If I had to pick the worst thing about being sick, I’d have to say it would be trying to sleep when one of your nostrils is completely stuffed up and the other is so clear that it burns to inhale. I woke up yesterday morning feeling like I was doing lines of ammonia the night before. The second worst aspect of being down with the sickness is perhaps the charred throat, which I can only compare to the feeling that maybe light bulb eaters experience after a few nights of great performances. On a side note, my nose is peeling off, eyes sunken so far into my face that I am not sure they will ever reappear, and brain so useless I may as well remove it for a few days for display at the Bodies exhibit down the street. (more…)

May 29th, 2008 | Health, Secret Shopping, Friendly Encounters | 1 comment

I received my most recent secret shopper assignment this morning via an ultra-classified and top secret messaging portal not well known to most frequenters of the inter-webs, Gmail. In its cryptic message it described a plot in which, I, the 21-25 year old consumer, needed to attempt to purchase beer from a store without providing a proper form of identification. If I was successful in looking old enough to buy beer without an ID, which in California is 35, or lucky enough to get a cashier that really did not care about selling alcoholic beverages without proper identification, I had the chance of walking away with multiple ounces of free brew. My consolation prize? What ever item was located near the register for less than $1 so I could walk out with a receipt to prove I was there. (more…)

May 2nd, 2008 | Secret Shopping, Deals, Friendly Encounters | No comments