Poor neglected blog

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and my other blog are killing this blog. I'm thinking of building a robot to manage my online activities for me.

Inevitable

I wonder how long it will be before someone asks Obama: Boxers or briefs?

Theft is the sincerest form of flattery?

I had this photo and a few others in the holiday show at the Marblehead Arts Association and when I went to pick it up it wasn't there.

"Do you think that means it was sold?" I asked.

"Or stolen," they said.

No way of knowing until (or unless) a check arrives in the mail. I can't wait to find out. Meanwhile, someone made the point that I ought to be flattered if someone did steal it.

And, seriously, if I had to choose one photo of mine that's most likely to be stolen, it would be the fembots.

Anyway, I have another five (!) photos in the current "new members" show, which runs this month. There are some really nice things there ... and I met some very cool folks at the opening.

A Christmas (card) story

Got lots of Christmas cards this year, which makes me very happy--I love getting them, even though I haven't sent them in a few years (too lazy). And the fact that I keep getting them even though I don't reciprocate just proves how much people love me.

But the one card I look forward to most is the one from RCAS and family, who are creative, funny, and wizards at Photoshop. This year's card arrived yesterday--It's so funny you could poke your eye out with it!

Wondering: Will the baby get a Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model BB rifle with a compass in the stock? Or a pink bunny suit?

Also, to KK: Still waiting for yours, and it better have a picture in it.

Today I hate ...

... American Express.

Have you ever

In your life

Received a credit card bill that shows the past month's interest charges

EVEN THOUGH YOU PAID THE PREVIOUS BILL IN FULL?

When you pay a bill and the balance is zero after you pay it (assuming you paid on time), then the next bill should be zero, too.

But no: I paid the bill in full--I mean I paid the total balance showing on my statement--and the next month I get a bill for $42.05. The "recent activity" has just one item: $42.05 in interest. Um, interest on WHAT? My zero balance?

But here's the best part: The minimum balance due is $15.

So if you weren't paying attention, you might keep paying that bill for, oh I don't know, EVER? In fact, even if you paid the bill in full, wouldn't you have the accumulated interest on the interest to pay the next month? How would you ever pay that bill off?

I called them and got an extremely cheery woman who suffered my outrage like a saint. You have to pay your balance off two months in a row, she says, before they stop charging interest (this may be true--but it sure as hell doesn't sound right). "Let me explain how interest works," she tells me.

Let me explain, I said, that I know full well how interest works. Let me explain that American Express has a strong brand name--a company that has a reputation as being customer-centric and trustworthy. How many millions is it spending on its current ad campaign to bolster its image?

At a time where consumers aren't spending as much, it doesn't seem to be very smart to act so scummy. (Yeah, that's the only word I could think to describe it: scummy.)

BTW I thanked her for letting me rant and told her I know it is not personally her fault. But, I said, I wanted her to put two notes on my account: first, that I had been promised that if I paid this interest charge my next bill would have a zero balance and second, that I was very angry and wanted to state for the record that American Express is scummy.

It's a small consolation, but at she promised me she'd do both.

Edit: Apparently I am not alone. Check out this story on (and four pages of reactions from consumers with similar stories) on Consumerist.com