keychain psychoanalysis

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally posted by staceyv
how come noone has those little cards on their keychains that you get from the grocery store and the drugstore, and petco, and blockbuster?

Zip has one too.

[lumberjim]

Originally posted by hot_pastrami
I hate to point out a problem with this fine idea, but it is a simple matter to make a duplicate key based on a photograph... I'd recommend modifying your photo to coincide with your paranoia level. You never know who's watching...

darn you alan. foiled my plans again. damned meddling kid. i would have gotten away with it, too. i was going to wait until it was to late to edit the posts before i mentioned that. note that my photo obscures the "important" keys.

[wolf]

Originally posted by staceyv
how come noone has those little cards on their keychains that you get from the grocery store and the drugstore, and petco, and blockbuster? i have 6 of those, a rhode island thing with my name spelled wrong on it that arsen bought for me at an airport, a ceasar's palace thing that a customer gave me, keys to my grandparent's house, then my house and car...

Because those little tags are annoying ... I actually keep mine on a separate keychain by themselves that I only pull out when I'm at the giant, shop rite, clemens, genuardis, petco, suncoast video, etc.

[richlevy]

Upper Left - My house key set with my wife car fob and key. I put the pocket knife back on today since this project just reminded me that I had removed it anticipating going though security a few weeks ago. Special items include a new LED penlight (bright blue), a small penknife, and a small pen which I just found (the last one broke). The chipped blue triangle thing is my old LED penlight whose clip broke. There is also a Habitat for Humanity token which might not be visible.

Bottom left is my supermarket tags which are normall on my house chain but which I unclipped and artfully fanned for this photo.

Middle is my work set which includes my car key, office magentic key, and my Securid FOB. Securid works by changing the code every minute so that seeing the numbers is no help to a hacker, especially without the serial number and other information. The keys are designed so that if they are lost/stolen they will not be of use to hackers.

The others keyfobs are ones I have had lying around but had to pare down for weight. They include a 'working' mini tricorder, a multitool and a mini crackerjacks box (with toy surprise inside).

The tiny bronze penknife is one I used before upgrading. My favorite (not shown) is temporarily lost. It is a 3/4 inch bronze peanut with a 1/2 inch blade. I used to carry it because noone would ever be able to stand up in a court and say with a straight face that a 3/4 inch peanut is a concealed weapon. It was just right for opening boxes until the blade got gunked up with packing adhesive.

BTW, Hot Pastrami, I blurred the visible key edges.

[wolf]

found batteries.

even managed to find my keys ...



So yes, LJ, you're right. There is a tiny Glock on my keychain. The other dangly bits are an inert .40 S&W hollowpoint, a P38 (the work can opener gets stolen fairly regularly by other departments. Not being able to open a can of coffee can cause rioting.) My handcuff key (on this ring anyway) is not as impressive as Bruce's. I do have a fancier one (with an attached LED flashlight) but the hanger fell off it, so if I want to use that one I have to carry it in my pocket. The two most recent additions are the kubaton (aluminum) and the moose thingy ... actually up until recently I had a fairly minimalist keychain ... the only dangly was the bullet. (I don't count the P38 as a dangly, as it is technically a key.)

The kubaton was purchased at a gun show in December, and the carabiner with the moose was a gift from a friend at Yuletide. I had previously had just a carabiner threaded through the keyring. By habit I keep the keys attached either to my belt loop, or if I'm using an off-body concealment holster or purse, to that. The story behind the Glock is kind of interesting. They are made of the same polymer material that's used to make the receivers of the pistols. I have wanted one of these things for a long time, and occasionally would bid on one on ebay. I, however, don't get ebay fever, and drew the line at $10 for what is essentially a free factory promo item. They usually go for around $20-25, so I've never won the auctions. Anyway ... as I was in the WaWa (that's a Philly area convenience store chain) one day, getting some coffee, a guy commented on the hat I was wearing (A Glock Shooting Sports Baseball cap), complimenting me for my taste in firearms.

Got my caffiene fix and went back to my car, to find the dude waiting in the parking lot ... he handed me the little Glock and said "Since you're a fan I thought you'd like this. I've had it for a couple of years and just thought I'd give it to you."

That was it, no further conversation, no attempt at giving or requesting a phone number ... just gave me the Keyfob and drove off into the sunset ...

Below you will find my collection of not-keys. The flashlight on that ring is a Streamlight, not a MagLite. Streamlight is a locally based company hereabouts. I buy Maglites for my headbashing-in needs (my car flashlight is a 6 D-cell Maglite) but my smaller kicking around lights are from Streamlight (including that cool handcuff key mentioned above).



I recently went through the notkeys and removed tags for stores that have gone out of business.

[mrnoodle]

Originally posted by wolf
I, however, don't get ebay fever, and drew the line at $10 for what is essentially a free factory promo item. They usually go for around $20-25

I'm going to try to not be bitter about the fact that I just discarded about 75 of the damn things we got from the SHOT show for the gunshop. The idea was to give them away when people bought a Glock, but we usually forgot. At some point during the last couple years, they ended up in my possession. No one else wanted them, and I think I trashed them last summer.

I could've gotten $1500 on eBay for those little bastards? Dang.

[wolf]

I went a whole $20 for a Glock Armorer's Apron.

Thought that was worth it. You have to be properly dressed to barbecue, and I've paid that much for other, more conventional aprons.

Glock merchandise sells like wildfire. The bidding wars get pretty amazing.

[lumberjim]

WOLF!

whole foods tag.

is this the fresh fields in devon, or is there another that i dont know about?

[elSicomoro]

Mine say...nothing, really.

[richlevy]

Originally posted by wolf

I recently went through the notkeys and removed tags for stores that have gone out of business.

I have a Rainbow records tag which shut down all their remote stores and have one left in Newark, DE.

So I have 5 supermarket tags, one pharmacy, and two 'other'.

It looks like Wolf has 5 market tags, although I'm not sure about some of them.

I thought I was the only one who had a truckload of supermarkets near work and home. I keep on hearing stories about the lack of supermarkets in cities, etc.

[wolf]

North Wales.

I don't go there often, but do go. They've probably deleted me out of their database (again). I used to shop there more regularly when I lived in Ambler, which was MUCH closer than where I am now. I do still sometimes go to Fresh Fields with some of my hippie treehugger friends. Somehow, though, I always seem to go on "Hostile Lesbian Day." Or am I misinterpreting signals and being rammed in the ass by a cart wielded by a bull dyke in Birkenstocks part of their mating rituals?

I really like their breads and oooh ... the bittersweet chocolate they sell!!! Some of the personal care product lines they have are good. I like the JR Liggetts Old Fashioned Bar Shampoo, and can't get that anywhere else. Their coffee and tea selections are also pretty darn good, and they do occasionally have ginger beer (which is a soft drink not an alcoholic beverage).

Most of the major chain supermarkets have increased their organic/whole foods sections (like Genuardis) so I don't have to go as far to get things like overpriced tasteless organic cup o' miso soups and cup o' couscous.

[wolf]

There are six supermarket tags on there ... Giant, Clemens, Acme, Shop Rite, Fresh Fields/Whole Foods, and P&C (which is a supermarket chain near Fort Slang). I don't carry a Genuardi's tag. They key to your phone number. I actually use my mom's card there, saves me the trouble of having to actually fill out the damn forms.

I generally hate these kinds of things ... tracking what you buy is a pet peeve of mine. For stores that give cards immediately on filling out the application rather than mailing them (which is most of them these days, assuming you aren't adding "check cashing privileges") I provide not quite accurate information.

The only card that I use with REAL regularity is the Suncoast "replay" card. I should be getting another rebate coupon any minute now ...

[lumberjim]

FUNNY.

yeah, that would be hostile lesbian day.

Jinx went on a miso kick a while back, and the cup o miso was replaced by homemade miso, which was more cost effective.

next time your in there, grab some chicken nibblers from the prepared deli section. yummy. buffalo style or plain are best.

we go there once per month for essentials, vitamins, dr bronners soap, ricemilk, etc. i cant get out of there for under $250 and thier carts are tiny.

[lumberjim]

Originally posted by sycamore
Mine say...nothing, really.

is that an 8 ball, or just a ball and chain? and how does Rho feel about that if it's the latter?

[wolf]

That is because their food is fucking overpriced.

Even if you are buying regular old cornflakes, or one of the other "convetional/available at the acme" products ... 1.5 - 2X the cost.

But don't you feel better by not being a total corporate tool and slave of marketing ... oh wait. You just WERE. But you don't think of it that way, because, well ... that's how those stores are marketed. Tee hee.