Tractor Supply Review

Tractor Supply will not publish my review, but I want to let everyone know what happened to me.

This is my most recent order. I ordered 36 cans. 34 bent cans arrived. 

Please examine the photos below and read the email Tractor Supply sent me when I reviewed my order. 

 
 
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Equifax and Corporate Entitlement

Equifax is what my Mama would have called "Full of Itself." 

First they think it is okay to collect all our financial information without our permission and give us a "credit score" used to alter our lives, and now they think a slap on the wrist is good enough punishment for having allowed such information to be stolen.

Only ONE FREE YEAR of credit monitoring for endangering my credit for the rest of my life???  How is that a just and fair punishment???

This is not my first rodeo. The state of South Carolina already gave my information to hackers long ago. Because of that I always keep my credit frozen unless I am buying a house or car or applying for credit or something. I unfreeze it for that, then I freeze it again. Having said that, here's what I think:

I think signing up for the Equifax free year of credit monitoring is the only way to make them pay anything at all for letting hackers have my information. Since the hackers already have my info, I see no harm in entering it again to sign up for this service. Besides, my credit is frozen. So what do I have to lose by trying to get the free year?  I've been trying and trying and trying.

Equifax sincerely does NOT want anyone to sign up for the free year of credit monitoring.

First you enter your information and they basically tell you, "Yes! I did allow your information to be stolen!" but they use less true words. Then they give you a date in the future when you have to come back to their site on that particular date to sign up again. YOU have to remember the date, site URL, etc. You will receive no reminder of any kind, and if you forget, tough luck.  No free year of credit monitoring for you.

If you do set yourself a calendar alarm and go back to their site, you will enter even more of your information this time and then they will tell you that you will receive an email at some point in the future...maybe a week or more later...and the email might go in your spam folder so you have to be sure to look there everyday too. The email will have a link you can click to sign up.

I finally received the email about a week after signing up.  The email comes from TrustedID and looks like SPAM. The Subject says: Update on your TrustedID Premier Product. You have to open the email to see the word Equifax, which is an image, so you also have to have images turned on in your email to see it.  IF you do all that and believe the email is really from Equifax, you can use the link.

I clicked the link in the email  and completed the information they wanted to know.

Yep.  You guess it.  Their website was not working.  It also did not work the next day.  I emailed them and got two form email responses saying a customer service person would contact me. 

No.  No customer service person ever contacted me.

After waiting several days I just then got the website to work; entered my information; answered a pile of personal questions and supposedly have been signed up for the free credit monitoring.

However, NOW their website tells me that my free account will take at least 48 hours to become active, and I will have to come back after two more days to see if they really did activate my free credit monitoring. 

I bookmarked the site and will go back days later because I am stubborn.  I have to remember the password I used, the site address, etc. but I will do it. 

I expect to be less than impressed.

I think this runaround is a way for them to keep people from actually being able to sign up, or it is a way for them to frustrate people into NOT signing up and taking advantage of the free year of credit monitoring.

Most people are not as stubborn as me.  Most people would not waste that much of their time and jump through all the hoops to get this service.  I am not most people.

Equifax will do everything in its power to keep from having to pay one red cent in goods, services, or money for selling out millions of Americans, including me.  They obviously feel entitled to be able to do this with no consequences.

Makes me so very angry.

They should be prosecuted. The executives should do jail time. At the very least, the company should have to pay each victim the amount of money they have made off their information without their permission over the years. The victims should be paid money for this. Money is the only thing these greedy corporate slime monsters understand. If we don't make an example of them, others will not invest their time and money to secure our information either. Equifax needs to pay.

That is what I think.  It is time to put an end to corporate entitlement.  We, the People, need justice.

If you had possession of my personal property and allowed someone to steal it, what do you think would happen to you?

Many Lives Many Masters

Many years ago, back in the 1970s, there was a little bookstore in a mall in Gaffney, South Carolina.  I loved that store and used to go there often when I was young.

I can still see that little store in my mind's eye.  The mall was not enclosed back then.  The stores inside it faced each other, but opened to the outdoors.  You walked to the center of the mall to get to that little store.  The store sold books and things like candles and incense and such.   It smelled really good in there.  I wish I could remember the name of it.  It was not a chain store. 

I bought the brand new 1972 version of Linda Goodman's Sun Signs there when I was a teenager, which started me on a lifelong journey of questioning and exploring things that science can not explain.

Since that time I have read many books about Star Children, Empaths, Feng Shui, Psychics, Mediums, ESP, Astrology, Dream Interpretation, Witchcraft, Palmistry, Life After Death, and Reincarnation.  You know.  "New Age" stuff.  I love that stuff.  Fascinating.

The "New Age" book I've read and shared most often was written by Dr. Brian Weiss, a well respected psychiatrist who put his career on the line to write a book about a patient named Catherine.  

Dr. Weiss is not your average "New Age" author.  He graduated from the Yale University School of Medicine in 1970, completed an internship in internal medicine at the New York University Medical Center and went back to Yale for a two-year residency in psychiatry. He was the Head of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami when he met Catherine. 

Catherine's cast study became the book, Many Lives Many Masters.  If you have never read it, RUN, do NOT walk, to your nearest library or book store and pick up a copy.  It will make you question everything you have been taught in this life.  

Read it with an open mind.  

You will be glad you did.

Fathers, Be Careful What You Teach Your Sons

Recently my youngest son, who is 39 years old, visited and we went to Walmart to pick up a few things.  As we were walking through the store, I noticed that he always positioned himself about four to six feet in front of me.

We have shopped together many times.  I'm guessing he has always done this, but this one night I was tired and I noticed, and it occurred to me that I also knew why he did that.  His father taught him to do that to me.  I can only hope he never does that to any other woman, but I fear he might.

As I was walking along looking at his back, I couldn't help but notice how much he looks like his father from the back.  I know this because his walking like that reminded me of the 22 years I was married to his father, which was 22 years of my having to walk at least four to six feet behind him wherever we were.

My sons' father always kept me looking at his back if we were in a store or walking anywhere really, at an amusement park, hiking in the woods, etc.  He used to say it was my place to walk behind him.  He also used to say I was his.  He said he had my title laying around somewhere talking about our marriage license.  I endured this for my sons.  I never realized at the time how their father was treating me was teaching them how to treat women. 

The key words in the above paragraph are "used to say."  I divorced my sons' father 22 years ago.  The incident at Walmart made me try to remember if anyone else I ever shop with has made me walk behind them, but in those 22 years since the divorce, I couldn't think of anyone else who has done that to me. 

It hit me like a ton of bricks that night at Walmart.  My son was treating me just like his father treated me.  He never even thought about it.  It never occurred to him that he was being disrespectful of his mother.  If I walked faster to catch up with him, he would speed up...just like his father.

I wanted to tell him he was being disrespectful, but I knew it would cause a fight and he was leaving in a few hours, so I held my tongue.  Whatever I say now won't change all those years of his father's behavior teaching him how to treat women. 

I used to try to get his father to walk with me those first few years of marriage, but the silent punishment he doled out when I mentioned anything like that just became not worth it. 

We never argued.  Not once in 22 years.  We NEVER argued.  He would always say, "I'm right and you're wrong and that's it," and then he would not speak to me for sometimes weeks on end.  He would also make big messes in the kitchen for me to clean up, and do other passive aggressive things to punish me, so I just walked alone...a few feet behind him...for 22 years of marriage because that was the less stressful thing to do.  It never occurred to me that one day my own son would treat me the same way.  I know.  I know.  I should have known.

My advice to you, my friends, is to always be respectful of others.  Walk beside people if you are shopping with them.  Engage in conversation with them instead of grunting a yes or no reply to questions.  Treat people as you would want to be treated.

Husbands, walk next to your wives.  Sons and daughters, walk next to your parents.  They are not your servants.  Treat them with respect.  Talk to them.  Parents, stay beside your spouse and children when they are little and never model disrespectful behavior.  Never.

That is my advice to you today.

When you make a woman walk behind you, this is the message you are sending.
You are basically telling them they are not as good as you. They are second class citizens.
This is NOT true, and this is NOT acceptable. Be aware.

ATTENTION! My blog will be moving to www.alicessilveryears.blogspot.com

Hi Everyone!

Just a note to let you know that come June 1st my blog will be moving to www.alicessilveryears.blogspot.com.  

The current URL http://www.alicessilveryears.com/ will no longer work after June 1st.

The new blog address is a secure site.  Hopefully this will stop some of the hacker hits!

I hope you continue reading at the new blog address, when I have time to write, of course!

-Alice

$50,000 in Credit Card Debt

Don't scoff. It could easily happen to you. Just one major illness can land anyone in this much debt in these United States of America, and none of your "fixes" will work to pay off the debt.

If you have a chronic, very expensive, illness like Lupus or Fibromyalgia or Parkinsons or Diabetes or debilitating arthritis or IBS or Crohn's Disease or any of the hundreds of other chronic illnesses that plague mankind, forget ever getting out of debt unless you have a very rich spouse.

ESPECIALLY if you are single and live alone in a house or apartment way too small for a roommate, you will eventually hit rock bottom with the skyrocketing medical bills.

Sorry to be the one to break the news to you.  Pollyannas who tell you that all you need to do is not go farther in debt, save your money, and pay off your bills are speaking to you from a place of great privilege.  Ignore them.  They know not what they say.

No one with enough money ever gives anyone with less than enough money good advice about how to get out of debt.

The only way out of debt is to make enough money to pay all your bills every month without having to go further in debt. If you are sick and try to work more than one job, the extra doctor bills will cost you more than your extra income, and may also cost you both your jobs or even your life especially if you are already over 60 years old.

If you are sick and try changing jobs to make more money AND you have a pre-existing condition, you could be setting yourself up for MASSIVE medical debt because your new insurance company may refuse to pay for your illness.

Oh...and don't forget the dental bills and the ophthalmologist bills. When you are older, you suddenly need root canals and crowns and such.  Cha-ching!!! 

Because of the medication I have to take that requires special eye tests, my ophthalmologist bills are close to a thousand dollars a year, which I never have so I have to charge it, not counting my glasses, which I have to have to see.  I am not alone in having to pay all these medical bills.

If you are over 60 but not yet 65, there is nothing you can do but pray that you will live long enough for Medicare and hope beyond hope that the present administration in Washington doesn't gut Medicare before you reach the magic 65th birthday...or worse...make you wait until you are 70.  You could die from the stress of the debt by then.

It is not just the doctor bills.  There is also the medicine you have to purchase every month. Even generic medicine can be expensive if you must take several prescriptions every day, but some medicines do not have generics, of course, and those huge prescription bills are not counting the supplements.  Vitamins, calcium, cold medicine, sinus medicine, antihistamines, probiotics, etc. are often the only things keeping you out of the doctor's office yet again.

Now add in the special diet you have to eat because of your illness.

Now add in all the specialist visits, emergency room visits, and perhaps even physical therapy costs.

You can not afford to retire, but you can also not afford to NOT retire because your health will improve when you're not faced with the exhaustion of working 40 to 60 hours a week.

It is a vicious cycle.

Me?  I plan to sell my house and pay down my debt...hopefully to a manageable point.   Then I plan to move to a place that is less expensive than Charleston, SC.  I may end up in a small town, but as long as there is good medical care nearby, I'm okay with that.  MOST places in America are cheaper to live than Charleston, SC.

I am one of the lucky ones.  I have a pension and I will be able to keep my health insurance.  I am blessed.  So very many people are not as fortunate as me. 

People with this much medical debt are helpless when the fridge breaks or the washing machine breaks or the water heater explodes or the roof leaks or the car breaks down or needs new tires or the pets need to go to the vet.  EVERYTHING that happens starts adding to the debt because even if you make a good living, the debt takes over your life and there is nothing you can do about it but go further into it.

You stop socializing except for birthdays or other rare occasions.  You can't afford to buy your family nice Christmas presents anymore.  YOU ARE NOT SPENDING MONEY NEEDLESSLY.  You probably don't have cable or even a home phone.   What you do have is medical debt.

Please hear this plea, American politicians.  FIX THIS. 

The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is the ONLY first world country on this planet where you can lose your home, your savings, everything you have worked for your entire life, just because you get sick. 

Fix this.  Fix this now. 

Americans, you can help fix this too!  Vote the privileged politicians out of office as soon as possible.  Vote the bought-and-paid-for-by-the-pharmaceutical-companies politicians out of office as soon as possible.

Fix this before it happens to you.

Mark my words.  It can happen to you.

Making Sense of Drugs Like Prednisone and DexPak and Why It Is So Important to Taper Them - Steroids

Recently I fell and sprained my knee which caused a lot of inflammation in my body due to my other health woes.  My doctor prescribed a 10-Day DexPak.  I have to take Prednisone a LOT, but I'd never taken the DexPak before and will NEVER take it again.

Here's what I have learned about these two drugs.  They are NOT the same:

Prednisone

Prednisone works by suppressing the body's immune system. In diseases like asthma, arthritis, lupus, and others, it is invaluable when your system becomes inflamed.  It reduces inflammation (heat, swelling and pain).

When it works it is a miracle drug, and I am very thankful that I can take it.  I just have to be very very very careful to taper it off as directed or it can harm me since I have to take it so often.

Prednisone can make it hard to fight off infections, so if I get a sinus infection or sore throat or something I have to be careful to have that treated right away when taking Prednisone.  If I don't then the infection will run rampant and make me very very sick.

Prednisone comes with a laundry list of side effects.  The worst one for me is I gain around 10 pounds everytime I have to take it.  I've gained over 80 pounds in the past 15 years mainly due to having to take Prednisone...as well as my hypothyroidism, but that is another story.

Many people experience worse side effects on Prednisone than me.  It does also make me bloat, have more trouble than usual sleeping, and tends to make me more angry and aggressive, but some people have a mixture of THESE side effects, which can even include cardiac arrest (heart attack).  This is a serious drug.  Know that before you take it, and please be aware that this drug must be tapered off.  NEVER suddenly stop taking it.  NEVER.

Why You Have to Taper Prednisone

Prednisone is what they call a corticosteroid drug. Corticosteroids mimic your body's natural adrenal gland hormone, cortisol. Prednisone gives a boost to your body's usual adrenal gland hormone levels, thus suppressing the inflammation.

It is important to note that cortisol is also known as "The Stress Hormone."  It influences and/or regulates:

• Blood sugar (glucose) levels
• Fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism to maintain blood glucose
• Immune responses
• Anti-inflammatory actions
• Blood pressure
• Heart and blood vessel tone and contraction
• Central nervous system activation

See?  Important.  To learn more about cortisol and its functions, click HERE. For an article that explains it better in layperson's terms, click HERE.

If you take Prednisone often, your body will become used to having the higher levels of cortisol and it will get very lazy and stop making its natural hormones.  To prevent this, you MUST taper the Prednisone slowly to give your body time to start its hormone production factory again.  Otherwise you can become dependent on Prednisone and its side effects will increase until you become totally miserable.  Seriously miserable.  

Please take another look at these side effects by clicking: HERE.  You do NOT want this.  ALWAYS taper if you have to take this drug for more than three or so days.  Always. Always. Always.

DexPak 10-Day Taper Pack (Dexamethasone)

DexPak 10-Day Taper Pack is the drug I was recently given that has given me these terrible side effects.  I can take Prednisone, but I will NEVER take DexPak again.  Never.  My side effects from this drug have included:

• severe insomnia
• ravenous insatiable hunger
• anger/aggression
• severe sweating
• shortness of breathe
• bloating and stomach pain
• explosive diarrhea
• vision problems
• acne
• increased urination at night
• acidic feeling throat and mouth
• shaking hands and jittery feeling

All this and I was still afraid to stop taking the medication because of the knowledge I have about why I, personally, ALWAYS must taper steroids due to my having to use them so much and the damage they can cause to my body if I don't taper.

Today is my last day on this drug.  Thank goodness.  I know it will take at least five days to go out of my system and maybe longer, but I hope to start feeling better very soon.

I'll try to explain further.

DexPak (Dexamethasone) like Prednisone is used to treat many conditions. These include adrenal insufficiency, inflammation, allergic reactions, ulcerative colitis, certain cancers and other conditions that do not respond well to Prednisone.

Dexamethasone is a glucocorticoid.  It is NOT Prednisone.  It is in the same family, but much like your sibling, is somewhat the same AND entirely different. Please know that your body may react very differently to these two drugs.

KNOW THIS when your doctor mentions that you might want to try this "other steroid."  It can be used to TREAT some of the same things, but it is NOT the same thing.

DexPak is a glucocorticoid. Glucocorticoids are adrenocortical steroids that can be either naturally occurring or synthetic. They modify the body’s immune responses to fight inflammation by basically messing with your endoctrine glands:  the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands in order to fight inflammation in your body.

These glands control your body's reaction to stress and regulate many body processes, including digestion, the immune system, mood and emotions, sex drive, energy storage, etc. etc. etc.  You do NOT want to mess with these glands for very long.  You NEED these glands to function.

This is a very powerful drug. 

It can certainly help what ails you, but you MUST be very careful to taper it if you have to take steroids of any kind very often.  Seriously.  I can NOT stress this enough.

Why You Have to Taper DexPak

There are three things that can happen if you do NOT taper this type of steroid.

1. secondary adrenal insufficiency (suppression of the HPA axis)
2. steroid withdrawal or deprivation syndrome
3. relapse of the problem you are trying to treat

Yes.  All three things can happen at the same time.

The most feared complication that can happen if you don't taper is secondary adrenal insufficiency. This can be partial or total, and can do serious damage to your adrenal glands, AND the scariest part is:

It is not possible to predict with confidence which patients will be affected even when factors such as dose and duration of corticosteroid therapy are taken into account.

Read that again.

This means, its true prevalence remains unknown.

Some studies have considered it to be fairly infrequent due to the fact that physicians are taught to gradually reduce corticosteroid doses, thereby allowing your adrenal glands to recover their original function.

Thank God for physicians who tell you to taper these drugs.  NEVER suddenly stop taking them.  NEVER.

Now read this statement:

Recent reports have indicated that incorrect withdrawal of corticosteroids from patients who have been on them for prolonged periods is the primary cause of adrenal crises and secondary adrenal insufficiency.

Please read that again.

Symptoms of adrenal insufficiency include: anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, emotional exhaustion, muscle pain, joint pain, weight loss, low blood pressure, sleep-walking, depression, and more.

In severe cases, an acute adrenal crisis may occur (vomiting, diarrhea, fever or hypothermia, acute dehydration, hypo-tension, hypoglycemia, shock and coma), which is a life-threatening situation.

In other words, if you suddenly stop taking oral steroids after taking them repeatedly for 15 years like me, then your body will not automatically produce the steroids you need to be your normal self.  You will not have any steroids in your system, and THAT IS BAD. 

BAD = YOU COULD DIE (in a MOST unpleasant way)

If anyone tells you to NOT TAPER your steroids without knowing your entire medical history, do NOT listen to them. 

GET ANOTHER OPINION FROM SOMEONE WHO IS AN EXPERT ON STEROIDS.

YOU NEED YOUR BODY.  Please education yourself and take care of your body as best you can.   

Research.  Listen.  Learn.  Ask questions.  Ask more questions.  Consult experts up to and including our National Library of Medicine whose databases are online.  Make your own decisions about your health based on educating yourself.  

Do ask your personal physician, but don't always stop there.  Your doctor is human and has not memorized the side effects of every single medication a drug rep slips in front of him/her.  No human has time to do all that research, so make it your mission to inform yourself about your own body, and do find yourself a physician who is caring, with good listening skills, to help you along your path.

This getting old stuff really is NOT for sissies.

I wish  you all well, and I hope you learned a little something from today's post.  Question it.  Always question everything.  Don't just take my word for it either.

One last thing:  This particular medical article is an oldie (2008) but a goodie.  It contains a lot of good information about steroids with citations.  You may want to read it.  If so, click HERE.

An Older Person's "How to Survive February's Mushiness Guide"

Ah, the dreaded February.  One week until Valentine's Day.  The Valentines.  The questions:

Do you love me?
Will  you be my Valentine?
What did he get you?
What did she get you?
Where are you going for Valentine's Day?

All these questions are well and good if you are in a relationship, but my dogs don't do much for holidays, so I don't have to worry too much about February as a general rule, until I go into a store and am bombarded by reminders that no one will buy me candy.

This has led me to make a list of how to survive all the mushiness of February when you are older and find yourself alone with your children grown and gone:

1. Love yourself.
   Make a list of your good qualities and post it on your fridge to read every single day of February, lest you forget that you are a lovable, important, deserving person.
2. Bake.
   I'm convinced baking is good for the soul. I know it is good for the NOSE!!  Look up your Mama's old brownie or cookie or cake or pie recipe.  Make yourself some "me" time and bake up a storm.  Your house will smell like home.  You can even take some of your baked goods to work or to a neighbor's house or to a friend or family member and bask in the glow of their ooohs...and ahhhs...everybody loves homemade treats!
3. Take a walk in nature.
   If you have dogs, take the dogs for a walk in nature! Or, if not, go alone. Go to a local state or county park and walk, or just walk around your neighborhood or your property.  Being outside in the crisp cool air of February will make you feel better.  Stretch those muscles and listen to nature as she begins to wake up for the spring.  Nature always cheers me up and reminds me that God loves me.
4. Take a relaxing bath!
   Always a good idea to pamper yourself a little.  Go buy some lavender bath salts or some other favorite.  Relax and soak your troubles away.  You deserve it.
5. Watch a favorite movie.
   Movies are always a great escape!  Re-watch your favorite movie with a nice glass of wine or hot chocolate.  If you have movie-loving friends, make it a movie party!  You'll be glad you did. 
6. Curl up on the porch with a blanket and a good book.
   Always a favorite.  Especially if you have a big porch rocker or a great porch swing!  
7. Call your grown children and reminisce.
   If you have grown children, or nieces or nephews or cousins or other family that are like your children, call them and talk about old times.  This always always always cheers me up. 
   I love my sons so very much.  Talking to them makes me know that I may not have accomplished all my childhood dreams in this life, but I did do something even more important.  I raised wonderful children, and I have wonderful grown granddaughters.  I am truly blessed and I am thankful.
8. Buy yourself something new.
   Even a new pair of $1.00 fuzzy socks will cheer you up.  Just getting out of the house and shopping can be fun.  You'll get to see all the new fashions and you may find a bargain you didn't know was there!  
9. Visit that new restaurant near your house.
   Don't be afraid to go out to eat alone.  If you feel uncomfortable going for dinner by yourself, spring for a lunch.  So many people eat lunch alone that you won't feel out of place, and you might even make a new friend!  You never know.  At any rate, you might get to eat some very very very good food that you did NOT have to cook!  Always a plus!
10. Spurge and take a class.
    Take a pottery class.  Take a cooking class.  Take an art class.  Take a dog training class.  Take a writing class.  Take a music class.  Take a Tai Chi class. Or just download the MeetUp app on your phone and look for like-minded people to do something with.  Seriously.  Get out into the world and enjoy your life.  These are your silver years!!!  Enjoy your life while you can.  It spins by so quickly.  Before you know it, February will turn to Spring and Spring to Summer and so on.  Too fast.

Don't waste a minute.  Life is an adventure.  Explore!

That is my advice to you today.  If you do this, you will not have time to worry about all the relationship mushiness that is February.  You'll be too busy having fun just being the marvelous person that is you.  🤗

If all else fails to make you feel better, go to your local SPCA and play with some puppies and/or kittens. It is very hard to be sad when you are getting puppy kisses, and that is just the truth!

A Dozen Things to Do When Your Knee Injury is Healing

1. Catch up on calling your friends and relatives.
   After all they will want to know all the details of your accident and tell you stories about the time they hurt themselves.  This should eat up a good bit of time.
2. Binge watch Netflix
   Always good to use time without having to move very much.  I've been binge watching Limitless recently and would recommend it!
3. Read a good book
   I'm still reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne.  I was shocked that the book is a play, but is so very different from the movie.  I love all these books though, so I will eventually finish it.  
4. Binge watch Amazon Prime Video
   I switch between Amazon Prime Video and Netflix a LOT.  I enjoy almost all their original shows.  My latest Amazon Prime Video guilty pleasure is  Z: The Beginning of Everything - The Life of Zelda Fitzgerald‎.  I watched them all and can't wait for more!
5. Do Sudoku or Crossword puzzles.  Fun! 
6. Play Computer Video Games - Lots to choose from, but I still love the old favorites, Solitaire, Tetris, etc. I LOVE The Sims, but their world will eat your life, so play with caution.
7. Interact with friends, old and new, on social media. BEWARE: You will most likely be bombarded with political posts.  If you have high blood pressure, it may not be healthy for you to spend too much time on social media unless you block all those people whose opinions make you crazy.  The cat and dog videos are nice though, and you can say hello to old friends from high school if you are lucky.
8. Watch YouTube instructional videos - Always enlightening!  There may even be some videos on how to prevent falls in the future.  I know I need to watch those!
9. Research your family history on ancestry.com or many other genealogy websites.  Fascinating stuff!
10. Pet your pets!  Dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, or whatever pets you have handy will make you feel better for sure. 
11. Answer all those old emails you've been neglecting.  I know...not that much fun, but it will keep you busy for awhile.
12. Read blogs!!  Like http://www.alicessilveryears.com !!!

That should be enough to keep you busy for a little while.  Don't forget to eat good food, take your medicine, do your exercises as appropriate, RICE (rest, ice, compress, and elevate), and get well soon!!!

Mine was a medial collateral ligament sprain.  Not really as much fun as it sounds because of the osteoarthritis in that knee.  Being old is not as much fun as I was led to believe as a child.

Angel Numbers - 1111, 2222, etc.- and Their Meanings

It came to my attention this morning that yesterday's Inauguration Day post was my blog post number 222.  This reminded me of the meaning of Angel Numbers.

About a year or so ago I started seeing 111 and 11:11 and 4444, etc. numbers just everywhere.  I saw them every single day for months, and I still see them often, but not as much as that period of my life.

These numbers have meaning.  There are whole websites and blogs on the subject of Angel numbers.  One of my favorites is ANGEL NUMBERS - Joanne Sacred Scribes located at: http://sacredscribesangelnumbers.blogspot.com. This site has a lot of information and it is organized well, but it is only one of possibly hundreds of such sites.  If you are interested, I would recommend checking out a few.

There are also many books written on the subject: Angel Numbers 101: The Meaning of 111, 123, 444, and Other Number Sequences and other books by Doreen Virtue, Number Sequences and their Messages: Unravel Divine Assistance by Amelia Bert, Messages in the Numbers: The Universe is Talking to You by Alana Fairchild and Michael Doran, Angel Numbers by Jason A. Wright, I keep seeing 11:11 Do You? by Natasha Nanda, and others.

People have built careers around studying and explaining these numbers.

It is a real thing.

The number sequence 222 appearing to me on Inauguration Day is significant.  It tells me that everything will turn out for the best in the end.  With the country divided and vocal about their fears and concerns regarding the future of our nation, my post being number 222 comforts me.

It tells me God is in his Heaven and all's right with the World.

It doesn't mean stop trying to make the Earth a better place to live, it just reinforces my belief that all things happen as they should.

Each Angel Number you see has a different meaning.  If you find yourself seeing these numbers, your spirit guides are trying to communicate with you. 

The 111 sequence I was seeing so often was a warning to watch my thoughts because my thoughts were quickly being reality. It was a plea for me to be more aware and reflective of what I want to do with the rest of my life.

The 1111 sequence is a herald of major changes in your life.  Again, watch my thoughts lest they become reality, but more than that, it tells a story of a new reality about to come into my life.

The 444 sequence is telling me my angels are near.  They are watching over me and helping me through all the hard work I need to do to create the change that is coming in my life.  All is well and as it should be.

The 4444 sequence is basically telling me my angels are with me.  All I need do is ask for their help and guidance.  They recognize the change that is coming and will protect me as my life changes.  I am on the right path.

What are your Angel numbers telling you?  Did you even know about Angel numbers?  Have you ever wondered why you keep seeing certain numbers?

If you'd like to know the answer to any of those questions, I'd recommend you do a little self-reflection and research.  You might be surprised at the answers you find.

God has a plan.

Here are some short and to the point, basic Angel number definitions from https://www.sagegoddess.com/what-are-angel-numbers/ that may help you better understand the numbers:

0 – You are receiving divine guidance and reassurance on your path.

1 – Keep your thoughts positive, focus on your desires and suppress your fears. Your thoughts create reality.

2 – Stay optimistic and continue to hold the vision, even through tough times.

3 – Your guides are with you offering love and wisdom.

4 – Your angels are surrounding you to offer assistance in this exact moment.

5 – Positive change is coming. Ask your angels to help you manifest this change.

6 – Release fear, embrace trust, and find balance between the spiritual and material realms.

7 – Your path is aligned with Divine fortune. Pay attention to new opportunities.

8 – Infinite success and abundance are yours, in alignment with your Higher Purpose.

9 – It is time to begin the work of your Soul Path, now that you have all you need.

11 – Your intuition is on target. Keep your thoughts and vision aligned with your intention and your greatest dreams.

22 – Be patient, your prayers have been received and will soon be realized if you continue to work towards them.

Inauguration Day 2017 - My Two Cents Worth

Today is Inauguration Day.  I think Anticipation Day would be a better description, but nobody asked me when they were setting up the world. 😉

Here are some things I anticipate from the new administration:

1. I believe President Trump will find the job harder than he anticipates, as you can NOT fire Congress.
2. I think his populating his cabinet with business people who know little about their appointed positions will cause him more trouble than he thinks in the end.  To view his appointees click HERE. 
   
   (NOTE: Please comment and list the Education Secretary Appointee's qualifications for me.  I am honestly stumped and can't figure out any she has.  Where is her degree in education?  Which public schools did she attend?  Where was she a school teacher or school administrator?  What qualifies her to head a department that over-sees the future of our children?)
3. I think President Trump will leave the office of President in a few years with the knowledge that running a country is very very very very very different from running a business.  A country can not go bankrupt to fix things without extremely dire consequences.  
4. I believe President Trump will surprise many people by doing some remarkably good things during his administration.
5. I do not want to believe that President Trump's tweets will cause a war, but this is something that I fear.
6. I believe that President Trump will have to learn to compromise to be an effective President of these United States.
7. It is my hope that President Trump learns to be more diplomatic and inclusive while he is in office.  If he does not at least try to bring the country together, he will face adversity at every turn, and he will learn that a President is not a King or a Dictator.  The power of that office is more limited than people tend to believe.
8. Earth is our home.  I hope President Trump learns that if we rape Mother Earth for the almighty dollar, there will be consequences that he does NOT want and will NOT enjoy living through.  
9. I predict learning that climate change is real will be a very hard lesson for our new president.
10. I believe that our new president will do what he thinks is best during his time in office.  I think he really does want to make America great again, but I also think that his definition of making America great may not be the same definition that most women and other minority American citizens hold.  

Having said all that, I will tell you that I did NOT like either candidate for President this past year.  I believe we were given poor choices.

Truly, I am not a very political person.  I have voted Republican in the past, and I have voted Democrat in the past.  I do have opinions about political things.  In a perfect world, here are a few things I would like to see:

1. Universal Healthcare as good as or better than all the other first world countries in the world. 
   
   Some countries with universal health care include: Australia, Austria, Belarus, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Moldova, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Ukraine.
2. Environment protection should be a priority including the development of solar and other "green" energies that would cost our citizens less money as well as help protect our planet.
   
   Protecting the environment also includes protecting animal habitats and protecting the animals themselves, especially the endangered animals. 
   
   Animal cruelty laws should carry heavy penalties, and animal cruelty should ALWAYS be punished by those laws.
   
   State and National Parks should be supported and protected all all costs. Always and forever.
3. Women should be treated with all the respect due to any American citizen.  Equal pay for equal work.  Access to quality healthcare including birth control and all other facets of women's health. Etc. etc. etc.
4. ALL minorities should be treated with all the respect due to any American citizen.  STOP the discrimination based on skin color.  That is just ridiculous.Native Americans, especially, should be given the respect and fair treatment they deserve, and their lands should be protected no matter the costs.  WE are the true immigrants in this great land of ours.  We always need to remember that.
5. There should never be any discrimination based upon religious beliefs.  Period.
6. Gun control should be limited to military assault weapons and basic background checks.  We are Americans.  It is our right to own guns. 
   
   My father was a conscientious man and taught all his children a healthy respect for guns.  If today's parents aren't willing to do that, then I would not be opposed to people having to complete a gun safety course in order to be a gun owner, as there have been way too many gun "accidents" in recent years.
   
   Thinking of guns reminds me that: We need to support and respect our military and their families!!!  VERY important!
7. Gerrymandering should be illegal with prison consequences.
8. All politicians should have the same healthcare and retirement benefits as the least of American citizens.  THAT should fix a lot of things.
9. We should ALWAYS take care of our ELDERLY!!!  It is a shame and disgrace to hear stories of our elderly citizens, who have worked all their lives, widowed and alone and having to eat cat food.  It happens way more often than you think, and every single American should hang their head in shame as they read these words.  Just because you are not yet that person does not mean it won't happen to you.  Have some compassion!  Have some empathy!!  Protect Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid!
10. We should take care of our poor.  People of all socio-economic backgrounds are important to our society.  The poor deserve the same education as the wealthiest among us.  Fully SUPPORT and FUND our public schools, colleges, technical schools, vocational schools, and universities!!!
11. We need to recognize that government should NOT be supported mainly by the middle-class.  Our middle-class is shrinking instead of growing.  That is unacceptable.  The rich need to pay their fair share of taxes.  I personally believe the only fair way to tax is a percentage tax with no deductions for anything.  A flat percentage tax where every single one of us pays the exact same percent in tax based on our profit any particular year.  That would fix the deficit AND pay for the Universal Health Care because the rich 2% that have most of the money would have to pay their fair share to our government which is supposed to be by the people and FOR the people...not just for the rich.
12. There should be term limits for Congress, and nepotism has no place in politics or in the workplace either for that matter.  People should be hired based solely on qualifications.  Period.

That is my two-cents worth. 

Feel free to argue amongst yourselves.

A Dozen Reasons Why Leaders Should Be Technologically Savvy

1. If you require your students or employees to be proficient in technology, then you should be proficient in technology too.  (NOTE: I hate the "Do as I say, not as I do" form of leadership.)
2. Technology has its own vocabulary.  If you are not tech savvy, then you will not be able to communicate effectively with your IT department or your Computer Science department or tech people in general (etc.).
3. If you are in a leadership role at a college campus that has online courses, then you need to be tech savvy enough to communicate with your faculty about those course offerings and their advantages and limitations. (This applies to leaders who supervise corporate trainers too.)
4. Understanding how your company or institution can use social media to its advantage is a powerful thing.
5. Knowing how to use technology effectively can free hours of your time for other uses.
6. Technology can be a very effective communication and collaboration tool.
7. Understanding the types of marketing technologies available  can help you better communicate with your recruitment staff, as well as aid in the recruitment of new students, employees, or customers.
8. Webinars and other virtual meetings save both time and money, and can connect people from all over the world in real time.  Knowing this is useful information.
9. Knowing what technologies your competitors and also your partners use can help you with decisions about which technologies would be good investments for your campus or company.
10. To be an effective leader, you need to be able to embrace change.  Technology is all about change.  
11. Understanding today's technologies will morph into a greater understanding of tomorrow's technologies.  
12. Technology is a very useful tool in the hands of a leader who knows how to use it.  

A Tick and A Fear of Lyme Disease

Two days ago I took my dogs to a local dog park.  It was a beautiful sunny nearly 80 degrees mid-January day here in Charleston, SC.  

This particular dog park is located within a county park that has camping, miles of walking trails, lakes, swimming, boating, and many other fun activities.  I take the dogs there often, as they love swimming in that nasty lake.  

Yes.  There are alligators in the lake, but the park employees are good about removing the ones large enough to eat people, and the smaller ones generally stay away from crowds as large as the crowds that gather at the dog park.  Still, I always keep an eye out for them, as I don't want to have to wrestle one for one of my dogs...and you know I would.

Yes.  I was watching for gators even though it is January and usually they hibernate in winter.  I was afraid one would wake up on such a warm day.

I didn't even think about watching out for ticks.

I've been taking my dogs to that dog park since August 2005, and they have never once gotten a tick there.  Fleas?  Yes, but they die quickly because my dogs take medicine to kill them.  I've never even gotten a flea there myself, so I didn't even think I might pick up a little hitchhiker this week.

I bathed my dogs as soon as we got home that day.  No signs of fleas or ticks.  Just a lot of sand and dirt from playing in that nasty lake and in the dog park in general.

Yesterday, I spent the day inside cleaning out my linen closet.  I have a LOT of things to do before I move in July, and I don't have much energy, so I have to do things a little at a time.  This long weekend I planned to clean out my linen closet and paint my bedroom, if time and weather cooperated.

I didn't wash my hair yesterday since I washed it the day before, so last night as I was preparing to go to bed, I ran my hand through my hair, deciding whether or not to wash it before bed, and felt something on the back of my head.  

At first I thought my dermatologist missed something he needed to remove.  Then I thought it was maybe a scab, so I tried to scratch it off.  It was too stubborn for a scab, so I thought, I should take a photo of it to see what it really was.  

Yup.  A deer tick.

I hate deer ticks.

Deer ticks are the ticks that carry Lyme Disease, which frightens me.  This tick was probably on my head around 31 or 32 hours or so, which may not have been long enough for me to be infected, but just the thoughts of Lyme Disease scares me to death.  It should scare you too because it oftentimes goes undiagnosed and can become chronic and make you miserable for many years of your life.  

For more information about Lyme and other tick borne diseases, click HERE.

The good news is deer ticks do not carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  That is some consolation, I guess.

Now I just need to watch the back of my head for a rash or a red ring.  My sons often accused me of having eyes in the back of my head, but I really don't. 

Oh well...wish me good luck!  

I'm just glad I found the thing and was able to remove it myself  with tweezers without leaving any of it sticking in my head. That was good luck!  I hope this year is full of good luck.  I hope I hope I hope....

Two Years Can Make a Big Difference - Enjoy Today!

Today I've been thinking about how quickly life can change. 

As most of you know, my brother, Tom, passed away Christmas Eve.  I've been very sad these following days, but I know he is no longer in pain, so I try to find comfort in that.  I still miss him though.

I've been looking at pictures again. 

These photos were taken November 8, 2014, just over two years ago.  My! What a difference two years can make!

When I get depressed or just feeling sorry for myself, I need to remember that life can turn on a dime. Even a single day can change the course of your life for good or for bad.  This time next year, I could be living high post-lottery win for all I know.  I could meet Prince Charming, re-marry, and live happily every after.  My situation could be better or worse.  I'm hoping for better. 

Two years ago my brother had no idea the cancer would attack and take his life.  None of us knew. 

These photos are so happy.  This was when Tom could still eat regular food.  I used to love going out to eat with Tom and his family.  My son, Marcus, was still living in the area, and I enjoyed his company so much. 

Times change.  People change.  Circumstances change.  Health changes. 

Here's to living for today and enjoying the good in our lives right this very minute.  I'm going to try to do that more this year.

Enjoy the photos!

I'm RICH!!! Okay...maybe not...ugh...SPAM.

Today I read some of my spam.  The first one said:

DEBT RECOVERY COMMITTEE
FUND CLEARING HOUSE LONDON

UNCLAIMED FUND NOTIFICATION

I am Mr David Louw of the Debt Recovery Committee (DRC). My committee has the mandate to recover unpaid debts associated with contracts, lottery fund, inheritance fund, loans and grants etc ranging from $1M - $ 19.5m owed to various beneficiaries across the globe (Asia, Europe, USA, Africa, and Australia) and submit the list of the unpaid beneficiaries to the appointed official paying Banks for immediate payment of the fund.

In the course of our investigation, your email address / particulars were listed among the first fifteen yet to be paid hence this email.
However, we received a petition yesterday from one Mrs. Christina Morgan that you are dead. According to her, you died in a plane crash therefore that the fund be paid to her as the heir apparent. She has submitted her Bank account with FNB for the transfer of the fund to her.

To avoid undue delay or paying the fund to wrong beneficiary, I have decided to contact you for confirmation. If I fail to hear from you after 72 hours, it will be assumed the petition of Mrs. Morgan is true and the fund will be paid to her without further delay.

Therefore, if you are still alive, reconfirm your particulars as stated below and send immediately ,

1. Full Name: ____________________________ 2. Address: ______________________________ 3. Nationality: ____________ Sex___________ 4. Date of Birth: ________ 5. Occupation: ___________________________ 6. Phone: _______ Fax: _____________________ 7. State of Origin: _______ Country: _______

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. David Louw.
Reply to this email: iinfo488@gmail.com
Fund Clearing House London
+44 703 194 9292

---

Now. I ask you. Who is this Mrs. Christina Morgan going around telling people I am dead??? AND why in the world would she submit her bank account information to this Mr. David Louw of Debt Recovery committee (DRC) in London?? That seems crazy.

Also, if this David was given my email address and particulars, why does he not know my name?

-sigh-

I'd really like for one of these to be true sometime. If you Google "Debt Recovery Committee (DRC)" the first hits are about SCAMS. Go figure.

Same thing with "Fund Clearing House London." Sad. Just sad.

I do find it interesting that the phone number is in a USA format with +44 plopped in front of it. That is odd. A real London phone number would look something like this +44 (0)20 7646 0400.

---

Sometimes I get real email that accidentally goes into my SPAM folder. That happened today too. I subscribe to Bruce Cameron's column.  It started:

The Cameron Column – An Answer to my Emails

A Free column sent electronically to everyone and also telepathically to a reader in Roswell, New Mexico.

Yes, we would love more subscribers!  Please pass this column along and tell people signing up is as easy as clicking Here. (NOTE: You want to subscribe.)

---

Most of the time  my spam is someone trying to sell me something...or someone trying to get my money for nothing, but I do get the odd Russian mail order bride emails and such.  Those are fun to read.  Then there's the hackers trying to get into my computer stuff.  Always something.

SPAM tip.  NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER answer spam.  Resist!  You'll be glad you did. 

If you answer spam, they will sell your email address to advertisers and other people who want to target you.  Then you'll find your spam mailbox looking like this:

I've learned over the years to just delete everything in the SPAM folder every single day.  You should too.  Look to make sure none of it is real and then delete the rest.  Always.  Everyday.

Alone During the Holidays? How to NOT Be Lonely.

The holidays are a time of family and friends, but many many people find themselves alone during the holidays.  

This can be the loneliest and saddest time of the year.  I've seen it so many times.

My dog, Buster, was a registered Therapy Dog.  We visited a nursing home and rehab facility for seven years before Buster's death in December 2013.  Each of those years at Christmastime some of the patients would be very sad and lonely. Buster was really good at cheering them up.  They always had a smile for him and a story for me about the dogs they have loved and the people they missed.

They were happy to see Buster and me, but we were not really the people they wanted to see.  They wanted their family and friends. 

Please take a few minutes to call and/or visit your loved ones this year, especially the ones who are older and alone.  Being alone during the holidays can be a terrible thing.

Me?  I'm almost always alone, but I am seldom lonely.  I have my good dogs to keep me company, but I admit I will always miss my sons.  Always.  Any day that they visit is a very happy day.  

Here are some things that always cheer me up if find myself alone and feeling lonely.  You might want to try a few of these things yourself.  They work any time of year, but are especially helpful during the holidays.

1. Take a walk and say, "Hello!" or "Merry Christmas!" or "Happy Holidays!" to all you pass.
2. Visit a dog park.  Watching the dogs in their joy of playing and exploring is bound to cheer you up.
3. Take a drive around nearby neighborhoods and look at Christmas lights.
4. Go downtown or to the mall and window shop.  Smile at other shoppers and ask their opinions.
5. Listen to Christmas music from your childhood.
6. Go to church or visit a church.  Visiting a church of a different denomination or faith can leave you with a feeling of wonder and give you a lot to think about.
7. Attend a Christmas parade and watch the faces of the little children in the crowd.
8. Call an old friend or family member that you have not talked with in a very long time.
9. Read a good book.
10. Watch all your old favorite Christmas movies on TV or DVD.
11. Go see a new Christmas movie in your local theater.
12. Go see a play in a local theater, if possible.
13. Find an organization you want to support and volunteer.  (Examples: your local SPCA, Meals on Wheels, a food pantry, a homeless shelter, etc.)
14. Go to a karaoke bar and sing!
15. Go hear live music.  (ALWAYS a treat!) OR play your own live music if you play an instrument. (Playing my mountain dulcimer is food for my soul.)
16. Enjoy your favorite coffee shop or go enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in your local bookstore.  Being among the living, even if you don't know anyone, should make you feel better.  You might even make a new friend!
17. "Talk" to your Facebook friends.  If you are not on Facebook, open an account!
18. Write a journal.  It will show you how you are feeling.
19. Take a class of your choice.  I love to take pottery classes, art classes, meditation classes, dog training classes, music classes, etc., but academic classes are good too!
20. If all else fails, clean your house.  That will take your mind off your troubles for a little while.

Just keep busy.  Try to enjoy yourself.  Be your own best friend.  I've often found that life sends me the proper people when I need them, and when I really need to be alone (whether I want to be alone or not), I find myself alone and it has always been the absolute best thing.  Always.

Life brings us what we need.  Enjoy what you have right now because it will not last.  Nothing ever lasts.  Life is about change, so we should cherish each experience as it comes, learn from it, and let it go. 

Have a blessed holiday season!  Merry Christmas!  Happy Hanukkah!  Joyous Kwanzaa!  Happy Yuletide!  Happy Holidays!

AND a very Happy New Year!

Fake News and Facebook

There is BIG MONEY in the fake news business.  So much money that it seems everyone is jumping on-board the fake news gravy-train, and Facebookers and Tweeters are stoking the engine.

I'm guilty myself.  I've re-shared posts on my Facebook feed that turned out to be false.  Luckily a good many of my friends are self-appointed fake-post police, so I don't think I've actually gotten away with posting a false news post, but I've seen a lot of them posted that I just haven't shared.

I've only called out a few of them.  One that I just had to point out came from a site named Fauxcountrynews.com.  It actually says in the headline: "Fabricating Charleston News Since 2016."  Seriously people.  Look up the word "Fabricating" if you must, but stop sharing things as real when they come from sites like this.

This particular article http://fauxcountrynews.com/charleston-county-officials-worried-about-riggd-election/ from October 19, 2016 brought all kinds of outrage from a good many of my Republican friends.  I was flabbergasted at their outrageous resistance to reality.  Just read the article.  You will see what I mean.

Many sites, unlike the one above, do not tell you they are publishing fake news.  They look, feel, and read like real news sites.  Some even use other legitimate site names with maybe a slight misspelling.  Be careful.  Be wary.  

If the news sounds too stupid or unreal or just plain ridiculous to be true, then it is probably NOT TRUE.

The real trouble with the fake news sites is they undermine trust in the real news sites. If you fall for fake news a couple of times you start to question all news, which, of course, you should.

This brings me to the saddest part of all.  MOST of our media is owned and/or controlled by a handful of billionaires and their corporations, which means we are fed a steady diet of the news that the few want the many to hear, which is not necessarily what is always really the most important things that are presently happening.

If this doesn't frighten you, I don't know what will.  These numbers are five years old, so just imagine how much worse it it now. (from http://www.morriscreative.com/6-corporations-control-90-of-the-media-in-america/):

But I digress....

I guess I'm just trying to say what my Daddy always told me, "Never believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. If it sounds too good to be true, it is."

I'd also add, "Check your sources before re-posting news articles on Facebook." I know...I know...I should follow my own advice. I will try to do better.  I will....

Cyber Monday

Today is Cyber Monday.  Marketing marketing marketing.

I don't know about you, but my email inbox is FULL of junk mail trying to sell me merchandise today.  It is ridiculous.  Even my credit card companies are offering me "deals" to "help" me spend money on things I really don't need and really don't want.

The part I hate the most about all these emails is I have found that if I click on some of the legitimate links, they do go to the store's site, but it is a bait and switch deal.  The FREE!!! is really only FREE!!! if you spend a HUNDRED DOLLARS or something similar to that.

If I have to spend $100.00 to get a "deal" then it is NOT a "deal" and it is NOT FREE!  Just sayin.

I really hate the dishonesty in advertising these days.  Just tell me the truth.  Don't lie to me and don't be dishonest.  Be fair and honorable and you will come much closer to getting my business.

Which reminds me of what happened at a store I frequent this past weekend.  The store shall remain nameless, but I will share that it both begins and ends with a T and has arge in the middle.

My little 8-year-old Great-Great-Nephew asked me to get him a particular toy for Christmas. He even wrote it down for me so I'd be sure to buy the correct thing, so I went online to see where I could get it the cheapest and the "T" store had it on sale online for $31.99 including a free extra toy.

Because I saw this online, I went to the "T" store to buy the toy thinking there would not be a problem.  My little Great-Great-Nephew may or may not be here for Christmas, but he was here for Thanksgiving.  I figured I could just buy the toy, wrap it, and give it to his parents so he'd have it for Christmas either here or in Alabama where they live.

Well, I got to the store and the toy at the store was $49.99 instead of $31.99, and no free toy either.

Okay.  I might have paid $5.00 extra to get it at the store, but I would NOT pay $20.00 extra, so I went to customer service and they told me they will not match prices until after Christmas.

I said, "But it is your own website!!!!  This is NOT another store's price.  It is YOUR PRICE!"  They still would not do it, so I walked outside, ordered the toy for $31.99 using my smart phone's internet, chose in-store pick-up, and then walked back inside to pick up the toy I just bought...the exact same toy they refused to sell me for their own website price.

I got the toy for the online price AND I got a free toy too, but they did not like it and truly I was also not happy at all.

You can bet I will NOT be doing any more Christmas shopping in that particular store.  What they tried to do is dishonest and wrong.

If that store is failing so that they have to cheat their customers to make more money, then they may need to be told that cheating their customers to make more money will make their store fail more in the long run.

Just sayin....

But I digress....

Cyber Monday is my kind of day.  Online shopping is the BEST.  You can easily compare prices and always get the BEST price of all.  You can even pick the item(s) up in local stores if you'd rather do that.  It is good.

My advice today?

Finish your Christmas shopping now so you can enjoy the season.  Go to church.  Go hear music.  Go watch live theater.  Go to movies.  Cook the Christmas cookies and fruit cakes.  Visit long lost family and friends.  Enjoy your life!!  The online shopping stores will even ship your purchases to your loved ones for no extra charge.

Life can be so good with a little forethought and a little luck.

Happy Holiday Season everyone!