Piece of my mind

To the best of my ability I pay my bills on time. (note-yes, I am still in debt for past mistakes)
I frequently check my account to make sure that bills have gone though, or in today's case..not.
I knew I had made a car payment, nothing was showing up though, so I tried to find on the Chase web site where it noted my payment. After a frustratingly foray into their links I surrendered and made the 800 call.

I hate automatic telephone systems. Especially since the key pad on my wonderful phone won't stay lit long enough for me to punch a number in. There was a great deal of cursing being done on my end. (It's a good thing that Gilly is tolerant and my swearing does not disturb his naps.) I finally reached someone 'live' and asked my questions..no the payment did not go through. Well, dummy me thanked her and hung up to make another attempt at a payment.

Whoops! Their web site had none of the information I had previously shared with them when I started my account. It treated me like I was a brand new customer. (insert more swearing HERE) Again I called the 800 # and went through my above mentioned routine..Again. Finally reaching someone with a pulse I went through a cycle of increased security questions. (ie: when you were 3 you were stung by a wasp ---where!!!?) Just kidding..but the questions were a little spooky. They know more about us then we realize.

Transferred to Billing I spoke with a nice lady named Kathy. Really, the rep's with a pulse were very nice to speak with. I explained why I was calling again and the fact that the web site did not remember me. And OH! It seems that Chase had a dumping in early January while updating the site. It cleared out our account information. How nice to be advised AFTER I had failed to get a payment through. My tardiness was excused, and I am sure that there were thousands of others that had similar problems.

Kathy asked me if I wanted to set up scheduled payments, and I declined. Why? I told her " Because we live in a "I don't know what will happen tomorrow world." She laughed and understood.

We really do live in that world, all laughter aside at my misadventures in online bill paying. Since just about everyone I know lives month to month, pay check to pay check, I am far from being alone in this respect. Disaster seems to always be a possibility, there is no real piece of mind, no financial stability for those that
are forced to live this way due to the world we now live in. The only folks who do not have to worry about money are those that have a whole lot of it...that 1%. (actors, politicians, CEO's of powerful and inhumane corporations..billionaires..you catch my drift) Sometimes I wonder if we are the crowds that press our noses to the windows and breath hungry steam while watching the patrons inside eat food that glows like the Holy Grail. Easy for them, and a world away for us. Shades of "Oliver Twist." "Please Sir, may I have some more?"

I know I have ranted on this subject before, but I beg that you understand it is in my very nature to champion the underdog. Even when the underdog is the  99%  who have not. I despise people who think that they are better than the rest of us because of what they Have, or Who they are.

Well, onto the next rant,
k

A little too much

 Sometimes life seems to bring too much bad news all at once. Other than to pull my head back into my shell and pretend to ignore, the only choice is to deal with it. In this past month two of my friends have been diagnosed with pretty scary things, cancer and an aortic aneurysm.  Wishes and prayers are all we are able to share with them. We cannot 'fix' what has happened, only hold onto to hope that God will lend them strength to fight the battles that lie ahead, and they will defeat their physical enemies.

I hope that God is listening to all the prayers that are being said for Teda and Ken. I spend most of my life/time at work these days. That makes the people I work with my extended family. I don't go home to another family since I live alone. Wishing Ken well as he set off to fight his battle was like saying good bye to my Dad and not knowing when I would see him again. I don't want to say good bye to either one of them.
There is a hole left in my life without their presence.

I have had a dream disappear of my own, but it seems trivial in the extreme compared to my two friends diagnosis. It's funny where we place our own importance in the grand scheme of things. It was something that I had set my sights on as a way to increase my and another's happiness quota., a small step towards a better life. I am disappointed but I suppose I will have to find another way to do that happiness thing.

What would make me very happy right now? Hearing good news about my two friends.

G'nite
k

Those Who touch our lives

Those who touch our lives and leave dusty footprints upon our hearts.

More bad news, and nothing that I can fight to change. Someone else close to me is fighting
cancer. Once again that ugly disease invades.  I reckon that  the person who has been diagnosed
to be one that I know to be feisty and tough. I trust that his fighting spirit will not "go softly into that good night."

The best and the brightest, the ones that truly do make a difference...why does God call them home this way? I confess to never being able to understand why. But I do profess to be willing to be a support to this person who has a battle before them. This is someone who treats each day as a challenge to conquer. Someone who always shares his " don't give up or give in!" spirit with everyone he touches.

I will be there for you if you need me. Do not give up. Fight!! and I will grit my teeth and fight beside you.
My shoulder can bear the weight of hugs if you need them. I will push as much as you will allow to inspire you to win. And add my prayers to all those that will be shared with God, for he can be the source of your strength, and the Love that will shelter you.

k

One Too Many Hugs,,,

You know? I live a fairly quiet life.  I work, then come home and work some more, and get in some relaxing time whenever possible. I don't date. I do not go out to bars. I drive maybe 6 miles over the speed limit (generally, lol.) I try to pay my bills on time. I rarely buy anything for myself. And I say grace before I eat, to make sure that God knows how grateful I am for the life I have.

So why is it, when I do reach out and hug some one, that I pick the one person who can share a cold??

Damn It.

k

Swing..into First Place

The only way to describe this past weekend and the holiday season at my work is to compare it to a race. On the starting line...Christmas Eve...First lap completed, Christmas day..and the weekend up to and including New Years Eve? Flying down the home stretch and crossing the finish line while the crowds roared.

Climbing out of the car on wobbly legs..sweaty and triumphant...Swing shift officers and management. Waving to the crowds and hobbling off the track we congratulate ourselves for surviving another holiday season.

It's a demanding job, there is no getting around it. Yes, we do have fun facing the challenges each and every day. Making a day fun despite the stress and fast forward pace is what makes us a fantastic team. Everyone appreciates the efforts that others on the team make. Because it was New Years eve and we effectively handled the largest crowds I have ever seen there, hugs were exchanged, and even a few cheeks were kissed.

There are days when we really feel like a family and this was one of them. No griping or whining, everyone of us kicked butt and helped each other, even when we were vastly out numbered. It really does verge on amazing that so few people (compared to the crowds of guests) can do the job we do so well.

I'd like to thank all of you in my extended work family for being the great people that you are and taking that First Place invisible trophy home as a team. Happy 2013!! I know if we can handle a night like tonight that we can handle any silly Zombie Apocalypse that may come along..LOL!

Hugs,
k