"Keep a Journal: How else are you going to get a good look at who you were?"

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Man...have I been thru the wringer.

Lessee...we'll start with the highlights:

I hit the conveyor at work...

This was NOT one of those "stuff happens" episodes...this was one of those "HEY! you were NEGLIGENT, you TWERP!!" No excuses here...and although I've now been re-instated, I still feel like I've "lost my mojo".

I said as much to Mike L, and surprisingly enough, he understood what I was talking about. This was a good thing...because I have no idea what I'm talking about!

Needless to say, my stress level is going to be thru the roof tomorrow...Although I can't say that being a pedestrian for the last few days has been any picnic, either. Tuesday went OK, but I spent all of yesterday and most of today as everyone's personal Go-fer. I vividly recall Grant G telling me during yesterday's morning standup meeting that; "all the low picks and priority are done so there's really nothing for you to do"...I tell ya; for not having anything to do, I have NEVER been so freakin' BUSY. There just seems to be a lot of minor scut jobs that accumulate whenever we start ramping up our traffic; which we're in the process of doing now. Add to all the above the fact that my #1 pair of work shoes are coming apart (ouch), and you have "interesting times".

I will continue to cope...somehow.

Freddy Fender continues to flatten tubes on the rear tire. I thought I checked out the new wheel thoroughly...but evidently I missed something. I'll give it one more try tonight and see if we can get it right this time. The front seems to be holding air OK, despite having been patched about 4-5 times now.

Computers...what a pain in the butt.

Ours has a piece of mutant "comet cursor" spyware that is acting as a digital "door jimmy" into our system and allowing all sorts of interesting activity. Mostly to do with being kicked offline and shutting down spontaneously. I'd get rid of it if I had the time...or the expertise.

I'd get legit copies of Windoze and Norton (or AVG) if I could afford them, too...

Computer woes and debt reduction have dovetailed. TELUS finally expanded their DSL coverage area to our neighborhood! Concurrently, they are also offering a shiny new DELL desktop system to anyone who signs up with a TELUS homephone/litespeed DSL package. L actually didn't have a problem with this...until................................

The TELUS package actually saves us money over what we're paying to our current home phone provider (Rogers) and our current ISP (DCCNet). There is, however, a clause in the package that levies a penalty if you cancel your TELUS service without cause any time in the 36 months following the time you sign up. Laurie calls this being "locked in" to a "contract"; and she doesn't like it. Mostly, I think she just resents the fact that I am the one who signed up for it without asking her.

...Mind you, I share her distrust of all things TELUS...these are the people who kept us waiting FOUR YEARS before they got off their collective @sses and built up their network to finally cover all the holes (one of which we lived in). L's main arguments against are: 1. TELUS is going to load us up with a whole bunch of services we don't need (so cancel them). 2. If we wait awhile...another 3rd party ISP is probably going to be offering discounts over TELUS's rates. This is actually a pretty telling arguement, as that is exactly what 3Web Broadband did about 3 months ago. I gotta say, I would LOVE being a 3Web subscriber again. If we wait, we probably miss out on a new computer...but the promo MIGHT be run again; and, as L pointed out, we already HAVE a computer. Speaking of distrust, just TRY to get through to TELUS's customer service line...really, these people all need to get on the same page. I just hope I don't have to call my MLA, or something.

So...on the whole, I am inclined to agree with L. I ought to cancel the new TELUS package (new computer, et al)...mebbe sign up for their DSL only...and wait to see if something better comes along.

Coming up next:

THE LEGENDARY SANDERSON FAMILY GARAGE SALE!!!

STAY TUNED!!!

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