Steven Helmer Publications

I had to go to the grocery store this morning for cat food. As I was leaving, I happened to notice the lottery vending machine they had by the service counter and saw it had a $5 credit showing. Apparently someone put in money and either didn't spend it all or forgot to buy tickets with it. Since nobody was around, I took this as a positive sign and opted to buy five separate $1 scratch offs in the hopes of winning some free money. I lost on every single freaking one of them. Sometimes, I think God likes to tease me.

Not. Even. One. Number. Guess I should tear up the speech I was going to give when I quit my job.

I used to do that before coming into the office in the morning. However, I wound up taking a long break from it. That changed this weekend, when I took in the aluminum cans I had in bags outside my house and discovered they are worth 50-cents per pound again. I had 130 pounds (a lot of them were ones I found on my walks) and the $65 will allow me to do something with the family this summer. Granted, it's not a life-changing amount. But, if I can get $10 worth here and another $10 worth there, it does add up after a while, especially if I'm putting it aside for family nights out.