ANCHOR BANK

My neighbor who recently sold her house happened to mention today that her buyers couldn’t obtain a loan from Anchor Bank, as their loan department has closed. Oh my gosh I thought – I do my banking at Anchor. Granted my account only totals about $3,500 as I have invested all my assets elsewhere, but the social security office and my pension company send my monthly checks directly to Anchor Bank. And I use the money at Anchor for my daily living expenses – food, gas, clothes, insurance, etc.

Because the FDIC insures Anchor, I know I won’t lose any of my money. But if they go under, it will create a real hassle. A couple years ago, I heard the bank was having some financial difficulties but they were taking care of it and customers need not worry. Even so, I removed $500 and opened an account at a credit union for a little measure of security. But now I’m wondering if I should totally close the Anchor account.

The problem is whom do I call for advice? Certainly not Anchor.

By Hannah www.FunnyPhotosContest.com a photo contest for cute or funny photos and photo captions.

MY T.V.

I keep my television set in my upstairs den. And since I rarely spend time in my den, I don’t watch T.V. In fact the last time I turned my set on was over a year ago in February 2009 when new technology forced me to buy a converter box to switch my old set to a digital system. But since I will have two high school friends staying with me in June and since we might want to watch a video, I decided last week that I better check it out.

I turned the set on and all I saw was “snow”. So I tried clicking the channel button again and again to find a channel that would display a picture and sound. In contrast to last year when I could view 6-7 channels, only one worked. I had no idea what the problem was and thought to myself, “Darn this modern technology. I’m too old to understand it.” At least I could call my daughter and she could tell me what to do. She patiently said, “Mom, now that you have a converter box, you must use its remote control rather than the buttons on the set and sure enough she was right.” Thank goodness for children.

By Hannah www.FunnyPhotosContest.com a photo contest for cute or funny photos and photo captions.

OIL SPILL

Radio and TV announcers are continually suggesting we boycott BP gas stations as a protest for the catastrophe they created in the Gulf of Mexico. And I certainly want those BP executives to feel the wrath we Americans hold by hitting them in their pocket book. But I also have a dilemma. For 40 years I have purchased gas at the same station and know the current, as well as the past owner, very well. He’s a nice guy and I would feel guilty taking my business elsewhere.

But yesterday when I discussed the problem with a friend she advised me that the small gas station owners are not to blame. Furthermore, it would be a shame to deprive them of their normal business. Her words eased my conscience and so, although I am very angry at BP, I will not stop trading at my local gas station. I just hope some other way turns up for me to demonstrate my fury at BP.

By Hannah www.FunnyPhotosContest.com a photo contest for cute or funny photos and photo captions.

U.S. JOBS SHIPPED OVERSEAS

My frustration has gotten the best of me and I complain loudly to anyone who will listen how much I hate the foreign workers (especially from Asia) who answer the telephone whenever I place a call for technical support or customer service. I cannot understand their foreign accents and when I ask them to please repeat what they said, they keep talking as if they don’t even hear me or pay attention to what I say. And I’m not alone as so many other people completely agree with me. In addition, I hate the wealthy C.E.O’s who deprive American workers of the jobs that get shipped overseas.

However, I learned yesterday that I am just as responsible. Someone finally told me, what I should have known all along, it is precisely because of me and people like me that the situation exists. Without those foreign workers, the cost of the products I want to buy would cost a great deal more. And as long as I want to pay the lowest amount possible, I can no longer complain about this problem or criticize the wealthy C.E.O.’s. Furthermore, in the future, I’ll stop acting so rude to those foreign workers. It’s not their fault, it is my selfishness and they deserve better treatment.

By Hannah www.FunnyPhotosContest.com a photo contest for cute or funny photos and photo captions.

RICK’S ANNIVERSARY

For years my son Rick’s forgetfulness has made me feel bad. He forgets to send me birthday cards, neglects to call me, and doesn’t respond to my emails. But an email yesterday from my daughter, Cathy, has lifted my sadness forever.

She called Rick on Wednesday to wish him a Happy Anniversary. Since the date Rick and Jen married coincides with her son Jared’s birthday, my daughter has no trouble remembering their anniversary. It’s also easy to remember as the wedding took place in Las Vegas on Friday May 26th during the 2006 Memorial Day weekend.

Happy Anniversary she said when Rick answered the phone. But Rick was dumfounded. He replied, “Oh, I thought it was Friday.” When Cathy told me of Rick’s response, I smiled and realized, if he forgets to wish his wife a happy anniversary, I don’t ever have to feel bad again. In addition, I laughed out loud when my daughter told me how she answered Rick, “I told him it changes days each year.” What was he thinking???

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OLD PAINT

A high school friend will be staying with me in June when we will be attending our class reunion. And so yesterday, I decided to get out my paintbrush and my old can of paint to paint some spots on my wall that need a little touching up. I had my house painted a number of years ago and luckily kept the left over white paint for just such occasions.

Unfortunately, without knowing it, I did not close the paint can tightly enough the last time I used it. Thus, when I pried open the lid, to my surprise and terrible disappointment I found that the paint had turned to stone. But all’s well that end’s well. Recently, I had a new front door installed on my condominium and my handyman had purchased a new can of white paint to paint the door. So, even though it’s not as perfect, it will have to do. In addition, I don’t have to worry about throwing away the old paint in an environmentally correct way. Since the paint is so hard, it is no longer toxic and I can just toss in with all my other garbage.

By Hannah www.FunnyPhotosContest.com a photo contest for cute or funny photos and photo captions.

I ALREADY READ IT

Eight years ago, I started listening to books on tape. Because I live alone, I can listen to the books all day long if I like -- while I’m getting dressed, cooking, cleaning, etc. Thus, I listen to three or four books a week which totals over a 1,000 books since I first began in 2002. Unfortunately, I neglected to keep a list of the books I’ve listened to. As a result, I have, more than once, put a tape in my recorder of a book I had already heard.

Lo and behold a couple of days ago, I once again began a book I had already “read”. But I didn’t recognize it at all. And not until I was half way through the book, did I finally recognize a particular event in the book. Furthermore, it seems to have been the only part of the book I recalled because I had no idea of how it ended. Oh well … I just hope I will remember not to read it again.

By Hannah www.FunnyPhotosCont
est.com a photo contest for cute or funny photos and photo captions.