CASUALTIES OF THE DIGITAL TV REVOLUTION

If you have analog, you have to get digital TV or at least a converter by some date some time around now, at least here in the United States of Aggression. That's fine, for me. I have already had digital cable for the last two or three years. I'm golden. I doan need no steenkin box to watch TV. I've been paying for TV for a while and I'm quite content to continue to pay for TV. Call me flippant with my greenbacks; I'll not argue. In fact, I may clap you on the back and order you a Coca-Cola.

This, the anecdote that follows, however, irks me, somewhat. I set up a four-to-seven appointment for today with Comcast, the local cable provider, so that they could send a technician out to run a couple new lines (with boxes) to Naomi's bedroom and Meagan's and my bedroom upstairs. That way, we could all watch MTV or the Weather Channel or the Discovery Channel or ESPN from the comfort of our respective beds. (I'll wait whilst you call me and mine sloth-like.... Okay.)

Anyway, I just got a call from the cable guy--I didn't catch his name; it was Joe--and he informed me that he, and all the other techs in the southeast Michigan area, were suffering from a severe lack of material provisions. They just didn't have the remote controls. Or the friggin' power cords. I had to verify that last nugget of information. "Now," I said, "when you say power cords, what are you talking about, exactly? You're not talking about the cord that, like, plugs into the back of the box, are you?" He informed that, yes, those were the wires/cords in question. "B-but--" I started. He said that he knew, he knew--he sounded pretty embarrassed about it--and he further said that he was a contractor, working out of the Royal Oak office, and that he and the other techs were somewhat shocked this morning, when they'd lined up to get their materials, that the HQ didn't have the flat-out basic materials with which they could do their jobs. I nodded my head in agreement. "Yeah," I said, "I know. I work for the the gas company and I am all-too-familiar with the...illogic...of big companies."

"Yeah," he said. "I just wanted to call you and let you know the situation. I mean, if I come out and install what I can, we'll have to be out again to finish the job. And you'd be charged twice."

"That ain't good," I muttered. He agreed that it was, in fact, not good, and he said that he'd talk to his supervisor and rectify the situation--they'd come back out when they had the necessary tools/equipment.

***In-blog edit: I have just spoken with Joe again and he had his supervisor, some heavily-accented Polish guy named Andrew, call me and set up an appointment for tomorrow from between twelve and three. Dang. That's quick work. Now, how the fuck am I expected to excoriate the company, all bloggy-like, when they smooth over their self-generated ruffles so damned quickly?! I mean, I'm not even done with the post, yet! Anyway, all is well that ends well...and maybe I'll get a voucher or something out of all this exceedingly-horrific inconvenience. (That was sarcasm--though a coupon or a voucher would be nice.)***

In other news, I'm going to have Meegie--she volunteered--look over the router I bought so that we can have internet both downstairs and upstairs. She's good with figuring out computer-related issues/things; she's much better than I. She'll have us rockin' and rollin' in a New York heartbeat! =o)

Happy Friday, everyone! (All three of you!) May your days off from the workweek be filled with both safety and fun! Peace to ya.