How do I love the CBD? Let me count the ways...

1. My checking account earns a higher APY than today's 5 year CDs at most banks. 3.35%
2. My savings account earns an even higher APY. 3.41%
3. My money market account earns an even higher APY than that. 3.57%
4. The APY on my accounts hasn't changed since I signed up in September. You've lowered your CDs (though they're still higher than most banks). I'll understand if you have to lower the regular accounts, too. But it sure has been sweet of you to keep them up for me.
5. You don't charge me ATM fees, and refund fees the machine charges. I'll forgive you for currency conversion (0.2%) and cross border (0.8%) fees.
6. Incoming direct deposits are available faster than any other bank I've used (HSBC, GFNB, E*Trade).
7. Fully FDIC insured - yes even the money market account. It's only money market funds through brokerages that aren't insured.
8. Your web banking is easy to use - including downloading OFX files, bill pay, PDF statements, balance notifications, and transfers between CBD accounts. I'll forgive you for the lack of bank to bank transfers (you say you're working on it) and direct connect to download straight from Moneydance (you do work with Quicken Online).
9. Debit cards with Visa logo (and NYCE, pulse, and PLUS) for the checking and money market accounts. I'll forgive you for the lack of debit card on the savings. I've learned to live with lack of ability to set your own PIN for the debit cards - but I still think that's weird.
10. You let me sign up online and download the signature card to scan or fax back to you. Luckily, you accept ACH transfers to open accounts, even though they aren't available in the online banking.
11. More pre-addressed, post-paid deposit envelopes are just a phone call or email away.
12. Free checks, with free reorders if I ever need more on both the checking and money market accounts.
13. Really nice people, in a real bank in Kentucky answer the phone, or will return my message as soon as someone is available. Your southern charm and courteous follow-up to ensure everything was resolved to my satisfaction easily make up for your limited hours of support availability.
14. Your secure email system is just as good as your phone support. If fact, it's the same people.

Not so enamored with your own bank? Maybe you should give Century Bank Direct a try. http://www.centurybankdirect.com/

Disclosure: I was paid for this post by way of high interest rates on my accounts. But they would have given me those even if I wrote mean things about them (or nothing at all). ;)

Did you do your one thing?

Back in October, I challenged you to do something each month for your fellow man. How many of you have done it? I'm happy to say I have. Each month, I sponsor a loan on Kiva for $25. Because I know that I won't miss the money, but they will truly appreciate it. Better than just giving to charity, Kiva helps entrepreneurs around the world using small loans. So when the people I sponsored pay up, I can reinvest that money in another project.

I chose my one thing, and I'm doing it. How about you? Here's my Kiva page so you know I put my money where my mouth is.

I'd also like to re-encourage you all to "Click to Give". Right now each of the pages has last year's stats up. 72 million cups of food for the hungry. 7577 mammograms. 989957 children given health care assistance. 522292 books. 14957 acres of land saved. 77.8 million bowls of food for shelter animals. Those are some pretty powerful mouse clicks. Now image if you'd actually participated?

Personally, I've added them all to a folder in my bookmarks bar and just use the the 'Open all in tabs' option once a day. Not as annoying as using them as homepages every time I open the browser, and more convenient than saving one site and clicking through to the rest one at a time. I'm happy to report that Chinese internet limitations have not affected my ability to click to give!

A few random thoughts as I begin the New Year

I'm not even going to try to turn this into a coherent story, but there's a few things I'd like to say:

The White Swan Hotel's breakfast buffet has the best fish nuggets ever. They've got peas and corn and tiny pieces of carrot inside. Someone should really sell a product like that in the US. You don't taste the veggies, and you can't even see them when you smother the nuggets in ketchup.

There's something different about the cocoa powder in Brazil. I can easily stir it into hot milk and make tasty hot cocoa. I don't even usually bother to add sugar. Try the same thing in the US, and it doesn't work! You have to make a paste out of an inch of hot milk, then thin it out. And it takes a 50-50, or more realistically 2/3 sugar mix to get it to taste any good. What is up with that?

Something called 'rocket' is popular on pizzas and in salads around the world. Apparently, that's what everyone but the US calls Arugula.

Salad dressing, other than plain oil & vinegar, is not usually offered or available.

I will forever long for (and drool at the though of) Brazilian coxinhas and Australia meat pies.

Pizza is not the same everywhere. Luckily, most of the variations are pretty tasty -- even the seafood-based ones. But without a strong grasp of the language, you'll be stuck with whatever combinations of toppings are on the menu. There's rarely a simple build-your-own list available.

Ostrich and swan are both very tasty. Especially in a stir-fry or curry.

Restaurants in some countries (especially Australia) allow you to bring your own wine & beer. Personally, I think that's a much better system.

You're not expected or encouraged to tip service providers in most countries.

Chinese cab drivers always keep 1 RMB more than the fair unless you give exact change.

Unless your bank charges crazy international fees, it's much more cost effective to get your cash from an ATM than to do a currency exchange.

You can leave your laptop in the case going through US airport security checkpoints, as long as it's just a sleeve with nothing to obstruct the view of the x-ray machine. Zippers around the edge are OK.

Never, ever accept a ride from someone who approaches you in the airport, bus, or train station asking if you need a taxi. There's always some official place you're supposed to go to catch a cab. Unlicensed drivers might give you a good deal, or they might drop you on the edge of nowhere and steal all your stuff... or worse. It's not worth the risk.

The most important words to learn in the local language are Thank You, Yes/No, Hello/Goodbye, and "How much?" If you can master those, move on to the Numbers 1-10, the applicable variations of Good morning/Good evening/Good night, "Do you speak English?", and "Where is the toilet?" Learn more if at all possible. The more you can attempt to speak their language (even if you get it completely wrong), the nicer the people will be, and the better deals you'll get!