News & Updates in April 2009

Posted my review of The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008).

Posted the character profile of Ichiru Kiryu (from Vampire Knight).

Posted my review of Quantum of Solace.

Posted my review of Bedtime Stories.

Our six month period for the cable discounts ended today, so I called Charter up and got them reduced back to almost what they were before. Kinda annoying that this has to be done every six months, but at least it's easy.

On Thursday I drove down to my parents because the next morning the AT&T people were supposed to come to install this new fiberoptic TV, Internet, and phone bundle called AT&T U-Verse. So morning came and not fifteen minutes after the guy arrived he said that he couldn't install it until a box in the back of our house was upgraded, but he couldn't do that because he was only the inside guy so he called in a support ticket for the outside guys to come. He said, several times, that they arrive within two to twenty four hours. Flash forward to the next day, Saturday morning, twenty four hours later, and I'm sure you know the story. Nothing happened. No guys came, no phone call nothing.

We called to find out what was going on, and the lady on the phone said that the guy at our house was wrong and that the guys needed to do something at the street, not the house, and would probably be out Monday or Tuesday. Well, I couldn't exactly wait around that long, so I head back home that afternoon. I just talked with my dad today, and he said that they have now been told that both people were wrong, that nothing needed to be done on the outside or the house or the street, that everything was fine and they wanted to set up an appointment to do the installation.

So... what is anybody supposed to do in this situation? Would you really do business with a company that is constantly wrong and gives you the runaround? Yes, constantly. My parents were already thinking of ditching AT&T because of the horrible customer service they receive, and then this deal came along that would apparently save some money. But at what cost? I did read their packet, and it did sound like a great setup, but is worth it when you have zero faith in the company, knowing that if any problem should arrive that you'll be screwed.

On a lighter note, Friday evening I went with my parents to help out at a fund-raising auction for the Human Society. That was interesting. For the first couple hours, most of us stood around the tables to answer questions (as if we had any answers) and try to make sure people were playing fair. You mean people would cheat at a fund-raising auction? Uh, yes. Yes they would. People would cross out the last bid on the list or hide the list inside a pot, stuff like that. Anyway, so it was a lot of standing around until the auction finally closed, then it was time to help people pick up their items, after they paid for them of course.

Me and one other guy got to where a tall rainbow-colored Cat-in-the-Hat style hat. The original purpose is so that people could see which table was being closed at the time, but then the auctioneer guy just closed all tables at once, so that concept plan out the window. But the hat helped people see me if they needed help, and plus it was pretty chilly with all the doors being opened, so it helped keep my noggin warm. I helped people find the items they won, and helped carry the heavier ones out to their car. I even got hit on by a rather attractive woman while I was waiting for one of the guys to go get his car and pull it up to the entrance. That was quite the interesting experience, and helped put me in a good mood, not that I wasn't in a good mood already, but still, it was kinda cool.

Posted the character profile of Shirley Fenette (from Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion).