Monthly Archive for December, 2007

First Monday

Published
by
John T Davis
on December 3, 2007
in computers, electronics, house and rant
. 0 Comments

First Monday in the new house, that is. All in all, a pretty good day. Some highlights and updates:

Unpacking and Renovation

Wallpaper started in the dining room today. It’s looking beautiful. I also went by the Circuit City and picked up some component video cable (orange, green, and blue plugs) for the DVD player hooked up to my TV, something I’ve been meaning to do for a year. I’ll finally be getting the absolute best video quality. Not that I’m likely to be able to tell the difference, given my less than stellar eyesight, but someone probably will, and it seemed like a fine time for an equipment upgrade. Aside from wondering just how the electronics industry gets away with so drastically overpricing audio/visual cables, I’m pretty happy with my purchase. Especially since I found an unopened Monster audio RCA cable in a box. Since I didn’t buy it, I don’t even have to feel guilty about using such an over-hyped, overpriced brand. Instead, I have the opportunity to bask unencumbered in the glory of audio cable so thick that it would pass for Indiana Jones’ whip.

Phones! Internets! TVs!

The AT&T tech came early for the jack repair, which unfortunately took a few hours. We have working jacks again. Turns out the phone wiring in the attic was accidentally cut by someone when they were removing excess and antiquated wires from previous, very old cable television and phone installs. Oops.

(We actually have some old four prong telephone jacks around. They’re absolutely useless, but kind of fun to look at.)

And now for the ceremonial rant. I checked with the DSL people again today. Lo and behold, our order for DSL service had been somehow cancelled. For the second time–the first time they cancelled it two weeks before we moved in. Bizarre. At any rate, I was told that things were straightened out (again) and that we would be activated for service by Wednesday at 8p, this week. I even got an order confirmation number, which I’ve not had before.

The Billing Department representative also tried to sell me a 99 dollar router/modem and installation (even though I’ve already got a wireless router), and more long distance. She did this while I was waiting to find out when our DSL would be provisioned, and was incredibly pushy. I actually felt like I was being pressured into buying more services after being thoroughly confused. I eventually just agreed to “think about the offer” so I could get her to shut up about it, finish filling my order and get off the phone.

I suppose a bad experience with a customer service representative was inevitable, as much as I’ve been calling them. And I’ve been talking to the Billing Department, which means there was bound to be some sort of tomfoolery eventually. Still, grar.

I’m beyond any sort of frothing rage at this point. Actually, I’m not even angry or as frustrated as I could be. It’s getting just a bit too bizarre. I wouldn’t be suprised if our order is somehow cancelled again or squirrels eat through the phone lines. I keep waiting for Ashton Kutcher to pop out and announce I’ve been punk’d. At which point I’d probably stab him, because I just found my knife and internet withdrawal is starting to make me a bit twitchy.

Our very friendly satellite TV installer is also going to stop by tomorrow to switch out the ViP 211 HD receiver in my office with the ViP 722 HD receiver/DVR in the master bedroom. I called him today and asked if this was something I could do myself, but quickly realized that was not the case when I was told I would have to go up into the attic and retone the line. I don’t even know what that means.

Once we have the internet, I’m going to research what it will take to connect our receivers to the home network, and if it’s even worth it. Seems like a fun project.

Father of the Bride II is over in fifteen minutes, then I’m going to bed. Peace out.

[tags]renovation, audio/visual cable, audio cable, monster cable, video cable, component cable, component video cable, component video, AT&T, at&t, phones, phone, phone company, phone repair, dsl, AT&T Yahoo! DSL, at&t yahoo! dsl, Dish, dish, dish satellite, Dish satellite, Dish Satellite, vip 211, ViP 211, VIP 211, vip 722, ViP 722, VIP 722[/tags]

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The Wallpaper, Part Deux. Also, AT&T is Gnarly.

Published
by
John T Davis
on December 2, 2007
in house and rant
. 0 Comments

For completeness’ sake, I note that after another day’s work by Mario the Wallpaper Installer, the paper in the master bedroom is pretty much done, except for some that will need to be redone because of faulty material (which we have already reordered). He’s going to start the dining room tomorrow. Cool.

Baseboards Wednesday. Probably.

Got the phone message confirmation for our jack repair appointment today. I don’t think I mentioned before, but I scheduled this appointment for the 2-6p window. I thought the 8-11a option too dangerous, because we’re still going at odd hours here and I doubt anyone would be very happy on the odd chance they showed up that early. There was a later window as well, but I didn’t want to give anyone reason to show up at 9p if I didn’t have to.

My thoughtful scheduling was for naught. According to the phone message, the tech will appear sometime between 8a and 6p. ¿Que? That’s not so much a window as the entire day. What was the point of scheduling a window, then?

Yes, I am aware this isn’t a major gripe, as I plan to be awake and getting together by 8 tomorrow morning anyway. Yet after the aforementioned, continuing madness with the DSL line and the revelation that we will need to pay exorbitant fees to get the jacks built into our walls to actually work, I find myself somewhat less magnanimous than usual. We’re not quite to the straw-camel point, though. I know I personally don’t plan to raze any buildings to the ground with a BIC lighter and a straight razor unless the DSL isn’t working by Wednesday night.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll now go back to being distracted by the Food Network in high definition. Mmm. Designer Wedding Cakes.

[tags]renovation, moving, wallpaper, AT&T, at&t, customer service, phone, phones, phone company, phone service[/tags]

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Wrap My Wood (or: the Wallpaper Cometh)

Published
by
John T Davis
on December 1, 2007
in books and house
. 0 Comments

(Originally written on Sat 1 December 2007. Still no internet.)

Yes, I’m scraping the bottom of the double entendre barrel. Not a whole lot going on today. More boxes continue to be unpacked. Board games, clothing,
master bedroom stuffs, and other goodies continue to show up. Giving a full, exact detailing of everything that’s been unpacked would, as stated previously, be just about as enthralling as listening to Ben Stein read the phonebook, so allow me to state simply that we’ve been busy.

I started reading Breakup Babe, a Novel, and aside from being slightly annoyed at the pretentiousness of those who think appending “a novel” to the title of a book is a good idea, am generally finding it an enjoyable, well-written work, even if I don’t just adore the main character. Let’s be honest: even if I don’t particularly like the main character half the time. Which, I think, is a sign of just how well-written she is. More on this later, perhaps. I don’t want to attempt even a ten-second book review until I’ve actually finished it. It could go either way at this point.

The wallpaper installer from the painting crew is here, which is news. It’s also, just to be clear, the source of this entry’s questionably tasteful title. He’s currently fitting out the master bedroom, and will then move onto the dining room. Then baseboards just as soon as my cousin is available. All that remains after that, to my knowledge, are a number of electrical outlet faceplates, a few vent covers, and some paint that needs to be fixed, and renovation/construction will be complete. Just a few more days, and I’ll be able to unload the rest of my books and equipment, and actually feel like I can touch my office furniture without fear of knocking it over and being crushed under its tremendous, well lacquered weight.

If I sound like I’m fixating selfishly on my suite while ignoring the accomplishments in unpacking and decorating going on in the rest of the house, I probably am let me assure that this is not the case. I simply don’t feel the urge to comment on the rest because it’s going so well and already looks so amazing, especially considering we really only started in earnest on Thursday. Also, I don’t feel like I might possibly be killed or maimed by falling ten-foot-plus solid wood bookcases in any other part of the house. And let’s be clear, fan of luxurious office furniture I may be, but if I’m to be smashed into oblivion, I demand at the very least a more exciting instrument of my undoing.

Get me some rampaging giraffes or Steve Jobs in an Aston Martin fleeing from paparazi, and then we’ll talk. Because seriously, giraffes.

Edit (Sat 1 December 2007, 7:42 PM US Central): Wallpaper in master bedroom is done, except for a bit of faulty paper we couldn’t use. Replacement roll will be installed later. One of the flooring company staff is here removing the baseboards from the dining room in preparation for the painter/wallpaper guy to come back tomorrow and do that room.

[tags]renovation, moving, wallpaper, breakup babe[/tags]

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