17 posts from November 2006

Here it is: At the drive-thru, always ask for your card back, and your receipt.  

Ok, maybe I'm the only one who needs to be reminded of this, but I almost lost my credit/debit card AGAIN this year.  I rarely carry cash, so I use my debit card for nearly all my purchases.  I know it's risky, but cash just doesn't last long on me.  Burns a hole right through my wallet.  I don't know how.  So, in my book, the bank debit card is one of the greatest inventions of all time.  One just has to be careful when using it.  Case in point, the incident at the drive-thru tonight.  When I take my card out of my wallet, I keep my wallet on my lap to remind me I need to put the card back.  The dude at the drive-thru handed me my bag and asked me if I wanted ketchup.  I said no and took off.  I thought places usually ran your card, gave it to you and along with the bill to sign, THEN gave you your order.  Guess you can't always rely on that routine, especially because some establishments don't require a signature.  It's a good thing I didn't get all the way home before I realized I never got my card back.  I wondered why my open wallet was still on my lap -- then it dawned on me.  I nearly made a u-turn on a narrow, busy street, but decided not to.  This situation ended well, but earlier this year, I lost my card somewhere (not the drive-thru) and didn't realize it until a couple days later.  Fortunately, it was a weekend and there was no activity recorded when I reported it missing.  It's never a good time to go through that, but moreso during the holidays.  And anytime, for someone like me who is always cashless.

Who's the hardest person to shop for on your holiday list?

This year, it's everyone.  Last year, I knew exactly what to get people and was totally spot-on with everyone's gifts.  I even gave someone an 80GB video iPod.  How can I follow a year like that?  I'm at a total loss this year, which is a total drag.

What are your top 5 CDs/albums of 2006? 
Submitted by eliz. s.

1.  The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance.  In all honesty, this is the only album of 2006 that I've listened to in its entirety.  And I. LOVE. IT.

I am so bummed.  My car dealership is closing.  I have been receiving tempting offers in the mail for great bargains on various automotive services.  My 30,000 mile check up is fast approaching so I decided to call and make an appointment.  Imagine my surprise when the service person urged me to bring my car in as soon as possible, like tomorrow.  Not one for acting on the fly, I asked if another day later in the week would work.  I was then informed that, unfortunately, the dealership will be closing its doors on Thursday.  I am so bummed!

This is the third dealership I've taken my car to.  The first one was in Upland, where my vehicle was purchased.  They did a fine job with routine oil changes and check ups.  Then, they closed down.  Bummer.  Oh well, it was a bit of a hike, anyway so the next closest one was in Puente Hills.  Albeit closer, the service left a lot to be desired.  For awhile, my stereo kept shutting down.  (No cracks about my music!)  Both times this happened, I had a CD in the CD player which got stuck.  There was no sound, the CD did not want to eject, the radio was inoperative.  When I took it to the Puente Hills location, they had my vehicle for nearly a week, and because they had to completely replace the stereo system, my CD was tossed out with the old system!  What burns me is that it was my 2005 KROQ Kevin & Bean Christmas CD ("Christmas Time in the 9-0-9."  Good times!) which had been sold out and no longer available!  This dealership blew.  I needed to find another one because not only were they lame, it was still quite a hike from The OC.  Enter the Tustin location!  Not only is it just a stone's throw from home, it is oh-so-conveniently located near the Tustin Marketplace (a ginormous outdoor mall).  Oh joy!  Rapture!  AND, right across the street from the dealership is a Costco.  Boy, did that come in handy when I needed new tires!  When my stereo died again, not only did it take the service representative mere minutes to fix it, he was able to salvage the CD that was stuck inside.  Yay for Tustin!

And now...after Thursday, it will be no more.  A Ford dealership is going in its place.  Ford?!  Really?!  Dudes, I used to drive a Ford.  Though it put in a few good years, I obviously wasn't compelled to purchase another one (and I'm not likely to in the near future).  Dudes...Ford!?  Sounds like an intervention is needed.

If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
Submitted by chris.

Proceed with caution - deal with at your own risk.

Have you ever Googled your own name? How did you feel about the results?
Submitted by elen.

Because my name is so unusual, I've been afraid to Google it for fear where "I" would show up!  (After all, just how many Maraschinos can there be out there?)  However, I got bold and Googled my name in quotes and nothing of importance came up.  Whew!

Do you keep a journal or diary?  How often do you write in it?
Submitted by Kim.

Yep.  You're looking at it.  Sad, huh?

What were you afraid of as a child that seems silly to you now?
Submitted by navelgazer.

Gorey horror movies.  I still don't watch them, not because they're "scary" but because they're just bad.

What's your favorite kind of Girl Scout cookie?
Submitted by My Lovely One.

It's a toss up between Thin Mints and the shortbread (which name escapes me at the moment! Do-si-do's?).

What song makes you rock the karaoke mic?
Submitted by Ann.

I don't "do" karaoke (there just isn't enough alcohol in the world!), but, if I did, it would be either Lady Killer by Lush or the standard "I will survive."  The inside joke is "My heart will go on" from Titanic and "Bohemian Rhapsody."