My dipsute with Commerce Energy, and I should start referring to them, and others in their position on the utility chain, as "Energy Marketers," has progressed ina very positive manner.

A Contorller from the company called me last Thursday, to tell me the case was being taken care of. Apparently, what they needed to do was put ina n order to reverse the charges to the previious "Energy Marketer," and the problem was that the first such request, made a month or more ago, was denied by ERCOT (The Electric Reliability Council of Texas).

So the request is being resubmitted, and I have n obligation right now, except to wait for the biling to be straightened out, and then to take care of the correct billing when it arrives.

Oh, and the collections agency is no longer involved.

YEAH! I'm so happy (and tired)!

I'm still unsure what's so controversial about blog ads . . . I get paid to blog sometimes!

And that's good, because I like being paid.

What I like more than being paid, however, are zany things like contests and scavenger hunts witht eh hoe of earnig a cool $500.

Number 109:


What's this? It's piece of a picture of a super secret PayPerPost Project caodenamed "payperpostbluemonster" -- if you are the first to get all pieces, and upload them on your blog, you win $500!

if you're still confused, head ove rt http://blog.payperpost.com and read for yourself... but hurry, the puzzle's almost done!

By the way, I found out about this topic through PayPerPost.com and am being compensated for my words. Check it out if you blog, and mention me: ellisbean AT earthlink.net

So, I still haven't received a reply to my letter to Commerce Energy regarding their belief that I should pay for the electric usage of my neighbors.

It's been a week since I mailed the letter. This past week, I've received more calls from the St. Paul, MN-based I.C. System collections agency. None today so far, but two a day before now: 8:30 am and between 8 and 9 pm.

What's ultra odd and funny about this: I received a few days ago from Commerce, dated October 6, a bill that billed me for the period's usage as well as the amount that I.C. is attempting to collect.

Anyone out there notice the "intimidation"?

Is this bigger than me: is it an energy policy putsch?

I'm a slut for reality televison.

Payperpost makes some good "webisodes" that rival any of the fluff I can find on cable!

Take for instance this new thing: Postie Patrol - Episode 1.

The premise is very simple: as the PayPerPost team travels the country, promoting PPP in PPP style, they may just stop by the house of any "Postie" (like me?) and offer this game.

Will you do the relatively simple thing for $100?

Will you do the slightly more complicated thing for $200?

Will you do the crazy thing that makes a great video for $400?

Uh, yeah, I'll do something silly for $400. Nothing to lose but my credit card debt!

Seriously, though, this is the payperpost way of saying thanks. They care enough that random nobodies like me are willing to try their system despite all the "evil" that gets hurled our way, that they'll take a little time out of their business trip to drop in and surprise us randomly.

When was the last time Tom stopped by and said, "Hey, MySpacer, thanks for playing that flash game at the top!" kidding, kidding...

Seriosuly, payperpost gives you the opportunity to write silly things like this and get paid for the effort, and offers great opportunities to win random large amounts of cash as a bonus.

Isn't this what the great new age of the Internet is supposed to be about?

Actual frivolity?

By the way, I found out about this topic through PayPerPost.com and am being compensated for my words (MY words!). Check it out if you blog, and mention me: ellisbean AT earthlink.net

It's been about three weeks now, including today, that my total sales for Monday are equal to $0.

For the year leading up to now, 95% of my Mondays have a sales value over several hundred.

For these past two weeks now, and including tomorrow, my sales on Tuesday, when I would normally deliver Monday's sales, have been promising -- new accounts, including accounts that previously didn't want my business -- are actually indicating they'd like to do a Lot of business.

Obviously, I've been down the "indicating" road before, and had it lead to nothing. It's also led to great places....

Priscilla called and we talked and she needs to be at work extra early for something and I wispered her to sleep then made some Hot Chocolate Mexicana for myself.

one step at a time. "baby steps" !

.. width="425" height="350">..>

Yea, so don't tell Priscilla, but I'm thinking of a wedding on the beach.

Mainly because I like beach wedding invitations.

I'm not sure if you should RSVP yet (it's still six months at least away), but maybe if you like beach theme wedding invitations you should!

By the way, I found out about this topic through PayPerPost.com and am being compensated for my words (MY words, get it?). Check it out if you blog, and mention me: ellisbean AT earthlink.net

I haven't written a poem in a long while...

I used to all the time. Write poems, stories, screenplays, plays, novel outlines ... and then, some time ago, It all stopped.
I don't know why.

I've speculated that it's because I'm just too happy now. I don't have enough "angst."

But I have plenty of angst. I have constipated conversations, mainly because al my angst now is directed at political figures and talking heads.

hmmm.. if I can find th eold stuff, I might do something here....

OH yeah, I've stopped introducing myself as a "writer."

.. width="425" height="350">..>

It's super-secret mystery time for blog marketing!

shhhhh! Here's a hint: "payperpostbluemonster". (GOOGLE that, and then click here to make sense of it.)

Here's ..120:

Now, as if stroling around the internet piecing little bits of a puzzle together wasn't enough, you'll win moolah if you are the first to post the completed image on your blog!

And you thought you were going to get work done, didn't you? Leave it up to the fine folks over at PayPerPost.com to come up with a spiffy new way to share the love. ..

So, waste few and work this out for a very cool $500.

By the way, I found out about this topic through PayPerPost.com and am being compensated for my words (though my words are MY words!). Check it out if you blog, and mention me: ellisbean AT earthlink.net

Oh, man. These are crazy days.

I spent 2.5 hours in rush hour on Memorial Dr. (which is what everyone recommends) getting home today.

It probably doesn't help that I drive into Houston, including downtown (not today), and live in what is considered a "rural outlaying community."

Got a call today from the I.C. people again, but I didn't answer (I was in the shower) - and THEY NEVER LEAVE A MESSAGE! That's the part thats really harassing. aside fom: when I do answer, their headsets are so low, I can't hear them ina quiet room.

Maybe I'm going deaf.

With the elections for Governor only a month away, the imminent arrival of a Governor named Kinky is upon us.

Better brush up on our poker rules, shouldn't we? Of course, we here in the Lone Star State have our particular brand of poker we play, and none of us should be intimidated simply because we don't know how to play Texas Hold 'Em.

Seriously, if the governor comes by for a visit, to chat with you about your concerns for our great state, don't you want to be able to offer a game of poker?

Kinky's a world traveller (or at least a traveller to Lousiana), so you'd better brush up on the 5 types of poker commonly played.

This site, based in UK, where you can learn all the poker rules is fairly straight-forward. It's a little slow to load, but very in depth - you could impress the Good Shepherd with interesting card game trivia -

- did you know card games are thought to have originated in China over 1,00 years ago?

- I bet you didn't know that the game of poker as we know it originated in Persia as a game called "As Nas!"

And the site isn't cluttered with graphic ad banners and all that jazz ... it's very easy to navigate, and very academic in its descriptions of games and how they're played. You can play poker on-line there as well (check the laws in your area).

So don't believe what Ralph Reed says - Louisiana is not any more morally decrepit than Texas. And with Kinky, we can keep that hotel tax in-state!

By the way, the [PPP] up in the title means I found out about this topic through PayPerPost.com and am being compensated for my words. Check it out if you blog, and mention me: ellisbean AT earthlink.net