Lost in the Ether
Yesterday was one of those days. I’d planned to spend the morning working on a variety of writing projects, some actually involving pay upon completion. Problems with the internet began almost as soon as I sat down. Service was intermittent, etc., etc. I have no technical skills. My grade school granddaughters have better skills. But I persisted. I went online with Verizon and ran the various diagnostics. Ninety minutes later I believed the problems were resolved.
Had some lunch and and now there’s no internet service at all. I figured out I could use my to phone to contact Verizon. Unfortunately, 90 minutes turned out to be mere seconds. Here are some do’s and don’ts while waiting two hours on the phone for Verizon customer service. Read a book or magazine. Pick something light or entertaining, not something you must read for work or something that might cause anxiety like a newspaper. Fold laundry. Trim your nails. Do a crossword puzzle. Don’t move far from the phone in the off chance someone picks up and doesn’t wait for you to get back. Avoid sarcasm when someone finally picks up.
Finally, a human did pick up the phone. After a few questions the technician advises I need a new router. I’m not certain he checked anything, but I have lost a full day and invested about four hours, a new router sounds fine. Anything sounds fine. I have forgotten I had a life before the internet.
The new and highly improved router, it turns out, is going to cost me an additional $18 a month. Chai. Someone at Verizon must have a sense of humor. And if I want it anytime in the next week, I must go get it in person, not at the Verizon store close to me, but one that’s about a half hour drive away. I agree to everything. It’s that easy to break me.
Since I got lemons, I figured make the best of it. I called a friend who met me the next day at the Verizon store after I picked up the router. We spent some time walking around Red Bank. Turned out there was a sidewalk sale and free parking. We had lunch outdoors along the Navesink River– steamers, not exactly kosher, but delicious. Came home and installed the router, all by myself, and things are working just fine.
Some ALTE updates-
Thanks to all the folks who showed up in Rosendale for the screening of Peter Odabashian’s terrific film, My 2020. He reports there will be a NYC screening in November.
If you’ve got a song for music for the next “issue” (It won’t be print) of ALTE, please contact Larry directly. lawrencebush@earthlink.net