I finally got resolution on the State Farm issue, and I am thinking this only happened because we were new customers and someone really wasn't paying attention or maybe they didn't get all the paperwork at one time. State Farm issued us a refund on my car and Denny's because they thought we had been overcharged. Upon review of Tom's insurance and learning he had an accident in 2011, they figured out they had erroneously sent us a refund and now needed to increase the bills. There was no increase on Denny's car. His actually went down a couple of dollars. Mine went up a couple of dollars but not enough to merit other insurance company considerations. So for the time being I am happy saving the $1000 a year and hopefully everything is correct and all confusion is erased.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
I am still waiting on State Farm, but will revisit when I get all the answers. I received yet another refund check so I now have 2 additional bills and 2 refund checks. Looks like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.
I haven't blogged in a couple of days because in my mind I have had too many soap boxes going at once.
Let's start with Paula Deen. First off, I am not really a fan of hers. I have been to her restaurant at the Horseshoe in Indiana and the one in Tunica, and she does have great food (especially in Tunica), but it is not really good for you. Plus, because it's a buffet, you try to eat enough to get your money's worth. So it is not somewhere I like to go. But the big deal is that she used the "N" word. Now I'll also tell you I don't like the "N" word. I don't like the sound of it and have never used it towards a person. But, I grew up with others using it and it was part of what I called brazil nuts. In fact, I was in my twenties before I learned the real name of brazil nuts. I was less concerned that she had used the "N" word (unless it was after the time the word became unacceptable) because of her age and her southern heritage. What I found much worse was that she was trying to get African Americans to play as slaves for a wedding. There is nothing she could say to convince me this would be acceptable. She may be a star and she may think because of that she can do whatever she wants, but she is old enough to know better. I think when you ask people if they used the "N" word, you need to look at where and when they grew up. You also need to find out when they last used the "N" and take all of that into consideration. It's challenging to do that, but it's all part of history. History cannot be changed. What we have to do is work towards making a better history for future generations.
Something else that has been floating around in my brain is all the uproar about privacy. Does anyone really think they have any privacy? Ever since there have been 3 people on this earth, privacy disappeared. Someone somewhere always sees and hears. Just think of the small town where everyone seems to know everyone else's business. I couldn't get away with anything growing up in Fern Creek. At the time it was a small town and someone would always tell on my brother and me. Then came the electronic age and if you have been on any social website, you have given away your privacy. Think you are just posting to your friend? When they like it or comment, the friends of your friends are now privy to it. Liking pages? Companies are tracking your every like and comment so they can market to you, then share that information with other companies. But when it comes to the Government, everyone is up in arms, pushed by various political interests. Do you file taxes? Do you have a social security number? Do you collect benefits from the Government? All of these things add up to the Government knowing about you. So they know what phone numbers you are calling. They are not listening to your conversations, and if you're not connecting with terrorists, I don't understand the big deal, and if it is preventing terrorist attacks and saving lives, I think I can live with it.
As you can see my brain is on overload and I have edited and re-edited today's page simply because some of my thoughts take me off in a completely different direction than where I started. I am hoping this will help me de-clutter my mind for better thoughts in the future.
I haven't blogged in a couple of days because in my mind I have had too many soap boxes going at once.
Let's start with Paula Deen. First off, I am not really a fan of hers. I have been to her restaurant at the Horseshoe in Indiana and the one in Tunica, and she does have great food (especially in Tunica), but it is not really good for you. Plus, because it's a buffet, you try to eat enough to get your money's worth. So it is not somewhere I like to go. But the big deal is that she used the "N" word. Now I'll also tell you I don't like the "N" word. I don't like the sound of it and have never used it towards a person. But, I grew up with others using it and it was part of what I called brazil nuts. In fact, I was in my twenties before I learned the real name of brazil nuts. I was less concerned that she had used the "N" word (unless it was after the time the word became unacceptable) because of her age and her southern heritage. What I found much worse was that she was trying to get African Americans to play as slaves for a wedding. There is nothing she could say to convince me this would be acceptable. She may be a star and she may think because of that she can do whatever she wants, but she is old enough to know better. I think when you ask people if they used the "N" word, you need to look at where and when they grew up. You also need to find out when they last used the "N" and take all of that into consideration. It's challenging to do that, but it's all part of history. History cannot be changed. What we have to do is work towards making a better history for future generations.
Something else that has been floating around in my brain is all the uproar about privacy. Does anyone really think they have any privacy? Ever since there have been 3 people on this earth, privacy disappeared. Someone somewhere always sees and hears. Just think of the small town where everyone seems to know everyone else's business. I couldn't get away with anything growing up in Fern Creek. At the time it was a small town and someone would always tell on my brother and me. Then came the electronic age and if you have been on any social website, you have given away your privacy. Think you are just posting to your friend? When they like it or comment, the friends of your friends are now privy to it. Liking pages? Companies are tracking your every like and comment so they can market to you, then share that information with other companies. But when it comes to the Government, everyone is up in arms, pushed by various political interests. Do you file taxes? Do you have a social security number? Do you collect benefits from the Government? All of these things add up to the Government knowing about you. So they know what phone numbers you are calling. They are not listening to your conversations, and if you're not connecting with terrorists, I don't understand the big deal, and if it is preventing terrorist attacks and saving lives, I think I can live with it.
As you can see my brain is on overload and I have edited and re-edited today's page simply because some of my thoughts take me off in a completely different direction than where I started. I am hoping this will help me de-clutter my mind for better thoughts in the future.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Yesterday I started talking about shopping online so I want to continue that with one more favorite - Amazon.com. There are many in my life that when asked what they want for birthdays or Christmas reply with specific CD's, DVD's, books and electronic gaming items. I no longer waste my time and gas going from store to store, not only to see if they have the item, but also to find out what some of it is. I keep informed on Amazon. All I have to do is go to the site, enter the information in the search box and Amazon will answer all my questions and many times offer a variety of vendors - or if I spend the right amount, give me free shipping. Amazon has never disappointment me. I have not had cause to return anything to Amazon so I can't address how they handle that issue, but they are always there 24/7, ready to show me what someone wants and how to get it.
I plan to write more about online shopping venues, but for now there is something more pressing on my mind. Last month we switched our car and homeowner insurance from Liberty Mutual to State Farm, a move that saved us a little over $1000 a year. We received our policies last week. Today in the mail, I get new policies on 2 cars, both with an increase. On top of that I get a refund check on one of these same cars. Talk about confusion. I, of course, immediately contacted our agent and am now waiting to hear back from her. She had not received anything on any of this and will get in touch with the proper folks to see what is going on. What is is with insurance companies (or any company for that matter) that they cannot bother to send an explanation of any increase or refund? And, why in the world would we be seeing any kind of rate increase in less than a month? I am sincerely hoping we get a reasonable explanation as to what is going on, and I truly hope this is not indicative of a future problematic relationship.
One last little note, and a plug for Lambert's Paint and Body Shop on Belmar Lane. Since I had dinged my car some years ago on the right side when I bumped into the deck and since I scraped the left side of my car a few weeks ago on the garage, I decided it was time to get it fixed. We dropped the car off on Sunday night and got it back last night. The work they did looks great! In addition, they washed the car and scrubbed the wheels, making everything look brand new. There was no insurance involved, and they took care of everything for less than $700. This is the second time we have gone to Lambert's and I would recommend them to anyone needing this service.
I plan to write more about online shopping venues, but for now there is something more pressing on my mind. Last month we switched our car and homeowner insurance from Liberty Mutual to State Farm, a move that saved us a little over $1000 a year. We received our policies last week. Today in the mail, I get new policies on 2 cars, both with an increase. On top of that I get a refund check on one of these same cars. Talk about confusion. I, of course, immediately contacted our agent and am now waiting to hear back from her. She had not received anything on any of this and will get in touch with the proper folks to see what is going on. What is is with insurance companies (or any company for that matter) that they cannot bother to send an explanation of any increase or refund? And, why in the world would we be seeing any kind of rate increase in less than a month? I am sincerely hoping we get a reasonable explanation as to what is going on, and I truly hope this is not indicative of a future problematic relationship.
One last little note, and a plug for Lambert's Paint and Body Shop on Belmar Lane. Since I had dinged my car some years ago on the right side when I bumped into the deck and since I scraped the left side of my car a few weeks ago on the garage, I decided it was time to get it fixed. We dropped the car off on Sunday night and got it back last night. The work they did looks great! In addition, they washed the car and scrubbed the wheels, making everything look brand new. There was no insurance involved, and they took care of everything for less than $700. This is the second time we have gone to Lambert's and I would recommend them to anyone needing this service.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Shopping
Today, I have been thinking about shopping. As a retiree I have plenty of opportunities to shop at my leisure. But my favorite way to shop is online. I don't have to fight traffic or go to a dozen stores, hoping they have what I want, and I don't have to go back for returns.
How many times do you buy something new, bring it home, and it doesn't work? That has happened to me twice in the last week, and it is so frustrating. We purchased rope lighting for our deck. When Tom (my husband) put it up, one section didn't work. So he had to take it back down (wasted work on his part) and go back to the store to exchange it. We also purchased a solar lantern that doesn't work. We haven't bothered to return it yet. With gas prices as high as they are, who wants to waste gas going back and forth to stores to exchange defective merchandise? And sometimes, shopping on line is no better, since returning that results in additional shipping charges. Hopefully in the next few days, I can share with you some of my experiences.
As an avid online shopper, I am learning who I can trust for reliable merchandise and who sells the cheap stuff. Zappo's is the absolute best. They have free shipping all the way around. You don't have to pay them to ship to you, and if you want to return the merchandise, you don't have to pay to send it back. I buy almost all my shoes on line at Zappo's. I know I may pay a little more, but because of foot issues, I can find the brand I need in a variety of styles and only pay for the shoes.
Another favorite I just found this year is Swimsuits for All. Although they don't offer free shipping, they have a huge variety of swimwear with good prices and sales. They do not hassle you over returns. As all of us women know, flattering swimwear is hard to find and every suit must be tried on. The first suits I ordered were not flattering at all. I just packed them up in a new envelope and returned them via UPS. The credit was processed immediately and without question. I went back to the website and found a sale, which, of course, I just had to take advantage of. Now I have 3 beautiful and flattering swimsuits for the summer and our upcoming cruise.
Look for more online shopping thoughts tomorrow.
How many times do you buy something new, bring it home, and it doesn't work? That has happened to me twice in the last week, and it is so frustrating. We purchased rope lighting for our deck. When Tom (my husband) put it up, one section didn't work. So he had to take it back down (wasted work on his part) and go back to the store to exchange it. We also purchased a solar lantern that doesn't work. We haven't bothered to return it yet. With gas prices as high as they are, who wants to waste gas going back and forth to stores to exchange defective merchandise? And sometimes, shopping on line is no better, since returning that results in additional shipping charges. Hopefully in the next few days, I can share with you some of my experiences.
As an avid online shopper, I am learning who I can trust for reliable merchandise and who sells the cheap stuff. Zappo's is the absolute best. They have free shipping all the way around. You don't have to pay them to ship to you, and if you want to return the merchandise, you don't have to pay to send it back. I buy almost all my shoes on line at Zappo's. I know I may pay a little more, but because of foot issues, I can find the brand I need in a variety of styles and only pay for the shoes.
Another favorite I just found this year is Swimsuits for All. Although they don't offer free shipping, they have a huge variety of swimwear with good prices and sales. They do not hassle you over returns. As all of us women know, flattering swimwear is hard to find and every suit must be tried on. The first suits I ordered were not flattering at all. I just packed them up in a new envelope and returned them via UPS. The credit was processed immediately and without question. I went back to the website and found a sale, which, of course, I just had to take advantage of. Now I have 3 beautiful and flattering swimsuits for the summer and our upcoming cruise.
Look for more online shopping thoughts tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
New to This
Here I sit at my computer, technologically deficient, trying to start a blog and having no clue as to what I am doing. So I just keep clicking on various items hoping something works. I figure whatever I do I can undo and not screw up my computer. I am open to suggestions as to how I can improve my blog. For now I will share a little about myself.
I have been retired since January 2008, and those 5 years have simply flown by. I was fortunate to have had one year of retirement spending time with my Dad who passed in March 2009. Definitely time well spent.
I also worked as a volunteer at a hospital until they required all workers to take the flu shot. That is something I will not do. I don't get the flu so I do not see the necessity of allowing someone to stick a hole in me that doesn't already exist. So now I am a bit at sea, trying to find a place to fit in and help out. I look at how many places who say they need volunteers for this or that, then I see how many of them make it so challenging to actually volunteer. Dare to Care is one of them. I have tried their web page and calling them, but they come across as very non-responsive. If you want to volunteer for Wayside, you have to pay for your own criminal background check. It's not that I can't afford to do that, it's the principal of it. Maybe they get so many applicants, they can't afford it, but I would think they could work out a deal with the city to get it done for nothing. Metro United Way really sends you around in circles and does not consider you for volunteering until you select exactly what you want to do and they meet with you in person. If you don't know what all is available, how can you make a selection and find the best fit? Now I am looking at volunteering for MUSCL and have been to their website. Of course, the application process to volunteer doesn't work. Things like this always make me wonder if they are just giving lip service to needing volunteers and only wanting folks they choose. Guess I'll just keep looking and see where it takes me.
That's it for now. Hope to hear from you on my random thoughts.
I have been retired since January 2008, and those 5 years have simply flown by. I was fortunate to have had one year of retirement spending time with my Dad who passed in March 2009. Definitely time well spent.
I also worked as a volunteer at a hospital until they required all workers to take the flu shot. That is something I will not do. I don't get the flu so I do not see the necessity of allowing someone to stick a hole in me that doesn't already exist. So now I am a bit at sea, trying to find a place to fit in and help out. I look at how many places who say they need volunteers for this or that, then I see how many of them make it so challenging to actually volunteer. Dare to Care is one of them. I have tried their web page and calling them, but they come across as very non-responsive. If you want to volunteer for Wayside, you have to pay for your own criminal background check. It's not that I can't afford to do that, it's the principal of it. Maybe they get so many applicants, they can't afford it, but I would think they could work out a deal with the city to get it done for nothing. Metro United Way really sends you around in circles and does not consider you for volunteering until you select exactly what you want to do and they meet with you in person. If you don't know what all is available, how can you make a selection and find the best fit? Now I am looking at volunteering for MUSCL and have been to their website. Of course, the application process to volunteer doesn't work. Things like this always make me wonder if they are just giving lip service to needing volunteers and only wanting folks they choose. Guess I'll just keep looking and see where it takes me.
That's it for now. Hope to hear from you on my random thoughts.
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