Archive for July, 2009
Thursday, July 30th, 2009
Being ambivalent is not my favorite way to be, but the latest news about using reusable bags is leaving me in a quandary. It seems as we all to strive to make efforts to “go-green” and lessen our footprint we are confronted with issues that we didn’t see coming.
The article “Reusable Bags–Recycling Infection” particularly details the dilemma we are now facing. I for one have been using and reusing my reusable bags for all of my shopping. I had not even given the slightest consideration to the fact that I have put a huge array of items in them. They come with me to Wal-Mart, Home Depot and any other place I shop. Of course, in keeping plastic down to a minimum, I put my fruits and vegetables directly in the bags. Each item I have put in those bags was touched by how many people? The last thing I actually want to know is what is festering in the bags! My first thought in reading the article was that I would just run the bags through the wash, but the line in the article stating that “organic deposits are not simple to remove,” made me wonder how effective that would be. Now I am left indecisive as to use or not use reusable bags.
As I struggle for a solution I wonder, why not let those people, that came up with a half-baked answer to our shopping bag issue, use the bacteria and yeast ridden reusable bags while we all carry our items in our arms!
Posted in Going Green at Home | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
I have been saving styrofoam egg cartons for a while now. Somehow I feel that they might have some use. I have a whole stack. Sure I could put beads or hardware or office supplies in them, but I can’t help feeling that I could find a better use for them. Anyone have any ideas? I’m curious to see what everyone comes up with!
Posted in Going Green at Home | 2 Comments »
Friday, July 24th, 2009
I often wonder if drivers know how annoying and dangerous it is to ride on someones bumper. Yesterday I was driving down a road that has one light after another. The speed limit being 40 MPH, I was doing close to 50 MPH, as all good drivers do 
Three times as I was driving a half mile stretch, the driver in back of me would speed up, (as I gasped), ride my bumper and shoot around me. This happened three times. Of course, at each light I pulled up right behind them. I’m not quite sure what the race to the light was, but I’m assuming they were happy to be in front of me! I often wonder how happy they would be if I decided to hit my breaks while they were on my bumper.
Posted in Do Unto Others | 4 Comments »
Sunday, July 12th, 2009
We were driving today through a crowded shopping center taking time to let people cross. We were getting ready to go and the car in front of us is sitting there stopped, no one in front of them, no one crossing. So we waited. Now there are three cars in back of us and the car in front of us is still sitting with no reason, that we can see, not to go. Finally, we go around them. As we do a person comes out of the store and gets into the car; the car that was holding everyone up was just waiting to pick someone up. Inconsiderate? Perhaps we should all come to a dead stop in the road with no regard for the cars behind us. I think not!!!
Posted in Do Unto Others | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
Recently, my husband and I were at a car dealership and a women with two young children was waiting around. She asked where she could get a bottle of water. She was told the machine was outside, to which she responded, “never mind, I don’t want to go out with the kids.”
I went outside and got her water out of the machine, handed it to her and went back to what we were doing. Two people commented about how nice that was. They stated that people don’t do things like that very often. I wondered, “Why not?”
Posted in One Good Turn | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
This is an incredible story about a bride that went out of her way to save a family while wearing her wedding dress. What a wonderful story.
Bride Turns Hero on Wedding Day
Posted in One Good Turn | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
On my way to work someone at a red light opened their door and deposited their empty plastic water bottle on the street. I don’t understand what might possess someone to do that. Apparently, it must have slipped their minds that “they are not the only ones here.”
Posted in Do Unto Others | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
The first thing I’ve done is to stop buying paper towels and napkins. They tended to be way overused, not to mention expensive. As a replacement for napkins and clean ups we use brown coffee filters made from recycled paper. They do a wonderful job on glass and appliances and giving up the softness of a napkin is a small price to pay. Economically, we save a bundle.
Toilet paper is one of the things that I haven’t been able to find a substitution for, so we buy toilet paper made from recycled paper. Again, giving up softness is a small price to pay.
We also have invested in the cloth grocery bags. They range from $.50 to $1.00. We keep them in our cars so we always have them accessible. They’re durable and hold a ton of stuff. Other than the occasional face from the cashier who has to deviate from their usual routine, these bags are the way to go.
Posted in Going Green at Home | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
Next to the steering column on every car I’ve ever been in is this “little lever.” Generally, you push it up to signal, when making a right turn and down to signal, when making a left turn. I fail to understand why out of consideration for other drivers people do not use this lever. Is it too much trouble or is it that these drivers think the rest of us should be awaiting their next move?
Posted in Do Unto Others | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
It’s pretty amazing to me how oblivious some people can be to the people around them. The other day I was going to the drive thru line at the bank. There was a truck at one drive thru and a car at the other. I watched as the container was returned to the truck and waited. The truck didn’t move so I continued to wait. The container was then returned to the car. The car didn’t move, so I waited. Finally, the truck moved and I pulled up to the drive thru sending my container up through the shoot. I looked at the car, still next to me. As cars waited in line behind the car, the woman sat counting what seemed to be a few hundred dollars in small bills, meticulously turning them in the same direction as she did. After she completed this task, she reached up on her dashboard and started retrieving the change she had and began to count it. Finally, after I don’t know how long, she put all her money away, started her car and left… just before I was pulling out. I do understanding confirming that the bank did not make an error. However, if it’s a time consuming task I pull off to the side and out of the way of the next car in line. A little consideration goes a long way. People need to understand that “they’re not the only ones here.”
Posted in Do Unto Others | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
The catalyst for this blog actually began in January of this year 2009 and spanned over two months. Like so many people we found ourselves behind in our mortgage. We were two months behind and of course we received around two to three calls a day to remind us of this. We knew loan modifications were to be set in place so we thought we would explore this avenue. Upon calling Wachovia, and by the way, each subsequent call when went like this. *Dial…. put in your account number…select from a menu….wait 10 minutes….Greeted with “can I have your account number,” (again, ok!), “the balance on your account is $xxxxx, do you intend to pay it at this time? NO “can you make a partial payment at this time?” NO “can you tell me when you will be able to pay the balance?” NO “how can I help you?” (FINALLY!) I proceeded to tell the agent that I was interested in a loan modification. After explaining, “no, not a refinance” and “no, not a forbearance” I was told they had nothing in place because the Wells Fargo buyout of Wachovia was still being implemented; and they were still restructuring the system. I was told to call back in a week. Over the next couple weeks I continued to call every few days and began the “procedure*” again. The common response from those that actually knew what I was referring to was that because of the recent buyout, Wachovia did not have a loan modification in place. On January 17th I received a letter stating that Wachovia had initiated foreclosure proceedings. (more…)
Posted in Naming Names | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
I know that some people do not shop in Wal-Mart on principle. Their business practices leave much to be desired. The article “Ten Things Wal-Mart Doesn’t Want You to Know,” written by Jared Cram of Temple University outlines these practices sufficiently.
Despite this and because of economic situations I hate to admit it, but I do shop there. I actually save an average of $20 – $30 shopping at Wal-Mart over my local supermarkets.
However, at Wal-Mart you have got to check everything they ring up. (more…)
Posted in Naming Names | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
A major issue and in part what Bank of America is being sued for in the Closson v. Bank of America lawsuit is the unfair practice of encouraging its customers to use Bank of Americaa debit cards and increasing the number of fees charged to customers using Bank of America debit cards through the order in which such transactions are posted and the account balance information they provide. In this way, when the largest amount overdraws your account, each subsequent charge enables an overdraft fee. Of course when I called them to question this policy, I was told that they assume the largest purchase is the most important and that it why they enter it first. Yeah, right!
This particular situation beat that!!! (more…)
Posted in Naming Names | 2 Comments »
