The Post For Stuff You Wanna Tell People

[hmaria1609]

I'm seeing posted signs about coin shortages in stores again.  The local Wal-Mart in town has credit only mode at shelf-check out machines.

[Parasaurolophus]

Apparently I've been banned on a forum I've frequented since 2007 (I stopped going there from 2018-21, but returned a few months ago). I hadn't posted in weeks.

I guess maybe a spammer hacked my account? Sigh.

[permanent imposter]

Not sure if this is the right thread for it, but I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this article: The Truth Behind the Amazon Mystery Seeds, which is about all those mysterious seed packages from China. The author seems to have done a thorough investigation and came to the tentative conclusion that either a) people ordered those seeds themselves and forgot about them, and were thus confused when they received them months later in weird packaging, or b) it's part of a "brushing" scam.

My favorite part:

People know what to feel when you take something from them. But when you give them something they don't want, it's confusing. You could read their baffled reactions as some kind of free-form poem about consumerism:

"My husband got a package from China that had a pair of white ankle socks for women" ... "We received a shoe sole. So strange all these packages" ... "two white masks from china that I did not order ... I threw them away" ... "Got one with a golf ball inside ... threw it right away and washed hands" ... "a tiny bottle of shampoo" ... "a fidget spinner" ... "a toy camera, no joke" ... "Baby socks. I am old. I don't have babies nor baby grandchildren" ... "I didn't get seeds but I did get junky, plastic, creepy little cars" ... "it sounds funny but it was pretty creepy they were like mini ballerina socks" ... "I got mascara, trashed it" ... "Sleepy Time TEA ... I laughed and said NOT TODAY China" ... "a mysterious plastic soap dish from china" ... "a travel tooth brush i I didn't order" ... "I came back from a trip a month ago and had 6 small packages waiting for me, each containing one single hair tie" ... "I have received random things from China in the past, a marble ! a bead ! and a length of ribbon ! none of which I ordered ... I didn't have anyone to tell about my marble!!! It was blue."

[ergative]

Wow. Stinging nettles, man. Aptly named.

[apl68]

Today a local church is distributing 250 food boxes.  Each recipient is getting a good batch of potatoes and other mixed produce, some tomatoes, a small bag of sweet potatoes, and some miscellaneous dry goods, which include canned potatoes.  Somebody commented that people were going to be loaded up on starch. 

Also they are distributing donated books for children to any families with children as part of a regional literacy initiative.  I asked them while we were assembling the boxes this morning whether they would also be interested in distributing information on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.  They said they would.  So I got them Imagination Library brochures.  Our children's services person said that she had also talked to a local radio DJ who said he would have to promote Imagination Library on the air next time he plays Dolly Parton.

Food for bodies, food for minds.

[namazu]

Nice work, apl68!

[apl68]

Nice work, apl68!

Thanks, namazu!  I wasn't at the distribution.  I'm told that all 250 boxes were gone in less than an hour.  I'll be interested to see whether we get any new Imagination Library sign-ups.  The church is planning two additional distributions later this year.  Meanwhile another church continues to operate the local food pantry, as always.

[ciao_yall]

I'm wearing makeup for the first time in what feels like ages.

[hmaria1609]

This looks good:
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/mexican-street-corn-soup?utm_source=pocket-newtab
I've had the salad version from the local organic supermarket in town. It's delish!

[fast_and_bulbous]

I have eradicated the Glechoma hederacea. Pray that I do not further eradicate it. I have felt the seductive power of lawn-poison.

[Economizer]

Others may have experienced ire over this. It is about the unbridled greed of a major financial institution{s}.

For the first time in years I needed to reorder my personal checks.  The fact that I do not use personal checks very much anymore has allowed this. So, I go to the online link to accomplish this. As I start the process, I find out that the minimum order is 44 of these financial document forms. The price is about $44.00  To this is added a $13.50 shipping fee.

If the firm, a bank, had, at all, a heart it will still offer a sample or "starter" pack of 10 or 12 checks.  Many, if not most, of us would use no more than that in two years! Would allowing lesser orders be unreasonable? Maybe even the shipping charges would be reduced?

[Economizer]

I'm seeing posted signs about coin shortages in stores again.  The local Wal-Mart in town has credit only mode at shelf-check out machines.

Right away, I'm thinking Scrooge McDuck!

[Langue_doc]

Others may have experienced ire over this. It is about the unbridled greed of a major financial institution{s}.

For the first time in years I needed to reorder my personal checks.  The fact that I do not use personal checks very much anymore has allowed this. So, I go to the online link to accomplish this. As I start the process, I find out that the minimum order is 44 of these financial document forms. The price is about $44.00  To this is added a $13.50 shipping fee.

If the firm, a bank, had, at all, a heart it will still offer a sample or "starter" pack of 10 or 12 checks.  Many, if not most, of us would use no more than that in two years! Would allowing lesser orders be unreasonable? Maybe even the shipping charges would be reduced?

I just reordered checks online through Checks in the mail. They charged me $25.97 for 100 checks, which includes taxes and shipping. There was a 20% discount for reorders.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I want to take a nap. This week has been rough.

[Cheerful]

I just reordered checks online through Checks in the mail. They charged me $25.97 for 100 checks, which includes taxes and shipping. There was a 20% discount for reorders.

Thanks, Langue_doc!  I need to order soon and was trying to decide which vendor to use. Definitely not bank/credit union option which is pricey and poor -- as Economizer notes.  I ordered from CitM years ago and your endorsement is convincing.  Do you get a commission for this post?  😄