Who you are DOES matter!!

Remember how I’ve prostituted myself for comments and a wide readership? TODAY is a day that I really wish I was Crissy popular! If I were popular, maybe Sprint would READ THIS and act!!

We carry Sprint service on our cell phones. We’ve recently eliminated our landline (which we’ve had for 20+ years…hyperventilate!!!!), and use our cells almost exclusively. We have a ‘MagicJack’ number to give to people who NEED our phone number on file, but we don’t use it much for calls.

Anyway….Sprint it is. And although we have liked their phones and services, their customer service SUCKS. They are rude, incompetent, and condescending.

This morning (I will try to make this brief….but y’all know how that goes) We had a major glitch. The THIRD glitch this week…..the SAME glitch……three times. This Week.

Each time I’ve called, the people have assured me that the ‘glitch’ is fixed….no worries…..the people before them didn’t fix the ‘glitch’ right…..BLAH BLAH BLAH.

This morning, the GLITCH was back. I dug through my scraps of paper (I have hoarding tendencies for scraps of paper with numbers and notes on them), and found my TRUSTY number for the TOP GUN customer service staff. You have to go through receptionists, and have case numbers and all that shit to talk to these people.

THREE TIMES this morning I called and asked for the Escalation area………..that I did NOT want Account Services or Customer Ser vice…I wanted CORPORATE ESCALATIONS!!! Each time I was transferred, Internets, I got Account Services. HOW MUCH CLEARER DO I NEED TO BE WHEN I SAY ‘I DO NOT WANT ACCOUNT SERVICES’????? Account Services did fix the Glitch, but she was quite Testy in doing so. Therefore, I wasn’t done with my Sprint quest for satisfaction. I was going to TRY to get the corporate people to HEAR ME OUT!!!

Before the fourth time I called, I’d gone to my frienemy, Google, to try to find the number for the President of freaking Sprint these days, and saw a term of ‘Executive Services’. I called my handy number back and asked for Executive Service…..not Account services, or Customer service. Lo and Behold….I got BRANDON in Executive Services.

Yes, he can hear and certainly understand my frustration. But no. He can’t provide me a monetary service credit on my account. The can only do that in cases where Sprint has erred.

Hmmmmm……I asked HIM…explain how Sprint didn’t ‘ERR’?? The GLITCH happened 3 times…in one week, despite 4 phone calls from me to make every effort on my part to FIX the glitch??

He said now that the GLITCH is fixed, the problem was resolved. So I brought out the big guns……asking him TOUGH questions, like ‘so apparently Sprint is okay with your customers receiving crummy service’??

No, ma’am……but we fixed the problem.

(me) Again…after I had to call FOUR TIMES….IN A WEEK to fix the glitch because Sprint didn’t ever take care of it….how is that not Sprint’s fault?

(Brandon) I know you are frustrated, but my area doesn’t get involved with the GLITCH area….we can only intervene in behalf of the customer. Now if you had called Executive services while the GLITCH was still going on and not corrected yet, then I could have intervened for you.

(me…….head spinning into ORBIT): I did try to reach your department….3 times this morning. One of those times was before the GLITCH was corrected, but your operator kept sending me to Account Services when I asked for Corporate Escalations!! The last time, when I finally got YOU, I asked for Executive Services.

(Brandon) see, that’s the problem. You asked for Escalations and not Executive Services. Our operator knows that Escalation starts with Account Services.

(me…..practically screaming) What is WRONG with you people? I may have used the wrong TERMINOLOGY with the word Escalations, but when I told your operator that I DID NOT WANT ACCOUNT SERVICES…maybe something should have clicked with her that I didn’t want to speak to that department, huh?

(Brandon) I don’t know what you want me to do. We can’t get you a credit on your account, because the GLITCH was fixed.

(me) OMFG……are you serious. I’ve had to call your office 4x this week to fix the GLITCH. I NEGELECTFULLY use the incorrect WORD when telling your operator who I wanted to speak with about the GLITCH…..even though I specifically said I didn’t want Account Services…that’s where she sent me. Account Services fixed the GLITCH, but were rude. I finally get ahold of the CORPORATE EXECUTIVE SERVICES…after researching on Google the right term, and because the Glitch was fixed, you can’t offer me any compensation for YOUR ERROR and my HORRIBLE frustration?

(Brandon) Well, I will speak to my managers about your dissatisfaction and will call you back. It ‘should’ be later today.
See, Internets?? If I were popular, Sprint would eventually get this blog and happily handle my customer dissatisfaction. They’d make it right……Apologize all over themselves and credit my account for my near heart attack in trying to communicate with their IDIOT staff.

However, I’m just a shlub……..not popular, or anything. (sad face) So my rant will stay with you all. But I know you all love me and will at least feel my pain.

I thank you for that.

Toodles for now.

To branch out or not to branch out

I work in a job that pays $25,000 per year. I get good benefits, decent security, some cool co-workers (and then the totally off kilter co-workers, too), and a job that I really do like.

Our State Government is probably going to have to cut another 1000 jobs in the near future. Here’s to hoping mine and Mr. P’s are not on the ‘list’. I have 15 yrs of experience in THIS job, and another 7 in other State Government offices….for a total of 22 years…..

There’s a job in our department that is open. It pays $2800 more per year. In a consumer service position that I would probably do well in. However, with job cuts looming I am fearful of being put on 6 months of probation after all this time to change jobs. Probationary positions can be cut for no reason during the probationary period and are not up for appeal.

So, do I branch out and take a risk for less than $3000 more a year…..oh, yeah…I’d lose my flex time, which I love. I ADORE. However, due to circumstances, I may need to change my schedule ANYWAY. I just don’t know that for sure yet.

So, loss of a great flex schedule (7 am to 3:30 pm), risk while on probation, and risk of the security I feel in doing the same job for 15 years. Oh, and I’d move to a different area from my beloved Jakki.

The Pros are moving up, taking a risk, making more money and showing the Department in which I work that I am flexible, valuable and up for any challenge. Oh and moving away from the few INSUFFERABLE co-workers.

What would YOU do? This is all for naught if I’d be turned down for the job. Put that in the negative column, too.

I’m conflicted and nervous. 15 years ago, I would have applied in a heartbeat. I felt like I could do ANY job with ease. That I was GOOD! Now, as a 40 something person, I’ve gotten soft (yes......fat joke can be inserted here). I’ve gotten complacent. I’ve grown into a big CHICKEN.

Do you all have any exciting weekend plans? Really? Me either. I’m just excited it’s a weekend!!

Toodles, Kids!

Okay….I am weighing in

On American Idol. Yep, I’m a watcher. Last year I was bound and determined NOT to adore Adam Lambert….because everyone loved him. That’s how I roll, people. I tend to inwardly shun convention. Outwardly, you’d think I’m the biggest conformist ever…….everything kind of blah about me and my life. But INSIDE I’m a rebel. But as it turned out, he ended up being my total favorite. Despite my decision (without regard to his talent) that I wasn’t going to like him, I did. He should’ve won. And I DO adore him.

This year, I have chosen my faves already. Crystal Bowersox in the lead!! The girl is awesome. I love her voice . And Lilly Scott….and Didi B (can’t remember her last name…..and too lazy to look it up). I usually like the boys better, but not this year. The boys are a little blah.

A girl here at work has a second cousin competing currently in American Idol. Yep….he’s one of the contestants that sang LAST NIGHT. I was BOUND AND DETERMINED not to like him……you know……being FORCED into liking him by way of knowing one of his family members. I wasn’t gonna do it. I was not going to be obliged to like someone. But guess what happened? I like him. I genuinely like him. He’s got a good voice. A REALLY good voice.

My original decision not to like the guy is no reflection of my co-worker…….I just didn’t want to find myself needing to make nice about the kid if he wasn’t good. Well, he is. And in my opinion he’s the best of the boys. Internet, vote for Alex Lambert. OFTEN. He’s shy…..he’s scared, but he’s GOOD!! He’s unique!! I feel guilty for judging him before the fact, but I didn’t want to have to pretend. I wanted my decision to be MINE instead of a pre conceived notion that I HAD to like him. Well, I don’t have to pretend. He’s my favorite of all the boys.

The internet makes fun of his nervousness, but rarely is his TALENT mentioned. Because he doesn’t have the stage presence of some of his competitors, he may lose out. Which will be a shame. If we get another teeny bop pop singer, or blues rock boy, or hip hop man I’ll be sick. What about a little old time, gravelly voice, good singer for once!

My bets are still on Crystal Bowersox to take it all, which is really a shame. She should be as lucky as Chris Daughtry to be cut late in the game and avoid the Idol contractual crap and get her own agent and record an album. Can you see her singing the pansy ballad they always have for the winner?

Anyway, that’s my AI take this year. And if Alex L makes it through tonight, VOTE FOR HIM! Keep him on there so he has a SHOT!

Oh, and on a separate note, Mother Nature roared into our town last night. Around 10:30, TORNADO SIRENS went off…I was in a DEAD SLEEP…….I wandered around all foggy for a while, and headed downstairs at the urging of Mr. P. When my creaky old knees and fat butt made it down, he announced that our county had been cleared and I could go back to bed. So, I trudged back up and watched the weather for a while, to see if any other Mid Missouri town would get hit by a rogue storm….then gave up and went to sleep. 6 am came way too soon this morning. I slept well, went to bed early, and other than a brief interruption of sleep at 10:30, slept clear through the night!! So, why am I so TIRED today?

Well, that’s my Thursday babble. Enjoy the day!!

I spend a lot of time petting my Wiener.

He’s so soft and cuddly. He burrows under my blanket, up close to me. When I scratch him he gives big, wet kisses. He’s warm, and LOVES to hide in dark warm places. Of late he’s gotten fat. I’m hoping with the nicer weather coming, that he’ll get more exercise!!

I know…….my 3’s of readers know that I have a DACHSHUND, but those of you who don’t know me, I was hoping to be funny! We’ve made entire evenings funny at the expense of poor Dex, the dachshund. He can’t help it that he’s a fat wiener! Well, he CAN, if he’d eat less, but, he can’t help being a wiener at any rate. We particularly make these poor wiener jokes around my 16 yr old son, who thinks we are totally lame. We think we are really hysterical.

So, I haven’t talked about the canine boys in a while. Probably because they, just like the rest of my life, are still the same as ever. Buster is snappy, and humps the cat daily…while the cat just patiently waits for it to all be over. Copper is the ever patient, sweet gentleman, who obsessively licks himself. Dex is a goofy, loving, even tempered, and ADORABLE. It’s hard to play favorites, but I think Dex may be the cutest dog we’ve ever had. And the sweetest. I mean, they are all sweet, but have quirks in their personality. Dex is just a doll. A totally UNTRAINED doll, but a doll nonetheless.

Speaking of training, does anyone out there have an opinion on underground fences? How hard is it to train stubborn and/or older small dogs to obey the boundaries? Is the correction strong enough to keep them from flying through it to chase a cat..or squirrel, or rabbit? Mind you, we do not have well trained dogs. Two of the three will sit on command ONLY for a treat. That’s it. Dex is hopeless with training. He just submits, pees and goes CRAZY if he sees/smells/ hears treats. Buster knows when he goes on a car ride he has to go pee on a bush first……….so I know HE is capable of learning, but the other two? Especially the Doxie…I’m not sure. I worry.

So, tell me what you know about underground fences. Are they humane? Do they work? Can a stubborn, untrained dog be trained? Even if the stubborn dog has semi-lazy parents? They need a bigger place to run, so an underground fence far cheaper solution than new fencing.

Do you know if you can train dogs to doodie in a certain place in the yard? Easily train them?m Right now they go all over the yard, and it’s a bitch to clean, when we do so. Right now, after the snow, we’ve sort of just left it all, and the yard is naaaassssstttyyyy. 3 little boys make a lot of doo!!

So all you dog experts, weigh in……I need opinions!


Happy Wednesday………..

The $22 Tomato

Perfectly’s Dad has a farm…..ei ei OHHHHH. And on this farm he has a GARDEN! Ei ei OHHHHH! With a Tomato plant here, a zucchini plant there, here a plant, there a plant, everywhere a plant plant.

I guess you get the picture. And as you all know, Perfectly isn’t the outdoorsy sort. At all. Ever. Unless it’s under an umbrella (patio, or beach) with a pretty, sparkly drink in her green nailed hand. But do I ever love the garden. Actually the PRODUCE from the garden. I don’t work in it. I break out easily, and don’t enjoy the laborious nature of garden work. Oh, I may go on a pleasant afternoon and casually gaze at the budding veggies, but that’s about the extent of my gardening interest. Other than preparing and eating the bounty

However, I am mildly obsessed with gardening from afar. As in, things I want IN the garden and organic compost that I want Mr. P and my dad to deal with to provide me with healthy, yummy produce. I want home remedy pesticides, and compost (luckily Perfectly’s dad has plenty of Moo Manure on his place to help the compost cook). I want HEIRLOOM tomatoes, and other heirloom veggies.

So, as it happens sometimes, my dad and I actually shared a similar thought. As we were discussing the items we (as in Mr. P and me) would like to add to his garden, Perfectly’s dad mentioned that he’d like some heirloom tomatoes this year. Say WHAAATTTT?? My dad wanting something kind of hippy and trendy? Something other than Big Boy, and Big Bertha beefsteaks?

Armed with this information, I began perusing the internet yesterday looking for information on heirloom tomatoes. Somehow, buying an heirloom tomato plant from Lowe’s or Wal Mart seems so…well, not right…….like fake or something. What about REAL heirloom tomatoes?

I ran across a site—freakishly called heirloomtomatoplants.com! Run by a seemingly VERY nice lady named Laurel. And on her site she has HUNDREDS of heirloom varieties! And her descriptions need to be academy award winning…….the words bountiful, luscious, juicy, velvety, fragrant, complex…..ABOUND in her site. It’s too much for a wanna be hippy/bohemian to take!! I was drawn to her purple colored explanation that she had some ORIGINAL ‘Purple Haze’ tomato seeds…..only 300. And she was taking pre-orders for this FABULOUS…..RARE…..top of the line plant! Only ONE PER CUSTOMER.

Well-----nobody is going to deprive Perfectly of a RARE, purple tomato plant…NOBODY!! I was going to get my one per customer plant!! So, as soon as I thought she may be open for business (she’s in California, which is 2 hours behind us in time), I called her. She excitedly told me that there were very limited supplies of the Purple Haze………and she was SO EXCITED about them……and yes, I could just order one item……..she’d be happy to send it out according to our planting ‘zone’ here in Missouri. How would I like to pay? Debit card? No problem!!

That will be $22.75 with the plant, shipping and handling. Thank you for your order. I hope you decide to order more plants from us later on!!

Holy seeds, Batman. I now have a Hella expensive tomato plant on order. One that cost quadruple of one I could have gotten from Lowe’s or Wal Mart---which I’m sure are chock full of pesticides. Sigh. I’ve informed Dad and Mr. P that they WILL lovingly support my Purple Haze tomato Plant, and make it grow. Baby it…nurture it…..love it. DAMN IT….I will get purple tomatoes!!!! Won’t I?

Guess, what, though? I plan on ordering more next week!!! Mr. P will kill me. So will Perfectly’s dad. But OMG….how fun are the rare varieties of plants? The fruit that is BURSTING with luscious flavor?

Oh, yes folks. I’ve got my list started. Hawaiian Current, Marianna’s Peace and German yellow. I may even get a book from the Library about heirloom tomatoes.

Tomorrow, kids, we’ll discuss composting from afar. Mr. P will be THRILLED!! I’ll have to buy some drink umbrellas l so I can watch the gardening with STYLE!!

Toodles for now…….

Okay, so I missed the ENTIRE month of February…………

What can I say….it was my Birthday! Technically speaking, my birthday was only one day, but still….I think a month celebration/hiatus was alright, don’t you? Besides, I don’t get many readers anymore, so I’m feeling blue.

Hey….I got my nails done. Yes, it’s been since 2-12, but I got them done in the ‘french’ manicure style, only with brown tips…..I KNOW!! So out of my Midwest mom comfort zone! You know the even cooler thing? When I went in Saturday to get them filled, I changed the tip color to GREEN!!! Sparkly green!! For St. Patrick’s day! And yes, they ARE totally a St. Patrick’s day green!!

So, what’s new with all of you? Nothing and everything on this end. Yes, we are still experiencing the ‘unknown’ of worry……still a potentially good thing, but we are still in the dark about if (for sure), when, etc … our new ‘good thing’ may happen!! I’m still not at liberty to discuss, BUT when I can, I’ll be sure to fill you all in! I usually don’t keep stuff a big secret, but since this involves other people, I have to keep my mouth shut. For now.

So, I guess I don’t really know why I didn’t blog for the WHOLE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. Work has been really busy….and I’ve been totally un-motivated at home. You should see my house. It’s really awful. As Y’all know, I’m not a good housekeeper anyway, BUT my strange state of mind has somehow kept me from doing even the BASICS. And it shows. Wowza, it’s a mess. Clutter AND dirt abound.

My doctor changed my meds, however, and I think I feel a touch better……….he actually prescribed Prozac for me 2 years ago to help with some really UGLY pms symptoms. And it WORKED! Not only did it work, I noticed some changes in my overall outlook on life…….I laughed more……..etc. However, I noticed my tendency to revert back to unmotivation, and dwelling on stuff, and seeming a little less perky……..so he changed it. I’m now on Paxil which is supposed to help with anxiety at the same time as other Pms-ish and minor deperession symptoms. Over the weekend, I noticed I actually did a couple of things. Like help Mr. P clean out some basement cabinets. Like swiffering the bathroom floor……….

So, maybe things are back on the upswing……..maybe I can get some of my MOJO back, and get some crap DONE in my life. Maybe I can go back to prostituting myself for COMMENTS!! Maybe I can be FUNNY…….maybe I can turn the WORLD ON WITH MY SMILE!! Okay, maybe that’s a bit much, but I feel Spring coming, and hopefully things will look up. Not that they were down, but I suppose I was a bit blue.

I keep looking at my green nails!! How fun are they! This is my little rebel moment…..proof that I want to be left of center….not the ‘norm’…..FUNKY……..bohemian (sort of). I get weird looks from all the other ‘mom’ types, but I really don’t care. Convention is generally not my style.

So….enough make up babble…….I really don’t have much important to say, but I thank those of you who checked my blog during the hiatus!!


Toodles for now!

Lavania

I was quite the naïve child. I didn’t know that THEN, of course, but looking back, I totally was. My parents did a pretty good job raising me. My father was far too strict with some things, but he was doing what he thought was right at the time. He tells me now that he can see how he was too hard on me. But that’s ANOTHER therapy session.

Growing up, I do not recall my parents being politically outspoken, religiously outspoken or prejudiced. I grew up thinking the world was totally cool, totally normal everywhere. I remember when I was in the 4th grade and asking my mother what an abortion was. Funny, I don’t remember the conversation, but it was in the news ALL THE TIME, so I asked. I may have to ask her if she remembers her answer to me.

Anyway, in the 4th grade, I had a slumber party for my birthday…..what, probably 10 in 4th grade? I had several classmates over, including my friend Lavania. Lavania always ran her hand from the top of my head to my middle back…over my hair…..ALWAYS commenting on how soft it was. I would barely run a brush through the mop of hair…I didn’t care about hair…….I didn’t understand why she thought it was interesting. But as long as we were friends, I didn’t care if she liked my hair……or touched my hair…..I just liked being with her.

Anyway, my grandparents were also at my house for a visit at my birthday. They helped mom corral us little squealing girls. At some point I opened presents, and we were going to change into our jammies. Lavania forgot her jammies, so I gave her my brand new nightgown. Right out of the plastic……..I had other jammies, since this was my house, so who CARED if she wore my new ones? I certainly didn’t!!

Lavania’s mom drove by and brought her daughter her own jammies. We immediately changed, and I took my new gown from her and put IT on, and she put her own on……..we were cool….a bunch of squealy girls in our jammies.

Apparently, my grandmother was not as excited. You see, Lavania was black. Apparently my grandma had a real problem with me putting on the same gown that she’d just taken off………I didn’t know this until years later. My mom handled it. I didn’t even know my grandparents were PREJUDICED until I was in college and got to hear my grandpa spout off about the how the world was crumbling due to all the crime caused by blacks.

I argued and argued and argued with him…..thinking he’d CERTAINLY begin to understand my position. Finally Mr. P…who was my ‘boyfriend’ at the time made me realize that all the arguing in the world would never change my grandparents view. Never. I was crushed.

Now, I adore my grandparents. They are still living…grandpa will be 92 next week and he’s quite a pistol. To this day, I’ve never been brave enough to try to bring up race with them again.

My dad is politically conservative……and somewhat homophobic and a tiny bit racist. I was FLOORED when I was old enough to realize it. My mother is very religious. Who knew?

I am not religious, I am more liberal in my politics, I am not prejudiced ( I hope), and I am not homophobic. I think my parents did a MARVELOUS job of managing to keep me out of the fray of politics and religion. Letting me make up my OWN mind about things. And accepting me and loving me despite my adult disagreements with some of their ways of life.

I don’t know if me being naïve was a product of parenting, or just my nature, and I didn’t see what was right in front of me. Either way, neither of them forced their ‘will’ onto me and I am forever grateful to them for that.
I hate that my grandparents are racist. But I love them, so that is a part of them I have to accept, despite my complete offense to that mindset. I have no idea how I grew up as closely with them and didn’t realize it until college.

My mom told me the story about Lavania, and it broke my heart. It still does. Why in the world should it matter if two little girls share a nightgown? We weren’t dirty, we weren’t infected with chicken pox, and little girls share clothing, hair accessories and the like ALL THE TIME. I can’t imagine why in the world anyone would think it was wrong to switch jammies. It’s heartbreaking.

I thank my mom in my head all the time for not allowing that negativity to seep into my party. We didn’t know there was any dissent in the family…and I forever appreciate that. And my naivety continued on into my adulthood. I didn’t realize the ‘hair’ issue between African American and Caucasian individuals…………now I know that Lavania really did like my hair, and probably wished hers was more like it. I don’t remember for sure, but I imagine probably wishing my hair could be put up in some braids and left ALONE………I didn’t want to mess with long hair………ugh……..now as an adult, I see there was a lot more too it.

So, internet, take some time to look around you and appreciate others for who they are. Let your kids find their OWN way in the political/racial world, and leave the negativity out of your teachings………I am so happy my own parents did.

And, Lavania? I think of you all the time, and wonder who you are today, and if you have kids, a husband, a wife…….where you work………I just wish you knew how much of an impact you had on my life.

Happy Friday, everyone!!