Cam I Am

A couple months ago, I changed some of the “extra” options that I had on my City Fido plan.  I upgraded to a bundle that included “unlimited” surfing on my phone.

I don’t have an iPhone, or other smart phone.  I have your average Sony Ericsson Z550.  I don’t need all the bells and whistles, Bluetooth aside.  But I thought that it might be nice to do a little surfing here and there during the day, without paying 5 cents per kilobyte. 

It’s worked out great..  Everyday, I’d go a local radio stations site, look at the news (and enter my bonus code of the day!), and that’s about it..

Yesterday, I got a text message..  Here’s what it read:

Important Fido info:  Additional charges of $28.20 for usage not included in your unlimited surfing option have been incurred.  Please call us to resolve

That’s interesting..  When I spoke to the representative at the time I ordered it, she said that I could use it for any site that I wanted, as long as I was using a Fido issued phone, and not using it as a modem for a laptop.  I had not deviated from what I was initially told..

I called Fido and got an indifferent rep on the phone.  I asked her what exactly I had done that wasn’t covered. 

This is when the truth comes out..   It’s good to WAP sites only.  That was never mentioned.  I wouldn’t have gone to my favourite news page.. 

So, I got her to reverse the charges and put a block on the account so that I don’t go to any non-approved sites..

How is unlimited limited? 

I was just reading the news online when I came across something.

The cell phone is 35 years old today!  That’s right.  Thirty-five years ago, Motorola unveiled the DynaTac 8000x.  For $4,000 you could get this!

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After several months of seeing the message “WordPress is out of date” in my admin panel for my blog, I decided to upgrade.   The last time I did it, the message didn’t disappear, so I left it.

A couple days ago, I thought that I’d try upgrading again.  I read on a friends blog that he had trouble upgrading and warned not to use the “Maintanence Mode” function.  So armed with this information, I carefully backed my blog up.  In the instructions, Wordpress advises to be carefully how you do it, and suggests that you replace the contents of the directories, rather than the whole directory.

I didn’t take this approach.

I just replaced everything.  And it seemed to work!  As far as I can tell (with the help of a friend), the site appears to look the same as it did before to anyone who visits it, and the admin panel has been updated to a more user friendly interface.

So, maybe it was luck.  But everything seems to have worked out fine. 

So why all the warnings?  The last time I tried to upgrade I had nothing but problems when I followed WP’s instructions.  Yet, when I tried it my way, it works fine.

This past week proved to be a frustrating one at work.. 

On Monday, I had a call to install digital phone service for a customer.  Ordinarily, this is relatively easy to do for most customers, but this was no ordinary case.

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I’m a Facebook addict..  I freely admit that..  While I’ve been off work, I’ve spent more time logged into Facebook than I care to admit..

So, while I was on today, and one of my friends, John Giles,  posted an interesting link about Mac users vs. PC users.  At the end of this rant, was an interesting quote.  The author was commenting on the iTunes End User Agreement; specifically about how we are not to use iTunes to create biological or nuclear missiles..

After I laughed my ass off, I decided to check it out..  and sure enough, it does state that!  In fact, here is the actual wording:

“By using the Apple Software, you … agree that you will not use these products for any purposes prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the development, design, manufacture, or production of missiles, or nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons.”

There it is..  I’m not allowed to make a nuclear weapon using iTunes..  That’s too bad!  I mean, that “Launch Missile” icon in it is just going to waste!   What are they thinking? I know that they are covering all the bases with endless possibilities, but still..

Something else that is bothering me is this political correctness crap.  “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holiday’s”..    We live in Canada, where we predominantly celebrate Christmas..  So say Merry Christmas!  What’s the big deal?  Are we REALLY offending anyone with wishing them a Merry Christmas?   I’m not knocking on their doors like JW’s trying to get them to convert to my beliefs!  (I’ll save my opinion on THAT issue!)..

It’s a holiday..  Yes, there is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, but it’s about being with family..  it’s about giving gifts to those who you love..  it’s generally a happy time of year..  If  you don’t celebrate Christmas, that’s fine!  When someone says Merry Christmas to you, just say thanks and move on!

The political correctness pendulum has swung too far…

I just got the most entertaining e-mail.  I thought that I’d share it with everyone!

As I posted yesterday, I’m trying to track down and buy a Nintendo Wii for Christmas this year.  In addition to me calling store upon store, I thought that I’d put an “item wanted” ad on Craigslist and Kijiji.  While on those sites, I came across an ad stating that he had a total of 6 for sale.  So, I e-mailed him to say that I was interested..  Here was his reply:

Price: $300.
Free shipping.
This is new in sealed box and with 1 year warranty.
Shipping method: eBay Courier.
Time delivery: 3 days.
 
I’m from Romania and in my country PayPal service is not available yet.
We can use eBay Exchange Package.
I’ll send the product via eBay Courier 3 days Air.
After that you will receive the instructions for payment via email and you will send the money via Western Union to an eBay agent.
eBay will inspect the goods and will confirm the payment and will make the exchange.
This method is ok for you?
 
I’ll wait for your reply asap!
 
Best regards!

Well..  Let me tell you..  I laughed my ass off!   I then replied that I know a scam when I see it… 

That should take care of that! 

The other night, my wife and I sat down for a talk..    The topic?  What are we going to do about Christmas this year?

We went through a few options, such as doing a name draw, like we tried last year, but that didn’t feel right only buying for one person, aside from the kids.  I’d like to get something for everyone in my family, even if it’s a small token.

How do you make a Christmas seem special when you have no money to do it?

Well, we’ve decided to go for broke, so to speak.  Despite our current financial situation, I refuse to let down my kids.  I refuse to tell them that it was a tough year for everyone, even Santa, much like the movie One Magic Christmas. 

So, with what little money we have, and high-interest lines of credit, we are going to try to minimize the impact of me not working for 4 months now, and have a good Christmas.  i don’t mean, let’s buy every single expensive toy out there..  But we are going to make it memorable.  I have very fond memories of Christmas when I was a kid.  They always “made it happen”, even the years that they had very little to “make it happen” with.

So, I’m on the search..  We’ve made a list, so we aren’t blindly walking into a mall, with a fistful of cash and credit cards.  We’re shopping around.  We know what we want, and how much we can spend on it..

My biggest challenge is trying to find a Nintendo Wii..  Apparently, I should have been buying this item about 1-2 months ago, because I think I’ve called every Future Shop, Best Buy, Radio Shack/The Source, Blockbuster, and Rogers Video looking for one.   They all have the same answer.  Sold Out….No, we don’t know when we are getting more.

Out of all of them, it was a Future Shop that offered to put one on hold.  They said that if I called them when they have them in stock, they will physically put it aside and put it on hold for me.  But they will only do it if they have it in..  I was surprised..  My impression of Future Shop has always been of sell, sell, sell..  I have never really had much luck in getting good customer service from them..  But we shall see..

Other than that, things are moving along at a snails pace.  Colleen made an appointment for laser treatment for me..  I’m not sure about that, especially since I’m supposed to see a specialist about a cortisone shot two days later, but it can’t hurt to talk to the guy..

That’s all for now..  Anyone know where I could find a Wii?  

Well, I thought that I’d post a few “Cable Guy Stories”…  I posted one quite some time ago about a customer who didn’t get my job title quite right!  

I’ve told a number of people this story, but one of my brothers, Andrew, has requested that I post it on my blog.

This happened back in early April..  I was working in Abbotsford at the time, installing digital phone service for customers..

I pulled up in front of this house, walked up to the front door, and rang the bell.  After about a minute, this guy answers the door.  Here’s how the converstion went..

__________________________

Me: “Hi, I’m here from Shaw Cable to install your digital phone”

Customer: “Okay….”

At this point, the average person would invite you in..  Not so much in this case..

Me: (After several silent seconds) “Okay, well I have to install this device in your house”  (I now show him the digital phone terminal)

Customer: ”Okay…”

Me: “Would I be able to have a look around inside?”

Customer: (several seconds of a blank stare) “Sure..  But that thing has to go in the house?  Are you sure that it can’t go outside?”

Me: (getting a little sarcastic here!) “I’m sure..  it would be fine until the first time that it rains, then it would short out!  I need to install it in the house near an electrical outlet, cable outlet, and a phone jack”.

Customer: (a long blank stare) “Um..  we have a problem..”

At this point the customer turns around, and goes into the house and up the stairs..  I don’t know why this guy is looking stunned at everything I say, but I follow him up into the house… 

Customer: (we are now in his kitchen) “Well, here’s the phone jack… (a long pause follows), and the cable is in the living room.”

There is another period of silence..  I’m still waiting to hear what the “problem” is, and aside from the very 70’s decor in the house, I’m failing to see a problem.  At this point, I restate that I need all three requirements together, but tell him as long as I can have it near an electrical outlet, I can install phone and cable.  He stares again, as if I’m a martian or something, and then says that he should call his wife..  He calls her and it seems that the conversation went about as strange as the one that I had with him.  In the end, his wife tells him to have it installed in the basement, in a storage room.  He takes me downstairs and opens the door to a room that is completely dark and is full of boxes and other things.  With the door open, he just stares at me.

Me: “Is there a light in there?”

Customer: “Um, no…  we use this.” 

With this, he turns on some light within the room..  I’m beginning to wonder what this guy is on..

Me:  “Okay..  is there cable and power in here?”

Customer: “No..  is that going to be a problem?”

Me:  “Well, in order for this to work yes..  I can install it in here, but I’d need to have all of these boxes moved so that I could run the lines to where I need to”

Customer:  “Well..  I’ll have to reschedule again.”

Me: “Okay..  for next week?  What works for you?”

Customer: “In May” (keep in mind this happened in early April)

Me: (getting frustrated with this guy!) “Okay, I’ll have the order cancelled and you can call in to re-order once you are ready.”

This is where it gets interesting!

Customer: (leading me to the front door) “Okay..  You’ll have to excuse me but I’m recovering from…. (long pause)..  exercise..  I’m not a professional or anything, but I’m recovering from….exercise..”

I’m thinking, WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?  Recovering from exercise? And your not a professional?  AT WHAT?  Exercise?  Is that why you seem to have the ability to react as fast as a snail on a skating rink?

With that, I left..  Believe it or not, I’ve shortened the story to spare you all..  In total, I spent 20 minutes with this guy…  It was a very long 20 minutes at that..

I have a question.. I’m hoping that someone (reads this) has an answer….

How do you dispose of an old fire extinuigisher?  We have this one here that came with the house when we bought it, but it appears to be rusting a bit around the top.  It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in me.. 

I can just picture it.. 

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I know that Mark is going to laugh at me when he reads this..  And I’ll save him from saying it now..  Yes, I probably should have bought a Mac when we bought our new computer several months ago..

Last night, I had to go out and buy a new printer..  The Dell A810 that came with the computer was a piece of garbage and not functioning well/at all… So we bought a new HP Deskjet F4180.. 

Windows Vista is Plug N Play?  HAHAHAHA!  Not quite! 

I don’t care what anyone says..  Windows Vista SUCKS!  I’d much rather have Windows XP… 

After 3 online chats with “Qualified Online Technicians”, who clearly did not use English as a first language, I finally SORT of have the printer working.  I’m still getting pop-up windows saying it can’t find some driver, but the printer does appear to be working.  Of course, I haven’t dared to turn off the computer and printer and restart it.. I’m sure that disaster will occur.  I wouldn’t be surprised if some small village far, far away bursts into flames if I try…

So, wish me luck..  I’m going to try to reboot and power cycle…

Here’s hoping to you that it’s not your village that is about to spontaneously combust!