Archive for the ‘Misc’ Category

Las Vegas

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

I just got back from a visit to Las Vegas.  This is my first time to actually stop in Las Vegas as an adult.  The purpose of the trip was to visit my grandson:

But just so you know I really did go to Las Vegas:

I saw a Beatles group while there. It was very entertaining.  I didn’t gamble even one cent.  I had a very good burger at Fatburger.

There are some strange people on the strip.  I was there the day before Halloween. I can imagine what it looked like on Halloween.

It was good to be back in some high desert country for a bit.  Though I think Las Vegas would be too hot for me in the summer.  We took a beautiful drive up Red Rock Canyon

I was really wishing I had my bike for that loop.  There were many cyclists on the loop.

I also took a trip to tour Hoover Dam. It was  dam’ good trip.

After having lived in several states and visiting Las Vegas  I have come to one conclusion.  Here in the D.C. area we have a better class of derelicts.

I Love Where I Live

Friday, July 31st, 2009

A few months ago I moved.  I love where I live.  I can walk or ride my bike pretty much every where I need to go.  It is an area the was developed in the late 19th century as a suburb with easy rail  access to D.C.

You can read about the area here.

It has a very interesting mix of housing  styles.  Here are two of my favorite houses.

Most of the houses in the area don’t have such fascinating colors.

I am very close to a wonderful avenue with lots of cafes and various types of boutiques.

And the very best custard in the world is available at the Dairy Godmother.  I have spent a bit of money there since moving here.  It is so good that President Obama and his daughters went there for ice cream last month.

If you want to check it out you can go to their custard cam. So be careful or you may get caught cheating on your diet.

On a Friday or Saturday night the line stretches from the counter to the back of the building and then turns and goes out the front door.  There is no grumbling, pushing or shoving.  Everyone is just happy to be there.

You can get your custard or sorbet and then go out on the street and find a place to sit and watch the people go by.

That’s it for Friday Foto Fiesta.  Go see Carrie to join in and have a great weekend.  I think I will go for custard.

New Low In Verizon Customer Service

Sunday, July 26th, 2009

On Wednesday I came home to find my Internet had been disconnected due to non-payment.  Interesting  given that I thought I was making the payments. I have paid every bill I received from Verizon. This would be laughable if it wasn’t so frustrating.

Yes I have the network.

See all those people who are supposedly supporting me?  I spoke with probably half of them before I got my problem resolved. 

Do you remember the fable about the blind men trying to describe an elephant?  That is what trying to get a problem resolved with Verizon is like.   Each customer service rep can only see a small part of the problem.  It was so aggravating.

I just about got to the point where I was going to say to hell with them and just get a new provider. I was thinking it would be faster.

This is what took place over the 3 days.

Day1:

I was routed to seven different people and given five different phone numbers to call.   I was routed to India twice and to two of the same people twice.

One of the people in India kept referring to me as ma’am.  And we had an atrocious time understanding each other.  I had to spell my last name four or five times before he got right.

The last person I spoke with on Wednesday said my account was indeed delinquent.  She couldn’t pull it up and explain the problem because I couldn’t give her the correct account number.  Pretty hard to do given that I have never actually received a hard copy Internet bill.

She said she would send me a bill and I could then call back.  Yes, I know very helpful.  I wait until I get a bill snail mail and then try to resolve it.

Day 2:

I went to the library and logged on to myverizon and got what I thought was my account #.  It was hard to tell if my Internet was actually on that bill.

I came home and started calling.  After almost an hour and 4 more people I ended up with Jessica.  Of course they don’t use their real names.  Jessica told me I was owing $229 and of that $169 was past due.  She told me I could pay up and have my account reactivated within four hours.  The problem is she couldn’t do that over the phone with a charge card.  Nope! I need to do it on line or via the telephone automated system.  Pretty hard to do since the account # seems to be in question.

She gave me the account number.   She then decided against having me pay online.  She said there seemed to be a land line associated with my account and she didn’t want me paying a bill and  it actually not going to the  correct place. She said she would activate my account as a “courtesy”.  She then gave me another phone number and told me I would need to call them the next day to resolve the problem.  She said to call first thing in the morning because she wasn’t sure how long my account would stay activated.

At least she was able to do something.

Day 3:

On day 3 I called and spent about 30 minutes with three different people and being disconnected once.  The second person was Ron and of course was in India.  He pulled up my account and gave me the number.  He said it showed active, no land line and the payments had been received right along.  He seemed to have the correct information as to when I started, when the payments were received, my account login etc.  He said they had received payments from my phone company yet I wasn’t on the one bill option.  He then gave me a number to call for one bill.

I called one bill and I think I am now set up.  But can you understand how I can be skeptical that anyone there really knows what is going on?

In the past I have been very happy with Verizon but now I don’t know.  But they are all the same.

Three days, 2 1/2 hours and 14 different people.  It is really astounding!

How Do We Measure Progress?

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

I recently visited the FDR Memorial in D.C.  It is one of my favorite memorials.  Unfortunately it is also a little bit out of the way so many people miss it.  It is like a statuary garden that depicts his entire presidency.

I especially like this quote:

If you ever come to D.C. be sure to check it out.  It is on the opposite side of the tidal basin of most of the other memorials.

Happy Friday Foto Fiesta.

Fill ‘er Up!

Friday, July 17th, 2009

I took this pic while on a bike ride earlier this year. Not every day you see a tractor pulled up to a fuel stop like this. This was more than just an interesting pic for me. It was a warm and fuzzy nostalgic moment.

The tractor was running. I don’t know a lot about engines and how things work but the exhaust from these old tractors has a distinct odor. The odor was one of the first things I noticed. Mmmmmm it took me back more than 30 years to my home and farm in Idaho. Who’d a thunk it that smelling exhaust would be so nice.

Take note that the exhaust comes out of a muffler rising straight up and out of the engine. Back in that day we would often put a tin can over the exhaust when the tractor was off to keep stuff from getting in it. There were also permanent flappers attached that would cover the outlet. When the tractor was off the flapper would fall over the opening. When the engine is running the pressure of the exhaust pushes the flapper open.

This tractor had such a flapper. You might think this is insignificant but it also added to the nostalgia. When the engine is idling there is enough pressure to open the valve but not hold it. The result is that the flapper is constantly opening and closing. Every time the flapper closes there is a little clink as metal strikes metal.

When I arrived at the station the tractor was there idling  and I immediately noticed the two things I have just described.  The smell and then the clink, clink, clink , clink, clink clink over the top of the idling engine.

It was like a hug from an old friend.

I think my fondness for tractors must have been with me from birth.

Happy Friday Foto Fiesta.  I hope to be back at my blog now.