Vent...AHOY!

There's nothing I want more than to vent about the experience I just had and name names. But a) I don't want to get involved in some crazy defamation lawsuit and b)I don't feel I should give them free press (even if it is bad). So, here is my experience with a certain car facility whose repair shop we use because it is part of our warranty.


I just spent 2 hours waiting for a car repair. 2 hours for something they told me would take 30-45 minutes. 2 hours of waiting for the lone technician to come back from lunch (a half hour after my appt time), take the 30 minutes to replace the damaged seatbelt, and then wait for our warranty's approval...and approval I ALREADY spent 2 hours waiting for a few weeks ago. So, for those keeping score, that's 4 hours invested in a repair that took all of 30 minutes.

I won't fault the technician. He was the only one into today (the other called off) and he had a repair that ran late, hence the late lunch. I've been in a similar situation at work before. Totally cool. But for Pete's sake, how hard is it for someone to make a quick phone call to me and say, "hey...we know you have a 1pm appointment, but here's what's going on." Give me the opportunity to reschedule.
No...the receptionist says, "I didn't know that the mechanic went on lunch until just now...[blah de blah explains the situation] so I don't expect him back until closer to 2pm." Did I mention I had been waiting for quite a bit at this point?

I am partly at fault for not voicing my anger at the wait the first time. Maybe they just didn't understand how upsetting it is to sit around a waiting room with a 1.5 year old to be told "yep, it's covered under the warranty. Let's get the part ordered and have you come back in."

Why, I ask, did I have to sit there to be told it was going to be approved? Doesn't anyone know how to use a telephone?!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

A few weeks goes by, anger subsides. I am quickly reintroduced to Anger today when I am told (after noticing my car sitting in front of the window all by its lonesome - a good 30 minutes after I was told the technician would start working on it) the repair is done...but now they are waiting on an approval from the warranty company so they can close the ticket.

You have got to be kidding me.

I think my aura of Anger must have carried over to the other workers, because along comes Mr. Consultant...giving me an "update." I use that term loosely because not more than 5 minutes before I went to the receptionist myself to figure out why my car was sitting there and I couldn't take it home.

It is now nearing the 2 hour mark. I am about to raise a good deal of hell in this place. I've done all I can to entertain and feed the child, but there is no denying she is well overdue for a nap. I just want to pay and go home.

Finally, Mr. Consultant calls me over and says that he'll settle up my bill for me with a manual receipt...since, you know, I had been waiting there for so long and they had already received the approval once before.

Ok...hang on a second. You mean to tell me you could have done this manual receipt an HOUR ago?!

[I swear I felt steam shoot out of my ears]

Upon discussing my displeasure with this whole situation, Mr. Consultant tries to justify today's wait with "well, if we don't get the approval, the mechanic doesn't get paid."

YOU.ALREADY.GOT.THE.APPROVAL! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

* * * * *

OK.

I'm done.

I'm home, child is napping, and I'm listening to the soothing sounds of Joshua Radin.

Serenity NOW!

Random stuff

I'm all hopped up on productivity, so I thought I'd write a blog post (no, my BFF is not instructing me to write a post...nope, not at all)

First, I'd like to tell you all about the beautiful start to my morning. In half-consciousness, I hear a BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP (annoying yet? Because it sure was annoying the heck out of me). First thought - am I dreaming? No. Second thought - phone alarm? I certainly didn't set one and it was just after 7am - too early for ShankRabbit to wake up. Third thought - Smoke/Carbon Monoxide detector? Ohholyjebus, I'M AWAKE I'M AWAKE! Turns out, that wasn't the source. There's nothing like a little jolt of adrenaline to get your butt out of bed.

After about an ETERNITY (morning speak for 2 minutes or so), the beeping stopped. Followed shortly thereafter by the sweet, dulcet tones of a jackhammer.
(I later figured out that the beeping must have been the reversing sound of their work truck.)

This was all forgiven when I spied the guy manning the jackhammer do Michael Jackson-like moves trying to evade a bee. Quite comical.

After dropping the dear husband off at work, I took the long way to get on the highway. I wait at the light for it to turn green. I proceed into the intersection, ready to make a left hand turn, and I am greeted with the sounds of screeching tires and smoke to my left. Apparently, Mr. Pays-no-attention-to-the-road was about to speed right on through the red light...right into my van (well, technically, he would clipped the back end of a different car first, then me). I was very proud that the only thing to come out of my mouth was a very loud "OH CRAP!" I tend to go for more, uh...colorful words in the car.

Although my morning is not something I'd like to recreate, I'm more awake now that if I drank a whole pot of coffee. Let's give it up for adrenaline!

* * * * *

Joshua Radin just came up on my Pandora station. I'm happy-dancing in my seat right now.

* * * * *

I took Peanut to the Westown farmer's market yesterday. In addition to chasing pigeons and stopping to watch a juggler perform, she got a chance to bust-a-move to some live music. It was a lot more fun of a farmer's market than I'm used to - though my usual stop has more of a selection.
If it wasn't for the sticky heat and evil eyes from other mommys (apparently I was sitting a little too close to this mommy-groupmember's unmanned stroller. Hey lady, if you're going whisper and shoot glares for getting too close to your purse, then here's a thought: put it over your freaking shoulder and not hanging off the handle of your stroller! Didn't anyone ever tell you that if you make that face too much it might stay that way? Perpetually angry gofer is not a good look on you), we would have stayed longer.

* * * * *

Big, big changes around the corner. Lots of stuff to think about that I'm sure I'll share with you all soon.

Short Wednesday post

I've had this "new post" screen up for an hour and a half. It's not that I can't think of anything to write today, I'm just in the middle of three things...and as all parents know, you try to get as much done during nap time as possible.

A few tidbits...

- I just downloaded the new Joshua Radin CD from Amazon.com for $1.99. Word.

- It is supposed to be in the 40s today! YAHOO! Warm weather, here we come!

- I had a dream last night about going to a job interview .I blame my best friend for that subconscious suggestion. And if you are reading this Beamer, good luck!

Crap...Peanut is awake. See what happens when you try to make a quick post?

* * * * *
Dance Party Time!
(Have no idea what I'm referring to?...read the bottom of this post)

Artist/Band: Cheap Trick (or the Letters to Cleo cover works, too)
Song Title: I Want You To Want Me
Kid-friendly?: Yes

The concert.

I had the great idea of taking several pictures from the Joshua Radin concert and using them for my post today. However, I was WAY too wrapped up in the concert to think about busting out the camera. I took only one photo...and as you can tell by the quality, I wasn't really focused on making it a great shot:










I enjoyed the concert...that's all that matters.


A HUGE thank you goes to my brother-in-law for inviting me to this concert. I had a blast!

Joshua Radin

For a long time, I never had one specific favorite artist or band. If someone asked the question, I would answer, "well, depends on my mood."
Come to think of it, 99% of the people I know would probably answer the same way. Huh. Is there anyone out there that has ONE favorite artist/band?

A few years ago, I found myself looking for an artist/band that had a "folky" feel...but not too folky. And I believe I can credit my dear friends A&B for helping me with this quest. Their first dance song at their wedding was "Paperweight" - Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk (I love that song!). I was intrigued by this Joshua guy...wondering what his other stuff sounded like.

Well, I really liked it. I saw him in concert a short time later, when he was on tour with Schuyler Fisk...and that's when it happened. I discovered my new favorite artist. If someone were to ask me today, who's your favorite artist or band, I can confidently say, "Well, depends on my mood...but I can never go wrong with Joshua Radin."

So, if you haven't heard his music yet, go check him out. You can go to his website or his myspace page to get a sampling of his music.

And, if you really, really like him...click on the link to the left. His song "I'd Rather Be With You" is up for VH1's top 20.

* * * * *
So, why did I share all this with you?

1. He's amazing. Mm hmm.

B. My brother-in-law just asked if I'd like to go to a Joshua Radin concert on Monday night. WaitletmethinkaboutitYES PLEASE!


That is all.