Tim introduces himself to our fair city

By Tim Goodwin - Oct 29, 2013 | 0 comments

Safety first, we always say. And what is more dangerous than an onion? Well, no fruit nor vegetable will phase you if you’re rocking these sweet specs. Tim is now impervious to all tear-inducing aromas, including the sweet smell of a wildly successful shopping trip.

Here we see the instrument Tim keeps threatening to play to alert Keith every time he finishes another story. Whoops, there it is again. You’ll have to excuse us, we have to place another finely crafted Tim Goodwin gem on these pages.

It’s no secret that Dos Amigos is where it’s at. In fact, Tim may have already been a veteran of a few taco Tuesdays prior to this mid-spree stop for a snack. Just look at that artfully displayed taco and guac and tell me you aren’t getting hungry.

Beyond finally establishing for us that Tim can, in fact, spell (at least his own name), our visit to Granite State Candy Shoppe was taxing, if for no other reason than choosing just one delectable dessert there is almost impossible. Actually, that’s the only reason it was taxing. Otherwise, it was delicious looking.

Here, Tim takes advantage of a self-framing promotion at Rowland Studio. Hurry down and you can purchase Tim’s face in a frame, for a limited time only! Actually, this is just the beginning of Tim’s sure-to-be illustrious career at the Insider. That frame wil hold either an award or a discarded fast food wrapper before the year is out.

This Grumpy Cat book featured a veritable treasure trove of witty gems. Like the following decrees, for example: “Whatever doesn’t kill you isn’t working,” and “I’ve lived nine lives, and this is the worst.” Tim thought this would make a great gift for his wife, though we’re going to assume it’s because of the snarky humor and funny cat pictures and not because of the messages themselves.

It’s getting colder out there, and Tim could no doubt use an addition or two to his winter wardrobe. This ain’t it, though. Were this picture in color, you’d better understand just how Cosby-era bad it actually is. For some reason, it also weighed approximately 28 pounds.

What could be more Concordy than the official flag of the capital city? Nothing, that’s what.

As some of you may know, I’m new to this area.

I never spent a lot of time in Concord before moving to the Insider, and there’s only so much you can get around and see when you’re at work all day.

So we decided it would be a good idea for me to familiarize myself with the downtown area. After comprising a shopping list of sorts, I embarked on a journey down Main Street to find all the essentials. I did get a few pointers from one of my colleagues (thanks to Insider ad wiz Alex Chaisson) and had some help from our editor, Keith, but I really wanted this to be an adventure.

When the idea was first hatched, there was talk of a budget – but that didn’t last long.

Like a good husband, I found my real wife a fictitious gift right off the bat. Mary loves cats, and especially funny pictures of cats, so the Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book ($12.95) from Caring Gifts was the perfect solution.

Being new to Concord, I really wanted something that just screamed Concord. To let people know exactly how much I’m looking forward to this endeavor. After some intense searching, Flag Works Over America gave me exactly what I needed – an official Concord flag ($69.95). And for just $129.95 more I could get the flag pole to go with it.

With any new job, you always want to look good. I have plenty of nice clothes (okay niceish), but I thought another new shirt or sweater would be a nice addition to the selection. I’m a frugal shopper when it comes to clothes, so I hit up OutFITters Thrift Store in search of some new duds. And I cannot believe anybody would get rid of this sweater. Actually. I’m kidding. I am more intrigued to find out who approved such an eyesore, but it was only $12 and filled a need if I never want any of my colleagues to talk to me again.

By this point in the trip, I was starving, and a trip to Dos Amigos for a taco and some chips for just $5.45 was a fantastic way to break up the shopping spree.

A stop at Depot Antiques and Toys landed me two items on my list. With a brand new desk to work at, I needed something that screamed Tim. At the same time, I also wanted a way to keep Keith on his toes, so a mini xylophone for $10 could not have been the more perfect purchase. I also found this amazing little rocking chair ($5) that would be a fit for my future side job as a miniature scene maker. It is the first piece to my master plan.

Since I plan to win many awards in my time at the Insider, frame shopping can never start too soon. After some searching for just the right one at Rowland Studio, I found it, and for only $85. Now I just need a nice commendation to put in it. You hear that New Hampshire Press Association.

A craving for dessert was quickly subdued thanks to Granite State Candy Shoppe. Nothing beats chocolate (except for maybe vanilla, but that’s just when it comes to ice cream) and being quite the narcissist, spelling my name out in chocolate letters ($8.94) made the most sense.

And then there was the wild card, an item that could be whatever I wanted – and it was not easy. I searched high and low for this prize and Things Are Cooking had it – onion goggles. For just $25.99, this wonderful invention will prevent you from crying while making dinner. But be forewarned, this means you cannot still blame those tears caused by the Bachelorette on an innocent little onion.

And my grand total for the afternoon, minus the flag pole, was $235.28. I think I got some great deals. But we’ll have to see if the company sees it the same way when I turn in my expense report.