Ronny had gotten three passes to Six Flags from work. So, Saturday we headed to Agawam with his sister. She was apparently REALLY excited about going. Her husband was staying home to babysit. The instant we pulled away from the house (still within shouting distance) she started crying because she missed her baby boy.
We stopped off at a little convenience store prior to the park so Ronny could get aspirin. While we were there I pointed out they had batteries (her camera was about to go dead). Well, that led to a shopping spree... But in multiple rounds. The poor clerk. First it was batteries and trying to figure out how many aspirin packs. Then a bottle of water came in. Then another bottle of water. Then a candy bar. I had made rice krispie treats the night before, but apparently those weren't enough!
We get to the park and go on Pandemonium. Fun little ride - I thought it would be bigger, though. Then this upside-down swinging thing next to that. Then the one that reverses itself. As we get off that one, sis heads to the bushes. A little bit of her breakfast is now part of the park! Three rides in, and she refused to go on any more, except the ferris wheel. Ronny and I hit all the major rides, and went on Superman twice. The lines were nice and short, which helps 'cuz 6Flags is HORRIBLE for slow moving lines.
We had lunch at the park. Ronny only ate half of his fries. His sister finished them for him. Shortly after she got TWO ice cream cones. Although Ronny helped with one of them.
I think she spent most of the time Ronny and I were on rides stuffing herself!
We stopped around the midway games, and she was rather drawn to the ring toss. She bought a couple rings, and had no luck. So she bought a bunch more. Ronny then bought a bunch to try to beat her. Unfortunately for him, she won. I wasn't looking, and I know the operator was not watching either, but she got a ring on one of the bottles. Picked the cheetah. This thing was almost five feet tall. It was HUGE. We head back to my car to put it away while we finish going on rides, and can't quite figure out where to put it. It was larger than the back seat. It ended up going in between the front seats, with it's feet in the rear and it's head up by the rear-view mirror. I could not even see Ronny in the passenger seat, and sis was scrunched in the back. Ronny had to be my right-side mirror for me.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Tired
Warning: another dream story!
Last night I had a little difficulty sleeping. At one point, I did fall asleep, and my dream was about being on a road trip. I was travelling with Carrie, Samantha, and Charlotte from SATC. There was a guy with us as well, but I do not know who he was.
So, we get to the hotel room, and Samantha and I are both ready to crash, so we end up laying down on one of the two beds. Carrie and RandomGuy sit on the other, while Charlotte sits down on the floor between the beds. Somehow the conversation about whether she would be comfortable sleeping on the floor drifts to Carrie sleeping with her, and drifts to them making out. RandomGuy is SO into that concept. Samantha and I, however, are so just trying to get to sleep!
I eventually toss and turn, get fairly comfy, start drifting off, and BAM! The alarm clock goes off. The real one. I was not happy to wake up. Not that I was into the dream, I just would rather not be going to work.
Last night I had a little difficulty sleeping. At one point, I did fall asleep, and my dream was about being on a road trip. I was travelling with Carrie, Samantha, and Charlotte from SATC. There was a guy with us as well, but I do not know who he was.
So, we get to the hotel room, and Samantha and I are both ready to crash, so we end up laying down on one of the two beds. Carrie and RandomGuy sit on the other, while Charlotte sits down on the floor between the beds. Somehow the conversation about whether she would be comfortable sleeping on the floor drifts to Carrie sleeping with her, and drifts to them making out. RandomGuy is SO into that concept. Samantha and I, however, are so just trying to get to sleep!
I eventually toss and turn, get fairly comfy, start drifting off, and BAM! The alarm clock goes off. The real one. I was not happy to wake up. Not that I was into the dream, I just would rather not be going to work.
Anger Management
Monday was Labor Day. I had off. Ronny did not. Before he left I asked if he was coming back over in the afternoon. He said no. I asked if he was coming back over at night. He said he didn't know.
I basically spent the day running around the digital world of warcraft. But I did unplug to go to dinner with my friend Joe for his birthday. But then Joe was tired, so he went home after dinner.
Ronny called after work (about 10:15pm) and asked if I wanted him to come over. I paused, noted how tired I felt, and said "uhh, no, that's OK."
Ronny got Really Upset. We had a rather uncomfortable talk on the phone for almost 10 minutes, which finished with him saying "bye." About a minute and a half later, there's a knock at my door. Guess who...
I have a feeling he got so mad because he was already AT my house, and was expecting me to say "Yeah come over!" To which he could reply "Ha-ha! I'm already here!!"
But we smoothed things over! And Tuesday night I stopped in at DD to visit for a little while. (The new pumpkin donuts are really tasty!)
Crisis averted!
I basically spent the day running around the digital world of warcraft. But I did unplug to go to dinner with my friend Joe for his birthday. But then Joe was tired, so he went home after dinner.
Ronny called after work (about 10:15pm) and asked if I wanted him to come over. I paused, noted how tired I felt, and said "uhh, no, that's OK."
Ronny got Really Upset. We had a rather uncomfortable talk on the phone for almost 10 minutes, which finished with him saying "bye." About a minute and a half later, there's a knock at my door. Guess who...
I have a feeling he got so mad because he was already AT my house, and was expecting me to say "Yeah come over!" To which he could reply "Ha-ha! I'm already here!!"
But we smoothed things over! And Tuesday night I stopped in at DD to visit for a little while. (The new pumpkin donuts are really tasty!)
Crisis averted!
Purgatory
Saturday Ronny came over, as usual. He said Cris had called and asked if we wanted to go to Purgatorio. I asked where that was, envisioning some gay club in Providence. He said, "No, Purgatory." Well, that one wasn't hard to translate, even for me, but it didn't help.
I asked "Is that Boston or Providence?"
"No, Purgatory."
"Yes, but where is it?"
This went a couple more times, ended up going nowhere. He said he would call Cris. Well, Cris was busy, so he was going to call back.
We start watching TV. Half hour later, Cris calls. They talk. Ronny says to me, "They're in the parking lot" and points to the side of the building.
"They're here NOW??"
"Well, yeah!"
"We're heading to a club at 3?"
"It's not a club!! It's Purgatory!"
Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh. Now I get it. Purgatory Chasm is a park out on Rte 146. A glacier dropped some giant boulders there, so it's a bit more of a rock-climbing experience than your typical walk in the woods.
Ronny and I head downstairs. Cris and Brad (his BF) are in his Jeep Cherokee. I ask who's driving. Ronny and Cris want to take the convertible. Brad is trying desperately to make the Jeep sound like a cool option... We took my car. Brad made a comment about hating convertibles, then wore a grimace of pain all the drive out to the Chasm.
Cris likes bounding around on the rocks. I, however, have NO sense of balance, and was typically lagging behind. I also have a little vertigo-ishness and didn't enjoy peering over any drop-offs.
But I did suggest going for ice cream afterwards, and that was a good suggestion. Ronny likes Coldstone Creamery (I do too...) so we stopped on the way back. Brad apparently doesn't like ice cream either. But the three of us enjoyed ours!
Then Brad & Cris headed home because Brad needed a nap. They said they'd come over later and hang out. I called about 9, Brad said he'd talk to Cris about what they wanted to do. Cris called Ronny about 9:45; they were going to the club in town. Ronny didn't want to, so he said no thanks. So, they didn't come over.
I asked "Is that Boston or Providence?"
"No, Purgatory."
"Yes, but where is it?"
This went a couple more times, ended up going nowhere. He said he would call Cris. Well, Cris was busy, so he was going to call back.
We start watching TV. Half hour later, Cris calls. They talk. Ronny says to me, "They're in the parking lot" and points to the side of the building.
"They're here NOW??"
"Well, yeah!"
"We're heading to a club at 3?"
"It's not a club!! It's Purgatory!"
Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh. Now I get it. Purgatory Chasm is a park out on Rte 146. A glacier dropped some giant boulders there, so it's a bit more of a rock-climbing experience than your typical walk in the woods.
Ronny and I head downstairs. Cris and Brad (his BF) are in his Jeep Cherokee. I ask who's driving. Ronny and Cris want to take the convertible. Brad is trying desperately to make the Jeep sound like a cool option... We took my car. Brad made a comment about hating convertibles, then wore a grimace of pain all the drive out to the Chasm.
Cris likes bounding around on the rocks. I, however, have NO sense of balance, and was typically lagging behind. I also have a little vertigo-ishness and didn't enjoy peering over any drop-offs.
But I did suggest going for ice cream afterwards, and that was a good suggestion. Ronny likes Coldstone Creamery (I do too...) so we stopped on the way back. Brad apparently doesn't like ice cream either. But the three of us enjoyed ours!
Then Brad & Cris headed home because Brad needed a nap. They said they'd come over later and hang out. I called about 9, Brad said he'd talk to Cris about what they wanted to do. Cris called Ronny about 9:45; they were going to the club in town. Ronny didn't want to, so he said no thanks. So, they didn't come over.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Exit the Tiger
***Re-update*** A few days later the shipping charges were credited back against my checking account. So, they did hold true to their word and do not deserve the hate.
I have checked the transaction history of my checking account, and it appears that Tiger did NOT actually give me free shipping like they said they would.
So, they lied.
That is just wrong. For a company to tell you they will do something, and then not do it leads to a lack of customer loyalty.
Therefore, I am rescinding my earlier endorsement.
Do NOT shop at TigerDirect!! They are evil!! (Must have been bought out by MicroSoft...)
I have checked the transaction history of my checking account, and it appears that Tiger did NOT actually give me free shipping like they said they would.
So, they lied.
That is just wrong. For a company to tell you they will do something, and then not do it leads to a lack of customer loyalty.
Therefore, I am rescinding my earlier endorsement.
Do NOT shop at TigerDirect!! They are evil!! (Must have been bought out by MicroSoft...)
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Tiger
I bought a new laptop, so I needed Excel and Word again. I decided to take the plunge and buy a legit copy. But since I'm still a student (in the worldly sense) I got the Student/Teacher edition. At the stores it was $150. TigerDirect (online computer stuff store) had it for $125. Sounds like a winner to me! I got the UPS ground shipping, and the total was $131. The site said in stock and ready to ship. I placed my order! (Tuesday, 8/23) Thursday I checked the Progress. This website said they were doing an overhaul of their inventory system, and shipments would be delayed 48 hours. Not fun, but OK, whatever...
Friday, still 48 hour delay.
Saturday, still 48 hour delay. So I sent an email to the customer service email address. Basically asked how many more 48 hours it would take.
Sunday, didn't check. I figured they probably don't ship on Sundays anyway.
Monday I did check again. This time the website said the info was unavailable. Makes sense - I was griping about the delays, so they just stopped telling me what was going on!
Tuesday I checked. It said it shipped! (8/30)
Wednesday I get two emails. One was the automated system notifying me of shipment. The other was a response from customer service apologizing for the delay and saying they would not charge me for shipping. I saved another six bucks!!
I realize it is only a lousy six dollars, but the gesture made me feel so much better! So, now instead of hating them, I love them!! :) So, go people! Shop for geek crap at TigerDirect.com!!
And today the box showed up. I can now update my slightly anal-retentive budget file again. Work on my resume, too...
While I was going through the MicroSoft YOU MUST REGISTER THIS PRODUCT screen, they had a comment box, so I said "Stop treating all your customers like criminals. I didn't steal it..."
It's like voting. My comment doesn't matter, but if enough people do the same, something useful might happen.
Random cheese comment: gruyere is tasty but smells like Nasty rancid milk
Friday, still 48 hour delay.
Saturday, still 48 hour delay. So I sent an email to the customer service email address. Basically asked how many more 48 hours it would take.
Sunday, didn't check. I figured they probably don't ship on Sundays anyway.
Monday I did check again. This time the website said the info was unavailable. Makes sense - I was griping about the delays, so they just stopped telling me what was going on!
Tuesday I checked. It said it shipped! (8/30)
Wednesday I get two emails. One was the automated system notifying me of shipment. The other was a response from customer service apologizing for the delay and saying they would not charge me for shipping. I saved another six bucks!!
I realize it is only a lousy six dollars, but the gesture made me feel so much better! So, now instead of hating them, I love them!! :) So, go people! Shop for geek crap at TigerDirect.com!!
And today the box showed up. I can now update my slightly anal-retentive budget file again. Work on my resume, too...
While I was going through the MicroSoft YOU MUST REGISTER THIS PRODUCT screen, they had a comment box, so I said "Stop treating all your customers like criminals. I didn't steal it..."
It's like voting. My comment doesn't matter, but if enough people do the same, something useful might happen.
Random cheese comment: gruyere is tasty but smells like Nasty rancid milk
TFTD
Thought for the Day, compliments of my mother:
Life is like a bus. People get on, and people get off. Some stay for a longer ride than others.
Life is like a bus. People get on, and people get off. Some stay for a longer ride than others.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
