I went to my dad's grave two days ago. For those of you keeping track, he died 5.5 years ago, and yes, I am just now getting to his grave. But this is the first time in since a few months after his funeral that I was back in that small town.
I snuck into town. I'm not sure it's possible to sneak into a town that is just a smidge bigger than my high school, but I wanted to see my aunt (my mom's sister), my uncle, and cousin. I knew if the rest of my family found out I was there I would feel obligated to see them all... Stopping by the cemetery was probably a giveaway, but I didn't care.
Let me tell you, being there was weird. You know that scene in movies where the lone person walks across the cemetery in an open overcoat and the only thing you can hear is the crunch of the brown dead grass under their feet? That was me. And it was surreal.
My dad is bured next to my grandparent (his parents). I stood there, staring at his headstone. It had everything that mattered to him on it: The American flag, his service in Vietnam, his service as a firefighter. I'm not a big fan of burying people. I think it's a waste of money and resources, but standing there.... It was just weird. He was under the ground. Sure, it was just his body in a wooden box encased in a big cement vault. But it was there. Just like it was on the day of his funeral.
I could fee that day. Sitting under a tent in 115 degree heat with my brother and stepfamily. Sweating. Crying. It's a tradition that firefighters have a gun salute at their funerals. He did. And it was done by the people he had stood side by side with for almost 40 years. They were guys I grew up with. They were crying.
So I stood there. I cleaned off my grandparents headstone. I cleaned off Dad's. I remember watching my mom do the same to her parent's headstone. And there I was, doing it for my dad.
I was all grown up.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Co-Owner
Today I became a co-owner of the Green Bay Packers. Me and several hundred thousand others.
I'm always surprised at how many people don't know the story of the Packers. They're the only publicly-owned NFL team. They don't have one owner--they have a President and CEO. They have a general manager. There is a board. And the Packers Organization. But they are owned by their shareholders.
For some it is the opportunity to be a shareholder in their favorite team. For others is is an investment to keep the Packers in Green Bay. Because, if you didn't know, Green Bay is a city of 100,000 people and the smallest city to have an NFL team. Way back when, it was normal to have teams in cities like Green Bay, but as media markets and demand changed, teams moved to larger markets to be more profitable. Why didn't the Packers leave? Because they were owned by their community.
And now I am part of that community. I am part-owner of the Green Bay Packers. Plenty of people will tell me it was a waste of money. That it's a sham. Maybe it is. Stockholders can't make money off their stock. They can't sell it. It isn't traded.
I don't care.
The tie between the Packers organization and the players and its fans is life-long. This isn't just any team, this is my team. And now it's official: I am part-owner of the best and most-unique sports franchise in the United States. And you can't take that away from me.
I'm always surprised at how many people don't know the story of the Packers. They're the only publicly-owned NFL team. They don't have one owner--they have a President and CEO. They have a general manager. There is a board. And the Packers Organization. But they are owned by their shareholders.
For some it is the opportunity to be a shareholder in their favorite team. For others is is an investment to keep the Packers in Green Bay. Because, if you didn't know, Green Bay is a city of 100,000 people and the smallest city to have an NFL team. Way back when, it was normal to have teams in cities like Green Bay, but as media markets and demand changed, teams moved to larger markets to be more profitable. Why didn't the Packers leave? Because they were owned by their community.
And now I am part of that community. I am part-owner of the Green Bay Packers. Plenty of people will tell me it was a waste of money. That it's a sham. Maybe it is. Stockholders can't make money off their stock. They can't sell it. It isn't traded.
I don't care.
The tie between the Packers organization and the players and its fans is life-long. This isn't just any team, this is my team. And now it's official: I am part-owner of the best and most-unique sports franchise in the United States. And you can't take that away from me.
Go Pack.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Be Bold with Bananas: Awful Library Books
It's been awhile since I posted anything from the blog Awful Library Books, but the book Be Bold with Bananas is far too good (awful) not to share.
Especially because of this picture:
Especially because of this picture:
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| Supposedly, this is a "banana candle" centerpiece. Sure it is. (Picture from Awful Library Books) |
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Top Chef, Part 5643
So... Top Chef is back. And it has been for some time.
While I was staying with My Gay Husband back in My Old Stomping Grounds, we spent some time talking about Top Chef. MGH doesn't have cable, and MOSG is located in an area where you can't get any TV without cable. I don't know if he watches online or if he watches it at a friend's house... Because they are both total foodies. Anyway, I always figured MGH would think he was above reality TV, but a show about food may be different. The current season of Top Chef had just started and I hadn't seen the first episode, yet. I was poking around MGH's cookbooks when I stumbled on the Top Chef cookbook. I was surprised. And then he started talking about the first episode and how he thought I would really enjoy it (I did). And then he asked: If the judges were to come to your town, where would you take them? I didn't know. We had a four-star restaurant in town but it closed. There is a large locavore movement here, so most places use local, seasonal ingredients. I mentioned a Vietnamese place in a strip mall that I like a lot. Okay, that I love. Their Pho is amazing. They use seasonal vegetables. They have this great pineapple tofu dish... It's comforting.
Anyway, I have been half watching this season because I keep getting distracted by other things and never get around to re-watching what I missed. But last week's show? With Heather? Taking Beverly to task for what happened in the last challenge? What the fuck? Let it go. And her overall attitude? Shitty. And grumpy. And bitchy. There is always the cliche chance that she was edited to look bitchy, but I suspect that most people who are edited bitchy are bitchy. So, Heather? The bitch of this season.
Edward, the Korean dude from Kentucky? At first, I thought he was going to be the asshole of the season. And maybe he is, but he's growing on me, especially for calling out Heather on her overall bitchiness. And for pointing out that the person you throw under the reality show bus may be your partner in the next challenge. He's growing on me.
I do miss Chuy. Because I wanted to see more scenes of him drinking talking about how his dad built the entire city of San Bernardino with his bare hands. The other guy I like is Paul, the dude from Austin.
And the other Bravo show that I adore this season? Work of Art. Seriously. Awesome.
While I was staying with My Gay Husband back in My Old Stomping Grounds, we spent some time talking about Top Chef. MGH doesn't have cable, and MOSG is located in an area where you can't get any TV without cable. I don't know if he watches online or if he watches it at a friend's house... Because they are both total foodies. Anyway, I always figured MGH would think he was above reality TV, but a show about food may be different. The current season of Top Chef had just started and I hadn't seen the first episode, yet. I was poking around MGH's cookbooks when I stumbled on the Top Chef cookbook. I was surprised. And then he started talking about the first episode and how he thought I would really enjoy it (I did). And then he asked: If the judges were to come to your town, where would you take them? I didn't know. We had a four-star restaurant in town but it closed. There is a large locavore movement here, so most places use local, seasonal ingredients. I mentioned a Vietnamese place in a strip mall that I like a lot. Okay, that I love. Their Pho is amazing. They use seasonal vegetables. They have this great pineapple tofu dish... It's comforting.
Anyway, I have been half watching this season because I keep getting distracted by other things and never get around to re-watching what I missed. But last week's show? With Heather? Taking Beverly to task for what happened in the last challenge? What the fuck? Let it go. And her overall attitude? Shitty. And grumpy. And bitchy. There is always the cliche chance that she was edited to look bitchy, but I suspect that most people who are edited bitchy are bitchy. So, Heather? The bitch of this season.
Edward, the Korean dude from Kentucky? At first, I thought he was going to be the asshole of the season. And maybe he is, but he's growing on me, especially for calling out Heather on her overall bitchiness. And for pointing out that the person you throw under the reality show bus may be your partner in the next challenge. He's growing on me.
I do miss Chuy. Because I wanted to see more scenes of him drinking talking about how his dad built the entire city of San Bernardino with his bare hands. The other guy I like is Paul, the dude from Austin.
And the other Bravo show that I adore this season? Work of Art. Seriously. Awesome.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Being Positive
I have a difficult time being positive. I tend to be naturally pessimistic. I don't know why, I just always have been. I've had this attitude that if I expect the worst, when it doesn't happen, I'll be happy. Someone once told me that was defeatist. I always saw it as realistic.
Anyway, my point: I've been feeling cautiously optimistic lately. And that's saying a lot since last week I had a slight melt down at work. It wasn't truly a melt down but I got frustrated by constantly hitting that wall of resistance that you tend to meet not only in libraries but in higher ed. And then today a faculty member needed some research help and during the process we began to talk about libraries. We discussed our library, other libraries, and libraries in general. We touched on the issues libraries face when it comes to collections, balancing access versus ownership, collaborative space verses collection space, and so on and so forth.
He had all positive things to say. That's really nice to hear since so much of what we hear from faculty is negative. They want to know why we don't have a specific book or journal or some obscure item that only two libraries in the world own. Why aren't we like Harvard/Yale/University of Chicago/University of [insert Big State U name here]? Why? Because we're not Big State U, and we aren't trying to be Big State U. So it's refreshing to have someone wander into the library, ask a few questions, start a conversation, and then tell you why you as an organization are doing things right.
It's so easy to focus on the negative. This has been a busy quarter. I'm in the process of putting together my annual review file for my job, and I can barely wrap my head around what I have done in the last three to six months. I didn't get everything done I wanted to, but I was damn close. Instead of focusing on what I didn't do, I'm trying to be impressed with what I did accomplish. And I kind of am.
About a month ago, a student came looking for me. He was looking for tax resources he thought were in gov docs, and he couldn't find them (they were in reference). Out of the blue he said, "You've really helped me out over the last few years." He made my day.
Librarians don't get thanked by many students, really. It's happened a few times in the last couple of years. One student came to see me the day before he graduated to thank me and tell me he couldn't've done it without me. He gave me a gift certificate to his parents' restaurant. I've never used it because they have little that's vegan. Instead I tacked it to my bulletin board as a reminder of why I do what I do and why I love what I do.
Anyway, my point: I've been feeling cautiously optimistic lately. And that's saying a lot since last week I had a slight melt down at work. It wasn't truly a melt down but I got frustrated by constantly hitting that wall of resistance that you tend to meet not only in libraries but in higher ed. And then today a faculty member needed some research help and during the process we began to talk about libraries. We discussed our library, other libraries, and libraries in general. We touched on the issues libraries face when it comes to collections, balancing access versus ownership, collaborative space verses collection space, and so on and so forth.
He had all positive things to say. That's really nice to hear since so much of what we hear from faculty is negative. They want to know why we don't have a specific book or journal or some obscure item that only two libraries in the world own. Why aren't we like Harvard/Yale/University of Chicago/University of [insert Big State U name here]? Why? Because we're not Big State U, and we aren't trying to be Big State U. So it's refreshing to have someone wander into the library, ask a few questions, start a conversation, and then tell you why you as an organization are doing things right.
It's so easy to focus on the negative. This has been a busy quarter. I'm in the process of putting together my annual review file for my job, and I can barely wrap my head around what I have done in the last three to six months. I didn't get everything done I wanted to, but I was damn close. Instead of focusing on what I didn't do, I'm trying to be impressed with what I did accomplish. And I kind of am.
About a month ago, a student came looking for me. He was looking for tax resources he thought were in gov docs, and he couldn't find them (they were in reference). Out of the blue he said, "You've really helped me out over the last few years." He made my day.
Librarians don't get thanked by many students, really. It's happened a few times in the last couple of years. One student came to see me the day before he graduated to thank me and tell me he couldn't've done it without me. He gave me a gift certificate to his parents' restaurant. I've never used it because they have little that's vegan. Instead I tacked it to my bulletin board as a reminder of why I do what I do and why I love what I do.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Tattle Tape
While reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me, I noticed a piece of paper stuck between two pages. I wiggled it out and I realized it was Tattle Tape.
I got weirdly excited about this.... like I had found a prize or something. And then I realized I was a big, huge library nerd.
I'm okay with that.
I got weirdly excited about this.... like I had found a prize or something. And then I realized I was a big, huge library nerd.
I'm okay with that.
Reading, Watching
Reading
I went to the local bookstore to buy my niece a copy of The Diary of Anne Frank for Christmas. She's ten. I was a little younger than that when I read Anne Frank for the first time. I read it multiple times after that. It fueled my love of books, reading, and history. At our library's annual children's book booksale, I bought a photobook about Anne Frank. Initially I bought it for me, but then I decided to pair it with Anne Frank (and an iTunes giftcard) for my niece.
Anyway, I remembered I had the remnants of a local bookstore giftcard a friend sent me earlier this year. It wasn't enough to pay for a new hardcover, but I decided I may as well use it. My intended purchases (in addition to buying Anne Frank): Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling and See a Little Light by Bob Mould. What did I buy? Kaling's book and Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie.
I had heard about the Catherine the Great book from my mom, but I didn't think to buy it until I saw who the author was. I never got around to reading Nicholas and Alexandria but I read (and own) Massie's Peter the Great and The Romanovs: The Final Chapter. I tried to read Dreadnaught. I think I still own it, and I still want to read it.
My first thought when I saw the Catherine the Great book? Robert Massie is still alive? I'm pretty sure this is something only thought by former history majors who were obsessed with WWI and Russian and East European history. I grabbed it off the shelf as soon as I saw it. I read John Alexander's Catherine the Great while in college. I think I still own it. (I've been getting rid of books I've been hauling around for twenty-plus years, and I'm not sure if this one made the cut or not). I read it in the first Russian history class I took as an undergrad. This was the class that started my passion for Russian history. I wasn't obsessed with Catherine the Great, not at all, but I did dress as her for Halloween one year. Again, only something a Russian history nerd would think to do.
Anyway, I started Kaling's book eating lunch and I finished it a few hours later. I loved it. And it made me think that maybe I should write a book.
Don't worry, I won't. But a friend of mine keeps telling me I should. She tells me I have a distinct voice. And I tell good stories. I'm really not that interesting but I have known some interesting people. It's what happens when you spend most of your life in small towns, you meet interesting people because they are a whole lot more noticeable. Anyway, Kaling's book made me start thinking about it. And then I realized I could never be as funny as Mindy Kaling. And that was a little depressing.
Watching
At this moment I am watching (and DVRing) Raising Arizona. Thanks to all that crap from Comcast, they gave me HBO free for three months. So I am DVRing a bunch of movies I ether really like a lot or that I kept meaning to see. So far I have DVR'd A Mighty Wind, Quiz Show, West Side Story, The Kids are Alright, and Bend it Like Beckham.
I went to the local bookstore to buy my niece a copy of The Diary of Anne Frank for Christmas. She's ten. I was a little younger than that when I read Anne Frank for the first time. I read it multiple times after that. It fueled my love of books, reading, and history. At our library's annual children's book booksale, I bought a photobook about Anne Frank. Initially I bought it for me, but then I decided to pair it with Anne Frank (and an iTunes giftcard) for my niece.
Anyway, I remembered I had the remnants of a local bookstore giftcard a friend sent me earlier this year. It wasn't enough to pay for a new hardcover, but I decided I may as well use it. My intended purchases (in addition to buying Anne Frank): Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling and See a Little Light by Bob Mould. What did I buy? Kaling's book and Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie.
I had heard about the Catherine the Great book from my mom, but I didn't think to buy it until I saw who the author was. I never got around to reading Nicholas and Alexandria but I read (and own) Massie's Peter the Great and The Romanovs: The Final Chapter. I tried to read Dreadnaught. I think I still own it, and I still want to read it.
My first thought when I saw the Catherine the Great book? Robert Massie is still alive? I'm pretty sure this is something only thought by former history majors who were obsessed with WWI and Russian and East European history. I grabbed it off the shelf as soon as I saw it. I read John Alexander's Catherine the Great while in college. I think I still own it. (I've been getting rid of books I've been hauling around for twenty-plus years, and I'm not sure if this one made the cut or not). I read it in the first Russian history class I took as an undergrad. This was the class that started my passion for Russian history. I wasn't obsessed with Catherine the Great, not at all, but I did dress as her for Halloween one year. Again, only something a Russian history nerd would think to do.
Anyway, I started Kaling's book eating lunch and I finished it a few hours later. I loved it. And it made me think that maybe I should write a book.
Don't worry, I won't. But a friend of mine keeps telling me I should. She tells me I have a distinct voice. And I tell good stories. I'm really not that interesting but I have known some interesting people. It's what happens when you spend most of your life in small towns, you meet interesting people because they are a whole lot more noticeable. Anyway, Kaling's book made me start thinking about it. And then I realized I could never be as funny as Mindy Kaling. And that was a little depressing.
Watching
At this moment I am watching (and DVRing) Raising Arizona. Thanks to all that crap from Comcast, they gave me HBO free for three months. So I am DVRing a bunch of movies I ether really like a lot or that I kept meaning to see. So far I have DVR'd A Mighty Wind, Quiz Show, West Side Story, The Kids are Alright, and Bend it Like Beckham.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Vanilla
My dad loved vanilla and lemon. Not together. But he always had those hard lemon drop candies in the house and he always burned vanilla candles at Christmas. When my brother and I were kids we'd all go to the local drug store to get fountain drinks from the local soda fountain. I'd get either a green river or a cherry Coke. My brother always got a chocolate Coke, and my dad got either a lemon Coke or a vanilla Coke.
(For the record, the local soda fountain still exists with the original bar, stool, and soda fountain. Last time I was there [five years ago], I got a cherry Coke with my food and ordered a chocolate Coke to go.)
Anyway... Vanilla and vanilla candles. Dad loved the smell. Vanilla-scented stuff takes me back to my dad's house when it was still a bachelor pad (i.e., still furnished with run-down furniture and card tables). My brother and I would put up the Christmas tree, Dad burned multiple vanilla candles in every room of the house. It was Christmas.
So, earlier this week I went to the dentist for a cleaning and check up. At the end, my hygienist (who is awesome) went through the drawer of stuff asking me what I wanted: Toothpaste? Floss? (Yes) Toothbrush? (No) And then she asked, "Do you want some chapstick?"
Yes!
I'm kind of addicted to any form of lip balm. I am constantly applying it, and I'm miserable when I run out, and I had just run out. So, my hygienist gave me some with my dentist's name, number, etc. on it.
I kept forgetting to pick up more at the store so, you know, awesome.
And then I put it on and all of a sudden I was ten years old, back in my dad's bachelor pad house, putting up Christmas decorations. My new dentist lip balm is vanilla flavored/scented.
I'm kind of loving it.
(For the record, the local soda fountain still exists with the original bar, stool, and soda fountain. Last time I was there [five years ago], I got a cherry Coke with my food and ordered a chocolate Coke to go.)
Anyway... Vanilla and vanilla candles. Dad loved the smell. Vanilla-scented stuff takes me back to my dad's house when it was still a bachelor pad (i.e., still furnished with run-down furniture and card tables). My brother and I would put up the Christmas tree, Dad burned multiple vanilla candles in every room of the house. It was Christmas.
So, earlier this week I went to the dentist for a cleaning and check up. At the end, my hygienist (who is awesome) went through the drawer of stuff asking me what I wanted: Toothpaste? Floss? (Yes) Toothbrush? (No) And then she asked, "Do you want some chapstick?"
Yes!
I'm kind of addicted to any form of lip balm. I am constantly applying it, and I'm miserable when I run out, and I had just run out. So, my hygienist gave me some with my dentist's name, number, etc. on it.
I kept forgetting to pick up more at the store so, you know, awesome.
And then I put it on and all of a sudden I was ten years old, back in my dad's bachelor pad house, putting up Christmas decorations. My new dentist lip balm is vanilla flavored/scented.
I'm kind of loving it.
Conversation I had at the reference desk yesterday afternoon, the last day of finals
Me: So, how many sources do you need? When do you need them?
Student: Probably two, and as soon as possible.
Me: This isn't for an assignment due today, is it?
Student: Well.... yeah.
Me: Seriously? C'mon, man...
Yes, yesterday was the last day of the quarter. Thank god. I have never been so happy to see something end before in my life. Ever.
Student: Probably two, and as soon as possible.
Me: This isn't for an assignment due today, is it?
Student: Well.... yeah.
Me: Seriously? C'mon, man...
Yes, yesterday was the last day of the quarter. Thank god. I have never been so happy to see something end before in my life. Ever.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Comcast, Take II
The Comcast tech came by on Sunday. Turns out I was being billed for two DVRs--a standard and an HD DVR. He fixed that. The box I had was in fact a DVR, but the code had been messed with so much it was easier to swap it out for a new one. The tech got it all set up.
Then I tried to program the DVR. Nothing. Okay, I'll wait. Next day? I set some recordings and went to work. After working late I got home to find out nothing had recorded. I tried again to record. Nothing.
So... tonight, I called. Again. I was explaining what went wrong, the Comcast person on the phone reset it, and then we were cut off. I don't know if I was hung up on or if my phone dropped the call. I was not yelling. I was not getting mad.
I called back.
I calmly (seriously) explained how many times I had talked to someone at Comcast and all the back and forth. The guy on the phone told me I was calmer than he would be. I told him this wasn't the norm. After resetting the DVR three or four times the Comcast dude said, "I hate to tell you this...." And a tech would have to come out. There was a chance, he said, that the DVR might work in fifteen minutes or so (after it reloaded) but wasn't holding his breath. Neither was I.
More bitching on Twitter and the Comcast Twitter people wanted the full story so they could investigate.
And then my DVR began to work.
Honestly, dear reader, I do have other things, other going on in my life other than my freaking cable TV, but they're things I can't really go into detail about on a blog. So... this is it.
Then I tried to program the DVR. Nothing. Okay, I'll wait. Next day? I set some recordings and went to work. After working late I got home to find out nothing had recorded. I tried again to record. Nothing.
So... tonight, I called. Again. I was explaining what went wrong, the Comcast person on the phone reset it, and then we were cut off. I don't know if I was hung up on or if my phone dropped the call. I was not yelling. I was not getting mad.
I called back.
I calmly (seriously) explained how many times I had talked to someone at Comcast and all the back and forth. The guy on the phone told me I was calmer than he would be. I told him this wasn't the norm. After resetting the DVR three or four times the Comcast dude said, "I hate to tell you this...." And a tech would have to come out. There was a chance, he said, that the DVR might work in fifteen minutes or so (after it reloaded) but wasn't holding his breath. Neither was I.
More bitching on Twitter and the Comcast Twitter people wanted the full story so they could investigate.
And then my DVR began to work.
Honestly, dear reader, I do have other things, other going on in my life other than my freaking cable TV, but they're things I can't really go into detail about on a blog. So... this is it.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Comcast Sucks
My Comcast On Demand service has been acting weird for a few weeks. It would work and then not work. The payback would catch. Or I'd get audio but no video. I eventually got sick of it and got in touch with customer service. I'm not a fan of their chat service, but I didn't feel like talking to anyone, so I did the chat thing. The tech "person" (because part of me thinks it's nothing more than a machine is on the other end spitting out random crap) tried to reset the signal but it didn't work. I was told to unplug it and then plug it back in. Didn't fix anything. And... I guess that meant the box was broken.
So, I had the choice of picking up a new box or waiting for a tech. I said neither--I wasn't doing a damn thing or altering my schedule to sit around and wait for a cable dude. I was told I was shit out of luck.
What do I do? Go to Twitter. Within a few minutes a Comcast guy said they'd ship me a new DVR.
Excellent!
It arrives. I set it up. I activate it. I let it do it's thing, and I run some errands. When I get home 2.5 hours later it still isn't working. I call customer service. This person tells me I was sent the wrong kind of DVR and that my account won't work with it. If I want to use it I will have to pay more each month. Oh, and she thinks my original problem wasn't the DVR but the signal. I kind of lose my shit. She tells me she can set up a temporary fix but eventually I will still need to swap out this machine. We set up an appointment for a tech to come to my house. I'm still not happy about having them visit. Last time they were here my tv broke. And I don't like giving up my time for the cable dude. But, I don't have a choice, whatever she did to my account meant that when their system refreshed my service would stop working.
Jesus.
So, I head back to Twitter. I am told the tech I spoke to was wrong. After some back and forth, the Comcast Twitter dude called me and we straightened out my request, the tech visit on Sunday, and we got it worked out. Excellent.
But one thing: My DVR still doesn't work. I ask Twitter dude about this. Oh, oops... you weren't sent a DVR, it's a box used for some other Comcast service.
Are you fucking kidding me? I pay how much a month for this bullshit?
Yeah, people are starving in this world and people are homeless and here I am complaining about my DVR. I know. I know. In the big scheme of things this is ridiculous. But c'mon... is one person at Comcast competent? At all?
Supposedly I have HBO free for three months because of all this. I don't care, honestly. I just want the shit I pay for to work.
So, I had the choice of picking up a new box or waiting for a tech. I said neither--I wasn't doing a damn thing or altering my schedule to sit around and wait for a cable dude. I was told I was shit out of luck.
What do I do? Go to Twitter. Within a few minutes a Comcast guy said they'd ship me a new DVR.
Excellent!
It arrives. I set it up. I activate it. I let it do it's thing, and I run some errands. When I get home 2.5 hours later it still isn't working. I call customer service. This person tells me I was sent the wrong kind of DVR and that my account won't work with it. If I want to use it I will have to pay more each month. Oh, and she thinks my original problem wasn't the DVR but the signal. I kind of lose my shit. She tells me she can set up a temporary fix but eventually I will still need to swap out this machine. We set up an appointment for a tech to come to my house. I'm still not happy about having them visit. Last time they were here my tv broke. And I don't like giving up my time for the cable dude. But, I don't have a choice, whatever she did to my account meant that when their system refreshed my service would stop working.
Jesus.
So, I head back to Twitter. I am told the tech I spoke to was wrong. After some back and forth, the Comcast Twitter dude called me and we straightened out my request, the tech visit on Sunday, and we got it worked out. Excellent.
But one thing: My DVR still doesn't work. I ask Twitter dude about this. Oh, oops... you weren't sent a DVR, it's a box used for some other Comcast service.
Are you fucking kidding me? I pay how much a month for this bullshit?
Yeah, people are starving in this world and people are homeless and here I am complaining about my DVR. I know. I know. In the big scheme of things this is ridiculous. But c'mon... is one person at Comcast competent? At all?
Supposedly I have HBO free for three months because of all this. I don't care, honestly. I just want the shit I pay for to work.
30 Days of Thanks: Days 27-30
Day 27: Music. I don't listen to music like I used to, but to say that music influenced my life a little is an understatement.
Day 28: The last day of class.
Day 29: The interwebs because of things like Texts from Bennet, Ugly Renaissance Babies, and Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore Yet to Confirm Who WIll Take Custody of J Mascis.
Day 28: The last day of class.
Day 29: The interwebs because of things like Texts from Bennet, Ugly Renaissance Babies, and Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore Yet to Confirm Who WIll Take Custody of J Mascis.
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