Not only did someone steal our credit card number approximately yesterday or the day before, they somehow made a plastic credit card to run through vending machines!! I had just checked all of our accounts online a few days ago, so we were EXTREMELY surprised to find about $5,500 of unauthorized credit card purchases in those 48 hours!! For example, about $1,000 in liquor purchases, $1,000 in shoes, $785 at an Atlanta Westin hotel, over $1,000 at Toys R US, and a whole lot more. We have no idea how it happened because we have only used our card at “real” businesses. Thankfully, we stopped using our debit card for regular purchases a year or two ago precisely in case this should happen; at least it's not our checking account.
How did we find out? Paul tried to download a phone application costing $1.99 and the card wouldn’t authorize it, so we called the bank. Holy wow! We’re blown away. The bank didn’t alert us immediately because we DO travel all around the US, so it’s not surprising to find a lot of purchases in Atlanta, GA or any other city. It IS surprising if neither of us was there at the time. Yes, we are in Georgia right now, but driving from Miami FL to Albany GA doesn’t take us through Atlanta.
Wow, we’re still in shock.
Oh, the bank stopped accepting charges sometime this afternoon, which we would have discovered if we hadn’t paid cash or used other accounts for a few things. They aren’t charging us for all those expenses (whew!!!), but someone had a HELLUVA fun time, and it’s the merchant who has to take the hit, so eventually all consumers. Also, our credit card is now cancelled, so the regular accounts that we had being automatically charged to it (ex: cable TV and internet access) now have to have other arrangements until we get new cards with new numbers.
Anyway, the point of this is that even if you’re careful you can still get bitten. Please avoid using debit cards when you can use credit cards, and please be sure to check your accounts often! I thought once or twice a week was enough – I was wrong. I’ll set alerts at the bank to notify me sooner for purchases over, say, $300. Crap. Not exactly a Merry Christmas so far, but we're looking at all the bright sides - it beats being extremely angry, anyway.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Dad Book, and Winter
The “Dad Project” is done. On Friday the printers printed, copied, bound, and snail-shipped the final version of “Lud’s Life” to my mom and siblings. For thirteen years this project has been on my mind, in my plans, ever since early 1997. Mostly it was something kept warm on the metaphorical back burner, but periodically it was boiling away actively on the front burner. For the past several months it has been almost daily on the front burner and, for more weeks than I know for certain, it has taken up practically the whole stove!!! Because of it I’ve temporarily neglected, well, nearly everything and am only now beginning to catch up. The process to the final printing has taken exponentially more time, energy, and everything than I had ever thought, but it has been undeniably far more rewarding to me than ever expected.
Each “book” is three volumes (for easier handling), two of text and one of pictures (totaling 585 text pages, including titles, and 120 high-quality color, multi-pictured pages, all on acid-free paper). It is designed to be read normally or randomly scanned, for a few moments now and then or much longer at a sitting. One each for myself, my mom, and three siblings, that means five sets. After paying for everything, never before have I been so incredibly thrilled that Mom and Dad didn’t have more children!!! :-) My intention had been to set it aside for a few weeks and then read through the entire thing for further editing polish, but after having completely re-done the picture section from scratch and in far more detail and quality than originally planned, once I finished that volume I personally was also “finished.” I had hit the wall. Were it not for the impending move in a couple of months to Virginia I might have kept to that plan, but time ran out.
Speaking of that move leads me to the subject of Winter. Probably never again will I be able to say in this way how the weekend’s intense snowfall up north affected us here … it meant that the temperature dropped so much - that we finally could shut off the AC during the day and open the doors and windows for fresh air! No longer muggy mid-eighties, the high is “only” right now in the upper sixties, but it will rebound soon. Yes, I know, enjoy it while I can. Most likely Paul and I will remain in the Virginia / Ohio region for most of the rest of our lives, so no more sandals, shorts, and t-shirts in winter. (Outside I hear lawn mowers and leaf blowers rather than plows and snow blowers.)
For Christmas we’re driving north to Georgia (going north to The South is so weird) to visit Paul’s parents for the last time there since they are packing to move to Ohio, intending to caravan up starting Monday. Somehow I doubt the house will be incredibly decorated as usual for the holidays, but it will certainly be filled with lots of family and activity.
I still feel more than a bit empty after having finished the Dad Project; it has been a companion of sorts for over a decade, a promise to Dad that has kept him quite alive to me these past two years since his death. I’m mourning him again, especially after having learned so much more about him through this project, questions raised that can’t now be answered. On the other hand, the printed volume means that he can be with me, available to me and to others. Oh, and naturally since Dad’s life obviously intersected Mom’s so much, likewise the “Lud’s Life” book is partly “Glenda’s Life” as well, so Mom is closer to me, too.
To my family and friends, Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Each “book” is three volumes (for easier handling), two of text and one of pictures (totaling 585 text pages, including titles, and 120 high-quality color, multi-pictured pages, all on acid-free paper). It is designed to be read normally or randomly scanned, for a few moments now and then or much longer at a sitting. One each for myself, my mom, and three siblings, that means five sets. After paying for everything, never before have I been so incredibly thrilled that Mom and Dad didn’t have more children!!! :-) My intention had been to set it aside for a few weeks and then read through the entire thing for further editing polish, but after having completely re-done the picture section from scratch and in far more detail and quality than originally planned, once I finished that volume I personally was also “finished.” I had hit the wall. Were it not for the impending move in a couple of months to Virginia I might have kept to that plan, but time ran out.
Speaking of that move leads me to the subject of Winter. Probably never again will I be able to say in this way how the weekend’s intense snowfall up north affected us here … it meant that the temperature dropped so much - that we finally could shut off the AC during the day and open the doors and windows for fresh air! No longer muggy mid-eighties, the high is “only” right now in the upper sixties, but it will rebound soon. Yes, I know, enjoy it while I can. Most likely Paul and I will remain in the Virginia / Ohio region for most of the rest of our lives, so no more sandals, shorts, and t-shirts in winter. (Outside I hear lawn mowers and leaf blowers rather than plows and snow blowers.)
For Christmas we’re driving north to Georgia (going north to The South is so weird) to visit Paul’s parents for the last time there since they are packing to move to Ohio, intending to caravan up starting Monday. Somehow I doubt the house will be incredibly decorated as usual for the holidays, but it will certainly be filled with lots of family and activity.
I still feel more than a bit empty after having finished the Dad Project; it has been a companion of sorts for over a decade, a promise to Dad that has kept him quite alive to me these past two years since his death. I’m mourning him again, especially after having learned so much more about him through this project, questions raised that can’t now be answered. On the other hand, the printed volume means that he can be with me, available to me and to others. Oh, and naturally since Dad’s life obviously intersected Mom’s so much, likewise the “Lud’s Life” book is partly “Glenda’s Life” as well, so Mom is closer to me, too.
To my family and friends, Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Saturday, December 05, 2009
A Reply to an Anti-Muslim Email
Normally I just delete stuff that is radically anything, especially anti-anything, stuff filled with emotional reaction much more than rational consideration. Once in a great while I reply, usually with a word or two or perhaps a couple sentences to the sender. This time, quite atypically, I chose instead to Reply All. Knowing the person who sent it to me and the others to whom it was sent, I may have just created a lifetime of fruitless controversy, or mild social chilliness, or nothing at all. Maybe, hopefully, I’ve sparked a bit of thought that ideally will lead to a bit more open-mindedness or at least of global-selfishness, to possibly coin a phrase.
Anyway, here is what I was sent (in italics for clarification here, but no longer in huge, bolded font) followed by my reply.
USPS
New 42-Cent Stamp!
Celebrates Muslim holiday.
If there is only ONE thing you forward today... let it be this!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of Pan Am Flight 103!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the military Barracks in Saudi Arabia!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the American Embassies in Africa!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the USS COLE!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM attack on 9/11/2001!
REMEMBER all the AMERICAN lives that were lost in those vicious MUSLIM attacks!
(PS... as of last week, we can add the shootings at Ft Hood!)
Now President Obama has directed the United States Postal Service to REMEMBER and HONOR the EID MUSLIM holiday season with a new commemorative 42 Cent First Class Holiday Postage Stamp..
REMEMBER to adamantly & vocally BOYCOTT this stamp, when you are purchasing your stamps at the post office.
All you have to say is "No thank you, I do not want that Muslim Stamp on my letters!"
To use this stamp would be a slap in the face to all those AMERICANS who died at the hands of those whom this stamp honors.
REMEMBER ~
Pass this along to every Patriotic AMERICAN that you know and let's get the word out!
Here is something to chew on...
They (MUSLIMS) don't even believe in Christ & they're getting their own Christmas stamp! BUT, don't dare to dream of posting the ten commandments on federal property! This is truly UNBELIEVABLE !!!
(Yvonne's reply)
Personally, I’m delighted about this stamp. It’s not the Muslim faith that is to blame but a few radicals, just as we shouldn’t blame all Christians for what a few nutcases have done (or Jews, or Hindus, Atheists, etc). Religious freedom is a core Constitutional right in the US, so I applaud this. The more we understand one another the more we can work with each other.
Do I approve of the 9/11 attacks, etc? Of course not, but that wasn’t a result of the efforts of the millions of the believers of the Muslim faith (which is, actually, normally quite accepting of the Christian faith – I’ve had, and have, friends who are Muslim, either casual believers, as are most Christians, or very devoutly traditional. Muslims, like Jews and many others, believe Jesus Christ to be one of the great prophets, not THE great prophet; they reserve that for an ancestor of Jesus, but they don’t believe that ancestor was God either).
The US has been anti- British, Irish, Jew, Japanese, German, French, African/dark-skinned, Asian, and just about everything else. In addition, there are/have been groups violently against: Democrats, Republicans, Communism, tobacco, alcohol, cell phone use while driving, women voting, women’s education (even being taught to read and write), public aid, hunting/guns … just to name a couple (I’m sure you can think of many more). We have had witch hunts not just in Salem, MA but also during the McCarthy era and to varying degrees at all other times. I believe it’s wrong to judge all people by the actions of a few people (or for that matter to judge an individual by a few moments of his/her life).
No matter how someone feels about Muslims or any group, remember this: it’s only a matter of time before your ancestry, beliefs, society, preferences, actions or inactions, lifestyle or any tiny portion of it comes under attack. At any moment, any one or all of us can be (and are) the victim of an email like this. Right now there are large numbers of people with justifiable cause to hate each one of us. We shouldn’t try to out-hate others; that simply escalates into violence and then no one is remotely safe. Let’s encourage coexistence, mutual respect, and understanding. Very soon the “Whites” in America will be a minority, English won’t be the primary first language for most, etc. Like it or not, you and I will not be (and might not be now) in the “strong, majority” – assuming there is such a thing even now. Why increase the challenges we each face as individuals and as groups?
Well, this is apparently a strong cup of coffee :-)
I hope you have a great day today, enjoying it doing whatever you wish, believing whatever you like, knowing you also have the Constitutional freedom to do so.
From a patriotic American and a global citizen,
Yvonne
(final comment for this blog)
I feel saddened right now from all of this, overwhelmed perhaps by the undercurrents of hatred all around me/us that we only glimpse at times through emails like the relatively mild one sent to me. Sending my reply, this blog, may not change anything at all, but to remain silent all the time would make me an accessory to Hatred, and that's possibly the worst crime there is.
Anyway, here is what I was sent (in italics for clarification here, but no longer in huge, bolded font) followed by my reply.
USPS
New 42-Cent Stamp!
Celebrates Muslim holiday.
If there is only ONE thing you forward today... let it be this!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of Pan Am Flight 103!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the military Barracks in Saudi Arabia!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the American Embassies in Africa!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the USS COLE!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM attack on 9/11/2001!
REMEMBER all the AMERICAN lives that were lost in those vicious MUSLIM attacks!
(PS... as of last week, we can add the shootings at Ft Hood!)
Now President Obama has directed the United States Postal Service to REMEMBER and HONOR the EID MUSLIM holiday season with a new commemorative 42 Cent First Class Holiday Postage Stamp..
REMEMBER to adamantly & vocally BOYCOTT this stamp, when you are purchasing your stamps at the post office.
All you have to say is "No thank you, I do not want that Muslim Stamp on my letters!"
To use this stamp would be a slap in the face to all those AMERICANS who died at the hands of those whom this stamp honors.
REMEMBER ~
Pass this along to every Patriotic AMERICAN that you know and let's get the word out!
Here is something to chew on...
They (MUSLIMS) don't even believe in Christ & they're getting their own Christmas stamp! BUT, don't dare to dream of posting the ten commandments on federal property! This is truly UNBELIEVABLE !!!
(Yvonne's reply)
Personally, I’m delighted about this stamp. It’s not the Muslim faith that is to blame but a few radicals, just as we shouldn’t blame all Christians for what a few nutcases have done (or Jews, or Hindus, Atheists, etc). Religious freedom is a core Constitutional right in the US, so I applaud this. The more we understand one another the more we can work with each other.
Do I approve of the 9/11 attacks, etc? Of course not, but that wasn’t a result of the efforts of the millions of the believers of the Muslim faith (which is, actually, normally quite accepting of the Christian faith – I’ve had, and have, friends who are Muslim, either casual believers, as are most Christians, or very devoutly traditional. Muslims, like Jews and many others, believe Jesus Christ to be one of the great prophets, not THE great prophet; they reserve that for an ancestor of Jesus, but they don’t believe that ancestor was God either).
The US has been anti- British, Irish, Jew, Japanese, German, French, African/dark-skinned, Asian, and just about everything else. In addition, there are/have been groups violently against: Democrats, Republicans, Communism, tobacco, alcohol, cell phone use while driving, women voting, women’s education (even being taught to read and write), public aid, hunting/guns … just to name a couple (I’m sure you can think of many more). We have had witch hunts not just in Salem, MA but also during the McCarthy era and to varying degrees at all other times. I believe it’s wrong to judge all people by the actions of a few people (or for that matter to judge an individual by a few moments of his/her life).
No matter how someone feels about Muslims or any group, remember this: it’s only a matter of time before your ancestry, beliefs, society, preferences, actions or inactions, lifestyle or any tiny portion of it comes under attack. At any moment, any one or all of us can be (and are) the victim of an email like this. Right now there are large numbers of people with justifiable cause to hate each one of us. We shouldn’t try to out-hate others; that simply escalates into violence and then no one is remotely safe. Let’s encourage coexistence, mutual respect, and understanding. Very soon the “Whites” in America will be a minority, English won’t be the primary first language for most, etc. Like it or not, you and I will not be (and might not be now) in the “strong, majority” – assuming there is such a thing even now. Why increase the challenges we each face as individuals and as groups?
Well, this is apparently a strong cup of coffee :-)
I hope you have a great day today, enjoying it doing whatever you wish, believing whatever you like, knowing you also have the Constitutional freedom to do so.
From a patriotic American and a global citizen,
Yvonne
(final comment for this blog)
I feel saddened right now from all of this, overwhelmed perhaps by the undercurrents of hatred all around me/us that we only glimpse at times through emails like the relatively mild one sent to me. Sending my reply, this blog, may not change anything at all, but to remain silent all the time would make me an accessory to Hatred, and that's possibly the worst crime there is.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Scroogenomics
Today is “Black Friday,” the official start (according to all the merchants’ hopes and hypes) of the buying frenzy for Christmas. George F. Will wrote an article that expresses my anti-obligatory-shopping views almost exactly, which is why I’m including the link here and borrowing a term from it for this blog title. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/25/AR2009112502653.html
My opinions, however, grew mostly from the practical fact of having to move and store all my physical belongings dozens of times, which means having to determine the “value” of each item every few years (or even months) when packing, and dealing with subsequent loss and damage.
For clarification therefore, here are my preferences for “gifts” for any occasion, starting with the most desired:
1 – A hug, handshake, smile, or other face-to-face gesture with perhaps a few words suitable to the occasion. Could anything be better than physical presence and appropriate attention for even a couple of moments?
2 – A phone call, email, card, letter, etc. Honestly, a simple “Thinking of you today” works wonderfully for probably everything.
3 – A homemade or other item with primarily sentimental but perhaps some practical value, hopefully nothing that takes much space or is fragile (due again to frequent moves).
To me, the primary purpose of a gift is to show remembrance, consideration, and connection; a physical token is mostly symbolic, so not required. I don’t need to hear from you on specific calendar days to know that you care.
Thank you for understanding why I ask that you “don’t send me stuff” and why I only very rarely send “gifts” – it simply isn’t feasible for each of us to “get something” truly appropriate for each of our close relatives, friends, and associates in this global village.
All that said, Happy Holidays!
My opinions, however, grew mostly from the practical fact of having to move and store all my physical belongings dozens of times, which means having to determine the “value” of each item every few years (or even months) when packing, and dealing with subsequent loss and damage.
For clarification therefore, here are my preferences for “gifts” for any occasion, starting with the most desired:
1 – A hug, handshake, smile, or other face-to-face gesture with perhaps a few words suitable to the occasion. Could anything be better than physical presence and appropriate attention for even a couple of moments?
2 – A phone call, email, card, letter, etc. Honestly, a simple “Thinking of you today” works wonderfully for probably everything.
3 – A homemade or other item with primarily sentimental but perhaps some practical value, hopefully nothing that takes much space or is fragile (due again to frequent moves).
To me, the primary purpose of a gift is to show remembrance, consideration, and connection; a physical token is mostly symbolic, so not required. I don’t need to hear from you on specific calendar days to know that you care.
Thank you for understanding why I ask that you “don’t send me stuff” and why I only very rarely send “gifts” – it simply isn’t feasible for each of us to “get something” truly appropriate for each of our close relatives, friends, and associates in this global village.
All that said, Happy Holidays!
Monday, November 23, 2009
In Miami Briefly
Nope, the “briefly” in the title does not refer to undergarments or clothing of any kind. Silly. :-)
Since my last post I’ve spent much of my free time transcribing, copying, pasting, editing, and arranging text and photos for the “Lud’s Life” biography, aka the Dad Project. Clearly I’m loving this process, although it is taking me significantly more time and effort than I had anticipated. Naturally, I don’t have to do any of it, nor of course to prepare it to the level that I am, but to do less would not fulfill the quest I’ve had simmering for over a decade.
It was wonderful, therefore, to have a rough draft printed and delivered to Mom when Paul and I visited Sebastopol last week. I had fully intended to post a blog about being there while actually there, but our hotel chose to have internet problems basically the whole time. Besides that, I had happily exhausted myself daily from doing organizing projects at Mom’s with Paul’s tremendous help. Isn’t it amazing often how two people together can do three times what either could do alone? Among the things Paul helped with (ex: countless errands) was to scan in pictures and/or documents that might help the Dad Project whenever I happened upon any. Digital copies travel ever so much easier on the plane and incur no risk to the originals.
Unfortunately, Friday morning, while trying to get out of the car at Starbucks’ parking lot no less, I twisted my lower back in such a way that it has been in a truly painful, albeit slowly lessening, spasm ever since. Isn’t back pain something that only happens to other people??
So we returned last night to Miami after lots of great time with Mom, and Joanna, Kevin, Sonja, and Kevin D. Paul is at work and I’m faced with a full day’s worth of laundry plus all sorts of other household catching up, and yes, an ever-aching back.
No pressure … except that tomorrow we need to pack yet again so Wednesday after Paul gets off work (whenever that may be) we can drive up to Georgia to spend Thanksgiving weekend with Paul’s parents. Hopefully during that time I can visit the Lubins and/or get cracking on this new data for the Project.
Happy Thanksgiving to Each and to All!! Every year I find so much more to be thankful for, and this year especially, not just in my own life but in the lives of my friends and family, too. Lots of love to you this holiday season!
Since my last post I’ve spent much of my free time transcribing, copying, pasting, editing, and arranging text and photos for the “Lud’s Life” biography, aka the Dad Project. Clearly I’m loving this process, although it is taking me significantly more time and effort than I had anticipated. Naturally, I don’t have to do any of it, nor of course to prepare it to the level that I am, but to do less would not fulfill the quest I’ve had simmering for over a decade.
It was wonderful, therefore, to have a rough draft printed and delivered to Mom when Paul and I visited Sebastopol last week. I had fully intended to post a blog about being there while actually there, but our hotel chose to have internet problems basically the whole time. Besides that, I had happily exhausted myself daily from doing organizing projects at Mom’s with Paul’s tremendous help. Isn’t it amazing often how two people together can do three times what either could do alone? Among the things Paul helped with (ex: countless errands) was to scan in pictures and/or documents that might help the Dad Project whenever I happened upon any. Digital copies travel ever so much easier on the plane and incur no risk to the originals.
Unfortunately, Friday morning, while trying to get out of the car at Starbucks’ parking lot no less, I twisted my lower back in such a way that it has been in a truly painful, albeit slowly lessening, spasm ever since. Isn’t back pain something that only happens to other people??
So we returned last night to Miami after lots of great time with Mom, and Joanna, Kevin, Sonja, and Kevin D. Paul is at work and I’m faced with a full day’s worth of laundry plus all sorts of other household catching up, and yes, an ever-aching back.
No pressure … except that tomorrow we need to pack yet again so Wednesday after Paul gets off work (whenever that may be) we can drive up to Georgia to spend Thanksgiving weekend with Paul’s parents. Hopefully during that time I can visit the Lubins and/or get cracking on this new data for the Project.
Happy Thanksgiving to Each and to All!! Every year I find so much more to be thankful for, and this year especially, not just in my own life but in the lives of my friends and family, too. Lots of love to you this holiday season!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
H1N1 Vaccine
Today I discovered that the Health Services Department in Miami-Dade County gives out H1N1 (and other) vaccinations for free! Just show your driver’s license or other ID. Additionally, they had doses actually in stock, so I drove downtown and got a nose-full of H1N1 vaccine.
Possibly your county also offers free vaccines at its Health Services Department. It’s worth checking out.
Possibly your county also offers free vaccines at its Health Services Department. It’s worth checking out.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
To CA x 2
Just in case there is a chance you can intercept us in our travels, this is to let you know that Paul and I will be in California November 16th to 21st. We’ll be staying in Santa Rosa at night and spending most of our days in Sebastopol visiting primarily Mom but also Joanna and family. With luck we’ll get up to the redwoods, the coast, Caz, or some wineries, too. Saturday is THE Game (OSU v Michigan football) so we’ll be somewhere near a TV for that (sports bar?), then spend that night near the airport before leaving SFO early on the 22nd. If you can see us in one of those three cities that would be wonderful!
Why the trip? Well, I try to see Mom about once a year, and usually Paul can’t go, but this time he has this one good opportunity to travel to CA so we’re taking it, especially since airfare is really good then. Fortunately, reward points programs help to make travel more affordable, too.
Additionally, December 29 to January 1 I’ll be again flying to SFO, this time alone due to Paul’s work schedule, to attend my sister’s 50th birthday party to be held at the Sebastopol Community Church some time on the 30th. Sheesh, first my brother turns 50, now my sister. Next will be my other brother and then my turn. Oh well, as they say, the more birthdays you have the longer you live!
Why the trip? Well, I try to see Mom about once a year, and usually Paul can’t go, but this time he has this one good opportunity to travel to CA so we’re taking it, especially since airfare is really good then. Fortunately, reward points programs help to make travel more affordable, too.
Additionally, December 29 to January 1 I’ll be again flying to SFO, this time alone due to Paul’s work schedule, to attend my sister’s 50th birthday party to be held at the Sebastopol Community Church some time on the 30th. Sheesh, first my brother turns 50, now my sister. Next will be my other brother and then my turn. Oh well, as they say, the more birthdays you have the longer you live!
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