You may think I'm crazy, but .. at least think.

You may have read some posts where I wrote about stopping at Walgreen's .. it's a frequent thing for me.
 Even though I moved a year ago, there is a Walgreen's right on my way home from work, quick to run in to pick up makeup remover towelettes, etc.  Recently they started a rewards program, ala grocery stores .. use your card, get discounts.  So of course I signed up.  Today - I gave the card back.  The clerk looked at me like I had 3 heads and when I asked if she knew of anyone who had done that she said no.  Her look was quizzical when I briefly explained.  She left the card on the counter after I had paid and wished her a good rest of the day.

We live in an age of information.  My job is all about - information.  Much of my free time is spent on the Internet and my smart phone.  Over-sharing here on my blog is one thing.  I get to pick what I share and what I do not and from now on I am going to choose more carefully what I share and with whom.  Like *Google - I use Bing now because I find Google to be too intrusive.  And because they got rid of iGoogle and Google Reader and made me mad, but that's a whole different issue.  With the NSA scandal and Obama care looming and the IRS being involved well - I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any stretch of the imagination.  But - I'm simply starting to feel uncomfortable about how much of my information is going to be available to different agencies and I've just decided I am not going to frivolously give that information away simply to save a bit of money.  It's not just Walgreen's - but Walgreen's does have access to information my grocery store does not.  Here is what I wrote to the store this evening:

I turned in my rewards card today.  I've always known that cards such as these track your purchases and that's fine.  But when you start mixing prescription tracking and health and fitness tracking - that's too much of my private information being tracked.  I have gone to Walgreen's for my prescription needs for well over 30 years.  I have never felt like my personal information was at risk until I realized that the information Walgreen's has - can all be tied together under the guise of cost savings.  I just don't think a pharmacy should be doing that.  If you want to save me money - have normal sales.

So, look at me funny like the clerk did, think I'm slipping off some crazy slope if you want.  I just think all of us should be more careful about the forms we fill out, and the information we supply to all kinds of places. Walgreen's is where I put my foot down.

*I am aware of the irony - this is a Google application, this blog.  And if I find something better to replace it with - you betcha I will.

NOW NO soliciting please!

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A lady did not see my sign and knocked on my door 2 weeks ago. Upon answering the woman told me she was from a consumer survey group along the lines of Nielson, and wanted to ask me some questions.  If I would let her do that, she would give me $20.00.  So, I let her in.  45 minutes later she gave me a thick booklet and told me if I completed those questions, I would receive another $40.00.  And she gave me the promised $20.00.

Later that evening I started on the booklet and as the time ticked by I started to realize just how much time it was going to take.  At some point I saw that at about halfway through, I was going to be up way past my bedtime if I finished it, but on the other hand - even half was a ton of work so I didn't want to just quit.  At 3:00 am it was complete.  I haven't been up till 3:00 am in years!

The next morning on my way out to work I dropped the booklet on the porch expecting it to be picked up sometime during the day.  It wasn't.  I left it there flapping in the breeze until on the 5th day it was about to rain.  I took it in and threw it on the kitchen island figuring I had misunderstood something about when the lady was coming back ...  It sat there for a few days until I said "to hell with it" and tossed it in the recycling.

I received a voice mail yesterday from said lady, saying she wasn't sure why she hadn't picked up my booklet, and she would like to stop by.  I called back and left her a voice mail explaining how I left it out for her to pick up but I'm sorry, I tossed it in the recycling and it was gone so there was no reason for her to come by.  Maybe next year, I said.

Today in between my 2 doors I found another copy of the survey and a note.  When I opened it there were 2 20 dollar bills and the note apologizing for her not picking up my original survey, and asking me to accept the $40.00 from her, not the company.  She asked that if I did want to complete the survey again (I would rather open a vein) and mail it in - the company would send me another $40.00.

So I did the original survey but it didn't get to the company it was for.  And the lady felt bad for not picking up the survey I did - I'm sure she knows how long they take.  So she leaves me money but walks away with nothing.  Now I feel bad.  Still - I don't want to do the damn thing again.  Seriously, it took me a good 5 hours!  If I had seen her I would not have accepted the money, but she just left it.

Am I crazy for feeling bad?  I have no intention of doing that survey a second time.  I mean it forced me to face things like - why do I use Dawn dish soap instead of Palmolive and how often do I actually read the magazines I get in my mailbox?  Why do I buy what I buy, use what I use, think what I think ... !!!  Those are tough issues people!  I can't face dredging up all those things again.

But .. she gave me $40.00 ...

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