Gnomies Gone Wild

[Lady Lallie]

CP, that sucks! Hopefully like LL said, this can be resolved quickly.

LL, $500 at stores and $500 at ATM's a DAY?!?!? I only dream of a bank account that would allow me to spend like that without it going toward bills!

Seriously! Me too, Katie. I don't have money like that in mine that is for sure. The only time I have problems is when I buy plane tickets or something like that but ususally I'll just make Marc use his card so mine isn't tied up.

 

[Charleston Princess]

LL, I am wondering what place in town had their info compromised because another teacher here at school had her numbers stolen and had $400 charged in Tampa as well. I am curious now.

Today, I am very thankful you work at a bank!

I have Shanghai Girls on hold at the library along with three other books that I want to read that were checked out. The librarian who was entering the holds actually said to me, "These books will probably come in at different times." Like I couldn't have figured that one out on my own.

Katie, thanks! I am still a little panicked by the whole thing.

 

[jenjolt]

That is all very interesting...another teacher...I wonder if you two have any of those companies in common...that is quite freaky!!

Glad everything seems to be working out though Jackie!!

I'm glad for banks that watch for these type of things! Many times we've had the bank call to make sure we made charges especially when on trips! That always makes me feel a lot safer!

 

[Charleston Princess]

That is all very interesting...another teacher...I wonder if you two have any of those companies in common...that is quite freaky!!

Well, our town is so small, we have probably overlapped shopping at some of the same places -- Target, Starbucks, Publix, Walmart, and Racetrac (the gas station) -- there isn't a lot of variety here.

 

[Lady Lallie]

It makes sense then that somewhere Charles' card was compromised. I'm sure the bank is investigating. Sadly, it's pretty common these days. At least you caught it before anything else could be taken out. We go through instances where a company will contact us saying these cards were compromised from your customers and we'll go through look at the accounts and issue new cards to everyone.

Jen, with the traveling...what you can do if you want is to call your bank or credit card company and tell them that you are traveling. I do that with my debit card everytime I go to Florida because they can shut your card down if they can't get a hold of you if the spending patterns are being questioned.

Also, another debit card tidbit. Do not put a rental car on your debit card put it on a credit card. What they can do is force through a charge if they think you did any damage without you knowing about it. When you sign the contract you give them permission to do that. It's harder to get that money back onto your debit card than a credit card because credit cards are protected differently from that.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Katie, I will be sending good thoughts for your mom. Let us know how she's doing. I'll go check out your video on FB.

CP- What a week! Glad you caught it so quickly.

LL- thanks for all the info; I learned a lot!

Jen- hallelujah for a week that is downhill (in the "right" way) for the rest of the way!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

LL, you may get to be my financial advisor as well as my trip planner.

C, it has been a doozy of a week, and I have only touched on the "highlights." I am so drained at this point. I may just go buy DVC to cheer myself up. Or maybe a new Vera -- that would be cheaper at least.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I may just go buy DVC to cheer myself up. Or maybe a new Vera -- that would be cheaper at least.

Go for DVC!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

As your newly appointed financial advisor, I say go for DVC!

C, I'm so freaking happy that tomorrow is Thursday. Thursday is my favorite day of the week!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

So funny, I have another friend who just adores Thursday. I'm partial to Friday's myself but Thursday is a close second!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Go for DVC!!!

As your newly appointed financial advisor, I say go for DVC!

Enablers! It does seem to be making sense to me lately...

C, I'm so freaking happy that tomorrow is Thursday. Thursday is my favorite day of the week!

So funny, I have another friend who just adores Thursday. I'm partial to Friday's myself but Thursday is a close second!

I love Thursdays because it is our Jean Day, and every other Thursday, I take my classes to the library. Tomorrow isn't a library day, but Chelsea has an orthodontist appointment in the morning. We are going to drop Connor at school, and then have breakfast out before heading to her appt. I am very excited.

 

[Lady Lallie]

I like Thursdays because it's the first night that Marc is home after his work week and since Friday almost feels like the weekend to me, it's the beginning of my weekend. Does that make sense?

I was bad and ate chinese food tonight. UGH. I'm mad at myself now.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Enablers! It does seem to be making sense to me lately...

That's what we're here for! Get ready for more enabling here... But in all honesty I partially purchased my very small contract as a pick-me-up and when I did look at the math what I had already spend in '08 and '09 and what I was planning to spend this year was more than half the contract!

I love Thursdays because it is our Jean Day, and every other Thursday, I take my classes to the library. Tomorrow isn't a library day, but Chelsea has an orthodontist appointment in the morning. We are going to drop Connor at school, and then have breakfast out before heading to her appt. I am very excited.

Enjoy your special breakfast... sounds lovely!!

 

[sunny_stace]

Hi Gnomies! It's been a pretty yucky day around here. My uncle's brother (my uncle by marriage) passed away and it's the first uncle's birthday and they live together, they're very close...crappy day at work....overall a craptastic middle to a craptastic week!

I was reminded once again this morning why I need to get my weight under control. I got an e-mail from my Mom informing me that she is undergoing another angiogram tomorrow (please don't say anything on FB because she is keeping this quiet among the family) This is her 7th or 8th time doing this and she has had 4 or 5 stents put in. She isn't saying much because she is embarassed at how many she has had. But here is the thing...my Mom is thin, she exercises and eats well. The ONLY reason this is happening to her to dumb luck. It is a reminder to me that those are my genes and she is probably more healthy than I am!

Please send up a little prayer tomorrow that she recovers quickly from this one too!

Prayers and best wishes to your mom and family Katie. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.

Stace, I'd rate it at 10. It is seriously awesome. I think the first version of the game has more exercises and you get the leg strap and band. Those don't come with the second version and you do need them. They do sell them separate. I break a sweat everytime I play. I hate exercise and I actually enjoy doing these games.

Wow! That is very good to know! Thanks LL! I'll have to do some pricing! Do you mind if I ask what you paid for yours? And do you need all the Wii fit stuff for it too (i.e. fit board, etc.), or does it come with it's own stuff?

Morning, Gnomies! My week continues to go downhill (not in the same way that Jen's is) -- today I was balancing the checkbook online and noticed there was an unaccounted for $75.00 charge. Called the bank and supposedly it was from a Chevron in Tampa, FL. Apparently, someone has Charles' debit card number. The woman asked me if we had been in Tampa recently. Um, no, I would remember that. Now Charles is headed to the bank to fill out a dispute, and we have canceled that card. I am just sick about it and burst into tears when I found out. Thank goodness I am on planning until 1:00.

Jackie, you're having an awfully rough week! I hope everything gets worked out quickly for you guys.

I started Garden Spells and I'm only 25 or so pages in and I'm already sucked right in!

I didn't care for it to be quite honest....I found it too similar to Practical Magic (Alice Hoffman) that I just couldn't get into it enough.

What usually happens in those instances is that Charles used his debit card at someplace that has had their information compromised. Like that big thing at TJ Maxx a few years ago. Someone hacked into their database and stole the customers' card numbers. But the good news is that banks are used to dealing with these kind of things so they can usually turn around the money pretty quickly. My bank has a debit card limit on each card too, like my daily spending limit is only $500 at stores and $500 cash through the ATM. That is to prevent fraud and theft. We also have a company that monitors spending patterns so we can flag unlikely transactions.

Can you tell I work at a bank?

After Shanghai Girls, I don't know if I can read another one of her books. I'm too afraid of being let down again!

It wasn't just TJ Maxx either! It was the entire company worldwide! Which includes my store Winners! People are always still asking "will my debit number get stolen if I use it here?" Oh, with Lisa See have you read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan? I loved it! I bought Shanghai Girls but I haven't read it yet. Right now I am trying very hard to enjoy Nanny Returns (sequel to the Nanny Diaries), but every time I go to read I wind up falling asleep!

 

[Charleston Princess]

So, here's the thing about buying DVC -- I could get a contract for 100 points at $80 a point with no closing costs. I would get '09 points and '10 points for a total of 200 points right off the bat. The only thing I worry about is whether 100 points would work for us as the years go on.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

So, here's the thing about buying DVC -- I could get a contract for 100 points at $80 a point with no closing costs. I would get '09 points and '10 points for a total of 200 points right off the bat. The only thing I worry about is whether 100 points would work for us as the years go on.

That is a great deal!! Holy cow! At the resort you want and use year you want? Or maybe that doesn't matter to you. How "awfully" tempting.

As for # of points, I got 100 too. And it's not quite enough for a studio for a full week at Beach Club in Oct (I think that would be 106). BUT I figured it got me "in the door" and I can always add on....

Let me know what you decide. It sure would turn your week around...

 

[Lady Lallie]

I paid $60 for the first EA Active game which comes with the leg strap and the elastic band thingy for exercises. The add on game was $40. You don't need the Wii Fit board but you can use it with it if you already have it. I love that game, it's the only thing that can get me exercising right now.

I'm about 1/2 way through Garden Spells. I read Practical Magic in high school so I don't remember all that well so it's not bothering me.

CP, you can always do add on down the road. That sounds like a great deal. You could always do split stays with the 100 points too so you can try out all those resorts that are still on your list!

I did get a Lisa See book from the library last night....The Peony or something like that. I'm going to give her another chance. Shanghai Girls is good, I just didn't care for the ending AT ALL.

 

[jenjolt]

Awww..Stace sorry for the crappy week! I will be in prayer for your family during this sad time!!! Sorry about everything else going on!!

Thursdays and Fridays are Jean Day here too...I love it!! I feel so comfortable!! My students are working on DNA molecules and I'm reminding them less talking more working LOL!! But its not a bad day at all!!!

OOh Jackie...go DVC...that would definitely turn a frown upside down!!

 

[kschafer]

Just a quick pop-in to tell you that I talked with Dad. Mom's procedure was first thing this morning (I have been working so didn't talk to them until now). She had a "cleaning" of a spot that has been problematic for her. Lots of scar tissue was removed then a new stent put in place.

Basically the doctors tell her to be aware of the symptoms and come in when they start up because with her history, this will be a cycle she goes through every couple years for the rest of her life. Like I said, it's just dumb bad luck she has to deal with this.

Dad said she was feeling OK given the circumstances and should be allowed to get up and move a bit fairly soon and be on her way home in the morning.

 

[sunny_stace]

Good evening ladies! Hope you're all having a good day! I'm just sitting here moping because Vampire Diaries is a rerun And I have to re-do my entire itunes library...anyone good with that kind of technology? Since my laptop is dead and I'm using my cousin's desktop, can I get all my old songs back somehow? I emailed them but they never emailed me back!

I paid $60 for the first EA Active game which comes with the leg strap and the elastic band thingy for exercises. The add on game was $40. You don't need the Wii Fit board but you can use it with it if you already have it. I love that game, it's the only thing that can get me exercising right now.

I'm about 1/2 way through Garden Spells. I read Practical Magic in high school so I don't remember all that well so it's not bothering me.

I did get a Lisa See book from the library last night....The Peony or something like that. I'm going to give her another chance. Shanghai Girls is good, I just didn't care for the ending AT ALL.

I may have to try the EA! I'm having trouble with the whole exercise thing right now too...I am so not motivated enough and it's too cold to go out anywhere to be active!

Is it Peony In Love that you got? You probably wont love the ending to it. It's a great book but it is quite sad. If you like her style, have you tried Amy Tan?

Awww..Stace sorry for the crappy week! I will be in prayer for your family during this sad time!!! Sorry about everything else going on!!

Thanks Jen, that's sweet of you.

Just a quick pop-in to tell you that I talked with Dad. Mom's procedure was first thing this morning (I have been working so didn't talk to them until now). She had a "cleaning" of a spot that has been problematic for her. Lots of scar tissue was removed then a new stent put in place.

Basically the doctors tell her to be aware of the symptoms and come in when they start up because with her history, this will be a cycle she goes through every couple years for the rest of her life. Like I said, it's just dumb bad luck she has to deal with this.

Dad said she was feeling OK given the circumstances and should be allowed to get up and move a bit fairly soon and be on her way home in the morning.

Katie, I'm glad to hear your mom is recovering ok! It's really unfortunate that she'll have to keep doing this over and over again. I hope she's able to keep her spirits up and gets well super-soon!