Personal updates

Red face

Yesterday, while planning a surprise party for Q, I ended up blowing balloons in my car (it’s a long story). They were heart-shaped, meaning it was twice as difficult to inflate. My cheeks felt like they were going to burst. So did the second balloon. One piece hit my forehead, the other, under my lower lip. It felt like a very, very hard slap.

This morning, I woke up with a painful, prickly swelling under my lip. I put some anti-allergy cream on it. It’s evening, and the red patch is still there. I’m trying awfully hard not to touch my face. I pray it’ll go away soon.

Shreds

I spent most of this evening shredding paper. Namely, a tinful of receipts on everything I’ve ever bought, since 2000. Considering it’s been three years, I am glad my receipts only filled up a cookie tin. I decided to run them through the paper shredder, because our credit card numbers, names, and expiry dates are on each credit card receipt. Meaning, anyone who rummages through your dustbin will be able to buy things over the Internet. Scary thought, isn’t it? No point having 128-bit encryption in your browser, if all that’s needed is a small slip of paper.

Moreover, some shops also print out your full credit card number on their own receipt. From those shops, only Borders and Tower Records listed my number on their receipts as XXXX XXXX XXXX 1234, which I think is a much more secure practice. Just felt like telling everyone to be a little more careful.

Busy

We will be VERY, VERY busy over this weekend and the rest of the week. So I’d like to keep my social obligations down to a minimum. Please understand I cannot promise to help with anything until our work is done. Hopefully, by next week everything will be cleared out and I will have cause to celebrate with my fellow Alpha Greens.

Comments

  1. QTip

    Dear Van
    Thank you so much! I thought the balloons were great — the first thing I saw before you 2 popped out! Love the smses too. Sorry to hear about the swelling, hope it goes away real quick! Luv, Q.

  2. knock out

    poor dear … at least we now know that we can borrow the helium pump from q’s dad 😛
    Note to all : Keep Van away from the balloons !!! she’s not a very good blower :PP

  3. stef

    hope your face is feeling better after the balloon incident 🙂
    about the shredding, identity theft is really very real in our lives as Internet commerce grows. Receipts really shouldn’t have the full credit number as you mentioned. We usually shred ours too.

  4. Qtip

    Hmm. Any recommendations where to buy a cheap and good shredder? A safe one too, that my kitty will not play with!

  5. vantan

    Public announcement service: Miss knockout’s balloon size was still smaller than mine. Hahah. In every sense of the word!
    Q – hmm well our shredder is about 1 metre tall (including height of bin), and placed above the ground, so no curious child or kitten has ever been harmed 🙂 No shredder is perfectly safe. Depends on how easily accessible it is.

  6. Kristen

    yay! alpha green dinner! looks like brian won’t make it – he’s away that weekend, but a few folks have already confirmed they can come. it’ll be good to see everyone!

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