Monthly Archives: September 2010

One Expensive Colts Ticket

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One Expensive Colts Experience

Sept10-5I decided to be a nice girlfriend and do something special for my boyfriend.  He is a huge Indy Colts fan so I made it my plan to buy us two tickets to their season open versus the NY Giants (Manning vs Manning).  I went online to Ticketmaster and saw that the Colts tickets are pretty much sold out for the entire season.  However, they did offer a site where you could purchase tickets from season ticket holders that weren’t able to attend certain game.  Perfect! (or so I thought)

I went on the TicketExchange site and for several days we researched and watched the prices of various sections where we wanted to sit.  Some of the prices were mad high.  We found great Club Seats in the 200 level section on the 40 yard line.  I went online to purchase the tickets, entered my credit card information and then noticed that there was a rather high service charge fee.   So, I opened up another browser on my computer and randomly clicked on two more tickets to see if the service charge was the same.  I noticed the fee goes up with the price of each ticket.

I knew this was the only way we could attend the game, so I went back to my original screen, checked my total purchase price, clicked on the button that said “I agree to these charges” and pressed enter.  I was excited.  He was excited! – Until I received the confirmation email.  The email I received said that I purchased two tickets totaling $3224!!!!!  Yes, you read that correctly – three thousand two hundred and twenty four dollars.  I almost went in shock.

I immediately called Ticketmaster.  They said that because I opened the second screen to look at those tickets that those are the tickets I purchased.  I told them I only entered my credit card information on the first screen and even checked which screen I was on when I confirmed my order.  My response fell on deaf ear.  Nobody wanted to listen to me.  I talked to several supervisors.  I called my credit card company and tried to dispute.  Everyone thought it was unfair, but nobody was willing to help me.  So, I started calling every day and pleading my case.  I filed charges with the Better Business Bureau and had a demand letter sent on my behalf.  One supervisor said although it wasn’t my fault the tickets were purchased, it wasn’t their fault either so they couldn’t do anything.  Another supervisor said that Ticketmaster couldn’t afford to reimburse me $3000.  My response to that was, “So a multimillion dollar company can’t afford to lose $3000, but I can?!”

Two weeks of frustration went by.  I became more and more overwhelmed by the situation. It got to a point where it consumed many of my daily thoughts.  At my highest stress level, as I lay down to bed, I said a prayer to help right this situation so that I could move forward with my life. The next day I was sitting at my office desk and my cell phone rang.  I answered it and on the line was a lady from Ticketmaster.  She said they were able to re-create my online situation and realized that I honestly had no intent of purchasing the expensive tickets.  She said they were going to refund my ENTIRE amount!   I was ecstatic and overjoyed!

I realized that when I was at my worse that I had to put my faith in the situation in God’s hands.  It’s pretty amazing that as soon as I did just that, all of my problems were solved.  God does answer prayers.  They aren’t always answered overnight like this situation.  But, he can always help see you through.

M.Y. September 2010

Black and White

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Black and White

Sept10-4I went to a banquet I attend yearly.  This year’s theme was “Hats Off”.  I found a black and white hat and dress.  My boyfriend and I walked up toward The Olmstead together and we crossed the path of a man that was walking out into the parking lot.  He walked up to me and joked that maybe we should have arrived together since he too was dressed in black and white.  I mean, this dude was dressed to the “T” in black and white combinations.   We all laughed, my boyfriend and I went on in the building and started looking at silent auction items.

The guy came up to us again and started talking with us.  This time he touched my boyfriend’s chest, removed his nametag and said “Remember, your nametag always goes on the side of your body where people can easily see it when they shake your hand”.  He asked me if my mother approved of my boyfriend and I said unfortunately she passed away before she could meet him. The entire time this guy talked to us he had a very friendly personality and a smile.  It was just interesting that he took so much pleasure in us.

More minutes pass on.  We are still looking at various bid items.  I feel something at my shoulders and look back.  This guy presents me with this bag.  In it are a pair of earrings, a necklace and bracelet.  The colors of the jewelry are black and white!  (At the time I actually didn’t have on any of that type of jewelry).  I looked at him funny at first and jokingly asked him if he stole it off one of the auction tables.  He laughed and told us that he does auctions on the side and he keeps random items in his car.

Once the banquet started and we sat at our table, I decided to put on the jewelry.  It matched perfectly.  I looked around the banquet hall for the guy because I wanted to thank him for such a kind gesture.  I found him sitting at a pretty distinguished table surrounded by all of the oncologist doctors that treated many of the cancer survivors at the banquet.  I walked to the table and said hello to all the others at the table and found out the guy was married to one of the female oncologists.

As the banquet came to an end, I went and said my goodbyes and saw my boyfriend once again talking to this guy.  This time they were exchanging phone numbers.  My boyfriend mentioned the field of work he was in and this guy knew a great mentor that he should talk to.  Here is a guy that is just genuinely a nice human.  He wasn’t flirting with me.  He wasn’t trying to hustle my boyfriend.  He is a guy with a great personality and our paths just happened to cross at just the right time.

Everyone enters our lives for a reason.  Be careful of who you block out of your life just because they look a little different from you.   There are positive people on every corner, you just must keep your eyes, heart and mind open when they come near.

M.Y. September 2010

Cracker Banana

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Cracker banana

Sept10-3Banana – I was sitting in the back of a meeting, minding my own business, and enjoying the great dinner they provided from Sincerely Yours.  I’m a lover of chocolate dessert, but the only thing they provided was banana pudding.  I don’t like fresh bananas although banana flavoring can sometimes add a kick to foods.  So, after eating the nicely seasoned chicken and vegetables, I decided to get a small bowl of banana pudding.

The meeting carried on and I decided to take a bite of my dessert.  I had a decent size scoop, placed it into my mouth and was prepared to continue listening.  But, AS SOON AS the pudding touched my taste buds I had an instant memory of my mother.  It was this sudden flashback of the banana pudding my mother used to make when I was a child.  I had completely forgotten that she ever made it, but the second I tasted this pudding – all the memories came flooding back!  You better believe that I went and got another larger portion of the pudding and even took some home to eat later!

Cracker  – It was a typical outing last Friday.  My boyfriend and I were in Seymour, IN and decided to eat dinner at Cracker Barrel.  I’d already had Cracker Barrel twice that week for lunch with some colleagues, but there aren’t many options in Seymour.  We browsed over the menu.  He ordered the grilled catfish and I decided on some pancakes.  We laughed and chatted as we waited for the food to arrive.  Once it did, we grabbed each other’s hands and he said a blessing for our food, families and our relationship.

We continued on eating and laughing.  Then a man walked up to us.  He put his hand on my boyfriend’s back and said, “My family and I saw that you prayed before you ate your food and we think that’s a wonderful thing.  May God bless you both!”  I was taken aback to be complimented on something we take for granted as a regular practice of our day.  However,  it also felt good to be noticed for something positive.  So often we take time to gossip and waste our energy on the negative images and actions of others.  When’s the last time you complimented someone on something you appreciate about them?!

M.Y. September 2010

Hold the Trash

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Hold The Trash

Sept10-2Even after four years, I still have not cleared all of my parents things out of my childhood home where I now live.  There are a lot of things.  And if it’s in a room in which I never enter, it bothers me none.

However, I finally decided to sort through the Christmas boxes in my basement.  I made two stacks – 1. I may use these to decorate this holiday season 2. these decorations would never be a part of my celebration.

Once I’d gone through about 20 boxes and bags, there was an old, brown paper bag sitting on the floor hiding in a corner of my basement.  When I first glanced in it, all I saw was an empty video reel about size of a 45 rpm record.  I was getting ready to toss it into my trash pile, but my fingers kept digging deeper inside.  Tucked under the empty reel were about 10 blue video reels the size of the bottom of soda can.  And the reels had labels.  One said “1979, Michelle’s Birthday”. Another was labeled “1980 trip to Georgia”.

Hidden in this trashed brown paper bag, were treasures that I could never re-create.  Inside this simple object were memories of my childhood.  In my hands I now held videos of my parents – two people that I will never physically be able to see again on this Earth.  I was on Cloud 9!!!!!  I immediately drove to the closest video store to see if they could transfer the reels to DVD.

I nervously waited for a week in hopes that the videos would contain some footage.  Our basement was flooded in the late 90′s and a lot of things were ruined.  Since those videos were found on the basement floor, I didn’t know if they had been damages as well.  As I picked the videos, I rushed home and down to my basement to see what had been discovered.  I saw footage of several of my birthday parties, a recording when my dad taped my second grade class performing plays, a family gathering with my cousins, aunts and uncle and my friends and I playing outside at Mallgate.

Only about 3 of the 9 videos actually had sound, but I had a smile on my face the entire time.  For the first time in 18 years (since my father passed away) I was able to watch my parents together in action.  What a blessing to run across that bag.  If you haven’t done so already – take plenty of pictures and videos of your family.  You may not feel you personally have a use for them, but I can guarantee you that once you have left this earth, the people left behind will cherish them!

(PS: If anyone is an old school techie that has an interest in a Sankyo Super 8 Sound-500, let me know)

M.Y. September 2010

Random Thought

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A Random Thought

Sept10-1I don’t know about you, but I hate doing the ‘doo’ in the bathroom when someone else is there.  Although the company where I work takes up an entire floor, there are only 14 employees.  So, when you walk in the bathroom and someone is at another stall, it’s pretty easy to look down at the person’s feet to know who is there.

I always try to wait until the bathroom is empty before ‘making myself comfortable’ for a couple of minutes.  But every once in awhile that is not an option.  Last week I slowed my pace down as I heard my colleague finish her business.  I leisurely squatted and waiting a couple of seconds.  I know the general rule of the commode is that some type of sound should be made within seconds or else you could be accused of being a bathroom stalker.

So I said two short prayers to God. Prayer one – God, please allow a little urine to be in my system. Prayer two – God, please allow me to tinkle before I poo.  And I did.  (I warned you at the title that this was a random thought).

Then I started thinking about the chicken and the egg theory and which came first.  I pondered my toilet experiences and realized that I always do #1 before I do #2.  And then I wondered – “Is it possible to do #2 before #1 or is that why they are given those titles?” My thought grew to a question that I posted on Facebook.  Most of the responses thought I was crazy, but nobody answered the question….

…. Until a male friend of mine sent me a text saying that he always does #2 before #1.  So, now a new thought cloud has formed in my mind. Do all men do #2 before #1, but all women do #1 before #2!?  Hmmmmm, I think I’ve uncovered an un-researched world just waiting to be discovered.  It has created some interesting discussions, but still no concrete answers.  So, over the next 24 hours as you do the doo, poo and #2 – think about which came first and participate in our survey!

M.Y. September 2010