Continued Confessions

and a Happy New Year

So I started these Thursday postings by confessing I was a hoarder. But I noted that I had stopped acquiring by limiting my visits to thrift stores to a birthday treat. Well, I have to amend that to include a visit I made recently (let’s call it a Christmas treat?) and the results thereof. I had a perfectly legitimate reason for shopping: I needed driving gloves so of course my first thought would be to get them used. And I did indeed find a lovely pair of real black leather gloves with the added bonus of sheepskin lining. However, I also brought home two tops and a beautiful cardboard box decorated with poinsettias and pinecones and birdies. Ostensibly the box will be to corral my treasures as I set about throwing away the dross. And one of the tops has become the favorite sleeping place for Lucky Ting, the cat I am caring for on my daughter’s behalf. So with all that rationalized, I will update you on the frozen bank account story and other financial dismay.

I have managed to sort out the frozen bank account and taken care of anything that hadn’t been paid, albeit with late charges abounding. I will attempt to get the bank to take responsibility for those, if I decide it is worth my time to do so. But meanwhile, I spent yesterday looking at another account I have online and realizing that I had been getting charged by a fraudulent entity a couple of times a month since last August. It started with a minor ding the first time ($1.95) and since I hadn’t complained they then upped the ante and hit me for $4.95. It then became $49.95 each month as well as $4.95 in between. Of course, it is my fault for not religiously checking the charges, but quite frankly I’m a set it and forget it type of person. I literally don’t believe there are such nasty people in this world. The happy ending to this kerfuffle is that I managed to get through to a real live person and sort it out, and they have already replaced the $221.55 and will issue me a new debit card without affecting the account itself. So could we give a nod to karma here? Obviously, that lump sum more than offsets the late charges in the other case. I think I may take the win and move on!

And on to even more fun topics. People who are still alive and teaching us things. My save-it box has two things so far. A card from a lecture I went to in June of 2018 by Bernie Siegel, and a calendar page with a quote from Anita Hill. Both of them are on the job still giving us their wisdom. And although Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died, her amazing words still inspire me in the book she wrote with the help of Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams who are both still alive. Oh, and Wally Lamb, the local author who made good. Then Willie Nelson doing his thing at 90. I could go on and on, but you get the drift.

My final thoughts are on the saying that “you don’t know what you don’t know” which I find to be increasingly relevant. I discovered another Australian show that I am enjoying immensely done by Miriam Margoyles, a British actor who has become an Australian citizen. I had never even heard of her before but she is quite famous and in fact appeared as Professor Sprout in a Harry Potter film. But this show is called Almost Australian and she is touring the country in a van meeting people and learning from them. Having watched Outback Truckers a few years ago, it’s good to see some other parts of the country although Miriam does take a few of the same cross-country roads. She is extremely entertaining as well as being socially conscious and I’m very glad Netflix has continued to provide me with an eduction.

So—off to return my bags of cans and bottles which have just doubled in value. That’s a great New Year present for those of us who like to make a bit of money and claim some virtue by recycling. Thanks to Bruce and Cheryl for donating their cans to the cause.