Bill Problems

I have come to the realization that the epic battle of my life pits me against all companies to which I pay bills. It is a battle to which I seemingly will forever be inextricably tied.

Let me put this into context. Ahab had the whale. Beowulf had Grendel. I have corporate America.

Good grief.

I got my mail this evening, and two companies are trying to screw me with their bills. T-Mobile has a $9.99 bogus charge for some service that apparently gives you cheats for video games. Of course, I did not purchase this service nor authorize it. I have no video games whatsoever. It was rendered on Tuesday, March 3, at 11:22 PM. Considering that day and time, there is no way I could have done anything to incur this charge. I always turn off my phone by 9 or 10; I'm usually asleep before that time. Even if I were working that night, my phone would not have been with me or even on.

Thankfully, I called T-Mobile tonight and apparently straightened out this mess. The same cannot be said for American Education Services.

Yet again, AES has put a deferment on my loans. This is the third time AES has done this. Here is how it goes: AES keeps putting a deferment on my loans; I keep getting it taken off. Just when I'm about to make a payment, they slap on another deferment. I am sick and bloody tired of dealing with these fools. All I want to do is pay my loans back, but AES keeps trying to screw me.

This keeps happening thanks to the federal goverment. Basically, the federal government requires schools three times a semester to submit reports on students with loans. Every time the university does this, AES sees I'm in school and is required to automatically stick me with a deferment.

I learned all this when I complained to several different offices on campus.

The only thing I can do I fill out a form that says stop putting a deferment on my loans. The last time I dealt with this, that is exactly what I did. But apparently, it didn't help. Here I am again.

Two things frustrate me about this situation. First, I am tired of struggling with AES. It is ridiculous that I will have to call AES yet again on Monday to try yet again to sort this mess out. It should seem obvious that I do not want a deferment by the fact that I keep calling them every few weeks to get it removed. Obviously, the folks at AES are either absolutely stupid or they are going to great lengths, on purpose, to con me out of every penny and dime they can. I have no doubt they are money mongers, but I think the real cause is they are brainless.

Second, it is obvious that corporate America is a bunch of inept, profit thirsty dimwits. I have been battling every company I have paid bills to for about three years now. When I lived in Auburn, I never had any problems with any company. Ever since I moved from Auburn, I have had at least one problem with every company I have had to deal with. When I lived in Atlanta, every company to which I paid a bill tried to screw me at least one. That trend has only continued since moving to Tuscaloosa.

I inherited Moyna's temper, but over the years I have worked not to become as mad as I used to. I think that I have cultivated a tranquility in my day to day life. However, nothing throws me into a fit more than dealing with these companies!

Shimmering

There was a brief break in the clouds this morning. The sun came and it seemed like the wet green of Pelham was shimmering in the sunlight. It made me feel that spring was alive and that it was really here.

Dothan

That weather front came through like gangbusters in the night. We heard hail on our roof. The cats were scurrying around nervous-like. I wasn't sure if I'd get off to Dothan or not but here I am in Dothan (a.k.a. Circle City). It's raining here but no wind or storm.

Twitter

Dad and I have recently conversed about Twitter. Here is a blog post describing what is believed to be the first firing because of Twitter:

"I confess to feeling a little sorry for the much maligned CiscoFatty who seemingly (does anyone have the facts?) lost her job op at Cisco by issuing the following Tweet:

Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.

Not only did a senior Cisco person receive the tweet and respond, asking her ‘who is the hiring manager?’ but the whole story has hit the blogosphere and mainstream media with such force one wonders just what the real problem is here. First, one might read CiscoFatty’s comment in several ways, not just as a dismissive note about Cisco and the dangers of selling one’s soul for corporate reward. It might be a statement about the conflicting nature of the decision to be made, as in, “I have to determine the importance of money over possible job dissatisfaction”, but who wants to give the benefit of the doubt anymore? Second, just what was that Cisco employee doing replying to a tweet when he might have been doing something more productive with his time? I don’t see Cisco as holding any moral high ground here.

The nature of Twitter throws into relief a distinction I sometimes make between communication and information. We all communicate, and most of our communications are meant to be transient and targeted, gone as soon as the recipient’s memory fades. This is the interaction signal of life. Communications become information when they are recorded in a form that makes them reproducible. Twitter sits at that interface, taking the intentionally temporary and rendering it artificially permanent. Soon, there will be need for new apps or new information professionals, the Tweet-curator. I may have to decide if I want to do that for a fatty fee…….not."

Verbiage

I just read the phrase "vote of confidence." I am tired of these words. I am tired of all phrases, like this one, that are recycled perpetually. This particular phrase seems to be used most often in sports, and that is exactly the context in which I just read them.

I have little tolerance of such hackneyed diction.

Tuesday in Troy

I am on the campus of Troy University. The pollen is terrible. Spring would be wonderful if it were not for the pollen

Carpe Diem

The term means "the enjoyment of the pleasure of the moment without concern for the future."
We enjoyed that feeling this weekend as Freddy was home. He and I went to movies this weekend (TAKEN and KNOWING) in Alabaster but mainly we just took pleasure in each other's company. It was great.

Economic Advice From Mark Twain

In these trying economic times, it is worth considering the financial advice of Mark Twain, taken from his Pudd'nhead Wilson:

“October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August and February.”

I Believe in Spring

I believe in Spring. I believe in the world turning green once again. I believe in renewal. I believe in the birds singing outside my house, waking me up each morning. I believe in baseball. I believe in the turning of the seasons. I believe in Spring.

Squirrel Day in Alabama

The Guvnuh of the state of Alabama has declared next Tuesday as “Squirrel Day” in Alabama. With big federal stem-uh-lus money coming, the Guvnuh plans on spending millions to develop the squirrel industry in his state.

“It’s about time we recognized this valuable little animal in our state,” the Guvnuh says.

He goes on to say that “the squirrel is such a delicacy in Alabama. We love our squirrel meat in Alabama!”

The Guvnuh’s proclamation mentions in particular The Squirrel House Restaurant in Irondale where they serve squirrel 40 different ways.

Bertha Blue, the owner, says proudly, “We serve it grilled, boiled, fried, sauteed, you name it. When it comes to good squirrel meat, we got it!” Laughing, Bertha says, “We even serve it with mushrooms and tofu for you visitors from California. But do know that at our restaurant our only sides are loaf bread and tater chips. What more do you need with squirrel?!”

The Guvnuh notes that there is an abundance of squirrels in the state.

“Since it’s always squirrel season in Alabama, do your part to control the squirrel population. If you see one those buggers crossing the highway where you live, run him over! After all, road-kill squirrel is the best kind. If you’ve ever tried to get a squirrel out of your attic, you’ll understand the mentality involved here. And by all means, you crazy people who keep squirrels for pets—although I don’t know why anyone would deny themselves good squirrel meat for a pet---have your squirrels spayed or neutered.”

The Guvnuh points out that squirrel farming is slowly and quietly becoming big business in Alabama. “It’ll never be as big as poultry farming---after all, for as good as squirrel is it’ll never beat fried chicken on Sunday in the South---but the economy of the state is at stake and every little bit helps. Some of our farm workers will need to be retrained from chicken to squirrel farming, but we’ll set up training centers in our junior colleges. Every state representative and senator will get his own training center. With the stem-uh-lus money coming, there will be lots of state money to pass around to train our workers,” the Guvnuh adds.

“There is a saying in this state that what happens in Alabama should stay in Alabama. Most of you Yankees probably still believe that. Well, I don’t believe that for a minute. It’s time we Alabamians shared with the rest of the country what we love here. After all, we’re the state that gave the country Talladega, Bear Bryant, and George Wallace. The squirrel is next!”

Cloudy Sunday in March

It rained all day yesterday and it was raining this morning but as I type these words in the middle of the day, the skies may be clearing. It has been so dreary this weekend.

Moyna and I Easterized our house this morning as we put out our Easter paraphenalia. It looks like Easter here.

I think we've had enough rain for a while.

Blood Drive

The last two days I helped coordinate a blood drive on campus. It was a success. We receieved more donations than we expected, far more than any other year in the three year history of this drive.

I gave a pint myself. My blood pressure was clocked at 120/82. I think I can go online in a few days and see what my cholesterol is.

We grilled hot dogs and had cupcakes and assorted candies. 101.7 FM broadcasted for a few hours. There was even a sky puppet.

I am glad the drive was a success.

Meditation on Time

I awake at 5;30 quickly realizing that it's actually 6:30. I don't know if I like this early Daylight Saving Time or not. It used to come in April. When did they change it? I don't remember.

I do like the 24-hour cycle of time. Each day is the chance to start over. Each day presents the chance to do better than I did the day before.

Yesterday I was out looking for liquid ivory soap. This is all we use. The lady at the Rite Aid in Pelham looked at my driver's license and remarked that she and I were of the same generation except that I was pre-Korean War and she was post-Korean War. I had never heard her term pre-Korean War before, but I like it.

As the 60's becomes more and more remote, I realize that I have fewer and fewer people to connect with who understand the historical time that I identify with. My historical frame of reference becomes less and less accessible. This makes me feel more and more isolated unless I keep in touch with people of the same period.

There is no time like the present! This is where we are now.

Church Eating

I discovered that soul food is my kind of food. I went to a church dinner Saturday that featured nothing but soul food - stewed chicken, stewed pork, black eyed peas, collards, rice and corn casserole... the works! It was spicy and delicious. I wish I could eat thataway everday!

I also went to another church function recently. It was a fundraiser. I paid $10 and got a bowl that was made by art students on campus. You had your choice of bowl, and there were dozens all different from the rest. You then got to eat as much soup as you wanted. I had some gumbo from The Globe and some roasted chicken chowder. I also won a second bowl in the silent auction. It was delicious and fun!

Snow!

6:30 - I rise to see snow peppering down. It looks lovely out our front windows

8:00 - I go out to see what's going around Pelham, and the answer is not much!

10:30 - Moyna's folks call. Her Aunt Marge died several days ago. She was buried yesterday in Turlock. Mom O'Riley entertains Moyna talking about who showed up for the funeral, what everybody looked like and what everybody said to everybody else. Isn't this the way it always is? When families get together for funerals everybody walks away talking about everybody else, making sharp comments.

10:54 - Not long ago I thought the snow had ended. Now it's snowing full blast.

11:34 - As usual for us Hudsons, we start watching bowling on ESPN. Bowling has always been the family sport.

12:23 -While watching the bowling, we see that it appears that the snow has stopped.

12:54 - The sun comes out. The snow party is over I guess.

1:30 - Out and about again, I see that the snow is melting rapidly. The only snowman I see is in front of a house on Cross Creek Trail as I leave our village.

4:30 - I pick up din din from Cocina Superior at Brookwood. We like it! It seems that water is flowing and dripping from everywhere. That snow sure melted rapidly.