murphy's law: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong

That seemed to be the theme yesterday, seeing as how it was end of the fiscal year and we had so much to finish up. I had to make some large purchases as all invoicing had to be dated prior by June 30th. So being the responsible person I am and to make my life easier I call the credit card company to let them know I would be putting a few thousand on one of my cards.

This should ensure that it work... one would think...

So I hop online and make my first purchase using a different card, no problems, YAY! Then I navigate my way to Safeway.com (the previous evening I had tried to purchase numerous gift cards online and it was unable to process my credit card, now with the phone call to the company it should clear). Nope, doesn't work, seems to be a Safeway.com problem right? I spend 20-30 minutes (you start losing track of time) on the phone, I call one number, they give me another, I call that number they give me another, I call that one they say call Calgary (what the heck? CALGARY, CANADA?). So I do, person doesn't answer, I leave a voicemail, she calls back, I'm on the phone, message says she has nothing to do with US purchases of gift cards... FANTASTIC. Already irritated I call Safeway.com customer service again, they tell me it's better to go into the store, they're not sure why the website won't process my order.

Okay FINE... I call the store to make sure they have enough cards. Okay next task then... order lunch for everyone because we're having a pizza lunch to welcome new staff members. Order the pizza and agree to pick it up at 11:45. I then head to Barnes and Noble, get on Google maps and find the closest one, the closest one would actually require me taking different streets, the next closest is just 3 miles down the street from where I work. Okay I'll go to that one, something in my stomach is nagging me a bit, but whatever... I figure I'll pick up the pizza on my way back (also on the same street).

Drive the 3 miles through what feels like endless stoplights when you're in a rush to find that they are closed until Sunday!! Great, that was what that nagging feeling was, okay fine, no problem, drive to the one that was "closer" and count out the 32 gift cards I need and wait in line to purchase them. The cashier is quite a warm and welcoming fellow, very much how you'd imagine a bookstore clerk to me, he obviously likes his job very much. So we chat a little as he scans and enters the amount for each gift card, okay credit card time! Shouldn't be a problem right? WRONG, denied once again!

Okay now I'm even more irritated with the credit card company. This is the card I use the most and when it was stolen a month ago, did not send me a replacement, and then rushed me one when I called with the SAME number as the stolen card on it, I called again and they rushed me the new one. Each time I call they ask if I want to sign up with their fraud prevention service.. um no thanks... not if you can't even get me my new credit card without all this hassle! What's to say your fraud service would be better?! And now to further prove the point, you didn't even pay attention to the fact I told you I was going to be spending lots of money today.

Okay.. shake it off, don't want to see bad things happening that aren't even there, don't pile things on, it'll only make you feel bad and your day seem worse. I keep telling myself that, hey at least the other card I used for Costco worked again at Barnes and Nobles. sweet! I'm loving American Express.

Alright, going to be late, so I call my co-worker and ask her to take care of pizza pick up. I'm heading back to the office thinking.. yay pizza! This day will turn around at lunch time. I get back to the office, hmmm strange, most of the staff's cars are gone, what's going on? I walk inside, apparently the power had gone out at the pizza place and they couldn't cook them. Lunch was cancelled. Heaving a heavy sigh, I look at my co worker in disbelief (he tends to joke with me a lot), nope, he's really serious, heaving another heavy sigh I head home for lunch. Okay another reminder, things should turn around after lunch, take a little extra time at home, watch a bit of TV, eat some food, you'll feel better.

After a nice, quiet lunch (as quiet as it gets with a 5 month old puppy begging for your meal at your feet), I head to Safeway. Wait around for 5 minutes for them to find a customer service person. She scans out half the cards before the system stops her, okay no problem I'll make two purchases. I try the credit card again... DENIED. Okay now I'm pissed, I try the Amex, denied (because with two big purchases they now think my card is stolen).

Great, okay, I call the other credit card company... here we go, irritation level at an all time high, screw finding peace in my head I'm MAD!! There is no honey in my voice as I speak to the rep, at least I'm still civil and I'm not cursing at them or yelling at them. But my tone becomes extremely firm with a hint of frustration. I spend 20 minutes on the phone with the rep, who transfers me to the fraud department, usually they give you multiple choice questions to verify you are who you are... NO this guy asks open ended questions, name one of your previous addresses you've lived at, first one that pops into mind a location in Orange County I lived at 5 years ago, I give him the street name. He wants the street number too... I ask how he can expect me to know that number? It was 5 years ago, I live somewhere else now, he asked how long I've lived here, now I'm really irritated, that's hard to say because I grew up in the current place of residence. I tell him that a little less than nicely. He asks some more stupid questions, and FINALLY after what feels like an hour (really just 8 questions later) he says I shouldn't have a problem.

I tell him, I need to make this purchase and then another similar one immediately afterwards, I shouldn't have ANY problems correct? He says it will be fine.

Okay..first purchase goes through.. second one? DOES NOT. I give up, I use my bank card since the second purchase is slightly smaller. I enter the wrong pin the first time (it was changed because that was also stolen a month ago), enter the new one in and voila. DONE. FINALLY. okay, this should be the end of this, I bought everything I needed too.

I drive back to the office feeling like it's been the longest day ever. Finally sit down at my chair and look at the notes my co-worker left. Have to call a few people to get the invoicing done. That's not so bad, I take a short break after sending some emails and then walk into the kitchen to get some delightfully refreshing beverage and see a box on the chair in my office. *sharp intake of breath that nearly scares the crap out of the bookkeeper walking down the hallway* CRAPOLA... bulk mailing I forgot to take to the post office in the morning! It is 2:45 at the moment.. bulk mail office closes at 4.

I find a quick place without papers to set the cup, grab my purse and the box and rush downstairs, realizing I need to count each piece. Thankfully it's only 238 and takes me about 5 minutes, dash out the door and to the office. Ring the bell... wait patiently for 3 minutes, ring again and just wait. The post office staff is severely understaffed so I'm patient. Another lady comes along with a larger bulk mailing and rings and rings and rings, I don't say anything. Finally the staff person comes, slightly irritated that this lady was ringing so long, I still don't say anything but am extremely thankful she's finally here. Total mailing takes another 10 minutes and I'm out of there.

Okay I should be done now I think.. it's 4pm. Get back to the office, oh shoot I forgot I was in the middle of calling/emailing people. I'm feeling calmer now anyway, so some back and forth calls and emails and done. YAY I'm finally totally done! DONE DONE! WEEEEE there is no more! At least no work stuff, I breath a sigh of relief.

It was also the last day for one of our volunteers who had been here for about 5 years, she was heading off to college and we were all sad to see her leave. :( So we got her a cake and a present to send her off, took a few photos. I gave her a hug and my email address and told her to stay in touch. I hope she does, she really is an amazing young lady. (I can't believe I just typed that, wow, I'm hitting another generation aren't I?) Anyway, so off she goes, I sit down and look at my camera, hmm maybe I should take a look at the photos, turn it on, screen pops up, so does a message.. "No memory card". AHHHHHHHHHHHH Are you serious? She's already gone! I better email her and tell her to come back in August so we can take new photos. I can't believe this.. it's time to go home.

The End.

If you made it all the way down here, I applaud you and sincerely thank you for listening to my rant/vent. I'll buy you a cup of coffee to make up for the time you've lost reading this lame blog entry.