MENC experiences

consider yourself warned.... I feel another long one coming on! :) I thought you all needed something (someone, rather) to laugh at!

Last week Music Educators National Convention was taking place downtown. I paid last semester to become a member and needed to pay a registration fee this semester, but was scraping the bottom of the bucket. Up until just a few days before, I was still uncertain if I would get to go. I am thankful that God worked it out; He provided a few sewing projects and some babysitting opportunities so that I had just enough money to go.

It was an enjoyable time of learning new things. I went to several sessions that were very helpful and I also experienced a variety concerts. There was a steel drum band that played a couple songs for one lecture; it was so cool! I had never seen any but in pictures, so it was awesome to watch and listen to them. The group of home-school kids really seemed to enjoy themselves as they played!

I also had my first experience of live jazz music. I have never listened to that style much and enjoyed the little taste of Brazilian Jazz that they performed. A few of the other things I attended include an a Capella ensemble, All-Star brass band, Cincinnati children's preparatory choir and H.S. percussion ensemble.

Among all the happy experiences at MENC, I also had some excitement. I was supposed to ride with a different group back to school, because my ride there had to leave early. Well, that would have been fine and dandy IF my phone battery had not died. I wandered around hoping to bump into someone I knew, unsure of when they were leaving or where they were meeting. Out of the hundreds of people there and the three separate buildings everyone was scattered between, I was not successful and felt it necessary to make a phone call to try to connect with someone. I did not want to spend the night in the hallways of the Convention Center and did not have the money to stay in the Millennium OR the Hyatt Hotel.

I found a pay phone, then realized I had no change and no calling card. I did have my debit card (which at the time I had $1.05 in my account because I had not deposited the rest of my babysitting money) and among the many numbers and advertisements on the face of the phone there was one stating you could purchase 3 minutes of long-distance calling for $1 with credit/debit card. So I breathed a sigh of relief and punched in the numbers to call LadyAnne.

Since the day of cell phones and speed dial it is not often that I have occasion to memorize phone numbers. But thankfully because of texting so often, I had hers in my head.

We spoke quickly for about a minute and a half, and I got off the phone relieved because she was going to contact 'my group' to tell them where to meet me and remind them not to leave me.

Well, unfortunately that is not the end of the story. When I got back to the dorm that night, I got online to check my 5/3 account. I was hoping there were not a lot of taxes that would go over a dollar. I was very shocked to see a debit was taken out for $15! After breathing deeply and counting to ten ;) I got a deposit slip ready for the bank. Since I was going to be at MENC again the next day, I found a friend to go to the bank for me.

Okay, so sigh of relief right? Well, not exactly! Who wants to pay 15 bucks for a 2 minute call? The next evening I got online again to be sure my deposit went through and everything was clear, and saw ANOTHER debit taken out for $23.73 from the same company! Fifteen was starting to look good at this point. Forty was not! I called the bank and put a block on my card then made another trip to the bank with a deposit. Aahh! Who are these people? And why are they doing this to me?

Once the transactions went through it turned out that only (I say that lightly) the $23.73 went through and the $15 disappeared. I am currently waiting for my 'dispute' to clear and will hopefully get some money back. I guess we all live and learn, huh?! I will NOT be using my debit card for any more phone calls or the like! Next time I will sleep in the hallway! (or just be certain my phone is completely charged ahead of time)