Bank of America is Going to Charge Customers to Spend Their Own Money Via the Debit Card

When I read these articles I was disgusted.  I'm not a B of A customer.  I used to be many years ago but I became disgruntled when every month I would see new bank charges on my statement.  As I was young and barely making any money to support myself I decided to close my account and take my business elsewhere.  Ever since then I've watched as B of A over the years has done it's best to take as much money from it's customers as possible, through some miscellaneous charge or other, either by reading the headlines or listening to my friends complain about their dissatisfaction with the bank.  And now this new $5.00 charge to use your debit card, YOUR OWN MONEY!, you're not borrowing money you're just spending what you've worked hard for.  When you use your debit card it's a convenience to not have to write a check but really is that convenience worth $5.00 a pop?  So, if I decide I want to go buy a pack of gum at 7-Eleven, that two dollar pack of gum is going to cost me and extra $5.00?  And right after buying my gum, I stop at the gas station to fill up my car it'll cost me another $5.00?  So for those two transactions B of A has made $10 off of me just for the convenience of using that plastic card!  What a bunch of scam artists!  It's despicable!  I hope my bank doesn't jump on the band wagon because I'm already considering to close all of my bank accounts and find another means of socking away my money.  The decision makers of B of A apparently are not living in reality.  The country is still in turmoil financially with foreclosures not showing any signs of slowing down and the joblessness rates not improving.  Are they living in palatial mansions up in the mystical clouds in a land where everyone in the their world makes a billion a year and $5.00 a transaction is but a pittance we can all afford?



http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/bank-of-america-faces-outrage-over-debit-card-charge/2011/09/30/gIQAp8zGAL_story.html

http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/29/pf/bank_of_america_debit_fee/

Alternative Living for a Lighter Footprint

I am a very private person so not too many people know how I think or what I think about.  I keep my friends to a close trusted few but even they don't know what thoughts flit through my mind.  The last few years I've really been mulling over the idea of living outside the box.  My boyfriend probably wouldn't agree with me and he doesn't know I've been kicking around the idea of living a different way of life.  I need inspiration.  I want to look outside my window and feel inspired by the scene before me.  I want to live a life of freedom.  I don't want to be restricted by four walls.  I want to minimize my carbon footprint.  There are tons of ideas out there for alternative living/housing.  For example:

1.  Yurt Housing

http://www.squidoo.com/yurthomes

http://articles.sfgate.com/2006-06-02/entertainment/17297169_1_yurt-sonoma-county-structure

http://www.yurts.com/gallery/photo-gallery.aspx

2.  Earth Berm Homes

http://www.earthshelteredhome.com/building-styles.htm

http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/12/01/hand-build-an-earth-sheltered-house-for-5000/

http://www.lifeunplugged.net/greenbuilding/earth-berm-and-earth-sheltered-home.aspx

3.  Recycled Shipping Containers

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/8/twelve-amazing-shipping-container-houses.html

http://www.shipping-container-housing.com/shipping-containers-housing.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/SmartHome/story?id=6201752&page=1

4.  Earthship

http://www.daycreek.com/dc/html/dc_earthship.htm

http://www.genrefluent.com/earthshi.htm

http://www.cedointercultural.org/earthshiptext.htm

These are just a few of the ways you can live greener with a lighter footprint on our environment and because your dwelling isn't the typical cookie cutter abode your creative juices just might flow indefinitely.  Well, that is my hope, anyways.  So, don't be surprised if you find me living outside the box in one of these alternative homes in the future.

http://kristinwood.suite101.com/alternative-housing-options-a208976

http://www.survival-spot.com/survival-blog/9-unique-alternative-housing-ideas/

http://simplyoptimal.net/dont-think-live-outside-the-box/

http://maryeaudet.hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Minimize_Your_Carbon_Footprint_and_Save_Money

Open Chasm

(A poem I wrote back on November 2, 2005)

With a heavy heart
I look upon the instrument
That shreds to pieces
The well placed armor
I have surrounded myself
The arrows that randomly
Fly out of the open chasm
Spears my soul
Leaving a gaping hole
That bleeds internally.

My Babies

Pictures of my pretty daughter, Angelique and my handsome sons, Shane and James.  Angelique's picture was taken by my sister, Angela and the picture of my three babies was taken by a smart phone, Summer of 2011.

4 Out of 6 Siblings in Santa Cruz, CA

A picture my sis took of four out of six siblings in Santa Cruz, CA with our families.  I wish our other two siblings, significant others and kids could have been with us but hard to do with busy schedules.  I love you guys!!!

Awkward Coffee Date

I'm sitting at my favorite coffee shop and a couple of tables away from me is a couple on their first date. It's a Vietnamese woman and a Latino man. It sounds so awkward but I can't help but hear them. He's filling her head with compliments while she's talking about herself, about how good and generous she is. Is that what we all sound like on a first date? Is that what I sounded like on my first date with my boyfriend? All I recall is that I did do most of the talking while he sat there and listened. I do remember that he didn't compliment me once on our date. Hmmm...maybe that's what caught me. Too many mushy compliments and I feel nauseous. Oh, they just got up and are walking to their cars, he's dressed casually in a white t-shirt, black cargo shorts and tennis shoes (appropriate wear for a coffee date) while she's dressed in a back exposing very skintight mini mini LBD (appropriate wear for clubbing on a Friday/Saturday night) and sky high black stiletto heels. I wore jeans, a cream blazer and high heels on my first date. If first impressions count what does that outfit say about her and what did my outfit say about me? Hmmmm.... I don't have too much experience with first dates...in my lifetime, which is a long time, I can probably count the amount of first dates I've had on my two hands, more than five but less than ten. Is that what men are looking for now? Women who just put it out there on the first coffee date? Dress to impress while he can show up casually comfortable? My mind says not. I think we all should dress for the occasion. Coffee dates, dress casually. Save the LBDs for a night of dinner and dancing, don't you think?

City Hunter (Korean Show)

Right now I'm totally into City Hunter.  It's a Korean show (subtitled).  I'm on the 9th episode I believe.  It's a cute show.  It has action, comedy and drama.  It's mainly about a baby boy who grows to be a man believing that his mother had abandoned him.  He is raised by a man completely bent on revenge.  I really like it.  Some of the drama I can do without and there are moments when things kind of don't make sense.  It does get a little too mushy sometimes but overall it's well done.  It has a 5 star rating on Netflix.  I would recommend it.

People Crack Me Up

It's funny but when you sit quietly and just watch the world revolve around you, you can observe the most amusing scenarious.  Like me for instance, at work from my desk I watch as my coworkers flit by me back and forth and the drama unfolds in front of me.  A couple of months ago there was a certain person who was talking crap about people she barely new and then an incident happened and she is now brown nosing to everyone she comes in contact with especially the ones she talked smack about and now those same people that she used to talk crap about are her buds stopping in front of her office and making small talk.  It cracks me up.  I wonder if they know what she really thinks of them?

A Weekend At The Beach September 2011

A short clip of our weekend at the beach with family.  Featuring Gracie, our aspiring model/actress; Ella, our quiet one;  Aurora, our little princess; Esmee, our honey badger and last but definitely not the least Ava, our mommy biting sand eating cute as a button new addition to the family.

Yay!!! I'm So Excited!!!

My sister in Alabama and my brother in Michigan are coming down for a visit.  I'm so excited!  It's been a long time since us siblings have been together in one place.  It's a sibling reunion!  Can't wait to give my nieces big fat slobbery kisses.  Just kidding, I wouldn't do that to you guys...  I promise just petite dainty kisses on the cheeks.  I've arranged to take Friday off work and we are going to do some touristy sight seeing stuff.  I'll help my brother with his girls.  He'll have his hands full I'm sure.  I can't wait!!!

Talon

My dog, Talon, is cracking me up right now. I know I'm terrible for teasing him but it's too cute for words. Every time I give him a treat he wants to save for later he tries to find a good hiding spot for it. I usually pretend that I'm not paying attention but today I've been keeping watch and each time he thinks he found a place he looks up and sees me watching so he picks it up and searches for another nook. He's tried three times now and he's caught me looking...hahaha...so now he's running around whining with the treat in his mouth trying to find a place where I can't see him. Awww...I'll give him a break and pretend to ignore him.

My Little Insurance Policy

A creepy thing happened to me yesterday.  A middle eastern middle aged man followed me home when I took my dog out for a walk.  I didn't even realize he was following because there were several people out for a walk that evening the same as any evening in my neighborhood.  He was on his cell phone speaking to someone in another language.  He had walked past me a couple of times back and forth and I assumed he was just one of those fidgety types but every time I would stop because my dog would want to sniff and mark he would stop as well.  I decided to end the walk and entered the locked gate of my complex shutting the gate door firmly behind me.  As I walked towards my apartment I noticed he had managed to enter and was continuing to follow me.  So, I stopped and turned not wanting him to know which apartment I lived in.  He approached me and asked for my phone number (are you friggin' kidding me!), I told him very politely "I'm sorry but I have a boyfriend." and I stood there until I knew for sure he had walked away.  I entered my apartment and bolted the door.  Later that night I told my boyfriend what had happened so he can keep an eye out when he comes home to my place after work.  I pulled out the gun my daddy gave me (of course he taught me how to use it), gave it a little pat and set it next to me on the bed where it will be every night from now on.  My little insurance policy.  You can bet I won't go down easy.  I'll take someone with me.

A Message To Me

The people have caught the hate frenzy!  The most important thing is to not care what people around you are doing and do what only you can control.  I can control myself.  I’m not going to worry about the ignorance of people and continue to educate myself, to stay upbeat because I have so much to look forward to and look the haters in their eyes and smile because at the end of the day feeling myself smile makes me happy.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (The Book)

I started reading Bram Stoker's Dracula a couple of days ago and I unexpectedly like it. I avoided reading the book because I had already seen the movie and thought it would bore me but I was pleasantly mistaken. I'm a little more than half way through the book. Pretty Mina has already died a second time and Van Helsing has already suspected that Jonathan was also a victim of the dreaded Count Dracula. I'm on pins and needles to find out how true to the book the movie was. I'll soon find out...

Dinner w/ Friends

I meant to write this a few days ago but I've been busy with my book that I kept getting sidetracked.  I had dinner a few nights ago with four friends of mine that I hadn't seen in a very long time.  We had so much fun catching up on what everyone was doing now.  They all looked great and happy.  One of the gals is hoping to retire in a year or two depending on how her stocks do, another just won a medal for completing her first 1/2 marathon, another is training for her first 1/2 marathon and last but not least the most animated of the group is very determined to stay single.  Hahaha... One of them, Carol, gave me some good advice regarding my book and I have definitely been thinking on it (I just don't know where to begin).  I know once my book is complete and I'm satisfied with it, I'm going to need a graphic artist to help me design the cover and I'm going to have to write a good descriptive summary.  It's going to be a lot of hard work.  The book itself is a joy to write because I love writing but it is my first time dabbling in this venture, of course, whether the book fails or succeeds it's not going to stop me from writing another and another and another.

Update - Family & Friends Should Butt Out (In My Opinion)

I heard that the husband came to his senses and apologized to his wife and posted on Facebook to stop the negative comments about his wife.  Well, I should say so!  People were calling her a prostitute without knowing the facts and making assumptions with their small little minds.  She is the daughter of a judge and is well educated.  I'll tell you what, I can bet that 90% of those commenter's barely finished high school.  She studied law before marrying that almost 40 snot nose whelp.  In my opinion, he married well while she drew the short straw.  Poor thing.  Love can be blind.  I'm hoping that the blinders will soon be lifted from her eyes before she has any miniatures of him running around.  I know I sound harsh but in order to be respected you have to show respect yourself.  I don't think his family even knows who paid for all of his trips abroad.  His wife's family, that's who.  He probably pretended he paid for all of his airfare.

Family & Friends Should Butt Out (In My Opinion)

I just heard a story today about a young newly married couple who are already having issues in their marriage.  He made three mistakes in one day.  First, he yelled at his wife in front of his family.  You should never do that.  Keep your issues private between husband and wife behind closed doors.  Second, he aired his marriage problems on Facebook allowing his family to get involved with their opinions, of course, they sided with him.  His wife saw the comments further alienating her to him and his family.  Third, when she walked out the door after he yelled at her, he didn't go after her.  He should have gone after her to at least talk to her, it was an opportunity for him to discuss their problems in private without his nosy family butting in with their two cents.  Apparently, he's not ready to cut the umbilical cord and stand on his own like a real man.

Sad Ending

Today I met an interesting man. A sad man. He and his beautiful English Golden Retriever sat at the table next to mine. He is in his 70's and lives in the white van he pulled up in. I felt sorry for him. His blue eyes looked sad and beaten. He is retired and disabled (a cancer survivor) he explained that most senior housing programs in the Bay Area don't accept dogs of the Retriever's size. He said he made a commitment to his dog nine years ago to take care of him and he was going to do that even if they have to live in a van for the rest of their lives. He does odd jobs here and there and lives on his social security. What a sad end to a long life.

Lunch and a Movie

I had a lunch and movie date with a very good friend of mine today. We had lunch at the Yard House in Santana Row. I ordered the Vodka shrimp pasta and she ordered the Gardein Thai Chicken Noodle Salad. Both dishes were delicious. She let me try her salad, I'm not a huge salad eater but I will definitely order that dish next time. After lunch we walked over to the theater in Santana Row and watched "The Help". In my opinion it was a very good movie. Very well done. I was blubbering throughout most of it. It's a definite must see. The acting was superb. I loved every minute of it.