In August of 2011, I wrote about a bad idea, the one where customers in retail shops don’t have to sign credit card receipts if the purchases are less than a certain set amount. It was a bad idea then; it’s a bad idea on steroids now.

If you want to know what I said a year ago, go to

http://www.annebrandt.com/newssingle.php?ind=1148

If you want to know what I think now, read on. Retail merchants have upped the limits on which customers have to sign. For example, my local supermarket, Martin’s, used to have a $25 threshold. But I went there this week and learned that it had been raised to $50.

In the past, I would always try to exceed the $25 limit and force the clerk to request my signature. An extra bottle of wine could always tip the balance. And I did it to protect both the retailer and myself. But I’m not sure I can schedule my shopping or purchase that much wine to reach $50 each time I visit Martin’s.

I don’t think consumers understand the dangers involved. I know that the clerks in the check-out counters don’t either. And I suspect it’s because neither group feels the pain of what happens when fraudsters use this new policy to purchase items with stolen cards. If you read my August 1, 2011 blog, you understand my concerns. If you haven’t, please do.

With the holidays looming, I wonder how much money retailers will lose with the tendency to raise such limits. And, in the end, it’s consumers who will lose money.

It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve blogged. And what a two weeks it’s been. I went to New York City unexpectedly but left in time to avoid Super Storm Sandy. In fact, the hotel I stayed at was evacuated after I left.

And with Sandy in our mind’s eye, the issues I went to help resolve have taken a back burner. It’s as if the various crises at hand have been overwhelmed with the cataclysmic crisis of a hurricane with a feminine name.

My son and his partner have no power in their apartment, although our warehouse is intact to the point where we don’t have to contact our insurance company. Additionally, it isn’t as if fate singled us out; we are in the same boat as millions of small businesses up and down the coast. So while my son and his partner go to bed early and waken with the help of a battery operated alarm, at least any bottom line impact is understandable.

I’m depleted.

Have worked more than my usually allotted hours this week for Fred Flare. Have attempted to remain current with political news. Have met most of my social commitments. And have taken a surprise look at how busy I am in any given week.

This time last year I had resigned my position at Fred Flare and wasn’t working at all. In my “retirement” world, I had the laissez faire attitude that if something didn’t get done today there would always be tomorrow. The sum result was that I didn’t accomplish much, because tomorrow was always waiting in the wings.

So I embraced returning to work this past March. I found that my original returning contract called for 15 hours a week, which seemed manageable. In fact, in the beginning those 15 hours inspired me to use my free hours to hone my piano skills, my swimming, and my other commitments. I was motivated.

The thing is that since then my work has expanded and demanded much more. I’m glad to do it, since this is a family business; and I’m part of the family that owns it. At the same time, I see that I’m exhausted because my job is getting out of control. And I’m not playing piano or working out or simply relaxing as I did before.

Realignment is required here. And I plan to do it, because I don’t want to be depleted on Friday nights.

“You have to study the hands,” Earl said to me, continuing our square dance discussion. “My partner puts her hands where they’re supposed to be so I can grab them. “ The look on my face must have revealed my confusion.

“Hands? Aren’t you trying to learn the steps themselves?” I asked. He shook his head.

“I know some of them, like grand right and left or star thru, but it’s easier when my partner puts her hands in the right place. So you have to study the hands for when we dance together. You’ll have to know where to put them.”

Hmmm. This is a new approach.

I will say my own experienced partner also puts his hands in the right positions to guide me. And I’ve been aware of how helpful that is. But am I looking for his hands so that I don’t have to remember the steps in the move? I don’t think so. I’m busy memorizing my part.

Evidently my real partner works by another method. I’ll have to figure out how to handle this, and probably telling him HE needs to know where to put his hands isn’t the final answer.

Last week I let my job take over my life. Worked more than usual; and, to find the time, I gave up those things that provide pleasure. Things like reading, swimming, my book club monthly meeting, and piano.

I understand many people do this all the time, but at my age (retirement age, actually) I don’t want to be one of them. So this past weekend I turned off my work mode to reclaim some balance.

In spite of nippy weather, three friends and I entered The Great Pumpkin River Race, a 5K race/walk sponsored by a local Rotary club. We were the very last to cross the finish line on Saturday, and we have a photo to prove it. It was great fun.

My other Saturday activities included going shopping for clothes, eating pizza for dinner, and working on this unbelievably difficult jigsaw puzzle Earl and I bought on our recent trip. On Sunday I slept in, had coffee with a friend, roasted some veggies, and worked on the puzzle again. The latter could have been counterproductive, but actually we had a couple breakthroughs on how the pieces fit; so it was a most satisfying experience.

The entire weekend could be described that way. And today, having cleared the cobwebs from my head, I’m ready to return to work and my usual pleasurable pastimes.