickels, 6 dimes, and 11 pennies.

Today was marked by massive amounts of rain, and rain is on tap for the next week or so. Despite all this I made a huge find, 68 cents (four nickels, four dimes, and eight pennies), at the car wash next to the post office. There was trash scattered about all around the vacuum cleaners and the change was spread around the trash. A few minutes later I stopped at HEB, a local grocery store, and found 23 cents (two dimes & three pennies) under a change counting machine.

Totals for the day: 91 cents
Race Totals: $562.00

Friday, May 25, 2007

Today I found 11 cents . . .. 1 nickel & 6 pennies.

Early this morning I found 6 cents (one nickel & one penny) at the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash. In the evening I picked up another five cents (all pennies) at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex.

Totals for the day: 11 cents
Race Totals: $561.09

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Today I found 38 cents . . .. 1 nickel & 2 pennies.

My friend Becca is in town for a visit, and to locate an apartment to rent when she moves to Houston later this year (she accepted a teaching job at a Houston school after recently completing her Master’s Degree at Harvard University). Early this morning we went to McDonalds for some breakfast before I had to go to work. At McDonalds I found 26 cents (one penny & one quarter) in the drive-thru lane. In the evening we stopped at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex, and found all the remaining change for the day.

Totals for the day: 38 cents
Race Totals: $560.98

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Today I found 7 cents . . .. 1 nickel & 2 pennies.

The nickel was found in the coin return slot of a stamp machine at the post office. The two pennies were found on the sidewalk outside a local sporting goods store.

Totals for the day: 7 cents
Race Totals: $560.60

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Today I found $1.22 . . .. 2 nickels, 2 dimes, 3 quarters, and 17 pennies (The Great Change Cycle).

I returned home early from my business trip, but ended up working quite a few hours over the past few days. I was too tired to mess with updating the blog, but I wasn’t too tired to swing by the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash and find all my change.

Totals for the day: $1.22
Race Totals: $560.53

Monday, May 21, 2007

Today I found 36 cents . . .. 1 dime, 1 quarter, and 1 penny.

The penny was found in the parking lot of a restaurant where I stopped for lunch. The quarter and penny were found at an arcade in the mall in Brownsville, TX. My co-worker Jennifer graciously agreed to stop there after I drove her to the mall to look for a bathing suite (which she could not find in Houston, nor could she locate in Brownsville, TX).

Totals for the day: 36 cents
Race Totals: $559.31

Sunday, May 20, 2007

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

The first three pennies were found at the Kwick Kar Wash, where I stopped on my way into the office. The final penny was found at a gas station in Brownsville, TX. The penny was sitting on the ground by a pump.

Totals for the day: 4 cents
Race Totals: $558.95

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Today I found $20.31 . . . . 1 dime, 1 $20 bill, and 21 pennies.

The Astros game started off well and ended great this evening. Prior to the game I got Lance Berkman to sign my team picture. Lance is always a tough autograph, so I knew the day was going to be good. Following the Astros win I was walking the stands looking for a clean season ticket stub (I keep one from every game I attend) and I found a folded $20 bill in an otherwise empty section.

On the way home from the game I stopped at JR’s Car Wash and found 12 cents (one dime & two pennies). My next stop was the post office to mail some items. Following that I paid a visit to the car wash next to the post office and found the remaining change, 19 cents (all pennies). All but one penny of the 19 cents was scattered about the ground in a car wash station. The remaining penny was just outside the same station.

Tomorrow I’m heading out of town for a week of work. I anticipate returning Thursday evening and I’m not sure what the Internet situation is going to be. I’ll certainly try to update every evening, but if not all totals will be updated on my return. Good night.

Totals for the day: $20.31
Race Totals: $558.91

Friday, May 18, 2007

Today I found 30 cents . . . . 2 dimes & 10 pennies. One of the dimes was a 1946 silver dime. I also found a Canadian penny, which sadly will not count toward the daily totals.

This afternoon I dropped off some plastic bags to be recycled at Kroger, a local grocery store. After disposing of my bags I stopped at a change counting machine. There was nothing in the reject slot but there was 13 cents (one dime & three pennies) on the ground nearby. The dime was a silver dime, minted in 1946.

On the way home from the Astros game late this evening I stopped at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex, and found 17 cents (one dime & seven pennies) scattered about on the ground.

It was at Kroger that I found the Canadian penny. Sadly, the Canadian penny will not count toward the daily totals. However, it has already been deposited into my “Not Change Cup,” keeper of such items.

Totals for the day: 30 cents
Race Totals: $538.60

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Today I found 26 cents . . . . 2 dimes & 6 pennies.

On my way to the baseball game this evening I stopped at Mo’s Food Mart to purchase a drink. While paying I spotted and retrieved a penny that was stuck in a candy display at the front counter. At the Astros game I found 10 cents (a dime) on the ground as I was walking to the left field corner to try for an autograph. I’m glad I stopped for the dime because the player didn’t sign. On the way home this evening I stopped at the Kwick Kar Wash and found 15 cents (one dime & five pennies) scattered about by the front vacuum cleaners.

Two items of interest this evening that I will now pass along (both with pictures). First, the other day I received a letter that had a three-cent and a one-cent stamp on it. I thought that this was odd because I had never seen either stamps before, and with good reason. When I looked them up the one-cent stamp was made in 1939 and the three-cent stamp was printed in 1946. Both stamps are pictured below:


In what was probably the highpoint of my day I got this baseball signed:


The signature is from Evander Holyfield, who I spotted at the Astros game this evening. One doesn’t expect to see boxers at a baseball game so I was hesitant about asking him to sign. However, when I got closer I saw that it was clearly him and he seemed happy to oblige my autograph request.

Totals for the day: 26 cents
Race Totals: $538.30

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Today I found 7 cents . . . . 1 nickel & 2 pennies.

This afternoon I was walking around a sporting goods store and heard the familiar sound of change dropping. I had some things to do, but about 20 minutes later I went over to the area and there I found a nickel on the ground. Later in the day I found a penny at the base of the counter at the downtown US Post Office and on the way home from the Astros game I found a penny at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex.

Totals for the day: 7 cents
Race Totals: $538.04

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

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

The quarter was found on the ground at Minute Maid Ballpark after the game. I was hunting ticket stubs, which I will redeem for chicken sandwiches tomorrow. An unnamed large chicken company (slogan: Eat More Fowl) has plastered their logos on our foul pole. If an Astro player hits a homerun off either foul pole tickets can be redeemed the next day for chicken sandwiches.

The single penny was found on the ground at the Kwick Kar Wash. I stopped there on the way home from the Astros game this evening. The lights were out and it was quite dark, so there is a good chance that I missed other change that might have been on the ground.

Totals for the day: 26 cents
Race Totals: $537.97

Monday, May 14, 2007

Today I found 34 cents . . . . 2 dimes & 14 pennies.

All change, save one penny, was found at the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash. The single penny was found on the ground by a stamp machine at the local US Post Office.

Totals for the day: 34 cents
Race Totals: $537.71

Sunday, May 13, 2007

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

During the Astros game this afternoon I took a break from the action to go across the street to get something to eat. Prices are much cheaper outside the ballpark, and as much time as I spend there I don’t mind missing an inning or two to save a few bucks. Walking back to the stadium I found two pennies at the base of two different parking meters.

Totals for the day: 2 cents
Race Totals: $537.37

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Today I found 14 cents . . . . all pennies.

On the way home from the game on Friday night (it was actually Saturday morning) I stopped at the Kwick Kar Wash and Sonic and found a total of 13 cents. Saturday afternoon I found a penny in the parking lot of my apartment complex.

Totals for the day: 14 cents
Race Totals: $537.35

Friday, May 11, 2007

Today I found 12 cents . . . . 1 dime & 2 pennies.

I had the day off today and to celebrate I treated myself to breakfast at McDonalds. The McDonalds that I went to is attached to a Chevron gas station. To get to the McDonalds one must walk through the gas station. While walking through I spotted and retrieved 12 cents (one dime & two pennies) from the floor by the cash register.

Totals for the day: 12 cents
Race Totals: $537.21

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Today I found $2.24 . . . . 2 nickels, 18 dimes, and 34 pennies.

Every single coin was found at the car wash next to the post office. All the pennies were picked up by the bank of vacuum cleaners. The great thing was that they were not in a pile. Instead, they were scattered about on the ground. That’s a large amount of pennies to find anywhere, so I was quite happy with the find. Quite happy till I walked to the car wash bay where I found all the silver (nickels & dimes). They were sitting on the ledge of a car wash station. Apparently someone had intended to use them to wash their car. Since I was alone at the car wash they were added to my growing collection.

Totals for the day: $2.24
Race Totals: $537.09

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Today I found 35 cents . . . . 3 dime & 5 pennies.

I found 12 cents (one dime & two pennies) at CVS where I went to purchase some Mother’s Day cards for my mom and grandmothers. All change was by the front counter. The remaining change was found in the parking lot of the post office, where I went to mail some eBay items.

Totals for the day: 35 cents
Race Totals: $534.85

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Today I found 16 cents . . . . 1 dime & 6 pennies. I also found a X-Mark IDX Token. Sadly, the token will not count toward the daily totals.

At lunch this afternoon I found a penny under my table. Later in the day as I was driving home I was stopped at a red light on FM 1960 and I spotted and retrieved a penny from the roadway. In the evening I was at the post office and after mailing some items I stopped at the car wash next to the post office and found 14 cents (one dime & four pennies).

It was at the car wash next to the post office that I found the X-Mark IDX Token. I have no idea what that is, but it hardly matters. The token has already been placed in my "Not Change Cup,” keeper of such items.

Speaking of the post office I uncovered a problem that I will be bringing to their attention in the near future. The automated stamp machine, which only accepts credit cards, has a minimum $1 order price. This posed a problem, as I wanted to mail something that was going to cost 87 cents. As I recall all credit card companies have user agreements with merchants that state there can be no minimum charge. This benefits credit card companies, as they don’t want a merchant to refuse their card. Nevertheless, the postal machine clearly had a minimum charge. I’ll bring this to the attention of the post office as soon as I have a bit of free time and I’m sure they will be gracious for my assistance. I’ll keep everyone posted.

Totals for the day: 16 cents
Race Totals: $534.50

Monday, May 7, 2007

Today I found 19 cents . . . . all pennies.

Finds kind of run together today as they were all pennies and a good deal of them. Change was found at my two favorite car washes; the Kwick Kar Wash and JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex. I also made finds at a Shell gas station (by the front counter), in the parking lot of a business that I was working at this afternoon, on the ground outside a Chinese restaurant where I had dinner, and at the post office (ground outside the front door).

Totals for the day: 19 cents
Race Totals: $534.34

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Today I found $2.49 . . .. 7 nickels, 7 dimes, 4 quarters, and 44 pennies (The Sticky Change Cycle). I also found 13 LazerRage tokens and a 5-cent Euro. Sadly, the tokens and the Euro will not count toward the daily totals.

All the change, save a lone nickel, was found at the always-reliable Al Gator’s Car Wash. The vast majority of it was in a VERY sticky pile on the ground by a vacuum cleaner. How sticky was the pile, you ask? It looks like a bunch of Jolly Ranchers melted in a change cup and someone threw it on the ground. It is so sticky that much of the change will have to soak overnight before it is placed in my change container.

The lone nickel was found at the post office in the coin return slot of a stamp machine. I was at the post office to mail a few eBay items. As eBay was good to me this week I didn’t mind the drive in the least.

It was at Al Gator’s that I found the 13 LazerRage tokens and the five-cent Euro. Sadly, all were in the sticky pile. Even sadder, the tokens and foreign change will not count toward the daily totals. Nevertheless, tokens and Euro will soon be placed in the “Not Change Cup,” keeper of such items (at least keeper of such items once they are cleaned).

Totals for the day: $2.49
Race Totals: $534.15

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Today I found 41 cents . . .. 4 dimes & 1 penny.

The first two dimes were found in the pool area of my apartment complex. One was in the coin return slot of a soda machine and the other was on the ground, also by the soda machine. In the afternoon vacuumed out the inside of my car and I found 21 cents (two dimes & one penny) in and around the car cleaning area.

Totals for the day: 41 cents
Race Totals: $531.66

Friday, May 4, 2007

Today I found 26 cents . . .. 2 dimes & 6 pennies. I also found a quarter which I have chosen not to count toward the daily totals.

The first three pennies were found at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex. Later in the day I found 11 cents (one dime & one penny) in the parking lot of Sonic. The final find of the day was 12 cents (one dime & two pennies) at CVS, a drugstore. The dime and first penny were on the ground by the cashier’s station and the remaining penny was stuck in a candy display, also by the cashier’s station.

I also found a quarter in a dryer at my apartment complex, but I’m choosing not to count said quarter towards the daily totals. The dryer was filled with my clothes and there is the chance that the quarter was mine. I always check all my pockets before I wash my clothes and they were all empty. Nevertheless, I didn’t see the quarter when I loaded the dryer, so I'm choosing to error on the side of caution.

Totals for the day: 26 cents
Race Totals: $531.25

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Today I found 20 cents . . .. all pennies.

My first penny was found this afternoon at the downtown post office. It was stuck under a stamp machine until I set it free. The second penny was found on the ground at a Shell gas station, where I stopped on the way home from the Astros game. On the way home from the game I stopped at the Kwick Kar Wash where I found 17 cents and at JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex, where I found another single penny.

Totals for the day: 20 cents
Race Totals: $530.99

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Today I found 31 cents . . .. 2 dimes & 11 pennies.

The first dime was found on the floor of a store where I had an appointment this morning. On the way home from work I stopped at the Kwick Kar Wash and JR’s Car Wash, the car wash next to my apartment complex. There I found the remaining change.

The Astros managed to win a game on my birthday. That was nice.

Totals for the day: 31 cents
Race Totals: $530.79

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Today I found 20 cents . . .. 1 nickel & 15 pennies.

The pennies were found at Sonic, and the Kwick Kar Wash, which is next door. The nickel was found in the coin return slot of a stamp machine at the downtown post office.

Totals for the day: 20 cents
Race Totals: $530.48