General – What’s Entertaining in Salt Lake City

As the start of a new feature here on the ol’ blog, I’m going to give you a double shot of something I think I’ll call “What can you get for ten dollars?”

The concept is pretty simple. My company sends me on the road. A lot. Business travel sucks and when you can only spend twenty bucks on dinner, there just isn’t a lot of excitement to be had.

My company does offer a ten dollar allowance (on trips that consist of two or more overnight stays) for “personal entertainment.” Now, according to the employee handbook, I can use this money for things like toiletries and snacks. You know, the kind of fun stuff we all dreamed about playing with as kids.

I can also buy things like CDs or movie tickets with the money, but let’s be honest, ten dollars doesn’t go too far at a Blockbuster these days.

Anyway, the money is there on the table and I would feel remiss if I didn’t try to screw the company just a little bit for sending me all over this god-forsaken country. (Seriously, Salt Lake City and Phoenix this week. Detroit and Las Vegas next. A person can’t be in all of those places so close together without losing track of their soul.)

As such, I tend to buy anything I can find at a local Wal-Mart or nearby gas station in order to have something for reimbursement under the personal entertainment section of my expense reports.

Tonight, I’m in Salt Lake City and I have just returned from a gas station that smelled of vinegar and bleach. I think it was cleaning night as there were about five workers too many sweeping and scrubbing whilst me and this lonely trucker looked through the aisles for something to get us through the night.

Here is what I got:

Amp energy drink – $2.49
So I can stay up and write this post. We’re coming up on 1 a.m. in the Mormon capitol and I think I hear Brigham Young calling my name.

Colgate Extra Clean Toothbrush with Non-Slip Grip – $1.19
Unfortunately, my favorite travel toothbrush is starting to look more used than a retired porn star.

Lil’ Auto Store brand Heavy Duty Duct Tape (1-1/2 in. x 30ft.) – $2.29
Sometimes, late at night, when I’m alone in my hotel room, I like to pretend I’m MacGyver.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, Brigham and I have to go stop Murdoc.