Not Moving, But Not Updating

If you'd like to follow my antics, I'll be continuing my Blogging activities at these places:

http://lifeunderarock.wordpress.com/
and
http://untidymind.com/blog/

Three are a bit much to handle. :)

Helpful Hint of the Day

After your shower, before you apply ANY moisturizer... you must get the water out of your ears with the Q-tips swabs FIRST. Trying to swirl those little buggers around with freshly lubed hands is next to impossible.

Pepsi and the Potty

I admit it. Pepsi makes me pee. A LOT. Okay, I can't definitively accuse Pepsi of doing it. It could be old age creeping up on me. But, then again, I drink lots and lots of tea (my drug of choice) and I don't have "that gotta go feeling" like I do after one glass of Pepsi.

Everything I Love Seems To Go Away Forever

What the hell? Why is it everything I love (or dear hubby loves) go away, never to be seen again.
Some examples include...

When hubby was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago, we went on the hunt for some small sweet treats he could indulge in occasionally. We found at WalMart, a reduced sugar/carbohydrate chocolate and strawberry mousse type frozen treat in small individual containers for easy portion control. Bought them once, he really liked them, then they were gone. No more.

The 4400 series. I have to say that maybe they gambled a bit on trying to drag it out too long, but for the love of God, couldn't they have just let them wrap it up with one final season? We, as usual, were left dangling. I'd read somewhere that they were supposed to conclude the series in a book. A BOOK? I love to read a good book, but I loved most of the actors in the 4400 series and wanted to WATCH the finale!

WG Grinders. The absolute best sub sandwiches ever made on this friggin planet are gone. If they are around somewhere, it's probably in another state. They piled meat, cheese and toppings on a sourdough bun and cooked it all to perfection. They had a macaroni salad with shredded cheddar cheese and a ranch kick. Heavenly. Gone. All gone. The one in this town is closed up. Hubby is pretty sure the one in the town we are originally from (about 30 minutes from here) is also closed because he commented that when he drove past it at 7 pm one night, they were closed. Damn.

Papa Murphy's Pizza. For the price, you could not beat these pizzas, and their cheesy garlic bread rings with dipping sauce. Made to order in their store, wrapped up with baking directions, you took them home and baked them in your oven on their disposable pan. Very filling, lots of cheese, AND a great taste for an even greater price. Leaving WalMart last week, I happened to look over, and in the doorway of the local Papa Murphy's stood someone holding the door open. A little more looking showed their sign was gone, paper was plastered up all over the inside of the windows and they were loading things onto a truck! Holy SHIT! Gone. All gone.

I am sure there are many other things that have disappeared over the years, but these seem to be the most heart-breaking at the moment. The most recent are always the most painful.

Losing Just One Hour

It never ceases to amaze me how losing one hour of sleep can really mess you up when the spring time change comes around. Where I work, a lot of the residents were late for breakfast, and a few even late for lunch, because they kept forgetting the time had moved forward one hour.

I, like millions of other people, had to get up an hour earlier. This after working a 12 hour shift the day before. I didn't get home till 9 pm, had to eat supper and hit the sack. Of course, when you really need to sleep, the body seems to grow very long claws and fangs then fights you every step of the way. I woke up at 1:55 am, worried that my phone wouldn't change the time automatically, even though I knew from several years of experience that it would. Before I knew it, BAMM! 4 am was here and the alarm was going off. I was up and on my way for another 12 hour round.

Work, thank God for small miracles, wasn't too bad, but whew, the tired monster snagged me at 2 pm, demanding sleep... or at the very least a little power nap. No-can-do on the job. I managed to fight him off for a while, but he kept tracking me down every time I tried to sit down to chart.

I thank my lucky stars, what very few of them I have, that this time change thing happens only once a year... and that I don't work a swing shift job. Just don't think I'd be able to do it. Kudos to all you swing-shifters out there.

Writing for Fun: The Rules of 5's

Today's Writing Assignment: The Rule of 5's.

In a search engine of your choice, enter a word with at 5 letters that starts with a p and ends with an s.
When the results come up, go to the 5th page, click on the 5th result. Copy the entire 5th full line of text (excluding headers, titles, etc) and paste it into your blog,

notepad, or where ever you prefer to write. Start your writing out by using the exact words you took from the webpage in the first sentence. You may not change the

order of the words or insert any words into the middle of the text. Continue writing for 5 full minutes. Where you go with this is not as important as how you get

there, and what methods and writing techinques you use to transition from some possibly obscure blub of text to something that makes sense, is interesting, and

possibly humorous.

For example, if the text you copy reads: hail to fire to see how they react," he told The Saginaw News. "One
You should begin your writing with something like this: We've gone from rain to snow, from hail to fire to see how they react," he told The Saginaw News. "One of

the most important things we discovered is that people prefer snow over hail and fire, because hail and fire can both hurt pretty bad."

At the end of your writing activity, include a link to the page where you copied the text. Post the entire thing to your blog, and please leave give me a link back as

the source of your "inspiration."

One way to find various words starting with p and ending with s containing exactly 5 letters is to use this crossword helper.

Mine ended up rather lame, and doesn't it figure that I ended up with a string of words that included G.W. Bush? Sheesh. But here it is...

I tried to get through to U.S. President George W. Bush moments before the ceasefire was to be put to a vote. I wanted to tell him why I believed they shouldn't fire anymore. He wasn't taking calls at the time, so needless to say, they voted against the ceasefire. The fighting will continue. Both abroad and at home. There's been huge disagreements between the members of my family regarding old Gdubya. I feel like he's not running his own presidency, but rather everyone else runs it for him. We all know he does not write his own speeches, but the funny thing is that he can't speak those speeches either. He has a knack for flubbing up words, and saying things that make no sense when they are put together in a sentence. Too bad I can't remember any of his famous quote off the top of my head. I would look them up, but that would take away from my 5 minutes of writing...

The word I picked was "piles" hoping it would give me some entertaining sentence... NOT. Anyway, I ended up on this page: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45405

201-917-7303 New Jersey Calls Update!

UPDATE regarding our complaint filed with the FCC: I got another response from the FCC today. If you haven't read my previous post, you can read it here.
This is the last response from the FCC:

Hello,

Since you have only been on the Do Not Call List approximately 9 days, I decided to complete a 1088 Schedule D for you using the same information (complaint number XX-XXXXXXXXX. This form is used for abandoned calls. It included enough information and will be reviewed by our Enforcement Bureau.

Also, after you have been on the Do Not Call List for 31 days and you receive more calls, please do not hesitate for file another 1088G with us.

Thanks so much for contacting the FCC and let me know if you need any assistance in the future.

So, that being said, it looks like if you're having problems with these numbers (201.917.7303, 201.918.3074, or 201.918.4824) you should file a complaint with the FCC using the following form: Complaint 1088 Schedule D. I only reviewed this for a couple of pages, but it looks like it may be enough to get the ball rolling if anyone is still getting these calls.

Another note is that you must keep in touch with the FCC. Give them time to review your information. If they respond to you that they can't pursue your complaint, write them back and give them as much detail as possible, including your logs of the phone calls. Don't give up. We haven't gotten any calls today... so maybe, just maybe, they took care of them.

The English Language

AKA The Inglush Langwidge

There should be a class: Writing With a Sharpie Marker In The Workplace Break Areas 101

Can we say, "Duh?"

In View Of Me

This is story about me. It was contrived by my dithyrambic imagination. It's a story of when I'm well past retirement, sick in my body, as well as my mind. When giving a shit doesn't matter anymore. When I just want to sleep, left alone and in peace. A time in my life when I'll do anything to be able to do just that.
On a bad day at work, this is me, standing at the foot of the bed. I have the evil look, with the pleasure-filled grin, and I swear my hair has lightened a few more shades of gray. Some patients can push you to that point, but there are some who can't, don't, or won't. God bless them.

There are some patients who just sense that things are not good in your world. They catch the vibe, and they tread lightly. Some, who are especially keen, can whip off a good one-liner and actually make you smile. I love the patients who know how to help you relieve your stress. I aim to be one of those patients... at least for now, while I am still in my right mind -- or while I still give a shit.

Right now, I'm a model patient. However, I'm still in my right mind, and I still care about other people. That, however, is changing. Slowly, I'm evolving, I fear, into something a little less human. Maybe, just maybe, when I don't have to work anymore, the metamorphosis will go into remission, allowing me to remain human, in compassion and actions, as well as appearance.

When I turn 70, and either I'm crazy, or I don't give a shit anymore because for the last 55 years of my life I've given, and given, and given -- and there's nothing left -- that might be a different story. I've had lots of examples and role models for being a horrible patient. The kind of patient who's name is never forgotten, and the nurses and nursing assistants fight about who's going to take the admission when I am returning again, to your floor.

How bad of a patient we will be is often a running joke between nurses. I must confess, that I think about it, and sometimes, I dwell on it... Probably too much, and my subconscious mind has taken over the dwelling, pre-determining my behavior when I'm well past my prime.

This is how I picture myself.

70, head full of dark red hair, with a full gray root system. I tell you that I'm forgetful because the gray you see on my head is actually my gray matter oozing out from my many years as an RN. You laugh, but your face isn't laughing. Because you know. You KNOW! You've seen people like me before.

I'll pull the call light as soon as you walk out of the room. I'll keep doing it. I'll keep thinking of the most ridiculous things you can help me with. I'll do it so much that you'll have to go get one of your cohorts to go in my room the next time because you're ready to sharpen your skills at "pillow therapy" and are willing to practice on me. You're co-worker comes in and immediately goes back out without saying a word. I hear her snickering in the hall as she calls for you. I hear the whispering, more stifled giggling. I hear the words fingerpainting and shit. A few more hee-hee's waft in, but they're not coming from you. From you, all I hear is a disheartened damn followed by a painful sigh.

You enter the room, the look on your face in unmistakable. I've done something, haven't I? Something wrong. Something that has upset you. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I just had an itch," I lie. I point to my wrinkly, sagging ass and lower my voice to a whisper, glancing around to make sure we're alone, "I had an itch down there." I look at you. I act innocent. My eyes are big and sappy. I squeeze a big tear from one. "I really didn't know, it just itched, then I itched everywhere. I just started scratching." I reach out and put my poo-streaked hand on your sleeve giving it a gentle tug. "I didn't mean to, please don't be mad at me." You quietly tell me it's okay, that you're not upset and that you'll help me get cleaned up. I think you're lying. You're very mad at me now, you're going to do something to me. You'll show me how mad you are at me - even though you'll never say it, not to my face. You're angry, no, you're pissed, and now we're gonna have to have a pissing contest... I'm going to win.

You get the little yellow plastic basin and start running water into it. (It's cold, I just know it.) You've gathered the soap (probably lye), washcloths (hard and scratchy, no doubt), and towels (probably still damp). You've even retrieved clean linens (hard and starched stiff). How nice, but you're up to something. You're plotting your revenge on me. I can't see it, I can't hear it, but I can smell it... your disgust with me is a vile stench. Oh, yes, I can smell it. It smells like shit.

You start with the bright over-head light. "Ouch, those hurt my eyes, turn them OFF!" I cry. I slap both my filthy, feces-crusted hands over my face.

You pull them away, "Please, don't do that, you've got poo on your hands!"

I pull away, and slap at your arm! "DON'T DO THAT!"

"I'm only trying to help you, let me see your hands, I'll clean those first."

"NO!!!" I hide my hands under me -- reloading my brushes with ammunition. "There's nothing wrong with them! GO AWAY!" The fun has officially started. Oh, the joys that overwhelm my derelict mind! Hopefully, it won't be long now. They'll come in with the syringe full of the good stuff. The Ativan, the Valium, or the Geodon. The stuff that will make me sleep.Then, I won't have to play these games with you... and you can go torture some other poor soul. My wicked mind can then rest quietly, undisturbed. What are you doing? Those are my blankets you're taking! "Hey! Give me back my blankets! I'm FREEZING!" I grab for them. I miss. I put my shitty hands all over your nice white jacket, again. As you reach for my defiant five-fingered weapons, I plunge them back under me and into my endless supply of glorious brown ooze.

"Please, let me see your hands, so I can clean them. Then you can use them to cover your eyes." You hold out your hand, hidden beneath a soapy rag. The rag, now cooled beyond comfort, is dripping icy water on me. "GET AWAY FROM ME! HELP!!! HELP!!! SOMEBODY COME HELP ME!!! THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL ME!!! THEY ARE STARTING THE WATER TORTURE!!"

More people, all in white coats and mostly men - big scary men, come to help me you. They pull at me, my arms, my legs, and I scream. "RAPE! HELP ME!! THEY'RE GOING TO RAPE ME!"

You look across the bed and ask one of the large, scary men, "Will you go see what PRN's she has and get me the strongest one, please. Something IV." The scary man nods silently and quickly scurries out, glad to get out of dodge. One down. Damn, I'm GOOD!

I know that somewhere down the hall there are more nurses, moving around busily, trying not to listen -- trying not to hear me. They're thinking, I'm so glad she's not my patient.

Somewhere, down that long hall, there is another old lady, small and sweet she is, still in her right mind. A little old lady who still gives a shit. She shakes her head with genuine concern and asks her nurse, "Oh, my! Is that lady going to be okay?"

"Yes," her nurse confirms, "She'll be okay. I'll keep your door closed until she calms down."

"Thank you, dear," this little old lady smiles with relief and pats her nurse's hand. The little old lady thinks, I'll never act like that.

Hopefully, she'll always be able to give a shit.

Have You Seen George?

Anyone else go looking for him? Better yet, has anyone else found George? I go in spurts, crazy little addicted bursts, where that's all I do. Even bought myself a stamp for my birthday to speed along my innocent fun. The stamp was actually hubby's idea.

So, Where is George? He traveled from Lancaster, OH to Chicago, IL in 68 days and 27 minutes, for a total of 307 miles. He averaged 4.5 miles per day. I just got the email a little while ago.

I can't remember when I got started on WheresGeorge.com, but I got away from it for quite a while. Heck, I can't even remember how I got turned on to it... Could have been a marked bill. Now, when I get a chance, I mark and enter the bills, hoping for a hit. I've been hit pretty frequently here lately. One of my bills made it from New Mexico to Florida. But it took over 6 months... LOL Silly as it may seem, it's kind of exciting to see where your bills end up. I've also found a few bills with WheresGeorge written on them, which is almost as exciting because you can see where you're money's been, and sometimes people will enter details to tell you what George has been up to.

You can enter $1's, $2's, $5's, $10's, $20's, $50's, and $100's. I've entered each kind of bill, except for the two dollar bill, because I haven't come across any.

My tips if you start entering bills on WheresGeorge, at least use a colored pen, or thin colored Sharpie-type marker or buy a stamp. Something in red or orange is usually the most noticeable. Make sure the ink is dry before you put your bills away! I've smudged a few. :( Write along the edges of the bill without "defacing" the bill (the legalities of this are found here.) Pass the big bills out first, so you can collect smaller bills that you can also enter.

There are some specific rules for participating, but they aren't horrific rules, just some common sense stuff to discourage cheaters.

Things you SHOULD do:
1. Enter the bills on WheresGeorge.
2. Mark the bills, without defacing them.
3. Spend the bills as you would normally, while shopping, buying gas, giving tips at restaurants, etc. This is called "natural circulation."

Things you should NOT do:
1. Mark enter and mark bills then give them to friends and/or family to re-enter on WheresGeorge. This kinda takes the fun out of seeing George go places.
2. Take bundles of bills, enter them, mark them, the "dump" them at a bank or any other merchant or institution.
3. Some folks get together to trade marked bills to increase the chances that their bills will be widely distributed and re-entered elsewhere. If you attend any of these and trade bills, you are not allowed to enter the bills that you traded for. Your job is just to help George travel.

WheresGeorge keeps track of your entries, hits you make and hits you receive, there's a report page that shows you all of your stats and the amounts of each bill you enter. They even give users a George Score. You can enter a profile and look at the profiles of others.

If you've never been there, it's worth looking at, and it's clean, free entertainment the whole family can enjoy.

(PS: I'm not making any money from this, just sharing the fun. It's all free.)

UPDATE! Another of my Where's George bills has been found. This time, a $5. I think it's the first hit on a 5 dollar bill I've ever had.

AutoZone Rewards Cards - Whatever

A few days ago, I invented a new word. Screwards. As in Screwed with a Rewards Card scheme from a well known company. (Please note: this is a re-post from my other blog.)

Lots of companies have some form of rewards gimmick for their “loyal” customers… gas stations, grocery stores, department stores, credit card companies, automotive parts stores… the list goes on. Today I developed a huge beef with one of these “Screwards Cards”.

It was a normal February day in the state of Ohio. Husband is outside tinkering around on his vehicle. I’m in the house with the adolescent son, working on homeschooling of a new breed, called Connections Academy. (Check it out if you’re interested in homeschooling and don’t know where to start, they have an awesome program.) Sorry, enough unintentional plugging. Husband discovers he needs a tool to finish something on his truck. It’s AutoZone loaner tool time. No problem. I need him to pick up a few things from there anyway… Fog light bulb for the Durango, and oil and a filter… so he takes the debit card, his AutoZone Rewards Card, and he’s on his way.

First I should probably explain a little about the AutoZone Rewards Card program for those who aren’t familiar with it. You sign up with AutoZone, get your wallet-size card, plus two little key-fob cards. With me so far? Good, not too complicated. Then, whenever you go to AutoZone and spend $20 or more on merchandise (excluding some items which are explained on their Rewards Card site located here), you give them your AutoZone Rewards Card and they scan it. Now, once you’ve collected 5 of those $20 or more purchases (giving you a total of $100 worth of qualifying purchases at their stores), they give you a $20 reward on your AutoZone Rewards Card that you can use to purchase anything in their store, except gift cards, according to their FAQ’s. So far, not a bad deal, right? Especially for those of us who do most of their automotive work themselves, whether by choice or by necessity.

Now, to explain the beef. The first trip to AutoZone and using his AutoZone Rewards Card, he purchased $31.97 worth of merchandise, which included a Duralast Tie Rod End, and 2 cans of Fix-a-Flat (this stuff ranks right up there with Duct tape!) This was paid for with our bank-issued check card. This made his 5th purchase of more than $20 worth of items at AutoZone. Great! He’s earned his $20 AutoZone Rewards Card reward!

Evidently, he was so excited about earning his AutoZone Reward, he forgot the original purpose of the trip. He suddenly remembers, “Oh, crap, I didn’t get the oil, and I forgot the loaner tool I originally came after!” So, he goes back into AutoZone, picks up 3 quarts of Valucraft 10W-40 motor oil for his Ford, a Fram oil filter, a gallon of Castrol GTX motor oil for my baby Durango, a Blitz 15 qt oil drain pan, and he does the famous AutoZone Loaner Tool program for a Tie Rod End Puller (deposit of $12). Grand total is $51.84. Oh, the joy! He redeems his $20 AutoZone Rewards Card balance, and our debit card is charged $35.47 for the balance (including taxes). He comes home.

Once home, it is discovered that the AutoZone Loaner Tool that he has will not work on his Ford truck, so he has to make another trip back to AutoZone. They cheerfully refund his deposit on the loaner, but he has to go to another AutoZone store nearby because they have the Tie Rod End Puller he actually needs. No problem, it’s only a few miles down the road. At the second AutoZone store, he again takes out a loaner tool, this time paying a $13 deposit, he remembered that he didn’t buy my fog lamp bulb and that he needs a funnel. Ok, now we have an additional $10.98 in actual purchases from an AutoZone location.

He works a while longer on the truck, but now, it’s getting dark, so he hangs up his Carharts for the night. I mentioned that I wanted to go to WalMart to pick up a few things, so while he’s cleaning up, I snatch up the receipts to write them down in the checkbook register, like any normal, responsible, adult US citizen. But WAIT! I’m looking at these receipts, and there’s purchases and credits, so I sit the dear husband down and have him explain his AutoZone adventures to me so I make sure everything is recorded correctly in the checkbook. That’s when I made the discovery…

AUTOZONE AND IT’S AUTOZONE REWARDS PROGRAM IS A SCAMMING BUNCH OF F***ING TRASH!!

He said, “The credited the Loaner Tool Deposit back on my AutoZone Rewards Card.”

WHAT?? THEY WHAT??

So, he has to explain this to me a few times, and then even started to get confused himself… “They put it back on my card… no, wait… it should have been on the bank card… no, it’s on the AutoZone Rewards Card, awww… shit… I don’t know.”

So, now I’m looking, and looking hard, at the receipts he brought home. Oh… those sneaky conniving little sons-of-…. THEY JUST CHEATED US OUT OF $12.84!!! They didn’t not refund it, but what they did do was very deceitful and underhanded.

Hopefully, everyone can follow me here, because I was very confused for a good while — and I had all the receipts right here in front of me.

First trip he purchases $31.97 in eligible items to earn his $20 AutoZone Reward. Now, it’s my understanding, that these AutoZone Reward Card rewards are used to PURCHASE merchandise at any AutoZone store. So, on his next transaction, my husband does just that. He goes up to the register with $39.84 worth of real, tangible, AutoZone merchandise. On top of this, he’s paying a $12 deposit on a Loaner Tool, which they will refund when he returns the loaner tool. Total, $51.84, excluding tax. So, he applies his $20 Rewards he’d just earned, and our debit card is then charged $35.47.

Third trip to AutoZone results in his returning the loaner tool and AutoZone refunding his $12.84 – straight onto his AutoZone Rewards Card!!!!! How is that right? Dear husband, being frustrated at this point, doesn’t catch on, because he now has to make the trip to another AutoZone store to get the right Loaner Tool he needs. The third transaction involves the $13 loaner tool deposit, and the $10.98 for the fog lamp bulb and the funnel. Now, they take his $12.84 back off his AutoZone Rewards Card and applied it to the $25.66 total. Once that is deducted, my debit card is hit again with the balance of $12.82.

Here’s the heart of the beef… and it’s beating loudly…

If they credited one loaner tool deposit back to his AutoZone Rewards Card, will they not also credit this last loaner tool deposit to it? If the purpose of the rewards you earn is to PURCHASE ITEMS, then WHY DID THEY TAKE BACK PART OF HIS REWARD, a reward he’d already spent on merchandise?? He didn’t return the merchandise!! They pretty much refunded the loaner tool deposit back onto his Rewards Card, so that $12.84 can only be spent at AutoZone stores… so, the way I look at it, they essentially STOLE our hard earned money from us!!

So, in my fury, I sent a “comment” to AutoZone using their Contact Us link. That little comment box is all of about 2″ X 3″ in size. I ended up typing my “comment” up on notepad and then pasting into their box.

This is what I wrote to them:

I was very upset after my husband returned from the last of several trips to your stores. I had sent him with our debit card to buy some parts from your store. On his first trip, he earned a $20 reward for all his recent purchases. On a later visit, he bought almost $40 in merchandise and rented a tool with a $12 deposit. He applied his $20 rewards he’d earned to cover the cost of some of the items purchased. When he returned the rented tool, instead of the $12.84 being credited back to our debit card, it was credited to his Rewards Card. This is an unfair practice in my opinion, as this shorted our bank account $12.84! His $20 should have been credited totally to the physical items purchased and the $12.84 refunded to our account. Instead, AutoZone “took back” part of the $20 reward he’d earned and had already redeemed on merchandise, and he basically ended up with a $12.84 gift card that can only be used at your stores. If this is the way returns of loaner tools and the associated deposits are handled, maybe you should give everyone their deposits back in the form of gift cards only good at AutoZone stores. I’m sure everyone would be absolutely thrilled, especially in the current state of the economy.

The information on the receipts is as follows:
1. Purchasing $31.97 in physical merchandise, paid for with our debit card, is on receipt # 007415 Str trans #911528 Store # 0706 (earning the $20 reward).
2. Purchasing $39.84 in additional physical merchandise, $12 tool rental deposit, and $20 credit from redeeming the Rewards, balance of $35.47 paid for with our debit card, is on receipt # 009993 Str Trans # 911543 Store # 0706.
3. Returned rented tool for refund of $12.84 deposit, which posted as a credit to Reward Card is on receipt # 582356 Str Trans # 911681 Store # 0706.
4. Yet another purchase of physical merchandise for $10.98 and renting another tool for $13. $12.94 deducted from rewards card balance, $12.82 charged to debit card is on receipt # 712732 Str Trans # 555585 Store # 0733.

Now, my question…. is this rental deposit going to again be refunded to the Rewards Card? I’m betting it will. In addition, I must ask if he would need to return any or all of the $39+ worth of items he purchased at the same time he redeemed his $20 reward (OR if he had to return any of the subsequently purchased items that are now tied to this Rewards Card credit/debit paper trail because of loaner tool deposits and returns) would any, or possibly ALL of these items, also be credited back to his Rewards Card? Because of this, we are seriously considering not returning to any AutoZone stores or shopping on the AutoZone website. Because in reality, you have so far managed to weasel $12.84 out of our bank account and onto your Rewards Card, thus ensuring that we will only be able to spend that $12.84 at your stores. I find this practice despicable considering we spent over $60 in purchases of tangible products, NOT INCLUDING any tool rental deposits or the redemption of the rewards he earned, at your stores today. We used to trust your company, and would deal almost exclusively with AutoZone. Today, however, with just a few transactions, that long-held trust and the respect we had for AutoZone and its affiliates is gone.

I’m hoping they make this right with us. It has been a very long time since I’ve been this upset with any company. I’ll be sure to update the blog when, and IF they respond to me and whether it’s an appropriate response.

Update: As of today, there has been no response from AutoZone. Go figure.

The Approach of PMDD

Oh, the joy. I know it's coming. I can feel it. PMDD. While I've never been officially diagnosed with it, just a little research on the internet and reading from some reliable sources (such as WebMD, Mayo Clinic, to list just a couple), I have no doubt this is mine to claim. I've wondered for years what my problem is (and why it seems to be getting worse), and I guess, now I know.

Let's review the symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD for short) as listed on WebMD, and check off the ones I suffer from... on a regular basis.

• Mood swings Check
  
• Depressed mood or feelings of hopelessness Check
  
• Marked anger, increased interpersonal conflicts Check
  
• Tension and anxiety
• Irritability Check
  
• Decreased interest in usual activities Check
  
• Difficulty concentrating (unchecked, for now)
  
• Fatigue Check
  
• Change in appetite Check
  
• Feeling out of control or overwhelmed Check
  
• Sleep problems Check
  
• Physical problems, such as bloating Check

Starting at the top, I'll give you a brief explanation (my view) of my symptoms specifically, and you can be the judge... You'll have two choices for my diagnosis: A) You're crazy B) You definitely have PMDD.

Mood Swings: I tend to be pretty even keeled, unless of course it seems that someone is intentionally pushing my buttons, OR if I've asked you a hundred times to do something and it's still not done. I notice that about 15 days after my period... this becoming a real issue. Sometimes, when PMDD rears its ugly head, I don't think it really takes anything to set me off... the brain becomes very nit-picky and just looks for things to fan the PMDD flames.

Depressed Mood/Hopelessness: Oh, this fits right in with the mood swings. Once they start, I become frustrated with myself for not being able to "control" myself/feelings/outbursts. I get pretty down on myself, which tends (or so it would seem) to steam roll right into the other symptoms. Often have the thought of quitting my job because it seems like such a lost cause and I feel like all I'm doing is chasing my tail.

Marked Anger: I don't think that's quite an adequate explanation for me. Rage is more appropriate. What comes after rage? I may very well break the Rage-Meter if someone were to hook me up to one and try to measure it. I'm sure I'd be right off the charts. And it strikes, often, without warning. The mood swing hits and before I know it, I'm so enraged that I have to go be by myself a while... usually for the preservation of a life of someone else that lives with me. It's ugly. I hate it.

Tension/Anxiety: I left this unchecked, because I think the "rage" thing well surpasses the anxiety thing.

Irritability: See "Marked Anger" above. And it usually only takes one word, one look, or sometimes just one sound (like the sigh... you all know which sigh I mean). Irritability starts the instantaneous mood swing, which in turn, ignites the rage. It all happens so quickly, it's hard to be able to distinguish the different "levels" of the symptoms. Sometimes, I could swear I skip irritable and moody and go straight to unbridled PMDD-rage.

Decreased Interest in Usual Activities: Yes, I feel like I (almost) give up hope, and if I don't actually give up hope, I sure as shit want to. Thus, I don't want to do anything, even the things that I usually love and would suffer withdrawal symptoms from not doing. I just want to sit, like a fat lump, somewhere, by myself, doing nothing.

Difficulty Concentrating: I left this "unchecked" because I have that problem anyway ever since I had the kidney stone from hell. This turned out to be much more than a kidney stone, but that's a story for another day. So, I won't count it to try and be completely fair to the PMDD.

Fatigue: Ugh, I wear myself out just thinking about doing anything. Which leads me back to the Decreased Interest category... I would rather sit like a lump, because just doing that is exhausting enough.

Change in Appetite: This is a gross understatement. Holy cow... I could eat the Holy Cow if it were cooked well-done and sitting in front of me. Anything and everything is fair game when the PMDD strikes. I can eat, and eat, and eat and never get full. It's like being a werewolf during a two-week extended full moon phase. And when I think something is going to hit the spot, it never does, and I'm on the prowl again, looking for something, anything, that will kill the hunger.

Feeling Out of Control or Overwhelmed: This comes right after PMDD pushes me into the rage-stage. I have to remove myself because I am truly afraid I won't be able to control myself. Sometimes, I can't get away in time and things start happening... things fly across the room... usually in the general direction of the source of my rage. Maybe I should say the possible source. I can't really determine with great accuracy whether or not they were the source, or just the wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time target of the PMDD rage. Overwhelmed is a whole different topic. I start to feel like I'm the only one that does anything, ever. While I know it's not true that I'm the ONLY one, I sure feel like I have the brunt of the responsibility for everything related to our family.

Sleep Problems: Can't get enough. If I could, I would never crawl out of bed. I think my mind is trying to spare me the agony of all the other symptoms of my PMDD-monster by trying to keep me asleep. That would sure be nice.

Physical Problems, such as Bloating: Ummm... yes. Jeans are a bit snug as I sit here. And I notice that my gut pushes out over the top of my jeans, which I find horribly disgusting, but yet, there it is. I guess I could include in here the GI distress which include diarrhea. And it can often be wicked - so bad that I don't dare leave the house, even with Imodium. What else? Aches and pains, mostly in the joints (more specifically knees and hips), but it seems that my sciatica acts up more and with and intensity that is merciless during the near 2 weeks I endure the other symptoms of PMDD. Bladder goes insane. Need I say more? Boobs kill me. When I take off the bra it feels like I'm having a bilateral mammogram! Incredible and indescribable breast pain. How is that fair?? Sometimes I sleep with my bra on because it hurts so bad if I take it off! Oddly enough, I escape this horrific symptom about 2 times a year. It is my BIG clue that the rag is lurking right around the corner. I'm sure there are other things, but I just haven't (or refuse to) lump them in with this PMDD monkey that's attached itself to my female reproductive organs.

Once the period starts, a switch flips, like a light in my head. The brain thinks Oh thank GOD! This is over and I'm free for about 14 days! There is a light at the end of the tunnel when that little switch in my head flips on (or maybe its flipping the PMDD off?). That is, once I get through the wickedly cruel cramps, which are more like contractions that makes it feel like my innards are going to spill right out of my crotch. (Sorry, I know that's gross and maybe a little TMI, but it's the only way I can describe it. That's exactly what it feels like.)

So what's the verdict? Crazy? Or PMDD?

I think I need to go see a doc.

Tumble Not Really Worth A Weed

I just posted this same review on our local yahoo yellowpages. I'd like to pat myself on the back, too, for having the most thorough review on yahoo. :) (I changed this one just a smidge, to make it a little more personal.) Anyway, this is my take on our local Tumbleweed Southwest Grill. We'd never been there, and they always looked so good on TV, but then again, almost everything looks good on TV! Hell, I bet even I would look smokin' HOT on TV!! LOL

I couldn't make up my mind on whether or not I really wanted to hit Tumbleweed. The menu looked so good online, very tempting. We had made mention of it in passing several times. I was finally talked into it by the dear husband who had a craving for something BBQ. (And might I add here, dear and devoted readers, that he also put the Olive Garden on the possible-list for today, then erased it when I wasn't looking - actually, while I was looking at the menu for Tumbleweed, the sneaky dog.)

Anyway. *Tumbleweed Southwest Grill review starts here*

The place was very clean, and the booths could seat 6, or possibly 8 if you were really skinny, they were that wide. Overall there was ample seating, and we did not have to wait for a table when we arrived.

The menu is just as described on their website.

The hostess was friendly. Our server, Chastity, was top notch. She made several passes by our table without disturbing our conversation or meal to drop off a fresh Coke. She was very observant and great at anticipating our needs without being intrusive. She made one pass just to apologize to my son, who she noticed was struggling to get the Hunts ketchup out of the bottle, because the safety seal was still firmly sealed under the ketchup lid, which made us all laugh. She made just enough stops to make sure that our first experience at Tumbleweed Southwest Grill was going smoothly. I give HER 5 stars! Excellent service, and for that, we thank you!

The food, honestly, was just "okay". We have just returned from living in New Mexico, so we expected a little more flavor. One of us, not mentioning any names, but he had said he wanted BBQ something-or-other, had hot boneless chicken fingers included with his dinner, and the only comment was, "They were hot, but had no flavor."

The $10.99 order of ribs was considerably smaller than we'd anticipated. Two sons were very disappointed with this, but had no complaints about the flavor or texture. The fries were very good, and even though they said "seasoned" (which automatically makes me shudder and think of orange Rally's fries), they weren't really seasoned and were very good.

I had the Chicken Chop Salad with crispy chicken. I did enjoy this, and the chipotle ranch was good. There was very, very finely shredded cheese on top, quite a bit of corn scattered about, and a few black beans tossed in for good measure. The lettuce was shredded, making it an easy salad to eat. But, I had to pick through a pretty thick layer of their fresh corn strips to actually see the salad... there was a little too much of them on there for me. Overall, I can't think of anything spectacular about the Chicken Chop Salad that makes it worth the $8.99 menu price. I also ordered a $2.99 side of mac and cheese. When it arrived, I wanted to send it back. The bowl was small and the amount of food in it ever smaller, I could have almost fit every noodle in the palm of one cupped hand (and I have pretty little hands, for a girl who stands all of 5' 2"). The sauce was thin and not very flavorful.

While all of the food came to our table fresh and hot, and in a reasonable amount of time for being just after noon on a Friday. I feel the prices here are a bit on the steep side for a more casual joint (unless we were all waaaay underdressed), which will make me think a great deal before venturing to another Tumbleweed Restaurant.

The total for our visit was $63 plus change (excluding tip) for four (lunch menu) meals and four drinks, an (ittsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie) side of mac and cheese, and one dessert (the partaker of this ice cream & strawberry dessert just raved about how good it was.)

Honestly, I think we should have made the almost 40 minute drive to Chili's. The food is much better and you get a little more... for about the same prices. (I highly recommend Chili's Honey-Chipotle Chicken Fingers, with the corn on the cob and fries! Oh, it's all heavenly!!) (I am a shameless plugger, huh? Tisk! Tisk!)

To sum it up, if the food were as great as the service, this place would be worth every penny!

*Tumbleweed review officially ends here*

Oh, and let me just add, hubby ended up not even ordering anything BBQ. The sons did. He ended up with some dish with three samplers... mini chimi's, a chicken quesadilla (which had some good flavored shredded chicken inside - at least I hope it was chicken), and the hot wing thingies, which were an orangy-red color and hot, but lacked flavor. OH, oh, oh, oh! One more thing... two of the guys had side orders of baked beans... they tasted almost like Bush's Original Baked Beans... out of a can. We LOVE Bush's Baked Bean, so that was ALL good!

Anyone else have any experience with Tumbleweed? Good, bad or otherwise?

Do I Have a Legit Complaint?

Right now, the FCC is starting to act like FEMA when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. At least, that's my opinion... Soon, I'll present a letter I just drafted and sent to one Mr. Tignor at the FCC. The letter itself should explain the problem. But first, let me give you a little background. On February 11, 2009 I filed a complaint online with the FCC about phone number 201-917-7303 from New Jersey that had been repeatedly calling my husband's cell phone all day. When I say repeatedly, I'm not kidding, there were 10 calls the first day! These calls would be either "dead air" or would end up a hang up call. The calls kept coming, multiple times each day, until 02-18-2009, when there were no calls... and we let our guard down... Then today we received a written response (via snail mail) from the FCC that states they "have determined that unfortunately the facts presented in this case do not indicate a violation of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, or the FCC's rules on which we can take enforcement action."

In our defense, the calls had only been occurring that day when I filed the complaint. At no time did my husband or myself ever speak to anyone as there was never anyone there! So, answering all the questions on the FCC complaint form regarding 201-917-7303 was rather difficult. It is next to impossible to give answers that I don't have, thus many of the answers ended up being "Don't know" or "Unknown" or "Not sure" (now I can't remember which of those responses was actually the option that followed "Yes" or "No").

If you do a Google Search on the number 201-917-7303 (or the other number, 201-918-3074, you'll see listed in my letter to the FCC) you'll come across A LOT of other people having the same problem! Should this not tell the FCC something? Sorta like all those people in Louisiana who were homeless should have made FEMA think Wow, they need some serious help down there! Let's get our shit together and get this done right! (Moldy trailers are a topic for another day - and the shameless lack of help from our federal government, don't even get me started!)

*Shit, sidetracked again!*

The page for "Unwanted Telephone Marketing Calls" from the FCC is located here. This is where I got the information contained within my letter.

Ok, now for the letter... I think I've supplied you with enough info so you shouldn't get lost in the contents.

Dear Mr. Tignor,

I received your response today in the mail regarding my complaint (# XX-XXXXXXXXX-X). Upon reading your response, I decided to check out the FCC site to see exactly why this company was not in violation of the FCC's rules on which the FCC can take enforcement action.

After a little bit of searching and reading customer information provided on FCC.gov, I found specific items I feel supports my position that they are, in fact, in violation of the FCC's rules. I will also include a description of what is going on, including the dates and times of all the calls received on my cellular (wireless) phone.

I read the following on this page on the FCC.site (The parts I feel support my position are bolded, italicized, and in red):

Automatic Telephone Dialing Systems and Artificial or Prerecorded Voice Calls

The FCC has specific rules for automatic telephone dialing systems, also known as “autodialers.” These devices can be particularly annoying and generate many consumer complaints. The rules regarding automatically dialed and prerecorded calls apply whether or not you have registered your home phone number(s) on the national Do-Not-Call list.

Autodialers can produce, store, and dial telephone numbers using a random or sequential number generator. They often place artificial (computerized) or prerecorded voice calls. The use of autodialers, including predictive dialers, often results in abandoned calls – hang-ups or “dead air.” Except for emergency calls or calls made with the prior express consent of the person being called, autodialers and any artificial or prerecorded voice messages may not be used to contact numbers assigned to:

• any emergency telephone line;

• the telephone line of any guest or patient room at a hospital, health care facility, home for the elderly, or similar establishment;

• a paging service, wireless phone service (including both voice calls and text messages), or other commercial mobile radio service; or

• any other service for which the person being called would be charged for the call.

And this:

What You Can Do

The FCC can issue warning citations and impose fines against companies violating or suspected of violating the do-not-call rules, but does not award individual damages. If you receive a telephone solicitation that you think violates any of these rules, you can file a complaint with the FCC.

Let me give you an explanation as to what has been going on. On February 11, 2009, at 9:11 am, I began receiving calls from the phone number 201-917-7303 and the Caller ID would display New Jersey. When I answered these calls, there would be absolute silence on the other end. After about 3 of these calls, I just quit answering the phone when that number showed up on my Caller ID. However, this did not stop the phone from ringing. It would ring several times, then stop. Sometimes only 2 or 3 rings, sometimes until my voice mail had obviously taken over. I had attempted several times to get through to this number to ask to be removed.

On 02-11-2009, I finally got through to a voice mail box, and left a message asking that no one from this number or this company call me again. Other attempts to contact this company resulted in "the voice mail box you are trying to reach is full." These calls continued until 02-17-2009. There were no calls on 02-15-2009 (a Sunday) or on 02-18-2009. Hoping the FCC had resolved the issue (or at the least, the issue had resolved itself), I relaxed and was sure it was over. Until today, when I received your response in the mail, and then yet another call from New Jersey, but this one from the number 201-918-3074. Curiously, I answered the call, and it was "dead air."

Let me make it perfectly clear that I have never talked to anyone from this company because all of the calls were either "dead air" or a hang up, so I can't say who exactly they are. But my internet research has shown them to be affiliated with "Google Money Tree." I have never, at any time or in any manner, requested information from or have held a business relationship with Google Money Tree or with anyone from New Jersey. My request left on a voice mail that I not be called again has gone without being addressed or honored. Upon searching the new number that called today, it looks like it's going to be the exact same scenario.

Here is a log of all the calls I have received from this number, to show you exactly how disruptive and disturbing these calls have become:

201.917.7303 New Jersey calls received on 02.11.2009

9:11 am
10:23 am
11:16 am
12:35 pm
1:35 pm
2:20 pm
2:58 pm
3:14 pm
4:37 pm
7:28 pm

FCC internet complaint filed 02.11.2009 Reference number: XX-XXXXXXXXX-X

02.12.2009
9:07 am
9:52 am
1:02 pm
2:57 pm
4:05 pm
5:07 pm

02.13.2009

11:22 am
1:08 pm
2:19 pm
2:54 pm
3:42 pm
5:50 pm

02.14.2009

11:45 am
2:49 pm
4:38 pm
7:26 pm

02.16.2009
8:36 am
9:52 am
10:49 am
1:47 pm
2:39 pm
3:12 pm
4:16 pm
8:05 pm

02.17.2009
8:33 am
9:10 am
10:18 am
10:54 am
11:30 am

2.18.2009
No calls received today.

02.19.2009
Response received from the FCC.

1:25 pm - another New Jersey call - Dead air then hang up.

Response email sent to Jeffrey Tignor at the FCC.

Please, Mr Tignor, tell me when I can expect someone to address this issue and deal with this company. By searching the numbers 201-917-7303 and 201-918-3074 on the internet, it is quite obvious that I am not the only person having this problem.

I greatly appreciate your time and attention to this matter and all the effort you will put into bringing it to an end.

Sincerely,
XXXX XXX XXXXXXXXX

If anyone else has had a problem with these phone numbers, please begin flooding the FCC with your complaints. These people have GOT TO BE STOPPED!!!

UPDATE! I just received a response from the FCC. This one explained why the original complaint was rejected and asked me to clarify some questions from the online complaint form. Below is the email I received from them and my response to it.

*The response email from the FCC*

Dear XXXXXXXX,

Thank you for contacting the FCC.

I have reviewed your complaint and found Question 2 “Are you on the National Do Not List?” was answered as “uncertain”. Also, you have listed the business number that contacted you, however, you indicated in Question 5d that there was no phone number provided.

These complaints are automatically scored by the computer using logic provided by the Enforcement Bureau of the FCC. If questions are not answered properly, the computer will reject the complaint.

I have changed Question 5d to Yes because you have provided a phone number. I need to know if you are on the National Do Not Call List. If you can provide this information, I will review again and let you know if I need anything further.

*My response to the FCC*

Dear Ms. Chambers,

I try to be very careful about giving out my phone number(s) for this specific reason and had not registered this number prior to February 11th. I answered the question about the Do Not Call List as "uncertain" because I had also just signed up for it the same evening I filed the original complaint with the FCC. The Do Not Call Registry site says "Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days," so I didn't want to give the impression of being dishonest if it hadn't been long enough for the telemarketing companies to get the updated list and comply. Since it has only been 9 days since I registered my phone number, I still wouldn't know how to correctly answer that question. I still have my email with the link for confirmation from the Do Not Call Registry, if you would need it for verification.

The complaint form was a little difficult to fill out since I'd only been getting calls (at that point) for one day and had never talked to anyone when that number called.

Thank you for your prompt response and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXXXX

I will keep you guys posted on future developments.

(Sorry about all the varying fonts... I'll try to get that fixed up... I'm still learning!)

UPDATE: While there has been no further communication from the FCC, there is now a different number calling. 201-918-4824. This is just nuts.

One So-Manly Moment

I'm at work one fine afternoon, trying to help one of my fellow nurses get caught up on her work because she's having a rough day, which included a new admission. The doctor leaves some new orders, as he so frequently does, one of which read: Find out from this patient's family what type of insulin he was on and how much he took before he was admitted to the hospital. There were several other orders that I took care of rather quickly, then I decided to embark on this one.

This particular fellow was with it enough I felt it was worth the risk to first ask him about his pre-hospitalization insulin usage.

Let me explain a little bit about insulin for those of you who don't know too much about the subject. Insulin, as many well know, is used to help control the blood sugar levels of diabetics, specifically, keeping their blood sugar level from shooting through the roof. There are several timing methods for insulin administration, most of which depend on the type of insulin a person is using. They can take their insulin once in the morning or in the morning and again in the evening. They can take it at bedtime (only specific insulins are made for this type of administration). They can take it several times a day before they eat a meal. Some even use a combination of these methods, especially if their blood glucose levels are hard to control. Insulin is usually administered with a small syringe and a tiny needle just under the skin in the subcutaneous tissues (or into the fatty tissue). There are also pre-filled insulin pens on the market, which are used mostly for convenience, and insulin pumps, which are for people who want to tightly control of their diabetes. Needle-less options are also available, but in my work setting, we don't use these. I've also given insulin through an IV, for people who are critically ill. Anyway, there are numerous types of insulin. Some types include Novolog, Humalog, Regular, NPH, Lantus, 70/30, 50/50. The more common types seen in healthcare settings are Novolog, Humalog, Regular, Lantus, and 70/30. I've also seen Levemir used once. For those of you who would like to learn more, you can visit WebMD, and read about the various types of insulin used to treat diabetes, in a user-friendly language.

Now, with the technical stuff out of the way, on with the story...

This new patient was lying in bed, his nurse was bandaging his foot from a recent surgery. I smiled and explained that the doctor had some questions about his insulin usage at home. I started out by asking, "How much insulin did you take at home before you went to the hospital?"
"I took 40 in the morning."
"Did you take any at night?"
"Umm... I took 45 at night."
"Ok, great. Now, what kind of insulin were you taking at home?"
He looks thoughtfully at the ceiling while briefly considering the question. His answer, while insanely funny to myself and my cohort, was so manly. "I was on 10W-30 insulin."

I had to exchange glances with his nurse, just to make sure I'd heard his answer correctly. The look on her face confirmed it. I didn't have the heart to correct his answer, or to try and clarify it, as it would add insult to his already serious diabetes-related injury and probably only end up embarrassing him. I'm sure he meant he was on 70/30 insulin. This is a question I would just have to clarify with his family.

In the end, I came out of that room with a little story to tell others who need a smile (especially those of the female variety), and it will remind me on those days when I keep having to ask myself, "Why, exactly, did you become a nurse?" that being a nurse isn't all bad...

(Note for those of you who are total girly-girls: 10W-30 is a type of motor oil.)

(Note for others: The picture of this patient is NOT an actual picture of the patient mentioned above, nor does it bear any similarities or likeness to the actual patient.)