1. Data breach. My bank called me today and said it was possible that it was possible that my debit card had been used, or had attempted to be used, fraudulently. After going through a series of security questions, I was asked if I had tried to buy anything online yesterday. No. Was I currently traveling? No. Did I recognize the name of this shop? No and frankly I didn't even understand what she was saying other than the shop was in Arizona. (I asked her to repeat the name of the shop or restaurant, but you know how charges sometimes just have abbreviations?) Anyway, of course I didn't know it; I'm not in Arizona, either. Fortunately, the charge (which would have been around $45) did not go through, but she noted my card as lost or stolen and deactivated it immediately. For the next five to seven business days, I will have to pay for things the old-fashioned way: with cash or a check. With all of the data breaches occurring lately, maybe it's the right thing to do anyway. Less convenient, certainly, but maybe better in the long run. GRR. I hate thieves!
2. Gift cards. MT and I are both terrible at taking care of our gift cards! For Christmas, I received a $75 gift card to Famous Footwear. I was very excited because I really need some new shoes. Unfortunately, when I got home and unpacked my bags, the gift card was nowhere to be found. I asked my mom to look in the guest room where my bags had been to see if I had dropped the card on the floor. Nope. The dear woman looked all around, but couldn't find the card. My sister even looked through her stuff to see if it had accidentally got stuck in her things. Nope. I looked through all my bags and MT's bags and T's bags to see if I had put the card in there. Nope, nope and nope. I went to the store to see if they could cancel the card and reissue. Nope. I sort of lost it and sarcastically and nearly tearfully congratulated them on the $75 they made for nothing as I stomped out of the store. This weekend, while I was writing in my journal, guess what I found? Yep, the Famous Footwear gift card. I had apparently stuck it in there for safe-keeping and it got tangled up with my WW weight booklet thing. I felt elated and idiotic at the same time.
As for MT, I bought him a couple of days worth of skiing at Alta ski resort. He has a re-loadable card, so I put two days on the card. He had the card with him when he left the house, but when he got to the ski lift, the card wasn't in his pocket. He stomped away and drove all the way home, only to find the card had fallen out of his pocket and was between the seats of his truck.
We're both getting old.
3. RIP Stuart Scott. 49 year old Stuart Scott passed away on Sunday after battling cancer for the past seven years. You might not know who Stuart Scott was if you are not a sports fan. Stuart was a Sportscenter anchor on ESPN for 21 years. When I first started watching Sportscenter, I really got a kick out of Keith Olbermann, Dan Patrick, Rich Eisen and Stuart Scott. Their camaraderie, their catch-phrases and the way they talked about the games made sports that much more fun and interesting. I don't watch Sportscenter very much anymore because the current anchors feel sort of like pale comparisons to Keith, Dan, Rich and Stuart. Keith left ESPN, but now he's back (but doesn't do Sportscenter). Dan is independent and has his own radio show (which I listen to daily). Rich is at NFL Network, and Stuart was still working on ESPN doing Sportscenter and other stuff when he could.
At last year's ESPY awards, ESPN gave Stuart Scott the Jimmy V Award. Jimmy V is Jim Valvano, the former North Carolina State coach who also bravely battled cancer and gave a very memorable speech as he accepted the award named in his honor. ("Don't give up. Don't ever give up.) Last year, Stuart Scott gave a speech on par with Valvano's speech. It was moving and wonderful. He was amazing, considering he had just been released from the hospital days before the awards. It seemed like he was going to finally beat cancer. Instead, the talk radio airwaves were filled with memories of Stuart Scott. Everyone was talking about what a great guy he was and how he brought such a unique delivery and style to a typically white man's job - sportscaster.
I don't know about all that, but I do know that I really enjoyed watching and listening to him. For some reason I can't exactly put my finger on, the passing of Stuart Scott hit me very hard. Maybe it's because he was just a little older than me. Maybe because it was because I had been watching him for so long and he was so familiar. He loved sports and you really understood that when you heard him talk about the games. He seemed so personable. When he told you about the games, it was like he was talking to YOU. I liked his style. I cried and cried yesterday, especially after watching and listening to Rich Eisen's tribute to Stuart.
RIP Stuart Scott. You truly were as cool as the other side of the pillow.
2 comments:
All sounds good. I think my word is "acceptance".
Oh, that was funny, or not funny I should say.
But last week I was called by a man at my credit card company asking me a lot of questions, just like yours Sandy. I didn't recognize the stores at all and not the sums. Like yours they hadn't gone through and he also asked if I had been abroad. I said in April in USA and he said they had so much skimming from USA and Mexico these days and they often wait a couple of months before doing anything. The sums were rather modest like it they were trying and wanted to see if they would get away with it. Like $50, $85 and $75. Luckily they called me to check and my card was closed and I now have a new one.
Like you said, I hate this thieves and this "trend" of stealing our cards. Or our identy by stealing our "personnummer" (the Swedish social security number kind of) With that they can take loans in your name, buy stuff, take out credit cards etc and even buy a house. All in your name leaving you with heavy debts and the hard task of convincing them that it wasn't you.
If those thieves only could work with legal stuff. They would do great actually since they are so inventive and apparantly have skills. I wouldn't know how to do all those things!!
You are lucky because you can still use checks or pay in banks. We can't here in Sweden!! :-(
Long comment this, sorry.
Take care, love you!
Sending big hugs from a cold Sweden.
Post a Comment