Save the Date for Chicago ANA Convention August 14-16 2009

[LOIS]

I'd love to come to meet everybody face to face.  My sister visited Chicago earlier this year and loved it.  Never been there myself.  Info on hotels and stuff?

Lois

[leapyrtwins]

Lois -

the symposium is going to be downtown at the Drake Hotel.  The ANA will be giving us more information in the very new future - both on this website and through their newsletter "Notes".

It would be awesome if you could make it 

Jan

[lori67]

PS - Lori you can crash on my couch anytime - although the kids tend to snack there, so it's probably full of crumbs and sticky stuff.  Hope you won't mind 

Nope, I don't mind - then I won't have to get up to eat!  You need a dog - they do a good job of taking care of the crumbs!   

Lori

[Kate B]

Looks like a few got missed.

Updated list: Phyl, Kate, Jan, Deb, Kay, Marci, Steve, Lacey, Sue, Cindy, Anne Marie, David, Lori, Karen, Cheryl, Tom.

And Phyl again, in case I forgot her. 

Steve

After all that, I noticed I had not added my name to the list either <grins>

Thanks Steve:-)

PHYL
Kate
Jan
Deb
Kay(no better place to use free airline tickets)
Marci?  (chocolate cake and beer for turning 50
Steve
Sue
Anne Marie wants to be there
Lori
Arushi
Cheryl R.
Meagan
LA David
Lacey
Tom
Sue
Karen
Lois

My how we are growing:-)

[leapyrtwins]

Kate -

how funny leaving off your own name  and then none of us noticed it 

Don't want to leave you out 

Jan

[MAlegant]

Was shopping my heart out with a friend (we were there for a conference but ditched the afternoon sessions to shop.) It was November, and holiday shopping was in full swing.  After hitting up several stores, my husband (who I assumed was safely back in Ohio and unaware of aforementioned shopping) called me on my cell to ask me where I was and what I was doing.  Alas,  I was busted  and had to fess up because the credit card company called him to alert him to a spate of charges in Chicago!  I had this conversation with him with many people around me and these perfectly nice complete strangers were laughing themselves silly just listening to me grovel. Holiday spirit I guess.

Now when I go out of town I warn the American Express people. I also told them it they ever called my husband again I would kill them in their sleep.

 

And Kate, I agree. Chicago has it all and remains one of my favorite US cities.

[Kaybo]

Marci~
Love it!!
What is a girl suppose to do, I ask??

K

[lori67]

Marci,

Isn't it nice that you can be the source of entertainment for so many?

And what were those credit card people thinking?  Calling the husband??   

Lori

[yardtick]

Insider info here......thank goodness they did call the home phone number on your file.  They are doing their job and protecting you from credit card fraud.  They really do watch for any irregular charges.  So all those that are going to attend the ANA Convention in Chicago next August, notify your credit company and shop until you drop!!!!  Or you can be like my cousin and when you make an ATM withdrawal take an extra $20.00 or $40.00 and put into the coffee pot or tea pot of your good china set that's in the china cabinet.  You'd be amazed at how much $$$$ she has collecting for shopping emergencies.   For Teresa it avoids an argument no extra charges on the credit card bill.  Gosh that woman can shop!!!

Trust me I'm not like that I'm a banker remember, I watch all of accounts with eagle eyes

Anne Marie

[saralynn143]

Discover called our house once because two charges were made at Staples just a few minutes apart. I guess they thought my husband might have left my card behind and another person used it. I explained that he often splits business and personal purchases. I called my husband right away to make sure I was right -- and I was.

They also called once when he was on a business trip to make sure the expenses were valid -- like your Chicago story, Marci. I wonder who writes the programs to flag questionable charges. Are we really that predictable?

I had to notify our bank when my daughter and I went to Costa Rica, or they would not have allowed any ATM transactions. It was a pain because I found out at the last minute, but the safeguards are there for our protection.

Sara

[sgerrard]

I got a call once when I bought my nephew a Play Station Portable at a local electronics store, then went and filled up the tank. Apparently stocking up on electronic goods and then filling up the getaway car is an MO of credit card robbers. 

I think we all figured that Kate and Jan were automatic entries, since we are all camping in their living rooms the night before the conference starts. 

Steve

[MAlegant]

As is purchasing outfits at Ann Taylor immediately followed by Sephora (make-up) and Starbucks.  If that's not an MO for credit card fraud I don't know what is!

On the other hand, had I phoned my bank before traveling to the Netherlands last year I would have learned that my visa/atm card was invalid there because that country is on some kind of a list.  Must be the prostitution and drugs, but really, we were there as tourists and practically ran out of cash.  Learned that lesson.  But Amsterdam, who would have thought?

[leapyrtwins]

No problem on camping in my living room, Steve.  Just don't ask to stay in my basement - it will probably still be full of water in August   

BTW, mind if I ask what cost more the Playstation or the tank of gas? 

Marci, since my birthday is in September and Lori's is in October, we'll both be giving you our wish lists in August so you can buy our very expensive gifts in downtown Chicago   

A few suggestions - Tiffanys, Godiva, The Hershey's Store.

Am I'm leaving out any of your favorites, Lori?  I hear Marci has some very large limits on her credit cards - should be plenty of presents for both of us   

Jan

[ppearl214]

Discover Card caught not 1, but 2 frauds on my accts.... 1 of them... some twit in NJ used my acct number over Christmas shopping timeframe and bought $3300 worth of jewelry on my acct. Discover caught it before me, their Fraud Dept phoned me to ask me about it... told them I hadn't been to NJ in over 20 yrs... go figure.  Also maintain cc fraud protection on my home owners to play it safe.

There was some Symposium updates in this issue of "Notes"... .sounds like December is the time to do all the bookings. Not sure if the bloke can make the trip but as it stands today, I'll (hopefully) be there.

Phyl

[leapyrtwins]

"Hopefully?"  Phyl 

You are one of the numerous forumites I'm looking forward to meeting - I hope your response turns into more than a "hopefully". 

Still haven't gotten my issues of Notes, as it seems I'm always among the last - is this somehow tied to the number of hijackings on the forum?  If I don't "behave", I get my issue late?  LOL

Anyway, will the info from the December issue be on this website also?  I'm a little concerned here, because I'll probably get my December issue in February 

Jan - trying to be "better"