7.16.2009
apple store fail (again)
same guy who called me yesterday to let me know that my computer was ready to be picked up, even though i picked it up 2 weeks ago? yeah, he just called again.
7.15.2009
apple store fail
i took my work lappy to the new-ish apple store in monterey over 5 weeks ago because one of the fans had been malfunctioning - bottom of the lappy was heating up and the fan was making more noise than possible. the "genius" (guh, can the naming scheme be more hoity-toity?) ran a couple of diagnostics and said that it needed to be sent out to be fixed because it was too complicated to do in-store. i asked if it could wait a week until a more convenient time to be without it at work; he said sure, just make sure that it didn't get to auto-shutoff mode and not to use it more than 6/7 hours at a time since that was when the heat and noise tended to kick in.
so i confer with my boss at work - we will send it out to get fixed but will also take advantage of the sale at the bookstore and get a new lappy for me and one for him. they had what we wanted in stock, so woohoo, new lappy!
i return to monterey the following weekend and take the computer in, tell them the name of the "genius" (we'll refer to him as "K") who first helped me and what the problem was. no problemo, they'll send it out for me, and once it reaches the depot for repair, i will receive a call telling me what the problem is and at that time i can specify that i want it shipped back directly to work.
a full week goes by and no word from the store. i call, they say that they've run tests and it's fine, ready to be picked up. fixed? no, didn't need fixing. it's fine. i run through the whole story again, that K told me it would be sent out because the fan definitely needed to be replaced. they say they'll look at it again and call me.
another 10 days goes by and not a word from them. in the meantime, one of our new post-docs has arrived and could really use the computer. i'm driving to hockey and get 2 phone calls - both from the apple store - but can't answer because i'm a law-abiding citizen and don't have my bluetooth ready, so i don't answer. i figure there will be at least one message since they called twice. nope.
i call them back the next day and am told that the computer is ready to be picked up! shipped out and fixed? no!
fine. next time i'm in Monterey i pick up the computer (no charge except my time, which was a lot because the folks were so slow). bring it to work, explain to my new labmate that it might have issues with heating up, and if so, i'll take it to the Los Gatos store, have it sent out, etc. well, a few weeks later and it's heating up.
and today i got a call from the apple store in Monterey. very friendly guy on the other end of the line, informing me that my laptop is ready to be picked up. wtf. i tell him i did that two weeks ago, he says "oh, okay, awesome...i guess our genius didn't update the notes". way to go, genius.
so i confer with my boss at work - we will send it out to get fixed but will also take advantage of the sale at the bookstore and get a new lappy for me and one for him. they had what we wanted in stock, so woohoo, new lappy!
i return to monterey the following weekend and take the computer in, tell them the name of the "genius" (we'll refer to him as "K") who first helped me and what the problem was. no problemo, they'll send it out for me, and once it reaches the depot for repair, i will receive a call telling me what the problem is and at that time i can specify that i want it shipped back directly to work.
a full week goes by and no word from the store. i call, they say that they've run tests and it's fine, ready to be picked up. fixed? no, didn't need fixing. it's fine. i run through the whole story again, that K told me it would be sent out because the fan definitely needed to be replaced. they say they'll look at it again and call me.
another 10 days goes by and not a word from them. in the meantime, one of our new post-docs has arrived and could really use the computer. i'm driving to hockey and get 2 phone calls - both from the apple store - but can't answer because i'm a law-abiding citizen and don't have my bluetooth ready, so i don't answer. i figure there will be at least one message since they called twice. nope.
i call them back the next day and am told that the computer is ready to be picked up! shipped out and fixed? no!
fine. next time i'm in Monterey i pick up the computer (no charge except my time, which was a lot because the folks were so slow). bring it to work, explain to my new labmate that it might have issues with heating up, and if so, i'll take it to the Los Gatos store, have it sent out, etc. well, a few weeks later and it's heating up.
and today i got a call from the apple store in Monterey. very friendly guy on the other end of the line, informing me that my laptop is ready to be picked up. wtf. i tell him i did that two weeks ago, he says "oh, okay, awesome...i guess our genius didn't update the notes". way to go, genius.
7.14.2009
i can afford nothing in this town...
...except reasonably priced on-campus housing.
and i am so glad that i’ve been given the opportunity to purchase a university-owned condo. i was on the waiting list for condos and townhomes for 3+ years and this spring, my name finally made it to the top of the list.
there were 3 available condos at the time – all 2 bed, 1.5 bath – and so i looked at all 3 and chose the one i liked the most. the floor plans are all the same, save for the mirror image-ness of some. but each unit has its own peculiarities, and i’m happy with the one i chose. there is a small, somewhat enclosed back yard and i am allowed to have a dog!
the final sale hasn’t gone through yet but i’m hoping to get the okay to sign papers and move in by this time next week. there are things that i want to do before moving in – like steam clean the carpet upstairs and on the stairs, replace the downstairs carpet with wood laminate, buy a refrigerator since none of the units come with one, and order my new bed and have it delivered.
i accomplished a few things last weekend: found wood laminate that somewhat matches what already exists, found a refrigerator on sale (with “free” delivery) and scheduled delivery for next friday. i was hoping i’d be able to use this weekend to clean the carpets but it doesn’t look like escrow will close by then. that means more puttering around at my apartment...which might not be so bad. i could use a day to just relax and decompress. i’ll be at work both days, but hopefully not long either day.
anyhoooo, we’re almost at the point where i can call the condo my own. and at that point, so begins the long 30 year journey of paying off a mortgage. at least it’s my own mortgage i’ll be paying off!
and i am so glad that i’ve been given the opportunity to purchase a university-owned condo. i was on the waiting list for condos and townhomes for 3+ years and this spring, my name finally made it to the top of the list.
there were 3 available condos at the time – all 2 bed, 1.5 bath – and so i looked at all 3 and chose the one i liked the most. the floor plans are all the same, save for the mirror image-ness of some. but each unit has its own peculiarities, and i’m happy with the one i chose. there is a small, somewhat enclosed back yard and i am allowed to have a dog!
the final sale hasn’t gone through yet but i’m hoping to get the okay to sign papers and move in by this time next week. there are things that i want to do before moving in – like steam clean the carpet upstairs and on the stairs, replace the downstairs carpet with wood laminate, buy a refrigerator since none of the units come with one, and order my new bed and have it delivered.
i accomplished a few things last weekend: found wood laminate that somewhat matches what already exists, found a refrigerator on sale (with “free” delivery) and scheduled delivery for next friday. i was hoping i’d be able to use this weekend to clean the carpets but it doesn’t look like escrow will close by then. that means more puttering around at my apartment...which might not be so bad. i could use a day to just relax and decompress. i’ll be at work both days, but hopefully not long either day.
anyhoooo, we’re almost at the point where i can call the condo my own. and at that point, so begins the long 30 year journey of paying off a mortgage. at least it’s my own mortgage i’ll be paying off!
red practice
before the next practice rolls around, i figured i had better get around to writing about the last red practice, which i meant to do immediately afterward. oops.
i chose to work on skating for a good portion of the practice since i know it needs work. i was able to find my (forward) counterclockwise crossover pretty fast. i’m much more comfortable with that one that the opposite direction; i just wish i’d use it in game situations without having to force myself to.
i later did get my clockwise crossover going eventually, and Gina assured me that it looked okay even though i felt like my ankle was going to touch the ice each time. takes me 3 or 4 consecutive in this direction to really feel comfortable with it, and that usually doesn’t happen in a game. fortunately, that direction is the one in which i can “tight” turn better. and tight is in quotation marks because it’s not really tight at all.
anyhow, Marci gave me some pointers on how to get more speed on my shot while still being gimpified with my shoulder. the main thing was to turn my hips so that i wasn’t facing the net. i’ve gotten in a bad habit of getting comfortable shooting this way. could only work on that for so long, but they were good tips and i will try to implement them if/when my shoulder feels up to it.
overall, i was bummed that i couldn’t work on my shot much but did leave feeling really good about my crossovers. backwards ones are sorta happening, but only in drill situations. i find myself in prime position to use them in a game situation but instead just turn out of it. wish i wouldn’t do that, but all in good time, i guess.
i chose to work on skating for a good portion of the practice since i know it needs work. i was able to find my (forward) counterclockwise crossover pretty fast. i’m much more comfortable with that one that the opposite direction; i just wish i’d use it in game situations without having to force myself to.
i later did get my clockwise crossover going eventually, and Gina assured me that it looked okay even though i felt like my ankle was going to touch the ice each time. takes me 3 or 4 consecutive in this direction to really feel comfortable with it, and that usually doesn’t happen in a game. fortunately, that direction is the one in which i can “tight” turn better. and tight is in quotation marks because it’s not really tight at all.
anyhow, Marci gave me some pointers on how to get more speed on my shot while still being gimpified with my shoulder. the main thing was to turn my hips so that i wasn’t facing the net. i’ve gotten in a bad habit of getting comfortable shooting this way. could only work on that for so long, but they were good tips and i will try to implement them if/when my shoulder feels up to it.
overall, i was bummed that i couldn’t work on my shot much but did leave feeling really good about my crossovers. backwards ones are sorta happening, but only in drill situations. i find myself in prime position to use them in a game situation but instead just turn out of it. wish i wouldn’t do that, but all in good time, i guess.
