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]