Following the change in terms letter I received (and wrote about earlier), I proceeded to call them to reject the new terms.
The process is quick and painless. I called the number mentioned in the letter. It is fully automated. All I needed was my account number and to press 1 to confirm the rejection. Voila!
No longer a Bank of America credit card customer
Posted by Lau on April 22, 2009
Posted in Credit Card | Tagged: Bank of America, New terms, rejection | Leave a Comment »
Update and Boston EITC Campaign
Posted by Lau on January 15, 2009
I won’t even try to apologize for not keeping this blog up-to-date. I would spend my time apologizing.
I wanted to write a quick note about Boston Earner Income Tax Credit Campaign (EITC) for which I am volunteering this year. The EITC campaign is design to help low income family preparing and filing taxes.
As a volunteer, I had to go through an 8-hour training at Suffolk University, and pass the IRS VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistant) Basic certification, which I did.
I also promised 20 hours of my time during tax filing season.
If you are interested in learning more and volunteering, go to: http://www.cityofboston.gov/bra/eitc. There are still training sessions going on until the end of February.
If you are interested in learning more about the IRS VITA program and getting certified, go to: http://www.irs.gov/app/vita/index.jsp.
Posted in About my very exciting life | Tagged: boston eitc, Taxes, volunteer | Leave a Comment »
Physicians are too busy…
Posted by Lau on August 22, 2008
I am trying to find a family doctor.
First, because I have been denied life insurance coverage due to elevated levels of white and red blood cells in my urine and I need this cleared up soon to get that coverage.
Second, because I just need a family doctor/primary care physician, period.
No big deal, right?
Wrong…
I called about a half dozen practices today. The first thing that irritated me is that no one is there to pick up the phone between noon and 1pm. They are all gone to lunch (or maybe golf?).
When I finally got someone on the phone and explained my situation, they first asked what insurance I had. What? Not: what is your name? Or, how are you today? Or, where are you hurting?
None of that. Just “what is your insurance?” Is that really all they care about?… Scratch that. Rhetorical question.
I tried to call a few more later in the afternoon. What was I thinking? Off course their offices is closed past 4pm…
I should have been a doctor…
Posted in About my very exciting life | Tagged: doctors, insurance, physicians, primary care, rant | 1 Comment »
Simple Syrup
Posted by Lau on July 12, 2008
This is a little handy-dandy thing to make in advance. You can use simple syrup for a varieties of things. From sweetening cold drinks (iced tea for instance). Some recipes also call for it. It’s a super simple and quick time and money saver.
Simple syrup is just water and sugar. It doesn’t make caramel because the concentration in sugar is much less than it calls for in caramel. I use 1 part sugar and 1 1/2 part water. Now for the hard directions
- Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes.
- Let it cool off and bottle up for later use
There you have it folks! Enjoy
Posted in Baking | Tagged: Baking, simple syrup | Leave a Comment »
Why I’m thinking about dumping my Facebook account
Posted by Lau on June 18, 2008
I signed up to Facebook sometime last year. I’m not big on that whole social media trend, but it seems that nowadays, you have to have at least one Facebook or MySpace account. So there I am, opening my account.
Cool! I look for people I know, send a few friend requests. Hey, haven’t seen that guys since I left elementary school. And her, we went to junior high together. Sweet.
I browse through the groups and networks (the stupidest, the better). Find a bunch of fun applications. I get the ball going. “Yeah!” I say to myself. “This is neat”.
I log in every day. See who’s there and what they’re up too. One of my “friend” is getting mildly annoying already: he keeps leaving big hints that he’s the best of the best, makes all the money in the world, lives in a community where people own very expensive cars (so he must too *wink*wink*). “Ok, relax… Not such a big deal.” That’s what Facebook is for: bragging!
Posted in Random Bits | Tagged: facebook | Leave a Comment »
Let’s get personal
Posted by Lau on June 5, 2008

You might have noticed I don’t spend a lot of time writing about my personal life. I’m simply not comfortable enough to do that – or shall I say: I wasn’t!
Heck, why not? Well, one of the reason is that my life is not super interesting – at least, I think not. (Feel free to disagree
)
I live in a suburb North of Boston called Wakefield. It’s quiet, nothing ever happens in Wakefield. I work for a startup, in Cambridge. Next to MIT. That’s gotta be interesting. Well, nah, not so much actually.
I like to garden, read, cook, poke around on my computer and the internet for fun stuff.
I’m actually looking for a job right now. I have been for the past year or so. I’m not aggressively looking because I don’t hate where I work now. I’m just looking for the next logical step. That really great opportunity that I can’t pass up.
On the personal side, I’ve been married for 1 year 1/2. I don’t like to say how long because it makes it sounds like we’re a brand new couple. Hubby and I met in 2001 when I came here from France after transferring from a business school in Lyon, France. And we’ve been together almost ever since.
We’re working on a baby!! Actually not working as much as not avoiding having a baby. I’m very bad at that whole “getting my cycle right” thing, the temperature, and ovulation days… Don’t get me started! We’re just letting it happen.
I’m also learning Spanish using a podcast I found on iTunes called Coffee Break Spanish. I took it way back in junior high for 2 years. I didn’t like it at all. I’m happy I’m going back to it now.
Well, that’s it for now. I’ll post of few more “personal” post from now on. This was really just an introduction to ease my way into talking and writing “closer to home”.
Posted in About my very exciting life | Tagged: baby, cambridge, personal, start-up | Leave a Comment »
I received a “Changes to your Credit Card Agreement” letter 2 days ago from Bank of America. I always read them. They include terms in these that they hope you won’t find out about until it’s too late.