Who needs Whole Foods when there is a Lesli around. That's right folks...I am your next big thing in Gardening Greatness. Oh yeah baby. Hold me back. Hold me back. After weeks of boring weekends doing work work work I decided to say "Hey" and took some time for myself. Although most of the weekend was consumed by work, I put in a little sweat equity on Sunday night and started my vegetable garden.
Okay, so I had help. Although I would like to take ALL of the credit for digging and sowing and mixing giant bags og poop...I can not. I did get down and dirty though, no slacking here. Dad and Jay pitched in and did a lot of the work. Needless to say, I am sitting pretty with a nice size 9 X 14 foot garden surrounded by chicken wire and a nice little "dad made" gate. It is awsome and I can't wait until I start to get some fresh veggies.
Right now the soil is just getting ready, but by this weekend I should be a planting machine. I already have red and white onions planted and all of my herbs are in pots and ready to go. FANTASTIC. Now, the questions is: Do I have a green thumb? This is yet to be determined. The next time you see me I could have my own stand at the Farmers Market. (Or quite possible you could see me at Whole Foods with a basket of veggies and a sad and dissapointed look on my face) NO NO NO! The power of positive thinking my friends. I will concur the Veggies..Yes Yes I will. We Shall all be fat and happy by summers end.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Dinner Disaster
Here I am , training goddess...presenter extraordinaire...otherwise known as trainwreck/clumsy oaf.
We had a training for the last couple of days to roll out the new account that I had metioned in earlier posts. Not to brag too much, but I did a pretty darn good job during the training. That is, while I was behind company walls. Get my outside the office and apparently I become an accident waiting to happen. No really, this was pathetic. I'll explain. So we go to dinner last night at Cafe Fresco in East Greenwhich. There are about 35 people from the compnay there who are praising me for the work that I had done for the last few days. I mean, come one, who doesn't love to be complimented by your colleagues. So I am thinking to myself, " Okay, I can relax now and just enjoy dinner since I don't have to worry about being on top of my game right now". WRONG> evidently, sending the "relaxing" signal to my brain somehow got crossed with the... "total fool" message and you can imagine the rest. But, in case you can't, I will enlighten you.
First: I am causually having a convesation at the table (completely sober) and the waitress poors everyone a glass of wine. You know where I am going with this one...right? The Italian in my comes out with wreckless abandon, arms and hands in full motio, and boom! Wine flies across the table and into the lap of my co-worker who of course is wearing a brand new cream colored shirt...and it was red wine. FANTASTIC! Luckily, my reflexes were on point and I caught the glass in mid air and even salvaged some of the wine. Still this was not good. Drunking spills tend to be okay, but sober spills, utterly embarrassing.
Second: I order the risotto for dinner thinking I will try something new. As the plate is put in front of me I begin to panic. Why you ask? The Shrimp. Not Shelled. Normally you would say that this is not a problem. Simply peel and eat. Oh No...not with Lesli. I seem to still harbor some strange residual side effects from my days as a vegetarian. You see, I can't really eat any food that still resembles the animal that it originally was... i.e. shrimp with tails, chicken wings, lobster in the shell, clams, pork chops....you get the idea. So, what happens next. Ummm...usually there is a very generous young man who, without a word, would take the plate and kindly peel the shrimp, do away with the tails, replace the plate and we would merrily be on our way to happy eating.
HALT! Said "generous you man" is NOT AT THIS DINNER> Oh NO. In a panic, I have to (shame faced and head hung down) ask the new sales guy sitting next to me to peel my shrimp. Could this get any worse.
Third: Thinking that my clumsiness and weird eating habits will never be forgotten I hope that I can get through dessert without even having to speak. Dessert is being offered and it is family style for the tables. This is great right? Nope. WRONG again. So what are they going to bring to the table...none other than fruit tart. Alyson, you know what I am thinking. Fruit tart usually always means one thing. KIWI! Rahr. For those of you who don't know, my sister and I are allergic to kiwi. So instead of being able to just sit quietly through dessert I have to ask the waitress if there is any kiwi on the tart and if so, I need to have it on a separate plate from all the other desserts. She looks at me like I am a freak and sure enough...all conversations around me pause and I get the look. You know, The Look. The one that Sally gets for from Harry in the restaurant with the whip cream, the ice cream and the heated or not heated apple pie. Yup, that was me. And then I had to explain the kiwi allergy and yadda yadda yadda. I just wanted to go to bed. And to think, I still had to go out after the dinner and then see these people for two more days.
Oh Bother.
We had a training for the last couple of days to roll out the new account that I had metioned in earlier posts. Not to brag too much, but I did a pretty darn good job during the training. That is, while I was behind company walls. Get my outside the office and apparently I become an accident waiting to happen. No really, this was pathetic. I'll explain. So we go to dinner last night at Cafe Fresco in East Greenwhich. There are about 35 people from the compnay there who are praising me for the work that I had done for the last few days. I mean, come one, who doesn't love to be complimented by your colleagues. So I am thinking to myself, " Okay, I can relax now and just enjoy dinner since I don't have to worry about being on top of my game right now". WRONG> evidently, sending the "relaxing" signal to my brain somehow got crossed with the... "total fool" message and you can imagine the rest. But, in case you can't, I will enlighten you.
First: I am causually having a convesation at the table (completely sober) and the waitress poors everyone a glass of wine. You know where I am going with this one...right? The Italian in my comes out with wreckless abandon, arms and hands in full motio, and boom! Wine flies across the table and into the lap of my co-worker who of course is wearing a brand new cream colored shirt...and it was red wine. FANTASTIC! Luckily, my reflexes were on point and I caught the glass in mid air and even salvaged some of the wine. Still this was not good. Drunking spills tend to be okay, but sober spills, utterly embarrassing.
Second: I order the risotto for dinner thinking I will try something new. As the plate is put in front of me I begin to panic. Why you ask? The Shrimp. Not Shelled. Normally you would say that this is not a problem. Simply peel and eat. Oh No...not with Lesli. I seem to still harbor some strange residual side effects from my days as a vegetarian. You see, I can't really eat any food that still resembles the animal that it originally was... i.e. shrimp with tails, chicken wings, lobster in the shell, clams, pork chops....you get the idea. So, what happens next. Ummm...usually there is a very generous young man who, without a word, would take the plate and kindly peel the shrimp, do away with the tails, replace the plate and we would merrily be on our way to happy eating.
HALT! Said "generous you man" is NOT AT THIS DINNER> Oh NO. In a panic, I have to (shame faced and head hung down) ask the new sales guy sitting next to me to peel my shrimp. Could this get any worse.
Third: Thinking that my clumsiness and weird eating habits will never be forgotten I hope that I can get through dessert without even having to speak. Dessert is being offered and it is family style for the tables. This is great right? Nope. WRONG again. So what are they going to bring to the table...none other than fruit tart. Alyson, you know what I am thinking. Fruit tart usually always means one thing. KIWI! Rahr. For those of you who don't know, my sister and I are allergic to kiwi. So instead of being able to just sit quietly through dessert I have to ask the waitress if there is any kiwi on the tart and if so, I need to have it on a separate plate from all the other desserts. She looks at me like I am a freak and sure enough...all conversations around me pause and I get the look. You know, The Look. The one that Sally gets for from Harry in the restaurant with the whip cream, the ice cream and the heated or not heated apple pie. Yup, that was me. And then I had to explain the kiwi allergy and yadda yadda yadda. I just wanted to go to bed. And to think, I still had to go out after the dinner and then see these people for two more days.
Oh Bother.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Missind DC
Every once in a while I get hit with that feeling of longing for D.C. Alexandria, and all the little things that I sometimes took for granted. The other night I went out with some girlfriends for dinner and dancing. Destination: Cuban Reveloution for Tapas and the the Red Room for dancing. How can you go wrong , right? Umm...trust me ..you can.
I didn't think it was possible to mess up tapas, but this restaurant has it down to a science. No flavor..too much flavor...down right yucky flavor. It was the most unsatisfying meal I have had in a long time. And it costs $40 bucks. Anyone who has had tapas knows that you have got to eat alot of tapas between three people to have it add up to $40 a person. SOOOO you would think that somewhere in there would have been some good food. Not so much! Even the Sangria was pooh. But I have to say, I always had good Tapas in DC> the only place that even comes close is in Worcester (Thanks Phil). Don't get my wrong, RI has some damn good food, but Tapas just ain't their bag. I had heartburn for three days. I was almost panting going up a hill to my car after the Red Room. Talk about feelin' the burn. I had memories of that food long after it was gone, and not in a good way.
Like I said, every now and then I am missing DC..
I didn't think it was possible to mess up tapas, but this restaurant has it down to a science. No flavor..too much flavor...down right yucky flavor. It was the most unsatisfying meal I have had in a long time. And it costs $40 bucks. Anyone who has had tapas knows that you have got to eat alot of tapas between three people to have it add up to $40 a person. SOOOO you would think that somewhere in there would have been some good food. Not so much! Even the Sangria was pooh. But I have to say, I always had good Tapas in DC> the only place that even comes close is in Worcester (Thanks Phil). Don't get my wrong, RI has some damn good food, but Tapas just ain't their bag. I had heartburn for three days. I was almost panting going up a hill to my car after the Red Room. Talk about feelin' the burn. I had memories of that food long after it was gone, and not in a good way.
Like I said, every now and then I am missing DC..
Forgive me father for I have sinned....
It has been one week since my last blog posting.
Dear readers, Just thought I would fill you all in on where I have been and why my blogging has suffered so. WORK. That should speak for itself, but since work is not a human and lacks the ability to speak, I will gladly pick up the slack for work. Anywhoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The good news is that I landed a multi-million dollar account for my company. The bad news is that I landed a multi-million dollar account for my company. In a nut shell (or nut house as I soon will be) I have been swamped with the prep work, and onboarding of this new account and it is essentially sucking the life from my body. If I wasn't hungry right now I would question whether or not I was still alive. I am working roughly 14 hour days, including weekends and I have no life. My brain is turning into mush and I all rational thought has left me. Example: The Butter Incident..
Well actually, it started with chicken and evolved. Let me explain.
So, as I mentioned I have been working really long hours and many times I haven't had time to eat. So, my kind and very generous mother has often asked if I wanted to swing by the house for some "take out". I of course. Say YES! Drive by house, collect said package of deliciousness and continue on my way. In my tired and starving fog that I seem to be living in, I fail to notice that something in the bag is leaking and I place it on my passenger seat. Still clueless I arrive home and put the bag on the counter. 30 minutes later I decide to eat and notice that the entire bottom of the bag is missing. Oh crap! I run out the car and open the door. An Oil blob! Fan-Tastic!
Several attempts to remove the oil blob with no luck. Ugh. A few days later, I continue on in my fog and decided that hunger is NOT the answer and I am going to pack my lunch for work. Note to self : Self -- do not pack your lunch when you are tired and not thinking straight. BAd BAd things will happen. Moving on... oh look, I'll pack a sandwich, some yogurt..oh and a banana. Yeah, let's grab the banana. (Is that a banana in your lunch bag or are you just happy to see me ;) Arrive at work and rush out of the car because I am running late. Oh crud...I left my lunch in the car. That's okay, it has been so cold lately that it will be fine. 12 hours later...heading home and starving. (Keep in mind it was uncharacteristically warm all day!) oh yeah...I had packed a lunch. I'll just reach in here and grab that banana.....where is the banana .....I know I put it in here. ...Let me just peak...what the?????? Alas, I did not pack a a banana, I somehow packed a stick of butter, which proceeded to melt all over my passenger side seat. Okay, that leaves, Oil Blob and Now butter. Lovely Smell. When Home I frantically attempt to get the grease out with carpet cleaner. No Dice. So now we have the fabulous aroma of oil, butter, and carpet cleaner. Ahhh but it get better.
A few days later I decided I MUST eat to avoid another horrible butter run-in. I drive to Burger King for a little Somein' somein'. Whopper Jr. Combo. Yum. I reach to get the soda from the drive through and she dumps it all over me and across to the other seat. "Oops...my bad" You damn straight. I am soaking and feel like I wet my pants. I look over and realize that I practically have the makings of a complete meal on my passenger side seat. I could be the poster child for the food groups here. So it stands...oil blob, butter, carpet cleaner, and diet coke. Somewhere in here I need to actually eat the food...get some sleep...and clean my car. Not necessarily in that order.
I promise to try and blog more. Amen.
Dear readers, Just thought I would fill you all in on where I have been and why my blogging has suffered so. WORK. That should speak for itself, but since work is not a human and lacks the ability to speak, I will gladly pick up the slack for work. Anywhoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The good news is that I landed a multi-million dollar account for my company. The bad news is that I landed a multi-million dollar account for my company. In a nut shell (or nut house as I soon will be) I have been swamped with the prep work, and onboarding of this new account and it is essentially sucking the life from my body. If I wasn't hungry right now I would question whether or not I was still alive. I am working roughly 14 hour days, including weekends and I have no life. My brain is turning into mush and I all rational thought has left me. Example: The Butter Incident..
Well actually, it started with chicken and evolved. Let me explain.
So, as I mentioned I have been working really long hours and many times I haven't had time to eat. So, my kind and very generous mother has often asked if I wanted to swing by the house for some "take out". I of course. Say YES! Drive by house, collect said package of deliciousness and continue on my way. In my tired and starving fog that I seem to be living in, I fail to notice that something in the bag is leaking and I place it on my passenger seat. Still clueless I arrive home and put the bag on the counter. 30 minutes later I decide to eat and notice that the entire bottom of the bag is missing. Oh crap! I run out the car and open the door. An Oil blob! Fan-Tastic!
Several attempts to remove the oil blob with no luck. Ugh. A few days later, I continue on in my fog and decided that hunger is NOT the answer and I am going to pack my lunch for work. Note to self : Self -- do not pack your lunch when you are tired and not thinking straight. BAd BAd things will happen. Moving on... oh look, I'll pack a sandwich, some yogurt..oh and a banana. Yeah, let's grab the banana. (Is that a banana in your lunch bag or are you just happy to see me ;) Arrive at work and rush out of the car because I am running late. Oh crud...I left my lunch in the car. That's okay, it has been so cold lately that it will be fine. 12 hours later...heading home and starving. (Keep in mind it was uncharacteristically warm all day!) oh yeah...I had packed a lunch. I'll just reach in here and grab that banana.....where is the banana .....I know I put it in here. ...Let me just peak...what the?????? Alas, I did not pack a a banana, I somehow packed a stick of butter, which proceeded to melt all over my passenger side seat. Okay, that leaves, Oil Blob and Now butter. Lovely Smell. When Home I frantically attempt to get the grease out with carpet cleaner. No Dice. So now we have the fabulous aroma of oil, butter, and carpet cleaner. Ahhh but it get better.
A few days later I decided I MUST eat to avoid another horrible butter run-in. I drive to Burger King for a little Somein' somein'. Whopper Jr. Combo. Yum. I reach to get the soda from the drive through and she dumps it all over me and across to the other seat. "Oops...my bad" You damn straight. I am soaking and feel like I wet my pants. I look over and realize that I practically have the makings of a complete meal on my passenger side seat. I could be the poster child for the food groups here. So it stands...oil blob, butter, carpet cleaner, and diet coke. Somewhere in here I need to actually eat the food...get some sleep...and clean my car. Not necessarily in that order.
I promise to try and blog more. Amen.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
For Sale - Two Kitties-Low Low Price
Wanted: Loving and affectionate owner for two sly and devilish kitties. Am willing to give away for free and throw in a very stylish grooming brush and a box of treats if you are willing to come and pick them up today.
For two small cats it feels like I am living with two mountain lions! Seriously Kitties...what has gotten into you? These two are out of control. Ginger has literally been growling at Spike. What the heck is up with that? I was okay with the insane chasing and torment that they exhibited around the house, but the other night I was awoken from my slumber at 2 am to my lovely little kitties dueling over my face. At one point Ginger looked like a flying squirrel when she thrust herself off my dresser and onto Spike who was positioned just above my head. Ahhh, but this isn't even the best part of their little early morning escapades.
Spike jumps from the bed, slides across the top of the computer desk knocking everything on the floor. Ginger jumps in fear, knocks over the lamp, gets scared again, knocks over the laundry basket that in turn causes the basket of cat toys to go flying. This freaks out both cats who run (chasing and growling) into the craft room where they crash into the stamp cart on wheels and send it careening into the sewing dresser, knocking over another lamp.
I open one eye...hufff, and go back to bed. You have got to be kidding me. But really, I swear, they are the best cats in the whole wide world......you know you want them.
They are lucky they are so darn cute...otherwise they may have found themselves back in the measuring cup they came in!!!!!!! I'm a sucker for animal refugees.
For two small cats it feels like I am living with two mountain lions! Seriously Kitties...what has gotten into you? These two are out of control. Ginger has literally been growling at Spike. What the heck is up with that? I was okay with the insane chasing and torment that they exhibited around the house, but the other night I was awoken from my slumber at 2 am to my lovely little kitties dueling over my face. At one point Ginger looked like a flying squirrel when she thrust herself off my dresser and onto Spike who was positioned just above my head. Ahhh, but this isn't even the best part of their little early morning escapades.
Spike jumps from the bed, slides across the top of the computer desk knocking everything on the floor. Ginger jumps in fear, knocks over the lamp, gets scared again, knocks over the laundry basket that in turn causes the basket of cat toys to go flying. This freaks out both cats who run (chasing and growling) into the craft room where they crash into the stamp cart on wheels and send it careening into the sewing dresser, knocking over another lamp.
I open one eye...hufff, and go back to bed. You have got to be kidding me. But really, I swear, they are the best cats in the whole wide world......you know you want them.
They are lucky they are so darn cute...otherwise they may have found themselves back in the measuring cup they came in!!!!!!! I'm a sucker for animal refugees.
Insane these two are
Saturday, April 12, 2008
And the Saga Continues...
It officially brought me to tears. Twice
3 hours on the phone this morning (from 8-11)
11 representatives
2 Customer Recovery Service Reps
3 Repair Schedulers
2 instances of being hung up on
1 time being called a bitch
14 repeats of my parents phone number and my home address
2 kicking and screaming episodes on the floor (off the phone of course)
1 repairman in Connecticut
1 dishwasher that is still broken:(
Nuff said. hmpfffff
3 hours on the phone this morning (from 8-11)
11 representatives
2 Customer Recovery Service Reps
3 Repair Schedulers
2 instances of being hung up on
1 time being called a bitch
14 repeats of my parents phone number and my home address
2 kicking and screaming episodes on the floor (off the phone of course)
1 repairman in Connecticut
1 dishwasher that is still broken:(
Nuff said. hmpfffff
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Dishwasher Debacle
Is it normal that my dishwasher almost brought me to tears today?
I am not joking either.
There was a split second, earlier today, that one wrong word through the telephone was going to make my eyes turn into Niagra Falls. It was all up to Shirley and seeing as I was sitting at my desk at the time, this would NOT have been a good thing.
I came home three days ago to my dishwasher flashing crazily at me. Every little light and button was on, it was making a grinding noise and there was a giant flashing orange ER on the panel screen. I took this as a bad sign. Seeing as how my dishwasher was less than a year old..and was only installed in September I was not pleased at all with the present condition that it was in. So, I open the door to see if there is a guide for the message it was displaying..it reads..."refer to manual". I look in the manual and it says "do not contact retailer if under warrenty or service contract, contact manufacturer at 1-800-xxx-xxxx." Little did I know that those numbers were actualling 1-800-you-suck! As luck would have it, the hours to call are at the worst time for me so my mother offers to call for me. Thanks mom! Gotta love parents. And so it begins:
Day One - Mom calls Electrolux (they manufacture Fridgadaire) and they require the seriel number and model number. Mom calls to tell me this and I will have to get this at home. The service person says that is all they need to get a repair order in.
Day Two - Mom calls back with the new information. They then tell her that she needs to give them the date that is listed on my receipt. Now frustrated with their incompetence, she then asks if there is anything else that she will need before she calls back.. They say nope. OK.....she calls me and I tell her I will get it at home so she can call back the next day.
Day Three (today) - Mom calls back, gives them the date and they want MORE information that she does not have. At this point mom yells and demands information and threatens to inlflict pain on Elextrolux if they don't process the service order. So...they give her a reference number and the numbers for three contracted service companies.
Day Three (Part Two) - I call all three places and each one says " Oh, we aren't able to service those if you are under warrenty or service plan, you have to call the Retailer! You have got to be kidding me. Who sets up these systems. I should have bought a GE ...Jack Welch would have never let this happen. Uggggg.
I call Sears and get Antoinette. I give her my phone number and it pulls up my dad's acount. I am looking at a receipt that has MY NAME and Account number listed as purchaser, MY ADDRESS, MY MY MY MYMY...but in their system it is under my DAD> Uggg. Antoinette is great however and gets the whole thing set up. Just as she is about to give me my service date I hear a BEEP BEEP and then Tiffany picks up and says the same introductory schpeel. AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. I politely ask to speak to Antoinette in Service and she says okay and I hear BEEP BEEP. But alas, not Antoinette, I get BILL. THIS IS NOT GOOD> (sorry for all the shouting.)
Bill starts his schpeel again and I say, "I have already been through this three times, I would like to be connected to Antoinette as we were almost done. " Bill cops an attitude and says..."Lady you can call back 1000 times to try and get her if you want, or you can just get on with it and let me help you." This is not boding well for Bill. RAHR. I suck it up and start again. (Mind you ...I am at work)
Bill : Phone number please.
Lesli : 401-XXX-XXXX
Bill: I only see a Thomas here.
Lesli : Yes, that is my dad but it should be under my account.
Bill: It isn't.
Lesli: Actually it is sir.
Bill: Well, sweetheart, if your dad bought the dishwasher, he has to call to get service
Lesli" Nonnnnnnnnnnnnnnno...as I mentioned, it is in the system wrong, I have my receipt stating I am the purchaser..
Bill: Yeah, what do I care? You gonna fax it to me.
Lesli: Can I please just speak to a manager.
Bill: Sure ------------CLICK
WHAT THE F#$$%^&^*%%K (yes, I yelled that out loud at my desk) Not Good
OK, this is the point where I almost lost it. I stress Almost.
I can't believe that my mom and I are really having this much trouble.
(Part Three) - I pick up the phone and slowly dial again. Choking back anger and tears. I get Shirley....I carefully and very sternly explain the issue and tell her how lovely Bill was to work with. Do you detect my hint of sarcasm? Several annoying customer service mishaps under my belt, (I always expect too much and get disappointed by pure idiocy) I knew to get Bill's full name and ID number first. I made sure that Shirley knew what hose were. In 30 seconds, I had an appointment for Saturday morning at 8 am. Geeeee.. remind me again why that was so HARD....
The end result:
Dishwasher - $569.99
3 year Warranty - $129.00
Three Days lost on the phone: $2800.00
Credit for Pain and Suffering: + $ 50.00
Getting to hear Bill get reamed a new one by Shirley while I was still on the phone (and hearing him put on probation )
PRICELESS!
I am not joking either.
There was a split second, earlier today, that one wrong word through the telephone was going to make my eyes turn into Niagra Falls. It was all up to Shirley and seeing as I was sitting at my desk at the time, this would NOT have been a good thing.
I came home three days ago to my dishwasher flashing crazily at me. Every little light and button was on, it was making a grinding noise and there was a giant flashing orange ER on the panel screen. I took this as a bad sign. Seeing as how my dishwasher was less than a year old..and was only installed in September I was not pleased at all with the present condition that it was in. So, I open the door to see if there is a guide for the message it was displaying..it reads..."refer to manual". I look in the manual and it says "do not contact retailer if under warrenty or service contract, contact manufacturer at 1-800-xxx-xxxx." Little did I know that those numbers were actualling 1-800-you-suck! As luck would have it, the hours to call are at the worst time for me so my mother offers to call for me. Thanks mom! Gotta love parents. And so it begins:
Day One - Mom calls Electrolux (they manufacture Fridgadaire) and they require the seriel number and model number. Mom calls to tell me this and I will have to get this at home. The service person says that is all they need to get a repair order in.
Day Two - Mom calls back with the new information. They then tell her that she needs to give them the date that is listed on my receipt. Now frustrated with their incompetence, she then asks if there is anything else that she will need before she calls back.. They say nope. OK.....she calls me and I tell her I will get it at home so she can call back the next day.
Day Three (today) - Mom calls back, gives them the date and they want MORE information that she does not have. At this point mom yells and demands information and threatens to inlflict pain on Elextrolux if they don't process the service order. So...they give her a reference number and the numbers for three contracted service companies.
Day Three (Part Two) - I call all three places and each one says " Oh, we aren't able to service those if you are under warrenty or service plan, you have to call the Retailer! You have got to be kidding me. Who sets up these systems. I should have bought a GE ...Jack Welch would have never let this happen. Uggggg.
I call Sears and get Antoinette. I give her my phone number and it pulls up my dad's acount. I am looking at a receipt that has MY NAME and Account number listed as purchaser, MY ADDRESS, MY MY MY MYMY...but in their system it is under my DAD> Uggg. Antoinette is great however and gets the whole thing set up. Just as she is about to give me my service date I hear a BEEP BEEP and then Tiffany picks up and says the same introductory schpeel. AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. I politely ask to speak to Antoinette in Service and she says okay and I hear BEEP BEEP. But alas, not Antoinette, I get BILL. THIS IS NOT GOOD> (sorry for all the shouting.)
Bill starts his schpeel again and I say, "I have already been through this three times, I would like to be connected to Antoinette as we were almost done. " Bill cops an attitude and says..."Lady you can call back 1000 times to try and get her if you want, or you can just get on with it and let me help you." This is not boding well for Bill. RAHR. I suck it up and start again. (Mind you ...I am at work)
Bill : Phone number please.
Lesli : 401-XXX-XXXX
Bill: I only see a Thomas here.
Lesli : Yes, that is my dad but it should be under my account.
Bill: It isn't.
Lesli: Actually it is sir.
Bill: Well, sweetheart, if your dad bought the dishwasher, he has to call to get service
Lesli" Nonnnnnnnnnnnnnnno...as I mentioned, it is in the system wrong, I have my receipt stating I am the purchaser..
Bill: Yeah, what do I care? You gonna fax it to me.
Lesli: Can I please just speak to a manager.
Bill: Sure ------------CLICK
WHAT THE F#$$%^&^*%%K (yes, I yelled that out loud at my desk) Not Good
OK, this is the point where I almost lost it. I stress Almost.
I can't believe that my mom and I are really having this much trouble.
(Part Three) - I pick up the phone and slowly dial again. Choking back anger and tears. I get Shirley....I carefully and very sternly explain the issue and tell her how lovely Bill was to work with. Do you detect my hint of sarcasm? Several annoying customer service mishaps under my belt, (I always expect too much and get disappointed by pure idiocy) I knew to get Bill's full name and ID number first. I made sure that Shirley knew what hose were. In 30 seconds, I had an appointment for Saturday morning at 8 am. Geeeee.. remind me again why that was so HARD....
The end result:
Dishwasher - $569.99
3 year Warranty - $129.00
Three Days lost on the phone: $2800.00
Credit for Pain and Suffering: + $ 50.00
Getting to hear Bill get reamed a new one by Shirley while I was still on the phone (and hearing him put on probation )
PRICELESS!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
South Orange Look Out....
'Cause here come the Riley's.
ummmmmm.....Mom and Dad already know ...I am sure Dan's mom does not read my blog....and my sister won't mind if I blab to my cousins and friends....so I am taking the liberty of posting. I'm not holding back people. Don't try and stop me!
Exciting news from Philadelphia tonight. Alyson and Dan just found out that their offer was accepted on the house that they LOVED in New Jersey. (Quick recap) The two were hoping to move to North Central Jersey after graduation in order to accommodate their soon to be acquired law degrees and new professional gigs. Alyson was hired by a firm in NJ and Dan by a firm in NY.
A huge congratulatory shout out to my sister and my BIL on the purchase of their new home together. Of course, they still have all of the wonderful things to muddle through, inspections, appraisals, yadda yadda yadda, but we all know they will pass with flying colors...(Lord knows they do with everything else :)
Here is a sneak peak at their awesome new place. That's all for now...I'm leaving all the details up to them to share.
ummmmmm.....Mom and Dad already know ...I am sure Dan's mom does not read my blog....and my sister won't mind if I blab to my cousins and friends....so I am taking the liberty of posting. I'm not holding back people. Don't try and stop me!
Exciting news from Philadelphia tonight. Alyson and Dan just found out that their offer was accepted on the house that they LOVED in New Jersey. (Quick recap) The two were hoping to move to North Central Jersey after graduation in order to accommodate their soon to be acquired law degrees and new professional gigs. Alyson was hired by a firm in NJ and Dan by a firm in NY.
A huge congratulatory shout out to my sister and my BIL on the purchase of their new home together. Of course, they still have all of the wonderful things to muddle through, inspections, appraisals, yadda yadda yadda, but we all know they will pass with flying colors...(Lord knows they do with everything else :)
Here is a sneak peak at their awesome new place. That's all for now...I'm leaving all the details up to them to share.
Chez Riley
(how cute is this house...and that tree. Adorable. Oh gorgeous , beautiful, wish you were here!)
Monday, April 7, 2008
The Curse of the 4 hours Shoes
I hate that men don't have to wear high heels. It really stinks. I guess women don't HAVE to wear them either, but for some reason I feel like there is this unwritten rule that if you have visitors to your corporate office and you are putting on a suit....you must wear heels. That said, I tend to wear heels everyday since I am a wee person and want the extra few inches so I can feel special. But even though I wear them everyday, there is nothing that can prepare your feet for a 14 hour work day in 4 inch heels. All the guys are still ready to go..out for drinks now...out on the town with the guests. And there are all of the ladies...cringing at the thought of having to take one more step on our feet in these ridiculous and impractical things that are now permanently swollen to our feet. You know what I am talking about. The point that you reach where your feet are tingling painfully with every step that you take. You want desperately to take the shoes off but you fear that if you do, you may never get them back on. Every step is worse than the last and you start to do that weird high heel hobble/waddle wishing you had parked a few spaces closer. Self torture...sacrficing your body for the outfit. Oh the shame. I am in slippers now, dreading the fact that I will be doing it all again tomorrow. Ugggg...I wish men had to wear high heels.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Houston, We Have A Problem
We seem to be experiencing some uploading difficulties. Please standby while we work to correct this issue.
Your video of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown - "My New Philosophy" -Character :Sally Brown - Sung by Alyson Powell (Riley) should be viewable shortly.
We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience.
Thank You
Smallshoo Production Team.
Your video of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown - "My New Philosophy" -Character :Sally Brown - Sung by Alyson Powell (Riley) should be viewable shortly.
We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience.
Thank You
Smallshoo Production Team.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
My Own Little "Peep" Show
So the story goes...my sister hates peeps. Loathes those little marshmallow delights that can be found around Easter time. Just the thought of little chickie and bunny peeps makes my sister cringe! So, in honor of her musical performance this weekend for the Law School Light Opera Company I decided to make her a little present. My inspiration came from the Washington Post competition held at Easter. So...I bring you...dadaadaaaaaaah
I think I need to get out more!
You're a Good Peep Charlie Brown
I think I need to get out more!
Tut Tut..Looks Like Rain
Is anyone else feeling the negative humdrum effects of this yucky weather? It is April 1 and yes I know...April showers bring May flowers. yadda yadda yadda. Quite frankly, I WANT SUN. This is particularly interesting for me to say, as I am known by many to be a snow baby who loves the cold and the snow. But please do not forget....that it can be sunny and cold and snowy all at the same time. I WANT SUN. I have about had it with the gloomy, cold, unforgiving skies that completely...for lack of a better term...rain on my parade. I don't like that cold and sticky feeling that sits with you all day at your desks after you hurriedly ran into the office in the morning. Or the slight chill that seems to linger in the office no matter how high you turn up the heat. And that horrible look that your hair gets when it gets pelted by the constant misting rain from your back door to your car on your way to work...leaving you with horrible hair for the rest of the day and that little voice in your head that won't stop making you worry about just how bad your hair really looks. (OK, maybe that only happens to me) Regardless, rainy days do absolutely NOTHING for me unless I am curled up on my couch, snuggled up under a blanket and watching some ridiculously long movie(ahhh Jane Austin) or "marathon" that keeps me utterly engrossed for hours on end. I thought perhaps if I crinkled my nose up tight and concentrated really hard, that the rain would stop and the sun would come out. I was wrong and all I have to show for my attempts is the slight headache that I gave myself. Really, did I happen to mention that I WANT SUN. It is an absolute necessity at this very minute. I can't focus, I can't be productive, I can't even whine very well....I am sooooooooooooo ready for spring.
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