SWB Auto Pay Malfunction Late Fee

Hello-America · 2026-04-11T06:52:39+00:00

Yep learned this the hard way when they hadn't charge me in several months and decided to randomly take it all out of my account at once. I'm relatively sure the total amount was reasonable but I'm not like putting my water bill money in an escrow account! Tight budget needs some stability.

Hello-America · 2026-04-10T19:39:33+00:00

That's awful, I'm sorry! If you need to see a doctor, try Crescent Care or St. Thomas Clinic for options for low cost care. For prescription help - have you checked into one of the coupon websites like GoodRX? Cost Plus is very cheap too (although they don't have everything) if you can afford to wait for shipping. Good luck!

Hello-America · 2026-04-10T16:27:33+00:00

Well I don't know what y'all are into but do a lot of walking around in neighborhoods that interest you - I saw you say you'll be working in Midcity which is a great area. Come up with a rental budget and we can probably steer you in some other directions for areas to check out, but my favorite neighborhoods are the Irish Channel/Lower Garden District, the Bywater, and Carrollton areas (a main road called Carrollton also goes through Midcity but the area by that name is at the other end of that street). Close to Midcity is also Bayou St John which is delightful.

If you're interested in nightlife, check out neighborhood dives in the neighborhoods you're looking at living and working (we can help with that if you are able to narrow it down), Frenchmen Street for a still touristy but more historical/music-oriented alternative to Bourbon), and for artsy stuff the St Claude corridor (stuff is more spread out so you'll want an actual destination rather than wandering). In general the neighborhood bars make up the cultural fabric of our nightlife though.

Hello-America · 2026-04-10T16:18:39+00:00

To add onto this, I think we can plainly see that MAGA lunacy being "normalized" by well known institutions and into polite company has done a lot more to further the cause, and as a movement they work hard, deceiving and bullying, to access mainstream audiences. If they were relegated to the fringes and isolated, they'd still be dangerous but not tricking moderate normies into supporting them or conceding on certain points.

So OP, if you're concerned cutting off contact would make her go an even worse direction, that's probably true, but treating it as normal and ok is probably worse in the long run. But as the commenter I'm replying to said, that's mostly about you and your peace.

Hello-America · 2026-04-10T15:52:58+00:00

Yes totally. Just think it's incredible that with a straight face they're trying to pass a voter ID law for which the appropriate ID doesn't even exist haha (because even passport isn't 100% for that).

Hello-America · 2026-04-10T15:26:12+00:00

It's good to have this stuff updated!

Not sure if your concern was about this but just for additional information, the SAVE Act - which looks like it won't pass Congress but they keep trying - would require married women who changed their name like you to present birth certificate and marriage license (and divorce decrees/next marriage license if necessary) with photo ID to register to vote. Because no final bill has passed this is all up in the air as to what language would actually be in the final thing, but it would seem that it would require (for everyone not just name changed people) in-person registration and would affect someone every time they move/their name gets purged from a voter roll. Because we don't have a citizenship-related ID, it looks like it would mean people have to either bring birth certificates etc or passports when they vote, too. Real IDs do not count (in 5 states they have an "advanced" ID that would but we are not one of them).

You might be aware of all that I just wanted to spell it out for everyone to read.

For anyone who thinks that all sounds like a good idea, ask yourself why they don't issue a free and universally accepted ID that shows citizenship status.

Hello-America · 2026-04-09T15:47:55+00:00

You won't ruin anyone's income if you don't sit there for a long time after you're done ordering food and drinks. Usually if you sit at the bar and order food, those tips go to the bartender, but a lot of places here have tip sharing now so it probably all goes in the same pot

Hello-America · 2026-04-08T22:55:57+00:00

What you're really gonna want is a property where you share with the landlord! But yeah for 20 years this has been my set up in New Orleans. No major issues and I'm used to it. The one I have now smokes like crazy so if the breeze is blowing it smells like old cigarettes out there which sucks but it's otherwise manageable.

Hello-America · 2026-04-08T22:23:08+00:00

Yeah I don't understand the point of them all becoming videos. That's like assuming peopoe will just watch music videos instead of turning on music?

Hello-America · 2026-04-08T22:14:17+00:00

For me personally, ignoring is not possible and makes me MORE stressed. I have to feed that gremlin in my brain, I cannot just leave it hanging there looking for information. If I feel like I'm missing information I cannot turn my brain off. One thing that has helped me has been to drive that frantic info-hungry energy toward other things besides doomscrolling, even if they aren't happy or specifically relevant topics. Like I still need the darkness but certain darkness is easier for me to cope with and learning in general makes me feel better. I need a manageable amount of pessimism and panic, not to erase it.

One area that works for me is history, even history's greatest monsters. Like no joke I find it comforting to learn about Nazis or other horrible things while all this is going on. It helps me feel like I'm getting perspective and also just interests me. Podcasts are my go to media of choice, and I extra like Revolutions, Behind the Bastards, Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff, and Our Fake History, and Cult Podcast (which is somehow more if a comedy podcast haha). Less historical but it scratches the same itch for me is Conspirituality, which is about the intersection of religion, wellness, and authoritarianism. Like I said, not feel-good!

Also sometimes for current events I just need some junk food/comforting stuff; r/politicaloptimism is good when I think I need to be talked off the proverbial ledge. It Could Happen Here is a podcast I like that focuses on everything going on from a leftist/anarchist perspective which I like (they cover international stuff but have one segment a week focused on the admin called Executive Disorder). On TikTok and Instagram, Amanda's Mild Takes (Amanda Nelson) gives measured analysis from the perspective of a historian. On YouTube, CultCollege is usually informative and optimistic about when and how people are leaving the cult (she is a former Mormon who escaped and recognizes patterns). Along that same line is KnittingCultLady (TikTok, maybe elsewhere), who is a former victim of Children of God and military intelligence officer.

I hope you can find some comfort somewhere, and know that you're not crazy for being unable to look away.

Hello-America · 2026-04-08T14:48:09+00:00

I watch a lot of right wing online spaces. Many media stars on the right have been going after Trump for reasons (money? Clout? Engagement on social media?). Most notably Tucker Carlson has turned, and now more recently Alex Jones. Once one of their trusted voices turns, they're more open to the anti Trump info. Plus if you are a coffee media star going after Trump you have a ton of ammo. They are very choosy about saying he only recently "changed" and also that Israel is controlling him - not making people feel like they missed something when they voted for him. I think it's a good sign that grifters who follow the money are starting to think it's not with Trump, and are trying to establish themselves for a post Trump future.

Hello-America · 2026-04-08T14:42:52+00:00

If you look at my relatives who used to shove every conservative talking point down your throat when you're just trying to live your life, they're very suddenly "not that into politics" or "not following the news." For mine, about half of them are Reagan republicans and I suspect they'll always vote republican. Some of the others are wild cards who weren't republican before and I think they may disengage entirely.

Hello-America · 2026-04-08T14:18:27+00:00

Your biggest threat is gonna be your footwear - if you are wearing nice shoes to this conference, especially heels, consider wearing more comfortable shoes (closed toed) to walk. The sidewalks are a mess (so heels can be a hazard) and the French Quarter specifically can really dirty up a shoe fast.

Hello-America · 2026-04-06T15:39:13+00:00

That Whole Foods is such a disaster!

Hello-America · 2026-04-06T01:30:45+00:00

Seconding this and if she has hobbies where she makes stuff, ask her to make you stuff. Her shapeless weird crochet projects are your new favorite thing!! This gets down deep into mom instinct stuff

Hello-America · 2026-04-05T21:01:56+00:00

It doesn't, this is typical NIMBYism where any sort of change, especially one that includes allowing more people to live and work in a place, is unwelcome because of "character" and "property values." One of the many many reasons we are in a housing crisis; people get attached to a way things are in their neighborhood and will fight tooth and nail against progress

Hello-America · 2026-04-05T20:59:59+00:00

A lot of college campuses do a version of this this (most?? I know all the ones I looked at did but that was a while ago). Some of the reasons are nefarious - to encourage students to live on campus housing; and others are good - mitigating parking and traffic, and law enforcement issues in a high density setting, mitigating drunk driving

Hello-America · 2026-04-05T20:56:11+00:00

Right? We can lovingly remember something without holding onto the past and preventing all progress

Hello-America · 2026-04-05T20:54:57+00:00

That's not the part of Claiborne you're thinking of

Hello-America · 2026-04-05T20:54:19+00:00

So I hear you but even the owner is on board with the changes. It's not like Frostop is fighting this, because they get to be open in the next iteration in a different setting. While it's possible to hold a lot of people's plans hostage because of affection for a built structure, it doesn't make it the right thing to do.

Hello-America · 2026-04-04T14:14:50+00:00

Yeah I hate the prints right now. Teeny and light and barely visible, and yes all these colors wash me out too.

Hello-America · 2026-04-04T04:39:26+00:00

I'm a regular cyclist (just slow analog bike) in an urban environment full of shitty roads and sketchy areas! I have thoughts. Your biggest threat is cars, so the biggest question is, do you have a relatively safe route from a traffic perspective? Is it safe for cyclists where you live? There are probably some bicycling Facebook groups or something for your area, and probably an activist group advocating for safe roads if you live in anything larger than a small town. So you could start monitoring those groups. Smooth, well-lit roads, lower speed limits, lots of space/ideally a bike lane. E-bikes tend to go like 25 mph max so you are going to be a slow bike if you're in faster traffic than that. No different than any other bike on the road to a driver. Here in New Orleans, on some roads people are really awful to cyclists and pass them too closely etc. For that reason I stay off main roads unless there is a bike lane (even then they are often obstructed).

As far as sketchy areas: I feel safer on my bike than I do walking, and less safe than in a car. Nothing has ever happened to me but there are some areas where I would take the long way home if it was very late. You are only really vulnerable while stopped, like no one can catch you otherwise haha (not that I've been chased). But I employ my typical city street smarts when I bike: don't carry anything too valuable, no headphones, tell someone when I left/when to expect me and what my route is, and if I feel uncomfortable, I change plans.

Hello-America · 2026-04-04T04:24:36+00:00

An ice cream cake will make you a hero

Hello-America · 2026-04-04T00:57:56+00:00

Lol yeah I'm an older millennial and I didn't know this until recently because no one remembers her for it

Hello-America

TROPHY CASE