I normally try to avoid making posts like this because I loathe getting into big debates over things like politics, religion and the more controversial things like abortion and homosexuality. I am in no way afraid of my opinion or what others may think of it but there are some people that you could debate with for a year and what you are saying just will not sink in. I would rather save my energy, time and breath for other things.

That being said, I do have something I want to say in regards to an entry on a blog (which will be unlinked, I will not send the woman drama nor do I wish for people to bark at her for her opinion) and it really struck a nerve. She is basically saying that someone who is “gay” should not work in the mental health field because they “need help”…

Since when does someone’s sexuality make them more capable or incapable of providing mental health care? Because I am heterosexual, am I more competent than my homosexual relative or friend? That just sounds ridiculous to me.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions. I am certainly not saying that my opinion is the right opinion or their opinion is the wrong opinion, but to suggest that someone is incapable of providing “help” to those in need simply because they prefer to be with the same sex, verses the opposite sex seems wrong. These professionals are educated and trained to provide care and for many, caring for people comes naturally. Why should any of us say they are in no position to provide this help?

Like I said, this isn’t the normal for me… Posting about things like this but I really felt I should do this post, so I did.

Jo went for his second session of physiotherapy today. This session lasted twice as long as his first, so he is pretty sore right now. He kept me up all night last night (Monday night) tossing and turning. I know he couldn’t help it though, he was just in pain and couldn’t get comfortable. They said that his employer requests that he attends 3-5 sessions of physiotherapy each week for as long as he is under “Worker’s Compensation”. Hopefully this will get him all straightened out.

After his appointment, I drove over to the UPS warehouse to pick up one of my handbags (from the seller I had an issue with, mentioned in a previous entry a couple of days ago). I forgot to bring the tracking number with me and at that time, had no idea the seller shipped to “Scribblescratch” though I clearly said “J— Jones”, so I was told to get the tracking number and return to the warehouse. Half an hour later I returned (stinking traffic). After they pull up the record, they head to the back and grab my package. Before handing my package over to me, they inform me that I owe $35.75. Now, I was already upset with this seller after what happened earlier in the week, so I know there had to be smoke billowing from my ears when they told me that. I asked what this was for and the woman behind the counter said “Shipping and handling”. My mouth dropped, “No, I paid $22.95 shipping and handling when I paid for the item. I have proof of this..” - I could feel my blood boiling. She suggested I speak to someone with Customer Service via their telephone, so I did and was basically told the same thing. The woman on the other end said that the “shipper” (seller) had shipped this as COD. I was shocked and angry. I asked them to hold the package and she understood, saying that was no problem at all. I came home and right away sent off an email to the seller, along with submitting a dispute resolution. I wanted a refund for both items I had purchased, even the item that had yet to be sent. After submitting those, I contacted PayPal - they reimbursed me $35 so that I could pick up the package. Their reasoning for the reimbursement was that the history on PayPal shows the extra for shipping/handling and insurance. OK, fair enough. The seller finally returns my emails (never my phone calls) and says that this is a PayPal error. She provided proof that PayPal had in fact deducted her account for shipping costs and for whatever reason, still stamped the package as COD. At this point, I apologize to the seller but explained that I was going on what I had been told by the UPS staff and because I couldn’t reach her at the time, had no other choice but take it to the next step (contacting Ebay and PayPal). She understood and per my request, refunded me for the second bag (the camel colored one which caused the first issue with this seller). We have mutually agreed that no negative feedback will be left regarding this item, that we will just go our merry ways after feedback is left for the black handbag I will pick up tomorrow.

I really wanted that handbag - you have no idea how badly but it’s OK. I will survive, this isn’t going to kill me!

Speaking of handbags..

*** CONTEST REMINDED ***
I will be taking submissions to “Handbag Love“, my new contest, through August 31st at midnight EST.

That said, I am going to call it a night. It has been a frustrating day, night and now earlier morning.

One of the things I love most about Fall is that t it means it’s time for new seasons of my favorite TV shows and new TV shows in general. One of the shows I recently saw advertised is The CW’s Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl is based on the best selling novel series by Cecil von Ziegesar, which stars Blake Lively (you may recognize her from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and Kristen Bell (who narrates as “Gossip Girl”). The show revolves around the lives of young socialites who hail from New York’s “Upper East Side” as they deal with teenage issues like sex and drugs.

You should also check out the Gossip Girl MySpace Fan Page.

I confess, I love TV shows like this! I know I’ll be tuning in to the CW network on Wednesday, September 19th to catch the first episode of season one. Will you?

To save the day…

Stacey has finally gotten her new blog up and running. Why don’t you all head on over there and give her a little lovin’! You won’t regret it, promise!

I am in such a bad mood right now. I just logged into one of my email accounts (the one I use for Ebay) - instantly I take notice to the bold print staring back at me “Unpaid Item dispute“. Say what? I see it’s for the camel colored Guess handbag I recently did a Buy-it-now on (from a seller I’ve purchased other bags from before). So I logged into Ebay and my PayPal account (in separate windows obviously). I know good and dern well that $156.06 CAD was extracted from my account early last week and the seller was sent whatever that came out to in USD ($142 something). So I click account history in PayPal and while it’s loading, I’m filling in my information in regards to the dispute screen at Ebay. I click back over to the PayPal screen and wouldn’t you know it - I PAID the seller on August 17th. So I get my copy of the payment history and submit it (in pieces because it was so long) with my dispute reply.

This just really ticks me off. I have a perfect track record on Ebay and I absolutely will not have this seller tarnish it. I understand there’s a small chance that she’s overlooked something but that’s not my problem, that’s her responsibility. Before putting in that dispute, she should have looked over her Ebay account (I’m pretty sure it shows it’s been paid when you do it through the Ebay console, it shows it’s paid for me there), her PayPal account history and her email account. One of those would have provided her with the information showing the item has been paid for. Instead, she trots her happy rump over to Ebay and files the “Unpaid Item dispute” claim.

She surely better hope that if this is going to prevent her from shipping the item I have already paid for, that she’s going to reimburse me. I will gladly take my business elsewhere.

Man am I ever angry!