No Boris. Implied Rocky.

Don't know if I'm keeping up with technology or advertising my aged redneckness. I bought a new phone that came with a single ringtone, some kind of AT&T chime. So I shopped ringtones, searched "skynyrd" and now my phone rings the twangy Sweet Home Alabama. Yeah, I am proud of myself.

I had Cingular. They were a good company. How do I know? Because I never gave them a thought. The phone always worked, the bill was always right, and customer service answered prmoptly and answered my questions. Nobody asked me if I wanted AT&T. They just bought Cingular, held me to my 2 year commitment, and generally mucked EVERYTHING up. I had two $200+ bills before I figured out that what Cingular gave us free, AT&Fee charged us for. I could no longer call about my bill because they were not allowed to talk to me about it. And last night we stood in the store for over an hour while the clerk helping us kept being put on hold for 9 to 21 minutes at a time. The complicated feature she was helping us with? Turning off call forwarding, which still cracks me up because it being on helped me more than it hurt.

For what it's worth, the gal helping me, Natasha (you vant me to keel moose?), used to work for Cingular and confided that a lot of things nose dived after the merger. Especially customer service. I saw no reason to correct her.

Pontiac charged me $50 plus tax to change my wiper blades, which would not have happened if they were not special ones that you can't buy at Auto Zone! I am in keyless entry hell, in no small part because of my refusal to pay $42, $65, or $105 to get a fob reprogrammed or replaced. It's not my fault and the price is too high. I think I have an angle on it, though. I have a secret weapon...my Dad. He's a retired electrical engineer with an inquisitive mind, time on his hands, and a high speed connection. That crooked Pontiac dealer can smooch my butt!

Believe it or not, there's more. However, I have vented sufficiently to relieve the pressure. Plus the temp is back around 80, so it's hard to stay pissed for long.

Been training people other than TSA lately. I did the jailers at Cook County Jail; the Security Department at a jewelery manufacturer in Lafayette,LA; and just got assigned to train a bunch of U.S. Marshalls in Texas. The jewelry place was the most fun I have had in a long time. I have ties to Louisiana and love the place...in small doses. Plus, the chow was outstanding and was provided by the company. Especially the turkey that was injected with hot peppers before they cooked it. I almost failed the lot of them just to stay and eat for another week!

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot (see: tree museum), out
Ramblin' Ed