Transparency, originally uploaded by Ghost_Bear.
My photo, taken this past Monday on my way back from a blogger’s meeting at the Science Club in Dupont Circle, was selected as DCist’s “Photo of the Day.” Needless to say, I’m pretty pumped for the accolade.
I’ve been quite swamped with three concurrent projects, plus a fourth sitting in the wings waiting impatiently. That, and watching my Penguins go through the see-saw motions of the start of a new season…
More later. Promise.
Crosby’s View, courtesy of David M*
Inevitably, I get asked the question “Who’s better, Crosby or Ovechkin?” Probably because it’s widely known among my friends and acquaintances that I’m a solid Penguins fan.
It’s a hard question to answer, really.
Burnside and LeBrun tried to answer it recently during a series of articles around the preview of this year’s NHL season. Result?
Inconclusive.
Honestly, I see it as this generation’s “Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemiuex?” question. You can’t really answer it. Gretzky was a pure player – his amazing records and fantastic goals are still the stuff of awe and wonder. Yet you can’t discount Lemiuex, who was ballet on ice – when not crippled by pesky cancer. He was the consummate leader and inspired his teammates to play unmatched and not repeated in their later years with other teams.
I could go on and on – and did, back in my younger days. Many times around the lunch room table at school did we argue back and forth between the two.
It’s no different now. Continue reading
“I’m just a boy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to love him.”
-paraphrased from Notting Hill
So inevitably, the question posed to me and my wife at some point – alone or together – is just how we met. Because to know us is to know two fiercely independent-dependent people. How in the world did all this collide?
Well sit back, I’ll tell you. Think of this little story as a romantic comedy, if you will. I’ll let you decide who plays who in this little tale of action, passion, determination and love. Ready? Here we go!
I’m going to go prepare for the arrival of Palpatine to the White House.
FIOS installed. Rate confirmed. Though the installers were two hours late, I was up and connected by 2 p.m. And they did a nice and clean job on the installation, so I can’t complain there.
I will be writing a follow-up letter to Mr. CEO, however. I can’t help but think that if the “peon” Verizon staff had treated me like the ‘handler’ team has these last two weeks, this issue (and four posts) wouldn’t even exist. But alas, no.
S’okay, though. Gives me fodder to blab about.
Meantimes, I’ll be scrutinizing that bill pretty closely for a while.
Still, I’m happy. I can at least now check email from any room in the house. Brilliant!
After some long back-and-forth and multiple phone calls (and retelling the entire saga at least three more times), it has been decided I am worthy for FIOS at an equal rate, with an additional three months reduction (of about 50%) plus free installation. And when told the earliest install date was Oct 15, the nice lady immediately took it back and rescheduled it for tomorrow before I could launch into it again.
So. Tomorrow, it seems, I will be returning to the internet on more than a scatter-shot basis.
So according to one department, my DSL is connected and functioning.
Yet I can’t connect to the internet.
After some digging by the tech people, it’s discovered that no, actually, there’s no DSL order attached to my line. I need to call sales to ‘add’ the order. Which I’d done back at the beginning of September, duh.
After some MORE digging by my “handler” (the customer complaint care team), it’s discovered that DSL actually isn’t offered in my area. Which is a surprise to me, since the gentleman I’d set my service switch up with back at the beginning of September assured me that DSL is available in my area. If it’s not, why am I just finding out about it now?
I would’ve considered FIOS and not renewed my DirecTV contract if I’d known this. If I break my satellite contract, we’d owe a large chunk of money back to them for all the new equipment and installation.
What a clusterfrag.
I’m beyond amazement at the incompetence levels being displayed here, much less the breakdown of communications from a communications company. (And I’m told by an ‘insider’ that Verizon’s customer service is rated #1 above all other telecoms…which just boggles the imagination.)
I am supposed to find out what Verizon’s “bail out” plan from this gigantic FUBAR is today.
I’m not holding my breath.
