Karin's Adventures

I don't trust "big business", usually - and I don't "advertize" other people's stuff, usually - but this one is different. Having a smart phone with a data plan in the USA is expensive, comes with unfair pricing, non-existent customer service, and outrageous roaming charges - usually.

Until you discover Google's Project Fi. Unlimited calls and text in the US for $20 a month, plus $10 per GB of data, plus tax & fees. No roaming charges, incoming calls are free worldwide, and (here's my favorite part) you get a credit (real money back, not some hogwash "roll-over") for unused data on your next month's bill. The price for data is the same $10 per GB worldwide, and should you use more data than anticipated, there are no extra "overage" charges.

Sounds good, but where's the catch? Two little caveats, maybe:

1. currently you still have to "apply" for an invitation and then wait for about six weeks before they'll let you sign up. 
2. Also, there are still only three phones that will work with Fi - Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, and Nexus 6P.

I can live with that! 

Lately I have been driving by some impressive new structures in town. AEP is replacing many older transmission line pylons with these new ones.

They have a smaller footprint on the ground and are (hopefully) less susceptible to storm damage. One question remains, though: why do they still have to be up in the air?

Underground HVDC transmission lines have been around for some time and seem to have advantages. Maybe that's why Bavaria recently passed a law mandating underground installation for all new transmission lines.

Three times a year I order my free annual credit report from one of the three credit bureaus. It used to be quick, painless, and easy to do online - until two years ago. All of a sudden Equifax and Experian would not let me request my report over the web anymore. When I finally received the report from Equifax, ordering over the phone, I realized why: there was a change in my address.

Somehow an "Apt. 119" had been appended to my home address, which is a single family home, by the way.

That's when a frustrating journey began. I called Equifax to tell them about the error and have it corrected. You'd think that should be easy. It is not. It is actually impossible. They kept telling me they could not correct my address because it was being reported like that by one of my creditors. They would not tell me which one.

Experian just listed "Apt. 119" as one of three addresses somehow "related" to me, but didn't use it as my primary address. Calling them was just as frustrating, though - different reason given: we can't remove or correct any of the addresses associated to you, unless it is your primary address that is incorrect. They also informed me that the address was being reported like that by a creditor, and I needed to talk to the creditor. They would also not tell me which creditor.

A major break-through occurred this year, finally! I had ordered my annual free report from Experian again, over the phone, of course. It arrived today. On it I noticed the "Apt. 119" address came with an "address identification number". The same "address identification number" appeared under the section with our mortgage account. The mortgage that we refinanced two years ago. Apparently the bank had been reporting the address with "Apt. 119" ever since. Don't ask me why.

Logging in to the online user interface for that bank account, going to their "service center", and fixing that address was easy. 

Hopefully, just another two years from now, I will be able to order my Experian and Equifax annual credit reports online again.

While I can still get by everywhere without glasses, it is increasingly tiring to stare at my computer screen for hours. So I thought some midrange bifocals would be advisable.

Costco has an eye specialist on site, and after you get your prescription, you can order your glasses right there. Very convenient.

The optometrist recommended those "no-line progressive" lenses that seem to be the in-thing to have. I didn't know any better, so I agreed to that.

My goodness! Let me tell you this: you want lines on your bifocals. After just briefly trying the progressive lenses I really wonder how anybody would prefer those.

Your area of useful correction is about pea-sized. Everything outside the immediate center of the lense doesn't help you see; it turns the world into a wobbly, distorted blur. So, to be able to work, you need to learn to keep your eyes straight at all times, and move your entire head to look at stuff. No way!

I paid an extra $20 to have the lenses switched for some good old-fashioned bifocals, with lines. Much better!

The price for a gallon of regular has fallen below $2.30 where I live.

That is about $1 less per gallon than this time last year, almost $2 less than the highest prices I remember seeing. The last time gas was this cheap was approximately five years ago.

I realize that this may be temporary relief, and stocks are falling because of it - but it means we save roughly $100 per month without changing anything, and I don't own stocks.

Life is good!