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mmegaeraFirst, there's a reason that the only reason I have Comcast for my cable is because I have no other option besides snow.
Take today, for instance, when I tried to install a new cable box on my fifteen-year-old TV (which still works fine and which I can't afford to replace right now even if I wanted to which I don't). All I wanted was a digital converter box that would let me record one show on my VCR (to get a DVR I’d have to triple my cable bill and subscribe to a bunch of channels I don’t want) while watching another show at the same time, so I can watch both Murdoch Mysteries and Bones, which air at the same time. The lady at the Comcast store handed me a box claiming that the contents would enable me to do this, no problem.
What was in the box was a new, slightly larger cable box and an ultimately non-functioning remote that looks like it could pilot a lunar lander (the non-functioning part was determined after half an hour of escalating frustration on the phone with someone whose first language is decidedly not English, and an hour and a half of at least being able to communicate with someone on live chat). So I’m paying $15 to have the cable guy come out tomorrow with a replacement remote and to set it up and show me how to do what I want to do with it [wry g]. That wasted most of my afternoon.
There’s a reason I don’t have my internet with those folks. I wouldn’t have my cable with them, either, except that they’re the only game in town (condo regs prohibit satellite dishes and antennae).
Then, for some masochistic reason that makes no sense to me now, I decided to sign up for an account with my state's health care exchange, so that I could ask some questions before I choose a plan (as you know, Bob, I'm self-employed, and my current bare-bones contract will be going up about 180% as of January 1st, and I'm pretty sure my income level will allow me at least some reduction in my premiums, although since I can't find anything anywhere that tells me how to calculate my income for the purpose -- not everyone has a simple paycheck and nothing else, people -- I can't be sure).
Only to find out that I can't sign in with my legal name (first initial, middle name, last name, which is what's on my Social Security card) because the form insists on a first name with at least two letters (and, no, punctuation doesn't count). Then I call the 800 number, only to be told that they're overloaded right now and can't even take my number for a call-back, which the website assured me they would do.
I waited two weeks to avoid the crowds. I guess I should wait some more?
But it would be nice to have this settled. Oh, well.
I think I'll just watch some TV tonight. Oh, that's right. I'll have to hook my old cable box back up first. Sigh.
On the bright side, I did get over 1000 words on Ghost Light this morning...
Take today, for instance, when I tried to install a new cable box on my fifteen-year-old TV (which still works fine and which I can't afford to replace right now even if I wanted to which I don't). All I wanted was a digital converter box that would let me record one show on my VCR (to get a DVR I’d have to triple my cable bill and subscribe to a bunch of channels I don’t want) while watching another show at the same time, so I can watch both Murdoch Mysteries and Bones, which air at the same time. The lady at the Comcast store handed me a box claiming that the contents would enable me to do this, no problem.
What was in the box was a new, slightly larger cable box and an ultimately non-functioning remote that looks like it could pilot a lunar lander (the non-functioning part was determined after half an hour of escalating frustration on the phone with someone whose first language is decidedly not English, and an hour and a half of at least being able to communicate with someone on live chat). So I’m paying $15 to have the cable guy come out tomorrow with a replacement remote and to set it up and show me how to do what I want to do with it [wry g]. That wasted most of my afternoon.
There’s a reason I don’t have my internet with those folks. I wouldn’t have my cable with them, either, except that they’re the only game in town (condo regs prohibit satellite dishes and antennae).
Then, for some masochistic reason that makes no sense to me now, I decided to sign up for an account with my state's health care exchange, so that I could ask some questions before I choose a plan (as you know, Bob, I'm self-employed, and my current bare-bones contract will be going up about 180% as of January 1st, and I'm pretty sure my income level will allow me at least some reduction in my premiums, although since I can't find anything anywhere that tells me how to calculate my income for the purpose -- not everyone has a simple paycheck and nothing else, people -- I can't be sure).
Only to find out that I can't sign in with my legal name (first initial, middle name, last name, which is what's on my Social Security card) because the form insists on a first name with at least two letters (and, no, punctuation doesn't count). Then I call the 800 number, only to be told that they're overloaded right now and can't even take my number for a call-back, which the website assured me they would do.
I waited two weeks to avoid the crowds. I guess I should wait some more?
But it would be nice to have this settled. Oh, well.
I think I'll just watch some TV tonight. Oh, that's right. I'll have to hook my old cable box back up first. Sigh.
On the bright side, I did get over 1000 words on Ghost Light this morning...
