Every time you get a new credit card now, that is, a renewed one with a new expiration date, it has a sticker on it saying that "for security reasons" you have to call and "activate" it. Oh, give me a break. It's not for "security reasons." Maybe it started out being for security reasons, so that no one could steal your mail and use your new card, but somewhere along the line, some marketing genius said, "Hey! They have to call us anyway, right? They can't get off the phone until we tell them they can, right? So why not keep them on the phone as long as possible and try to sell them stuff??"

Most of the time it's automated. You call, punch in your credit card number, wait awhile, then they come back on and say, "While you're waiting, how about buying something, like a credit card protection plan or some life insurance?" You punch whatever button means, "No," and they come back and say, "Are you sure? You have to wait anyway, why not?" and you punch in "No" again, and eventually they say, "Okay. Well, your loss. Your card is now activated and you can use it. Loser."

This morning I called American Express to activate my card, and after getting the recording, putting in the number, and waiting, it was a live person instead of a recording. She said she would like to ask me a few questions in order to be sure that I was getting the full value of the card, or something. She asked, "What kinds of purchases do you normally make with your American Express card?"

What kind of purchases?? I buy stuff.

I said I didn't have time to take a survey--I needed to get to work. So she said something about how there were all kinds of benefits that went along with the card, and to check online or something, and then she asked if she could have my email address so they could keep me up to date on stuff, and I said, "No."

So she eventually let me go.

I know you have to put up with some stuff in order to get credit, but it's so annoying.