I could begin at 6:30 this morning when our doorbell rings with contractors waiting but that would be too easy. I think last Thursday would be more appropriate when a series of unfortunate events of FUBR retail sales and buffoonery started and will be culminating later today in our week of misery which is the penultimate moment for a basement finishing project.
It all started early last week when my buddy Elwoods computer died. We figured out a way to get a new computer that would be better then his last desk top. His old one was his very first computer experience as he had never used a mouse before. It was like 25 years ago when we got our first PCs for the State and no one knew what a "desk top" was. When instructions said "put your mouse in the upper left hand corner of your desk top" people LITERALLY put their mouse in the upper left side of their DESK TOP.
Since I would be doing all the work on getting him a computer and because I was the "computer guy", which I truly am not, (I was a mainframe systems analyst and knew just enough to keep PCs running). So I did some research and because IT'S EASY decided Best Buy would be where I could get a PC.
WELL - the one I wanted was not an "In-Store" product. I needed a gaming PC with a huge video card for his golf course design and all the regular things like Excel. He was worried about having to get a new email address but I said that was not an issue (see what I'm dealing with?) So while I was at Best Buy I ordered the computer I wanted along with Office 365 (or whatever it's called).
It was at this point when things got interesting and started to go south.
Ordered everything including Office which would need to be downloaded. BUT WAIT - if I get it delivered to my HOME I could get it 4 days faster which made no sense. The problem was they would have to cancel by "in-store pickup" and refund all of my money and start completely over.
seriously?
So we do it all over again including a NEW download for Office and yada yada yada. Took forever as the guy did not know how to do a refund and as we all know Best Buy only has like 1 guy in the store for computers.
SO - I get the computer late Monday and am setting it up with a new monitor before I take it to Madison and all is good-ish. The normal headaches like how does WiFi work (Next-generation wireless connectivity) until I see something that LOOKS exactly like a small flash drive. No "WiFi" or any words that I understand but I plug it into a USB port and I get WiFi.
SO - now I'm trying to download Office and am entering the 25 digit code . . .it does not work. DJ tries it - NOPE. I call Best Buy and they give me a number to contact Microsoft but IN REALITY it's a number for a call center for island vacations if I answer 3 easy questions.
Still thinking it's Microsoft (don't laugh) I answer the easy questions with the final question as a NO and am connected to a person who wants to sell me insurance. We talk and I hang up and call the number again and it's 5 questions on a different subject.
I finally find out how to contact MS and get a message that will call me back in 1158 minutes. Really? 1158 minutes? is that how we are now? I have a meeting in 1437 minutes? So I calculate how long 1158 minutes are and . . .well . . .they never did call.
So after that I'm now a little pissed off and am looking at the receipt I see my original OFFICE had a 30 digit code ending in 83 and my current one ends in 84. They never gave me a new OFFICE download number.
SO - I go back to the computer and . . wait . . . the BACK SPACE on the new keyboard is broken.
Well, now I have to go to BB the next day - get a new OFFICE card and return the broken keyboard.
Tuesday I go to BB and explain the OFFICE issue and no problem. I explain the keyboard and NOW there is a problem. I can't return ONLY the keyboard. I need to uninstall everything on the computer and bring the entire thing in, order a new one and wait a week.
WHAT? because on one freaking key I need to send an entire computer back? Yea - because they do not carry that keyboard. I buy a cheap $12 keyboard just so I have something, go back home - the cheap keyboard is dead. I try it on my computer - nothing. Everything says "keyboard" is installed and working great . .EXCEPT FOR THE TYPING PART!!
My keyboard works great on both computers. So - I go back today and might get a little more louder.
You can do that when you are retired, it's weird. When you retire you feel you can do anything because you are retired. I can embarrass myself over and over - who cares!! F U Best Buy. I will burn my bridges with glee! So I'll take the cheap bad keyboard back, make a stink about the new broken keyboard and the stupid-ness of having to bring an entire computer in because of one key on a keyboard (I refuse).
BUT WAIT! This week is a huge week in our house as things are getting finished. AMS, electrical and cabinets are getting put in Friday and a counter top today and plumbing tomorrow.
Counter top people say between 7:30 and 8:30 with a call 1/2 hour before arriving Wednesday.
DING DONG - its 6:30 in the morning Wednesday WHAT????? Two dudes at the door. OH - it's electric. I guess they are a few days early. AND IT'S 6:30AM
So - we lose our kitchen for 2 days because with a new counter top we have to have a new garbage disposal, Home Depot will not do any plumbing unless we have a new disposal (3/4 horsepower) and they want to counter top to settle for a day (I guess) before plumbing is reattached. SIGH!SO - the next few days we have people coming in and out. Gus has been good and now knows any stranger that comes to the door can come in as it's OK with mommy and daddy. Great watch dog.
Bottom line - Best Buy sucks yet again.
BUT WAIT - someone is having a worse day - Dan Patrick on his sports talk show on TV is having issues.
His mic won't turn off and the other guys mics are dead along with their computers. And they are LIVE! LOL
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In other news
New HUGE study - butter is actually good for you. There is absolutely zero link between heart issues and butter and actually people that eat a lot of butter have less diabetes. The guy said he would not classify butter as "health food" but it is certainly not bad for you.
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The North Pole is in the middle of winter. From 1980 to 2010 the temperature went above freezing four times. In the last 5 years the temperature has gone above freezing 4 times. What climate change?
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The American government has it's lowest approval rating world wide ever. 30% of the world likes our government EXCEPT Kosovo who still loves America. We took out Slobodan Milosevic. The rest of the world except Russia are not fond of America.
In America 39.6% love our Government which blows my mind.
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Somebody. Known only as "Pine" has donated $53 million to charitable organizations.
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Looks like the GOP will not do anything to save our children from mass murderers.
OH - they want o arm teachers which has to be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard. Basically it's a way for the GOP to move towards EVERYONE wearing a gun. So if a mass murderer goes into a restaurant and shoots everyone then waitress can carry. Movie theater? The dude selling popcorn can be packing. Sporting event? The ushers are packing. EVERYBODY can pack - you can pack and you can pack and you can pack and the NRA keeps selling guns.
Sickening
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Nuff said - wish me luck
