Well, dear readers, it was the best of days, it was the worst of days, but the best wins out because one just has to put the worst out of mind because if one didn’t one would want bitch-slap the cause of the worst from here to eternity and hell and back. But I’m getting ahead of myself, which is, I suppose, better than getting afoot of myself or even aknee of myself. So, let’s start with the best part. The best part is that our second shoot day was really fun and we got a whole lot done and were on time, wrapped a little early, and everyone did a great job, from actors, to production coordinators, to the camera and sound people. I think we got some truly funny stuff and now it’s up to the editor to make sense of it all and do his as always wonderful work. It was a long day, and I shot more coverage than I normally do because I knew I wanted certain things from certain numbers. Thankfully, we never got behind once during the entire day. Kevin Symons and Damon Kirsche were just great in the first half of the day, and so was our mighty ensemble doing Kay Cole’s choreography. We did make a couple of little changes on the fly and everyone picked them up very quickly. Nick Santa Maria led one number and it’s pretty amusing stuff. Then we broke for lunch. We ordered from Dino’s Pizza and they delivered. I’d meant to get some cash to do that transaction but I forgot and so I did what I really hate doing – gave the credit card to the delivery fellow who puts it on a credit card receipt thing by rubbing the numbers through the carbon. Remember that because we’re coming back to it shortly.
Then we began the second half of the day with episode four’s three musical numbers. First was a group number that also featured John Sloman (the lead in this episode) and Dan Guntzelman. The latter is not really an actor or a singer, but he actually did great. I spent quite a bit of time on that number, but I’d allotted an extra thirty minutes to do so. Then the ensemble left and we did John’s solo, the closing number of the episode. Then Angel Reda arrived and we shot the second number, a duet between her and John. That went very quickly and we wrapped about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Then we had to dump all the audio and video onto the hard drive – that took an hour.
Then the camera folks and I went over to Mucho Mas for some dinner. I’d eaten two small pieces of pizza for lunch, plus about a quarter of a donut. For dinner I had one cheese enchilada and one beef taco, both really yummilicious. Then I went to the mail place even though I knew they were closed, just to see if the important envelope was there. It wasn’t and that annoyed me large. Hopefully it will be here today. The interesting thing was they were still open at seven because the UPS driver was late and they had to get a huge number of packages out of there. So, I was able to pick up a couple of packages.
And then I came home. I’d forgotten my cell phone, so I had some messages, and I hadn’t seen e-mails all day. The first thing I did was check all the e-mails. The last e-mail address I checked was the one where all my Paypal stuff goes, as I always check to see the charges I made during the day. I’d made exactly two – Dino’s Pizza, which was there and correct, and Mucho Mas which was there and correct. And then there was another charge, which surprised me but I thought it might be one of my handful of auto pays, like Direct TV or Time Warner cable. But it wasn’t – and I knew the minute I saw the charge that the son-of-a-bitch who’d delivered the pizza had stolen my card number and already sold it or given it to someone, because there was close to a four hundred dollar charge to some liquor store in Brooklyn. I immediately called Paypal and there the nightmare began and the worst of the day kicked in.
Last time this happened a year-and-a-half ago, I called and we froze the card and they issued me a new one instantly. But things have changed and they now have many more security things in place and trying to deal with them was so frustrating and irritating and I became so agitated with the poor gal trying to help me, that I just lost it. The gist of it was I had to confirm the address Paypal has on me, as that’s where they send the card. I explained carefully that this had happened once before and they had no problem sending me the replacement, and I asked why, in all this time, they’d never needed to confirm nor had ever asked me to do so. Anyway, I had to enter a credit card to confirm. It didn’t confirm because the way my address was showing up (the mail place) it wasn’t showing by box number and apparently it needed to – but neither she nor I realized that right then. Then she started in that I’d need a photo of my license to verify name and address. I explained to her that the address on my license didn’t match the address on the credit card I’d given her. So, that was a deal. Then I realized other than amazon address labels, I don’t really have anything with my name and address on it – she suggested my bank statement – I told her that was all well and good but that the bank statement is to Kritzerland and my name doesn’t appear. This went back and forth for an entire hour at which point I demanded a supervisor. I got one, and he was much more helpful, although he said I’d have to fax the statement in the morning – he said there would be no problem because the Paypal account IS under the business name. He promised that it would all get taken care of but until it did, I had limited use of my account. I simply explained to him that I was the VICTIM and none of this was fair. So, finally I got off the phone after wasting a total of ninety minutes. He’d given me the case number and the number for the fax.
But ten minutes later he called back and said he’d gotten it cleared so I didn’t have to fax anything – I think he’d talked to a higher-up and they saw that the credit card had been confirmed once we’d added the box number to the address. Then he talked me through ordering the replacement card and that seemed to go through fine. So, now it’s a waiting game till the card arrives. Until then, everything is a pain in the ASS because I don’t like to use my other credit card EVER. And then when the card does arrive, I have to go to all my auto pay sites and put the new number in, and you know I won’t remember all of them, which is going to cause a huge problem when they try to do the monthly payment. What a mess.
The I called the production associate and she was as angry as I about the whole thing. She called Dino’s, got the manager, who was very apologetic, and who, without the blink of an eye, gave us the name of the delivery person. So, the next step is that this morning I will go directly to the police station with all this, fill out a report and I hope they nail this jerk and put him behind bars. In fact, I wish they’d do worse because anyone who causes this kind of unnecessary grief to people should suffer mightily so that they know what it feels like. I loathe these little lowlife creeps, and how stupid is he to not know that we’d know exactly who did what?
So, it was the best of days, it was the worst of days, but the best won out because the best always wins out. And I will not let up on the police until the creep is arrested. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because she of the Evil Eye will be here all too soon and I need some semblance of a beauty sleep.
Today, I shall visit the local police department to file the complaint and give them all the information they need, plus the receipt. I’m sure they’ll talk to Dino’s and I’m sure they’ll talk to the creep – what happens beyond that is anyone’s guess. Then I simply need to eat and relax and watch motion picture – I’m doing NO work. I shall hopefully pick up some packages and an important envelope.
Tomorrow, I’ll begin writing the commentary for the Kritzerland show, plus I need to write its blurb. Then I need to prep our new release announcement (blurb is already done, so it’s jut the eBlast), and I need to write some liner notes. Then I’m supposed to see a one-person show. Next week is filled with writing, meals, one little rehearsal, and some meetings, and, of course, Thanksgiving.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, visit the police department, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: For anyone who has had this happen with their credit cards, has the culprit ever been caught and punished? And did you have to do anything other than report it? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall continue to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.