Friday, December 31, 2010

Last Shot

If you are one of those people who makes New Year's Resolutions but not exactly the "focused" type, you are probably in something of a dither right now.  The clock is ticking and you have but one last shot at resolving before you have to either admit defeat or come up with a very good lie.  This is, I am certain, a lot of pressure.

Oh, it's not such a big deal if you made a little resolution.  Say, for example, you said to yourself, "I think that this year I am going to take a risk and paint my toenails a saucy shade of puce!"  This is doable.  You have ample time to scoot off to the drugstore and purchase the supplies needed to fancy up your tooties.

If, on the other hand, you announced to one and all that you planned to lose thirty pounds, knit a lace shawl, cure the common cold and invent a platform, open toed, strappy sandal that the average woman can walk in...well, you might have a problem on your hands.  Kudos for enthusiasm, though.  It's nice to know you can aim high.

Lots of folks are trying to get in their last shots right about now.  My bank, for one.  They thought it might be nice to take one last poke at Sheepie before the year ran out.  So, they took a look at my recent transactions and noted that my purchasing a few e-books yesterday was not in keeping with my usual behavior.

It is. I do it quite often. They just decided that it isn't because how else could they say they kept their resolution?

A message was left on my phone last night alerting me to their deep and very sincere concerns on my behalf.  I was asked to call them.  I took that to mean during business hours. It was they way they said it.  Which was all part of the plan, you see.

What they failed to mention (and I cannot stress this enough) was that they made my debit card worth less than the plastic from whence it was crafted.  Failing to mention this was also part of the plan because how else could I have made an early morning run to the grocery store and not have had the means to pay for that which I'd selected?

How they knew I didn't have checks with me is something of a mystery.  I'm assuming they have spy cameras in my purse...

Well done, Bank!  Some people might have given up what with it being the final hour and all.  But not you!  You hung in there and made your resolution come true!

After calling the bank and reassuring them that I (like the billion people who got e-readers for Christmas and are currently buying books) was not a victim of fraud, my card was restored and I was able to go about my business.  I am not one to make resolutions (I know my limits).  However, I did have a mission.  I was going to get a picture of the cats playing with their Christmas toys or die trying.

"Die" is a strong word.  I don't mean really die.  I'm just trying to tell you how dedicated I was to this endeavor, is all.

I have tried repeatedly to do this.  It shouldn't be hard.  They play with their toys all the time.  They love them.  But, whenever the camera appears, they suddenly find other things to do. Sometimes they stare at me blankly as if they have never in their entire lives seen such a device.  Other times they do things that are less than...aesthetic.  But, by God, it is New Year's Eve and I was going to do this!  Nothing would get in my way!!!

Epic Fail.




Epic Fail Times Two



Oh, well.  You can't always get a win.  It doesn't mean you don't take the shot, though.  If nothing else, you can say you tried.  Or slap some puce paint on your toenails and call it a day.  I hope that you and yours can say that you met more of your goals than you missed and that you can wave good-bye to 2010 with naught but a light heart.

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!  And, for what it's worth, the cats are currently taking advantage of my blogging time by playing with their toys.

SA

10 comments:

Jeanne said...

Bad bank. Mean bank. I'm mad at Bank for doing that to Sheepie.

Though I know better, whenever I hear the word "puce" I see a horrendous pale olive-green sickly color, not a lovely reddish-brown pink. It won't go away, no matter what I do. Puce is and always will be in my mind a horrendous shade of green.

Anyway, Happy New Year to you and the furry ones.

Hugs, KnittyJeanne and the Furry Fivesome

sheep#100 said...

Happy 2011! Enjoy the rest of the vacay!

Anonymous said...

I never knew what color puce was. Like Jeanne, I sort of imagined it to be puke green. Now you (and Google) have shown me the error of my ways.

I think the way to photograph the felines is to have your camera in your hand or on your lap or next to your beverage AT ALL TIMES. Eventually they will get used to it.

Have a lovely new year's!

Julia G said...

Happy New Year to you and the AGK and the VCK!

Darn banksters -- I run into a similar problem when I use my credit card for Christmas shopping or for traveling and they flag it as "unusual" -- of course, that's why you have the darn card in the first place.

I too always thought puce was greenish brown, but the etymology makes perfect sense -- "la puce" is French for flea, and reddish brown is the color of a flea that has just had a tasty snack of your blood. Best not to mention it to the kittehs!

Donna Lee said...

Actually, it's a berry red color and I bought it yesterday (I am a pink toenails kind of woman and I wanted a change).

I have had some trouble downloading books from the library since Christmas. All those darn e-readers!

Happy New Year!

Karen said...

Happy New Year to you and the boys!
My credit card company did that to me at the last store of the yarn crawl last spring. Why would they think buying yarn at a dozen stores over 4 days was odd? I bet they still talk about the hysterical woman and the yarn crawl while laughing out loud.

lobstah said...

Aw, the kitties are adorable even if not at their most photogenic.
Happy New Year!

Kath said...

I believe I am well acquainted with that less-than-aesthetic posture you mentioned. It is the one my critters assume whenever my mother tries to take pics of them. I think she's starting to take it personally. :/

Amanda said...

I think the picture you captured of your cat is pretty funny anyway. Happy New Year.

Beth said...

Nice try with the cat photos. Maybe you're not paying your models enough? :)