In Transit to Red Bank

We are going down to Red Bank, N.J. this morning. Later today or tomorrow I will be posting my month end report when we have finally got the tally in for July. In the meantime you may want to read the article linked below. I have been fortunate enough to get some good coverage in one of our local papers. Agreed, this is a little self-promotion, but it's not everyday you make it in the news (without getting arrested!).

The Jersey Journal: Luke Sidewalker Article

Check back for the latest update on my predicted completion date, let's hope it has gone down. And to see whether or not I brake the $15 mark this month.


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $14.98

Carpe Diem

Earlier this week I suggested you stay tuned for the third Sidewalker short movie. I had planned to shoot footage of a very tricky coin recovery. I had located a coin that was barely visible and stuck fast between two slabs of concrete; I was to return with the necessary recovery equipment and camera (when did finding coins get so complicated?) at a later date. I guess I got a little complacent and waited too long, because when I returned to the scene this morning the coin had gone! It goes to show you that I should have seized the day, and made the recovery a.s.a.p. Maybe I'm inspiring a few too many new Sidewalkers around town?

So today I thought I would take this opportunity to reintroduce the main protagonists in this blog to any new readers I may have picked up recently. Read below for the Sidewalker roster. They are a colorful bunch of characters, liberally sprinkled through my past posts. Have fun locating them.

Mrs. Sidewalker - She is the glue that keeps Castle Sidewalker together. Whenever the rest of us go off on our flights of fancy she is always on hand to administer a large dose of reality. She also seems to be a bit of a coin magnet. Thanks Mrs. S.

Luke Sidewalker - Yours truly. Fearlessly striding around looking for change, I have never seen a sidewalk I don't like. Trying to use this blog to teach our children the value of money. As the change piles up, so do the deficits. Castle Sidewalker is rapidly becoming a microcosm of America!

Sidewalker Jr. - A studious deep thinker for his three and half years, he is the natural heir to my quest. If you read my Month End Reports, you will see he may have his work cut out for many years to come.

Little Miss Sidewalker - The tenacious little sister, she can always be seen around the Castle and more often than not she will be eating (do not get too close to her). She will eat anything from fruit and yogurt to Sidewalker Jr.'s traveling magnetic checkers set. I fear the day I come home to find her eating out of the coin jar.

Cap'n Tinkerson - He comes from a highly distinguished family of salty old sea dogs. If you go to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore you may see him cruising around at the helm of the good ship Spiller. He once made a crew member walk the plank for not stealing an extra ration of grog!

Dr. Tinkerson - Pretty enough to play a doctor on TV, yet smart enough to be one in real life; she is the spouse of the Cap'n. This is one treasure the Captain will not be leaving behind on a desert island.

The Vulcanologist - A handy darts player with a passion for rocks. Try not to befriend him as he moves house quite frequently and his aforementioned rock collection is a back-breaker to shift. Trust me I know.

Mr. Andrew Gates - As himself.

I'm looking forward to meeting more characters as my quest continues. Is a Luke Sidewalker encounter in your future?


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $14.78

Alas poor change jar...

Unfortunately I have some very sad news to relay today. It started this morning when I noticed that Sidewalker Jr. was a little antsy, so I suggested he join me on a field trip to help ease away the blues (and to bribe him into finishing his Cheerios for breakfast). I requested he ride shotgun for me as we took the Sidewalker Fund to the bank, and I would let him poor it all (ex-the '57 Wheat Back) into the change counting machine. Don't worry all you child safety police out there, shotgun in the Sidewalker jalopy is a child seat in the rear passenger side all nicely anchored and safely strapped in!

Anyway, we arrive at the bank. The Fund gets poured from the change jar into the counter by Sidewalker Jr., who is by now much happier, and visibly proud as it counts every hard-found penny we had. We proceed to get a deposit ticket then fill it out and with a receipt from the change machine go to the teller to complete our transaction.

The trip was a resounding success,we even found a penny on the way back to the car. On returning to Castle Sidewalker, Jr. rushes in to show off the new find. Mrs. Sidewalker tells him to put it in the change jar as we are starting anew, at which point I look at Jr. and he looks at me... CHANGE JAR!

Now we obviously had it at the cash counting machine, and I vaguely remember it at the deposit ticket desk, although not so much at the teller. Not to worry I say, I'll give the bank a call. I ask them if anyone has handed in an old jar, "No" is the reply. Oh. I say it must be at the deposit ticket desk, then the words hit me like a freight train, "No Sir there is no jar there either".

That jar had been with me for decades, it was like a trusty friend, always on my bed side table, the last thing I saw every night just as I was setting my alarm clock. The saddest part is, I've had to use an archive photo for this post, as I don't even have an original of my now departed vessel.

The flags will be at half-mast for the rest of the week at Castle Sidewalker. I took this opportunity to teach Jr., that just because something has always been there, doesn't mean it always will be there.

I looked into the replacement cost, (not that it can ever be replaced) somewhere in the region of $20, oh well...


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $14.77

5 Reasons why I can't run for Public Office

Following the arrest last week of the local Mayor, there is now the very real possibility of a special election being held to fill his spot should he resign, or be incarcerated. I have been flattered, and to a certain extent stunned, to learn that in some quarters my name has been put forward to run for public office in the event that a special election is called. My supporters cite my unparalleled experience with "change" making me perfect for the job. However, my opponents have rightly pointed out that I have a long and well documented record of handling "dirty money" and that may be a major stumbling block on my route to City Hall (or not in these parts!).

As humbled as I am at the suggestion, below are the reasons why it can't happen:

1. I'm apolitical, and with no affiliation to the Democrats or Republicans it would be very tough to run as an Independent.

2. As of the time of posting my "war chest" to fund a run for public office stands at $14.64 (although I hope to find a little more before the election).This is not nearly enough in today's cash infused political environment.

3. My non-negotiable stance about applying commonsense to all decisions will, in all likelihood, be very poorly received in political circles.

4. If I ever try to cut the budget for street cleaning my opponents will immediately cry, "Conflict of interest!".

5. This blog was written to teach Sidewalker Jr. and Little Miss Sidewalker about the value of money, and not to be a launchpad for any political machinations!


-Luke Sidewalker (For Mayor)
-Current balance $14.64

One Starbucks Gift Card to rule them all...

I'm sure you will be glad to know that I have finally come to a decision regarding what should be done with the Starbucks gift card that I found a couple of weeks ago (Posted here - Lost and Found). My search to find the owner of the card proved to be an impossible task. I'd like to thank everyone that wrote in with suggestions as to my course of action. In the end I found a unique solution, and as with all decisions of this nature I'm sure I will not be able to please everyone, least of all myself!

As time ticks by, with each passing second the urge to use the card became stronger and stronger from deep within me. It had a similar effect on me as the One Ring had on Frodo in the Lord of the Rings. And so it came to pass on Friday of last week that the last vestiges of my willpower were finally crushed like a tin can at 2,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. Yes, I used the card, which is no mean feat given my aversion to coffee. I charged a freshly squeezed organic orange juice to "my precious" card. I'll admit it, the heavy burden of being the "card-bearer" is burning a hole in my soul that grows larger with each passing day. It threatens to tear apart the very fabric that holds us Sidewalkers together. I need to find my own personal Mount Doom, to cast the card into! As soon as I identify my "Mount Doom" we shall have some fun following the final fate of the now infamous card. (Does it seem like I'm making excuses to hold onto the card for a bit longer?)

In other news, I came across a penny yesterday that could not be retrieved in a conventional manner. I hope to return to the location to see the coin still in position. If that is the case I plan to use some of the tools in the Sidewalker Rescue Pack to salvage the coin; and further more, it is my intention to capture the whole episode on my trusty cell phone. So keep an eye out later this week for another original Sidewalker movie short...


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $14.53

Say it ain't so...Cammarano

The Sidewalker Mailbag has been canceled this Friday due to the stunning swoop and following arrests made in the local area by the F.B.I. on Thursday. Read on...

By looking at my Cash Trail map in the side bar on the right, you don't have to be Christopher Columbus to figure out that Castle Sidewalker is located somewhere in the dark recesses of Hudson County, New Jersey. For my readers from further afield, you may be familiar with this area as it is the "playground" of Tony Soprano, from the HBO series The Sopranos. Right now I wished we lived in the fictitious world of The Sopranos, as that would be more believable than the events that unfolded here early on Thursday morning. Once again the national spotlight shined brightly on Hudson County for all the wrong reasons. The Mayor of Hoboken, Peter Cammarano, was arrested for allegedly receiving payments from a property developer for preferential treatment at the local zoning board. The indictment does actually include the passing of brown envelopes stuffed with cash in the parking lot of a local diner, I kid you not! However I am not going to rush to judgement (that is not the way of the Sidewalker), I'll just wait and let the legal system run it's course. What I do find remarkable about the arrest is that the Mayor had only been in office for 23 days. Unfortunately most Mayors around these parts get arrested at some point during their 4 year term; but 23 days, come on, that has to be some kind of a record! Can anyone out there beat that?

It may turn out to be that I'm not the only one who has been picking up cash in Hoboken! I have come to the conclusion that Hoboken may be the only town in America that can compete with Chicago when it comes to political corruption. If you were to measure corruption per capita, Hoboken really knocks it out of the park; which is rather ironic as it is also known as the "birthplace of baseball".

In other news, I have arrived at a solution for the now infamous Starbucks Gift Card. I shall reveal it's fate on Monday, so be sure to check back in then.

Have a great weekend...


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $14.29 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

Starbucks Redux

If you remember a week or so ago I found a Starbucks gift card at a bus stop in Hoboken. The full story of finding it can be found here. After much publicizing of my find, and after a couple of opportunist attempts to claim the card by interlopers, the true owner has not come forward.

I can now reveal the amount outstanding on the card is $10. This sum of money would give an incredible boost to the Sidewalker Fund, but we are left with a couple of questions. Firstly how am I to monetize this find? Secondly, even if I can monetize it, is it within the spirit of my quest to add it to the total?

So let's look at my options:

1. I can stand outside a Starbucks and offer to buy people coffee for cash. I recall this being done in movie not so long ago, but I can't recollect which one.

2. Reader(s) of the blog could bid for the $10 value of the gift card, you may even get it at a discount!

3. I'm meeting a reporter this week who potentially wants to do an article about my adventures, we just happen to be meeting in a Starbucks. Perhaps I could use the card there, in order to break the ice at the interview.

Any thoughts on how I deal with this would be most welcome. Or are you a purist, and think I should not include the proceeds of this find in the Sidewalker Fund at all? Let me know what you are thinking...


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $14.29 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

Penny Finders Wish List & Other Rarities

Ever since I found that 1957 Wheat Back penny last week I have done some more research into the different types of pennies in circulation. Now that I have got the concept in my head that not all pennies are created equal, I decided to draw up a wish list of those I would like to find in the street. So in no particular order here goes.

1. 1943 Steel Cent. During the Second World War there was a shortage of copper, so the 1943 pennies were made from zinc coated steel. The only US issued coin ever to be made from steel.

2. Indian Head Cent. Struck between 1859 and 1909.

3. All four 2009 Lincoln Cents. These four special edition pennies will have different scenes from Lincoln's life on the reverse.

While I'm on the subject of rarities, a Government bureaucrat in Washington spoke the truth today. If you want to see what it looks like when members of our "free" press, (in this case a financial cable tv channel, bought and paid for by the bankers) try to sandbag said official, then click on this link to the Market Ticker blog run by Karl Denninger and enjoy. If the subject matter does not make you feel queasy, the treatment of the Inspector General for TARP, Mr. Barofsky definitely will! I'm just the man in the street (albeit picking up change), but when Congress signed off on TARP wasn't it $700 Billion, how did we get to $23.7 Trillion (with a T, that is no typo)? I feel like Rip Van Winkle, did I fall asleep and miss something?

Just to stress this blog is apolitical, but the Sidewalker's don't like getting robbed just like the majority of you out there. When I see a wrong, not matter what part of the political spectrum it emanates from, I call it! As a taxpayer, Mr. Barofsky maybe our only hope...


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $14.16 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

Baltimore Bonanza!

OK, so the post title is a little liberal with the truth, but our trip to Baltimore did yield 51 cents for the Sidewalker Fund. The purpose of the trip was to visit our good friend Captain Tinkerson, and his lovely wife Dr. Tinkerson. We were once again overwhelmed by the generosity of their hosting. However Cap'n Tinkerson comes from a long line of well decorated salty sea dogs, and it was hard to refuse his offer of a days sailing around the Inner Harbor on his barque, the good ship Spiller. The downside of this nautical extravaganza was the lack of coin finding opportunities on the open sea, so this took a real bite out of our predicted total for the trip. The highlight of the sail was when Sidewalker Jr. said, "Daddy there is a big boat behind us". To which I replied, "Don't be ridiculous son, we would...", just as five loud blasts from it's horn indicated we should move aside lest we get holed and sunk by the massive tugboat. I can confirm that Baltimore is still very much a working port!

The two most noticeable finds were the penny found in the demonstration of the steering mechanism on the pier next to the USS Constellation, and a quarter that Cap'n Tinkerson pointed out to us at the National Aquarium. I think he was trying to make up for the sailing debacle. Also Light Street was like a penny arcade, evidence of this can be seen in my Cash Trail Map in the side bar to the right, as I have plotted all the Baltimore finds already.

As we strolled around the inner harbor, I remarked to Cap'n Tinkerson that the local folk down here seem to dress real strange. After a raucous belly laugh befitting of his status as a "man of the sea", the Cap'n explained that Baltimore was hosting an Anime (Japanese cartoon characters) convention, and the fans like to dress up in the spirit of the event. My bad!

The picture above is a Sidewalker original of the transom of the USS Constellation, the restoration work done on this old Man O' War is quite exquisite. I would definitely recommend a visit if you are in the Baltimore Inner Harbor area. Likewise the Aquarium is a must see, and the dolphin show was a big hit with the kids.

So the window to claim my found Starbucks gift card has expired. Later this week we will explore the possibilities of how we are to proceed with this find.


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $13.92 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

Traveling Circus

As much as I would like to write a multi-paragraph rant today about how, as a taxpayer, I feel I have been fleeced by Goldman Sachs (GS.N) and their record breaking earnings announced yesterday. Unfortunately I just don't have the time right now, as we are setting out on our road trip. And alas, right there, I have become part of the problem, and not part of the solution...

Instead I am just finishing the partition wall made out of our baggage in the back seat of the Sidewalker jalopy. This wall needs to be built so that World War III does not break out in the rear, when Sidewalker Jr. sees Little Miss Sidewalker shove the last piece of his traveling magnetic checkers set in her mouth around Exit 7 on the New Jersey Turnpike.

So without wasting anymore time lets move swiftly on to the ultimate clue in our destination teaser.

Clue #1: The target is a port city on the Eastern seaboard of the United States.
Clue #2: The target is South of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Clue #3: The target is the final port of call for the USS Constellation


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $13.39 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

The New Numismatist

Yesterday one of the four pennies I found was from 1957. On closer inspection I noticed a different design on the reverse of this coin. After further research I found out the coin is what is known as a "Wheat Back" in numismatic circles, for the two wheat sheaves as seen in the image shown here.

Up until yesterday I was of the opinion that all pennies were created equal. Today I stand corrected! Wheat back pennies were made from 1909 to 1958 and because of their rarity the price of them can range from three cents right up to $550 a piece according to this article from about.com .

On returning back to Castle Sidewalker I did not put my '57 Wheat Back with the general population of change in the jar on my bed side table. It is now residing in solitary confinement, wrapped in tissue paper, in a high security compound at the Castle (it is like the Pablo Escobar of my coin collection)! The reason for the heightened security being that this little Wheatie of mine may have a resale value of up to three cents, and as they would say on the Antiques Roadshow, for insurance purposes I should probably have it covered for a nickel!

In other news, yesterday a bird mistook me for a washroom and relieved itself on my head. It is not my intention to take this blog down the toilet humor route, but it is not every day you get dumped on by sea gull, so I thought it was worth a mention. This could be taken as a good sign in some quarters, especially if you are in the shampoo business...

OK, moving on, the road trip later this week is now confirmed, so I will roll out clue number two. I have only had one guess so far, which was Boston and it was wrong. Perhaps I should add an incentive to encourage more guesses? Any one care to guess correctly for a 52 year old Wheatie...?

Clue #1: The target is a port city on the Eastern seaboard of the United States.
Clue #2: The target is South of the Mason-Dixon Line.


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $13.38 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

What the ...?

Well the Saturday night trip into Manhattan did not produce anything to add to my total. I was going to the house warming party for my good friend the vulcanologist, you remember that guy from the Density of Rock post? I had substantial hopes for New York City to give me a high yielding return, but the weather gods produced a fantastic lightning show with accompanying rain. So my aim went from finding coins to staying dry, both of which I failed at. I did bounce back with a couple of finds on Sunday to keep my total ticking over.

If you look at the picture associated with this post (it is a Sidewalker original), you will see that I have captured everything that we abhor here at Castle Sidewalker. Firstly there is the parking meter, the ultimate cash vampire! Then some genius thought they would display their disrespect of the penny by attaching it with chewing gum to said parking meter. At least they showed some remorse by not gumming up Abe Lincoln and instead defiling the tails side. The bigger question to be asked is; has the penny become so irrelevant that it's ok to be treated in this way? As much as it disturbed me, I thought it made for an interesting snap shot.

In other news, we are very much considering the Europe Expedition I mentioned last week. And in preparation for that we are going on a mini trip this week to test the logistics of taking this "circus" on the road! Let's see if you can guess our destination. I will give a clue every day, for the next three days.

Clue #1: The target is a port city on the Eastern seaboard of the United States.


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $13.24 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

Sidewalker Mailbag #4

We made it through another week. On reflection it was a week of high drama, we had the as yet unconfirmed celebrity coin find. We had a family bug and quarantine, and we have the latest dilemma of the gift card find. One thing is for sure, hanging around Castle Sidewalker is not a dull past time at all. So without further ado let's dip into the Sidewalker mailbag and see what it has to offer us this week.

"I found $0.41 at Wal-Mart in a shopping basket. Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, and Washington, all in a row!"
-jake_Iam from Wisconsin, U.S.A. via Twitter
[LS: I can't tell you how green I turned on getting this tweet. For the coin finding purists out there, this is the ultimate Grand Slam. Congratulations Jake.]

"When commuting by bike(6 miles each way), I did the same thing (bored, I guess)! Easiest to see 'em in the dark, by street lamp."
-dreamon51 somewhere in the Universe via Twitter
[LS: An interesting twist, by cycling I could cover more ground and pick up more coins, alas Lance Armstrong I'm not.]

"@LukeSidewalker haha you're a good guy....I had a dream the other night I found 10 pounds in coins...your influence I'm certain of it!!"
-DON4LD from London, England via Twitter
[LS: Never underestimate the power of the force Donald!]

And of course I would not deprive you of one from the naysayers.

"you will never reach a million... never..."
-dubbledutch from the United Kingdom via Twitter
[LS: Thank you for your opinion. One thing is for sure, if I never try I never will, however I have started, so the jury is out for now.]

I'm planning a road trip next week, so let's see if the fresh location pays dividends.
Have a great weekend.


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $13.11 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

Lost and Found

Today's post is late because I have been embroiled in what can only be described as a bizarre sequence of events. It all started with me looking down, no surprise there! I was at a bus stop in Hoboken N.J., and down in the gutter glinting at me in the late afternoon sun was what appeared to be a credit card. I bent down with the intention to secure the card, and if possible repatriate it with the rightful owner, before it could be put to a more nefarious use by an individual less scrupulous than myself.

However on further inspection I saw that it was not a credit card at all, but in fact a gift card to be used in a Starbucks Coffee outlet. I would have given it no further thought, had it not been in pristine condition. Curiosity got the better of me and there are several Starbucks in town close by (isn't that the case in every town in America?), so I resolved to find out if there was any balance on the card.

Well you can imagine my shock when the cashier checked it and told me there was an active balance. My shock soon turned to panic when she asked me what I would like; I do not drink coffee, I don't even speak coffee and I'm totally out of my comfort zone in the company of Barista's (I guess I can rule out Starbucks as a future sponsor of my endeavor!). This leaves me with one and potentially two problems...

1)If you have lost a Starbucks coffee gift card at a bus stop in Hoboken, leave me a note in the comments section below or send me a tweet, stating at which bus stop you lost it at, and also the balance on the card before high noon E.D.T. on 16th June 2009. If your information rings true, I will return it to you.

2)In the event a legitimate claim is not made by the cut off time, how will I monetize this "plastic" find to add to the Sidewalker Fund?

When I started this adventure I never thought finding street cash would get this complicated. I think I need a coffee...


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $13.11 (plus pending Starbucks resolution)

European Expedition?

I'm happy to announce that the quarantine has been lifted at Castle Sidewalker and we are all feeling much better. During our down time it gave me a chance to surf the internet, where I came across this treasure hunting article from a UK publication called the Daily Mail.

It is a remarkable story about the finding of a massive hoard of ancient gold coins from Roman times. Actually to be more precise, the story is about the dispute of how the "spoils" will be distributed. This is the piece of these stories that I really love. There is always one guy that has been looking for the mother lode all his life, and there is always at least one other party that wants in on the action post find. Now are you are beginning to see the merits of my Cash Trail Map? Funny how my twelve bucks and change has not drawn any claimants!

Anyway, as I was picking up my third cent today (which incidentally I did not have to bend down for, as someone had kindly placed it on top of a parking meter for me), I could not stop thinking about this story. The earliest coins I am going to find on these fine shores will probably be from circa 1600's. I started to formulate a plan to go on a European expedition. Does anyone have any opinions on the viability of such a trip? Would you be interested if I chronicled the trip here on the blog?

As an aside, seeing the Royal Standard as my image for this post got me thinking that Castle Sidewalker looks naked without one! Are there any budding graphic designers out there that would like a shot at making the Sidewalker Standard? If so, they can have their work fluttering regally above the ramparts of Castle Sidewalker to signify my presence at the residence!


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $12.84

Quarantine

I apologize for the brevity of the post today, but I'm not feeling great. Let's hope it is just a 24 hour issue. I just haven't quite got that hop in my step today, but the glass is still half full! Castle Sidewalker has been closed to the public and the four of us are under quarantine. I don't see any finds in my immediate future, unless the pharmacy can bail me out.



-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $12.81

Celebrity Coinage?

Of late I have not been blogging on individual coin finds, unless they have been out of the ordinary. This holiday weekend Mrs. Sidewalker had such a find. Not only was it a big haul (45 cents no less) but the location and size of the find leads me to believe that it may be our first celebrity coin find!

Hoboken, N.J. is the location of Carlo's Bake Shop, the HQ of TLC's very own Cake Boss. Behind the shop is a back alley for deliveries and it is here that Mrs. Sidewalker found the four dimes and a nickel. The exact location can be seen on my Cash Trail Map in the sidebar to the right. I hope the Cake Boss does not read this blog, otherwise I may be getting an offer I can't refuse in the not too distant future! As long as it involves pastries (which are absolutely fantastic from there) and nothing to do with sleeping with the fishes in the Hudson River I won't mind too much!

So we are left with more questions than answers. Was this indeed our first case of celebrity coinage? What was Mrs. Sidewalker doing loitering by the delivery entrance of a "Bakery to the Stars" on a Sunday? There is much head scratching to be done at Castle Sidewalker today.

I'll leave you with a Sidewalker factoid of the day. The Cake Boss made the Sidewalker wedding cake! I can hear you thinking that is not very frugal having your wedding cake made by a celebrity chef. On the contrary, when you have it made many years before the chef achieves celebrity status it can be a great talking point at social gatherings! Seems a shame we ate it now...


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $12.77

Sidewalker Mailbag #3

I just want to wish everyone a happy 4th. If you are playing with fireworks this weekend be careful and stay safe. Well it's Friday so that means it must be mailbag time! Let's dip in and and see what delights are waiting for us ahead of this long holiday weekend.

"In this area, you're lucky to find a penny a year. Even my metal detector won't find it!"
- D_Old_Man from U.S.A., via Twitter
[LS: I'm sorry to hear that Old Man. If only I knew where you were located, I could avoid it like the plague. I don't think I could stand the damage to my cents per day stat.]

"I have found a 'wealth' of coins just sitting in trays on the counters of just about any convenience store."
- thecomputerdave from Florida, U.S.A. via Twitter
[LS: Dave I find your enthusiasm infectious, but I think you will find that is stealing.]

"Thinking @LukeSidewalker and @DavidSlocombe should meet! One is searching for a million, 1Cent at a time, the other giving away a million!"
- KarenLKay from Mississippi, U.S.A. via Twitter
[LS: Sounds too good to be true Karen, I don't think his intention is to give it all to one person though! Thanks for the heads-up.]

And I could not leave you without the obligatory rebuttal, just to keep it real.

"@LukeSidewalker WORST GIMMICK EVER AHAHHAHA. JUST DO LIKE THE WINOS DO AND STICK TO DUMPSTER DIVING FOR CANS. YOU'LL GET RICH FASTER HAHAH"
- MrFriendo from no fixed address via Twitter
[LS: Hey pal, you may want to take the caps lock off before I take anything you say seriously.]

While everyone is looking up at the fireworks this weekend, I'll be the one looking down for coins! Happy Independence Day.

Have a great long weekend.


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $12.30

Trading Places

This morning I came across an interesting blog. Some of you may already be familiar with it, it is the story of a guy, Kyle MacDonald, who started with one red paperclip and traded his way up to a house. He is now looking to trade that house, which got my mind ticking over. I have contacted him with a proposal. I have offered the full assets and balance sheet of the Sidewalker Fund in exchange for the house; that is not only the cash balance of $12.30, but all the royalties from my short movies, and all the Sidewalker image rights as well. If he drives a hard bargain I may well throw in Sidewalker Jr. and Little Miss Sidewalker as well!

I'm not saying I've had enough of Castle Sidewalker, but it does get tiresome herding the whole family into the dungeon for the winter, as it is the warmest room in the place. Also the air conditioning (a.k.a the three missing bricks in the North facing facade) lets in a lot of water during thunderstorms, but the place does have "character" in spades, and if the deal goes through we will be leaving with a heavy heart. I hope the new occupants will remember to feed the bats.

Having just previewed this post and reading what I have done, written down here in black and white, has got me feeling buyers remorse already and I haven't even heard back from Mr. Red Paperclip yet! In the current real estate environment I think I may have offered too much. Does anyone know how to retract a voice mail...?

In other news, the State of California is about to start printing IOU's. If only the grocery store would accept Sidewalker IOU's, but that is a post for another day.


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $12.30

Sidewalker Taboo!

Ever since I did my first video presentation (in the the post: Sidewalker busts $10 in video first!), I have been itching to do another. As premier coin finder and editor-in-chief of this esteemed publication, I allow myself the one indulgence of using this platform as a showcase for my nascent cinematography career. I do expect to get some constructive criticism from my readership, especially when I put my work in the harsh glare of the public spotlight.

Today's video short highlights one of the many temptations for Sidewalkers the world over. I can only imagine what it would be like to live in Rome! Throwing coins into a fountain is a practice that is said to come from ancient Greece. It was an offering to the Naiad nymph of the spring or well. These offerings were to insure that the source of the water would not run dry. Needless to say, it is not in the Sidewalker playbook to pilfer coins from fountains. It is strictly taboo and not one cent of the Sidewalker Fund has originated in this manner. I'm not one to incur the wrath of nymphs!

I can envision the Oscar's next year. Clint Eastwood on the podium, "And the Oscar for the 'best independent short film shot on a cell phone by a newcomer' goes to... Luke Sidewalker for Sidewalker Taboo". Applause.

We all need a dream, right?


-Luke Sidewalker
-Current balance $12.29