Hey there, errant humans!
Remember (long, long ago when dinosaurs roamed, when “revolving credit” hadn’t been invented yet) when you were told to have a credit card in case of emergencies? It would sit in your desk drawer and wait in case things got bad and you needed a sudden loan?
I got a letter in the mail saying a credit card I hadn’t used in years was being closed. The letter told me to call the number on the back of the card should I want to retain any of the rewards earned on this card. I dug up the card. Called the number on the back of the card. The automated system said the card had been canceled. I called again and finally maneuvered my way to a person, who informed me the card had been canceled.
This slight idiocy (and large time-suck) out of the way, I asked for the earned rewards per their letter. They said I needed to call the “Rewards Center” and though they were unable to connect me, they gave me a phone number.
I called that number and at the end of a very long automated message learned that the only way to get my rewards was to go on a website. After a rattling off a very long website address, the line went dead.
I called back and wrote down the long website, then went online. The website prompted me to change my password. I had to go to an old email inbox to do so, and log into that old email inbox because I hadn’t used it in so long that I needed to update my password to get my mail.
It took a while, but I changed the password, then changed the other password only to discover I was unable to request the reward since the only way to search for a reward was by the exact amount of the reward.
It took some navigation but I finally discovered the general help contact button. I have submitted their form.
The response screen told me to check back with them in a few days.
How long is a few days? Too long if you are my daughter: she was supposed to go to Lisbon and France on a Youth Group tour and on Friday her flight was canceled because of the fire in Terminal 1 of JFK and now they won’t be leaving until Sunday. True it wasn’t as bad as these passengers who were turned back halfway to NYC from Auckland, NZ (spending 16 hours on the circular flight), but still our weekend had a pall of frustration.
Only a few days delay, but Lisbon will not be where the tour begins anymore.
SURPRISE INVITATION:
I’m doing an in-person reading!
Come see me read a very freaky little story called “Sanguine” this coming Tuesday, Feb 21, at the East Village Wordsmiths Reading Series at Book Club at 197 East 3rd Street. The theme of the night is “RED" and lots of terrific writers are on the roster. Readings (and usually also music) start at 8pm, hosted by the very lovely and charismatic Leigh Anne O’Connor. It’s free, and there’s a very cool coffee bar/wine bar in the bookstore, which just got listed as the #1 Bookstore Cafe in NYC in TimeOut NY. No RSVP needed, but if you love in-person events like this, get on Leigh Anne’s mailing list (and become a reader yourself!) or just become a regular— sign up here. Bonus question: How has no one ever named a Manhattan bar “Book Club” until this joint opened during pandemic?
WRITING NEWS:
Edits are all done and it looks like my short story “All Clear” is definitely coming out in June 2023 in the anthology Tumbled Tales by Wandering Wave Press. Yay!
I was invited to speak on the podcast Moms on Paper (what a great name) — I don’t know when the show airs but we are taping in Mid-March!
Gigantic news on the forthcoming story collection A FLASH OF DARKNESS! There is a book page already in progress on the Borda Books website. Including a cover reveal!
Thanks SO MUCH if you sent me a blurb for the collection!
Next up: do you review? I have advance PDF copies for reviewers! ….. do you like short stories that are quirky and maybe a little bit dark? Avid watcher of Black Mirror? Twilight Zone? I’m your girl. Send me an email or LMK in the comments that you’re interested in writing a book review and I’ll contact you.
Random Final Thought:
Why is corporate America allowed to ask us non-choice questions like “do you agree to allow us to text your personal cellphone for automated marketing garbage whenever we want, day, night, weekends, whenever (you must click this to continue)”?
There was a playground game in Texas where mean kids asked you if you wanted to be punched. You got punched hard if you said yes and punched a lot harder if you said no. I think those kids are now marketing executives.
Boy, you are nothing if not persistent. I would have exited the course no later than stage four of the 14 or so steps you chronicle. I think only financial desperation, superego (thinking it one's duty to claim a financial reward), or the whiff of writing material could enable one to prevail in this battle against self (winning in this case meaning not actually getting the reward, but at least ostensibly applying for it).