It's not really that my mom doesn't know how to do things (her tagging herself on facebook by typing her name in the comments is quite precious), but that i do tell her and demonstrate, and she'll get it for one day, and then need help every other time she needs to do the same thing. I write her instructions but she loses them, and sometimes the computer things frustrates her to the point that she waits until i visit that i can do everything for her (like adjust the brightness of the monitor, which the cat accidentally darkened 3 weeks ago).

i think some people are more or less adaptable to new technologies, since my mom's not really that old, and there are people's (older) grandmas who learn how to use facebook (and unfortunately become quite proficient).

i was joking the other day with a friend that if the internet still exists in the same form in the future, 50 years from now "facebook" will be where all the old people hang out while the younger people have moved onto other things. and all the ads on the sidebar will be for titanium hip replacement and arthritis medications. it'll be the YMCA of the internet.

It's not really that my mom doesn't know how to do things (her tagging herself on facebook by typing her name in the comments is quite precious), but that i do tell her and demonstrate, and she'll get it for one day, and then need help every other time she needs to do the same thing. I write her instructions but she loses them, and sometimes the computer things frustrates her to the point that she waits until i visit that i can do everything for her (like adjust the brightness of the monitor, which the cat accidentally darkened 3 weeks ago).

This is the kind of thing that bothers me with my parents too.  I have to tell them the same thing every week for months or sometimes years before it actually sinks in (things that should be common sense, like "turn your mic on BEFORE you call me").  Yet my mom has no problem b*tching about my dad forgetting something that she only told him once. ::)

The other day mom and I were trying to remember who wrote the screen play to Treasure of the Sierra Madre. We argured about it a bit. Then she suggested, "Maybe you can get that information on your internets." First of all, they aren't mine anymore, I sold them to Al Gore. Secondly, they were talking about consolidating them, so it might not be plural anymore... I will gobble it and let you know.

The Internet is an illusion. Facebook doubly so.

(Tinng!)

YKWRGMG?!

The stinking bank!!! Didn't we have a nice long rant about banks a couple months ago? Well here we go again. Every day these people are bigger P'sOS than the previous day.

Anyway, so Tuesday I had to deposit a check. I HATE the ATMs that hold your card for the entire transaction, cause deposits can take more time, so it's easier to forget they have your card - FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER DO THEY HAVE YOUR CARD!!! Anyway, so after I deposited check I took the oppotunity to do some grocery shopping, and racked up 160.00 bucks for just Banjo and me (Since divorce, I am like a power shopper. I mean if they had an iron man competition that included grocery shopping, I would easily come in like in the top 10 - although I'd probably fall behind in swimming). But anyway I get up to the check out isle and get my gas points and get in my wallet and I don't have my bank card. Nor do I have 160.00 in cash. FUUUUUUUU%%%%%%!!!!!!!

So far, all my fault. Sucks, but yeah, my fault. So, I go back to the bank to get my card, they are closed. So I call ex wife, cause she still has access to the account (don't ask!) and she gives me her card number and pin and I go back to the store, who graciously kept my groceries in the chilled room in back of store. I pay for them. All worked out, EXCEPT BANK STILL HAS MY CARD.....

So, today I drive all the way into town (I live out in the sticks), to the other side of town, and go to the bank. I go up to the lady that sits in the front - yeah they have so much money to burn at my bank that they have an employee who just sits there in pleated slacks and a silk blouse all day and writes your name on a clip board to get you en queue to see someone who actually does things.

So, I inform her, in a very civil manner, "I am here to pick up my card from the ATM.
"We destroyed it," She says, cheerfully.
Still civil, but determined to snatch away some of that cheer, and far more reluctant to accept horseshit from anyone since the divorce removed all my sensitivity to pain: "Why would you possibly do something like that? This is my bank, it is a card from your bank! What is your reasoning to destroy it?"
"We don't hold them, we destroy them."
"Yes, you told me that part; that part is clear. But you still did not answer my question: What is the logic behind destroying my card that is issued by this bank? It is only going to cost you money to issue a new card, and me time to wait for a card, and hassle to change the number with creditors, etc...."
"Well, I don't know, we just destroy them."
"Ah, so no reason whatsoever. Got it!"

FU%@#%#MOTHER^##$^$%&THESE PIECES OF ^#&^ I HOPE THEY ALL ^%#@#AND S@CK MY $$##!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I got a new card, but new number, so I have to wait for all my auto-pay bills to go bad to see what ones are tied to my old number. Sweet.

Banks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I inform her, in a very civil manner, "I am here to pick up my card from the ATM.
"We destroyed it," She says, cheerfully.
Still civil, but determined to snatch away some of that cheer, and far more reluctant to accept horseshit from anyone since the divorce removed all my sensitivity to pain: "Why would you possibly do something like that? This is my bank, it is a card from your bank! What is your reasoning to destroy it?"
"We don't hold them, we destroy them."
"Yes, you told me that part; that part is clear. But you still did not answer my question: What is the logic behind destroying my card that is issued by this bank? It is only going to cost you money to issue a new card, and me time to wait for a card, and hassle to change the number with creditors, etc...."
"Well, I don't know, we just destroy them."
"Ah, so no reason whatsoever. Got it!"

AAARGH!!! that's a definite gear-grinder!  >:(

Have you read Douglas Adams any (ie the 'Hitchhiker's Guide' quadrilogy)? What a TOTALLY a Golgafrinchan moment... When I feel depressed about how humanity so often seems bent on self-destruction, I stop and think about stuff like this; and suddenly it doesn't seem quite so tragic. Egads!! that is truly ridiculous!

it'd be awesome if you could get rolls of quarters from ATMs. some grocery stores act like they're made of gold!*

*i understand why, but there's basically only one place where we can get them because of this.

Self-service car washes have quarter machines.  The one by me gives part quarters and part tokens, so I can't use it as my quarter changing service.

god damn. sometimes i wonder how much impact reporting has.

i dunno, i don't think it would be too hard to check like once a day for spam ???