STEP 2: FREE from phone company bills

There are several ways to ditch your phone company bill -- with all its weird taxes and fees for this, that and the other thing that raise your monthly payment to far more than what your actual phone usage should make it be. I've chosen Gizomo Chat, an excellent option if you have high-speed Internet. I happen to have an arrangement where I share high-speed Internet with a group of neighbors, so this is a great option for me. I felt joy in cancelling my phone service with Pac bell about 2 months ago. "Where are you moving to so we can provide you servce there," the Pac Bell rep asked me. "I'm not moving," I said. "I'm just freeing myself from phone company bills."

Gizomo Chat is an open-source project that allows me to call other computers for free and any phone for only $1 a minute -- no taxes, charges, fees or other expenses. It even gives me my own phone number, voice mail and e-mail notification of new messagess

Check out Gizmo Chat

Step 1: FREE from fossil fuels

I bought this little darling -- an electric moped -- for $150 on eBay to lessen my reliance on gasoline after watching "Who Killed the Electric Car," an excellent movie that totally pissed me off.  Now I view every every exahust pipe I see as being no different than a cigarette -- I hate both with a passion for polluting the air we breathe.  

As soon as my helmet arrives, I will be taking my scooter to work and back, 6 miles each way, leaving my 1995 Nissan Pathfinder at home whenever I can.  Currently I use my electric scooter for errands around the neighborhood, visiting friends in the  area and getting to local fesitvals and events.  I can park it wherever you can park a bike -- thus freeing me further from expensive parking fees in San Diego.

Here are the Sunbird's specs:

• Motor Power: 250W
• Body Material: ABS
• First and Second Battery: 36V, 12Ah and 36V 7Ah
• Life of Battery: Above 300 Cycles
• Charger: 110V, 60HZ, and UL Approved
• Charging Time: 6 - 8 hours
• Distance: Up to 45 miles with pedal assist
• Rated Top Speed: Up to 18 MPH
• Max capacity: 250 Pounds
• Wheel: 18" aluminum
• Color: Titanium

It finally came!  My awesome yellow and silver (to match my Sunbird scooter, below) Corona scooter helmet:  


Snagged it for $45 (inciuding shipping) on eBay, all the way from Japan.  
It's cool because it has a faceplate that flips up, but also the whole front portion flips up, 
so you can talk or eat or whatever without taking the whole thing off.