Photo Centers will close, but most photo services will be available online.
All Costco photo centers at the warehouses will close on February 14, 2021. Online services will remain available.
Personally, this will not affect me much. I am fine with their new concept. Their online services will provide everything I need for my photography needs, and more.
Costco’s photo center website will be fully functioning. From there, you can order prints, posters, greeting cards, special prints, photo books, photo gifts, business-related prints, etc… Costco provides high-quality photo products. When I was an active photographer, Costco was my main source for prints. The pictures looked just like the ones I printed at professional photo labs.
Services no longer available will be ink refill, passport photos, photo restoration, and movie transfer service.
Passport photo – September 24, 2008
Passport photo receipt – January 17, 2018
*If you are sending a print job to Costco digitally, you might want to turn off the “Auto-Correct” feature from the Costco website user interface. You should only use Auto-Correct if you are absolutely clueless about photography.
A printer is a vital tool to conduct business or take care of personal matters. Even if you are just a casual computer user, there will be a time you need a printer. When that time comes, a working printer will save your day.
I have an HP laser printer (Laserjet P1005) sitting behind a computer monitor.
I bought the printer in 2008 and started to use it in 2010. It’s been reliable for over 10 years so far. I like this printer.
The printer was $50 (free shipping) brand new at Newegg. It was super cheap.
It only prints in black. To me, a color printer means extra hassle. Also, I spent an unjustifiable amount of money on color cartridges in the past. There was no “refill” back then. I will never own a color printer.
For this printer, I spend $30 on toner, and they last 2-3 years. I keep 2 backup toners, just in case.
What I enjoyed the most in 2020 was driving my convertible to the beach.
I never meditate or do yoga. But I guess what I do is meditate. I sit on the beach for 20-30 minutes, and I drive back home, overwhelmed with positive energy.
I always find something to enjoy, with or without money. That’s how I found the joy of Costco shopping. 10-12 years ago, I used to go to Costco just to look around and get a hot dog. I enjoyed that time so much.
In 2021, I wish to continue enjoying my slow and boring life. Nothing else matters. Everything will fall into its place.
Please be safe. God bless those who are suffering. We all send positive energy to each other.
Below is my last Sunset on the beach in 2020, on December 26, 2020. I will keep in touch soon. Happy new year.
I have a high expectation for Kirkland Signature 680 thread count 6-piece sheet set (#1306090). After $20 manufacturer’s savings, these queen-size sets are $49.99 each. That’s a good price. Just a fitted sheet in this quality can be over $100 at a department store, maybe $75 on sale. I need more time to try these, but they look and feel (super) high class. I am picky when it comes to bedding materials, and this 680 thread count cotton is silky smooth they shine. If you are a flannel person, you are missing out. These cotton sheets will improve as you wash more. If you want to experience how rich people sleep, try these sheets – and put a fluffy down comforter on top.
Hampton Farms peanuts were not good. I had these peanuts last month, and they were excellent. But this time they were bad. They are thin, dark, and bitter. Maybe December is not a good month for peanuts. I will try again next year.
Dishwashing scrubbers, toothbrushes, soaps, and razor blades are staple items. I already have enough to last a year. But, since they were on sale, I bought them and added them to long-term storage. Now I’m good for 2+ years.
And there are two mystery supplements I bought, Focus Factor and Testosterone Support. I don’t know if they work or not. I take them because I am afraid I may lose my edge. They pay me big bucks for what I do at work. Many people spend hundreds of hours on big sales projects. It’s my job to take those projects, turn them into web pages, and publish them on the website (usually at midnight). I am the last in line for these projects, and I desperately need to maintain my focus. Maybe I don’t need any of these pills.
I was getting the second dose of the shingles vaccine at Costco. So, I took a half-day off from work (sick day). I wore a mask and rubber gloves. The Covid-19 pandemic is at its worst yet. Over 3,0000 people die in America every single day. This is scary. Please be careful.
60 years old or older policy
Today, Costco was enforcing the 9-10 am 60 years old or older policy. Sometimes there aren’t many people in the warehouse – and they allow younger shoppers to enter early. I was perfectly fine waiting outside. I pay tax and follow the rules. The weather was pleasant outside with a clear blue sky. Soon, it was 10 AM. The line to get into the warehouse was very long.
Shingles Vaccine
I get injections (vaccines) from Costco occasionally. I barely feel the needle. But this time… I could feel the needle cutting through the meat of my shoulder. I felt the sharp poking, and I bled. I bled enough that he had to wipe it off twice. It was not painful, but one might say otherwise. I was not angry. It was all good. But I thought he should know that he was not very good at his job. Of course, I said nothing to him. “Thank you. Happy holidays. You suck.”
FYI: In most cases, you will feel miserable after a shingle shot. It’s not horribly bad, but you might want to take a day off from work the next day. I had a body ache, fever, and.. just miserable and sick. I worked from home; I clocked in, but I didn’t do any work. I was just miserable.
Toilet Paper
I put my flannel shirt back on and grabbed my shopping cart. It was comforting to see plenty of toilet papers. People were grabbing them left and right, but there was plenty for everyone.
Kirkland Signature Spiral Ham
Kirkland Signature spiral ham was on top of my shopping list. This is a must-buy. Is this Christmas time? Then get this ham from Costco. The smallest Honey Baked Ham is about $60 and it goes up from there. My 10.3 pounds ham was $29.77. It comes with the glaze mix. I like my ham glazed.
Kirkland Signature Frozen Shrimps (21/25)
Jumbo shrimps were on sale – so I bought 2 packs. These are huge shrimps (21-25 count per pound). Keep your Costco membership guys.. these are crazy good stuff. Two bags will last me about a year. It’s tough to have good food at home and not enjoy them every day. But, I will make them last a year.
32 Degrees Heat long sleeve shirts
32 degrees heat long sleeve shirts were on sale ($11.99 for 2-pack). It was the best price I could find anywhere. They are also available on the Costco website for $1 more ($12.99 for 2-pack), which is still a very good price. So I bought 3 packs. I have a few of these long sleeve shirts. My arms get cold when I work from home. Now I don’t have to turn on the heater as often. I saved $9 with instant savings. And I will also save on my electric and gas bills.
The Cheesecake Factory, Original Cheesecake
The Original Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory is crazy good times for everyone, including people like me who live alone. They are pre-sliced and divided into 12 pieces. You keep them frozen, so they will last a long time. This is a single people’s insurance policy for depression. Do you feel blue and nobody loves you? Eat a piece of cheesecake and drive a convertible. Everything will be fine. Hahaha, that’s awful.
I bought 2 bunches of flowers. They were special holiday arrangements – with pine cones and shit. My female friend has a sister who was visiting, so I would give them to both of the sisters. A big box of Cheez-It Crackers was for them as well. I tell you, guys… I should write a book about how to kiss ass.
And I bought the rest of the stuff – eggs, salad kit, spinach, carrots, and trash bags.
One of my favorite purchases from Costco is the Vitamix blender. I believe my Vitamix blender keeps me fit and healthy. Ultimately, Vitamix contributes to a happier life. I highly recommend Vitamix blender to everyone. It doesn’t have to be Vitamix. But everyone should have some kind of powerful blender and use it every day. I am no doctor. I cannot explain this scientifically. But a vegetable juice has to be better than a bowl of cereal. There has to be a tremendous positive long-term effect from a daily diet of vegetable juice.
I don’t claim that the Vitamix blender changed my life. I am healthy because of how I make decisions in my life. Vitamix was one of the decisions I made.
Before Vitamix, I used to juice for 7-8 years. Then, in January 2012, I switched to Vitamix blender. For almost 9 years, I’ve been using a Vitamix blender twice a day. I make a juice in the morning and another one after work. I rarely skip my routine. I estimate I ran my Vitamix blender for at least 8000 minutes (= 133 hours = 5.5 Days).
Last week, I was making my Vitamix juice as usual. But, this time, the blender made a strange noise, and I saw smoke coming out from the blade assembly (gear). I quickly turned off the machine.
And I went for my backup container. Yes, I had a backup container already.
64 ounce Classic Vitamix blender container. Old and new.
How to keep Vitamix container clean
Vitamix blender containers are made out of plastic, not glass, for a safety reason. Vitamix is super powerful. If the blade mechanism fails, it could shatter the glass container. Then horrible things can happen, including a lawsuit. So they are made out of plastic, and these plastic containers will get stained easily. Once they are stained, there is no getting it out.
This is how I will keep my Vitamix container clean
I will wash & dry the container soon after each use.
I will never air dry my Vitamix container.
After each use, I will run the blender with clean water for 5 seconds.
I will clean the container gently with a non-scratch sponge. I will absolutely avoid an abrasive sponge that will scratch the container instantly and permanently.
I will use a micro-fiber towel to completely wipe dry the container.
