I'm sorry... you want how much for that PB&J?

Everybody knows he's right. Why should we have to pay so much for something so simple. My parents left the state because my dad's retiring the navy. Now i'm not saying I'm in this game completely alone, but the only thing my parents has helped me out with is the occassional c-note during break. I don't think the unemployed, college student should have to pay some $4 for a sandwich that isn't that good anyways

Then don't buy it

If you don't like the prices, then go to Haggen or Fred Meyers and buy what you want there and bring it to campus with you. Make your own PB&J and don't buy one that is likely to be disgusting anyway. I am not being held up by my parents so this is the way I have solved the expensive food problem. Afraid your food will go bad, by a lunch box to keep it cool. Still likely to be cheaper than buying food in the markets every day.

 Higher prices would be fair if all of the profits benefited the school, helped WWU stay out of finacial crisis and kept tution down but I don't think that is the case, correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it the majority of profits go to Sedexo, which our school allows to manage the food courts in return for a smaller percent of the profits. Now this is kind of out there but i wonder what would happen if we, the students, started managing the markets on our own and cut the middle man, Sedexo, out?

Instead of buying a $4 PB&J sandwich or a $5 turkey one, why not just head over to vendors row?  Get a good amount of chinese food that actually fills you up for $4.25.

College could be a lot cheaper.....

Then again, what else are you gonna spend the munch money on, it's all a bit overpriced, but at least the food is better than whatever they serve in the dining halls (would it even be correct to call most of that shit food, I think not).  In fact, I'm about to go cut my meal plan as low as it can go and make a trip to cosco.

If you want to talk about stuff being expensive the dining hall food is outrageous for what you get.  It's highway f*cking robbery, it's just sick how much we pay for the most disgusting food.

Agreed: Yes, everything on campus is a rip-off. Students are paying for convenience, and unfortunately, a lot of people would rather pay for pre-made foods instead of bringing their own.

Digression: I am sick of people talking crap about students whose parents are footing most, if not all, of the tuition. I work just as hard as everyone else and I get really offended when people talk in such an ignorant way about people whose parents help with costs. Please be more considerate.

It's marked up because it uses Dining Dollars. Every student who lives on campus and has a meal plan gets $150 a quarter in Dining Dollars, which can be used at the markets on campus. If a PB&J only costed the $1 it's worth, every student would just get the smallest meal plan and eat off the market food. However, as students can spend roughly $3 a day to cover the $150 a quarter, they up the price on everything in the markets so that if you buy anything substantial you'll use up Dining Dollars. The overpricing is purely a result of the meal plan setup they have for students living on campus.

I agree. It is a bit much to pay for something as simple as sandwich, amongst their other products. That's why I have made it a habit of bringing my own lunch. There is nothing difficult about carrying a little bag. After I eat my lunch, I just fold it up, bring it home and use it again the next day. It's a good system that has yet to fail me. And if for some reason I happen to forget, then I'd just do what the other person said: buy lunch at Vendor's Row. I haven't tried El Capitan (I think that's what it is), but I know the Chinese is decent, is pleasurably edible, good serving size, and great price. 

We need a food coop run by the students, no stupid cards or credit needed. How about organic and local only! the money could go towards the students...NOT the venders like Pepsi and Sedexco or whoever runs the crap that comes out of the dinning halls.

In in Southern California a Washington apple costs 49cents, 69cents for Organic. Here on campus they are a $1.08 and they didn't have to be transported 1500miles. What's the deal?

It is true that food prices on campus are outrageous, and I find some of the reasons presented satisfactory.

You'll have to forgive those of us who receive nil from their parents (for me, less than nil, as I have the hardest time getting any financial aid because of the roadblocks I run into trying to get parent tax information at all, the subject of a thread I will introduce shortly!).  It is unfair that a generalisation is made and accepted by many.  Some think that it's a question of 'relative fairness,' not necessarily of how hard one works.  My belief has always been that however one happens to get funding, be it from family, the government, private pogrammes, or out of one's own pocket (ouch), it should be used wisely-- that is, used to support one's education and not petty distractions.

Unfortunately, many equate 'non-working' with 'parent funded.'  This belief is unsound and unfair.  However it is easy to generalise when a majority of the people you meet whose parents pay for their schooling are arrogant, self centred, wasteful and lazy (as is my experience, sadly).  If it were me, I would see no reason to be offended:  those who generalise offend only themselves in this case by their own ignorance!

Cheers.

There is a good reason why the University does not run its own food service. That reason is Insurance. It's expensive. There's a good chance prices would be the same or higher if the University had to insure itself rather than requiring Sodexho to be insured. It's also the reason there isn't a lot of quality local foods in the markets.

Yeah, you really are just paying for convenience, and it's not like Disneyland; you CAN bring your own food. Honestly, I don't think the situation in the dining halls or the markets are going to change any time soon. As many people have mentioned, at least we have QQ Li's and El Capitan's, which is far cheaper and more delicious.

I really don't have much to add to this discussion.

Thanks for your insight, Druid. It's too bad that there are a lot of 'parent funded' people out there who are arrogant, self-centered, etc. I get what you're saying: a lot of said people's eyes widen when I tell them that I'm a full time student AND I work about 20 hours a week (which I don't consider excessive at all); on the contrary, I have met people who don't have jobs AT ALL and spend their allowances frivolously. But like many stereotyped people, I still get offended when I am reminded of the stereotype; similar to when a minority hears "__insert racial/ethnic group here__ are lazy people." Stereotypes ftl D:

I agree that this stereotype is a bit off. I am fortunate enough to be getting help from my parents and financial aid as well ,and I do not work. However, I do not buy much stuff besides the basic necessities like food and bills and always shop around for the best prices to lessen the burden on my parents. Just because someone is getting help from their parents does not mean their parents are "holding their hand" although that is true for some people. I will have student loans to pay off when I graduate, and I try to stretch every penny my parents give me and never take it for granted. 

Although it is very unfortunate that food is overpriced on campus, you always have the option of buying off campus just like many have suggested. Its not the end of the world.

Sack lunches rule.

i completely agree. i'm lucky enough to have my mom who pays for practically everything but it doesn't make me any less of a person because of it. i've worked full time during summers since i was 16 and had many chores and all that fun stuff while growing up. i know what hard work is and also hate this stereotype. i usually don't even talk about how i pay for tuition/expenses with anyone other than my mom anyways.

"I plead the 5th..." and all others involved in this discussion,

Please e-mail me at johns480@cc.wwu.edu as I am a reporter looking to here more about your concerns regarding campus food prices.

I would very much appreciate it if you would leave me a number and a name with which I can contact you.  If not, an e-mail is cool, too.

Thanks guys!

-Nick

Just out of curiosity Nick, whom are you reporting for?  I've seen you post a similar message in another topic.

I didn't sterotype "... getting some aid from parents..." I directed my coments at the enevitable off handed remarks I would recieve from those who get "all" their aid from their parrents and have never had to count their pennies for a stick of cheese. (the pinical of my day FWIW). I am so strapped for cash, the very thought of cheese, eggs, or actual meat is just unheard of. I haven't had a full meal in over two months. I've been living on things that sweel in your stomach to make you "feel" full. So, when someone looks down their nose at me for being astonished over the prices... It's irritating. Again, I never said I was planning on buying the sandwich, I just thoughth it was expensive. I reward myself once a week or so with a bagle or cheese. $2 topps. The thought of what people are wasting each day there is sickening. Last week I spent a lot less than $10 on food total. How much did you spend? I dislike the silver spoon students who never had to stare at the bottom of their rice bag and wonder what to do next. For those who do get some help, hey that's great that you appreciate it. However, I wasn't refering to you.

Individual results may vary...

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Something that no one has mentioned as a factor in food prices is the cost of labor.... We have a high minimum wage here in Washington and it costs a lot of money to keep all of our markets open.  Labor costs may not add up to equal the total cost of the markup, but they certainly are a contributing factor.... 

I would also like to point out that we shouldn't be blaming Sodexho for being the big bad representation of corporate evilness.... yes food on campus is expensive, but no they don't make big money off of us, in fact, they are lucky if they turn a profit on the markets....

If you have a real issue with your food service, why don't you get in touch with one of our student at large dining committee representatives?  The campus dining committee meets monthly and includes several students (at large -- AS, and RHA -- residents, students for sustainable foods), western staff (a certified nutritionist and a faculty representative) and the top managers of dining.  Perhaps you can voice your concerns to the committee representative that represents you and maybe find a solution to this problem rather than just whining about it on a forum. 

I've decided that theft isn't such a bad thing, especially when I feel taken advantage of (which, especially on any college campuses, I do), but if that whole "conscience" thing is getting in your way, let's keep pushing for that student co op thing because that sounds bomb. I myself would rather go hungry for a couple days to reduce the strain on my wallet and then sneak a small food item or two from the cafeteria or viking union. That's just me though. I really don't care if you think you're above that and that my actions are affecting the overall prices, because no matter your argument, I'm still going to take things when I need em. Sorry, I was born with sticky fingers.

I don't know if I would have admited that...

I was raised with the phrase, "[one should], even when he has not eaten, use his toothpick." So, I don't take many hands outs or offers of food. If I can not provide for myself then I deserve to suffer. Theft was just not in my famly values regardless of the situation. This is one of the reasons I can't bring myself to go to the food bank still: I know there are others who need that food more.
 

You do know, Diggle, that this is a public forum, meaning any and all of the university administrators can potentially see what you write.  Not to mention, you have your full name as a screen name.  You probably would not be that hard to track down.  I hope you are punished for your theft, which would clearly be due to your lack of common sense.

First off, whoever it was that said the thing about having no food and using a toothpick, get real. In ancient Israel it was legal for anyone to eat food out of a farmer's field so long as they did not put anything into a container. Civilized societies help people that can't provide to provide. If you can't feed yourself you deserve to suffer? That line is offensive on so many levels. Mr. Diggle found a way to feed himself did he not? I mean come on. What if you don't know how to provide for yourself? How exactly does one provide for themselves? Is it finding a way to make enough money to buy food? Because by your logic, Mr. Diggle's best course of action is to become a crack dealer. Being self-sufficient is a great thing, something everyone should strive for. But the fact is, that NOT EVERY ONE can have enough money to get by without help. There are only so many good paying jobs out there. Even with a four year degree it can be a really tight squeeze. The real thing is that people have kids and just because those kids have parents with bad jobs doesn't mean they deserve to suffer too.

Beyond that, without a specific incident to cite, the admin can't do anything. Plus, if they try he could just claim he was lying in order to sound bad ass.

Get real. Theft is wrong. So is price gouging. Stealing out of necessity is no crime in my book. Senseless greed is one of the highest offense imaginable.

I knew people would be quick to condemn me (I obviously didn't care), but I didn't think there would be many to come to a defense. Jarvis, you're o.k. in my book and I'm glad you don't see things in black and white. And I still think EVERYONE here should still push for the STUDENT FOOD CO OP thing, because that's obviously the truest answer to this little discussion.

Also, as to my screen name being my full and real name (which it is...the "J" stands for Jesse if you'd like that as well...it's in honor of my grandfather) I've come to terms with the fact that, despite my hatred of censorship, there are repercussions to what we say and I desire any and all there may be because I'd fully like to experience the counter actions to what I do. When I came to discover this online forum I was very proud of my student community and their intellect (for the most part), and I, wanting to be a part of it decided that as I add my own two cents, I want my opinions to be accredited to me. No matter who is offended or who offends me, I decided to refuse hiding behind a screen name, I even offer my true image in my picture there you see to the left, because with these online chats it's so easy to hide ourselves behind screens, but I offer myself and my thoughts. Condemn me or condone me, it wasn't from a lack of common sense, but it came from a personal choice. Insult me if you wish, I can take it, and if I am to be hated, I'd like to give you someone to hate. On the other hand if we can find common ground, all the better to know that there is a tangible person amongst this campus who feels the same way as you and is willing to speak there mind, even if they may not always be of the right mind.

I would offer a helping hand to you "I plead the 5th..." because despite me being strapped for cash as well, I feel that from everything you've said thus far, I'm more full than you are, but I can only assume from what you've said thus far, that your pride would not allow you to take any such hand out from me, especially since I steal. But if you ever see me walking around on campus and if you could "conquer your pride, as we all must do"-Homer. flag me down. You can holler my name since we all know it now I guess, and you and me can go get a bite to eat...on me of course and we can talk about things, because despite our disagreement on theft your initial argument is one I would voice myself if you had not, and loudly.

As for the issue of students who work or don't work...I think it all comes down to the fact that the working poor have the rest of the  world on their backs.

There are a large number of people who fall into the gap. Who's parents can't afford to foot the bill, and who also don't qualify for any/much financial aid. I think the government needs to realize that education is important enough that they should change the guidelines so the working poor can have access too.

Of course, if everyone is well educated, where is the proletatariot?

I actually heard that the dining services calculate meal plan costs by property tax and we have a lot of students from places with high property tax, which jacks up food and meal costs, which, of course makes it impossible for those from say, Spokane to pay without some serious help from Uncle Sam or mom and dad who might not always be all that wealthy. There is not always one shining golden answer to the problem because if we take that approach, we create other problems from our solution. Sure our food is sometimes unidentifiable, sometimes rubbery enough to sprain jaws, sometimes undercooked, but consider trying food from other schools. I have visited OSU in Corvallis and believe it or not, upon returning to WWU, our food appeared to be gormet quality. Consider that I, too, was one of the dining halls' most critical customers and I looked at the dining hall and automatically assigned a negative label and that I was absolutely enthralled with the dining hall upon return.

I would also like to touch on the "Parent supported and unemployed" subject. My parents could not support me financially in college, so other reletives kicked in and while I've met a lot of people who are of such a description, you'll find people with loans who fit the stereotype as well. I have quite a few friends who are parent supported and employed and while I suppose I would fit under the same category, you find all sorts of dispositions. I do have arrogant friends who do not understand that I am strapped for cash so I can't go out to dinner several days in a row and please don't hate me for it and why the hell didn't I just go to Eastern with the rest of the poor Spokanites like myself and I just find that those who are of the sterotypical disposition will meet a lot of difficulty later when mom and dad say, "All right! Degree in hand? Good luck!" when they do, indeed have to manage money for themselves.

The student run Co-op is an awesome idea, however, the school lacks the space to build one. In order to put in a Co-op the school, or the students trying to implement it, will have to buy out a cafe from Sodexho. This would cost millions of dollars. If you factor in the massive budget cuts we're experiencing (the funding for the Humanities computer lab that has 6+ computers down during an average class session just got cut) the Co-op is nothing but an extinguished dream.

http://www.dshs.wa.gov/manuals/eaz/sections/StudentStatus.shtml

If you are a student, you must meet one of the following conditions to be eligible for Basic Food:

1. Have paid employment of at least twenty hours per week;
2. Be self-employed, work at least twenty hours per week, and earn at least the amount you would earn working twenty hours at the federal minimum wage;
3. Be participating in a state or federal work study program at the time you applied for Basic Food benefits. For the purpose of being eligible for Basic Food, work study is:
1. Working and receiving money from the work study program; and
2. Not turning down a work assignment.

Contact Shawn Collins for more information:

Shawn Collins
Outreach & Development Coordinator
Opportunity Council
1111 Cornwall Avenue, Suite C
Bellingham,WA 98225
shawn_collins@oppco.org
(360) 734-5121 X 233

Unfortunately most kids I've met who's parents pay for everything fail to see understand anyone elses position besides theirs, so that puts you in the minority which is probably why people give you shit unfortunately.  Good to see that you aren't one of them though.  It drives me up the wall when kids have never had to pay for anything themselves and have had everything handed to them.

Way to be accepting of other's moral beliefs. Well, if this was ancient Israel, I could also stone the next woman I felt offended "the lord".... If this was Edo period Japan, I'd go hungry like everyone else, probably die of starvation or war, and would be put to death for theft by crucifiction. So, I guess depending on your traditional moral background being a thief is a matter of how much self respect your culture raises you with apparently.

I don't even accept tea at a friends house. It's how I was brought up, and it's how I feel about MY moral code. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but due to being under a 20 credit workload for the last few years, I just don't have the time to make extra cash and my reserves have run dry.

I may be of high morals, but at least I can't be labled "a vile thief." I'd rather die knowing I was decent and worked with what I earned than live under a coat of shame. Stealing is just proof that you have lost both self and social respect. Nothing is free; somone worked hard for everything you consume. Your line of deduction, "Mr. Diggle's best course of action is to become a crack dealer." is a wonderful way of putting your code of ethics in other's mouthes to make a point YOU deduced from my unrelated words. If you want to make a point, don't contort other's words to do so. Stand on your own two feet. If one respects ones self one would live right and respect one's self. If one respected others, one would not steal. If you believe that stealing is ok in our modern society then you respect neither yourself nor others. If you can't provide for yourself then you're not trying hard enough. Life is pain, expecting anything else is a dellusion. If you are not mentally, physically, or emotionally disabled, then there is no excuse. Children are a personal choice. If you choose to have them, then you choose to live under that weight. just as I choose to be strapped for cash by attending college fulltime instead of continuing to work. I bear my weight just fine. [/picks teeth]

But $3.00 for a PB&J is still unreasonable.

That was a low blow and taken out of context.  He IS providing for himself though, he's still alive, and taking a monster load of credits.

Much respect to: I Plead The 5th.....if only more people had your mentality (to a certain extent).  Also, I'm going to have about 50+ meals left at the dining halls at the end of the quarter, and I know you probably won't accept any, but they will otherwise go to waste, so consider that.  If you wanna cop a meal sometime lemme know, I have more than enough, I really do.  If not, I can understand that you don't want to eat the "food," if you can call it that, that they serve at the dining halls.

Three different issues seem to be involved.  In reverse order - living extremely cheaply, whether voluntarily or not.  The price and quality of the dining halls.  The price of cafeteria food.

The price of cafeteria food is ridiculous.  It used to be as expensive as the mini-mart 75 miles from anywhere else, and it just went up a bunch from that.  It is a good question who is getting the bonanza, and why.  Unless they have a shrinkage problem the size of Puget Sound, it sure isn't costs.

In a free world, I'd bring a pushcart up on my light days, and undersell them.  But it's not a free world, which is why just not buying instead of trying to change the pricing policy isn't reasonable either.  The other options (leaving campus to get food, leaving campus ahead of time to get food to prepare, and preparing it, scheduling your quarter to match up with dining hall hours) are more inconvenient (i.e. they cost students time or money or both) - which is why the stores are on campus in the first place: to provide convenient food AS A SERVICE TO STUDENTS.

The responsible part of Western should have chains - and independents - competing as to who can do the job simultaneously the cheapest and the most satisfactorily to Western students.

Yeah, this is no good.  So, are you trying to say that it's okay that Diggle's stealing because it is "out of necessity".  Definitely not true.  If Diggle's forking out the money (or taking out loans) to go to WWU, then he can sure as hell fork out money to buy his own food.  I don't think Diggle is going to become a crack dealer because he can't ignore his hunger until he goes home.  Yeah, the on campus food is a rip-off, but they're a business here to make money.  Do they over charge?  Yes, of course they do.  But do you really think that makes it okay for people like Diggle to go out there and steal from them?  All people like him will do is make them raise their prices to make up for it.

Ya that is definitely a great point.

I'm against stealing 99.9% of the time.  Stealing out of necessity doesn't fall into that .1% either........Unless there are extenuating circumstances.

The Politics behind these things are dreary and drawn out, so regardless, I can't reap the benefits, but...

Seriously, whose idea was it to give sodexho a monopoly on campus? It doesn't take a course in Econ101 to teach people that such a thing is a bad idea. Why not rent out space deticated to restaurants, and let various companies compete for servicing the students? We already have the infrastructure in place, and I think it would increase the quality of the food by several times what it is currently.

Quite obviously, as I haven't found a single person satisfied with the meals available on campus.

Thank you for reiterating my point.... ? I don't understand what you're trying to say exactly, as I have already stated that I'm surviving. Not very well, but I'm doing all I can. I'm even fattening up the pooch so I'll have an alternative for this years thanksgiving turkey...

:p

hahahahaha

So Strebes, what happens when no local companies show up to fill those spaces?  The insurance that they would need to bring in order to be a food vendor on campus is insanely expensive, most local businesses wouldn't be able to afford it.  If there were really that many local vendors lining up to serve us their food wouldn't there be a few more permanent residents along vendor's row? I mean there are a lot of spaces there, and we only have three vendors that show up on a regular basis.  Also, how do you make sure that these local vendors provide the kind of service that the students want? How do you make sure that there will be groups open around dinner time? how do you keep the cafes open on the weekends?  I could take one look at the Underground cafe's budget and tell you that any independent business in it's right mind would not be opening on the weekends if it was a free market choice rather than a service that Sudexho offers to students.  

I'm not arguing that Sudexho is perfect, I do think they have a lot they could improve, but I do think that you are not looking at the whole picture. Our dining hall food might not be as appetizing as restaurant food, but in comparison with a lot of other campuses, the food we have at the prices they offer is pretty good.  Also, they are always looking to improve what they offer, hence the new burger and grilled cheese offerings in the dining halls, or the wassabi sushi in the markets both of which are new offerings this year.  If you have a real complaint about your food why not let one of the people that represents you address it in the dining committee that meets every month? Or why not send a polite email to someone who can answer your questions about why the system is in place? 

I totally respect the people who are going to school super full time and supporting themselves on top of it... I get that financial aid only goes so far .... but if you do have that kind of a budget, maybe realize that you can't afford the convenience of the markets, instead choosing to pack a lunch. 

Somewhat related...I wish there were some way that those of us who do not use the dining halls but are still required to have a meal plan could be refunded for the money we didn't use up. I've only used the dining halls twice this term, because I normally just cook in my kitchen at BT. I'm signed up for the donate-meals-to-the-homeless program, but I'd much prefer just to get the money back. It seems like blatant stealing on Western's part, to have a mandatory charge for a service I know I won't use.

Until then, anyone who's having a hard time paying the grocery bills can feel free to contact me, I'd be glad to bring them as a guest to the dining halls. Poor food's better than no food, right? Email me at keyles_2@hotmail.com if you ever need a meal.

Word me too.

Also realize that when you chose your meal plan the dining halls had to order that food and it definitely cannot be returned.  Although I wonder how much is non-parishable and can be used the next quarter anyway....

In any case I'm EXTREMELY dissatisfied with about 95% of all food on campus due to price/quality/availability/variety.  WWU has been a major bummer in terms of food.  I can't wait to get a house or apartment with a kitchen to cook some tasty meals.

 The dining hall food is actually not that bad. People just like to bitch because it's from a "cafeteria." 4 years ago when I ate at the dining hall every day I got sick of it... but you'd get sick of anything if you ate it 2-3 times a day for 8 months. At least there is variety, fruits and vegetables, and pizza is always a good standby. Yes, it is expensive, but the quality is not nearly as bad as everyone makes it out to be, and that was 4 years ago. These days it's become quite a bit better.

Also, in regards to the "stealing" of food from the dining hall. If you pay the meal plan, then there's no reason not to grab an apple or cookie for later. You already paid for it.

I don't think taking a cookie or piece of fruit is stealing, and I doubt anybody else does either, it says you're allowed to take it.  What is stealing though is when people take a ton of something, put it in a tuperware or bag and take it back to their rooms, where it will most likely sit in a fridge and rot.  That is stealing, and it is a reason why dining hall "food" costs so much.  So to all the dumbsh*ts who do that, stop, because I don't want my dining plan money to subsidize your excessive amounts of food that is most likely wasted.  Just because you CAN take it definitely doesn't mean you are entitled to it, or that you should take it.

Meredith,

WWU has an enrollment of 13,000. This does not include those who work here or visit here. The population density here is greater than most inner cities. The demand for cheap food is far larger. If the companies were guaranteed that all students who had a meal plan spent at least $150 to the sellers, I think this is an impressive incentive for companies to set up shop within our campus. I never stated local sellers.

things i have learned from living in bellingham for 4 years.
1. dont shop at haggen- EVER
2. shop at cost cutter instead
3. get on mailing list for stores such as cost cutter, Albertsons, freddys, grocery outlet to get advertisements and compare prices before you shop
4. SHOP AT Sunshine liquidators- located on Cornwall and Halleck st (331 bus stops here)
5. costco isnt really a good deal when you can get things cheaper at discount stores, do the price per item and you will see.
6. sign up for food stamps if you qualify
7. on Thursdays sunshine liquidators has student discount, when you spend 10$ or more you get 10% off
8. during April- October a fresh produce stand is open called young stocks, VERY CHEAP produce/veggies/fruits. Cheaper than any store around. Located on James street
9. while Chinese food on campus tastes amazing- it is not healthy for you and should not be eaten more than twice a month!
10. packing a lunch and bringing it to campus is helpful, however sometimes you just cant pack enough food if you are on campus from 8am-11pm :(
11. if you need a job check out tax liberty service and ask to be a sign waver, you get flexible hours, you get to listen to your ipod and wave to cars that pass by-- therapeutic.
12. i have learned through living in bellingham that a lot of people COMPLAIN, they sit there and complain complain, not everything will always benefit you, so look at the situation from all angles.
11. there is a pretzel lady- Ralf's Bavarian pretzel's they sell pretzels at Saturday farmers market (during summer), and also have has a shop open every day! check them out- www.ralfsbakery.com/
12. if you havnt tried gelato yet- go to Fairhaven and DO IT :-D

-- yes this post was long, but hopefully it helped, seriously check out sunshine liquidators they are my favorite store, name brand cereal at constant prices of $1.00- $2.00 a box.