Saturday, March 10, 2007

the wee hours

Madison, Testing The Authenticity of the Stanley Cup

And the answer is…of course not, it has the Leafs logo on it.  What, do you live in a fantasy world?

(Madison is 7 weeks old now and will be going off with her adoptive parents in the morning.  She’s turned into a really great kitten and we’ll be sorry to see her go.  I guess it would be selfish to keep her through this awesome kitten stage, huh?  Anyway, we’re sending her home with a cornucopia of kitten goodies - litter box, toys, food, and the appreciation of straw brooms.  Good for snackin’ & playin’ )

Friday, March 09, 2007

the wee hours

Idiot of the Day - Oh, Dell…

Why do you do this to us?  What has America done to you?  You know, except for that making you rich thang.  As I wrote here not long ago (last week?), I bought a Dell laptop for work.  I like my sports, my being able to see Leigh-Ann occasionally, my ability to sit in different seats (until I can afford my fancy $1000+, don’t ever want to leave it, computer chair), and the possibility of being able to work from Starbucks if necessary.  Our cable modem went out last night, and I could actually see myself having to work from Starbucks.  We no longer have jobs where we can say, “Oh well, we’ll just take a few days off while the affiliate sales roll in without us checking the stats.”  We now work all the time, instead of working hard and then being able to take a bunch of time off while the old work pays off.  So yeah, got a laptop.  Got a Dell laptop.  Got a Dell laptop that would be upgradeable to Vista.  Got Vista a week or so ago.  And, yesterday, had FOUR charges for the Vista upgrade on my credit card.  I wrote to complain.  Today, I had FIVE charges from Dell for the Vista upgrade.  Three of the five still say “pending”, so there’s a chance they may drop off.  Knowing Dell’s eye for customer service detail, it probably won’t happen.  I just received a response back from Dell customer service.  It was such a great response, I knew that I wanted to share it with you, my friends.

“According to your request, I would like to inform you that that you need to contact Dell fulfillment center for more clarification. You may call 866 634 7426 and 801 431 5000 Monday to Friday 8 Am to 5 Pm. They will be more than to assist you on this issue.”  For more “clarification”?  You know, if I wanted to spend my whole day on hold with Dell for their error, I would’ve done that already.  Now, okay, wait, wait, here comes the very very very best part of the response.  “I would like to inform you that if you have avail the upgrade 4 times for different systems than you will be charged 4 times however if you have avail the upgrade once you will not be charged 4 times.”  Yes, that’s right, if I have avail the upgrade 4 times, I will be charged 4 times, and if I have avail the upgrade once, I will not be charged 4 times.  Ack, I just checked my account again and they’ve now availed my account SIX times.  If they’re going to keep charging me for upgrades, I want them to make sure they SEND them six times.  Okay, not really.  I’d like one for my desktop (a Dell) and one for Leigh-Ann’s desktop (also a Dell).  Yeah, you’d think we would learn, wouldn’t you?  But, the computers have been mostly okay, it’s just the customer service in INDIA is HORRIBLE.  It’s not that there aren’t people in India who speak perfectly good English (I just signed an Indian blogger for work, and I had no idea that he wasn’t American until he gave me his payment address in India), but Dell doesn’t hire them.  They hire some of the same idiots (of all nationalities) that I sometimes saw working in reservations at United when I was there.  I’m not blaming the idiots, they’re not doing the hiring, they just want a job.  But, they shouldn’t be getting jobs where people need them to do more than carry heavy things. 

How many times do you think Dell is going to charge me?  Should I have a contest?

Monday, March 05, 2007

terribly early in the morning

Idiots of the Day (or maybe not ) - The Coffee Fest Organizers

We’ve been going to Coffee Fest for years (4 or 5) here in Vegas.  It’s our favorite time of year, Coffee Fest & Dessert Expo time.  Leigh-Ann went to look up what the exact dates would be for Coffee Fest this year in Las Vegas, and she had to break the horrible news to me.  There isn’t one scheduled for Las Vegas.  There’s Georgia (Helly & Nancy, you should go, even if I HATE David & Marni Heilbrunn, the show organizers), Chicago, Tokyo (JAPAN - but you couldn’t come to VEGAS???), and Seattle.  I get their email newsletter and I don’t recall them ever telling us that they wouldn’t be coming to Vegas in 2007.  Coffee Fest/Dessert Expo is my favorite convention of all-time and I can’t believe it’s being taken away from me.  I ask for so little in life - TiVo, high-speed cable modem, tasty buffets, and COFFEE FEST.  How could they do this to me?  Don’t they realize that I’m chronically ill.  Heh.  Can I get a wish from the Make A Wish Foundation for them to hold Coffee Fest in Las Vegas?  Geez, and they don’t even mention anything on their website about Las Vegas.  It’s like they were never here.  It’s like we don’t even exist.  It’s so unfair.

Coffee Fest not coming to Las Vegas in 2007?  It’s UNPOSSIBLE!

Update - From Henry, my new hero, “My understanding is that because The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Assoc of America) is holding its annual convention in Long Beach two weeks before the summer session of Coffee Fest, the show directors decided to move it this year (this year only) to Atlanta.  LV, two weeks after SCAA, would be sparsely attended by the coffee industry. Atlanta is an underserved market and will be psyched.”  Still, I want them to come here.  :::stomp, stomp, stomp:::  Because the Thrashers season will probably be over in June, so that would mean no hockey.

the wee hours

The Every Other Day Schedule

I woke up today feeling okay, except for some back pain, which was exacerbated by having to clean up the dog urine that somehow leaked through the underpads (must’ve had a defective one) onto the floor.  I didn’t discover it until I was in the bathroom and not really in a position to do much about it when I realized that I’d stepped on a not quite dry floor.  Okay, it was a wet floor.  All over.  Ick.  Luckily, I had some baby wipes to clean my feet before I even had to step out of the bathroom.  They’re also super handy for cleaning the floor occasionally.  Hmm, I wonder if they’re bad for the floor.  I suppose I would’ve noticed something if they were hurting the floor.

I had planned on showering today and going out and getting a tall breve latte, mostly to reward myself just for showering and leaving the house.  I did neither.  Tomorrow, we both have an appointment with our pain management doctor (phew, glad I just wrote that, as we have to fill out the “how are you feeling” paperwork and we’ve forgotten, or I have, to do it), and I think we’re going to make him sad with how crappy we’re both feeling.  I’m not sure what magic potion he can give us though.  Maybe he’s been holding back on us and he has to wait until we reach the tipping point of insanity caused by fatigue before he prescribes it.  In fact, I’m sure of it.  When we come home tomorrow afternoon, I’m going to share the secret with you - pain patient oath be damned.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

evening

Ah, There It Is…

The complete and utter exhaustion that has plagued me only took a one day vacation.  I almost felt lonely without it.  What a relief that everything is back to normal and that I feel like sleeping twelve hours a day again.

The good news is that Cam Janssen has been suspended for 3 games for his late vicious hit on poor innocent Tomas Kaberle.  Oh, and that conservatives are actually denouncing Ann Coulter’s remarks.  It’s a miraculous day in the world.  When I sleep, the world heals.

update: I was awake a whole six hours or so before I needed a nap.  Then, I got up, turned off my computer, and went to the bedroom to lay down.  I did that for 50 minutes, then got up to feed/take out/pill the dogs.  Now, I’m ready for actual bed.  About eight hours after I got up.  The world will heal more overnight, I’m sure of it.