Tara's Rules for Beggars...

So, I was talking to my boss the other day and mentioned that I try not to keep much cash on me at all times because I will give it to beggars. He told me that it was a bad idea... he once saw a 20/20 episode about how beggars make some CRAZY amount of money per hour or whatnot.

I don't care what 20/20 has to say. I know that I would have to be in some serious, end of the world times in order for me to stand on a street corner and beg for money. I try to keep that in mind when I see people begging on the street.

However, I do have a few rules for beggars. When I do happen to have cash on me, I will not give it to just anyone... there are lots of beggars in Denver. I have to be choosey or I'll go broke!

So, without further ado, here are Tara's rules for beggars:

1. If you stand on the same street corner every day with the same sign, I will not give you money. You need to at least be creative. I feel like you're not even trying if I see you EVERY day in the same place.
   
2. If you are well dressed, I will not give you money. If you're wearing nice clothes, you've still got something to sell to make money. You don't NEED to be out on that street corner begging. You've still got something.
3. If your sign is bland and uncreative, I will not give you money. "Anything helps" may very well be true, but it doesn't tell me much about your situation. Honesty is also helpful. I saw a man with a sign that said, "Need money for beer." If I would have had cash, I would have given him some. I mean, come on. If I'm homeless, I sure as hell am going to want a beer to drown my sorrows in. Honesty is the best policy. If you've got 7 kids and a pregnant wife, put that on your sign. I'm more likely to feel bad for a family than a bachelor.
4. If you have a disability of some sort, you automatically go to the top of the pile. Yeah, I know. You can't really make yourself disabled... but, if I see that you're an amputee or you're in a wheelchair, I'm going to feel bad for you and want to help. It's the mother in me. I want to make things all better.
   
5. If you are a veteran, I am more likely to give to you. Yeah, I know. It can be faked... whatever. I'm just saying that if you appear to be a veteran (your sign tells me so!), I will be more likely to fork over the dough.
6. If you are arrogant or an asshole, I will not give you money. If you act like you DESERVE a handout/handup, I'm not giving you jack squat. If you appear embarrassed and uncomfortable, I am more likely to give you money. If you appear especially thankful, I will probably add a little bit to that. I hate when people act like I have an obligation to give them money... instead of the idea that they should be grateful for the help that I am giving them. I understand that everyone has bad times; everyone needs help sometimes. However, that does not mean that you get to be a jerk about it.
   

I think that's about it for now. So, if you're a beggar, follow these rules. And, I will give you some cash if I've got it. :) And, I wish all of you the best of luck so that none of you ever have to think of these rules. And, please remember how you would feel if your life took terrible turns and you ended up having to beg for money to buy food. Love your neighbor. :)

Wedding Website!

Okay, I haven't been posting a lot lately. This is mostly because most of what I have been doing is wedding planning. I'm sure that people would get tired of just hearing about my wedding plans... but, I still want to write about what I'm doing. So, I have started a wedding blog: http://taragettingmarried.blogspot.com/. Please check it out!

I plan to do a lot of DIY stuff for my wedding, so I will hopefully be able to give others some ideas.

Also, if you're curious, we also have a wedding website through theknot.com. It is: http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/Ketcham&Buch.

I love Sam. :)

No, I am not cheating on Philip. I still love him beyond belief. He is amazing and wonderful and spectacular and every other positive descriptive word. :)

Sam is my car. Sam is a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. I have had her since high school. She was originally red, but now she's more of a dark orangish color.

Many people ask me why I continue to use Sam. They demand to know why I have not "upgraded." You see, some people choose to define Sam as a "clunker" or "Piece of Crap" car.

Not me. I love my car. She is awesome. She is paid for. She has no problems that interfere with her driving. Sure, she may have a few minor imperfections, but do those really matter? I mean, the point of having a car is to get one from point A to point B, right? Well, Sam does that perfectly. I get her regular oil changes and that's about it. She just continues to go. She will hit 200,000 miles very soon. :)

What are those imperfections, you ask? Well, here goes:

• She has some scuffs in the paint from when I was first learning to drive and backed into my uncles truck... not as bad as it sounds. It just scuffed up the paint job in a small spot on the back passenger side fender.
• She has some denting and defects around the front, driver's side fender. This is because she was hit by a school bus... while parked... at a school. A school bus driver hit and ran my poor, Sam (but I got Jack -- my oldest pup -- as a "feel better" present, so I believe it was fate).
• The gas gauge does not work. It never has. I just track the mileage every time I fill up. I know when I need gas.
• The light in the clock/radio does not work so I can't actually see what time it is or what station number is on. Eh, who really cares. I've got my cell phone to tell me what time it is... and, I already have my favorite stations programmed anyway. :)
• My back, passenger side window has come off the track. It won't roll up or down... but it does slide down. It's not a big deal. I never have anyone in the back anyway.

I think that's about it. There are some other minor imperfections regarding cosmetics, but nothing serious. So, what is wrong with my car? Is it really so bad that she has history? She's been through a lot with me. I feel a connection with my car. She is a GREAT car.

I will drive Sam until the day the wheels fall off. So, for those of you who think I should take on another expensive bill when, really, my car is just fine, mind your own business. I hope Sam lasts another 11 years. :)

It's too late for me now...

As the years have gone by, I have realized that I am becoming more and more of a "nerd." I was fine with that. I typically date the "nerdier" guys anyway. However, I still held onto the idea that I was only semi-nerdy... until a few weeks ago.

I was in Target with a friend of mine. This friend is sort of nerdy, but not really. We were in the men's clothing section and he pointed out a Star Wars T-shirt. I was checking it out because Philip is a HUGE Star Wars nerd. I was trying to figure out if he had a shirt like it yet.

At this point, my friend says, "That shirt looks pretty cool with the ship... what ship is that? The Millennium Falcon or something like that?" Without thinking, I blurt out, "No, of course not. That's an X-Wing... like what Luke flew in to Dagobah to meet Yoda."

I know that I immediately blushed. Not because my friend thought I was crazy or anything, but because I knew that I had reached the point of no return. It is official. I am a nerd.

Lucky for me, Philip thinks my nerdiness is sexy. ;)