No Access Today

I’m in an all-day meeting today. What you read now was written last night and I’ll have little-to-no internet access today.

You Have To Walk Before You Can Run
And in my case you have to walk while you are running. Yesterday morning I made my first attempt at running since before the bicycle accident. I chose to wake early, get dressed to run, drive to my work area, and go out for a part of the run I was using when I was training in January/February.

It. Was. Horrible.

I made it about 0.75 miles before resorting to walking. All in all I did a two-mile loop of walking/running.

How To Lose A Customer
Last night at Taco Mac my credit card was declined. Upon arriving home I gave the Major Bank a phone call to see why my card had been declined.

Customer Service: “It looks like your account is twenty days past due.”
Me: [confused for a second and then remembering that I somehow missed June’s payment] “Yes, I know. But I’ve set up a payment.”
Customer Service: “I see, for July 18th, but your past due.”
Me: “I understand that, but I’ve committed to payment and included the $25 late fee plus the interest which has occurred without contesting either. Why would you freeze my account then?”
Customer Service: “Because you are twenty days past due.”
Me: “But I’ve set up a payment. I admit that missed June’s payment but accepted responsibility by paying your fees! This may be the first time I’ve ever missed a payment. Why doesn’t [REDACTED] take my payment history into consideration? Why would you freeze my account?”
Customer Service:: “We declined payment so that you would call us. If you’d like to pay tonight I can unfreeze your account.”
Me: “When will it be safe to cancel my credit card? I feel that [REDACTED] has shown me that it doesn’t care — nor should it because it’s a business — but I don’t like the way you do your business and intend to take mine elsewhere.”
Customer Service: “We sure would hate to lose you as a customer, sir.”
Me: “I don’t think you care.”

[more back and forth occurred where I continue to inquire about cancellation while the customer service rep continues to explain the bank’s desire to keep me.]

A little while after hanging up with the customer service rep I paid my balance in full last night, and once I am certain that all charges have come in and that my payments have cleared I will indeed be canceling that credit card.

Even More Le Tour
The riders are back on the bikes today, but I’ll have to wait until tonight to find out what occurred during today’s stage.

Yesterday I was contacted by email directly by VERSUS asking to spread the word about some Facebook pages they’ve set up.

The first is a contest from which you win some cool prizes, click on the image to enter the contest:

Defining Moment Contest

And if you have a question for Bob “Bobke” Roll you can post it using this link:

Headsweats Ask Bobke

For what’s it’s worth I get nothing from these, but I thought it was pretty cool.

Amazon MP3 Freebies
I realized that now that Amazon has a cloud music player I can “purchase” and “download” as many free sampler albums that they offer. As I “purchase” each my cloud account gets populated with the albums and I’ll be able to play them whenever I want (okay, whenever I want and have internet access).

Go to Amazon and check out their free offerings. What do you have to lose?

Going To Make My First Trip To 529
While I’ve lived less that 0.25 miles from 529 I’ve yet to see a show there. That will change tonight as I will be there to see/hear Colourmusic perform. Many thanks to the folks at Tell All Your Friends PR to turning me onto the show. I’m looking forward to going to the venue for the first time as well as seeing a band I’ve never seen perform live.

If you are free tonight come out and say hello — I’ll be the guy paying with cash because he no longer has his “walk around” credit card.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – frustrated for many reasons
Current Music – listening to “The Social Hour” podcast
Website Of The Day – The internet is a fascinating place. See a person doing a television commercial and want to find out more? Just Google! I typed in “Tire Rack commercial girl” and found my way to Anna Zielinski’s web site. Turns out that Zielinski is also the adorable woman from last year’s Kindle commercial. It also turns out that Zielinski is married and has a child. The Internet giveth, The Internet taketh away.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – walking/running, 2.0 miles
Morning Weigh-In – tomorrow

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Pushups – 0
Situps – 0
Stairs – 0 flights

Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 0 (0)

Vegetarian Days – 2
Carnivorous Days – 9

Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0

July Goals
– “Completely” recover from the bike crash
– Buy a bicycle and start riding again
– Not to get sick for the entire month
– Not get fired from my job
– Run at least once
– Eat vegetarian no fewer than five days
– Lose three pounds

2011 Goals [will be a little more fluid than in past years]
– Reduce my weight by 25 pounds based on the my weight as measured on February 1st
Completely read the book Daily Negations which I received as a Christmas gift.
– Run Sharpened Stone as a real business — one which does not get penalized.
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Attend at least one professional photography workshop
– Enter no fewer than three photographic competitions / gallery showings
Ride in no fewer than five 50 mile or 50K bike rides
– Run in no fewer than two one half-marathon
– Submit at least one application under the name “Sharpened Stone” to Apple’s iOS store

The Unmeasurable
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

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11 Responses to No Access Today

  1. Stacy Fox says:

    I do not blame you one bit for canceling that credit card. That’s ridiculous customer service, especially in that you’ve probably had it for years and we know by your previous posting that you never paid late.

    I’m really curious as to who it is, though, so I don’t do business with them.

  2. Martha says:

    I will almost guarantee that most credit card companies would have done the same thing…in their eyes, late is late, she probably didn’t have access to ‘scheduled payments’ and even if she did how would she know that you wouldn’t cancel the payment as soon as you’re card was reactivated (not that you would, but working in that department for a couple of years, you’d be amazed with what people will come up with). If you want to cancel the card, just do it, you don’t need to wait for any unposted charges first. Be warned if the card has a high limit your credit score will take a bit of a ding, but unless you are looking for credit right away, probably not an issue.

    2 miles is great, in this heat it’s fantastic. I work out everyday and I can’t count the number of times I had to walk on Sunday. The important thing is you did it, don’t worry about the rest.

  3. Steve says:

    I’m with Martha- you got out there and did it. Good job. If I worried about how much I was walking at the moment, I would never get off the couch.

    The CC company declined a, say $25 charge?? WTF,O. I could understand a hogher charge of a couple hundred bucks, but this makes no sense and they have rightfully earned you ire.

    Fuck. them.

    Off to run/walk the Strip.

    -FP

  4. Steve says:

    And my email reminded me that it’s someones birthday today. Would Barb like to comment?

  5. Barb says:

    okay Steve – I’ve missed a birthday. I got nothing for today, it is my niece’s birthday tomorrow (she will be 12), 2 other friends you don’t know on the 14th, another friend you don’t know on the 15th, and me & Barf Bag on 7/17.
    (and of course Paulie a week after me).

    Interesting on the whole credit card thing……. my Amex never did that to me when I forgot once, and Allan’s Chase (amazon points) card either. But – things have changed in the recent months, so I guess I better not forget to pay a card these days.

  6. Paulie [eatl/ga] says:

    Quick break in my meeting… The card was issued by Chase.

  7. Steve says:

    It was only the reminder coming across the blackberry, so I might have misread it. I’ll try and remember it’s sunday.. you and Barf? Oh joy..

    Hey Paulie.. post something about Chase on your FB account (or tweet) and see if they respond. Supposedly a lot of big companies monitor the social media to hear how they are doing.

  8. Barb says:

    and for my birthday Sunday, I have this feeling that we will be working on the deck all day. So, if you want to see me really “enjoying” my birthday, come on by….. (with work gloves, we probably have most of the tools, but you never know, we migth need more tools 😉

    I talked my old roomie Gregg (aka Hand Solo, who is in town from Nebraska) into helping Allan today. He was doing some painting for another friend, and is done, and doesn’t leave town until Thursday. I’m sure the food & drinks I will have to buy him forever will be costly, but it will be worth it to have Allan some help.

  9. Martha says:

    usually there is a grace period but, Barb’s right, things have changed and not for the better when it comes to credit cards. You might have had better luck asking them to waive the late fee.

    Well I finally got a loaner laptop for the office. I guess that means I’m stuck here. I still don’t have really anything to do, or for that matter met with anyone about what I should be doing. I’m just going to enjoy the peace and quite while it lasts, it’s going to be crazy around here soon enough.

    I would come by on Sunday but I’m considering the Dumbathalon presented by little easy. Jerry (I think) will be out of town…so I can hash without guilt.

    Ugh, I’m starving, looks like I’m going out for lunch today.

  10. Barb says:

    I wish I could go to the Dumbathalon…….. but………
    I’m sure it will be an “interesting” experience.

  11. bob says:

    I’m surprised you were not charged a fee for talking to a customer service rep.

    Come on out to the Dumbathlon on Sunday, it will definitely be interesting.

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