You’ve heard the budget screaming matches – er, talks – and heard “billion” tossed around like everyone deals with that amount on a daily basis. Texas Fred, a crusty old Marine friend of mine, sent out a little missive to help us common folk, those of us not smart enuff to deal with money and what not, since we ain’t pro-fessional poly-ticks or nuttin’, git a handle on jist how much a biilyon rilly is:

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1979.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

Now, in my mind, it seems like the obvious solution to not raising the debt ceiling is to quit spending money. I mean, those of us in fly-over land only have so many dollars per year to spend, and when we spend them all, we are finished. We have the common sense to stop spending. Heck, most of us quit spending before we run out of money, in case the starter goes out on the car. But not those professional politicians – no siree Bob, they spend more and more money with less and less in the pot because they are “smarter” than we are.

Remember this in November – they have no concept of what a budget is, so don’t let them control it anymore.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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First, be sure to drive home through Phoenix area traffic. If Phoenix area traffic is not available, try hitting yourself in the head with a full water bottle several times, until your blood pressure is up and your tolerance for incompetence is way down.

Next, go to redbox.com and find your closest kiosk. One outside of a Circle K is probably the best choice here, especially if it is the closest one and nearly two miles away.

Third, look for two movies that your daughter and your wife (substitute appropriate significant other/offspring wording here) would really like to see, especially since you all missed them while they were in the theaters.

Make the reservation online. Ensure that the card number, name, and billing address all match up, so there will be no issues with the authorization.

Wait for the confirmation e-mail (this will only take a few seconds, as they are very fast in the charging your card/sending you an email department[s]) that looks something like this:

Thank you for using redbox!
Reservation Details
Reserved For: carycartterATgmail.com
Payment Card: Visa ….xxxx
Date: 7/9/2011 8:43:37 PM
You successfully reserved your rental(s). Your disc(s) will be waiting for you until 9:00 PM on 7/10/2011 at the redbox you selected:
Circle K
6972 N 83Rd Ave
Glendale, AZ 85303-2758

IMPORTANT! Please remember to bring the credit card you used to make your reservation when you pick up your disc(s)! After 9:00 PM on 7/10/2011 the disc(s) will be made available for other customers to rent, and your account will be charged $2.2 + tax where applicable.

“Cats & Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore”

“Gnomeo and Juliet”

Notice that the time is stamped an hour ahead of my actual time – in other words, the online thinks that Arizona is on Mountain Daylight Time. Also notice that they will be charging the account $2.20 plus tax – this is important.

Step number – uhm, well, the next – drive to the kiosk. (since I arrived just before 8:00 pm MST, I figured this should be a slamdunk.) Tap the screen of kiosk “A” to indicate you are picking up an online reservation. Act surprised when, after swiping the card you used to make the reservation, you are told that no reservation is on file. Try the card again, just in case. Move to the second kiosk (“B”) and attempt the reservation pickup again. Be rejected again. Call the toll free number to find out what happened (866-redbox3, or 866-733-2693). Talk to the nice young man (hi Ed – this isn’t about you, and I apologize if I came across a little annoyed or out of sorts) who tells you he cannot reverse the charge on your card, but would be happy to give you two promo codes good for one free rental each. Since you do not have anything to write on or with, accept his offer to have the codes sent to your e-mail account. Confirm the email account.

Drive home. Turn your computer on, log into your email, and be very happy to see an email from redbox with the two codes enclosed:

Hello CARY,

Per our conversation, please accept the following promo codes. The codes are each valued at $1 off the initial night rental fee of any Video Game, DVD, or Blu-ray of your choice. The codes are valid for 45 days from today’s date. The codes are:

Look at that line again: “…each valued at $1 off …”

Redial the redbox help line. (hi Joe – again, this isn’t about you, either, and I repeat my apology.) Since they are very busy right now, the young man is unable to get his supervisor on the line, but he has never heard of the promo codes not covering the full cost of the rental. (I never did get around to pointing out that even if the rental was fully covered in spite of the ten cent difference per disk, I would be paying the tax twice for the same rental.) I ask for a refund of the charges instead of taking the chance of having to pay twice, even for a small portion of the rental fee. Joe assures me he has reversed the charges, and apologizes profusely for my inconvenience. He also tells me the codes would still be valid. I assure him, in return, that the customer service was fine, but the customer experience left a lot to be desired. I also assured him the codes would go unused, as redbox has managed to lose a customer in the space of less than thirty minutes.

Pity, really, as there is no viable option for convenient movie rental at such a low cost.

Yes, I am tweeting this.

Chat ya later…

Somtimes, in the early part of monsoon season here in the Phoenix area, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute. It’ll change.

By now I’m sure you’ve heard of the gigantor dust storm that hit us Tuesday evening – 50+ miles wide, over a mile high in spots – well, with that came a little bit of relief from the heat. We haven’t been over 110 since then, and this morning it’s downright chilly – the thermometer on my back porch says 87 right now – almost enough to make me put a sweater on![sarc=OFF]

At any rate, a little busy this morning – off to pick up a box of bags for the store, and then to Discount Tire to get a slow leak fixed on the Camry’s right front tire.

Yesterday, TMBWitW went in for an MRI of her wrist – she is seeing a specialist today to decipher the image – and since she had gone through an MRI before, with a particularly nasty set of migraines, she asked our regular doctor for a mild sedative so she could make it though the enclosed machine (an open machine would not have given the detailed image needed). She took both tabs, and fell asleep in the waiting area. And the prep area. And the Xray area, where the contrast dye was inserted. And in the wheelchair waiting to get into the MRI. And, of course, in the MRI itself, in the wheelchari on the way to the car, on the way home, and after I managed to get her into bed. She woke up for a bit after I came home from church, to eat a sandwich and drink a little soda, but she’s been asleep since then. Next time, she’s only taking one of the tabs.

Gotta book – things are starting to open up around here. Hope you have a great Thursday!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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Good news, America – we’ve made it to another Birthday!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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220! I gotta cut out the soda … again …

So – Friday morning dawned overcast in Anaheim. With it came the buzzing of my phone – TMBWitW is messaging me that she is on the way – 0630 and on the road. I message back, asking her to drive safely, and roll over for a short nap. I woke up about 0700, rollout, shower, get dressed, and decide that a long walk to get away from hotel conference food is in the cards. My walking takes me north on Harbor Boulevard towards the Mouse Eared Main Gate and a certain high-volume arched restaurant right across the street. I order and eat, taking my time, and people watching as the crowd surges in and out on it’s way to the park. I start walking back to the hotel and just enjoy the weather – about 72, slightly overcast from the marine layer, with the sun starting to burn off the haze.

Back in the room, I settled in for a marathon of American Chopper. Knowing that my wife will never set any land speed records (especially with her right arm in the shape it’s in) I even nap once in a while. I’ve got the sliding door open, and I’m enjoying the fresh air and cool weather. She calls around 1000, letting me know she’s napping in Indio. An hour later, she’s back on the road. I talk her in by phone once she is close, and my family joins me around 1330. TMBWitW promptly lays down for a nap (sore and tired – bad combination!) and I take another Deacon’s nephew to meet him at the Park.

When I get back to the room, TMBWitW is on the verge of a power nap – so I take MEG and head for Redondo Beach. We spend a few hours building a sand castle and chasing the waves, splashing, and having a good time. Sorry, no pictures – I was concentrating on keeping an eye on my fearless daughter, and didn’t want to run the risk of dropping a camera in the ocean.

The next morning, I pack the car, we check out, and we hit the Santa Ana Zoo. There is an adoption event going on – mostly German Shepherds. We get in, wander the zoo, ride the “canimal” and even the train. On the way out, we pass a kennel with a sweet little black lab puppy – he looks about nine months old – and it’s everything I can do to keep moving toward the car without adopting him on the spot. We hit the road, and head back for Phoenix. First stop: Mighty Mikes for dinner, then home and my own bed. Whew!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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