I called a certain credit card company to discuss a discrepancy in a bill this morning. After listening to a seemingly endless series of ‘press 4 for this thing’ or ‘press 5 for that thing’ I finally got to the fourth level down, I got to the ‘press 6 to talk to a customer service representative’ which I did. That was the very last option in the menu tree.
Then I waited. And waited. Etcetera. I began to need to go to the bathroom. Pressure was building up. And I waited. And - finally - after about half an hour - a real live human got on the phone!
I discussed my business with her, and she was very helpful. Thank you, Ma’am.
This is “Customer Service” in the United States, today.
Their phone system is specifically designed to discourage you from actually talking to a human. Their goal is for you (the customer) to get frustrated and give up. That’s because they have to pay someone to provide ‘customer service’, and they don’t want to pay any more ‘customer service representatives’ than they have to. They don’t actually care if they have happy customers. I have never called customer service (since the advent of telephone answering computer systems) and had the option of talking to a real live human on the first level of menus.
This says something about our society. I’m not sure just exactly what, but I am sure it isn’t good.
This is right up there with the check-out lanes at Walmart and other similar retailers. When they put in a new Walmart in our town, I looked at the seemingly endless row of check-out stands and thought happily that we would never have to wait in line again!
To my disappointment (but not surprise), Walmart is careful to schedule just enough check-out personnel so that your average wait is 20 minutes. I would lay odds that they have done time studies and found that to be the optimum cost / benefit ratio to maximize profit vs number of cashiers they have to pay vs the level of aggravation customers will withstand and still keep coming back.
I’d rather go somewhere else, and pay more, to avoid the lines. Except - Walmart is the only place you can go and buy groceries, toilet paper, a chain saw, and DVD’s with only one stop. So what do you do? Practically speaking, I have to put up with it, but I don’t have to like it - and I don’t.
-Pop, curmudgeon in training...
Monday, April 7, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
A Beautiful Day
Today is my youngest son’s birthday. We wish he was here, but life is how it is, not always how you wish it.
Today I saw the season’s first hummingbird and bumblebee, too.
I also restarted my exercise regimen - recumbent exercise bicycle.
This morning, I used a weed-burner (flame thrower) to try to burn an old oak log on my property. I’ve been trying to burn this log for years. No joy, I left the burner applied to the same spot of the trunk for half an hour, and still couldn’t get it to ignite.
Not much else going on today. But it was a pretty one. Spent a fair amount of time sitting on the front porch with my feet propped up, reading a book, and watching the cars go by on the highway. Just like my Pop used to do. I remember him fondly.
God is good.
-Pop
Today I saw the season’s first hummingbird and bumblebee, too.
I also restarted my exercise regimen - recumbent exercise bicycle.
This morning, I used a weed-burner (flame thrower) to try to burn an old oak log on my property. I’ve been trying to burn this log for years. No joy, I left the burner applied to the same spot of the trunk for half an hour, and still couldn’t get it to ignite.
Not much else going on today. But it was a pretty one. Spent a fair amount of time sitting on the front porch with my feet propped up, reading a book, and watching the cars go by on the highway. Just like my Pop used to do. I remember him fondly.
God is good.
-Pop
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Cataract update
The ReZoom lens in my left eye is working splendidly. I have excellent distance and middle distance vision (as near as I can tell with the other eye closed), but I still can’t reliably read a book in my hand. It is improving some every day, though. A few days ago, I couldn’t read with it at all. So I’m happy. It is possible I’ll end of needing reading glasses, but maybe not.
One of the really cool things about this is the color shift. For the first time, I realize the walls in my office are not shaded a dingy yellow - they’re white! It’s not a big huge difference, but I had not realized that the cataracts were already affecting my vision.
I am eager to get the other eye done.
-Pop
One of the really cool things about this is the color shift. For the first time, I realize the walls in my office are not shaded a dingy yellow - they’re white! It’s not a big huge difference, but I had not realized that the cataracts were already affecting my vision.
I am eager to get the other eye done.
-Pop
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Cataract Surgery
Today was the day! I had my left eye cataract surgery today. Scary as it is, I’d take this over going to the dentist.
After the paperwork was done, I sat down in a comfortable chair and a nurse administered something like nine different eye drops while she asked me some questions. This nurse also set up an IV type insert on my left hand, and gave me a shot to relax me. Then, I was put on a gurney, where I was hooked up to three of those heart monitor leads, a blood-oxygen clip-on monitor, and a blood pressure cuff. And I got some more drops in my eye. And another shot into the IV insert.
The doctor was supervising, and he did some sort of marks around my eye which he explained was due to the effect astigmatism has on the insertion point. Normally they would make the incision in the eye, directly to the side. In my case, that point was about 45 degrees toward the top of my head.
Then they wheeled me into another room, which was the operating room. I never saw any of this room except the ceiling and a complex piece of equipment hanging therefrom. They got everything situated the way they wanted it, the machine was brought into place over my eye, and the work began.
Something was placed over my eye-socket that pretty much fit all around it. I saw random colors, mostly blue I think, and once I saw something that looked like a bit of oil floating in water. This whole process probably didn’t take ten minutes, but of course I don’t really know the exact time. The stuff they shot into me had me fairly groggy, but I was awake throughout.
When it was over, they unhooked me from everything, sat me in a chair, invited my wife in, and explained what we needed to know about follow-up care. I get to take three different eye-drops for a few days, and go see the doctor tomorrow morning for the follow-up visit. And we went home.
At first, vision in that eye was cloudy and blurry. As the day has proceeded, it gradually has improved, but it still isn’t clear. Also, ten hours after surgery, my eye is still dilated. The doctor tells me that these things are normal.
The lens which was inserted is a ReZoom lens. The published statements about this lens is that about 92% of patients never need to use glasses again. However, vision with these can take a couple of months to get to it’s best. Besides loosing the cataracts, that’s what I’m after. So far, I’m pleased.
They’ll do the other eye on April 23.
I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
-Pop
After the paperwork was done, I sat down in a comfortable chair and a nurse administered something like nine different eye drops while she asked me some questions. This nurse also set up an IV type insert on my left hand, and gave me a shot to relax me. Then, I was put on a gurney, where I was hooked up to three of those heart monitor leads, a blood-oxygen clip-on monitor, and a blood pressure cuff. And I got some more drops in my eye. And another shot into the IV insert.
The doctor was supervising, and he did some sort of marks around my eye which he explained was due to the effect astigmatism has on the insertion point. Normally they would make the incision in the eye, directly to the side. In my case, that point was about 45 degrees toward the top of my head.
Then they wheeled me into another room, which was the operating room. I never saw any of this room except the ceiling and a complex piece of equipment hanging therefrom. They got everything situated the way they wanted it, the machine was brought into place over my eye, and the work began.
Something was placed over my eye-socket that pretty much fit all around it. I saw random colors, mostly blue I think, and once I saw something that looked like a bit of oil floating in water. This whole process probably didn’t take ten minutes, but of course I don’t really know the exact time. The stuff they shot into me had me fairly groggy, but I was awake throughout.
When it was over, they unhooked me from everything, sat me in a chair, invited my wife in, and explained what we needed to know about follow-up care. I get to take three different eye-drops for a few days, and go see the doctor tomorrow morning for the follow-up visit. And we went home.
At first, vision in that eye was cloudy and blurry. As the day has proceeded, it gradually has improved, but it still isn’t clear. Also, ten hours after surgery, my eye is still dilated. The doctor tells me that these things are normal.
The lens which was inserted is a ReZoom lens. The published statements about this lens is that about 92% of patients never need to use glasses again. However, vision with these can take a couple of months to get to it’s best. Besides loosing the cataracts, that’s what I’m after. So far, I’m pleased.
They’ll do the other eye on April 23.
I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
-Pop
Monday, March 24, 2008
Clinton's Creative Expression
Hillary “misspoke” with the sniper fire remark.
“That depends on what you mean by ‘is’”. -President Clinton
Do you begin to see a trend, here?
-Pop
“That depends on what you mean by ‘is’”. -President Clinton
Do you begin to see a trend, here?
-Pop
Friday, March 21, 2008
Hate from the Pulpit
As a general comment on all this racist stuff with Obama’s preacher, and any other supposedly Christian preacher that preaches in that style, I have this to say:
Jesus never preached hate. Not once.
I strongly suggest that any preacher that does preach hate is not filled with the Holy Spirit, nor is he following the example of Jesus.
15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' - The Holy Bible - Matthew 7:15-23
Emphasis mine. That pretty much sums it up. Reverend Wright is walking down a dangerous path, as are many, many other pastors in this world.
-Pop
Jesus never preached hate. Not once.
I strongly suggest that any preacher that does preach hate is not filled with the Holy Spirit, nor is he following the example of Jesus.
15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' - The Holy Bible - Matthew 7:15-23
Emphasis mine. That pretty much sums it up. Reverend Wright is walking down a dangerous path, as are many, many other pastors in this world.
-Pop
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Spring!
Today, the oak trees here in East Texas are blooming. In just a couple of days, all the bare limbs will be gone and all the trees will have shiny new green leaves.
Beautiful.
Mowed the yard for the first time this year, this afternoon.
-Pop
Beautiful.
Mowed the yard for the first time this year, this afternoon.
-Pop
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