DON’T MESS WITH W.O.W.

And NEVER EVER EVER EVER . . . .have a fender-bender . . .

. . . by a truck (or a car) backing into your rear side passenger door and back fender in the Kroger Parking Lot in Thompson Station (or anywhere).

First a Williamson Country sheriff’s deputy comes and makes his report; gets all the info, DL, insurance, et cetera et cetera. For both parties. He tells you there is nothing you need to do, just wait to hear from "her" insurance company. NOT.

Three weeks later when you have heard nothing you mention it to your D-I-L, a former deputy, who tells you, "Oh, I know that cop; he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. You need to call and report the accident to your insurance company."

So I did. Next day my insurance rep calls and gives me the name of "her" insurance guy (Allstate) who will handle the claim. Sends follow up email. I call him. He arranges for an estimator to come out. A few days later, the estimator comes by and makes his report and leaves me with his damage estimate.

So now I take the car to friend of Tom’s who does his body work. Honest good guy. He comes up with almost identical estimate, tells me to bring car back on Nov 12^th and it will take 4-5 days for him to get the work done.

Yesterday a.m. I call Allstate to make sure they are going to pay for a rental car. Daniel (Allstate rep handling my claim) tells me to call Enterprise. He has already set up an order # with them for the rental. They will pay up to $24.95 per day for the rental.

I call Enterprise. They tell me to come at 4 p.m. when they will have a rental available. They tell me on the phone to bring driver’s license, credit card, and car insurance card.

I drive to Tom’s in Mt. Pleasant. Tramp drives me to drop off my car at Buzz’s Body Shop in Mt. Pleasant and later drives me over to Enterprise in Columbia.

Enterprise asks what my deductible is. I don’t understand the need for the question and that info doesn’t appear on insurance I.D. card. Enterprise rep explains they need to know if I have car rental insurance. I tell them Allstate rep, Daniel, asked me the same thing and when I said I didn’t know for sure without checking my policy but it was my understanding that I did have rental car coverage because I always asked my rep when renewing, "so the coverage I have means I am covered whatever car I’m driving, right? And they always answer, "right." Daniel then said, "Well, it doesn’t matter. We have accepted full liability for the accident, we will take care of it. So if Enterprise tries to talk you into buying insurance, don’t do it."

Great.

So now Enterprise tells me the order faxed over from Allstate doe not include car rental insurance. So I try to call Daniel at Allstate and get a recording that says, "this number is no longer in service."

WHAT? I dial again. Same thing. Enterprise employee dials and gets same thing.

What is going on? Is "Daniel" some scam artist in cahoots with Allstate to pretend they are taking care of me . . . til time to pay?

Enterprise calls the 800 number printed on my Allstate Claim Estimate. Gets thru but agent says Daniel is not available but they will give him the message to call.

So we wait . . .

We wait til 5 p.m. when everyone is closing up shop and Tramp offers to drive me home. He is my guardian angel . . . for today, at least.

So he drives me back to Spring Hill and then goes to P/U his prescription in Columbia and then drives home to Mt. Pleasant.

Next day
Tom calls and I try and give him the "short" version of my sad tale. Then I call Allstate 800 number again (Daniel’s direct line still says, "not in service".) She tells me she will walk down to Daniel’s office and give him the message but Allstate’s policy is NOT to pay for rental insurance. The complete opposite of what Daniel told me yesterday morning.

I am sure that when I talk to Daniel, since he specifically said, "we will pay" and "don’t let Enterprise talk you into purchasing their insurance coverage" there will be no problem. He will stand by his word.

NOT.

In the meantime, I call Anne and she reminds me that most credit cards offer car rental insurance IF you pay for the car rental with their card. Ta-Da! A solution.

When Daniel finally does call me back he tells me I misunderstood; he was saying Allstate would pay for the car rental. Since I now know rental insurance will be covered and neither I nor Allstate will be out any money I do not protest further. Even though that’s not what he said.

So now I call Enterprise and tell them I will pay for the car rental with my Master Card and Allstate will reimburse me. Enterprise says they must have proof in writing that I have car rental insurance.

I call Master Card and speak to agent who tells me to call a different number for validation of my benefits. I call that number and representative puts me on hold to verify. She returns to say I do, in fact, have car rental insurance if I use their card to pay for the car rental. YEAY!

I ask her to email me a statement to this effect. She emails me a statement that says,

"This letter confirms that your Platinum MasterCard Card provides MasterRental coverage. Therefore, vehicles rented with your card are eligible for coverage in United States. Please note that the coverage is subject to the terms and conditions of the MasterRental program.

Please refer to the MasterRental Guide to Benefits for a complete listing of the terms, conditions and exclusions associated with this program. This letter is in effect for 60 days from the date of issuance."

WHAT????

I can hear Enterprise now. "THAT is not proof of anything."

So now I go online to their website. After searching for 15 minutes looking for MasterRental Guide to Benefits, I find a page that says:

CAR RENTAL COLLISION DAMAGE WAIVER INSURANCE
Pays for covered damages (physical damage and theft) to a rental vehicle when your eligible Master Card card is used to initiate and pay for the entire rental transaction.

HAL-LE-LU-JAH!!!

So now I call Master Card back to ask HOW do they pay for this car rental insurance? Do they credit my card or send me a check or what?

They explain only the rental car fee is charged to my card. If I were to have an accident, a claim would be submitted and they would have to pay damages.

Now I call Enterprise once again to tell them I am emailing them 2 pages of proof of insurance asking them to verify and call me back to arrange to pick me up and deliver me to their office so I can rent the car.

I wait . . . And wait . . .

Now it is 4 p.m. Again. I call Enterprise. The man who answers tells me Ryan, who I have been talking with all day, has gone home and he can’t access Ryan’s email.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME????

He will contact Ryan and call me back. We hang up.

This really is beyond belief . . .

My gut tells me, "to hell with Enterprise" but first . . .

I call Allstate to make sure they don’t have some exclusive contract with Enterprise. I verify that I can go to any car rental company I want, pay for the rental on my card, and Allstate will reimburse me for the cost of the rental.

I call Hertz in Columbia and they advise their policy is similar to Enterprise. I can pay for the car rental on my credit card, they will keep my car rental insurance verification info on file . . . in case. They also will come and get me and take me to their office. So I tell them I will call them in the a.m.

Enterprise does not call back.

Moral Of The Story:    Don’t mess with W.O.W.

The . . . Sleeping . . . Injustice . . . Activist . . . Awakes . . . (it’s been awhile).

So guess who’s getting letters describing all this? Let’s see . . .

Allstate, Enterprise, my senator, my house representative, head of consumer affairs, the mayor, the prez . . . and others I can’t think of right now.

I don’t care whether it does any good or not, it makes me feel better.

It’s the P--r--i--n--c--i--p--l--e   of the matter.

And THAT'S the TRUTH!   BBLLETTTHHH!

Sarah

ELECTION DAY 2012 PLUS ONE . . .

I am so pleased my candidate won; I thought it might not happen.

I can only imagine how disappointed and frustrated Mitt Romney and his team are feeling right now. They worked hard and long for the opposite outcome. What a gracious concession speech he made. How commendable of him to offer his support to his opponent on behalf of the American people. Integrity reasserts itself once more. Yeay! We need more of that on both sides of the aisles in Congress.

For it is the American people who lost the most these past four years. The result of Congress’ refusal to behave responsibly and respectfully towards one another to solve the problems facing this country. Choosing instead to draw lines in the sand – refusing to cooperate and compromise. To the detriment of the people.

Once again, we have another chance. As the President said last night; we must learn to work together – disagree respectfully, and sometimes compromise – but ultimately pull together for the good of all.

OR we can beat our breasts, rant and rave, scream doom and gloom . . . and sit on our butts and do nothing. Wasn’t it Chicken Little who ran around the barn yard yelling, "the sky is falling, the sky is falling . . .?"

Speak it, believe it, see it. It works in the negative as well as the positive. Some folks call it "self-fulfilling prophesy".

A nation divided against itself . . . We deserve better than that. I think we are better than that..

But we won’t get it by ranting and raving how bad it all is on radio talk shows or by sitting in front of the TV (or computer) with a bottle in our hand and a bowl of popcorn in our lap watching the latest reality show.

A government "of the people," "by the people," "for the people" requires something FROM the people. Let’s hope folks from both sides of this political debate take the momentum from the campaign and transfer that enthusiasm and hard work into beneficial programs and activities at our churches, schools, and communities.

Yes, Hillary, it does take a village -- a community, a government, a society pulling together for the betterment of all. We are our brothers’ keepers.

The best is yet to come. Speak it, believe it, see it.

Sarah

Election Day 2012

SO. Today is THE DAY!

All this wrangling, hate speech, finger-pointing will be over. HA! In my dreams. The unconscionable amount of money spent . . . money that could have bought food, medicine, shelter . . . put to productive and good use . . .

Since retiring, especially since moving to my wonderful little house with its yard and garage and bonus room (for my office) and ESPECIALLY a GAS LOG FIREPLACE, Rocky and I start the day with coffee -- thanking God for the coffee  :)  -- and His other blessings to us, which are many, and reading a few scriptures. Then it’s off to my office for writing and/or genealogy-ing for most of the day til Rocky comes and reminds me it’s time for his walk.

Funny how you can read something over and over and then one day certain words POP right out at you . . . and you think . . . "ohmygosh, I never understood it THAT way before."

Part of my morning ritual is to pray for my country and one thing I have gotten into the habit of affirming is, "America stands with God; God stands with America." Ta-Da! Speak it, believe it, see it.

A few mornings ago I was sitting with my coffee in front of my WON-DER-FUL gas log fireplace (sometimes it’s too cold to sit on the porch now) reflecting and praying for my country and suddenly a scripture came to my mind . . . "if my people who are called by my name will turn from their wicked ways, I will heal their land" (that’s a paraphrase). I looked it up; it’s pretty much what 2 Chron. 7:14 says.

BOING . . . BOING . . . Light bulb flash! "MY people who are called by MY name . . .

WHOA!! I keep praying for America to line up with God because I know He will then line up with HER.

But that’s not what God said . . . AMERICA doesn’t have to turn from her wicked ways . . . which, in spite of the good, are many.

It’s me . . . it’s US . . . the ones who wear His Name.

I’ve read this scripture many times in my life. I just never "got it" on this level before.

America’s good or wicked ways are not the problem. I am. WE are.

Okay, preachers, Christian spokespersons . . . stand up and shout this from the rooftops, from your pulpits, your radio/TV shows.

Then I – you – us – can stop worrying about our future.  Regardless of who is elected.

Hal-le-lu-jah!

The BOO and YEAY Of It . . .

     In my family, of four grown children, two boys, two girls, I am considered the W.O.W. That means Wacky Old Woman or Wise Old Woman, depending on who’s saying it. If you get my drift. (I took an online survey once and, according to how I answered the questions, I was identified as a "centrist." Sounds reasonable to me since I think I am conservative, liberal, or libertarian, depending on the issue).

     Following is an email exchange which illustrates my point perfectly. It certainly was a "BOO" and "YEAY" day for me.

The BOO . . .

Darling First-Born Son --

     Re this excerpt from your thoughtful (as in well thought out) email --

. . . many of your statements sound good but epitomize short-term thinking. I think you're intelligent, but you haven't trained yourself to consider the bigger picture as well in many cases.

     What could be more fair-minded, or reasonable, than to say -- get rid of all PACs -- limit ALL campaigning to six months prior to the election -- and give ALL candidates the same FREE TV time. ????? Why is that short-term thinking? What is the big picture I'm missing?

     I am so sorry you perceive this in my thought process. It is exactly THE OPPOSITE of what I try to do. Of course I am limited by my intelligence and knowledge of the issue. Level of intelligence I can do nothing about. Knowledge of the issue -- I can and do. Frequently I change my opinion about something when I learn more about it. I do NOT, however, stay glued to the Media and/or radio talk shows. In fact, I avoid them.

     I have purposely -- in my old age -- cast off many things I consider tedious or not interesting (to me) or not uplifting. I have more than enough to occupy my time playing in my yard or writing or Genie searching or being with family/friends. 

     If I am interested enough to have an opinion about something, the way I got there was by sitting and thinking (sometimes over a period of months or years which is why my opinion frequently changes) through the issue -- to the best of my ability. (You can stop laughing now . . . ) 

     Frequently, what seems like a good idea -- when pursued to its logical conclusion -- ends up being not so good after all. 

     Frequently, what seems like a good idea, even after I have pursued it to its logical conclusion -- ends up NOT being the case when I discover new information. (I.e., new information changes the premise that you take forward to its logical conclusion which, in turn, may no longer be the desired result.)

This is how I figure out every problem or situation or philosophical issue I confront. It makes me sad to think you see no evidence of this in me.

* * * * *

     One current example is the furor over Picture IDs. On first reflection, my thinking was that it is a good thing and it should be required. I still think it's a good thing and everyone should have a picture ID BUT, I have learned some things I didn't know and now think it probably shouldn't be a requirement, for now, for voting in this election. Picture IDs is NOT rocket science. We need to put in place a system for every citizen to get one; why we don't already have it, I don't know. But we don't. I did not realize how many legitimate potential citizens/voters would not be allowed to vote if they pass this requirement. (*)

* * * * *

     Interesting and serendipitous to this email conversation is the fact that I got a call yesterday from my uncle, a musician, who lives in another state. He called to ask if he could give my phone number to his son. I can't imagine any reason other than my genealogy work (which is in a private tree on Ancestry.com (with no info re living persons, BTW). My uncle thought that might be the reason also. His wife used to be on my email list for exchanging questions/data but dropped off some time ago.

     Then we talked for a few more minutes. His wife puts some great stuff on her Facebook page and since we are "friends" I get to see it. She is a nurse, very animal orientated, AND frequently puts political jokes or info on her page. The weird part is the political stuff is all left leaning and supportive of President Obama.

     Since I know this uncle is ULTRA conservative, I jokingly asked him about this -- I thought maybe I misunderstood something. He admitted she is "unfortunately liberal" (his words).

     We talked a little longer and I mentioned that all my kids considered me the wacky old liberal of the family.

     His REPLY is why I'm telling you this.

        He said, "Oh, Sarah, I don't see you as being very liberal politically; I do think you are liberal in the sense of being open minded about things.

     I nearly fell off my chair! But thanked him and shortly after that we hung up.

     I'm sure he has NO IDEA HE MADE MY DAY!!! 

     We have only seen each other a few times in my whole life and have had only a few conversations -- and yet he perceives this about me.

     He sees me as I see myself. WOW!

"being open minded about things" -- from my perspective -- encompasses a whole lot of things I try to be. And to think he "gets it".

     Just a casual remark from him, I think, but it made my day.

     And that’s the "YEAY!" of it.

     If only . . .

Blessings All --
Sarah

(*) Since first writing this, I have learned more. If this is true (i.e., that "on the spot" picture IDs will be offered to anyone who needs one at the time of voting) then I am not opposed.　
　
　
　
　

Losing a Mate

Replying to a friend’s blog in which she talked of the loss of her mate due to his death, more than a "reply", I realized I had just written a new entry for my own blog.

Dear (Blank):

Just read your latest post. I lost my husband in a different way -- through divorce -- after 22 years. I even hooked up afterwards with someone else for 8 years and then WE married, for 7, and then WE divorced.

I raised (4) children with my first husband. It was a tumultuous relationship from the beginning. I was young and naive at first; he was 3 years older and had been married once already. Thru the years his humor, more and more with a sarcastic wit when directed at me, finally did us in. Me, because I reacted, not from love but from hurt or anger. He, because he stopped loving who I became trying to cope with his sarcasm and, finally, out and out criticism.

My biggest regret in life is being unable to learn to live out my days with the father of my children. Somehow I was wise enough to tell them, thru the ensuing years, to maintain/keep alive their relationship with him. Even though he was "hard" on us all, my children managed to do so. Faults notwithstanding, he was basically a good man; a good provider and father to the best of his ability.

Sadly, he passed in 2008. I drove back to Michigan with one daughter for the funeral. It is heart-breaking when the father of your children passes, no matter what. We stayed a couple of days. At the home of his widow of 19 years.

Through the years we all came to understand that much of his behavior was due to insecurities formed when HE was a child -- the sins of the father . . .

Regardless of how you lose a mate, it is a painful, sorrowful process, and learning to live again an ongoing process.

I am no longer interested in forming another romantic relationship. Frequently, however, I long for the experience of sitting on my screened-in porch -- of an evening or morning -- or sharing a poignant "old" movie on TV -- or a special memory – with a long-time companion, a husband, for instance. Someone for whom there is frequently no need to talk but just "to be" . . . together.

Regards,

Sarah

Meditation

     Something to ADD TO your existing religious study/prayer/practice. Most, if not all, major religions teach, practice, and understand the value of meditating. One way Christians, I believe, can relate is based on the scripture, "Be Still and Know that I Am God".

     Wayne Dyer has written a lovely little Chap Book with accompanying CD explaining/teaching how to practice meditating by "getting in the gap". He uses the first line of the universal Christian prayer, "Our Father, Which Art in Heaven . . .". The idea is to pause between each word –

     Our . . . Father . . . Which . . . Art . . . In . . . Heaven . . .

Try to stay "in the gap" between the words longer each time –

     Our . . . . . . Father . . . . . . Which . . . . . . Art . . .

     With practice, which includes slow, deep breathing, you can stay "in the gap" for longer periods of time. "In the gap" is where you meet God, where you experience peace, where you are renewed in body, mind, and spirit.

     I like to sit on my porch in the morning, after drinking my coffee and reading some passages in my Bible. I am still a novice but the way it works for me is when I close my eyes I concentrate on the darkness of the screen behind/in front? of my closed eyes. I see vague muted colors and images which "float" slowly in and around on this screen.

     It seems relatively easy to concentrate on this "screen" and that enables me to keep my mind clear. I am aware of the music softly playing in the background (I keep my TV tuned to Easy Listening all day until evening when I watch the News and/or some taped program), and I can hear the birds chirping in the yard but I lose touch with some part of reality.

     I know this separation happens to some degree because this morning Rocky was siting on the porch lounge with me when I began and right away he jumped off and went back in the house. When I finished meditating, I’m guessing 10-15 minutes later, I opened my eyes and he was back on the lounge with me. I never heard him come back out or jump up on the seat. Seeing him laying there next to me when I opened my eyes was a lovely surprise.

* * * * *

     I watched a program one evening about a town in Iowa (I forget the name) that has two meditation centers – one for men, one for women; the town residents come there twice a day to meditate together.

AHA! I found a link about the program on the Internet –http://theuncarvedblog.com/2010/07/06/abc-newsnightline-transcendental-meditation-in-vedic-city-iowa/

"Famed film maker David Lynch spends a lot of time in Vedic City. He started the David Lynch Foundation, which, in the last four years, has provided scholarships for over 100,000 kids to learn to meditate for free in schools across the country.

"It’s not a religion. It’s not against any religion, it’s not mumbo-jumbo. It truly does transform life," Lynch told ABC News. "Kids come to school and they meditate together for 15 minutes in the morning. And before they go home they meditate for 15 minutes. A lot of them come from, you know, bad situations, and so this gives them this thing you know, at the beginning and the end of the day, the rest of the time you just watch the violence stop. Watch relationships improve. Watch happiness in the hallways, in the classroom, watch creativity flow more and more, watch that heavy weight that we are living under gently lift away."

* * * * *

     One of the things they all pray for is World Peace.  All right, people. Christians. Attention, please.
　
"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
— 2 Chronicles 7:14, New King James Version (NKJV)

* * * * *

     All I have to say is, try it, you’ll like it.    :)

Sarah
　
　
　
　

A Lovely Day in the Neighborhood . . .

So, after running errands, I worked on my computer, as usual, til around 5 p.m. and then went out in the yard to plant and weed. Since my June surgery, doctor said, "no mowing" but nothing about planting and weeding. Yeay! I LOVE IT.

So then I took a shower and took Rocky for our evening walk. Then came in to eat dinner (8:30 now) and turned TV from Easy Listening. Flipping channels, there was another Doo Wop Special -- almost over.

I have been listening to these specials for years -- the music of my teens. Each time I flip the channels and find it on, I think I will not listen . . . this time. I've heard these songs over and over, afterall, and . . .

but THIS one -- Johnny Maestro singing one of my favorites –"Worst That Could Happen" – I've got to listen to THAT one . . . just for a minute . . .

And then I'm hooked once again. Instant memories of youth and fun and young love and dances and breaking up . . .and making up . . . and making out . . . and skating rinks and Friday night Sock Hops and . . .

Even Rocky sat there at the end of the couch -- looking and listening -- just like he does when I turn on Animal Planet.

So I guess I'm not so crazy, afterall . . . maybe.