Oi Verizon

Did you know that if a Verizon tech comes to fix the DSL one at your father's home/business on Saturday, he might leave you a note saying "your DSL is working. Call me if the phone doesn't work."? And that you might not figure out it doesn't work until after the close of business on Monday?

The next tech might come to fix the phone, and cause the DSL to slow to a crawl- kinda like that commercial with the tortoises who enjoy their internet slow.

The third tech who comes turns out to be the charm. In trying to figure out how to fix our various problems, he discovers that there are two DSL lines- one on each phone line.

To try to figure out what the heck that is about, you might spend two and a half hours on the phone with no fewer than four Verizon representatives in various departments.

Did you know that if Verizon charges you for a second DSL line for three years, because they forgot to turn off the residential line when you needed to switch to a business line, that they will only refund you for four months on each line?

It was a really fun day at work.

Belated Embarassment

I live about 35 minutes from Cypress Gardens, Florida's first theme park. The first time I went there, I was blown away by what an anachronism it was. Southern Belles standing around the park to have their photos taken with the tourists, a water skiing show, and who knows what.

A week later I was at therapy, sharing a few yuks with my shrink over what a wacky place it was.

Fast forward a few months later, and Cypress Gardens is bankrupt and everyone is fired. As I'm reading about it in the paper I realize with horror that my shrink is the granddaughter of the founder. Oh my stars.

I see a different therapist now (for reasons not having to do with my inadvertent insult), but thought of this again today because her Dad just passed away.