What turmoil? Behold a tale of turmoil. Battling with banks, elementals, and web pages. Let me unfold for you a tale full of sound and fury, and quite likely told by an idiot.
It was the best of banks; it was the worst of banks. I’ve banked at the institution for over 25 years. I was well known at the branch where I opened the account. It was right across the street from my first office. The manager, assistant manager, and tellers were wonderful and friendly. After ten years I moved to another state and had to do business at a different branch which also had a wonderful and friendly staff. The only fault I found was that every time I made a deposit, I would get a phone call asking about my experience. I did not like.
The phone calls were not the only bad experience. Flash forward a few years to 2017. Having moved back to my home state, but to a new town with a new job, the closest branch of the bank was about 15 miles away. I kept banking there for the convenience, but I did not go into the branch very often. I made a deposit as my wife and I headed out of the country for a once in a lifetime vacation experience. About 2 a.m. or 4 a.m., I forget which, I got a call from the bank wanting to know about my experience depositing funds. I gave a more vehement opinion than I ever had before. That was the last phone call seeking feedback from me.
A couple years later I tried to deposit a check endorsed by my wife and myself. The bank at which I had banked for over 20 years refused as my wife wasn’t on the account. I nearly pulled my account then. I should have, but didn’t. Finally, the year is 2021. My wife has given my some of the so-called stimulus money in cash to put into my account. I go to deposit the cash with a couple other small checks (one from work and one refund for over payment on a credit card account). From the reaction I received, one would have thought that was trying to gain personal access to the vault. First there was the interrogation and then the strip search. My experience has usually been that a bank wants to take my money. The teller was very nice but was bound the the bank policy–their interpretation of new banking regulations. I understood her position, but I hate the bank policy. I have removed most of the money to a new bank. The rest will soon follow. The new bank is closer and I know the people there. I’ve even made a deposit–for which there was no interrogation, no strip search, and no annoying phone call to ask about my experience.
The battle with the elementals was the least frustrating of the three experiences. It began when my wife told me that the baking element in the oven had died. She had not been able to find a replacement at any of the local stores or online. I looked over the corpse but left it in place. With the requisite information about the stove and part number, I embarked upon a safari to capture another element. I found many from which to choose, but none could I find in stock which specifically represented as being a compatible replacement for the decedent. The prices on those which looked like they might fit, ranged from thirty dollars to ninety dollars. I finally decided upon my quarry and stalked it until I had it firmly within the cross hairs of my credit card. Disappointment blossomed when the shipping information indicated a delivery date in February. Oh, well. I squeezed the trigger and bagged it–although it came in a box.
There was much rejoicing when the element arrived this week by complete surprise–probably by UPS rather than complete surprise, but you know what I mean. With proper solemnity I removed the old element with a screw driver and pliers. It was while installing the replacement when I touched one of the connecting wires and felt a mild bite that I remembered that the video I had watched about replacing the thing recommended flipping the breaker on the power to the oven as the first step. Fortunately, I still had all my fingers in an unfried state, and I had not been blasted across the room to leave a smoking impression of my body in the door of the fridge. I flipped the breaker and resumed the operation. As far as I know, it was a complete success. I’ll find out today. My wife says she’s going to bake a pie.
As for the website design, you’re looking at part of it. It only took me three tries. This is the idiot part of the tale. I lost my progress on two occasions and had to redo. I’m still not happy with it. I’m certain I’ll make some changes–hopefully for the better. My other blog is still up. I have not abandoned it. My author interviews will continue to post there. I may include other topics over there as well.
Let me know what you think of the new site, and how your own tangle with turmoil fares.
2 Responses
Yes, I am familiar with every single entity wanting to get a survey or a review, ad naseum. I understand the need for reviews by writers especially self published ones but do we really have to give reviews of every single company that we are paying money for their service? I think not.
BTW just bought “Threading The Rude Eye” Looking forward to it.
One more thing, what is it about lawyers and writing cool fantasy works? First DJ Butler and now Stanley Wheeler. A fortuitous trend indeed.
Thank you, Budd. It is getting to where a person can’t do any transaction now without signing up for something, doing a survey, providing a rating, or proffering an email or phone number. Nevertheless, I thank everyone who leaves favorable reviews for my books–I never call in the middle of the night asking what a reader thought about the experience.