A New Method of Torture?

This was the title for a nasty-gram that I sent off to my husband's credit union today, which I've posted below. I wish I could forward it to our mortgage holder, Wells Fargo, as well. It seems that these financial institutions have decided to start sending late & overdue payment notices out a month before the payment is actually due. WTF?????? I can only speculate that they are becoming desperate in light of our country's crumbling economy. And I will do my utmost to ignore their craven attempts to add unnecessary stress and confusion to our already complicated lives. But first I'm gonna call them on their playground bully behavior.

Dear Navy Federal,
Yesterday I received what looked like an automated letter from your offices concerning my car payments which are attached to my joint account. This letter was apparently to inform me that I was overdue for not only April but also, pay attention, May's payments. That's right, you sent me a "pay us now" letter for NEXT MONTH. As in the month that comes after this one. I would appreciate it if in the future you could keep your missives of subtle threat confined to real-time. Please know that as a Navy wife, SAHM to two young children, and someone who is already having to cope with an away spouse during the economic upheaval our country is going through, I do NOT appreciate financial intimidation. I am making the payments for April today from your website, so you may rest easy on that account. Be assured that I will do my best to make timely payments as much as it is in my power to do so, and to inform you promptly in the event that I cannot. I do apologize if this letter seems overly irate, but you have strained the limits of my courtesy. Hopefully any further correspondence between our parties will be more harmonious. Respectfully,
Sarah E. Keitz

Morning Rant-Grocery Etiquette

This is for the elderly gentleman in the Langley Commissary this morning, who apparently was in SUCH a hurry to get through his 9am produce shopping in an uncrowded store that he felt it his duty to comment on the placement of my child-filled shopping cart. I believe his exact words as he pushed by me angrily were, "Gee, thanks for blocking the WHOLE aisle!" I feel compelled to call attention to his uncouth behaviour.
You sir, are a discredit not only to your gender but to your years. For shame, that you could not be bothered to utter a simple "excuse me", yet you have the breath to waste on a snide and cutting comment. Which you made in front of my children and several other men, ALL of whom looked embarrassed by your actions. It is a certainty that if one of them had been in front of you, those words would not have left your mouth, instead you probably would have just moved their cart aside to make way. And speaking of making way, that is exactly what I WAS doing, making way for the stockperson to finish unloading the fruit I was trying to purchase. My aim was not to make everyone behind me look for another route, but to try to help a fellow human being. Which is something you ought to try to do more often. Oh, but I suppose it's easier to be a misanthropic chauvinist and tell other people where to go, then rush off to avoid being confronted. Please keep your scathing remarks and snap judgements to yourself. Stop doing such a disservice to the rest of the wonderful, elder generations that possess the warmth and social graces you so obviously lack. Yours sincerely,
Young, Mixed-Race Mother in the Grocery Store