what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[W2R]

Today I went back to work for the first time in almost three weeks, though I only had to work for three hours ("Employee Appreciation Day"). If I ever had any doubts about ER, they are gone. Even three hours was unpleasant.

I was shocked to learn that a meteorologist about my age that I work with suddenly had to have open heart surgery while I was gone. I asked him just before I left if he was thinking of retiring, and he said that he had no plans to do so because he has a mortgage to pay on the new house he bought five years ago. This is so sad because it sounds like he is chained to the job.

After work I put away some of the personal items that I have been bringing home from the office and dumping in a corner.

Then napped for an hour, to make up for the three hours of work!

 

[M Paquette]

...After telling the customer rep that it wasn't personal and I was doing this only for the standard telephone call recording rules, I said :
"Wasn't That Funny? Now close the account and mail me a check for $4.58 before I call the SEC. If I see any charges assessed on the upcoming transfer on the other 2 accounts, you will hear from my attorney."
I thanked the rep and asked him to please play the recording for his supervisor. He said he certainly would. He sounded like he was really trying not to laugh (with me).

Oh, well done! Well done!

 

[freebird5825]

Oh, well done! Well done!

The velvet hammer strikes again.

She takes a bow...

 

[Gotadimple]

Today I went back to work for the first time in almost three weeks, though I only had to work for three hours ("Employee Appreciation Day"). If I ever had any doubts about ER, they are gone. Even three hours was unpleasant.

I was shocked to learn that a meteorologist about my age that I work with suddenly had to have open heart surgery while I was gone. I asked him just before I left if he was thinking of retiring, and he said that he had no plans to do so because he has a mortgage to pay on the new house he bought five years ago. This is so sad because it sounds like he is chained to the job.

After work I put away some of the personal items that I have been bringing home from the office and dumping in a corner.

Then napped for an hour, to make up for the three hours of work!

Good for you!

Just before I retired, one of my staff asked me if I was sure I really wanted to leave. I replied that I had never felt more comfortable with a decision, than the one I made to retire.

-- Rita

P.S. Naps are wonderful, aren't they?

 

[W2R]

Good for you!

Just before I retired, one of my staff asked me if I was sure I really wanted to leave. I replied that I had never felt more comfortable with a decision, than the one I made to retire.

-- Rita

P.S. Naps are wonderful, aren't they?

Thank you!! And yes, they are wonderful indeed. Today I completely finished my exit clearance except for returning my badge and parking tag, which I will do the last day.

I was just telling a co-worker how excited I am becoming about my impending retirement! I can hardly wait. Before that I helped my supervisor with the wording for the re-written ad for my job (since nobody qualified responded last time). It is really happening.

 

[bbbamI]

So far today; I've eaten a weenie.

 

[vicente solano]

Want2: It´s the final countdown..da da da da da --the final countdown...

 

[W2R]

Want2: It´s the final countdown..da da da da da --the final countdown...

It is, it is!!

 

[freebird5825]

So far today; I've eaten a weenie.

Well, I just gotta one-up ya.
Today I talked to a weenie. A NYS tax weenie.
In 2007, I filed my state taxes incorrectly, i.e. forgot to include a document as proof for a LTC premium credit (NYS). So they assessed me $380. I paid that off to avoid penalties and fines, but protested it, citing my own mistake of not submitting the proof.
So many many moons go by, literally 10 months. I finally hear from them, assessment is cancelled. In plain English, everything is OK now.
So where's my money back ?
This tax weenie says he doesn't know , and hands me off to another dept. It took this very nice lady exactly 5 minutes to look things up and assure me my money was coming back in 4-6 weeks. 4 of those weeks have already gone by.

This week's score...

Freebird 14
TDA+NYS 0

 

[freebird5825]

It is, it is!!

<crackle ping>...All cleared for launch...<crackle ping>...
Countdown commencing...<crackle ping>...T minus 11 days and counting...

 

[happy2bretired]

This morning I took a walk then went to the grocery store. I bought a pound of Alaskan king crab legs and fixed them for my lunch. Made a dipping sauce of 3 tablespoons of real BUTTER, lemon juice and tabasco sauce. I'm really glad I was alone at the table...it wasn't a pretty sight.

THEN, I went to the university dairy store and bought a nice BIG dish of lemon custard ice cream and ate it while reading my book...GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES.

 

[Meadbh]

Today I organized my next getaway to the cottage....which I was going to have to miss because of a work commitment....but that was cancelled because of H1N1.

There really is a silver lining!

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Took a ride out to a few local wineries with some friends of ours. I wasn't even the DD this time. Ah turkey tacos for dinner life doesn't get much better than this. Unless they were offal tacos. Cant get DW to go along with that.

 

[TromboneAl]

I started work on our 2009 Christmas Card Video. I feel a lot of pressure to make it better than last year's.

Refamiliarized myself with Microsoft Movie Maker -- it really does a pretty good job.

 

[NW-Bound]

I worked all day today.

When I fired up MS Money to see how much my portfolio went down, I figured that I would need to work even harder.

PS. Just kidding. I cannot work hard anymore, getting too old for that. However, I may have to delay my RV purchase.

 

[W2R]

Yesterday I went to work (ugh!) but while there managed to get the free (seasonal) flu shot provided to all my co-workers, even though I am almost retired. Woo-hoo!

I thought I had missed it, since it was given to employees a week or two ago while I was at home using up vacation time. Someone sent out a broadcast e-mail saying that the nurse had 2 doses left over out of 1700, and I got the very last one. I didn't even have to feel guilty, because nobody was in line behind me. I know, it's a little thing but the flu shots help me and I love getting a freebie.

Then I found out that apparently I have 36 more hours of annual leave (vacation time) than I had thought. Since I need to be at work from here on out, if the extra annual leave stays on the books then I will get paid somewhere between $1,000-$2,000 extra for it. That would be a nice and unexpected "farewell gift".

After having good luck twice in one day (flu shot and extra annual leave), I probably should have gone to the casino, but didn't.

 

[freebird5825]

Put the finishing touches on my indoor experiment to prove that Romaine lettuce can indeed be grown in captivity.
Materials: 10 gallon fish tank, aluminum foil to reflect light from grow light (adjustable with stand) and window, pelletized fertilizer, spray bottle, seeds, and compost I made myself. I planted another round of seeds to replace the bigger ones.
This is fun stuff!
I turned the setup so I could take the photo. It is normally facing the window (upper left in 2nd pic) to capture maximum sunlight.

Last report was on Oct 6.
For those of you who have been anxiously awaiting the results of the "Romaine in the fishtank" experiment, ta DAAAAAAAA

Nov 6 - The Romaine plants on the right have never been trimmed and should continue to grow into nice small heads of Romaine. The ones on the left are growing a second stage of leaves after an initial small harvest. I'm wondering if they will continue to produce all winter as long as I prevent them from going to seed.

This is what we do when we are FIREd.

Next up is Shiitake mushrooms in glass. I caught a year end sale on pre-innoculated (spore) wooden dowels which should be here by next week. I am told they will sprout right from the dowels, and I can store the others in the frig until I need them. I looked at the price of Shiitake mushrooms the other day and just about fainted.
I also plan to drill holes in a few logs and hammer the dowels in for a possible crop in the spring or summer. My slightly heated garage will be the perfect temperature for them to do their mushroom thing.
.

 

[FinanceDude]

I did battle with TDA today. Seems there was a $75 fee they wanted to assess for a transfer of a balance of...are you ready for this?...
$4.58 in a non-retirement account. Destination is VG. The account was a leftover glitch of their database when I did some account consolidation about 4 years ago.

VG called me and broke the $75 fee news BEFORE I was charged. Oddly enough, there were no fees required for transfer of balances from 2 other accounts (1 Roth and 1 nonretirement) with TDA. I went to TDA site and double checked their fee schedules. No fees for transfers to other companies were listed.
So I called TDA. After telling the customer rep that it wasn't personal and I was doing this only for the standard telephone call recording rules, I said :
"Wasn't That Funny? Now close the account and mail me a check for $4.58 before I call the SEC. If I see any charges assessed on the upcoming transfer on the other 2 accounts, you will hear from my attorney."
I thanked the rep and asked him to please play the recording for his supervisor. He said he certainly would. He sounded like he was really trying not to laugh (with me).

Oh that felt good.

So, you're willing to threaten someone over $75? Maybe if you had been nicer they would have done it anyways........

 

[freebird5825]

So, you're willing to threaten someone over $75? Maybe if you had been nicer they would have done it anyways........

Maybe I didn't tell the story right.
I sent transfer request paperw*rk to VG, to pull all of my assets out of TDA and into VG.
TDA told VG that TDA wanted $75 for ONLY the $4.58 balance account, but not the other 2 TDA accounts being transferred to VG.
It was an arbitrary fee application. I think it was an attempt to collect a bogus fee. TDA's own fee schedule indicated that I was exempt from ANY transfer fees because I'm an APEX client (certain minimum balance for all combined accounts held).
Now do you see why my blood was up? I'm very happy that VG called me before executing the set of 3 account transfers. Otherwise, that $75 fee might have slipped through in the process. Hmmmmmmmm...
I'm always nice to the reps. I never raise my voice. But I am deadly with facts and knowing what fees are allowed.

 

[bbbamI]

Worked at the p.d. this morning. Dealt with a date rape case. Please folks, be aware of your drink when you are out on the town. See it being poured and keep it with you at all times.

Babysitting the guys installing the floors. My house is one big dust bomb.

 

[TromboneAl]

I finished our Christmas Card Video, and going through all the photos and movies from the year reminded me of how ridiculously lucky I am.

 

[freebird5825]

Worked at the p.d. this morning. Dealt with a date rape case. Please folks, be aware of your drink when you are out on the town. See it being poured and keep it with you at all times.

Babysitting the guys installing the floors. My house is one big dust bomb.

My Mom used to say something like this..."When you are at a party, drinking the beer you don't think I know about, keep your cup in your hand at all times, or someone might slip you a Mickey."

I knew what she was telling me, but I never really did understand what a "Mickey" was. Anybody here remember that word?

 

[bbbamI]

My Mom used to say something like this..."When you are at a party, drinking the beer you don't think I know about, keep your cup in your hand at all times, or someone might slip you a Mickey."

I knew what she was telling me, but I never really did understand what a "Mickey" was. Anybody here remember that word?

Yep...I do....and it wasn't/isn't a mouse....

 

[FinanceDude]

Yep...I do....and it wasn't/isn't a mouse....

Either it was Spanish Fly or a date rape drug of some type...........

 

[bbbamI]

Either it was Spanish Fly or a date rape drug of some type...........

Yeah...don't know what she got at this point. Without giving out too much info or being too graphic, according to her she had one drink at a club, then the next thing she knew she was waking up in an apartment of a stranger.