Friday, March 30, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
I have a new arch enemy
two of them, actually. Which is kind of nice. Now I have some guys to blame all of the world's problems on.
The morons who run the soccer league that The Talker is in are going to be the death of me. It wasn't too bad last year as a parent, but now I am the coach and I have to hear from these guys several times a week.
We are now a week into the season and they just sent out all new schedules. Seems they decided to change things up at the last minute. So I spent an hour making sense of their emails and trying to get good information out to the parents. Grrrrrr.
These geniuses say they don't want anyone coaching kids without a team shirt on, but they forgot to include adult sized shirts in their order. So I am still without a uniform that they require and supply. Guess I'll be the coach in the blue Hawaiian shirt all season.
The soccer brain trust did not even get the field OK'd until last Saturday morning. We ended up playing at a High School, on their marching band's practice field. Which is where we were supposed to play all along, but they did not know if the school would allow it or not this season. Can you say "Call the damn Principal and ask if we can use the field?"
Anyways, 7 more weeks to go, unless I kill the geniuses and end up dealing with a life sentence instead.
The morons who run the soccer league that The Talker is in are going to be the death of me. It wasn't too bad last year as a parent, but now I am the coach and I have to hear from these guys several times a week.
We are now a week into the season and they just sent out all new schedules. Seems they decided to change things up at the last minute. So I spent an hour making sense of their emails and trying to get good information out to the parents. Grrrrrr.
These geniuses say they don't want anyone coaching kids without a team shirt on, but they forgot to include adult sized shirts in their order. So I am still without a uniform that they require and supply. Guess I'll be the coach in the blue Hawaiian shirt all season.
The soccer brain trust did not even get the field OK'd until last Saturday morning. We ended up playing at a High School, on their marching band's practice field. Which is where we were supposed to play all along, but they did not know if the school would allow it or not this season. Can you say "Call the damn Principal and ask if we can use the field?"
Anyways, 7 more weeks to go, unless I kill the geniuses and end up dealing with a life sentence instead.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Well, that did not last long...
I was blogging elsewhere about being nice to people. And then the cable company emailed me. And I just don't think is possible for me to be nice to them any more.
They have an underground line buried in our backyard. And I have to give them access to it when it needs repair or replacement, but they just have to go and be stupid about it all the damn time.
See, I sent this 2 weeks ago:
They have an underground line buried in our backyard. And I have to give them access to it when it needs repair or replacement, but they just have to go and be stupid about it all the damn time.
See, I sent this 2 weeks ago:
On Feb 7 Time Warner Service ran a new line for my neighbors service and left the wire laying on the grass. It has been laying in my grass for 19 days. I need to be contacted about when this wire will be buried, so that I can properly secure my yard and pets.I got an instant email back, saying they would reply within 3 days. Who in the hell gives employees 3 days to respond to customer service emails? And now, two weeks later I get this:
By the way, there will be no access to my yard for any work crews from March 8th - March 20th.
Thank you for your customer service inquiry. I apologize for the delayed response and for any inconvenience this may have caused. I scheduled an appointment for the first available date in April. On Monday, April 2nd, between 8am-12pm a tech will be out to bury the line in your yard. Please give me a call or send me an email if this is not a convenient time...Another month to wait? I fired off this:
What a crock. It has taken two weeks to get a response AND the cable has lay in my yard for 3 weeks BEFORE that! AND you can't get a crew out until April? I am glad I am no longer a customer, because this would be the end of our relationship!I guess I made her laugh or made her mad, because I got another response almost instantly:
Did I tell you I loves me some DirecTV?
I scheduled the appointment for April because you stated you would not be available to provide access to your yard since you were going to be gone in March. I can schedule an earlier appointment if you will be available to secure your pets and make sure the technician has access. Please let me know when would be a convenient time for you.So I decided that I had wasted enough time on this and fired off a last shot:
No thanks.It would be nice if someone from the company actually took an interest in this and tried to keep it from happening again. But we are not customers, because of crap like this. I might send an email or two, but won't waste any more real time on it.
I am just highly annoyed that an email response took two weeks. This job could have, and should have, been finished for 5 weeks if the first tech had just done his job.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
NTB - Next Time Bye
Prepping for our road trip, I decided to take our car over to NTB, National Tire and Battery for a $24 rotate and balance of the tires.
There are two stores a few miles from here, one west a couple of exits down the freeway, and one south east less than five miles away. We have never done business with either store, so I stopped at the closer store because I am lazy. The store was closing in 95 minutes BUT if I wanted to wait, they "would get my car finished tonight".
I was a little curious why he said tonight, when it was only 4:25 in the afternoon. But being lazy I did not ask. I assumed he meant "we will get right on it, but it might take the full 95 minutes.."
He looked stunned when I said I wanted to wait while they did the rotation and balance this afternoon.
"Sir, It is going to take four or five hours to get to you...
What?
Yeah, we might not be done until 9:30 or so...
I don't think so, see you later, gator."
Then I hopped in the car and drove to the other store. I was there in 8 minutes and they were not terribly busy. Neither was the other store, but that is neither here nor there... These guys got me in and out in 35 minutes. An hour after I left the first store I was home. I guess I know which store I will be going to next time.
And I had stopped at Costco for gas on the way, which almost 20 minutes. But that is a bitch session for another day...
There are two stores a few miles from here, one west a couple of exits down the freeway, and one south east less than five miles away. We have never done business with either store, so I stopped at the closer store because I am lazy. The store was closing in 95 minutes BUT if I wanted to wait, they "would get my car finished tonight".
I was a little curious why he said tonight, when it was only 4:25 in the afternoon. But being lazy I did not ask. I assumed he meant "we will get right on it, but it might take the full 95 minutes.."
He looked stunned when I said I wanted to wait while they did the rotation and balance this afternoon.
"Sir, It is going to take four or five hours to get to you...
What?
Yeah, we might not be done until 9:30 or so...
I don't think so, see you later, gator."
Then I hopped in the car and drove to the other store. I was there in 8 minutes and they were not terribly busy. Neither was the other store, but that is neither here nor there... These guys got me in and out in 35 minutes. An hour after I left the first store I was home. I guess I know which store I will be going to next time.
And I had stopped at Costco for gas on the way, which almost 20 minutes. But that is a bitch session for another day...
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Die Spammers!
Is anyone else getting hit with a lot of spam comments on old posts lately? This blog seems to be getting hit frequently right now. Of course, I have email notifications anytime someone comments, so I can get it deleted quickly.
The odd thing is that they are hitting posts from 6 months - a year ago, not the most recent ones.
Like anyone really is going to see it after they sear my archives over here.
The odd thing is that they are hitting posts from 6 months - a year ago, not the most recent ones.
Like anyone really is going to see it after they sear my archives over here.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Scofflaw No More
A follow up to my last post, ScofflawDaddy :
I finally got someone to answer the phone this morning. Then they immediately put me on hold for 13 minutes. It was not going too well.
Once they came back to me, I told my sad story and the receptionist/phone answerer/secretary/clerk put me on hold again. Damn hold button.
She finally came back and said that the judge dismissed the $29 charge against me, since they have no idea how I would have ended up with a $29 charge anyways. And they took a little pity since I have a commercial driver's license, that I "must need for work".
No, I did not tell them that I have not used my commercial driver's license in years. But they did not ask. Whatever. $29 for less than a half hour of hassle this morning is a lot better money than I made at work, so I am HappyDaddy once more. Just please let me forget the other hour and a half I have invested in getting this taken care of.
Without getting Tasered.
I finally got someone to answer the phone this morning. Then they immediately put me on hold for 13 minutes. It was not going too well.
Once they came back to me, I told my sad story and the receptionist/phone answerer/secretary/clerk put me on hold again. Damn hold button.
She finally came back and said that the judge dismissed the $29 charge against me, since they have no idea how I would have ended up with a $29 charge anyways. And they took a little pity since I have a commercial driver's license, that I "must need for work".
No, I did not tell them that I have not used my commercial driver's license in years. But they did not ask. Whatever. $29 for less than a half hour of hassle this morning is a lot better money than I made at work, so I am HappyDaddy once more. Just please let me forget the other hour and a half I have invested in getting this taken care of.
Without getting Tasered.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
ScofflawDaddy!
That's right. I have run afoul of the law. Too bad it took 6 years and a couple of months for me to feel like a rebel.
I got a speeding ticket on November 14th, 1999. I remember it because later that same day, 11/14/1999, I got ANOTHER speeding ticket. I attended traffic school to keep the first one off of my driving record. And I could not do driving school for both tickets. I ended up paying the second.
Anyways, now
Anyways, I have been trying to just pay the freaking thing. It just isn't worth the potential hassle over $29. But the one office that can take my payment by credit card by phone won't answer the damn phone. I called three times today and at least 10 times yesterday. Along with a few times the day I got a letter about this matter. And once or twice between then and now.
And answering the damn phone seems to be a pretty important first step to do any bidness by phone, dontchathink?
So Justice of the Peace Stiles, give me a call sometime. I am sure we can work this out without anyone getting Tasered.
Especially me.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Choking the chickens on Elvis' B-day
The center of downtown was shut down for half the day today. Thanks to a slew of dead flying rodents.
But you know Austin Bills itself as the Live Music Capital of the World, right? Maybe this was simply a Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau PR stunt.
Happy birthday Elvis. Here is a 14 dozen dead bird salute for your 71st.
But you know Austin Bills itself as the Live Music Capital of the World, right? Maybe this was simply a Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau PR stunt.
Happy birthday Elvis. Here is a 14 dozen dead bird salute for your 71st.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Wishes beyond his years
Took the kids to the Children's Musuem this morning. They had a wall half covered in hand written children's New Year resolutions. One of them made me laugh out loud. Either the kid didn't have enough paper to finish the resolution, or he is really thinking ahead (wink wink nudge nudge).
My dirty little mind decided that is my resolution, too. Yep, I want me some more.
All year long.
"This year I want to get more"
My dirty little mind decided that is my resolution, too. Yep, I want me some more.
All year long.
Monday, January 01, 2007
The waiver to end all waivers
Check out this waiver from back when Racecar Man and I went to watch the building of an Extreme Makeover House.
You can click on the pic for more detail.
You can click on the pic for more detail.The part about "...Throughout the universe, in perpetuity..." just cracks me up. If I had known how to write a waiver like that, I might still be in the business.
And I am REALLY glad that I don't live in that neighborhood...
And I am REALLY glad that I don't live in that neighborhood...
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Ode to Allergy Season
Kill the cedar trees.
The juniper trees, too.
I think I'll go sharpen my chain saw.
Oak trees? they are A-OK for now.
When Spring rolls around, they might be on death watch, too.
Molds and grasses, you better watch your asses.
The juniper trees, too.
I think I'll go sharpen my chain saw.
Oak trees? they are A-OK for now.
When Spring rolls around, they might be on death watch, too.
Molds and grasses, you better watch your asses.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
It's been a month
And believe me, I've had plenty of things to gripe and whine about. Just haven't made it over here to recorded my rantings.
I'll try harder to bitch and complain more this month.
I'll try harder to bitch and complain more this month.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
European fashions and cattle chutes
Friday afternoon The Boss came home from work a little early and we headed out to the brand new IKEA store that opened a couple of days ago. The weekend crowds had not fully engulfed the store yet, and we were able to get in easily enough. And that is about where the fun ended.
The store is set-up like a mouse maze. Everyone is routed through the store the same way, guided by arrows etched into the concrete floor. No real problem, until we realized that we had missed something. Then we had to swim upstream to catch that section. Not fun. Especially since the crowds had fully attacked the store in that time.
Later, the kids were getting hungry, so we doubled back AGAIN, to grab some hot dogs at the cafe. Didyaknow that they have TWO places to eat in there? Yep. No hot dogs at the cafe, Those are available by the checkout stands, in a little bistro. Youbetcha that made me really happy, to have to get back into the crowd current again and swim for the end of the store.
We did find some cool lamps for the living room, and a mattress for The Talker's bottom bunk. He has been sleeping on a big air mattress since we set up his bunk beds.
The kids and I pretty much blew past the end of the store tour, to sit and eat hot dogs and ice cream. Turned out to be the best part. But FYI, skip the IKEA potato chips. They suck.
The store is set-up like a mouse maze. Everyone is routed through the store the same way, guided by arrows etched into the concrete floor. No real problem, until we realized that we had missed something. Then we had to swim upstream to catch that section. Not fun. Especially since the crowds had fully attacked the store in that time.
Later, the kids were getting hungry, so we doubled back AGAIN, to grab some hot dogs at the cafe. Didyaknow that they have TWO places to eat in there? Yep. No hot dogs at the cafe, Those are available by the checkout stands, in a little bistro. Youbetcha that made me really happy, to have to get back into the crowd current again and swim for the end of the store.
We did find some cool lamps for the living room, and a mattress for The Talker's bottom bunk. He has been sleeping on a big air mattress since we set up his bunk beds.
The kids and I pretty much blew past the end of the store tour, to sit and eat hot dogs and ice cream. Turned out to be the best part. But FYI, skip the IKEA potato chips. They suck.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
$65 washer ride
My cell phone survived the ride through the washing machine, but the battery died in the laundry. After 13 stops, including two stores that were not opened this today and 11 stores that either didn't sell batteries for cell phones, or did not have the one I needed, I finally found a replacement battery this morning.
For a little under $65. My only other option was to upgrade my our contract and to extend it for two more years to get a new phone at a discount. All in all, the $65 might have been a good deal.
The Boss Lady carries the same phone, so even if my phone does not last forever, the extended capacity battery that I bought today should come in handy.
For a little under $65. My only other option was to upgrade my our contract and to extend it for two more years to get a new phone at a discount. All in all, the $65 might have been a good deal.
The Boss Lady carries the same phone, so even if my phone does not last forever, the extended capacity battery that I bought today should come in handy.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Time for an upgrade!?!
My cell phone just died a watery death.
Or at least it had a near-drowning experience. A trip through the washing machine could not have possibly done it any good, right? Maybe it will be OK, once it has a day or two to dry out.
Or at least it had a near-drowning experience. A trip through the washing machine could not have possibly done it any good, right? Maybe it will be OK, once it has a day or two to dry out.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Woomba
A SAHD buddy and I were laughing about the new Roomba vac.
He reminded me about a Saturday Night Live Skit, The Woomba. So here it is.
He reminded me about a Saturday Night Live Skit, The Woomba. So here it is.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Oh yeah, I just remembered one...
A while back I blogged about our anonymous caller. Well, they must have given up finally.
But now I have a frequent visitor on my cell phone. Actually, I have three of them. One is constantly calling and asking for Francis. And two others are automated sales calls.
So now I am down to screening my cell calls. Voice mail can talk to the chick looking for Francis. 'Cause I am done. The automated voices don't leave messages.
But it is getting better now. Turns out you can assign a specific ringer action to selected callers and callers who do not disclose Caller ID info. In this case, all of these calls are set to not ring. And now that I know how to set that feature, any callers I don't want deal with will get the same treatment.
COOL!
But now I have a frequent visitor on my cell phone. Actually, I have three of them. One is constantly calling and asking for Francis. And two others are automated sales calls.
So now I am down to screening my cell calls. Voice mail can talk to the chick looking for Francis. 'Cause I am done. The automated voices don't leave messages.
But it is getting better now. Turns out you can assign a specific ringer action to selected callers and callers who do not disclose Caller ID info. In this case, all of these calls are set to not ring. And now that I know how to set that feature, any callers I don't want deal with will get the same treatment.
COOL!
Here whiner whiner
I guess I have had nothing to whine about in a while. I was checking my blog roll on AtHomeDaddy for any sites that have not been updated in a while.
This was one of the worst offenders but I can't really delete one of my own blogs from my blog roll can I? That just feels wrong.
So here I am. And now I am leaving.
But I promise I'll bitch and whine more regularly in the future.
This was one of the worst offenders but I can't really delete one of my own blogs from my blog roll can I? That just feels wrong.
So here I am. And now I am leaving.
But I promise I'll bitch and whine more regularly in the future.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
The worst $5 I ever earned
A couple of weeks back I opened a piece of junk mail that had a brand new $1 bill in it. Then a couple of days later, the calls started. Arbitron cared what I thought about our local radio stations. So I agreed to participate by logging the different stations and times that I listened to for a week.
Then they mailed me the forms and called to say that they had mailed the forms, with a couple of bucks tucked inside. I got the forms and they called to ask if I had gotten the forms. Another letter arrived a couple of days later, with another set of crisp bills included. The scheduled date arrived for me to start recording on the forms. And they called to tell me that. A few days later, another call to make sure we were keeping up with the logging.
Wednesday I finished and dropped everything in the mail. Since then, two more calls, but no more dollar bills. So Arbitron is officially cut off. I refuse to answer any more questions about my radio habits.
Unless they start sending me more nice clean dollar bills. Heck, for a ten spot I'll even tell them what I think of your radio listening habits. But I am not answering their calls next time.
Then they mailed me the forms and called to say that they had mailed the forms, with a couple of bucks tucked inside. I got the forms and they called to ask if I had gotten the forms. Another letter arrived a couple of days later, with another set of crisp bills included. The scheduled date arrived for me to start recording on the forms. And they called to tell me that. A few days later, another call to make sure we were keeping up with the logging.
Wednesday I finished and dropped everything in the mail. Since then, two more calls, but no more dollar bills. So Arbitron is officially cut off. I refuse to answer any more questions about my radio habits.
Unless they start sending me more nice clean dollar bills. Heck, for a ten spot I'll even tell them what I think of your radio listening habits. But I am not answering their calls next time.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Stickin' it to the state
About a year ago I lost a fight with the state. They started using new registration stickers that made a lot of sense, the car's license plate number and part of the VIN is now on the sticker to help fight theft of the registration stickers. But that is all good stuff. I had no problem with that.
It was the @)#&)@(#&* stickers themselves. I tore up two of the #$)$*)(*#()&@%#%%!@# things trying to get them to seperate from the paper they feed through the computerr printer on. Finally, after I taped the stickers to our car windows with scotch tape, I gave up and went to the county for replacement stickers.
And I sent an email to the state, complaining about the stupid stickers. And it worked.
Just a few hours ago I got an email from a state office:
With a response like that, what do you bet I wasn't the only one who hated those @#$&(@#)($ stickers.
It was the @)#&)@(#&* stickers themselves. I tore up two of the #$)$*)(*#()&@%#%%!@# things trying to get them to seperate from the paper they feed through the computerr printer on. Finally, after I taped the stickers to our car windows with scotch tape, I gave up and went to the county for replacement stickers.
And I sent an email to the state, complaining about the stupid stickers. And it worked.
Just a few hours ago I got an email from a state office:
Dear Texan,
We couldn’t have done it without you.
Thanks to your suggestions and comments we have completely redesigned the vehicle registration sticker. Because you played an important role in our redesign, we want you to be among the first to see it.
The new registration sticker features many of your ideas for improvement, including:
● A clean, uncluttered design
● A colored border to eliminate the “household tape” appearance
● A solid back to eliminate the “paper” appearance
Also, you will be pleased to know the new sticker peels cleanly off from any corner on the back of the registration receipt (no more punch tab)...
It is our goal to always deliver a product that meets the high quality standards Texans expect. I personally apologize to those of you who experienced any problem with the previous sticker.
We heard you, we used your ideas, and we are very excited about the new sticker design. I want to thank you again for your input as we believe it resulted in a design Texans will be proud to display. Take a look at the new sticker and let us know what you think.
We take our commitment to you seriously, and should you ever have any questions or suggestions please contact our customer service help desk...
We couldn’t have done it without you.
Thanks to your suggestions and comments we have completely redesigned the vehicle registration sticker. Because you played an important role in our redesign, we want you to be among the first to see it.
The new registration sticker features many of your ideas for improvement, including:
● A clean, uncluttered design
● A colored border to eliminate the “household tape” appearance
● A solid back to eliminate the “paper” appearance
Also, you will be pleased to know the new sticker peels cleanly off from any corner on the back of the registration receipt (no more punch tab)...
It is our goal to always deliver a product that meets the high quality standards Texans expect. I personally apologize to those of you who experienced any problem with the previous sticker.
We heard you, we used your ideas, and we are very excited about the new sticker design. I want to thank you again for your input as we believe it resulted in a design Texans will be proud to display. Take a look at the new sticker and let us know what you think.
We take our commitment to you seriously, and should you ever have any questions or suggestions please contact our customer service help desk...
With a response like that, what do you bet I wasn't the only one who hated those @#$&(@#)($ stickers.
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