Well.... not actually part two as nothing has really occured yet, other than me being pretty annoyed. I was up by 6:00 and started watching the clock a little after 7:00 so I could dial the '1-800-aggravation' number and be the first one in line to talk to a real person. I have the theory that there is only one actual, living customer service rep. and the voice mail process is so laborious and complicated to weed out all the customers who are not persistent enough to slog through the 'do this for that' questions in order to actually get to see 'what is really behind the curtain in Oz'.
So I made the call at 8:01, and worked my way through to the part where you get the recording that says 'sorry, all our reps. are busy, but we promise to answer you soon', then got hung up/disconnected. So I started over, and the same thing happened again... listen to choices, punch the number, more recorded options, punch another number: 'sorry, all our reps. are busy, etc, etc,'. So I started over: it's now about 8:20 (and I was thinking: they have just not activated the system, everyone is lagging behind over coffee, no one is on the job even though the directory says business hours are 8:00 to 6:00)... but when I dailed the third time through the questions (that, had I been paying attention, I could have memorized by now), and actually talked to a real live, breathing customer serrvice person, she said: 'our computers are down, please call back in a couple of hours'.... arrrrgggghhh...
When I told her how many times I have attempted thus far, she suggested I call back in one hour instead of two, but could not give me a 'short-cut' number to call - so I thought I would just spread dissension amongst the ranks while I am waiting for my hour to be up so I can start over, again.
So here is my telephone rant/editorial:
When did we get to the point that we thought phones were essential to daily life? I remember growing up on a dirt road sharing a party line with another family. With parents that thought anyone calling after 9:00 at night could only be bearing bad news, and you could write a letter and use a stamp if it was not urgent. I know: I'm just 'old school' and not in touch with our me-centric and media-centric world... is that the worst thing ever?
I see people in public places having loud disruptive conversations and sharing some very personal business for all the world to hear - things I really do not want to know about, even if they are total strangers, it is 'way too much information about divorces, custody disagreements, what happened last night. Just because you have a telephone in your pocket or one that plugs into your ear does not necessairily mean that what you have to say is worthy of broadcast or the rest of the world wants/needs to hear.
I guess this is in a parallel vein with media personalities, that were nobody until someone started taking their photos, who enjoy prancing about in their underwear. When did sleeping garments become acceptable public apparel? How did underwear become acceptable outerwear? If we don't take/publish their pictures, give them a boatload of publicity, no one will see their inappropriate attire/behavior - and their fifteen minutes of fame will thankfully be over before they show up on checkout tabloids.
It's time for me to re-visit '1-800-aggravate-your-socks-off'....
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