Posts Tagged With: storms

Fri-yay 3 ~ Milestones, Storms and Thieves

Posted on January 10, 2020 by emjayandthem

It’s Friday of the first full work week of 2020 ~ here are my 3 Random Thoughts for Fri-yay.

Ready? let’s go!

1 ) Milestones – Attended a retirement party recently for the woman who hired me 18+ years ago. How did we get old enough to retire already? Ironically one of her parting gifts was a beautiful clock. Maybe it’s me but I found it funny that others assume someone who’s not going to be “on the clock” anymore wants … a clock? We had a good visit and lots of laughs and she whispered joyfully, “5 more alarms to go…” #IsntItIronic

2 ) Winter Storm Watch – the Midwest is bracing for a wild weather weekend. TV forecasters are salivating, their eyes wild with excitement as they breathlessly provide hour-by-hour updates. Stores are stocked, aisles are jammed, and folks are getting ready. It’s 45F right now but expected to drop with rain then ice then snow then .. trees down, ice and snow, etc. Regardless what happens .. we’ll be as ready as we can be. #WinterinMI

3 ) Thieves – over the Christmas break I had my credit card number skimmed at a local (chain) retail store. Thankfully I have alerts set up and received a message, via text, about suspicious activity. (The text also looked suspicious, to be honest). I didn’t respond to the text but instead called the credit card company, verified my identity, and confirmed I was home in my jammies and not trying to book a Hotel in Delaware! After that whole mess I set up additional alerts to the account – transactions > a certain amount, change in security, debit charges, withdrawals, etc. Make technology work for you! If you have a credit card, I suggest you set up similar stop-gaps. Thieves have no problem helping themselves to your good credit and assets. #StillAngry

P.S. ~

After the “skimming” incident I called the store where I’m certain the thievery happened and asked to speak to the manager. What sounded like a 12 year old came to the phone. *SIGH* After explaining my dilemma and urging her to check their security/IT network she countered that, “Oh no, that couldn’t have happened here ’cause we.. like … check our machines.. like … all the time.” When I offered that there is a current problem (since I hadn’t otherwise used the card in nearly a month anywhere else OR online and the attempted charges happened 2 hours after I shopped at their store) she responded with, “Well OK then … no worries, Thanks for the call ….” It was obvious, by her dismissive response that I wasn’t getting anywhere with Mandi with an i and ended the call.

#PutAlertsonYourCredit #CantFixStupid

What’s new in your world?

Any milestones happening around you?
Storms a-coming?
Tech tips or other thoughts to share?

Categories: Animals, Attitude, Blogging, Determination, Growth, Home, Humor, Life, Life Lessons, Technology | Tags: alarms, bad customer service, cant fix stupid, clocks, credit alerts, credit card hack, credit skim, milestones, preparedness, retirement, storms, winter | 6 Comments

Books are a home

Posted on February 17, 2019 by emjayandthem

We’re mid-way through February and just out of five weeks of naughty winter. Bitter Arctic cold followed by a sixty degree swing in temperatures with freezing rain and ice storms, downed trees and power outages. Next came another band of snow … “Lake Effect” snow and more snow. Then wind, blowing the snow, making it skitter and scatter across driveways, rooftops and roads.

ice on the back steps .. so treacherous!

We’re a hearty bunch, us Mid westerners. We’re used to winter, and some of us (me) enjoy all four seasons. And, growing up in Canada or living here in Michigan, I’ve found the weather is always a safe topic no matter where you are – the gas pump, the grocery store, kids’ game or coffee shoppe. Weather is a favorite and “safe” topic in the check-out aisle, “So did you come through the storm(s) OK?” “Any damage at your place?” Quasi-strangers commiserating on a common theme affords a sense of community I long for.

This year, winter has kept us in more than out; yesterday was an “out” day — brunch with the Elders. The restaurant was packed with folks happy to be out and about. You’d never know it was 20F outside because inside, conversations flew easily over coffee being poured and the smells of bacon and sausages sizzling. People lingered, stopped by nearby tables to visit, and the chatter of so many confirmed all were happy to be there.

Winter 2019 – an Emjayandthem(C) photo

The reason for our gathering was two-fold: 1) celebrating a birthday and 2) creating a reason to get out & get together! It was Uncle Ron’s 81st birthday ~ he laughed and guarded his allotment of my home-made treats like a Quarterback shielding the ball. His sister, Auntie Karen, smiled with delight at the bag of paperbacks and cookies I handed to her. Not to be left out, Grandpa John, Hubb’s Step-Dad, tucked his cookie stash into the cab of his truck while shivering over one last smoke before heading home. We make it a point to get together on a regular basis and, for the reasons listed above, winter gatherings are always the feistiest.

Arriving home, Hubbs headed off to for a nap; I chatted on the phone with my cousin then snuggled into a chair with a new book – my 7th this year. Leaning in, sipping tea, I felt warm and wonderful and yes grateful – grateful for seasons and reasons that remind us that home is a wonderful place to be.

“Books, for me, are a home. Books don’t make a home–they are one, in the sense that just as you do with a door, you open a book, and you go inside. Inside there is a different kind of time and a different kind of space.”
― Jeanette Winterson, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

How about you?