First world problems! Share them here!

[secundem_artem]

On 23 December I will need to pay a very large fee to a government organization for a residency application. Last time I had to do this, I needed to call two banks and try multiple credit cards before I found one a means of payment that would go ahead without getting stopped for possible fraud--even after I'd called the bank and told them that the charge was coming through in about five minutes and not to flag it!

So, planning ahead, I called my bank today.

'Hi,' I said. 'On 23 December I am going to be paying a very large fee to the tune of XXXXX moneys to Government Organization. Could you please make sure that your fraud unit does not reject it?'

'Oh,' said the bank. 'No, we can't do that. Fraud checkers will flag it and hold it automatically. You'll get a text on your phone.'

'If I respond to the text immediately, will that ensure that the fee goes through?' I asked.

'Probably,' said the bank. 'Here, I'll put a note on your account. Maybe if the fraud team sees it when the flag goes off they'll approve the charge.'

'Maybe?' I asked.

'Maybe,' said the bank.

Well we'll see what happens on 23 December.

I've had the same problem paying journal publication fees with overseas publishers.  The only work around I found was to pay with an American Express card.  Presumably Amex expects their cardholders to travel and charge large amounts. 

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

For some reason, my cell phone data is nonexistent. I'm supposed to have unlimited data. Also, the downstairs toilet is leaking and we may need a new flapper. Oh, and it's also raining. Grumble.

[RatGuy]

My Netflix discs have started to take an extra day to get to me, and an extra two days to get checked back in

[Puget]

My Netflix discs have started to take an extra day to get to me, and an extra two days to get checked back in

Wait, Netflix still has disks?!

[RatGuy]

My Netflix discs have started to take an extra day to get to me, and an extra two days to get checked back in

Wait, Netflix still has disks?!

Oh yeah! I even pay a premium for blu ray discs! I do have Disney+, but that's my only steaming. 90% of what I watch is on disc (I cancelled cable subscription in 2012)

[paultuttle]

Our house's original-to-1953 windows let in too much cold air, especially the ones on the west side of the house.

[secundem_artem]

I've either got to cook a steak tonight or put it in the freezer before it goes off.

[ohnoes]

The filtered water dispenser on my refrigerator isn't working.

The ice dispenser still works, so if I am patient, I can still have very cold filtered water.

[mamselle]

A friend sent an original crossword puzzle.

It's somewhere between predictable and weird.

(And it's in .pdf and the lines don't match the text height so it's filling in oddly, too.)

I think I'm expected to praise it.

Oh, dear.

M.

[ohnoes]

A friend sent an original crossword puzzle.

...

I think I'm expected to praise it.

This is some puzzle!

[mamselle]

Indeed!

;--}

M.

[ab_grp]

Mamselle, did your friend use crossword software to make the puzzle? Two years ago around this time I made a goal for myself of constructing one over holiday break to submit to the NYT since I do those crosswords every day.  I watched videos, read interviews with constructors, etc.  I even came up with a theme and theme solutions for a test puzzle I wanted to make for my husband.  Whew... it is hard work.  Being good at solving crosswords is definitely not the same as being good at constructing them.  I even used software, and the only puzzle that ever resulted was pretty awful.  My husband kindly solved it (with some confusion along the way).  The few clues that were at all clever were only something that the two of us would understand.  Even having a grid created, even having some or all entries provided, writing clues can be very tough and as daunting as starting to write a paper from scratch.  I hope there are some aspects that you can praise, but I fully understand how these efforts can go awry.  Maybe I'll give it another try this break.

[mahagonny]

Just listened to NPR news. Almost all of it is about race.

[mamselle]

Mamselle, did your friend use crossword software to make the puzzle? Two years ago around this time I made a goal for myself of constructing one over holiday break to submit to the NYT since I do those crosswords every day.  I watched videos, read interviews with constructors, etc.  I even came up with a theme and theme solutions for a test puzzle I wanted to make for my husband.  Whew... it is hard work.  Being good at solving crosswords is definitely not the same as being good at constructing them.  I even used software, and the only puzzle that ever resulted was pretty awful.  My husband kindly solved it (with some confusion along the way).  The few clues that were at all clever were only something that the two of us would understand.  Even having a grid created, even having some or all entries provided, writing clues can be very tough and as daunting as starting to write a paper from scratch.  I hope there are some aspects that you can praise, but I fully understand how these efforts can go awry.  Maybe I'll give it another try this break.

It's probably all that you say, and the fact that this friend (whom I respect very highly in a couple of other fields, as a skilled performer in one, and as a teacher in both) has always had a sweet empty spot, sort of like an internal fontanelle (to use a word in the "challenging" New Yorker crossword that took me 3 days and 12 proper-name lookups to complete) somewhere where their broader understanding of some things should be.

In a couple cases, this individual couldn't, for example, follow the logic that several of us were applying in pointing out the folly of a particular path, went ahead, and really suffered for it--which we all felt badly about, but had, indeed, foreseen and forewarned them about it, to no avail.

They have the best will in the world, and even if seemingly benighted at some points, don't deserve to be hurt. So, wording this response is indeed going to be...puzzling.

I did think about the software, might ask about that. It could also be an entree into the wider (or narrower) discussion....might be able to focus on that instead of the combination of (sorry, but...) really tired clues and really inexplicable ones (using an area of knowledge that the individual professes not to agree with or see value in, so that's even more puzzling...

Oh, well. We're all a puzzle.

Someone, somewhere, is trying to figure out 56 down about me, I'm sure...

M. 

[Wahoo Redux]

My elderly mother's caregivers put on the Hallmark Holiday movie channel.  All day while I visit.