• Removing and Re-adding the exchange account
• Changing my Google password
• Resetting my account using https://www.google.com/accounts/UnlockCaptcha and https://www.google.com/accounts/DisplayUnlockCaptcha
• Checking every Google forum and that contained any of the words I could think of to find a fix

Every time I saw a new post that guaranteed a fix, my hopes were raised then crushed when it failed to work for me. So I am writing this post to get YOUR hopes up with a fix that finally worked for my situation.

Right before I began experiencing the issues I made some updates to what  I was syncing and one them was adding my Remember the Milk (RTM) calendar subscription t o my http://m.google.com/sync page. This was apparently the culprit. I didn’t use the public address the iPhone needed, I was using the main private feed with my username. Once I went into the sync page and disabled all the calendars except the main one, the account started syncing mail, contacts and calendars again. After reactivating the other calendars I noticed it was the RTM calendar that was causing the issue.

I ended up needing to subscribe to the RTM calendar via the iPhone directly in order for it finally work. So if you are experiencing issues with the Google Exchange account on your iPhone, try removing some calendar subscriptions and see if helps you.

White Vinegar

So I decided to make the switch and produce my own cleaning products. With my main cleaning item running out, I decided to wait until it was finished. That day came about a two weeks ago. Off to the store I went to gather some supplies (baking soda, white vinegar and a spray bottle). I could have used the empty bottle from my just finished product in order to make my home brew, but I decided to buy one with measurements across the side. My main recipe came from the organizedhome.com site. I mixed equal parts water and white vinegar and away to the bathroom I went.

This homemade cleaner performed well. I was quite surprised to see that it cleaned just as well as my store bought mass-produced cleaner, and it smelled better (I like the smell of vinegar. Who doesn’t?) This smell went away once the cleaner dried but left behind an awesomely clean bathroom.

Baking Soda

My next challenge was something I have been trying to clean for years. The bottom of my tub. I used cleaners on it and scrubbed and scrubbed but I never seemed to come clean. After reading on the Clean & Green site that baking soda works as an all-purpose cleaner I decided to give it a try. I tossed some white powder out of the familiar orange box, added some water and went to scrubbing with a sponge. In about 10 seconds, I noticed the once white powder was beginning to become darker. The bottom of the tub was actually becoming clean. After rinsing with the shower head, I had to take a step back and admire a job well done.

From now on, I will be checking the above two sites for more natural cleaning recipes to conquer my household product needs.

Further Reading

• Vinegar Works Wonders
• Clean & Green
• organizedhome.com

So, what makes this year’s Macker festival special? Well…it is the first one in which I got to partake. About a month ago I answered an unexpected phone call (we each have our own cell phones) from Kami’s sister. To my surprise, it was not Kami’s sister on the other end, but her brother-in-law. He proceeded to ask me the question I had waited to hear for 6 long years. Now I am paraphrasing here but I think you will find it fairly accurate, “Matt, you are the coolest guy I know, will you play basketball on my Gus Macker team and raise our skill level by a ton?” When he put it like that, how could I say no.

So off to Walmart I went to buy a basketball (even though I am good, a guy has to practice), a five dollar one will do. And do it did. Ball in hand, all I needed was a place to practice. What better place than a city park. Outdoor basketball, I should practice outside right? On the City of Belleville website I went in search of basketball courts. I thought my options were going to abundant, but no luck, only one court to choose from. Although it was a short distance from my house, it really sucked. I woke up bright an early one morning to go play, went and played, came home and decided to look for other options. Lady luck was shining on me though. My next-door neighbor decided to move out and left his spectacular basketball hoop collecting dust in his driveway. It was just the thing I needed. Daily 3 to 4 hour practices were made and I began to feel ready for the big day.

The schedules came out and May 24, 9am became brightly circled on my calendar (well, an event was added to my Google calendar) as my time to shine. Shine I did. Team Gooding (we were too lazy to pick a real name so we went with our team captains last name) won its first game 15-9. I pitched in with several big rebounds and about 5 points. Not bad for not having played competitively since 8th grade.

Spirits we high going into our second game but it was not meant to be. Mr. TwoPoint McTwoPointerson from the other team decided to have the best game of his life. Of the six two point shots he tried, he made 5 of them and we were quickly dispensed 15-6 in about 10 min. All I can say about that game is, at least he wasn’t my man to guard.

So we were done for Saturday and after the annual Gus Macker weekend party at Kami’s sister’s house we were ready to salvage the weekend in the loser’s bracket. Someone forgot to tell the third team we played that it was street ball. The losers decided to call every touch (and some phantom touches, its true) as a foul. They called so many fouls that they were shooting free throws for them about 5 min into the game. We were not deterred though, we battled hard and after being up 10-9 we fell in a heart-breaker 15-12. After two loses, we were out.

Surprisingly though, we were not down. We had won a game, played some pretty good basketball and a good time was had by all. I guess we will just have to practice a little harder for next year. Maybe 5 hour practice sessions are needed (if that unexpected phone call comes again next year).

Update: A new neighbor moved in and offered me his basketball hoop. Let the 5 hour sessions begin.