Friday, February 29, 2008
15 minutes
Just in case any of you ladies out there read my blog in the next fifteen minutes, you have until midnight to follow the folk tradition of proposing to a man on this the last fifteen minutes of the leap year!!! I think I might buck this tradition, but it does sound a bit fun... or a least a little risqu'e (in 19th century terms, of course)...
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Busy Bee
I have been working and auditioning like a fool. Basically, I am stopping by my blog on my way to bed. I have no thoughts or ideas that would benefit the world at this moment, but as soon as my life slows down (and believe me it will in a week and a half) I will tell you all what I'm thinking and feeling. Until then I really can say only "goodnight," and "do you know anyone who would hire me to do administrative/design/creative work that will allow me to not only pay my bills, but also let me leave during the day to audition? (And since I'm already putting it out there, can I please have a job that challenges me?)" I know, I know I'm demanding, but I have to believe these jobs exist and that I won't be forced against my will to wait tables again. I tried to take a proofreading class, but it was cancelled... do I have bad day job Karma?
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Government Expediency
Yes, the title of this blog is unbelievable, but more unbelievable is that in my case it is true. I mailed my passport renewal and name change in last Friday. I asked (and paid) for the expedited service because it can take up to six weeks to get a passport. I am going to Barbados in four weeks. Hence, the reason why I paid for the expedited service. Anyway, I was looking at my bank account online and noticed that the check for my passport has already been cashed. I thought, "There is no way they work that fast, but I guess they must process the check before they complete the task." I then headed to the US State department website to check the status of my passport application (It's cool that you can check up on them by providing a few details). Now, hold on to your seats...
My application has been processed and my new passport (with my new, old name) will be mailed on or before February 23. In less than a week which included a national holiday, our notoriously bogged down and bureaucracy ridden government processed and mailed my passport. I am amazed! Now let's see how the US Postal Service does...
My application has been processed and my new passport (with my new, old name) will be mailed on or before February 23. In less than a week which included a national holiday, our notoriously bogged down and bureaucracy ridden government processed and mailed my passport. I am amazed! Now let's see how the US Postal Service does...
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Ten on Tuesdays- Catch Up Edition
1. Time flies when you're having fun. Ok, really, time just flies. Can you believe we are halfway through February already?
2. I went to Vegas last week for my job, but I went with Meredith. Having a friend in Vegas definitely makes it more bearable. We worked our butts off for two days, but then we had two days to relax. I gambled $25. I know, chump change, but gambling makes me nervous. I don't like thinking about all the money I could win because it's the same as not thinking about all the money you could lose. The ideas go hand in hand, but the "positive" one always seems to overshadow the realistic one. Winning money begets greed. I was up five dollars at one point and then continued to play and lost it all telling myself, "I was up once, I can get there again."
3. The cocktail waitresses at the Rio were wearing lingerie as their uniform (a black negligee and a black thong with black heels- most chose to wear pantyhose too). I know, they don't have to work there, but on my last night I finally saw a man cocktail serving and what was he wearing you ask- black dress pants and a button down collared shirt that had the first two buttons unbuttoned. Seems a bit skewed to me.
4. The Friday I left for Vegas (which was one and a half days after I sent the letter) I was contacted by a customer service representative at my bank. He apologized to me over and over and said that the bank wanted to do everything in their power to make me happy. I had already been refunded the $15. They gave me totally free checking for life (or as long as I have the account)! Pretty cool. I kind of wanted to fight for all the others who have been charged the egregious fee, but I realized that you have to pick your battles in order to win the war.
5. I voted for Barack Obama in the February 5th New York primary.
6. I foresee a few problems for the Democrats as they move forward in this crazy election.
7. As Obama or Hillary Clinton attempt to clinch the nomination, they are going to begin attacking one another. I really don't see any other way they can differentiate themselves because their platforms are quite similar. It has already begun. But, because they have the Party to think of, this of course is manifesting itself in petty arguments. "Mommy, mommy, she's trying to cheat." "No I'm not, no I'm NOT. He's changing the rules in the middle of the game. It's not fair....." and on and on it will go until they both lose some credibility. Not to mention bringing the party back together once one of them is declared the winner only becomes more difficult as time goes on.
8. If Clinton becomes the nominee I think that this primary will hurt her most. She already has a group of people who dislike her within the party and outside it. I think she will have a harder time recovering from it. If it becomes a knock out fight the conclusions people have already drawn about Clinton will be harder to shed.
9. The fact that the DNC decided that Florida's and Michigan's delegates won't count is ridiculous. But more ridiculous is that the ballots were even printed with the Democratic candidates' names on them. If you aren't going to count them, and you aren't going to allow the candidates to campaign there, why would you allow the ballots to be printed and then used in voting? Really, if you are going to disenfranchise people you gotta go all the way. Come on DNC, you look a bit amateurish. Were you paying attention during the 2000 and 2004 elections? You should have learned how to accomplish this task definitively. Kudos to Michigan who almost got there by having only Hillary Clinton on the ballot. And a sidebar to the Clinton campaign: If you are still confused how someone can show up to vote and decide to make a statement by not voting for or against you only have to look at Michigan where 44% of Democrats voted present. Oh I'm sorry, I mean uncommitted.
10. It's easy to see how John Stewart and Stephen Colbert make all their money making fun of and poking fun at this ridiculous thing we call a democracy, because it is more like a soap opera.
2. I went to Vegas last week for my job, but I went with Meredith. Having a friend in Vegas definitely makes it more bearable. We worked our butts off for two days, but then we had two days to relax. I gambled $25. I know, chump change, but gambling makes me nervous. I don't like thinking about all the money I could win because it's the same as not thinking about all the money you could lose. The ideas go hand in hand, but the "positive" one always seems to overshadow the realistic one. Winning money begets greed. I was up five dollars at one point and then continued to play and lost it all telling myself, "I was up once, I can get there again."
3. The cocktail waitresses at the Rio were wearing lingerie as their uniform (a black negligee and a black thong with black heels- most chose to wear pantyhose too). I know, they don't have to work there, but on my last night I finally saw a man cocktail serving and what was he wearing you ask- black dress pants and a button down collared shirt that had the first two buttons unbuttoned. Seems a bit skewed to me.
4. The Friday I left for Vegas (which was one and a half days after I sent the letter) I was contacted by a customer service representative at my bank. He apologized to me over and over and said that the bank wanted to do everything in their power to make me happy. I had already been refunded the $15. They gave me totally free checking for life (or as long as I have the account)! Pretty cool. I kind of wanted to fight for all the others who have been charged the egregious fee, but I realized that you have to pick your battles in order to win the war.
5. I voted for Barack Obama in the February 5th New York primary.
6. I foresee a few problems for the Democrats as they move forward in this crazy election.
7. As Obama or Hillary Clinton attempt to clinch the nomination, they are going to begin attacking one another. I really don't see any other way they can differentiate themselves because their platforms are quite similar. It has already begun. But, because they have the Party to think of, this of course is manifesting itself in petty arguments. "Mommy, mommy, she's trying to cheat." "No I'm not, no I'm NOT. He's changing the rules in the middle of the game. It's not fair....." and on and on it will go until they both lose some credibility. Not to mention bringing the party back together once one of them is declared the winner only becomes more difficult as time goes on.
8. If Clinton becomes the nominee I think that this primary will hurt her most. She already has a group of people who dislike her within the party and outside it. I think she will have a harder time recovering from it. If it becomes a knock out fight the conclusions people have already drawn about Clinton will be harder to shed.
9. The fact that the DNC decided that Florida's and Michigan's delegates won't count is ridiculous. But more ridiculous is that the ballots were even printed with the Democratic candidates' names on them. If you aren't going to count them, and you aren't going to allow the candidates to campaign there, why would you allow the ballots to be printed and then used in voting? Really, if you are going to disenfranchise people you gotta go all the way. Come on DNC, you look a bit amateurish. Were you paying attention during the 2000 and 2004 elections? You should have learned how to accomplish this task definitively. Kudos to Michigan who almost got there by having only Hillary Clinton on the ballot. And a sidebar to the Clinton campaign: If you are still confused how someone can show up to vote and decide to make a statement by not voting for or against you only have to look at Michigan where 44% of Democrats voted present. Oh I'm sorry, I mean uncommitted.
10. It's easy to see how John Stewart and Stephen Colbert make all their money making fun of and poking fun at this ridiculous thing we call a democracy, because it is more like a soap opera.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Been Away
I was in Vegas for the last week- UGH! I promise to write this weekend. I have lots to talk about- the election, more observations on Vegas, and my bank contacted me last week regarding my letter. All will come soon, I promise. Right now I have to sleep- I'm still trying to get back to the eastern time zone...
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Straight to the Top
Sometimes to get things done, you have to go straight to the top. Here is a letter I wrote via an online letter format (the only way I could find to lodge a complaint) that I addressed to the Office of the Chairman of the bank that I have my checking account with. FYI- when I opened the account it was free checking. We'll see if this letter makes it to these guys at all...
Dear Office of the Chairman, [I actually addressed it to the three people that are the Office of the Chairman, but I thought I'd give them an opportunity to respond to my complaint before I publish their names.]
I recently noticed a cycle fee on my account. As this had never happened before I called the customer service number to find out what it meant. The person I spoke with was nice enough to refund the fee- this time... But, what I found out from this representative highly disappoints me. I have appreciated [this] Bank so much since I became a customer. I tell all my friends and family what a cool, forward thinking bank you are. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that you have a fee for checking accounts that go below $100. I understand from the person I spoke to that you changed this policy after acquiring another bank last year. If you were as forward thinking as I thought, you would have made those banks like you, rather than becoming the type of bank I have been attempting to avoid. Let me please tell you the immoral flaw in this charge. Normal people use checking accounts to pay bills and to live their day to day lives. Not that I should have to explain myself, but I went below $100 in my account because I was dropped from my health insurance and had to begin paying for it out of pocket. I didn't overdraft and I didn't do anything wrong- I was just broke for a week. It seems completely insensitive, not to mention downright greedy to take from those with the least to fatten your own wallets. I am sure that there are many people who have found themselves in similar situations who have not had the ability to voice their grievances with you. I pray that you and your families never see your accounts below $100. It is not an easy place to be and I more fervently hope that you see the error in your ways and return to banking in a way by which I can be proud to say I am your customer.
Dear Office of the Chairman, [I actually addressed it to the three people that are the Office of the Chairman, but I thought I'd give them an opportunity to respond to my complaint before I publish their names.]
I recently noticed a cycle fee on my account. As this had never happened before I called the customer service number to find out what it meant. The person I spoke with was nice enough to refund the fee- this time... But, what I found out from this representative highly disappoints me. I have appreciated [this] Bank so much since I became a customer. I tell all my friends and family what a cool, forward thinking bank you are. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that you have a fee for checking accounts that go below $100. I understand from the person I spoke to that you changed this policy after acquiring another bank last year. If you were as forward thinking as I thought, you would have made those banks like you, rather than becoming the type of bank I have been attempting to avoid. Let me please tell you the immoral flaw in this charge. Normal people use checking accounts to pay bills and to live their day to day lives. Not that I should have to explain myself, but I went below $100 in my account because I was dropped from my health insurance and had to begin paying for it out of pocket. I didn't overdraft and I didn't do anything wrong- I was just broke for a week. It seems completely insensitive, not to mention downright greedy to take from those with the least to fatten your own wallets. I am sure that there are many people who have found themselves in similar situations who have not had the ability to voice their grievances with you. I pray that you and your families never see your accounts below $100. It is not an easy place to be and I more fervently hope that you see the error in your ways and return to banking in a way by which I can be proud to say I am your customer.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Irish Car Bomb
I am only posting this because my mom asked...
An Irish car bomb (that is its full, probably not PC, title) is a half shot of Jameson's (Irish) whiskey, half shot of Bailey's (Irish) cream, which you drop into half a pint of Guiness (Irish beer) and drink in one gulp. It needs to be served pretty quickly after it's been poured because the Bailey's will curdle if it sits too long...
An Irish car bomb (that is its full, probably not PC, title) is a half shot of Jameson's (Irish) whiskey, half shot of Bailey's (Irish) cream, which you drop into half a pint of Guiness (Irish beer) and drink in one gulp. It needs to be served pretty quickly after it's been poured because the Bailey's will curdle if it sits too long...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)