It seemed awfully dark, though, as if Daylight Savings Time had started already. But that’s not till next weekend, so I just assumed that there were clouds outside or something and got out of bed to do my business.

Then Diane called out, asking why the radio had gone off when it was only 5:10am, an hour early. I had no good explanation, but I was relieved to know that it was, indeed, dark outside and went back to bed.

An hour later, there was no click; we woke up a few minutes later than usual, less refreshed than usual.

I’ve never had my home electronics play an April Fool’s trick on me before. I think I could have skipped the opportunity today, too.

More foolishness

When I got home, today’s mail brought copies of our credit records from two of the three credit bureaus. It’s amazing that the credit bureau system works at all.

• Experian lists Diane’s birth year incorrectly in the main part of the report, but correctly on the form to send back to dispute errors.
• Experian’s dispute reporting form gets my last name wrong on Diane’s form, and her last name wrong on my form.
• Experian shows some interesting variations on our names (middle initials in error).
• Equifax got both of our birthdates wrong.

For what it’s worth, Experian’s report is much easier to read, and to their credit, they do not print our Social Security Numbers on the report; Equifax’s report is much more cryptic, and they print the SSN right on the report and the dispute form, making the document itself more dangerous.

The good news, though, is that neither report shows anything untoward.

Yet more foolishness

I also got my phone bill today. Apparently some mysterious agency generated a request for Verizon to start billing me directly for my DSL line starting in mid-February, which, strangely enough, is when my DSL line was going up and down like a yo-yo due to mysterious orders to Verizon to cancel the line. My ISP is, of course, also billing me for the line. And, of course, I can’t call them except between 9am and 5pm. *sigh*

Hi, David!

David Singer of South Africa found my weblog and posted a message to the discussion group; he and I are clearly not twins, since he’s planning a trans-Atlantic sail, and after my one and only experience with a sailboat (in Biscayne Bay), I’m a confirmed landlubber.

I’ve been watching the bank’s credit card site closely, and no other fraudulent charges have shown up, but their reporting runs a couple of days behind, so I’m not totally out of the woods yet.

The good news is that my new temporary card arrived quickly and appears to work (at least the pump at two different gas stations accepted it), so I’m not facing a weekend without E-Z Credit.

Speaking of E-Z Credit, Commander Dave points out in the discussion group that having a fraud alert on one’s records can make it hard to take advantage of special financing deals (like the ones department stores love to run: open an account today and take 10% off everything you buy). That’s true, but right now, I’d rather feel safer.

I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend; the taxes are done and there’s no religious school on Sunday because of Passover (unfortunately, I can’t go to the YMCA and work out on Sunday, either, though it’s not due to Passover). I have uttered a mighty oath that I will clean up the junk on the dining room table this weekend so that it can be used again, and also that I will replace the under-the-sink water filter; I am sure I’ll utter some mighty oaths in the process, too.

Shabbat Shalom!