Wednesday

Jul. 13th, 2016 10:16 am
susandennis: (Default)
[personal profile] susandennis
Zip codes and office chairs. Those were today's swimming thoughts. Last night on Jeopardy, there was a q/a about zip codes which were first used in 1963. Prior to that the only numbers in U.S. mailing addresses were house or post office box numbers. Except for some big cities that had numbered zones.

Zip codes made mailing stuff grow up. I just looked it up. A stamp cost a nickel. (BTW. Neither the Echo nor OK Google gave me the answer when I asked them. They are both in time out.)

My paternal grandparents (Momoo and Popoo - my cousin named them) lived in a tiny town in Missouri. We used to address cards and letters to them like this:

Momoo and Popoo Schubert
Chaffee, Missouri

They always got everything we sent. Really.

That led me to why I remember that so clearly. From the time we could hold a writing implement, my Mom required thank you notes. On birthdays and Christmas, we could play with our presents to our hearts content on the day. We were not allowed to touch any of it on the day after until all gifts were acknowledged with a hand written thank you note. No exception. NONE. The first years were drawing a picture. Then Mom would write out a note and we would copy it and then we were on our own. Once all gifts had a note written, addressed and stamped, we were allowed to play. It was torture. We cried and whined and bitched and made her life miserable - especially as we got older. She never wavered even a tiny bit.

And yes, I have really appreciated the lesson over and over again. To this day, I honestly cannot enjoy a gift until I have let the giver know how much I appreciate the gesture.

My back is just exhausted from sewing. Swimming helps a bit but I think it's time to rethink the ass accoutrement for sewing. I'm currently using an elcheapo doctor's stool. Clearly that needs to be replaced. But with what? A better stool? A chair?

I love the stool because I can tuck it under the table or hide it in the closet easily. I don't want something big that I cannot easily make disappear. So this morning I've been combing the internets. I've found several options that look like they may work but I think I'm going way out on a limb here and getting this one.

Screenshot 2016-07-13 at 9.57.39 AM

Actually, I just ordered it. And, for some reason, got $10 off! It will be here Friday. It won't be anything I can hide in a closet and it may not work at all. But, heck, if it does... woo hoo! I think today, I'm going to try using one of my folding bridge chairs.

Yesterday, I spent some time investigating and gathering local news sources. I got a list of the best neighborhood blogs and other sources and gathered there rss feeds into one place for easy reading. AND, oddly, a guy behind a new app called Zolt sent me Tweet asking me to look at his news app. I did and my initial reaction is KEWELL!! It grabs a photo and headline and adds a 60 word summary with a link to the source - grouped in like bundles - national, international, tech, entertainment, etc. I spent all of dinner last night being gracefully updated in a very handy way on all the news.

I may well have a viable plan created!

OMG Capital One scores again. They are sending my new credit card via Federal Express. This ensures it will not get lost in the junk mail pile that I routinely toss. But even that is not good enough for them. They just sent me the freakin' tracking number!! I plugged it into Google to discover that it's already here! Holy crap. Discovered it missing on Monday. Filled out form. New card on Wednesday. I love these guys.

Guess I'll go down and get it and start changing the number on my online accounts.

Edit: The card has a new number BUT they kept my online account as it was and just swapped numbers so all my charges are the same - even the pending ones. WAY nicer than the way Discover does it.

(no subject)

Date: 2016-07-13 06:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] goddessdi.livejournal.com
I don't know if you have seen skimm but it's a news source that just gives key points daily and you can decide if you want to read more.. http://www.theskimm.com/2016/07/12/skimm-for-july-13th-2

(no subject)

Date: 2016-07-13 06:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] goddessdi.livejournal.com
Absolutely! It's my go to news source now

(no subject)

Date: 2016-07-13 06:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] luzclarita.livejournal.com
Imagine writing my name and then La Crescenta California! It would probably work since I have a unique name, but the poor post office!

(no subject)

Date: 2016-07-13 06:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] luzclarita.livejournal.com
How is Zolt different from Reuters app?

(no subject)

Date: 2016-07-13 07:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] asher63.livejournal.com
Your mom's lesson about the Christmas presents is amazing.

(no subject)

Date: 2016-07-14 01:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badrobot68.livejournal.com
My Grandparents' address was just their name, Flora, IN. Apparently everyone knew everyone in Flora.

(no subject)

Date: 2016-07-14 01:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badrobot68.livejournal.com
Yeah, their address later became RR1 Box 241, as all the mailboxes got numbered.

(no subject)

Date: 2016-07-14 02:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rsc.livejournal.com
Prior to that the only numbers in U.S. mailing addresses were house or post office box numbers. Except for some big cities that had numbered zones.

Such as the one in which I grew up (New York).

We used to address cards and letters to them like this:

Momoo and Popoo Schubert
Chaffee, Missouri

They always got everything we sent. Really.


I don't know if I've told this story here before, but: Sometime in 1961 'or '62, my brother's college roommate sent a letter addressed thus:

Our Target
3850 Hudson Manor Terrace
Bronx 63, New York

The key being the return address:

Committee for the Elimination of Dan Coren
[roommate's Chicago address]

We lived in a large apartment building. The letter appeared in our mailbox.

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Susan Dennis

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