Just posted a sequential, humorous, photo story starring the lions from the National Zoo in Washington, DC.

Please check it out! And leave feedback?

Got some cool news when I got home today. In 1998, we had cellphone service with a company (Cellular One) that we canceled before the end of our contract. We just weren't using it and it was more expensive to keep the contract going than paying a termination fee. Which we did pay a termination fee... twice! The second time we did everything via tele-check to make sure everything was credited correctly.

Time ticks by. Cellular One gets bought out and becomes Cingular. I put the debt out of my mind as it was paid-off and the company in question no longer exists.

But in 2001, I start getting harassing phone calls from a collection company (named AFNI, Inc.) saying we still owe the full termination fee and that AFNI is now the holder of the debt. I argue with them saying we paid, tell them whom I spoke with at that time (unfortunately, a first name was all I was given), and the approximate date of the pay-off (could've tracked down a check number for them as well, if needed). They say they have to research my claim and every year or so, AFNI would call me up and we'd go through this rigamarole ... again. This went on until 2004.

By 2010, I'd almost forgotten about AFNI (but still had one of their letters on my very messy desk) when I got a letter in the mail. Someone was filing a class-action suit against AFNI for illegal collection tactics and fraudulent billing and wanted to know if I'd like to be included in the suit. Hells YEAH! Didn't care if I got a penny out of it but to be able to balance the the aggravation they'd caused me over the past decade. So I send off my little card with my signature, truthfully never expecting to hear anything about it again.

Well... today I received a check for $70. Yep, it's a piss-poor monetary return on a 15-year long investment but I'm highly amused and glad that they had to cough up money to people they screwed over for many years. 

Maybe I can finally throw away that old collection notice?

Despite the fact that I'm an anti-social S.O.B. and snarky-as-hell, I would still like to wish everyone who follows me on LJ and Twitter a Happy New Year & hope whatever holiday you celebrated went well for you. 2011 was a mixed year - had some good times along with frustrations but the last month sucked. Rocks. Uh, just in case you did not know (as I did not broadcast this very widely) my father-in-law passed away very suddenly on Dec. 4. Made the holidays more than a little... weird.