Expenses Without Receipts

Starting from Sunday, March 31:

• Didn't spend anything on the 31st, so we start on Saturday the 30th -- Blue Sun Soda (they should call it "Pop") Shop they had another taste test, this time for Harry Potter Butterbeer.  I chose the version they made and had warmed up.  The taste tester administrator said Universal Orlando has its own version of Butterbeer and they serve it warm; is that true?  Anyway, they had a food truck outside, Bacon Me Crazy.  Even though I was having dinner at home in just about an hour, I wanted to break free from food from my parents.  I got their tater tots bathed in cheddar cheese and bacon bits.  A combination like that is always good.  With tip that cost me: $8.
• I really didn't have a good reason to go out after dinner.  I even showered, a sign that I was packing it in for the night.  But (and I know this is juvenile) Mother forced me to drink this Chinese sugar soup which I've hated all my life, and going out has always been my petty way of rebelling.  So I went to Wesley Andrews for a cup of pourover and, well, to start working on this.  With tip: $4.89.
• I then went to Glam Doll, a place I haven't been in a couple week and won't be for another couple weeks.  With tip: $11.86.
• All the way back to Tuesday, March 26, when I left St. Louis.  I stayed at a Days Inn way out in Pontoon Beach, Ill.  It's remote, but it was clean, and I regret I spent a day (actually less than a day) there.  The thing I noticed the most?  I was able to park in a spot in front of the main entrance, and at night there were still several spots available.  At the previous hotel I had to drive all the way down the side of it to find a spot.  Most of the hotels I get for these trips I take have the parking spots all filled, especially at night when people are turning for the night (of course) and I am actually hitting the town for some illicit fun (of course).  Anyway, I left a tip: $1.
• On Monday the 25th I left a tip for the housekeeper before I left my first hotel.  I stayed two nights there; I went to a second hotel and used my credit card points because I am damn poor now: $1.
• I do not like taking only three-day vacations.  I cannot just not do things I want to do.  And when it comes to St. Louis, I always have a list of things I do every time I go there.  With only three days I am scrambling.  Now, there is a counterweight to that, namely that I have such little money right now I really can't do a whole lot at these places.  That evinced itself on this afternoon, where there were three casinos I had to hit, and I strafed through them -- as in, I made sure I walked the entire floor, got a quick Coke, plopped down at a slot machine, and quickly made one spin.  And one spin was all I needed at my first stop, Ameristar, because I actually hit the jackpot.  Well, it wasn't a jackpot, but it was an Infusion of: $8.
• That further cemented my urge not spend a whole lot at these casinos.  Not only did I not have a lot of cash to spend, I did not want to blow my entire "jackpot" and piss it all away at the other casinos.  So I went to Hollywood Casino for the express purpose of pulling a slot machine just once.  And yes, I lost, but only: $2.
• And then I went up to Alton, Ill., to pull one slot machine, just to tell the casino that I was there.  And I spent also just: $2.
• On Sunday the 24th I was able to wake in the morning, which was perfect for me to go to a place I should regularly go to whenever I vacation in St. Louis -- the Waffle House.  With tip: $14.
• I was staying at a Quality Inn, a much higher-, uh, quality hotel than I usually get through Priceline.  This had a luggage trolley and a second floor and a light board with departing flights and a shuttle to the airport and everything!  I wish I could have stayed longer at this place, even though (like I said) it is usually so full of cars that parking is a hassle: $1.
• I spent this day figuring out where to go, deciding too late, then getting there too late.  Went to the Billikens baseball game too late, then got to Pappy's Smokehouse too late to get what I wanted, so I went back to watch the end of the baseball game (Dayton won).  But at least I knocked Ted Drewes off my to-do list: $5.70.
• I went to the Weezer concert at the Enterprise Center that night because 1) I had nothing else to do and 2) unlike other days, St. Louis meter parking is not enforced Sundays.  Yes, I like Weezer, but I could take it or leave it.  I remain a concert neophyte.  I sauntered down there because I had never heard of the opening act and really wanted to see the featured act, The Pixies, before seeing Weezer, the main act.  Imagine my surprise when, as I am looking for my seat, I hear "Where Is My Mind?" blaring.  The usher I saw had the vom sideways from Frank Black & Co., and I was mesmerized at seeing them so up close, if but for a second before the usher snapped the curtain shut.  After The Pixies got done, I and a bunch of people in my section went up the stairs to use the bathroom and find a drink.  Upstairs happened to be suite level; as I was walking down the hall I heard an usher speak into his walkie-talkie that people should not have gone up there.  Why?  Well, I sauntered into a bar that was really hoity-toity: A carve bar, a place for sweets, etc.  I went up to the bar and finally picked up a bottle of Budweiser.  As I reached for my wallet the bartender said, "Oh, it's complimentary."  Oh!  I appreciate that, but that convinced me I definitely should not have been up there.  I didn't want to make a scene, so I didn't press my luck; I had two scoops of snack mix before leaving the bar and heading over to a table outside the bar to enjoy my free beer.  And I didn't even pay a tip for it.  But I did pay a scalper for a ticket.  Thanks to the guy for walking me up to the scanner to ensure that I could get in and he was not scamming me with a fake ticket: $30.
• I then went to Lumiere Place, the fancy casino downtown, to play craps and slots.  Predictably, I didn't win any points at the craps table.  (Attendant was an ass, too.)  Pulled slots a few times, and lost there, too.  Ugh: $38.
• Almost forgot my night at Scarlett's.  In fact I did; the old Hollywood Show Club was a complete dud.  Girls were nice, but no one came up to see me.  Nothing?  No one?  At least I saved up my money.  Cover, a beer and a lot of tips amounted to just: $33.
• Saturday, March 23 was my day out to the Loo.  Got picked up by the shuttle for Dollar, my rental company for the trip.  Do people tip shuttle drivers?  I did, at least this time: $1.
• The first thing I did after hitting the hotel was to change into my new porno pants and head off to Dollie's.  Thank God that A***** was still there.  We made love.  Yeah, I said it.  She trusted me enough to confirm to me her real name.  And she said she'll probably leave at the end of the year.  She was only working that week on Saturday, so thank goodness I had the good sense to immediately drive down there.  With cover, drinks for her and me, tips to other girls there and an impromptu massage from A*****, the total was just: $127.
• Went to the Casino Queen, the STL casino on the Illinois side.  Tosser hit two 7's, and that's it for good luck.  Along with losing money on the slot machine, I spent: $41.
• Somewhere on this day I found a penny.  An Infusion of: 1 cent.
• Now to go all the way back to Tuesday, March 19, when ***e* came over to do a quick cleaning of the house.  This was a way to pay me back for the $200 I lent her so she could buy snow tires (shrug), but she still wanted some gas money.  Oh, and I bought her cigarettes and a Sprite, too.  The cash I gave her was just a: $20.
• Monday the 18th ... finally got around to getting the car washed.  For the second time in a row they didn't clean the trunk, but this time they told me it was an extra three bucks.  My hatchback trunk will cost me an extra $3?!  I swore this before, but I now really need to find another car wash.  Charged the wash, but I paid cash for the tip: $2.  Edited April 28, 2019 at 8:54 p.m. because I was wrong about charging the wash.  According to my day planner, and backed up by no record on either of my credit card statements, I paid cash for the whole was, tip and all.  That total is: $22.41.
• This is the day where I went downtown to get my shoes shined.  Lisa gave me this shine for free because the last time I went in, she had to close up shop to go to a doctor's appointment.  She didn't even accept a tip from me.  Cool!  I got Bogart's across the way.  It was the time of day where I got one free when I bought one, and the cashier gave me another doughnut to clear her inventory.  With tip those three doughnuts cost me just: $4.25.
• Went to the library in the evening, I think, to print out the KenPom standings I rely on for my bracket (some good it did this year) and the bracket that I filled out.  Total: 60 cents.
• I found a penny at the gas station, heads-up.  An Infusion of: 1 cent.
• Sunday, March 17, aka my birthday -- I went to the National Women's Hockey League Championship Game in St. Paul, and since Mickey's Diner was too crowded, it gave me the opportunity to cash in on the free birthday drink from the nearby Dunn Bros.  Large mocha for free -- but with a tip: $1.
• I spent bucks on the Whitecaps' 50/50 Raffle.  I don't know why; I never win these damn things: $3.
• After the 'Caps won, I scurried out and over to the Black Hart, the drag bar that is now a combination drag bar/soccer pub.  I'm not sure if those two concepts can coexist, but there were a couple other groups who were there to see the same particular match I did: FC Cincinnati's first-ever home game as a member of Major League Soccer, versus the Portland Timbers.  And FCC kicked the Timbers' ass, 3-0.  You know, I've visited that city only once, but I'm really happy for them.  Aside: As a few groups (and me) were there to watch the soccer game, a couple people there came to watch, of all things, a women's tennis final.  If there is a relatively obscure sport I want to watch, maybe the Black Hart is the place to go.  Surly, Heggie's pizza (have I ever had them before?), and tip: $19.
• Because it was my birthday, I went to My Favorite Stripclub (Non-Cover Edition) to rock out.  My ideal was to get dances from all four strippers on the shift, but I only got LDs from Sky (fuckin' mistake; that bitch blows hot and cold) and MILFy vet Julie U.  Got a beer, a Heineken; it's more expensive than coffee, but it's my birthday, and besides, I can't accept the fact that a fuckin' coffee here costs more than at Starbucks.  Plus tips: $54.
• To Saturday the 16th, where I didn't intend to use cash this day, but the cashier at Blue Sun (I was there for their special event where they give us ice cream for root beer floats) gave me deposits back for bringing in reusable Whistler pop bottles.  Brought one in to exchange for a bottle which I used for the root beer float, then exchanged that for another one, which I took home with me.  Two bottles returned at 50 cents a pop (pun intended) and I got back: $1.
• Let's go all the way back to Saturday the 9th, where we had our alumni volunteer event.  I felt like donating and I did: $5.
• Friday, March 8: Went to Subway.  Probably used the rest of the gift card I got as a Christmas gift from work.  Tipped: $1.
• My Favorite Stripclub (Non-Cover Version) at night.  Tips, water (tried that out once; costs the same as a coffee, and it's fucking water!), and a lapper with Cicily equals: $28.25.
• Followed that up with a coffee at Wesley Andrews.  With tip: $4.89.
• And then around the corner to Glam Doll.  With tip (and a free donut!): $12.
• We go back to Monday, March 4, where I unfortunately went to **a*'s place for what I thought would be a good handjob.  But it wasn't.  First her kid was there when I got to her apartment at the appointed time.  Then she decided she wasn't going to get naked.  Then she set up a strict services limit for the money I was willing to spend.  Then she gave me a strict time limit.  So imagine this girl, in her bar and panties but her hair in a towel, wanking me weakly and then saying, "OK, that's it."  Fuck that shit.  I thought her moving up closer to me would be great, but that was some bullshit: $120.
• I had better pleasure at Jersey Mike's, the coupons I get through the mail for which I used every month.  Charged the sandwich, chips and root beer, but the tip was money: $1.
• On Sunday the 3rd I went over to the local grocer for some stuff.  On may out I saw that a Girl Scout troop set up near the exit.  Oh yeah, it's Girl Scout Cookie time!  They do this every year, and I keep forgetting.  Well, I didn't forget this time; I bought a box.  But in a sign that other tip creep is seeping into everything or the Girl Scouts are teaching not just entrepreneurship but craven opportunism, the troop set up a tip jar.  I should have refused, but I didn't.  So, a box of cookies and a tip comes up to: $6.
• This was the time of the winter where it was really, really cold.  I got back home.  There was a ringing at the door.  I thought about ignoring it, but for some reason, I answered it.  It wasn't some dumb solicitor.  Nope, it's a woman, with her daughter in tow, Girl Scout sash and all.  They (well, I think the mother) was selling those Girl Scout Cookies door-to-door, in temperatures well below zero.  Now, I don't want to encourage such behavior, but goddammit, what she did took a lot of balls.  Plus I wanted some Thin Mints.  So I bought another box, the second that day: $5
• This was the day my other stripper-maid came; she came 16 days before ***e* cleaned things up again.  But this one is more thorough, albeit slower and more expensive.  Nevertheless, because it had been a mere four weeks since she was here, she quoted me a price thirty dollars less than usual.  God bless her: $150.
• Oh, and in the meantime, while I was packing up my things to take to storage, I volunteered to get her a Sprite.  She gave me two bucks, but it cost $2.24, plus I gave a penny to the penny dish, so. ...: 25 cents.
• Saturday, March 2: Went to the library just before it closed so I could print out the ticket to this student burlesque showcase (yes, there is such a thing) at a theater close by my house.  Not bad for a student showcase, although I didn't have to see the men in pasties.  Total: 10 cents.
• This day was the kickoff day for Major League Soccer, and I wanted to see MNUFC play San Vancouver.  I thought the Mill NE, a place I had been to once before and was close to this library, had a TV at the bar, but it didn't.  Still, my heart was set on this place so I had a bite to eat.  Price-wise, it was a lot more than a bite; with tip: $20.50.
• That night, just because, I went to White Castle.  I usually have order twice because the sliders are small.  Have a receipt for the first order, but the cashier didn't give me my receipt for the second one, for some damn reason.  But it's: $3.21.

Good through March 31.