the debt-free dance

A letter sent to me last week stated:

DEBITS SUSPENDED

Huh? Further down:

Electronic debiting of your Direct Loan payment is being halted temporarily because we granted a deferment, forbearance, or other type of suspension of payments on your Direct Loan(s).

We will send you a Notice when the electronic debiting is to resume for your monthly payment.

Huh? So, I called.
I told the woman on the phone that my payments have been halted, but I hadn't asked for a deferment or forbearance or done anything else to halt repayment. Her reply: Yes, you have.

Huh? She explained: You paid off your loan.

WooHoo! I am debt free! It's kind of an odd thought in this day and age. I owe no one. I am not working to pay for my past. I'm free.

manuscript submission of the day

"I’d like to pique your interest in writing about IPDR - IP detail record-streaming protocol. It doesn't sound very sexy, but it is critical in the cable and telecom industries today."

First, um, sexy? Does this PR person understand this industry? Sexy really isn't a part of the equation.

Second, the redundant nature of "IP detail record-streaming protocol" is driving me nuts. The "P" in "IP" stands for Protocol, so Internet Protocol detail record-streaming protocol is just dumb. And I won't even venture to touch on the capitalization issues here.

I suggested to a fellow editor that it should be renamed as "Detail Record-streaming Internet Protocol," or "DRIP." (Drip also carries a double meaning: a tiresome, annoying person. Hmm. How fitting.)

I actually looked up what this protocol's proper name is: Internet Protocol Detail Record. So, the PR person at least got the acronym correct as IPDR. Still, I think there should be a petition to change it to DRIP.

editing quote of the day

"I suggest that shooting naked is not the best course of action..."

I rarely get to edit such exciting material — about the benefit of "dressing" the front of a camcorder lens with a filter. Next on my editing menu: directional antennas.