Chase Sucks

I would like to let all of you know why Chase sucks.

This could be, I suppose, emblematic of just the Santee branch. But I am blaming the entire company.

First problem, is that my ATM card was swallowed up by their ATM machine. I put the card in, processed the transaction, and the card never came out. Very nice. To top it off, it was on Thanksgiving day so I couldn't get any money that day.

I go in first thing today at 9 AM. The line is extremely long. As per usual bank policy, about 8 employees are walking around with only 2 helping people in line. I think this was why ATMs got invented in the first place, so you didn't have to stand in line watching employees not help you.

I tell the lady what happened, only, she informed me I couldn't get my card until 3 PM. They wouldn't have anybody available to open it to retrieve my card until then. I was flabbergasted and frustrated.

Then, at 12:45 PM (not 3 PM), I get a call from the bank letting me know they had my card. My reply was something like "Duh, no kidding," (full disclosure: I used less charitable language but we will censor that) and said I would come right down.

15 minutes later, I am back in line and seriously, I think Wal-Mart had shorter lines today (Black Friday) than the stupid bank. More people standing around doing nothing. I get to the girl finally and explain I was just called and they had my card. She then goes to a set of file cabinets, looks around confused, doesn't find anything, then comes back to say that they don't have my card. A flurry of less charitable language from me here, and then she, get this, decides to ask her co-workers if they had the card (for people with real jobs, this would be step # 1). She asks the woman next to her, who then asks, "Do you know who called you?" I said no, that is ridiculous, I was just called 15 minutes earlier and I already deleted the voicemail. She asks my name, and as if this was some joke on me, she reports to me that she herself has my card. Yes, the one who asked who called. Aargh!

My card has a huge cut down the middle and it is obvious I need to replace it. I suppose for debit point of sale purchases I can use it since the magnetic reader is okay, but I want a card that doesn't have a huge cut on it.

You would think this would be an easy request. Except, this is a Chase bank. So this is apparently as tough as hacking into Obama's NSA Blackberry. I was told that they couldn't reorder me a new card because some guy is on break. They thought he'd be back soon. At this point I was sure this was a big joke. I said, accurately, that this was ridiculous, and I was told I could order over the phone or online but I would get a different PIN (not from a human apparently). Like I care! I just want a new card!

I couldn't take anymore. I told them I would just go bank somewhere else. And they told me, "Thanks, have a great day."

Chase, you suck!

Upcoming Trip

I will be talking more about it as the trip gets closer, but I am planning to see the following:

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Arizona

I will be gone for a week. I am very much looking forward to the trip.

The Canyon Is Alive

One of the places I am anticipating on this trip coming up is the Toroweap Viewpoint at Grand Canyon National Park. It is located on the North Rim, which is closed in the winter. It is a 60 miles dirt and high clearance road to get in. Without a doubt, one of the more remote areas you will find.

It is also one of the more complete views of the Grand Canyon. Along the South Rim, it can be challenging to see the river in places but that is not a problem at Toroweap where you are almost exactly 3,000 feet above the mighty Colorado.

The plan, as long as the road cooperates and the weather is nice to us, is to shoot the sunrise on Saturday morning. I can guarantee you the golden glow of the sunrise will be 5 of the most meaninguful moments I have spent in the outdoors.

Onward, the adventure awaits.

TM

Another Trip In The Works

I leave Thursday night/Friday morning for a new trip to Utah and Arizona. The weather seems likely to play a role in what gets done, but I am hoping to get a lot more shooting done with my new camera.

Some of the spots include:

Toroweap: Located at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which is closed in the winter. It is a 60 mile dirt high clearance road to get in. If it rains Friday, this won't be happening.

Horseshoe Bend: One of the most famous photography spots on the Colorado River. Let's pray Curt lends me his 12/24 lens! I shot this before with a point-and-shoot and both sides of the river were cut off.

Paria Rimrocks: Been there before. Crazy hoodoo formations. Sometimes called Toadstools.

Wahweap Hoodoos: Neat white hoodoo formations. Never been here.

The Wave: The highlight of the trip. Tough permit to get, thanks to my friend Jeremy, we will be there Monday. Some of the neatest looking geology in the world. Imagine a huge wave breaking over the ocean, only, it is actually Utah slickrock. These pictures will be a huge hit.

Now that the best laid plans are in place, I can't wait for everything to go wrong. But sometimes it is best to be there and enjoy the moment. I can't wait to show everyone what we find as we discover yet another beautiful area of the most beautiful area of the world.

TM

Cowles Mountain

Over the past few months, I have been cutting time off my hike up to Cowles Mountain. I take the Mesa Road trail to the peak, which would be considered the "back side" to most people. I like it because it is steep, strenuous, and the longest advance to the mountain.

Today I cut 4 more minutes off my best time. I am now down to 57 minutes to the top. I can't begin to describe how good it feels, how much more energy I have, and how motivated I am to keep working on it.

I even see room for improvement, and I think eventually I can cut a few more minutes off the hike.

I also got my roundtrip under 100 minutes, 99 total, but I had to run the last stretch to make it. I have tended to take it easy coming down after hiking so hard up to the top.

Another new feeling...the satisfaction that I actually pass people to the top. I used to be the one who would get passed.

I can only wonder why I had not worked this hard in the past. But, here I am, and I know how I feel now, and I want to keep it going.

TM

Technology Sucks...

Tonight I was having trouble with my computer and all my USB devices weren't connecting (Insert Windows Vista joke here). I have several external hard drives in my desk and I looked to find one of them was off.

So I turned it on. I looked at the drive and it was empty. I completely paniced. I had literally about 12 years worth of data, including all my BSA files that I couldn't find. The shortcut to them wasn't working.

I do have jungledisk for backup, only I never remember to back up, so I could only think about the last few months worth of data I would lose forever. This was bad, like cats and dogs sleeping together. What is this world coming to?

So I restarted my computer and the drive was still empty. All of that stuff lost forever.

Then I noticed another drive was turned off. I turned it on. There was all my data.

Technology would be so easy if it weren't for them users (me).

TM

More Target Fun

Target is always fun. I never I could top the time when I accidentally took somebody else's shopping cart and then had to go back and steal mine back to get the things I bought, but this one might do it.

The line was really long and I was just standing there waiting when a woman came up and put her her hand on my arm. Which was odd...but then she put her other arm around me, put her head on my shoulder, and then squeezed tight. I must admit, wasn't really complaining here, but she was a complete stranger.

So, I gave her about 5 seconds, then quietly said, "Wrong person?" Well, her head looked up and she got the surprise of her life. Her husband was the shopping cart in front of me. He didn't look too thrilled. She was embarassed beyond belief, and I probably made it worse because I couldn't control my laughter. Finally after about a minute, she just abandoned her husband completely and left the store.

I am still laughing. Hey, it was fun.


TM