I have a new-found psychic ability that lets me know when a Blazer game, Miley Cyrus concert, or anything larger than a model-freakin’-train show is happening at the Rose Garden Arena.  Do you want in on my secret?  If you live in Portland,OR it may work for you as well…

MY  @#$#@% PHONE WON’T WORK!!!

That’s right.  Anytime there are more than FIVE people at the Rose Garden, all using the same tower near my house, I can’t make or receive calls or text messages or even use any of the data services on my phone.  Fantastic huh?  As you might imagine, I’ve called AT&T’s customer service line several times regarding this issue and each time received the same canned response.  It’s as if they all flip to the exact same page in the “Frustrated Customer Manual”.

First they try to get me to reset my SIM card, then they want me to reset my network connections, then they offer to open me a “service ticket”.  By this point I’ve already interrupted the agent to tell them that the issue is not with my phone, it’s with their service.  Sometimes they actually get a little huffy with me at this point, like I’ve insulted their mother.  I’m not sure what type of training these people go through at AT&T, but they’ve got some serious brand loyalty going on.  It’s like they all really believe in the company!  I explain to them that anytime the tower near my home is overloaded (which is regularly) I have this same issue.  They tell me at this point that they’re working on it,  which is interesting to me, considering that three minutes prior they thought the issue was with my phone itself. (Or at least that’s what they wanted to tell me.)

The most recent time I politely explained to “Angela” that the fact that “they’re workin’ on it” *insert thick Southern accent here* just wasn’t going to cut it.  I have a contract with AT&T where they promise me that for the $150 I pay each month, I get 900 minutes and unlimited data service over a 3G network (we’ve all seen the commercials with Luke Wilson).  At this point AT&T is coming through with the reliability of an ’86 Yugo.  If I don’t pay my bill, AT&T shuts off my phone.  Yet they provide me with the service I’m paying for only about 2/3 of the time?!?  With a large sigh I step down from my proverbial soap box and after a long silence and a drawn out “I’m real… real sorry about that ma’am” Angela asked if a $100 credit would make me feel better about my relationship with AT&T.

And you know what?  It kinda does.  At least until the next Blazer game.

Yes, “no smoking” means inside the house.  Uh… no, I don’t think it’s ok for you to bring your Great Dane.  We’d rather you didn’t try to convert our neighbors to your religion of choice, thanks!  Although I’m sure your knitting is spectacular, I’m not really interested in bartering lodging for handmade socks.

Any of these sound familiar?  If so, you must have tried to arrange vacation lodging via Craigslist.  It seems that paid and swap opportunities alike are difficult and sometimes risky.  You really don’t know anything about these people and let’s face it, Craigslist isn’t exactly known for it’s reliable and trustworthy followers – just ask anyone who has ever tried to sell anything there.  So how does the creative traveler avoid the exceptional cost and impersonal nature of a hotel stay?

*Drumroll* :  Airbnb!  This killer site allows you to create a listing of your place and set up a calendar showing when it’s available.  Why not make a little extra dough while you’re out of town anyway?  You can list your entire place or just a private room – depending on your situation.  You provide pictures and a description of your place – Airbnb provides a Google Map for would-be guests to check out the approximate location.  Your guests leave ratings, which create a sense of trust and reliability for you and your place, similar to feedback on eBay.  Your friends can also vouch for you with their feedback and you can link to your Facebook page, so people can get more of a sense of who you are.  Same goes for people who don’t want to offer up their own place, but would like to be guests

And you better believe the available places aren’t your average scuzzy apartment.  In fact, they’ve created a Top 40 list for the sweetest digs available for rent!  They offer everything from castles to igloos to treehouses, with everything in between!  The list is inspiring and might just make you think outside the box for your next trip!  You can check out my listing here on the off-chance I have any readers who don’t live in PDX and might want to visit!

UPDATE (1/28/10) – While we were in Maui this month we had two different guests rent our place through AirBnB.  It worked out phenomenally.  Both were super clean, respectful of our place and our neighbors, and were super easy to communicate with.  As soon as they booked, they called to organize details with us.  It was an awesome first experience and has solidified my love of this site.  Hopefully being able to generate some income while we’re traveling will allow for more travel!!

Remember back in elementary school when the whole class would “brainstorm”?

I LOVED brainstorming.  I loved the color pens on the white board (I know – not chalk, I’m dating myself). I loved just shouting things out – no raised hands – no waiting.  I loved having my ideas written up for everyone to see (yes, even my tiny 3rd-grade-self already craved external validation). I loved the energy all those little brains produced.  I loved all the ideas swirling around.  Sometimes you’d even see that the teacher was a little surprised by what our 8-year-old minds could produce.

MindMeister is a mind-mapping program that offers the same kind of excitement and energy.  There are arrows, fonts, colors, symbols, etc.  all designed to help you a create a collaborative, creative mind-map of any project or thought and it’s all online so you can access your maps from any computer.  Another great feature is the iPhone app which allows you mobile access to your maps.  They offer free memberships, so check it out and get to mapping your ideas! Utilize the share feature to show and collaborate on maps with friends and the validation is almost as good as having your ideas written up on the white-board for all to see!

Option 1. - Do something crazy – use our Jet Blue certificate or Alaska Companion Ticket to fly to an exciting destination for our first New Year’s Eve as a married couple.

Option 2. - Stay at home, order pizza or Thai food and rent multiple PS3 games and play into the wee hours of the night until we fall asleep or our thumbs cramp up.  Whichever happens first…

The best part is that both of these options sound equally enticing to me.  How lame am I?  What are your plans? (Exciting or otherwise!)  I’d love to hear what others are doing!

1. Best Album

Draw the Line - David Gray – the first and only pre-order I’ve ever bought on iTunes.  Worth the wait.   Some new tracks and some classic tunes as well! – This album is currently on sale on Amazon for $5!  As of 12/28/09

2. Best Movie

An Education – This movie was great because we talked about it for weeks afterward.  I just couldn’t stop thinking about it and feeling differently about each character and situation.  Lead actress Carey Mulligan is nominated for a Golden Globe, which I think is totally deserved.  She did an AMAZING job!

(I have to give honorable mention to The Twilight Saga: New Moon – I’m not even going to try and sell you on this.  The Twilight series is like sushi:  you either love it or hate it.  Either way, my recommendation is not going to convince you.)

3.  Best Blog

The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau – This blog changed my life this year.  It sparked my interest in blogging, reading blogs, Twitter, etc.  It  also excited and renewed my interest and devotion to travel and making decisions that allow me more time to do things I want.  THANK YOU to Chris for posting these unconventional ideas for consumption by all non-conformists!

4. Best Money Tip

Mint.com – This budget site is killer for couples because you can both access all your checking/savings/credit accounts with one log-in online, from anywhere! That makes staying on track SO much easier and helps you stay accountable for your purchases!  For those of you paranoid about putting your financial info onto a free site, it’s owned by Intuit the makers of Quicken and TurboTax, so relax, it’s safe!

5. Best Book

How to Love by Gordon Livingston M.D. – This recommendation should really be for ALL books by Gordon Livingston because the man is a genius.  He offers truly eye-opening insight about relationships, emotional awareness, and all things feelings-related.  I am constantly stopping to read things out loud to my husband because the ideas are so fantastic, I just can’t keep them to myself!

6. Best Technology

Netflix – Streaming through PS3. I love any kind of technology that further encourages my laziness.  As if entering movies into a queue and having them delivered straight my door wasn’t lazy enough… I can now stream movies instantaneously through my PS3.  Without even getting off the couch!

7. Best Meal

Peter Luger Steakhouse – Brooklyn, NY – Tom and I split a rib-eye and a side of broccoli for lunch.  I am confident that no other steak will EVER taste as good.  I could eat one everyday for the rest of my life and never get sick of it.  Eating here again is definitely on my bucket list.

8. Best Trip

New York City – We stayed in Brooklyn and made SERIOUS use of our unlimited ride Metro cards. This was also the first trip Tom and I have taken where I split off and wandered on my own for a few hours.  I was making my way back to the subway from shopping at the discount designer mecca Century 21 in the Financial District and stumbled across this hidden little street blocked off and filled with tables for the neighboring restaurants.  I don’t know what it was that struck me but that find alone made the trip for me.

9. Best New Experience

Being an Aunt – I never knew I could be so attached to this little person who isn’t even mine.  I’m now worried that when I have my own children I will smother them with love and kisses a la Elmyra.

Now through September 30, 2010, Fandango and Visa have teamed up to offer Visa Signature card-holders an awesome buy-one-get-one deal on movie tickets.  Each month your Visa Signature card entitles you to a free movie ticket when you purchase another ticket to the same show.  Cool right?

But it gets better:  this discount is per Visa Signature card and per card-holder.  That means at our house we get 4 free movie tickets a month!  Both my husband and I each have an Alaska Airlines card and a British Airways card, which are both Signature cards.  Take a look at all credit cards in your wallet right now; they should be clearly marked across the center with the Visa Signature logo if they are qualifying cards.  Follow this link to verify that your card is eligible.  From there, purchase your ticket and get your free ticket to the same show!

I’ve already used all 4 free tickets for November.  If we keep this up we will have earned 44 free tickets over the course of the promotion.  At $10 per movie that saves us $444 on movies!  Thanks Fandango and Visa!

I can’t even tell you what this genius little device will mean for my in-flight entertainment.  No more numb fingers from holding the iPhone while we watch all three hours of Casino on it’s tiny screen.  No more accusations over who forgot to pack the headphone splitter.  No more sharing one pair of headphones and nearly getting my ear ripped off when my husband gets up to stretch his legs.  No more trying to balance the iPhone against the bag of inedible snack mix on a slippery airplane tray-table, only to have it topple over with the tiniest bounce of turbulence.  Thank you Agent18 for making in-flight iPhone viewing that much more enjoyable.  At $24.95, this is a must-have for anyone who watches video on their iPhone.