Anyone want some pop?

Your Linguistic Profile:

70% General American English

10% Dixie

10% Upper Midwestern

5% Midwestern

5% Yankee

Definitely I have a Midwestern accent (which means almost none at all) having grown up in Ohio. Some words I use definitely are specific to the region - for exmaple, I drink "pop". But since my mom grew up in Southern Ohio there are some phrases that I get from her that tend to be slightly southernish.

What Kind of American English. Do You Speak?

I'll take "Overpriced Condos" for 160K, Alex...

I sent via certified mail my letter to the apartment complex owner his notice of my intention to extend my lease up to 270 days after February 15th. See, like over 50,000 other apartment units in the past five years in the Tampa Bay area, my 70-or-so unit complex is going condo.

About six months ago our apartment complex was sold to a new owner who lives in Miami. At the time we were told that there was no plans to turn the complex into condos. Yeah, right! That was a bunch of B.S. if I ever heard it. I'm sure the plan all along was to "flip" the complex and condo it for a quick buck.

It's a good neighborhood with low crime, close to Bayshore's four-mile long sidewalk (perfect for cycling, walking, running or blading), shady from big trees. For me it's inexpensive and just 15 minutes from work and I like it as an apartment - but not as a condo. The buildings were built in the 1960s, and even with cosmetic upgrades such as all-new dry-wall, new hardwood floors, and new appliances I think $159,900 is a bit much for a 700 square foot one bedroom condo. Especially when there's so many better options around.

I'll live here for the $545 I'm play here a month and find a better deal - at least I got about 235 or so days to do so.

56% of the way there

Others have posted the graphic of the states they have been in. Well, I've made it to 29 of the 50 states:



As a side note, since January 2002 I've added six states to my list. Three came on my 2002 Olympics trip when I visited Arizona, Utah and Nevada. The other three came on the two trips I made driving from Buffalo to Tampa: West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

If you want to make your own personalized map of the USA click here.

What would you do... ?

This is based on some blogs I read, and what I would do with an certain amount of cash if I happened to win the amount shown.

$1: Get a double cheeseburger at McDonalds.

$10: Go to the bank and get a roll of quarters for laundry.

$100: Buy a few boxes of Star Trek CCG or Lord of the Rings TCG boxes at dacardworld.com.

$1,000: Now it gets more interesting. Probably put this amount in my savings account for a rainy day.

$10,000: Pay off my credit cards and put some in my savings account.

$100,000: Pay off the credit cards. Buy a home in the Tampa Bay area - sure this amount would probably be about half the amount of the cost of the house, but the mortage payments would be incredibily low afterward.

$1,000,000: Pay off the credit cards. Buy the aforementioned house (doesn't have to be in the Tampa area). Put a good deal of money away for investment. Put a few thousand in a high-interest savings account. Get laser hair removal treatment on my back. And get that tribal sleeve tattoo on my right arm I've been thinking about.