Note: This was written at 2am in the morning, because my iPhone wordpress application decided to eat the previous entry I had written about this. It may not be as good, it may be better, who knows…but here goes.

The past few days have had a lot going on for me, so I’ve been trying to get everything done as quickly as possible so I can move on to the next thing, and slowly work my life into semi-normalcy. Well, HR threw me a curveball I was not really expecting. Well, payroll anyway.

So let’s establish the main points of the following story.

• Me
• Payroll
• WaMu
• Check 1 (5/29)
• Check 2 (6/12)
• Check 3 (6/26)
• Check 4 (?????)

Ok, so, first thing, I haven’t set up direct deposit yet, as I had planned on swtiching banks in the near future. I just started full time with this company, so the direct deposit I had set up with the temp agency didn’t apply anymore. So let’s go back to early June. I realize I’m missing check 1. I call HR to have them cancel check 1 (specifically saying the check issued on 5/29.) I get email confirmation saying it will be processed the next Monday.

Check 2 comes along. I deposit it. It clears. I start spending like normal. Few gadgets here. Lunch. Gas. Etc. I see check 1 replacement (check 4) has not arrived yet. Email HR, say it’s being sent out the next Monday. Ok… I guess. So, last Thursday, the check comes through FedEx. Great. I check my balance. -$800 and change.

Wait. WHAT?!

I log out and back in. Yep, still negative 800 and some. WTF. Where the hell? There is absolutely NO way I was careless with my money, much less THAT careless. I see THIRTEEN overdrafts. What the hell is going on?! There is no way I have spent 1500+ in 2 weeks. I scroll further down in the bank statement, and I see that the amount for the 6/12 check had been pulled from my account. Don’t tell me they… They put a stop payment on the wrong check?!

Needless to say, I was just a tad upset. My steering wheel got an undeserved PITF.

So back to the story. Check 3 (6/26) arrives Monday morning and is irrelevant to the story. I get to work and make a call to payroll. I am calm at this point, but if I reach any resistance, I’m ready to unleash the weasel war dance on fools. I start explaining the situation to the woman on the phone, and she immediately understood what was going on… I was surprised. Once we had established the circumstances, the woman started asking me about having any overdraft fees. She apologized for the error, and was taking as much information from me that she could in order to get with the bank and figure out how to get the NSFs off of my account.

Less of a nightmare than I thought it would be I guess. The original 5/29 check should finally be in my possession by Tuesday. I cashed the replacement 6/12 check (#4) so I can have something to pay rent with. Going to deposit check #3 to WaMu Monday, so I at least have a positive balance with them, explain to them what happened, and tell them my company’s HR group will be contacting them, and make sure they can erase those NSFs from my account, since they weren’t my fault. I hope this is all sorted out by the end of the week. I just want my money back. Thirteen overdrafts and counting. This is gonna be really interesting.

Another type of HR Nightmare…

And since I’ve titled this “HR Nightmare”, it’s only fitting that I end this with a little something on Brandon Backe. I was maybe the lone supporter left. He rode the wave from that 2004 NLDS Game 3 performance vs the Atlanta Braves. It was a great game. It was my first Astros playoff game ever. It was awesome. Got there early and saw BP and the pitchers warming up and everything. Fast forward 5 years, and it looks like the Astros are finally cutting ties with him. Sad day kind of… But it was finally time. They’d have likely done it sooner, but he got injured and they couldn’t do it til he was reactivated.

I’ll always remember going to see him with Ben, Kam and Preston. They were facing the Nationals, and I brought along some K cards, as well as the BAC and E to put around the Ks. So, 2 innings in, and Backe has 3 strikeouts. Good start… or was it? A few innings later, we’re still on three strikeouts. So a beer guy walks up to our section and looks at the sign we have. BACKKKE. He looks at it. Looks at us. Looks at the sign. Glares at us. Then walks away shaking his head. Thanks Backe. That was really awesome. Soon after this, I think you got injured, and Taylor Buchholz ended up coming in to take over for a few innings.

Just a few memories of the Galveston Gangsta I thought I’d share. Farewell sir, thanks for making my first Astros playoff experience a good one.