July 18, 2011

I just passed the anniversary of when I started basic training in the Air Force and didn't even think about it (July 15) as did the day I was discharged (Friday, July 13 since the 15th was on a Sunday!). Time passes.

Summer of 2011 is about halfway over. This morning, I realized the days were already getting shorter, but I'll enjoy the summer while it is here!

One of the primary activities I enjoy about summer is sitting outside on my patio either reading or working (thank goodness for wi fi!). I enjoy not having to dress for cold weather, I love hot weather.

The birds clog the feeders (yes I now have two with room for a third). I fear I have made a bunch of dependent birds, dependent on me remembering to get the food out in the morning. I try to arrange for enough food when I am out of town overnight, but I really feel a sense of guilt! I am sure they find food someplace, but I still feel a slight sense of guilt.

I enjoy the "forest" in back, but early in the morning when I walk, I hear sounds from the forest and nearby indicating that life is probably rough in the forest for the wildlife. (Such as some animals becoming food etc.-I won't get into it anymore than that.)

I enjoy each day of summer, but it is going by so fast it is becoming a blur. It is already time for the Courter Reunion, which has always, to me, meant the end of summer and the start of school. Of course, in reality, at least in Lakeland, I enjoy summer weather for at least three more months and frequently well into September.

Summer of 2011 is here!

My favorite day, June 21, the first day of SUMMER!!

I am sitting outside (in a slightly cool breeze tonight) listening to the summer sounds and enjoying the thoughts of the summer to come.

The birds (at least most of them) won't come to the feeders (yes, I now have two feeders for my spoiled birds), so they are probably mad.

Slightly hidden in my subconscious are thoughts that today is the longest day of the year and it only goes downhill from here until June 21, 2012! However, I will enjoy the next four or five months of nice weather for my early morning walks, bike rides and just sitting out on the patio enjoying the weather.

Occasionally, I'll take the time to just sit back and think about what will happen in the next year, the next ten years and life in general. I take a moment from work, reading etc. and just kick back and listen to the sounds of summer and feel the breeze.

Summer of 2012 has begun and I will treasure the memories of each day.

Summer of 2011

Sitting outside, listening to the cicadas, working on stuff, reading, drinking ice tea. It doesn't get much better than this!

The only slight problem is that thought in the back of my mind that June 21 is coming and the days will start to get shorter, and winter will come but such is life.

I enjoy the early morning walk and bike ride in the early morning heat.

At times like this, it is hard to believe that winter even exists!

Wonderful time at the CMA Fest, am writing up a summary of it. Some "once in a lifetime" happenings!

Bullfrogs are here, summer is arriving! (Cicadas can't be far behind!)

After at least two years away, the Bullfrogs have finally returned to the pond in our area!

For some reason, I really enjoy the “harmony” of the bullfrogs in the early morning. (I’m not sure if our neighbors do!) I take an early morning walk and bicycle ride and I feel like the bullfrogs are welcoming in the Summer!

I really don’t know why they disappeared or why they returned, but they really add some atmosphere to my early morning walk and ride!

This morning it was also 77 degrees which at least indicates that Summer is finally here!

Another sound I always associate with summer is the cicadas. The sound fills me with memories and is one of the few sounds (in addition to bullfrogs) that don't bother me regardless of the sound.

Many evenings I actually sit outside and sleep to the sound of the cicadas.

Armadillo attack!

Snoozing this morning after my exercise, I suddenly heard a "bump" against the back door. Instantly alert, I banged on the door (for some reason) and prepared to run to the phone to call 9-1-1.

I peeked through the door when the noise stopped and saw an Armadillo taking off! This was daylight and about 6:30 in the morning (and it was my back patio, not a highway!) so it was a shock to see and it took me a second for my suddenly alert brain to realize what it was!

I tried to find where it had gone, but it had gone! Maybe best for both of us. Now I will need to find out why in the world an Armadillo was on my back patio and trying to break into our house!

Spring?

Recently I happily put on my Summer weekend/off of work clothes, shorts, t-shirt and scandals and prepared for the Summer!

However.... As usual, it got cold again, so I had to revert to other, more warmer, clothes and wait some more! However, I am enjoying the green trees, the flowers and other colorful displays of Spring.

The pear (I believe) trees are plentiful here in Lakeland and when they first come out (they are gone already), they almost seem to brighten up the night.

We have really been busy, even for the normal busiest time of the year! I always make time for exercise (walking, bike riding and, recently, riding the stationary bike while I read my other passion, the daily newspapers!). I am getting behind on my magazine and book reading and also haven't been able to keep up with some computer projects I have been working on. It seems I get up and go to bed and the times in-between are just a blur!

Graduation time is coming soon, and we are going to several COLLEGE graduations that make me realize how time passes! I remember them as little children and can't believe they are actually graduating from College!

Spring!?

Saw the first "Crocus" several weeks ago and admired all of pear trees as they bloomed. Cheered the start of Spring on March 20/21 and the 70 degree+ perfect weather.

Of course I realized the miserable weather would return, but I enjoyed the "first Spring". The pear trees in Lakeland bloom to the point that it almost seems to light up the night.

The grass is still turning green and the trees are budding, but Spring is here and I am now awaiting the "true Spring" which arrives after the coolness of April.

Smoke Detectors (again)

Another "smoke detector" went off again at 5;45 a.m. this morning. I was up, but I hate that type of smoke detector. I don't think the harassment really works, it just makes you angry and take the battery out. (I had to check my previous blog to remember to disconnect the electric connection also). We installed some electric smoke detectors with direct Fire Department access, so we don't need them anyway.

I can't believe someone actually manufactures a device like that. SURELY with all of the technology they should be able to do better!

Wasted 30 minutes and woke Aliene up killing it.

WARNING-Apple Products-Like Santa Claus, I no longer believe!

My trust in Apple products has evaporated and I feel a little like when I was a child and realized Santa Claus was a myth.

I had to reset my iPhone (due to corrupt files). I was advised that I "may lose some text messages".

NOTE: yes, I had carefully "syned" and backedup my iPhone in the belief that everything was maintained in teh backup file on the computer, exactly as I was told.

I did lose my text messages. I ALSO LOST:

-All of the information in my "apps" including my calendar etc.

-All of my "notes" I kept in the "notes" app for the past three years. It Apple Computer had advised me I was going to lose all of my notes, I could have e-mailed them and saved them.

-All of my "favorite" phone numbers and contacts

-All of my "bluetooth" connections

-I lost may of my "apps" and regained "apps" I had thought I had removed from my computer.

What really upsets me about the whole thing is that WHY WASN'T I TOLD what would happen? I could have taken precautions to save some of the information.

I no longer trust Apple products (iPhone, iPad) etc. Now I wonder if I will lose everything on my iPad also, even thought I back it up on a regular basis.

Apple Computer needs to use some its profits to better serve it's customers and advise what will happen. Surely, with all of the technology available they can take steps to make sure this doesn't happen!

An early "April Fools" from General Mills

GENERAL MILLS GIVES ME AN EARLY APRIL FOOLS!

As a Hot Wheels/Matchbox miniature car collector, I am always on the lookout for them in boxes of cereal etc.

I thought I had hit the jackpot from General Mills when I read an add about a series of 4 such cars. I quickly went to the grocery store and was pleased to see that the cereal (one of each type yet!) was still available. I carefully looked at the box to make sure it was a car “inside the box” and not a coupon to send off etc. Satisfied I quickly bought one of each for my collection.

While I normally eat oatmeal for breakfast, I dutifully started eating the General Mills cereal. As I got to the bottom of the box, I started wondering where the car was.

SURPRISE!! As I got to the bottom of the first box, I read the box again and realized it said “collect all 4 BOXES”!! This, after, suspecting a trick of some sort (I’m ashamed to say I have been burned before), I had carefully reviewed the ad and the boxes of cereal!

I just laughed about the “early April Fool” from General Mills, and vowed never to buy anything from General Mills again, but I do feel sorry for the kids who don’t realize how tricky General Mills ads and cereal boxes are.

At least it was an inexpensive lesson! And I will enjoy the cereal, but after this the other brands will do fine when I decide I want to eat “cold” cereal.

Winter Daze

It it that time of year when I just "take it one day at a time" as I wait for Spring! Actually, in spite of this being the "worst" (most adverse weather) since I moved to Lakeland, I still have managed to get most of my morning walk and bicycling in (although bicycling does get a little cold at times). I have only missed a few events because of snow and bad weather.

There is even a "good" side. I am wearing clothes I haven't worn for years since it is normally too warm (even during the winter) to wear them and I just hadn't gotten around to giving them away.

I was going through some of my clothes and I have cold weather clothes that go back to at least 1981. That means I have had them for 30 years! I never would have even guessed that 30 years later I would still be wearing them.

Actually the cold doesn't bother me a bit during my walk. My hands get cold while I bike and I never have found a pair of gloves that are warm enough, but thin enough so I can shift gears and maintain control of the bike.

I just switched from biking by "distance" rather than "time". I found I was dogging it to use up time, if I go by the distance, I am more likely to go faster so I can reach my mileage faster!

However, the Winter continues and I wish again I had made arrangements to be somewhere hot and warm sometime this Winter as I wait for Spring to arrive.

One thought keeps me going through the cold winter-Spring is coming and the first little yellow flowers will soon show up!

Best Buy (Mission Accomplished?)

Just to finish the situation with Best Buy.

Our TV was finally taken to the shop and apparently finally fixed. At least it hasn't had a problem yet.

The Tivo has been installed correctly and we are taking our Comcast box back tomorrow.

We haven't paid the $109 for the "service call" that was actually a warranty call, but since we now have proof that it was installed incorrectly (even according to Best Buy) when the Best Buy "Geek Squad" Agent came out and tried to say nothing was wrong and charge us $109. We haven't gotten a letter saying we didn't owe it, but we haven't gotten a bill and I'm sure we won't get one.

My major concern about Best Buy is the absolute total refusal of anyone to respond to my concerns and their refusal to apparently even consider that one of their agents were wrong. Our overall total visits include four for the Tivo, and six for the TV since December 5, 2010.

A major concern is that most of the technicians indicated no sense of accountability for doing the job right and the overall glaring lack of concern and response by Best Buy management. The only person who responded at all was the person on Facebook. Absolutely no one else (in immediate or upper management, including the Presidents office) responded or expressed any concern. I wonder how Best Buy stays in business.

A disturbing experience of defective customer service by a major retailer, although I do want to state that the problem was eventually taken care of. If it hadn't been for the attempt to charge us for a warranty call, I would probably be sitting here with an improperly connected Tivo and a defective TV, so it wasn't all bad.

I do have to praise the Best Buy "front line" representatives who listened and kept dispatching technicians to resolve the problem. They did a super job of listening and trying to respond to my concerns. It is too bad the supervisors and upper management demonstrated such a culture of horrible customer service and response, when many of the front line personnel were excellent.

Birds life "brutish and short"

I recently read that a birds life is "brutish and short" and that only 50 % of birds survive during a season. (This was in a short about the bird's "falling dead out of the sky" in Arkansas.

Makes me feel better about the time and efforts I make in feeding the birds in my backyard!

It was the Best of Days and the Worst of Days

December 21 (first day of Winter) is the worst of days because it is the shortest and darkest day of the year and the best of days because the days start getting longer and Summer is coming!

On the other hand, June 21 (first day of Summer) is the best of days because it is the longest and lightest day of the year and the worst of days because the days start getting shorter and Winter is coming!

Problem Resolved? (Somewhat at least)

After 1 1/2 years of frustration, the problem with the Bestbuy tv etc. may be resolved, or at least mitigated. Of course, there is still the matter of the TiVo which was improperly installed with the Comcast Box etc.

A TV repair company that contracts with Bestbuy came by and knew immediately what was wrong. The tv's required a software upgrade Bustbuy was supposed to do before we purchased them.. He did it (from his vehicle) and we haven't had a problem thus far. This, after a year and 1/2 of fighting Comcast and Bestbuy!

Of course, in the ultimate stupidity by Bestbuy, they wouldn't let him do the other tv (the very same model bought on the very same day), because it wasn't authorized and they had some kind of weird policy about one repair per day! Aliene even talked to a Supervisor. I called back and of course couldn’t talk with a Supervisor, but was advised they could simply schedule a work repair.

I didn’t have the numbers and when Aliene called back they advised her they would prefer to “walk me through it”. Of course, so they could blame me if anything went wrong. I advised them they should send the same repair company out.

What is really weird is that the very first repair person they asked to do the work on the tv decided it was an electronic card. (This was without looking at it.) However, they advised they wouldn't do the work unless we took the tv down, undid everything and then reinstall everything. I told them that was unacceptable and so they sent out two other tv repair people, one who didn't find anything wrong and the one who immediately knew what was wrong.

However, Bestbuy had apparently approved the first tv repair shop to change out the electronic card and they advised Aliene, even if not needed, they were going to do it and if we didn't let them in, they would cancel out contract!

We have decided Bestbuy has to be the most disorganized and incompetent company in the world.

To make matters worse, I haven’t received a call from the Bestbuy main office where they advised they WOULD call back within 24-48 hours (that was about 65 hours ago) and a representative who I have been dealing with on the incorrect service call commented that “Well, it wasn’t the Tivo installation”.

Maybe that is why I sold all of my Bestbuy stock.

Comcast and Bestbuy: The Saga Continues: Another $130 down the drain, the problem continues

The Comcast service technician came out last night (Tuesday). After charging $130, we discovered he had disconnected the TiVo and, worst yet, the "repairs" did absolutely nothing to help the problem.

(These were the "repairs" that two Bestbuy reps and one tv technician said were Comcast's responsibility and "they would fix the problem and Comcast shouldn't charge us for them".

After he left, Aliene called Comcast. The Representative tried some things and then said she'd call back in 30 minutes. Guess what!!! Of course, she never called back.

When I got home, (this was several hours later after the 30 minutes had long expired), I called Comcast and was basically advised, "get over it, we are Comcast". She let me know that Comcast could absolutely care less about my problem and their incompetent inability to fix the problem.

After this, I got with TiVo and discovered that three Bestbuy service technicians and two Comcast technicians had us using the cable box when we didn't need it (which saves us about $15 per month, or $180 per year!).

To be continued.

Bestbuy "warranty" is worthless

The Bestbuy "warranty" is worthless, since the "service tech" can apparently decide to charge whatever he wants and say the service call isn't part of the warranty.

I spent over three hours on the phone with Bestbuy over the weekend and all they will say is that the Service Tech (who I am sure makes more money on a non-warranty service call) is the one who decides! A strange way to run a business.

Less that two weeks after the installation, the item I purchased is not working properly again! So, who do I call when I know that the "Geek Squad"member is financially motivated to call it a non-warranty call and it apparently is not reviewable by anyone?

Obviously, I will never again purchase an item from Bestbuy where he warranty is important! They just flat don't honor it and, what is worse, charge an extremely high fee for the call!

John Berry

I watched a video of John Berry this morning signing "O Holy Night" and was amazed at his magnificent singing voice. I don't recall ever hearing him before, but when I checked Google, I found he had a number of albums and is well known.

I checked with iTunes, found the "O Holy Night" album on sale for $4.99 and downloaded it! Some days things just work our right! I probably will download other of his albums in the future. I really enjoy listening to his voice. I even am becoming a member of his Fan Club in the event I am ever close enough to see him perform in person!

Bestbuy: An example of Corporate arrogance and fees

Over the past several weeks especially, and the past 1 1/2 years in general, I have discovered that Bestbuy does not honor its "protection plan", has extremely poor "customer service" and is interested mainly in sticking it's customers with additional fees and charges. In addition Bestbuy does not honor it's installation guarantee.

Just yesterday, at attempt was made to charge a $109 "service fee" in spite of the fact the service call was necessary due to improper installation by Bestbuy.

I spent 45 minutes on the phone and was advised different items such as "the computer was down" to "they aren't answering" (other departments in Bestbuy). Finally they advised I would be on hold for at least another 15 minutes and I advised them to call me. Of course, that is what they wanted and they never called back.

On the Service Fee, I called Friday and advised of the problem. In this case, we are covered both by their "protection plan" and their "installation guarantee" of one year (both I found are worthless).

I carefully explained that both Bestbuy and Comcast have charged nuisance "service calls" in the past and I wanted to know if there was going to be a service charge. She advised 'the service tech would ADVISE ME IN ADVANCE of any charges. Of course, at the end of the call the service tech gave me a bill for $109 and is now harassing me for payment. Of course, I will pay it and immediately protest the charge as fraud.

I am also planning on notifying the Tennessee Attorney General of the lack of Bestbuy to honor its "protection plan" and "installation guarantee" and asking if this violates consumer protection laws.

Bestbuy was also very misleading when we bought the items. We excused it as us not asking the right questions, but now I feel like it was deliberate misleading and it is a part of their corporate culture.

Another lesson learned. We actually purchase most of our appliances etc. from Sears just because we are pleased with their warranty performance. We should have done so this time also!

#?*! Motor Trend's Stereotyping of Older People (AKA "Your Grandfathers Car"!)

I used to read/scan Car and Driver and enjoy it. The writing was good and entertaining and they didn’t take themselves too seriously. For whatever reason (probably the blizzard of renewals you get to the point that I just give up to wait for the final offer, or maybe a lack of time), I quit receiving it.

So, in a weak moment, I accepted a offer from Motor Trend that was extremely low cost. From the first issue, I was disappointed in Motor Trend, the writing was poor, the magazine was disorganized.

I realized I had “gotten what I paid for”, which wasn’t much except another magazine to give to the Library after it sat round unread for a month.

A reference to “your Grandfathers car” and “This car is for people who are too old to enjoy a good car” (or something to that nature-I tossed the magazine in the trash in disgust) infuriated me.

I have never liked the term “your Grandfathers/Grandmothers (fill in the blank)” at any age, even when I was a teenager, much less now that I am a Grandfather. (I also hate the term “Dude” for other reasons.)

I am surprised in this day that such a stereotypical term is used to denigrate older people as uncreative, liking plain items, and, by extension, being dull and boring.

Probably I am all the more edgy about this when, within the last two weeks I encountered two people who are probably in their 50’s and early 60’s who were “downsized” and now can’t even get an interview, much less a job. They both are about to lose their house.

THEN, i see a reference stereotyping a car as a “your Grandfathers car” to boring, unimaginative and “good enough” for older people who of course, according to the writer, aren’t interested in any innovative cars. Of course, I know “Grandfathers and Grandmothers” who drive Corvettes, experimental cars, innovative cars as well as the “reasonable” cars!

Of course, I canceled my subscription to Motor Trend, but, more important, I do not intend to let the stereotyping of older people as uninteresting, unimaginative, uncreative etc. who only deserve or want the most boring of anything. I will protest any use of that term I see it.

I think such stereotyped images of older people is one reason I see so many older people out of jobs, desperate for work and, in many cases about ready to lose their houses and become homeless.

Now how I will respond to “Dude” is another posting. (Another term I truly hate is “pimping a (whatever)”, but that is also for the future!