Friday, July 26, 2002
*growl* TCComputers is beginning to annoy me. Before this order for Lisa's computer I loved TC, have used TC for almost all my hardware purchases since sometime in 97 when I helped Jordan upgrade his computer and went to the local store in New Orleans. I have built at least three computer from there and upgraded three as well. Nothing but good stuff.
Howerver, this most recent order has been a pain in the arse! First off I could not order online, my account had been 'misplaced' durring a server change, so I had to call them up and have that corrected. I hate doing business by phone because you have to call durring business hours and not order stuff at 2am..... Second: When I did get that order in I also had to change my address, havn't ordered from them since I moved to the apartment, well, they forgot to put the "apt 55" in there and the bank denied the credit card. So, a week after I placed the order, two after I intended to place the order, I call them up and ask them what's up and why the order hasn't even been processed yet and they tell me that is the deal and correct my address andsubmit manual authentication... Well, APPARENTLY, the bank was updating their systems at that time and so manual didn't work, of course TC did not feel it a need to call me and tell me this (much like they didn't feel a need to call me and tell me my card had not been approved!) and so I had to call them up again and finaly, monday, a week to the day after I placed the order it got approved and began processing.
That was coming up on two weeks ago. In fact, monday will be two weeks. What have I gotten thus far? Keyboard, mouse, headset, and sound card.
That is not the end of my story of horror and terror!
First, TC used to be much more centralized, I ordered my parents, sister's, and my own computere from there and got the parts in three or four boxes from maybe two or three locations. This order? Each item has been in a sepperate box and from a completely differant location/state! Doesn't seem like a cheap way to do things...
Today I log on to see what the status of things is and.... Motherboard is discontinued... WTF?? Scanner is discontinued??? The cooling fan is still "Ordered upon request" and after two weeks I am figuring is going to end up being discontinued as WELL.... So I look around, do some research on the site, find acceptible replacements for both components and call them up to change the order (and demand that they give me rush shipping on these parts.) Well, I get ahold of coustomer service and he starts helping me, and then he tells me I am going to have to speak with the guy who originaly placed my order, and it just so happens that he's on another call at the time, so I had to leave a voicemail. I am now awaiting the call from him.
Now... Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying don't order from TC. They have great products and prices and usualy have great service. Everytime I have needed to replace something under warrenty they have given me NO troubles about it, and even with all the problems now they are being helpful and not really giving me the runaround too much unlike some major PC manufacturers I know of. But I'm pissed right now.
Monday, July 22, 2002
Went to wal-mart tonight, bought a new plant, a Dracaena magenta, Dracaena is a fun and interesting genus of plant (actualy, i just found out it's in the agave family) which includes 'lucky bamboo', those little shoots of stuff you can buy that resemble bamboo and grow in water. I currently have three types of dracaena, the lucky bamboo, a tall one called "marginata" which sort of resembles a palm:tall,thin trunk with long pointed leaves that grow in a rounded fan shape sort of. The new one I got today is somewhat like it only the leaves grow up more instead of hanging down and they are green with a deep red verigation, the other one is plain green. And of course since I just found out it's in the agave family, i'm also growing some agave plants from seeds. There's a Dracaena called the dragon tree from the Canary islands, that's where the insence dragon's blood comes from, it has a red gummy sap. Used to be used in medicines.
Pots: two 8" ones for my dracaena's, which both need repotting, 6 small 1" pots for my agave sprouts.
Dirt: potting soil and cacti/succulant soils
for the car: a clip to hold my cellphone with and a thing to keep stuff on my visor with
For the apartment: brita filters and matches and a candle holder and a FRIGGIN HUGE GLASS, I mean, I CAN FIT MY REGULAR LARGE GLASSES INSIDE THIS FRIGGIN HUGE GLASS, IT'S FRIGGIN HUGE!!!!!!!
God is good. And, it's good to be alive! Literally! Coz I almost wasn't!!
We had some rough weather come through today, wind and rain, most of it cleared up before I got on the road tonight to get to church, however, as I rounded a curve while coming over a hill on Hwy 11, a two lane highway between here and my church, I noticed a pine tree laying accross my lane. I was very close to it by the time I saw it, and thanks to the wet roads there was no way I would have stopped. No chance of pulling over because it was on the side of the road also, so my only option was, at 55mph, to swerve into the oncoming lane. Thank the Lord there were no cars coming at that time, also thank the lord I did not lose control of my car from the swerve on a wet road at 55mph, but I knew if I put on the brakes I'd be even more prone to loosing it. Anyway, my car miraculously maintained traction and I avoided the tree and got back on the road. I then pulled off the road as soon as I can and sat there for a good while recovering before I continued my drive to church.
Once again, it's good to be alive, and, God is good!
Klasinc&Loncar Duo (Just trying to help it get picked up by Google spiders, I maintain it for them)