About ten days ago, I got a flood of e-mails from eBay about my items’ auctions closing soon. I figured it was another scam and pretty much ignored it. Later that day, I logged into eBay to satisfy that nagging voice in the back of my head that said I should just check. Wouldn’t you know that someone had figured out my password and hacked my eBay account. They were selling couture tracksuits from my account. Only one item had sold and someone had bought a $50 tracksuit with $30 shipping. I smelled a scam.

The first thing I did was notify eBay via their safe harbor, changed my password, and then informed the buyer that my account had been hacked and that they would need to contact PayPal to figure this out. I neglected to mention that nobody in their right mind would pay $30 for shipping on a $50 piece of clothing. Oh, I certainly smelled a scam. The next thing I did was change my PayPal password, just to be safe.

Next, I de-listed the items and realized that I also owed eBay $80 for listing charges. That didn’t worry me quite so much because they would reverse those charges once they investigated the situation.

Today, I got a message from eBay telling me that they indeed detected that someone had hacked my account and that had resolved everything.

Now, I’m going to all kinds of sites and changing my internet passwords.

I should have protected myself better by not using the same password all over the place. Here is my new rule: one password for work (changes every 90 days), one password for financial transactions, one site for online shopping sites, and one for porn recreational sites.

I just renewed my license for Expression Engine. Its hard to believe its
been a year already.

This is a moblog entry.

I’ve just upgraded to Expression Engine 1.5.2. I was having a few little quirks with the last version. Hopefully this will resolve them.

When Reggie and I go home for Sarah’s birthday this summer, we’re going to try a different route. And this route will completely bypass the states of New Jersey AND Connecticut.

We’ll be taking I79 to the very end where it dumps you on I90, which runs the whole way to Boston. That route will take us through Erie, Syracuse, and Buffalo. And in theory, it only adds about 30 minutes onto the trip. It also completly avoids I84.

It’s worth a try.

Reggie and I are back in Boston. It was a long drive home, but sleeping in my own bed will be blissful.

I was making really good time home until I hit the NY/CT border. Then traffic on I84 came to a grinding halt. CT (along with NJ) has moved to my list of states that we should give back to the British.

Well, Christmas has come and gone. I’ve had a good time at my parents’ house. Tomorrow we head back to Boston.

Santa was pretty good to me. I got a 12” Calphalon grill pan, a 8” Wustof chef’s knife (in addition to the Wustof santoku knife Beth and Paul got me), and the 7th season of The West Wing on DVD.

Driving the Jeep Liberty has been fun, but it doesn’t get as good of gas mileage as my Civic does.

Pictures soon.

Reggie and I will be leaving here very shortly. It’s about 7:45, and my goal was an 8:00 departure, meaning I’d be lucky if I got out the door by 10:00.

The SUV has been picked up AND packed. I’m driving a white Jeep Liberty. It’s not a bad ride, especially for driving 560 miles in one day. It’ll certainly be better than taking my little Civic.  One thing I don’t like about this vehicle is the lack of satelite radio. I had to get the dock out of my car and will be taking my Sirius with me. The blanket is down on the passenger’s seat for Reggie, my copilot. And more importantly, Reggie got a big bite of cheese this morning. What he doesn’t know is that the cheese was covering a dose of benedryl, which will calm him down on the drive.

This will be our route, give or take a few detours and potty stops.

I’m just resting up a bit before we head out. But I think it’s time to go soon.

Reggie and I are leaving for western PA in a couple of hours. I’ll try to update once in a while.

Bounce on over to Sam’s site and wish her a happy birthday.

I took today as a sick day. Last night was rough. I was up most of the night tossing and turning.  It was really hard for me to get comfortable. I kept moving between the couch and the bed. Poor Reggie kept moving with me. About 3:00, I hadn’t fallen asleep yet, so I grabbed my laptop and e-mailed my boss, telling him that I wasn’t coming in.

I slept in. It was wonderful. I spent most of the day on the couch. I did a few errands around the house, but mostly, I stayed on the couch, watching the planes taking off from Logan.

I stole this from a friend who posted it on MySpace. I was dying. Enjoy.

deer santa:
I wud like a kool toy space ranjur fer Xmas. Iv ben a gud boy all yeer.
Yer Frend, BiLLy

Dear Billy,
Nice spelling. You’re on your way to a career in lawn care.
How about if I send you a frigging book so you can learn to read and write? I’m giving your older
brother the space ranger. At least HE can spell!

Santa
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Dear Santa,

I have been a good girl all year, and the only thing I ask for
is peace and joy in the world for everybody!
Love, Sarah

Dear Sarah,
Your parents smoked pot when they had you, didn’t they?

Santa

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Dear Santa,
I don’t know if you can do this, but for Christmas, I’d like
for my mommy and daddy to get back together. Please see what you can do.
Love, Teddy

Dear Teddy,
Look, your dad’s banging the babysitter like a screen door in
a hurricane. Do you think he’s gonna give that up to come back to your frigid, fat mom, who rides
his ass constantly? It’s time to give up that dream. Let me get you some nice Legos instead. Maybe you can build yourself a family with those?
Santa

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Dear Santa,
I want a new bike, a Playstation, a train, some G.I. Joes, a
dog, a drum kit, a pony and a tuba.
Love,
Francis

Dear Francis,
Who names their kid “Francis” nowadays? I bet you’re gay.

Santa

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Dear Santa,

I left milk and cookies for you under the tree, and I left
carrots for your reindeer outside the back door.
Love,
Susan

Dear Susan,

Milk gives me the shits and carrots make the deer fart in my
face when riding in the sleigh. You want to do me a favor? Two words—Jim Beam.
Santa

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Dear Santa,
What do you do the other 364 days of the year? Are you busy
making toys?

Your friend, Thomas

Dear Thomas,
All the toys are made by little kids like you in China. Every
year I give them a slice of bread as a
Christmas bonus. I have a condo in Vegas, where I spend most of my time making low-budget porno films. I unwind by drinking myself silly and squeezing
the asses of cocktail waitresses
while losing money at the craps table.

Santa
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Dear Santa,
Do you see us when we’re sleeping, do you really know when
we’re awake, like in the song?
Love,

Jessica

Dear Jessica,
Are you really that gullible? Good luck in whatever you do.
I’m skipping your house.

Santa

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Dear Santa,
I really really want a puppy this year. Please please please
PLEASE PLEASE could I have one?
Timmy

Timmy,
That whiney begging shit may work with your folks, but that
crap
doesn’t work with me. You’re
getting an ugly sweater again.
Santa

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Dearest Santa,
We don’t have a chimney in our house, how do you get into our
home?
Love, Marky

Mark,
First, stop calling yourself “Marky”, that’s why you’re
getting your ass kicked at school. Second, you
don’t live in a house, you live in a low-rent, ghetto apartment
complex. Third, I get inside your pad just
like all the burglars do, through your bedroom window.

Sweet Dreams, Santa