As shitty weeks go, I'd probably have to put this one up there in the playoffs, complete with brackets. Faithful old Poops has taken a couple of hits that threaten to kill injure the spirit that is pure optimist on most days. It all started with the great DirecTV robbery of my checking account.

I've been a long time customer of said company without a contract. I noticed that there were some overcharges on the bill for some length of time and when I called to get some resolution earlier this year their telephone answerer couldn't really give me my money back but offered a ten dollar a month credit on my bill for a year and a free! upgrade! to a DVR receiver. Okay...so we weren't even, but I took it. Last month I decided to take advantage of a bundling deal with my telephone provider so I called DTV to terminate service and settle up. Much to my surprise that day's telephone answerer told me that I was in an 18 month contract with their company and I would be charged an early termination fee. Hmmm...phone answerer #1 failed to mention that little detail. Anyway, long story short. I know ya'll are ready to go out and party like a rock star.

I look at my checking account online daily. When I logged in Monday I saw a big fat honkin' charge from DirecTV of almost 500 bucks, charged to my debit card without my authorization. I pay by the month when the money is there, and I do it with a debit card which they had on file. Anybody who has spent any time around Casa Poops knows for damn sure there ain't 500 extra bucks laying around in there collecting interest. Fortunately it was soon after payday so I had time to run to the credit union and borrow FIVE HUNDRED FREAKIN' DOLLARS to cover this unauthorized debit. It is in dispute with both huge corporate rapist company and bank. We shall see if Big Ernie thinks I've paid enough dues as a hard-working-single-mother-of-a-college-student. Let us pray and be specific.

My friend Elizabeth works at the sawmill too and we have been through piles and piles of shit there during the multiple sales of said facility. We were the clinical backbone of the IS conversion in conjunction with our most recent sale. She earned a well deserved Employee of the Year status the next go around. She had a stroke this week, most likely stress induced from crunching numbers the hard way for a giant corporation. Making do with less while producing more. She is expected to recover fully, but the whole deal just put another nail in the coffin that holds my belief in any sort of goodness associated with big business.

The one bright spot was Tuesday morning, waking up to the news that at least America didn't elect McCain and Palin. Somebody has been watching Comedy Central, I suspect. Or maybe they're just tired of lies and war. Who the hell knows at this point. Following months of bitter back biting over coffee pots and keyboards everywhere, it is a done deal. How about we just take what we've got and grow that peace and love idea, huh?

Then of course, there's the man in the cave thing. I have always been one to listen to guys like a therapist or something instead of making them earn my attention and affection. I don't try too hard, but I'm a good friend and listener and meet people where they are, even the ones with baggage. I thought I had honed my instincts during six years of single life to the point that I could see a direct hit coming. My bad. That's "Sister Elizabeth Jane of the Diocese of Pecan Lane" to ya'll from now on.

^j^