a quick side comment

discreet - (among other things) quiet, tasteful, not calling attention to itself, understated.

discrete - distinct, individual, easily-enumerated.


Thank you for your attention to this matter.

two good things in the past twelve hours

1. I got home from rehearsal last night and learned that the Canadiens had defeated the Penguins in Game Seven of whatever round of the playoffs the NHL is in now the conference semifinal (and do the hockey playoffs go on for longer even than basketball, or is it just me?); and, better yet, Crosby had only one goal in the whole seven games. (I trust this puts to rest the current iteration of see-Crosby-is-better-than-Ovechkin nonsense; I happen to think they're both very good and probably both equally obnoxious, but the fact remains that neither of them could lead his team to a defeat of the Canadiens, and Ovechkin at least got more goals trying.) I therefore forgive the Canadiens for knocking the Capitals out of the playoffs. Allez les Habitants!

2. I've always thought it was silly that at my office, a research group on language- and linguistics-related matters, we follow APA instead of MLA style. Someone pointed out to me earlier this week that we're doing science (which we are, some of the time, when they'll let us) and thus APA is appropriate - okay, whatever. But today, I have the APA Publication Manual on my desk for other reasons, and I happened to come across a place in our report where someone other than me had written both a heading and then a sentence without a serial comma; and I looked it up, and wouldn't you know, APA calls for (requires!) the serial comma - which, as an Oxford graduate but more importantly as a thinking person [g], so do I. So I forgive the APA for being the style guide of choice in my office. (I don't actually know MLA's position on the serial comma. If they're opposed to it, please don't tell me.) Yay APA! :-)

7 != 8, and other news items

The last time I flew, I went ahead and signed up for the AirTran Visa card, because hey, rewards are good, and I fly AirTran a fair amount, and I like upgrades and free tickets and things, so why not.

( My name has three consonants in it. )

When the first statement came, I added the AirTran Visa in all its BarclaycardUS goodness as a payee through my online banking. Set up the payment, entered the due date, all fine and well.

( This Tuesday, I noticed that the payment due last Friday had not, in fact, been deducted from my checking account. )

( I call the credit card people. )

( I call back the bank. )

In the past two days, I've received two, count 'em, two e-mail alerts that my payment has been received. With different dates on them.

( I log in at BoA. )

( I log in and look at the credit card balance. )

All of this is happening after the closing date for the payment due on June 7, so the statement I will receive in the mail some time soon will reflect almost none of it. It will reflect that they didn't receive the May 7 payment, and a late fee; I will subtract the May 7 payment and the waived late fee and send in the rest, and when the statement due July 7 comes, I will hope I understand wtff is going on with it.

I'm pleased that I've been able to get so many fees and things waived; I think if there ends up being interest charged for all this tomfoolery (because of the dates things have been applied and so on), I'm going to end up not fighting about that, because omfg.

[collapses on the phone]