Tuesday, December 20, 2011

I'm part of the banking system!

I don't like banks.  I don't like their rules, the stifling atmosphere, the feeling that my every move is being watched and recorded.  Call it paranoia but it is the way I feel.  And it is probably the reason I've been in our bank less than a dozen times in the past 40 years.  I do as much by mail as possible and at drive-through tellers otherwise.

This week I took one more step to take fewer steps into a bank.  Instead of depositing a check through the mail or drive-through atm I "phoned it in"!

Golden One Credit Union has the ability to accept deposited checks that have been photographed with a smart phone or scanned on a regular scanner.  It was simple enough:

1.  Endorse the check as you normally would
2.  Run the check deposit app
3.  Enter the amount of the check
4.  Take a picture of the front and back sides of the check (the program reminds you to have good lighting and hold the camera steady)
5.  Press "Transmit".  The check cleared  over night.

When the Automated Clearing House changed the rules to eliminate returning all canceled checks they made it possible to use a photocopy as proof of the check and thus made it possible for me to be part of the bank.  And I love not visiting my bank.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Pride goeth before the fallI

I've been feeling pretty good lately although the bursitis in my left elbow has again flared up.  In fact it hurt enough that I went to the doctor to get a shot of cortisone like I did almost exactly one year ago.  But the shot hasn't seemed to do anything this time.  I've needed to be more protective of the left arm because of the elbow pain.

Well, yesterday  evening we were scheduled to host a choir party.  Carolyn had spent many hours straightening, cleaning, and decluttering the house.  Edward, Tiffany, and their boys had come over to help and had left after lunch.  We were down to the little things.  I was in the living room putting away non-Christmas music and straightening the Christmas music around the piano.  Of course I wasn't using my walker since there's so little room to operate behind the piano bench.  And of course my feet would at that moment decide not to cooperate with a step I wanted to take.  Thrown off balance, I reached out with my left arm to steady myself.  The left arm gave notice through a tremendous jolt of pain that it wasn't about to be used that way.  Encouraged by the pain, my elbow buckled.  And down I went. I felt my knees go about the same time and thinking that was smart of them.  Now I wouldn't have so far to tip over.  My side hit the soft padding of the piano bench pushing it out of the way and apparently causing enough noise that Carolyn could hear me from the kitchen.

Carolyn was showing our youngest son Steven and his  wife Lisa how we made a hot, spiced drink from apple juice, cranberry  juice, and orange juice.  I heard her say, "Uh-oh, Dad just fell."  I didn't yet know what shape I was in but I still relaxed a little, knowing that help was on the way.  While the three of them came into the living room, I assessed the damage.  Nothing hurt enough as to signal a broken bone.  I hadn't lost consciousness.  The piano and music cabinet appeared unhurt.  Carolyn suggested that she and Steven help me up but after a brief attempt, I suggested we wait a couple of minutes while I got a damage assessment from my body parts.  I quickly determined that lifting me by my arms was not going to work.  But an underarm lift first to a sitting position, then to my knees, and finally to my feet worked quite well.   I have no idea what we would have done if Carolyn and I had been alone.

Carolyn slid my walker to me but even before I took a first step I knew that I couldn't  use a walker just then.  The pain in my arm from any pressure was just too great.  I asked Steven to retrieve my power chair while Carolyn moved away the walker.  This was only about the second time we've had the power chair in the house and it felt weird.  I discovered that I could negotiate every door I needed to as long as I kept my left arm securely inside the chair arms.

We continued with our plans for a choir party (about 22 people) at  our house that evening.  I wasn't much help but at least I could participate.  I don't think I'll be using my walker for the next few days.

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Christmas is a Season for Taking

Being by nature a contrarian, I often find myself trying to find another viewpoint, another way of looking at things.  And since we hear so much at this time of year that Christmas is a time of giving, I'd like to propose that Christmas is a Season for Taking.

We should take the time to celebrate warmly and openly with friends, neighbors, family, and even strangers.  Christmas is a time of good cheer.  It lends itself to going out of our way to meeting and greeting people whose life we can enrich and who, in turn, will enlarge our circle of friends.
Take note of the beauties of nature.  Take walks and bicycle rides.  Take along your kids and grandkids.  Take some pictures or videos of your adventures.

We can take the opportunity to dust off our musical talent, such as they are, and join the choir or the congregation in singing some of the happiest songs in the hymnal or the choir library.  Take this opportunity whether or not your second grade teacher told you to be quiet when the others sing.  Even the psalmist admonished us to "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psalms 95:1)."

Let us take stock of where we are and how much we have been blessed in the past 12 months.  We'll soon be making those irksome New Year's resolutions which can make us feel negative about our accomplishments.  Take the chance this month to focus on the positives.

Take a look around your home, your neighborhood, your work area.  How can you make a difference?  Take a chance in asking someone to work with you on a clean-up or beautification project.

Finally, let us take time to really appreciate God's gift to humanity.  We can recognize the symbolism in the gifts we give each other which represent God's gift to us as well as the gifts brought by the three wise men from the east.