Popping In

No time for a real post this morning, but I wanted to pop in and say all is still well. Today begins my Hell-weeks at work. Because July 4 falls in a week that I have Tuesday off normally, I don't get it off. I think the theory is that they're giving us the holiday off, we don't need a regular day off....So I work M-F this week (yes, I volunteered for the 4th) then M-S the following week. and I worked M-S last week, Ugh,

My boy has a little mark on his forehead. I've asked him about 5 times what he did, and I've gotten 5 answers, not the least of which went like this:

Me: "What'd you do to your head?"
Him: "Where?"
Me: running my fingers lightly over the spot "Right here."
Him: "Ow, ow, ow, ow." Mind you, this is just a teeny, tiny little scab, bout 1/4" round - it almost can't be seen....
Me; "So it hurts..? How'd you get it?"
Him: "You did it."
Me: "I did it..? When did I do that?"
Him: "Yep, you did it. "
Me: "When did I do it..?"
Him: "Yesterday."
Me: relieved "How could I have done it yesterday? You were with Rosa all day."
Him: "Oh yeah, I was, wasn't I?"
Me: "So how'd you do it?"
Him: "If I'm really, really good while we're at the store can I get a toy?"

And that was the end of the conversation. Oh yeah, did I mention we were at the return counter of Wally World when this conversation took place..? There I am being accused by my child of hurting him, while all the neighborhood biddies listen in. How many do you think actually heard the whole conversation, and how many just the part about "You did it"?

Oh well, such is life. This mornings questioning about it got me the response that Buster or Bandit (Stacey's pets) must have done it. I guess I'll never know. Well, gotta go put my nose to the grindstone (or ear to the idiots as the case may be...)

Oh yeah, wanted to add tomorrow's the big day. We go back to the doctor's. Hopefully the little guy will get that cast off. It's gotta suck, being in a cast most of the summer : ( Oh, and we're still awaiting the falling-out of the loose tooth.

See ya laterzzzzzzzzzzz!

Well Alrighty Then...

Well, it seems I placed first in weekly points in the trivia competition over at Tom's Hideaway this week, which is cool! Tom was kind enough to link to my blog so everyone can come visit, which is also cool. That means I have to post here, or risk looking like a slacker - not cool...Oh well, such is life. I'll just look at it as motivation, to get me to post more regularly than I have been, 'cuz I really don't have enough other shit to do to keep me busy *innocent look*

Thanks Tom.

No really, I do appreciate the link, I love to have folks visit, even though I really have been slacking. My other blog, A Witch In Time does get updated daily. Usually. But it is more structured, with a particular subject matter each day, and I feel like a school kid not doing their homework if I don't update it....I expect my 2nd/3rd/4th grade teacher to come knocking on my door: "Jodi...do you have your homework from yesterday's assignment..?" That would be Mrs. Kinnenninen (No names are being changed to protect the innocent, as there are no innocents here).

When we moved to Kansasville I was in 2nd grade, and she was the teacher. We didn't really hit it off so to speak. Mrs. Kinnenninen was 350 lbs of bleached out, frizzy afro-having, lime green Cadillac-driving meanness. And that was on her good days. Her idea of classroom discipline was to grab a child by the hair on their head and shake them until their teeth rattled. Lucky me, When I moved on to 3rd grade, she was moved over to teach the 3rd & 4th grade class. (Yes, it was a small school, 3rd & 4th were in one room...).

This was the woman who tried to flunk a straight A student (me, A's on all assignments, A's on all tests) because I never took homework home. Huh..? Her logic, as related to my mother when she questioned her about why I brought home all A's and had an F on my report card, was "Well, the other kids see that she never takes any homework home. They'll think they can not take homework home and get A's if I give her an A..." Needless to say, Mom got the grades changed to A's.

Hmmmm.....my how the mind does wander....

So, I've been kid free since 11:30 yesterday morning. Not that I could really take advantage of it, I had to work from 12:30 to 9:00, and by the time I stopped at Wally World ( speaking of Wally World, The Vinyl Villager has a great post about Wally World over on his blog. Actually he has a lot of great posts...go check it out!) and got home, I had just enough energy to eat and fall out. *sigh* What an exciting life I lead. I didn't even have the energy to redo my toenails in relative peace. And hunny has just left to go pick him up. Which is good, 'cuz I miss the little shit darling.

I get to spend today doing laundry, 'cuz I lost my Tuesday off due to the holiday (My employer has this really screwy policy that if a holiday falls in the week of your "flex day" you have to work it. Not sure how it qualifies as a "flex day" as it 's my regular day off, every other week...but if I want a job, I have to do what the company says...) so I don't have a day off until this upcoming Saturday. And today is the first I've had in the last 7 days. Friday is the Fourth, and is a company holiday, but I volunteered to work. How could I not...I got overtime for yesterday, 'cuz I have to work Tuesday, And I'll get overtime and holiday pay for Friday.  Doesn't give me much free time, but hey, the bills never stop!

Ok, gotta go do the laundry shuffle, plus squeeze in grocery shopping, a shower, a bath for the boy in a cast (always fun...NOT), cooking some kind of meal, and dealing with all of the little crisis' involved in having a stubborn 5 year old and even more stubborn 41 year old home together...should be an interesting day!

See ya laterzzzzzzzzzz!

Oh yeah! I've been meaning to put this up, and since I'm here now, I better do it before it flees my mind and never gets done. (Yes, that happens frequently in my world...) I was over at Hey! It's Free catching up on the freebies I'd missed in the last few days, and came across this - Chacha. It's a website where you can go and ask anything and get the answer. But that's not the exciting (yes I know, I have a pathetic existence and I am easily amused) part. The exciting part is they also offer this as a text service. You can send a question - any question, about anything - to 242242, and get a response in just a minute or two. I tested it by asking "who was Carter's vice president?" (fairly easy) and "When is Lammas?" (not quite as easy) and I got correct answers in about 30 seconds. I also got a bit of background info about the answers ( for example, the answer to "When is Lammas?" was "Lammas Tide -August 1, beginning of harvest cycle & rests in early grain harvest as well as those fruits & veggies ready 4 picking" Now that's a complete answer!)

Now why does this excite me? you ask...Well, I don't know about you, but I have found myself in a conversation about some trivial, off-the-wall, not necessarily mainstream subjects. More often, I find myself at a loss for answer to something I know. It is buried so far under all the other crap, stuff, useless information, knowledge I have amassed, I just can't access it. This would (will) be great in that situation. Standard text messaging rates apply, but since we just changed our plan to unlimited everything, s'not a problem for me : )

Ok, really going now...*grin*

See ya laterzzzzzzzzzz!

Perception - At Least That Was The Plan....

Do you ever wonder how the "world" perceives you? What it is other people see when they look at you? Do you think others see the same things you are trying to project? I have no idea why I am wondering these things, my mind tends to go where ever it wants to, and I just go along for the ride. And believe you me, there have been some dooseys :) As I was getting ready for work, which involves looking in the mirror, I wondered if what I was seeing is what others see. I don't think it is.
To begin with, let's look at my perception of me physically. Like many people, my weight tends to fluctuate, I have been as heavy as 190, when pregnant, and as low as 130 (many, many, many moons ago, when I was still dancing, working physically every day). But no matter what my weight, when I look in the mirror, I don't really see myself as fat - even when I am lol. Yes, I said fat. I'm really not big on being politically correct, as you know if you've read my past posts. But really, if you're 5'5" ( I am) and you weigh 176 ( I did) face it, no matter how "well-proportioned" or evenly distributed it may be, you're FAT (I was). But I didn't see it when I looked in a mirror. It was glaringly obvious in pictures, but when getting dressed / made-up, I truly didn't see it. I did know I was "big", I was wearing size 16, some 18, but I still didn't look fat to myself. My hunny, bless his big 'ol heart, tells me constantly that it doesn't matter if I weigh 125 or 250, he still loves me as I am. I believe him. Why? Well, actions speak louder than words, and after almost 10 years, the man's sex drive has, if anything, increased.
Now, I can't decide if this mis-perception is good or bad. I mean, as a plus, it implies a positive self-image. But on the other hand it implies self-delusion. I wonder what I really "look like"..?
I have since lost weight, I now wear anywhere from a 7 to an 11, depending on the mfg. But I don't really look that different to me. I dunno, it's weird. There are other things, too. Things like age. How old do I look? How old should I look? Public figures, particularly movie types, seem to not age much. You see a woman who is 60 years old, and she "looks" somewhere between 35-40. Yet in the real world, many of the people I know look much older than they are. I've been told I don't look my age, quite often, but what does a 41 year old mother-of-three-grandmother-of two look like? I don't fell like I imagine a mother-of-three-grandmother-of-two should feel. At least not usually. I do have some issues, but I deal with them. I remember babysitting for a neighbor when I was about 14-going-on-40. She was 21, and to my thoughts, she was ANCIENT. It doesn't seem like that was almost 30 years ago...I used to joke that I would never wear "40 year old's jeans", referring to what I now call "Mom jeans" - high-waisted, wide hipped, narrow at the bottom and usually at least an inch or two too short. I still don't wear them, and don't think I ever will, but you notice the change in terminology..? Yeah, 'cuz I'm a 40 year old ( and then some). I've been thrilled since low-rise, bootcut has come back in style, and I imagine I will wear them even if they go back out. I'm ill-bilt, as we say in these parts, and the usual women's styles just don't work for me. Really. If they are long enough, the waist sits just under my boobs. If the waist is even close to where it should be, they will be at a minimum 4 inches too short, probably closer to 6. Does that mean that low-rise, bootcut is the new "40-year-olds-jeans"..?
I got an email from one of my cousins in Wisconsin the other day title "The 40 Year Old's Dress-code" which included the following advice :
1. A nose ring and bifocals don't go together.2. Spiked hair and bald spots are a bad combination.3. A pierced tongue and dentures shouldn't be in the same mouth.4. Miniskirts and support hose, not flattering.5. Ankle bracelets and corn pads, bad idea.6. Speedo’s and cellulite, not user friendly.7. A belly button ring and a gall bladder surgery scar, not complimentary to each other8. Unbuttoned disco shirts and a heart monitor shouldn't be worn together9. Midriff shirts and a midriff bulge, also not viewer friendly.
10. Bikinis and liver spots don't go there.
11. Short shorts and varicose veins, don't go there, either.12. Inline skates and a cane don't work well together.And last, but not least . . .13. Thongs and Depends, what were you thinking?
Now why would she go there? you are wondering to yourselves...Well lemme tell ya, I happen to be guilty, an aficionado of, a wearer of, uhhh, some of that is stuff that refers to me. Like the pierced tongue/dentures remark..? I happen to have both ( and lemme tell ya, Hunny is a big fan of both, if you know what I mean...). And the bellyring/gallbladder remark? Well, it just so happens I have both of those,too. Kinda. I definately have the gallbladder scar. And it's not one of those dainty little, three-one-inch-cuts scar either. It's the real deal. It starts just under my ribs on the right side, and is somewhere between 10 and 12 inches long. It's been there for 24 years. Yep, you read that right, 24 years...I got that scar 3 weeks after my 17th birthday. Then I got pregnant again, and had my oldest boy 10 months to the day after the surgery. I can't remember it ever really bothering me, appearance-wise. I've never striven to keep it covered (kinda hard to do when you dance nekkid, or nearly so for a living...). I wear short shirts, bikinis, etc... So, I take a bit of offense at that list - or at least fell like I should, truly it doesn't bother me a bit. I should care..? Not!
Hmmmm... this isn't really where I meant to go...see? my mind just goes where it will, LOL.
What I had in mind was more along the lines of perception, personality, not so much physical appearance. How am I perceived? Do I come across as I am..? No. I know I don't...well, I do, kinda. To begin with, apparently I am pretty intimidating. Not intentional. Usually. *looking innocent* I think it is a combination of self-assurance, intelligence, and a large vocabulary. I'm really not that imposing physically, 5'5", about 140ish now, but I do have pretty good posture. My shoulders are wider than the average woman's from years of pole work & upside down push-ups, but not to the point of looking too manly. I do have long legs, which translates to long strides, and apparently I don't walk, I strut. I used to have girls tell me they wished they could "strut like you do".
I think a lot of it is attitude. Unlike many females, I don't fear. Well, I fear a lot of things, but not in such a way that anyone would know it. I once had an ex tell me he hated walking into a bar with me, because I walked in like I owned the place. Yeah, and....? What's the problem with that..? Do you see a problem with that? How should I walk into a bar? Should I lower my eyes and hunch into myself..? Hide the $250 pool cue I'm carrying..? What..? Not happening! I tend to walk with head up, eyes watching all around, and taking long strides. I'm not afraid of eye contact, and I'll speak, as long as you aren't a drunk jackass thinking you're God's gift and that I should fall at your feet in worship. That'll NEVER happen.
The tattoos don't hurt. Well, they hurt a little to get...but they add to the intimidation factor, I'm sure. There's a dragon on one arm, and a dragon & pentacle on the other. I have more, but those are the ones most likely to be visible. But as a rule, I don't set out with the intention to intimidate people. I'm friendly, mostly. I'm considerate, I'll help someone load groceries into their car, if they look like they need help. I carry heavy bags for elderly or handicapped people, I will grab stuff off the top shelf for someone in a wheelchair, most of all I NOTICE these types of things. Whereas the majority of the population would just go about their merry way, not even acknowledging that someone other than themselves might not only exist, but actually need a little assistance. You know who these people are. They live next door, drive SUVs & sportscars, and minivans. They are the "average american family" John & Jane Doe and their 2.5 kids - who they are teaching the same blindness and self-absorption to. And that is what it is - learned blindness & selfishness.
And yet, I'm still the scary one. The intimidating one. I once had a little girl (okay, she wasn't so little, she was like 16 or 17 at the time) tell me I terrified her until she saw me interact with my son. Because I am self-confident, tattooed, not shy about speaking my mind (without resorting to cussing, screaming or yelling), will look you in the eye, practice witchcraft, of which I am not a bit ashamed, love my husband without a need to belittle him to others, and numerous other things, I'm the scary one.
Hmmmm.....well it looks like I'm not going to actually get to write about what I wanted to, because apparently my mind has other things on it's...well...it's mind.
Reading back over this, it seems a bit rambly, but I guess it says what I need to say. Not necessarily what I wanted to sit down and write about but there it is...
Gotta go back to work....ugh!
See ya laterzzzzzzzzzz!

I'm Still Alive

I feel absolutely horrible not having posted here...I've been meaning to - I've even started to, a couple of times. But it seems everytime I sit down to write, something else needs done, and it needs done NOW. I wouldn't know how to act with 2 or 3 hours to myself, uninterrupted - no kid, no hunny, no phone...I'd probably wander aimlessly, looking for someone to holler at me "Hey! I need...." I can just see me wandering the neighborhood, "Excuse me, do you NEED something..?"

I sit my boy down with breakfast, and think "Ok, I have a few minutes to myself" I sit down at the computer and start to type and I hear "MOOOOOM" ('cus he's hollering at me from downstairs, so of course it has to be at the top of his lungs...) "Yes, son" And then he pops off with some out-of-left-field-has-no-relevance-to-anything kinda question. And you HAVE to answer, because my son is nothing if he isn't persistent. IF you try to collect a few moments by not answering he will ask again. And again, and again, until you DO answer. And don't try to blow him off with some simple-quit-asking-questions kinda answer. No sirree Bob, that won't cut it. The kid is very logical, and if your answer doesn't make sense logically, or is too simple, well then it becomes a conversation, not just a question. The kid wears me out - not just physically, but mentally as well.

*Sigh*

The Perils of Parenthood.

Well, we still have a cast. The appointment is for Tuesday. Hopefully it'll come off then. Not that it has really hampered the little shit darling, other than that he can't go swimming. Not that he has kept the damm thing dry - oh no, can't have that! But he still plays just as rough, fights with the big kids and goes to Karate.

Speaking of Karate, this week was "Crazy Hair" week at Karate. I wanted to do him up with bright orange hair (it is his favorite color) but couldn't find any orange : ( So I got bright green and neon blue, and did it half and half - kinda like Mommy's. Uhhhh, no wait, my hair isn't green & blue, although...NO strike that thought. But my hair is two-tone. It is red on top, and black on the bottom. It's pretty cool if I do say so myself ! At least, I get lots of compliments on it, so I can convince myself it's cool...

OK, back to the boy. Here's a pic.

Well, it's that time again - the slave drivers - aka work - call. Gotta go get ready to be "professional" like (ugh). But at least I popped in to say Hi. I just feel so bad - I haven't even really gotten to check in on the blogs I follow...Ah well, such is life...

See ya laterzzzzzzzzzz!

George Carlin - R.I.P

I am a big fan of George Carlin, and have been trying to think of/find an appropriate way to reflect this. I will miss him, and his views that, while claiming to be comedy, actually hit pretty close to the mark - at least with me. I went to Tom's Hideaway, like I do every morning, to play the daily trivia game, and found this waiting for me. I hope Tom will forgive me for stealing borrowing his post....but it is probably the most appropriate, for me....

George Carlin died of heart failure last night after checking into a hospital complaining of chest pains, he was 71.
Here is one of the many rants he performed in his great comedic career:

GOD

When it comes to bullshit, big-time, major league bullshit, you have to stand in awe of the all-time champion of false promises and exaggerated claims, religion.
No contest.
No contest.
Religion.
Religion easily has the greatest bullshit story ever told. Think about it. Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day.
And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do.
And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time!
But He loves you.
He loves you, and He needs money!
He always needs money!
He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, but somehow just can't handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more. Now, you talk about a good bullshit story.
Holy shit!
But I want you to know something, this is sincere, I want you to know, when it comes to believing in God, I really tried.
I really, really tried.
I tried to believe that there is a God, who created each of us in His own image and likeness, loves us very much, and keeps a close eye on things.
I really tried to believe that, but I gotta tell you, the longer you live, the more you look  around, the more you realize, something is f*@ked up.
Something is wrong here.
War, disease, death, destruction, hunger, filth, poverty, torture, crime, corruption, and the Ice Capades.
Something is definitely wrong.
This is not good work.
If this is the best God can do, I am not impressed.
Results like these do not belong on the resume of a Supreme Being.
This is the kind of shit you'd expect from an office temp with a bad attitude.
And just between you and me, in any decently-run universe, this guy would've been out on his all-powerful ass a long time ago !!

R.I.P. George

A bit of Info, Since I've Been Slacking (Sorry, Again)

OMG! I have so not gotten this blog updated! Damm! And I really don't have time to do it justice this morning, either...but I will do what I can.

It has been a relatively quiet week in my world - and I'm sure the fates read that and will make sure that it doesn't stay that way for long - I had to get up early every day this past week & take my boy to meet Stacey so he could go to Vacation Bible School. Imagine, me, a witch, getting up early so my child can go to church! Ah well, we firmly believe he can't make an informed choice later in life if he doesn't have all the information. So we let him go to VBS.

But, it did make life a little rough for the week. Everyone knows I don't wake up well...I had to get up at like 6:30, so I could be functional enough to drive by 7:45, then I had to pack the boy into the car (rarely an easy feat) and drive up to Speedway (about 6 miles) and wait for Stacey to show. The agreed meeting time was 8:10, but Stacey, bless her heart, despite being a Christian definitely runs on Pagan Standard Time (habitually late). Even though I know this, I still show up on time - it's one of my Things. So I went, and waited, and waited, and waited. She usually showed somewhere between 8:20 & 8:30. Then I got to drive home, rush to get ready, and head out to work. Fun, fun!

But that's over now, whew!

Like I said, the week was pretty uneventful, I spent Saturday sewing & cleaning (love to sew, hate to clean) I didn't get my Friday post up over at A Witch in Time until Saturday, and then it took me most of the rest of the day to get Saturday's up. Which was actually Wednesday's. (don't ask). But I got the house (mostly) clean, one top (mostly) done and a good start on another. The kids came over yesterday with the grandbabies, and we spent the day visiting & eating rotini (rotini...mmmmmmmmmmm)

Hunny got slammed with a Migraine about 5:00 yesterday, and has been in bed in a drug-induced stupor ever since (poor man, has absolutely no drug tolerance. I'm surprised Aleve doesn't knock him out *grin*)

Ok, so there's a little bit of catch up. I have to get ready for work now ewwwwwwwww! But I swear I'll try to do better! Gotta go for now.

See ya laterzzzzzzzz! ! !                                

To All (3) of My Regular Readers...

I haven't forgotten you, my life has just been very full lately (as you can probably tell from my last two (unfinished) posts). I am off this weekend, and plan on playing catch up. Luckily, despite being busy, there haven't been a lot of noteworthy occurrences, so I'm not getting too far behind *grin*

Please accept my apologies, and bear with me...I will get this back on track probably tomorrow, if not tonight :) Thanks for your patience!

See ya Laterzzzzzzzz!!!!

Continuation...

Yeah, Yeah, I know, it's the next day. But hey - I had a buncha shit to do! I got the boy's pants made, but they really aren't going to work, as they need an extra piece of material at the crotch to allow for ease of movement *sigh* I can't seem to find a pattern for actual "Gi" pants, so I guess I'll hafta break down and buy them. But on the bright side, I found a website where I can buy just the pants (or just the jacket) and I can get two pairs (including shipping) for less than the dojo wants for a new uniform (can't buy the pieces separately from them...).

I really am on limited time, gotta do the whole "work" thing...ewwwww. But hey, gotta pay the bills somehow :(

Now, where was I..? Oh yeah, Hunny needed a trim, too. Don't get me wrong, I like my hunny to accompany me on outings, but.....he's a guy. Guys want to go, get done & get back. While that sounds good in theory, the reality kinda sucks! Plus, him going meant we had to take the truck, 'cuz my car was trashed (and I do mean trashed! I'm not sure how it happens, but I can never keep the damn thing clean!) Well, taking the truck made it kinda hard to get my oil changed, now didn't it..? He also has an aversion to stores. All stores. When he needed a new axe for camping, I had to go to Lowes and get it. You would think a guy would love the opportunity to go wander a Lowes, but not my Hunny, nope, not happening! What that translated to was, we probably weren't going to make it to Walgreen's for Rx either.

So, we got the guys' hair cut, I goy my watch adjusted, I got a new Aveeno (which by the way SUCKS! I am taking it back. I got some Biore, which seems to be a better choice, but that's for a different post...), and looked at video games, for the Wii & the PS2. We ended up getting one for the boy, for the PS2.

Damn! Gotta go to work! will try to pick up from there, if we aren't swarmed with phone calls....

See ya laterzzzzzzzzz!

Didja Miss me..?

Ok, I've been neglecting you again. I'm sorry. It'll never happen again (please note the crossed fingers when this statement is made). Things have been a bit hectic, and I've been busy just trying to keep up. I had to work this past Saturday, and as Hunny went racing, the boy stayed with Aunt Missy & Ashley. I got out late (about 9:30ish) so I called when I got off to let them know I was on the way. They were having sound issues with the Wii (The surround wasn't on...) which I corrected, then hung up. Then I had a brilliant idea. Let's save Mommy some time on Sunday by doing grocery shopping tonight, without the boy! I called Ash back & asked if she could stay a bit longer so I could shop and she was good with it, so to Walmart I headed.

The one by the house is open now, so I didn't have to go out of the way at all! Woohooo! I got a new watch, since my old one died (surprised it lasted as long as it did! Watches tend to have "issues" when they are anywhere near me - losing time, gaining time, stopping completely, losing time, then gaining it back. I've had them lose like 15 minutes, then when I take them off, they go back to the right time, or vise-versa, gain it, then go back to right when I take it off. Also, the ones that stop completely usually start back up within a day of me removing them...really weird stuffs). So anyway, I got a watch, got groceries, and as I was heading to the checkout, Hunny called. Apparently they went to the Speedrome here in Indy, rather than where they had originally planned, and were already heading home. (Hell, he ended up beating me home.) But it was all good, 'cuz I didn't have to haul groceries in by myself :)

So, the plan was to save time on Sunday, right? So I could not have to run around like a chicken with no head on Sunday, right? Whatever - like that'll ever happen! My Sunday list included a haircut for my Duran Duran looking boy (did you see the hair in the pics from where he got his cast..?), get my oil changed, which I found out that day, courtesy of my hunny, meant I had to clean my car out because part of the service was vacuuming the car, picking up prescriptions, doing laundry (hard when you're not home), having some links taken out of my new watch, because it was waaaaaaay too big, and required a little, bitty, teeny, tiny screwdriver (what happened to just popping out the pins, removing the links, and putting it back together? Oh yeah, that was too easy!), getting the Aveeno stuff I bought Saturday replaced, because it was no where to be found when I got home, and, at the last minute, taking hunny with, so he could get a haircut, too.

Well crap! My new fabric is dry, so I need to go iron & sew. My dandelion boy has already outgrown his Karate pants, so I am going to (attempt to) make him a new pair. I'll be back, hopefully soon....

See ya laterzzzzzzzzzzz!

I Won ! I Won ! Well - I got 2nd anyways....

Hey All! Just popping in for a minute or two, as I am actually on my way to bed. But I wanted to share. After the last week, week and a half that I've had, I just got some good news. Over at Hey! It's Free, Goob had a contest. You had to use Google Maps, and locate a bunch of stuff, then send him the link to the picture of it. Many of the items were pretty obscure, and there were like 50 things. He says no one found them all (even though I thought I did :(   ), but I came in 2nd just the same! I actually won $25. For basically playing on the computer! I did have to reboot and frequently empty my temporary files, 'cuz all the pics are cached, and can kinda slow things down, but it was really fun. And I love a good challenge (as I'm sure Tom, over at Tom's Hideaway can attest to!)

If you like a deal (and who doesn't..?) you should go check his blog out. I've signed up for quite a few of the offers, and most of the stuff has come rolling in. Plus I won $25! It looks like he does contests fairly regularly, so go check it out, maybe you'll win the next one *grin*

Besides, Hey! It's Free!

Going to bed now. G'Night!

See ya laterzzzzzzzzz!!!!  

Playing Catch Up

I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but apparently I have a small bit of time to myself - kinda. The boy is (temporarily) engrossed in a Pokemon movie, and the cast repair took lees time than expected, so here I am. I am going to try to catch up on all the stuff going on in our world....

KARATE

I am now the parent of an official white-with-yellow-stripe-belt-holder. That's right, my boy has moved up a level, broken arm and all! And he's thrilled. Almost as thrilled as Daddy is proud! Hunny took his original belt, with all the stripes, and put it up. He wants to put it in a shadowbox for display. Nope, no pride there *grin*. They did a whole ceremony thingie at the dojo, presenting certificates & belts. Well, that was the plan. But the belts hadn't arrived from the shipper, so they presented the certificates, and gave out the belts when they came in. Which is fine, really. I think the ceremony & honoring the kids in front of God & everyone, letting them know what a good job they're doing, is way more important than a piece of fabric.
Here are a few pics:

BROKEN ARM

We went to the doctor's two weeks ago, but despite waiting for 2 1/2 HOURS (I will say, that was an anomaly though), we didn't get the new cast my boy so desperately wanted. Yesterday was The Day. We have a new cast,

But as I said in last night's short post, it was too long.

My boy was very happy to have his elbow back. Not so much for the elbow itself, but more for the ability to get to all the itches, since there is no longer a bend to try to navigate! We had a few "hairy" moments, during cast application & forming, but it seems like it wasn't nearly as bad as the first one. He actually cried for a minute or two the first time. This time he just kinda grimaced...

When we left the doctor's office yesterday he was high spirits. Well, he's always in high spirits, but more so than average. But then it started hurting in the bend of the elbow. Stacey stuck some gauze in it, to try to cushion it a bit, but you know that boy of mine. No chance it would stay there unmolested! He had to take it out & re do it, if he moved (which he does pretty much constantly...) it came out and had to be put back. And of course it was a bit of a tight fit, so there was pinching. And he had Karate yesterday.
Needless to say, by the time Mom got home, he wasn't a real happy camper. But I will say this for him, while he is fully capable of being whiney, and gets that way on occasion, it's rarely about anything serious. He never really bitched about it being raw, just said it hurt, then tried to move it as little as possible.

I called the doctor's office this morning, and they had me bring him in so they could cut it down, and it seems (so far) that all is now well. He was playing "avoid the plants" as we left. Yes, my child can turn even this:

into an appropriate (in his mind) place to play. As he was very careful not to step on any plants, I let him. The game was kinda like an obstacle course, from what I could make out - left side of one, right side next, left side next, and so forth & so on.

Being the boy that he is, when I wanted to take pics of the rubbed area, he

• a. wouldn't hold still for 2 SECONDS, so they are a bit blurry. and
• b. insisted I take pics of his Pokemon tattoos (no surprise he wants to show off tattoos, I have over 40, and Dad is coming up on 10 or 15...

I figured I'd go ahead and put 'em up.

IN SUMMARY

Life isn't great, the price of gas, and subsequently everything else, is starting to put a hurt on us. It does help greatly that the Wal-mart across the street opened today (WOOOOHOOOOO) so I no longer have to drive 10-15 miles to shop, or pay an extra $50 on a purchase of $150. Charter One is still insisting that they have every right to do whatever they want with my money, regardless of the facts of the matter, so I will pursue it via the Office of The Comptroller of The Currency. Oh yeah, and tell everyone I can possibly conceive of a reason to brooch the subject with. I talk to A LOT of people every day...
The new Walmart has a bank in it, so I will be going there to open a new account & change over our direct deposits, providing they can assure me that their policy is different than Charter One's policy of theft.
One a positive note, I was graced with this view out my car window coming home the other night.

I had to stop & take a pic - isn't it beautiful..?

Ok, probably oughta get my butt headed towards works, the natives (translate to the (usually) sweet (monster) boy) are getting restless. I knew it was too good to last.....

See ya laterzzzz!!!!

Wanna Hear Something....

funny..? The headrest on my car hasn't moved since I wrote about it...How weird is that..? Nor has the radio done anything freaky.

In other news, we have a new cast, below the elbow, but just barely. I have pics I intend to post if I ever get more then a few minutes to myself, but I think it's going to have to be replaced. It is rubbing on the inside of my boy's elbow, and after only about 10 hours has it rubbed raw...I plan on getting pics of that, too. Hopefully, soon to be posted (that's the plan anyways)

So, I'm off to bed now, so I can get up & call the Dr tomorrow and find out where he is (we really live in a little bitty almost town) so I can traipse to the other side of the state & get my boy's arm taken care of - oh goody, more driving - and then make it to work. I'm sure it'll be a wonderful day *sigh*

G'night for now.

See ya laterzzzzzz!!!!

Update on Cast...

OK, so it's not really an update yet, but we are going to the doctor this morning, with the hopes of having the big, bulky cast removed and a shorter one applied. Maybe we can get a water-proof one - goodness knows we need a water-proof one...

More info when we get back :)

See ya laterzzzzzzzz!

Are You Kidding Me..?

Well, here we go again, but I really can't blame Mercury this time - dammit! Apparently my (soon to be former) bank, Charter One, has decided that they will now deduct an NSF fee ($39) from your account, if there is a possibility you might be overdrawn. Yeah, you read that right - might be overdrawn.
It all started back in April. I usually check my online bank statement daily, at least every few days, and update my checkbook program to match the available information (very responsible of me, wouldn't you say..?) So, I'm checking to see what has cleared, and I see an NSF fee.
Huh..?
I checked my balance. Nope, no negative. Granted it was scary low, but it wasn't negative. If they had paid something I didn't have money in the account to cover, I should have gone negative...Even if they returned something unpaid, it should have gone negative by the amount overdrawn, then back positive by that amount when they declined payment and returned it. I was a bit confused, to say the least.
I called the bank and they advised me that my "online statement is an estimate provided for your convenience only, and not guaranteed to be 100% accurate" and that I did, indeed go into the negative. Hmm. Ok, so I screwed up somewhere. No biggie, it happens.
About a week later, I got my statement, and looked for the negative balance, to see just where I messed up. No negative balance. Now, they may say the online info isn't !00% accurate, but let me tell you, it matched my statement 100%. So I called the bank again. This time I didn't let them blow me off with that line, and advised them I have my statement, and that is 100% accurate, correct?

Me: "I just don't understand what this NSF fee is for..."
Him: "Well, I show on here that your account went negative."
Me: "When..? I am looking at my statement and don't see a negative balance reflected anywhere. What exactly bounced? Everything I have had out has cleared. The average daily balance never even got to zero, let alone went below it."
Him: "Well it shows here that there was an outstanding authorization, and when we authorize a purchase we put a hold on the money for three days. During that time, something came through that caused you to go negative."
Me: "So why don't I see that on my statement?"
Him: "You wouldn't see it on your statement, but it's here on my hold screen.."
Me: *getting a bit frustrated at this point - seems I spend a lot of phone time that way - "On your "hold screen"? Did my account go negative?"
Him: "Yes."
Me: "On what day, on what item, and WHY ISN'T IT REFLECTED ON MY STATEMENT..?"

So it turns out that despite the fact that $300 was deposited WELL BEFORE the item in question was presented for payment, and that my account didn't really go negative, only virtually did, because there was a hold for that amount, and something else cleared, and there was a possibility that I might overdraw my account (I didn't, but I might have) I was charged an NSF fee. Is it just me, or is that way f*cked up..? When I made the purchase, I knew the $300 would be direct deposited the next day. Before it was presented for payment. So what? The bank said I overdrew the account even though it never went to a zero balance, and they never PAID anything there wasn't money to cover.
I ended up talking to some sanctimonious prick who treated me like an errant 2nd grader, but finally refunded the money. I also contacted the Comptroller of Currency, which is the regulatory agency my (soon to be former) bank, Charter One, answers to. I got the contact information from a different manager, who apologized profusely and assured me it wouldn't happen again. Yeah, ok.

Now, let's take a moment for clarification, shall we? Wikipedia defines Insufficient Funds Fee as: in the US banking industry, the term "non-sufficient funds" (NSF) is used to indicate that a demand for payment (a check) cannot be honored because insufficient funds are available in the account on which the instrument was drawn. In simplified terms, a check has been presented for clearance, but the amount written on the check exceeds the available balance in the account. It is often colloquially referred to as a bad check, a "bounced" check, or a rubber check. Businesses frequently use the term dishonored check.

"cannot be honored because insufficient funds are available in the account on which the instrument was drawn."

At no time was this the case. Nothing was presented for payment to my (soon to be former) bank, Charter One that there weren't funds to cover. If it had been presented the day it was authorized, that would be different. I'd deserve the fee, because the money wouldn't have been there. But it wasn't, and when it was presented, there were funds available to cover it. Besides, if there weren't funds to cover it, why did they authorize it? Oh yeah, they get to charge fees that way....

So, I mistakenly take the manager at her word, and choose not to further pursue my complaint with The Comptroller of Currency. Dumbass.

May 30th, there it is again. Grrrrrrrr. This time, based on my last experience, I wait until I have my bank statement. But in the meantime, the $39 Charter One took for that fee, caused 3 other things to actually bounce. At $39 a piece.

This time I went to a Charter One branch, for all the good it did me.

Me: "Hi, I'm a little confused here. I show an NSF fee, but no zero balance. Can you tell me what the problem is?"
Her: "Well, let's just look at that." She scrolls through my account and sees an NSf fee with no zero balance. She then calls over the manager.
Apparently Charter One corporate has seen fit to enlighten their managers about this new policy, but not their tellers. The manager then begins to give me the whole "authorization" theory.
Her: "Well, you had an authorization for $30, and when we paid the $84.74 out of the $103.80 balance, that caused an overdraft."

Huh..? Is this the new "bank math," "cuz when I was in school, 103.80 minus 84.74 would leave 19.58 available. Which is what my statement shows. It also then shows direct deposits of $1,002.35 and $658.38 before that $30 was presented for payment and processed through my account. But they still charged me an NSF fee of $39 on the $84.74 that left a balance of $19.58 still in the account. Which in turn triggered 3 more $39 fees.

After 45 minutes of discussion with the manager who alternately talked down to me -

Her: "Well, do you keep a register?"
Me: "Uhhh...YES.")

and trying to shush me -

Her: "Please keep your voice down! We have other customers & people with children."
***not one curse word came out of my mouth - not even damn or shit****
Me: "Don't you think your other customers have a right to know you're going to charge them an NSF if there's a possibility of them overdrafting their account?"
Her: "That's not true."
Me: "It IS true. Charter One is stealing from me."
Her: "I've worked here five years! Do you think I would work for a company that would steal?"
Me: "You're here..."
Her: "If you continue to cause a ruckus, I'm going to call the police."
****mind you, I was in calm & rational mode, not "psycho-bitch-gonna-climb-over-the-counter-and-kick-your-ass mode - which I am fully capable of, and quite good at, I might add *grin*

Me: "Call them, what are you going to tell them? That I am informing your other customers of Charter One's policy of charging NSF fees on possible overdrafts?"
Her: "That's not how it is."
Me: "That's EXACTLY how it is. I have it here in black and white! At no time did my account go to a zero balance, yet there is an NSF fee plain as day! You're stealing from me."
Her: "I've never stolen anything from you."
Me: *mouth gaping for about 2 seconds..."How arrogant do you have to be to think I am talking to you personally rather than as a representative of your employer, Charter One?"
Her:

Oh yeah, that's when she quit trying to shush me.

the final determination, so far, was that I had to call customer service as she didn't have the authority to refund monies back to the account. When I indicated I had had money refunded to the account by tellers in the past her only response was that she wasn't a (lowly?) teller she was an assistant manager. Ok then...

Customer service refunded the original fee, but not the ones caused by it. I will be pursuing this further through the Comptroller of The Currency. I withdrew all money, that wasn't already outstanding, from the account, and as far as I am concerned, if I never set foot in Charter One Bank again, it will be too soon. Since we are both on direct deposit, I will have to withdraw our checks on Friday, but we will be taking our not inconsiderable banking business elsewhere immediately thereafter.

Am I being unreasonable? My hunny says I'm a "ruckus-causer" *snicker* But truly, if anyone out there thinks I am in the wrong - or in the right - I'd like to hear it. I have been known to be wrong...occasionally.

AND AGAIN!

I know y'all think I'm exaggerating when I say everything, or at least most things, is an ordeal for me, but I'm not, I swear!
Case in point...After the day I had earlier, I was ready & then some to go home, put on comfy clothes, eat & go to bed. No such luck. I sat down at my desk to plug up the mp3 player to charge, and when I looked at the monitor I saw "Prescriptions are ready for pick up at Walgreens"
Dammm, I forgot to pick 'em up. *Sigh* So I put on jeans, kissed the boy & hunny, and said I'd be right back. Hunny says "Why don't you pick up a pizza while you're out?" He & Uncle Mike are watching the Prelude To The Dream PPV race. I said sure, and out the door I went.
I called Pizza Hut 'cuz I had a coupon for a free Medium. After the canned music & commercials did their thing, a young girl picked up the line
Her: "Thank you for calling Pizza Hut, can I help you?"
Me: "Yeah, what are your specials?"
Her: *to co-worker "What are the specials?"
she repeated them, nothing spectacular, so I proceeded to order
Me: "I'd like a large pan pizza -"
Her:"What's your phone number?"
Me: *giving number
Her: "Ok"
Me: I'd like a large pan pizza, EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce. Put that in capitol letters & highlight it, because I really don't want to wait around while they remake my pizzas..."
Her:" Ok"
Me: "That needs to be a supreme with extra cheese."
Her: "Ok."
Me: "I'd also like - "
Her: Can I get your name please?"
Me: *gave last name
Her "Ok..."
Me: "I'd also like a personal pan, EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce. Put that in capitol letters & highlight it. Also extra cheese."
Her: "Could you give me your number again?"
Me: *gave number again
Her: "Is that at *address8?"
Me: "Yes, but I don't want delivery, I'm going to pick them up."
Her: "I'm sorry, could you repeat your order please..?"
Me: *sigh* I'd like a large pan pizza, supreme, with extra cheese. EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce. Put that in capitol letters & highlight it. I'd also like a personal pan, EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce.with extra cheese. I also need a medium pan, EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce.with just beef & extra cheese."
Her: *in background to co-worker: "I can't do this. I don't know how. "Can you hold for a minit?"
Me: "Sure."
Recorded commercials
Her: "Ok, sorry bout that. What was your phone number again..?"
Me: *gave number, again,
Her: "And that's at *address*?
Me: "Yes, but I don't want delivery, I'm going to pick them up."
Her: "OK, could you repeat your order again for me" I'm sorry, I'm new, this is my first day..."
Ya think..?
Me: "S'ok, don't worry about it, I'd like a large pan pizza, supreme, with extra cheese. EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce. Put that in capitol letters & highlight it. I'd also like a personal pan, EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce.with extra cheese. I also need a medium pan, EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce.with just beef & extra cheese. I have a coupon to get the medium one free.."
Silence
Her: "Could you hold for me again for a minit?"
Me: "Sure, why not?"
More recorded ads. Then a guy came on the phone.
Him: "Hi, this is John* Can I help you - oh wait...can I get your number again..?
Me: *gave number AGAIN
Him: "And that's at *address*?
Me: " Yes, but I don't want delivery, I'm going to pick them up. Do I need to give you the whole order again..?"
Him: "No, no, I've got it, uhhh yeah, maybe you better.
At this point I'm getting a bit exasperated. I was very patient with the little girl I talked to the first time, especially for me, and I had been patient with him so far. My patience was just about gone.
Me: *sigh* I'd like a large pan pizza, supreme, with extra cheese. EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce. Put that in capitol letters & highlight it, because I really don't want to have to wait around while they remake my pizzas I'd also like a personal pan, EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce.with extra cheese. I also need a medium pan, EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA light sauce.with just beef & extra cheese. I have a coupon to get the medium for free."
Him: "Ok, *repeated order, is that right?"
Me: "Yep"
Him: "Ok, that'll be $20.18, and they should be ready in about 15-20 min."
Me: "Ok, see ya then."
I went and got my prescriptions & picked up a few other things, then headed to Pizza Hut. As I walked up to the counter, a little gal asked me if I was there for pick up. I said yeah and gave her my name. She brought my pizzas and rang them up. After I paid, as she started to walk away, I said "Hang on, I need to check them before I go."
She came back and I opened the first box - the personal. I wasn't too bad, had a bit too much sauce - but not so much I couldn't live with it. Then came the med. So much for light sauce! It actually looked like it had extra.
Me: "Does that look like light sauce to you..?"
Her: "No, not really..."
I opened the supreme and it was actually WORSE.
I told her, "You might as well take these back, they need re-made."
She took them back to the kitchen and I checked the receipt, Sure enough it said light sauce. Twice on each pizza. About that time an employee walked past me and I asked for the manager. The manager was about 16, although very nice, if a bit scared - no shame to him, I've scared much bigger & meaner men than him with less trying. (But I have noticed, if I remain calm, people tend to be more afraid of me than when I go off.) I don't try to be intimidating (most of the time) It just happens...
So, he told me he was personally remaking the pizzas, and gave us a future credit of $20 linked to our address. All was good, or so it seemed. About the time the young'un walked away, my phone rang. I figgered it was Hunny wondering what was taking so long, and at first glance (listen?) it appeared I was right....
Hunny: "What did you order at Pizza Hut?"
Me: "*repeated order* Why..? I'm here now waiting on them to re-cook them."
Hunny: "You're at Pizza Hut?"
Me: "Yeah, I came to pick 'em up. They were loaded with sauce, as usual, so I am having them remade."
Hunny: "Uh..."
Me: "Why'd you want to know what I ordered? I told you what I was getting before I left." Then a light bulb popped on in my head."Do you have pizzas there..?"
Hunny: "Yup"
Me: "They brought you pizzas?"
Hunny: "28 dollars worth - 36 with the tip."
Me: "You're shitting me, right?"
Hunny: "Nope."
Me: "Is the guy still there? Did you pay for them?"
Meanwhile I am calling the manager back out.
Hunny: "Yep all paid for."
Me: "Well SHIT!"
Manager: *Looking inquisitive
Me: "Your delivery guy just delivered two pizzas to my house! I made it very clear I was picking them up - you did have them waiting, remember? Why would they take pizza to the house..? My husband just paid $28 dollars for pizza, No, scratch that, he paid $36."
Now the poor little manager guy looked like he was ready to pee himself. Really. He went in back for a minute and came back with a receipt.
Him: "Is that it?"
Me: *looking over receipt "I would say so, it's $28 and change."
He pointed at the address "Is that your address?"
Me: "Yep."
So, to sum up, I got three pizzas at Pizza Hut, with too much sauce, and two more at home. I got the $36 dollars back (less $5 tip for the driver - it wasn't his fault). My pizzas were remade to my satisfaction, if a bit underdone, and I went on home. The pizzas at home actually did have light sauce - go figger!
There's my Pizza Hut debacle. I meant to post this last night (Wednesday) when it happened, but I got too tired to finish it, so the days are a bit out of order. Sorry for any confusion *grin*
Now, bed calls again, and I'm a answering.
G'Night.
See ya laterzzzzz!
*John is a made up name. Any resemblance to any actual Pizza Hut employees is purely coincidental.

Apparently Not Anytime Soon

So, it's lunch time. I turn on my phone and head out to the car. I call my hunny and I hear "You are being redirected to the Spint Financial Services Department..."
WTF?
I start pressing zero to get to a person, nope, not happening... so I sit thru the recording, enter my phone number when prompted (and what's up with that? If they don't know my sprint number, that I'm using to call them, why are they directing me to an automated "financial services dept"?) I listen to the automated voice tell me I have a zero bal, and finally get an option to get to a person. Kinda. I actually got to their hold music. Finally I hear "For training and quality control purposes, your call may be recorded." Let me just say none of my calls have ever been recorded because their quality sucks, and always has.
Finally, a person
Her: "Thank you for calling Sprint, this is Shinequa, can I have the number you are calling about?"
Again..?
Me: *gave number
Her: "And what is the passcode on the account?"
Me: "The answer to the security question is St. Sebastian's"

This is a whole 'nother fiasco with them...I'm not going to go into here.

Her: *computer sounds* " How can I help you..."
Me: "Can you tell me my balance, please?"
Her: *computer sounds "I show no balance due right now"
Me: "Can you tell me when the payment was made..?"
Her: "I show we received it June 5 - today"
Me: "And do you see what time it was made..?"
Her: "No, I'm sorry, we don't have that."
Me: " I do! It was done at, oh I'd say 9:30 this morning, through your automated system, since your website has been down for a week and a half, and I wasn't able to make it. And you shut my phone off, and routed my call to my husband to your financial dept...So why is my phone still routing me to your financial services department?"
Her: "I can check on that for you...'
Silence. Not hold music, silence. So I checked to make sure we're still connected. Yep, so I waited. And waited. Finally she came back on
Her: " I can turn that phone back, uh - can you hold again for me..?"
Me: "Sure."
This time I did get hold music. Lots of it. Eventually, she came back on the line.
Her: "I show that someone went over your minutes, $36 dollars worth."
Me: "You have my phone shut off for $36 that isn't even billed yet, let alone due..?"
Her: " Well, it says it says you have exceeded your spending limit."

Huh? Spending limit is $500.

Me: "Um, our spending limit is $500, how does $36 exceed that..?"
Her: " We show the spending limit is exceeded..."
Me: "Ok, so you're saying I owe you $536..? You've got to be kidding."
Her: "Well, I do show the limit exceeded..."
Me: "How does that work..? What exactly am I being billed $536 for, if I might ask..?"
Her: "Well, I can transfer you to Customer Relations, they would be able to explain your billing to you."
Me: "Who am I talking to..?"
Her: "This is customer Service."
??????????
Me: "Ok, so you're customer service, but you need to tranfer me to customer relations to tell me why you're billing me $500..? Fine, transfer me..."
Her: "One moment ma'am."
More hold music. Alot more.
Now during all this, running through the back of my mind is the knowledge that we just bought two new phones & "upgraded" our account, signing a new two-year contract to get the discounts, and that amount just about totals to $500. So maybe the phones were billed to the account, but the payments not credited..? I can live with that. I have receipts.
I'm still waiting. I decide to go back inside & see if I can access the website. Sure enough, it's back up. And there on the "splash" page it says "Amout due: 0, Available Credit Limit:-$36 Total used $536. Hurmph. I tried to pull up the bill, but the most current one available is the one I paid this morning. Go figger. About that time, a person came back on the line.
Her: "Hi, thank you for calling Sprint, this is Tranieca. Can I have the PCS number you're calling about."
Again..? WTF..?
Me: *gives number AGAIN.
Her: "Thank you, one moment please."
Me: "Sure."
Silence, again.
Her: "How can I help you today..?"
Me: "Well, you can tell me why it is that your website is saying I owe you $536, and my phone is turned off, despite the fact that I paid the amount you said I owed this morning..?
Her: "One moment please, while I look at the account."
Me: "Sure."
Silence, AGAIN.
Her: "I show there is no balance on the account..."
Me: "Yes, I know there isn't a current balance, but your website is telling me I have an outstanding amount coming due of $536...AND my phone is still shut off..."
Her: "One moment please while I look at this for you."
Me: "Sure."
More hold music.
This went on for 45 minutes of my lunch hour. To no avail! Apparently they can't access the call history untill the bill prints either. That will be June 14. In the meantime, they have "extended" me for 7 days, so my phone will work.
Her: "I have extended your account for 7 days, just give us a call when you have determined which numbers you didn't call so we can open a dispute."
Me: "That'll be rather hard to do, since you've given me a 7 day extension, which takes me to June 12. The bill doesn't print until June 14. So if I'm lucky I might get it by June 17. Just how exactly will I be calling you..?"
Her: "Oh, ah ummm, just let me see how I can help you with this."
Silence.
Her: "Well, I have extended your account for 7 days...blah, blah, blah...so on the 11th you will need to call us again so we can extend your account for another 7 days."
Me: "Nice. So I have to call you back on June 11, to "re-extend my account," so I can call you on approx the 17th, to dispute the $500 worth the charges that aren't ours..."
Her: "Well, I have extended your account...blah, blah, blah... -
Me: "Yeah, ok, whatever - Thanks..."
Her: "Thank you for calling Sprint, and have I resolved all your issues for this call?"

She's joking right..? Did she hear what I just said...?

Me: "Uh...Sprint still says I owe $536, right..? I have to call you back on the 11th, sit on hold for Goddess knows how long, hope that you have noted the account well enough that I don't have to go through this all over again, which is doubtful, based on prior experience with Sprint (see previous post...). No, I'd say you haven't resolved any of my issues."
Her: "Well. uh, just let me see how I can help you with this..."
Me: "Don't bother."

Now, we've had cell service for almost 10 years. In all that time, we have exceeded our alloted minutes once. ONCE! by about 7 minutes, the month we bought our house & did a lot of "business" via phone.
ONCE - in 10 YEARS.
Now, according to my calculations, based on the information Sprint has provided, we have supposedly talked, during peak hours, since May 11, for 31.5 hours.
31.5 hours
Considering I turn my phone off when I get to work, and it stays off except for about 20 mins at lunch when I call hunny, until I get off. We have free nights and weekends, as well as nights starting at 7pm. Unlimited Direct Connect. And free Sprint to Sprint. My phone is off from roughly 10:30 am to 8 pm. I don't get up before 7, at the very earliest, but I'm no where near functional for at least an hour after that. That gives me from roughly 8:30ish to 10:30ish, on weekdays only (free nights & weekends), to rack up 31.5 hours of talking -from May 11 to June 5 - are there even 31.5 availble hours in there, with all the restrictions..?
I HATE talking on the phone! I hafta talk on one all day, and it just hasn't ever been one of my favorite things to do, even as a teen. 31.5 hours is a stretch. A long one.
Mercury.
And we still have quite a while to go...I'm half tempted to curl up in a ball in the corner of my closet and stay there until July or so...
Well, gotta go, work is still crazy (it's taken me 4 hours to write this)
See ya laterzzzzzzzzzzz!!!

And Again, And AGAIN! When Will It End..?

After the Pizza Hut/American General debacle of yesterday, I thought maybe Mercury felt I had suffered enough for this retrograde. Silly me, what was I thinking..?
My morning went clamly enough, no weirdness, the boy was (mostly) in a good mood, and pretty self-sufficient. The faucet handle didn't come off in my hand, the toilet didn't overflow...So I got ready for work as usual, grabbed the boy's karate stuff, and out the door we went. Once settled in the car, I called my hunny, like I do every morning. What to my wondering ears should appear but a recorded meassage from Sprint
"You have been redirected to Sprint's financial services department..."
Huh..?
ok, so LAST Friday (05/30/08) I started trying to pay the Sprint bill. It wasn't yet due at that time, and it doesn't have any past due balance on it. Every time I log on to their site, or rather, try to log on, I received a "Website Temporarily Unavailable" I have gotten this message EVERY DAY since then, I have tried repeatedly to pay that bill. No luck. But I wasn't really worried about it, because it wasn't late.
Apparently, despite our having been Sprint customers for almost 10 years, and paying every month on time, and their website being unaccessible are all irrelevant...they shut it off and rerouted me to an automated payment system. But hunny's phone, the primary one on the account, was working just fine...go figger. So I made the payment I've been trying to make for over a week through their stupid automated system. And if they charge me, I'm gonna raise holy hell with someone....not that it'll do any good, I'm sure, 'cuz they have some of the densest, and rudest, customer service personnel I've ever dealt with, and I've talked to some doozies!
"There she goes, exaggerating again!" I can hear the thoughts! When I added an additional line to this account, using a phone we already had, it took THIRTY-SEVEN phone calls to accomplish that apparently massively difficult feat. THIRTY-SEVEN I counted them. It was over a three day period. Just to activate an additional line on an existing account. Sheesh!
Okay, gotta go back to work - ewwwwwww.
The previously mentioned Pizza Hut debacle is currently in draft ('cuz I didn't finish it last night, 'cuz I was whupped) on my computer at home, in my Live Writer. While I LOVELOVELOVE that program, the downside is that it is only available to me at home :( I will try to finish it tonight, I don't get up quite as early tomorrow, due to the funky schedule.
See ya laterzzzzz!

Mercury Strikes - AGAIN! (or is it just My life..?)

So, like most of the population, my vehicle is financed. The company that I am financed through is still stuck firmly in thr 18th century. If you pay by phone, using a check only, they charge you $9.95. They have no internet payment option, and no credit/debit card payment option. Who doesn't offer internet payment, by credit/debit card in today's world..? I mean seriously, if you had millions of people owing you millions of dollars, wouldn't you want to make it as easy as possible for them to pay you what you owe..? But noooooo, I can only mail my payment (like that'll happen...) or I can go to the actual office and pay by check. Well, since we all know that the chance of me mailing something are slim to none. Put it in an envelope, sure. Address it, no problem. Remember to take it with me, yeah, eventually. But actually mail it..? It'll be months!
So I take the payment to the office. Eventually. I put it in the checkbook program before it's due. But then I have to get to the office. it's not on the way to work, 'cuz that would be too easy, wouldn't it..? Not even close. It's about a 30 minute detour.
And, much as I hate to admit that my hunny might be right about this, I am a bit time-management challenged...just a bit. Well, ok maybe a lot. I have a "thing" about being late. If I'm not at least 15 minutes early, in the world inside my head, I'm late, and I start to freak out. And when it gets to the point where I am late according to the rest of the world, my blood pressure jumps, my tolerence disappears, and well, let's just say it's bad for everyone involved.
So, it's late, and they called. My hunny. Who in turn called me while I was in the midst of unloading & putting away groceries - my favorite thing to do (note the sarcasm). Dammmmmm!
I told him I would drop it on my way to work. Needless to say, that didn't happen either. So I went down there on my luch hour.
They're usually pretty nice in there, but the woman at the front desk today was, at first impression, a bit less that "nice."
I handed her the check, and she started doing the computer thing.
Her: *snobbily* "This check is dated for June 6."
Me: "Well yes, that's today's date..."
Her: "No it's not! Today is the fourth..."
Then in an ill-advised attempt to be "chummy": "The reason I know that is that I'm getting married on the 7th and that's Saturday!"
How nice. Like I really care about the fact that your getting married on the 7 th. I don't know you. You're not my friend, my buddy, or even my acquaintance...I'm on my lunch hour, time is short, just take the blasted payment and give me my f*cking receipt. I'm not big on chit chat with strangers...can you tell..?
So I smiled, and said "That's nice." and fixed the date on the check. She gave me my receipt and out the door I went. About three steps. Because there on the bottom of my receipt was a notation that said
*$80.00 unapplied NSF fees.
Huh? $80 In NSF fees..? But I haven't bounced any checks...and even if I'm short, my bank pays it and charges me...so I turned around and went back in.
Me: "Uh...what's this $80 NSF fees for..? I haven't bounced any checks, at least not according to my bank..."
Her: "Well, that prints up anytime it's on the account."
Me: "It's never been on any of my other receipts..."
Her: "Well you have several returned checks on the account..."
Me: "No I don't."
Her: " Well, I show several on here..."
Me: "Really..? When..?"
Her: "Well, I show the first one was July 31."
Me: "That's a month from now..."
Her: "...of last year"
Me: "I don't think so! And even if I did bounce a check in July of last year, why are you just now notifying me..? That was almost a year ago!"
Her: "We have notified you."
Me: "Really? When was that? It's never been on a receipt, no mention of it on monthly statements, no phone calls..."
Her: *getting snottier & snottier with each comment*"We did call you."
Me: "Who did you talk to? It wasn't me."
Her: "I called you."
Me: "Really..? When might that have been?"
**I'd like to note here that in all fairness, I wasn't exactly being polite by this point, but seriously, would you be..? Miss Bitch started on the wrong foot, then proceeded to keep walking that path...
Her: "I talked to you on May 19th, and you said you'd have to call me back to let me know when you could pay it."
Me: "Really..? You talked to me..? On May 19th..? And what number did you call me at..?
Her: "765...."
Me: "I don't think so! I've been in Indy for over 15 years, my area code has been 317 for over 15 years...What's the name on that account..?"
Her: "Yours, Jill Williams."
Me: *Huh..? "Uhhh, you better look again, you're not even close.."
Apparently, in addition to being first overly chummy and then as arrogant as all get out, the bitch can't read. I wrote the account number in the memo section of the check like I always do, just because, but she preferred to enter it by name - someone else's I might add - and so applied my $450 payment to the account of someone who, it seems, makes a habit of writing bad checks.
She finally got my payment applied to my account, but not before making the comment "Let me just check the notes and history here to see if there were any NSFs..." Totally uncalled for. But totally satisfying to me, because, as I had said repeatedly, and as she had clearly indicated she felt was lying through my teeth (ok, my gums...), there has never been an NSF on that account.
But you know, after all that hatefulness & arrogance from her, and despite the fact that it was her error, I never got so much as an apology...Hunny said I should have went off on her, but badly as I wanted to, I was on my lunch hour, and I just didn't have time. But I'm sure it would have felt really, really good.
I may just have to save it up and make a special trip for that reason alone...*evil laughter*
Have I ever mentioned that my hunny's co-workers - fellow redneck truck drivers - have dubbed me his "Pitbull in lipstick"? There's a reason for that...(and I take it as a compliment, therefore, shouldn't let them down...)
Ok, gotta go now.
See ya laterzzzzzzzzz!