Lately, it seems like I’ve been faced with having to take a serious look at my own mortality, and I have to say I’m not enjoying it. Not that there’s anything physically wrong with me (aside from the obvious need to lose weight), but it seems like every time I turn around, there’s another reminder of the finite nature of life.
Allow me to preface this by saying that I know that I have the promise of eternal life through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I’m assured of my eternity. I do not fear death. Admittedly, however, I’m not exactly looking forward to it and I am hoping and praying I’m fortunate enough to die in my sleep when the Lord calls me home.
That being said, I’m struggling with death. More specifically, I’m struggling with the potential void that is left after a loved one dies. Diamond Rio has a song called “God Only Cries” that contains these words…
God only cries for the living, ‘cause it’s the living that are left to carry on.
God only cries for the living, ‘cause it’s the living that are so far from home.
Now, I will admit that I tend to be a ‘lyric philosopher.’ I look for nuggets of wisdom in songs, whether or not they are actually there. Sometimes, I look a little harder than I should. Sometimes, I will twist the original intent of the lyrics to line up with what I want to get out of them. But those words hit home with me from the first time I heard them.
My mind wanders to a family who just lost their young daughter to leukemia…
My mind wanders to another family who lost their son in a motorcycle accident years ago and have never quite recovered from that loss…
And my mind wanders to my dad. Not because he’s died (thankfully), but because, for the first time in my life, I am forced to face the reality that there may come a time when God calls him home. And while I will celebrate his homecoming, I know I will struggle with the gigantic void that will be left in my life as a result. I pray that I will not have to face this realization for many, many years to come.
Maybe I’m being selfish. Perhaps it is wrong of me to ask God to let him stick around for a few more decades. But there is so much more of life that I want to experience with my Dad, and so much more that I know I need to learn from him. I want to let him hold his granddaughter when we return from China. I want to watch him hold his granddaughter. I want to learn from him how to be a father, how to be a better husband, how to be a man of God.
I’m not ready to let him go quite yet.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Hey, hey, hey...Goodbye!
For the 4 or 5 of you who follow this painfully inconsistent blog as of late (I would like to be more consistent, but my life just isn’t that interesting at the moment), you know of my intense displeasure with the entity that is Comcast. From forcing me to watch all things Philadelphia or raising my rates, they are clearly the scourge of the earth and need to be knocked down a few pegs. Unfortunately, aside from doing something that would likely land me in jail…or Gitmo…there is little I can do but complain about it on a blog.
Until now! To paraphrase Navin R. Johnson, “The FiOS is here! The FiOS is here!” (extra points if you can name the movie without looking it up on IMDB)
Yes, that’s correct. As of Friday, Verizon FiOS service is officially available in the Upper Allen area (among others), and I quickly made my way to the nearest Verizon store to sign up. Therefore, as of November 6th, I will no longer be a slave to the oppressive tyranny of the Comcast empire. No longer will I have to wonder what is on NFL Network. No longer will I have to endure incessant increases in rates simply because there was no competition in sight. No longer will I have to put up with unwanted and inconsistent internet updates. I will be soon able to stand up and say “Free At Last, Free At Last”. (I pause as an old dcTalk ditty runs through my head).
Now, I do realize that I may be trading a tyrant for a mean king, but it’s a trade I’m willing to make at this point. I am sooooo looking forward to November 6th, when I call up Comcast and tell them to cancel my service. I promised Comcast a year ago that as soon as FiOS was available, I would be moving to their service, and I love being able to keep my promises!
Until now! To paraphrase Navin R. Johnson, “The FiOS is here! The FiOS is here!” (extra points if you can name the movie without looking it up on IMDB)
Yes, that’s correct. As of Friday, Verizon FiOS service is officially available in the Upper Allen area (among others), and I quickly made my way to the nearest Verizon store to sign up. Therefore, as of November 6th, I will no longer be a slave to the oppressive tyranny of the Comcast empire. No longer will I have to wonder what is on NFL Network. No longer will I have to endure incessant increases in rates simply because there was no competition in sight. No longer will I have to put up with unwanted and inconsistent internet updates. I will be soon able to stand up and say “Free At Last, Free At Last”. (I pause as an old dcTalk ditty runs through my head).
Now, I do realize that I may be trading a tyrant for a mean king, but it’s a trade I’m willing to make at this point. I am sooooo looking forward to November 6th, when I call up Comcast and tell them to cancel my service. I promised Comcast a year ago that as soon as FiOS was available, I would be moving to their service, and I love being able to keep my promises!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Final word on (this) PP&L Fiasco
Well, as reported last week, we managed to get the PP&L bill fixed and things are back to whatever qualifies as normal. So, then, why this post? Well, on Friday, we received a letter from PP&L. While I'm not going to recite the letter word for word, the general idea was something like this...
"We are writing to inform you that we've recently discovered a problem with the RFID transmitter attached to your electric meter. As a result, you may have been slightly overcharged on your most recent bill. Rest assured that we have taken the necessary steps to correct this problem for you, saving you the effort of having to bring this problem to our attention. It's all part of our customer service promise to you, our valued customer."
As I'm sure you can imagine, this letter just infuriated me even more. THEY discovered the problem? SLIGHTLY overcharged? SAVING me the effort of having to report the problem? What a bunch of bull that is. Had I not called them and raised cain with them, I'd still be on the hook for the $775, with not even so much as a peep from them.
What bothers me the most is that this is becoming the SOP for most of American business. The new mantra is "It's up to the customer to let us know if we screwed up, but we'll never take accountability for it when we do."
"We are writing to inform you that we've recently discovered a problem with the RFID transmitter attached to your electric meter. As a result, you may have been slightly overcharged on your most recent bill. Rest assured that we have taken the necessary steps to correct this problem for you, saving you the effort of having to bring this problem to our attention. It's all part of our customer service promise to you, our valued customer."
As I'm sure you can imagine, this letter just infuriated me even more. THEY discovered the problem? SLIGHTLY overcharged? SAVING me the effort of having to report the problem? What a bunch of bull that is. Had I not called them and raised cain with them, I'd still be on the hook for the $775, with not even so much as a peep from them.
What bothers me the most is that this is becoming the SOP for most of American business. The new mantra is "It's up to the customer to let us know if we screwed up, but we'll never take accountability for it when we do."
Friday, October 10, 2008
Random Thoughts and Updates...
Update to the PP&L Fiasco:
I finally received a call from them and was informed that my meter was not replaced, but the RFID transmitter was what had gone bad and was replaced. The catch here is that when they install the new transmitter, they have to manually enter the current reading from the meter. And this is where the problem comes in, because you have to rely on human intervention on an automated process. So, instead of entering the correct value of 1463, the technician entered 11463, which effectively charged me for 10,000 kilowatt hours that should never have been charged. While I appreciate the fact that this has been caught and corrected, I am still a little miffed that I have not yet received so much as an apology for the situation, and I’m left wondering if there would have been any resolution had I not alerted them to the error.
I’m now a statistic:
It’s official, I’m now one of the millions of Americans who have been a victim of identity theft. Well, maybe that’s a bit drastic, but I was recently informed that I’ve had fraudulent charges placed on my credit card, which has resulted me the credit card company having to cancel my existing account and provide me with a new account. Fortunately, it was caught. Fortunately, it was only one card, and nothing else seems to have been affected. But it’s enough to make me start to reconsider some of my online purchasing and bill paying practices.
Sporting news, thoughts and observations:
I’m still maintaining a 213 average in my bowling league through 5 weeks. I am starting in research new bowling balls (don’t tell Anita), but I’m not close to making a purchase. I’m a staunch believer that technology and equipment can only accomplish so much, and there still needs to be a level of skill and ability to make it all work. So I’m working on tweaking my delivery before I get too wrapped up in new equipment.
My Steelers are 4-1 (as if I have anything to do with their success) heading into their bye week. Hopefully they will heal up some during the layoff, as they’re still facing the league’s most difficult and physical schedule from here on out.
The Phillies pulled a rabbit out of their hat last night to win Game 1 of the NLCS. One of the downfalls of being a transplant here in Central PA is having to put up with the plethora of obnoxious fans of all things Philly. That is not to say that all Philly fans are obnoxious. I’ve met one or two that don’t qualify for that description. But by, in large, they are rabid and loud. Based on conversations and articles I’ve observed this morning, one would think that a victory last night automatically declares the Phillies the champs of the World Series, and the rest of the playoffs might as well be cancelled. And when the wheels come off this afternoon, these same fans will begin to claim that the umps screwed up, or that MLB is setting up the Dodgers to win, or yada, yada, yada. The only good thing about the Phillies winning is that the Eagles are 2-3 and are keeping most Philly fans from becoming unbearable.
Taking it old school:
I’ve recently uploaded some of my older CD’s to my computer and have put them on my iPod. This has afforded me the opportunity to enjoy some long lost favorites of my formative years. Here’s what I’ve been listening to lately…
A lot of the early DC Talk. Their first album came out when I was in high school (1990), and I’m amused (or perhaps alarmed) that I can still sing/rap along with such classics as “Heavenbound,” “Lean On Me,” “Free At Last”, and “Jesus Is Just Alright.” And I’m reminded of how much they’ve grown when I listen to “Jesus Freak” and “The Red Letters,” the latter of which is probably my favorite DC Talk song of all time.
PFR (Pray For Rain). I got hooked on these guys in college, and their early albums (“Pray For Rain, “Goldie’s Last Day,” “Great Lengths”) are still some of the best of all time. Some personal faves from this missed trio; “That Kind of Love,” “The Love I Know,” “Do You Want to Know,” and “Didn’t He.”
Rich Mullins. I remember exactly where I was when I learned of his death – in the car, on the way to a Geoff Moore concert at Messiah. I was a late-comer to the Rich Mullins catalog, but I have since found his music to be profound and inspiring. He was one of the greatest story-tellers in music, not just Christian music, but all genres. Every time I hear “Elijah” I think back to that night in the car, and I ponder if I am ready to leave all this behind, if I can say “…it won’t break my heart to say goodbye.”
Hey, you’re still reading this. Wow, I feel so warm and fuzzy!
I finally received a call from them and was informed that my meter was not replaced, but the RFID transmitter was what had gone bad and was replaced. The catch here is that when they install the new transmitter, they have to manually enter the current reading from the meter. And this is where the problem comes in, because you have to rely on human intervention on an automated process. So, instead of entering the correct value of 1463, the technician entered 11463, which effectively charged me for 10,000 kilowatt hours that should never have been charged. While I appreciate the fact that this has been caught and corrected, I am still a little miffed that I have not yet received so much as an apology for the situation, and I’m left wondering if there would have been any resolution had I not alerted them to the error.
I’m now a statistic:
It’s official, I’m now one of the millions of Americans who have been a victim of identity theft. Well, maybe that’s a bit drastic, but I was recently informed that I’ve had fraudulent charges placed on my credit card, which has resulted me the credit card company having to cancel my existing account and provide me with a new account. Fortunately, it was caught. Fortunately, it was only one card, and nothing else seems to have been affected. But it’s enough to make me start to reconsider some of my online purchasing and bill paying practices.
Sporting news, thoughts and observations:
I’m still maintaining a 213 average in my bowling league through 5 weeks. I am starting in research new bowling balls (don’t tell Anita), but I’m not close to making a purchase. I’m a staunch believer that technology and equipment can only accomplish so much, and there still needs to be a level of skill and ability to make it all work. So I’m working on tweaking my delivery before I get too wrapped up in new equipment.
My Steelers are 4-1 (as if I have anything to do with their success) heading into their bye week. Hopefully they will heal up some during the layoff, as they’re still facing the league’s most difficult and physical schedule from here on out.
The Phillies pulled a rabbit out of their hat last night to win Game 1 of the NLCS. One of the downfalls of being a transplant here in Central PA is having to put up with the plethora of obnoxious fans of all things Philly. That is not to say that all Philly fans are obnoxious. I’ve met one or two that don’t qualify for that description. But by, in large, they are rabid and loud. Based on conversations and articles I’ve observed this morning, one would think that a victory last night automatically declares the Phillies the champs of the World Series, and the rest of the playoffs might as well be cancelled. And when the wheels come off this afternoon, these same fans will begin to claim that the umps screwed up, or that MLB is setting up the Dodgers to win, or yada, yada, yada. The only good thing about the Phillies winning is that the Eagles are 2-3 and are keeping most Philly fans from becoming unbearable.
Taking it old school:
I’ve recently uploaded some of my older CD’s to my computer and have put them on my iPod. This has afforded me the opportunity to enjoy some long lost favorites of my formative years. Here’s what I’ve been listening to lately…
A lot of the early DC Talk. Their first album came out when I was in high school (1990), and I’m amused (or perhaps alarmed) that I can still sing/rap along with such classics as “Heavenbound,” “Lean On Me,” “Free At Last”, and “Jesus Is Just Alright.” And I’m reminded of how much they’ve grown when I listen to “Jesus Freak” and “The Red Letters,” the latter of which is probably my favorite DC Talk song of all time.
PFR (Pray For Rain). I got hooked on these guys in college, and their early albums (“Pray For Rain, “Goldie’s Last Day,” “Great Lengths”) are still some of the best of all time. Some personal faves from this missed trio; “That Kind of Love,” “The Love I Know,” “Do You Want to Know,” and “Didn’t He.”
Rich Mullins. I remember exactly where I was when I learned of his death – in the car, on the way to a Geoff Moore concert at Messiah. I was a late-comer to the Rich Mullins catalog, but I have since found his music to be profound and inspiring. He was one of the greatest story-tellers in music, not just Christian music, but all genres. Every time I hear “Elijah” I think back to that night in the car, and I ponder if I am ready to leave all this behind, if I can say “…it won’t break my heart to say goodbye.”
Hey, you’re still reading this. Wow, I feel so warm and fuzzy!
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Lost Art of Customer Service
I've come to the realization that the art of Customer Service is going the way of the dead languages. soon, we will treat Customer Service in a manner that is usually reserved for the teaching Latin - good to know for historical purposes and some foundational language skills, but otherwise useless in today's society. This has become painfully clear to me given my recent dealing with PP&L, which is quickly maneuvering to take over the top spot of my most despised companies (which currently begins and ends with Comcast).
In my previous post, I mentioned the delivery of a $775 electric bill. This is obviously a horrendous error on the part of PP&L, and I am desperately trying to speak with someone in their organization who can look into this and make the necessary corrections. On Friday, I called, only to be put on hold long enough for the people I need to speak with to go home for the afternoon. I was told then by the moderately clueless customer service rep that she would create a 'ticket' (is there any more ambiguous statement in the world of customer service) and have someone call me on Monday. She could not provide an estimated time of this magic call, nor could she provide me with a direct line to the department with which I needed to speak. So, unsatisfied with waiting for someone to call me, I altered my work schedule this afternoon to make sure I came home early enough to call PP&L before 5:00. What follows is an abridged retelling of this scintillating conversation. I will pick up the action after the mundane details of confirming my account and address and whatnot. PP&L will be in italics, my response will be in bold
What can I do for you today, Mr. Smith?
Well, for starters, you can connect me with the department that handles the meter replacements so I can discuss this incorrect bill with them.
Mr. Smith, if it is a billing issue, I can help you with that.
No, you cannot, as I was told on Friday that I needed to speak with someone in the equipment department.
Mr. Smith, if you tell me what the problem is, I'm sure I can help you with the situation.
--at this point, I run through the whole issue, explaining how my bill is over 6 times my monthly average for the last 12 months, how I know that the meter replacement is to blame for this situation and that I want to have ti resolved as soon as possible--
Oh, Mr. Smith, you need to speak with someone in our equipment services department.
(sarcastically feigning surprise) Really? Wow, I wish I knew that going into this conversation. It might have saved us both a lot of time and energy.
Let me transfer you...oh, wait, I see that a ticket has already been created for you on this particular subject. I cannot connect you at this time. You will have to wait for the equipment services department to contact you. Your ticket is in the queue.
Well, I am on the phone now, so please connect me with whomever it is I need to speak with.
Mr. Smith, you don't understand, once the ticket has been created and put in the queue, I cannot move the request. You will have to wait for that department to get to your request in the order it was received.
No, you don't understand, I am on the phone now, and I expect to speak with someone regarding this issue.
Mr. Smith, we do not make outgoing calls on Monday, so you will have to wait until tomorrow for your ticket to come to the head of the queue. We have a daytime phone number for you and will be calling you as soon as your ticket comes up.
--my blood pressure is nearing it's boiling point at this juncture in the conversation, and I am doing everything in my power to not scream at this woman over the phone--
So, let me see if I understand this correctly. On Friday, I'm told someone will call me on Monday. But I decide to do everyone a favor and call you rather than wait for you to call me, only to be told that PP&L, in it's infinite wisdom, does not make outgoing calls on Monday? You'll have to forgive me but this is one ridiculously stupid system of handling issues.
Mr. Smith, getting angry with me will not make the situation any better.
I'm not getting angry with you. I'm angry with the run-around that I'm getting. You are in the customer service department. I am a customer, and I expect service, and I am getting nothing even resembling customer service here. So am I to take the day off tomorrow and sit by the phone waiting a call that will likely never come?
No, Mr. Smith. We would never wish to inconvenience you in any way.
You obviously do not understand the meaning of that word, for I am being significantly inconvenienced at this very moment by not being able to speak with someone who can look into my issue.
The conversation pretty much went downhill from there, me requesting to speak with a supervisor and/or manager, only to be told that none were available at the time. And here's the kicker. If this call does come in tomorrow, and I am not available to answer it, then I will have to call back, and be put back into the mystical queue in hopes of getting someone from the right department to speak to me about the issue.
The irony of all of this? It's National Customer Service Week.
In my previous post, I mentioned the delivery of a $775 electric bill. This is obviously a horrendous error on the part of PP&L, and I am desperately trying to speak with someone in their organization who can look into this and make the necessary corrections. On Friday, I called, only to be put on hold long enough for the people I need to speak with to go home for the afternoon. I was told then by the moderately clueless customer service rep that she would create a 'ticket' (is there any more ambiguous statement in the world of customer service) and have someone call me on Monday. She could not provide an estimated time of this magic call, nor could she provide me with a direct line to the department with which I needed to speak. So, unsatisfied with waiting for someone to call me, I altered my work schedule this afternoon to make sure I came home early enough to call PP&L before 5:00. What follows is an abridged retelling of this scintillating conversation. I will pick up the action after the mundane details of confirming my account and address and whatnot. PP&L will be in italics, my response will be in bold
What can I do for you today, Mr. Smith?
Well, for starters, you can connect me with the department that handles the meter replacements so I can discuss this incorrect bill with them.
Mr. Smith, if it is a billing issue, I can help you with that.
No, you cannot, as I was told on Friday that I needed to speak with someone in the equipment department.
Mr. Smith, if you tell me what the problem is, I'm sure I can help you with the situation.
--at this point, I run through the whole issue, explaining how my bill is over 6 times my monthly average for the last 12 months, how I know that the meter replacement is to blame for this situation and that I want to have ti resolved as soon as possible--
Oh, Mr. Smith, you need to speak with someone in our equipment services department.
(sarcastically feigning surprise) Really? Wow, I wish I knew that going into this conversation. It might have saved us both a lot of time and energy.
Let me transfer you...oh, wait, I see that a ticket has already been created for you on this particular subject. I cannot connect you at this time. You will have to wait for the equipment services department to contact you. Your ticket is in the queue.
Well, I am on the phone now, so please connect me with whomever it is I need to speak with.
Mr. Smith, you don't understand, once the ticket has been created and put in the queue, I cannot move the request. You will have to wait for that department to get to your request in the order it was received.
No, you don't understand, I am on the phone now, and I expect to speak with someone regarding this issue.
Mr. Smith, we do not make outgoing calls on Monday, so you will have to wait until tomorrow for your ticket to come to the head of the queue. We have a daytime phone number for you and will be calling you as soon as your ticket comes up.
--my blood pressure is nearing it's boiling point at this juncture in the conversation, and I am doing everything in my power to not scream at this woman over the phone--
So, let me see if I understand this correctly. On Friday, I'm told someone will call me on Monday. But I decide to do everyone a favor and call you rather than wait for you to call me, only to be told that PP&L, in it's infinite wisdom, does not make outgoing calls on Monday? You'll have to forgive me but this is one ridiculously stupid system of handling issues.
Mr. Smith, getting angry with me will not make the situation any better.
I'm not getting angry with you. I'm angry with the run-around that I'm getting. You are in the customer service department. I am a customer, and I expect service, and I am getting nothing even resembling customer service here. So am I to take the day off tomorrow and sit by the phone waiting a call that will likely never come?
No, Mr. Smith. We would never wish to inconvenience you in any way.
You obviously do not understand the meaning of that word, for I am being significantly inconvenienced at this very moment by not being able to speak with someone who can look into my issue.
The conversation pretty much went downhill from there, me requesting to speak with a supervisor and/or manager, only to be told that none were available at the time. And here's the kicker. If this call does come in tomorrow, and I am not available to answer it, then I will have to call back, and be put back into the mystical queue in hopes of getting someone from the right department to speak to me about the issue.
The irony of all of this? It's National Customer Service Week.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
If Life is a Monopoly Board...
...then I must be the thimble, and every role I throw lands me on the Income Tax spot, the Public Utilities spot, the Luxury Tax spot, or the Go To Jail spot. All the while, everyone else is rolling doubles and buying up every available property so that, on the off chance I manage to miss one of the 4 previously mentioned spots on the board, I still owe someone something! I just feel like I've been drop-kicked by life this week. The thing is, nothing really bad happened, but nothing really good happened either. It was just one of those weeks when, sitting alone on a Friday night in front of one's computer, you're left to ponder the meaning of life and all the other unanswerable questions of the universe. Of course, this makes you feel even more insignificant that you already do, and allows life to throw in that one last sucker punch to finish you off.
Every time I turned around this week, I found someone else with their hand out, expecting payment for something that they have no right expecting payment for (see previous Monopoly rant) . First it's the store that sold us our mattress. Without making a long story unbearably longer, we had our mattress inspected because, in less than a year, there are depressions that are over an inch deep. We were told that such depressions could not occur with this particular mattress, hence the inspection. The inspector agreed that there is a problem with the mattress, but the manufacturer will not do anything until the depressions are 1.5 inches deep. He did, however, determine that there was damage to the foot of our box spring, which he noted in his report. So, the store is now trying to convince us that the previously unnoticed damage to the foot of our box spring is causing the depression in the middle of our mattress. I'm not an engineer, but even I can tell that there is faulty logic there. However, the store is offering to replace our box spring - free of charge - and will re-inspect our mattress in 60 days to prove that the depressions are being caused by the box springs. Sounds good, right up until the store tells us that we have to pay $90 to have the new box spring delivered. My arguments have fallen on deaf ears, and now I cannot get a manager of the store to talk to me regarding this situation. And if we do not replace the box spring, we void the warranty on the mattress, so we're in the proverbial catch-22.
That's how the week started. Today, I got our electric bill. But first a brief history. PP&L discovered that our meter had stopped working properly, and replaced it on July 29th. It had been working fine up to that point, with the possible exception of the month of July being off in terms of it's reading. So I expected the next bill to be a bit higher, to make up the difference. So, imagine my surprise when I open a $775 bill! yes, $775. That is more than our last 8 months of usage combined, and is more than 6 times our monthly average for the last 2 years. Obviously, there is a problem, so I call PP&L at 4:45 pm, and am promptly put on hold for 15 minutes. When I finally speak to a customer service rep, I'm told that I have to speak to the equipment department. Of course, that department closes promptly at 5:00. Perhaps if I wasn't on hold for 15 minutes... So now I have to go 12 rounds with PP&L on Monday to get this straightened out.
Perhaps this is phase one of the bailout plan...
And the icing to this miserable cake? Finding out that my dad has a significant medical condition that, while unconfirmed, looks like cancer. Needless to say, the wheels came off tonight, and I spent a bit of time curled up in a ball screaming at God.
I'm not asking for an easy life. I know God doesn't promise us a life of ease. But I think I've had my share of frustration and stress for the month, and wouldn't mind a little respite from the frustrations of daily living.
There's definitely only one set of footprints in the sand right now...
Every time I turned around this week, I found someone else with their hand out, expecting payment for something that they have no right expecting payment for (see previous Monopoly rant) . First it's the store that sold us our mattress. Without making a long story unbearably longer, we had our mattress inspected because, in less than a year, there are depressions that are over an inch deep. We were told that such depressions could not occur with this particular mattress, hence the inspection. The inspector agreed that there is a problem with the mattress, but the manufacturer will not do anything until the depressions are 1.5 inches deep. He did, however, determine that there was damage to the foot of our box spring, which he noted in his report. So, the store is now trying to convince us that the previously unnoticed damage to the foot of our box spring is causing the depression in the middle of our mattress. I'm not an engineer, but even I can tell that there is faulty logic there. However, the store is offering to replace our box spring - free of charge - and will re-inspect our mattress in 60 days to prove that the depressions are being caused by the box springs. Sounds good, right up until the store tells us that we have to pay $90 to have the new box spring delivered. My arguments have fallen on deaf ears, and now I cannot get a manager of the store to talk to me regarding this situation. And if we do not replace the box spring, we void the warranty on the mattress, so we're in the proverbial catch-22.
That's how the week started. Today, I got our electric bill. But first a brief history. PP&L discovered that our meter had stopped working properly, and replaced it on July 29th. It had been working fine up to that point, with the possible exception of the month of July being off in terms of it's reading. So I expected the next bill to be a bit higher, to make up the difference. So, imagine my surprise when I open a $775 bill! yes, $775. That is more than our last 8 months of usage combined, and is more than 6 times our monthly average for the last 2 years. Obviously, there is a problem, so I call PP&L at 4:45 pm, and am promptly put on hold for 15 minutes. When I finally speak to a customer service rep, I'm told that I have to speak to the equipment department. Of course, that department closes promptly at 5:00. Perhaps if I wasn't on hold for 15 minutes... So now I have to go 12 rounds with PP&L on Monday to get this straightened out.
Perhaps this is phase one of the bailout plan...
And the icing to this miserable cake? Finding out that my dad has a significant medical condition that, while unconfirmed, looks like cancer. Needless to say, the wheels came off tonight, and I spent a bit of time curled up in a ball screaming at God.
I'm not asking for an easy life. I know God doesn't promise us a life of ease. But I think I've had my share of frustration and stress for the month, and wouldn't mind a little respite from the frustrations of daily living.
There's definitely only one set of footprints in the sand right now...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
