blog about it

So, it’s finally here. My last week of the A+ training program. I made it through, and it has been an adventure of sorts. I have to say I had a great run with the A+ instruction phase.

next up: the exam

It’s time now to practice for the exam – two exams really. I’d like to pass it the first time I take it. So I am still in veritable hermit mode, giving all my time to studying for what should be a beast of a test.

From what I’ve heard that’s a fairly ambitious goal. Reviewing the book, I would almost believe that’s too much to ask, except we actually went through the entire book in the class. And the newest technological advances easily sat on top of things I already knew.

So, I’ve decided to be positive and go for it—soon as I’ve been through the book a couple more times.

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I generally keep a very low profile, in case you don’t know that. I do what I do and make no bones. My few close friends and I have a lot of fun and talk about everything. We have good things in common and disagree happily in some key areas, namely politics and men. One thing we all agree on is wealth and fame; the former without the latter is ideal.

So when my friends find out what I’ve done, they’re going to be really surprised. Especially since, I’m the one who most adamantly avoids being in front of cameras.

no notice worked for me

I was getting into my car when a lady from Houston History Magazine called. She asked me if I had a minute to talk. I got off with my mom to take her call.

Debbie told me that she was calling on behalf of Bill White. My mouth dropped open. “The Mayor?! The former Mayor?!” I corrected myself. I could hear her smiling amusement. “Yes,” she said and went on to explain what she wanted. She wanted me to speak about Bill White and I agreed before I had a chance to think through the camera part. Debbie wanted permission to give my contact information to Elena White, Bill White’s daughter and I said yes, still in shock.

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I have a soft spot for technicians, probably because I want to be one. Rarely do I come across rude technicians. Today, after receiving a technician visit yesterday, my record still holds that 90% of the time my work is completed by competent and polite people.

happy circumstances

a day early

After I finished working online at a restaurant, I went home to do a few things before Sunday’s for the technician to maybe make an appearance, between 8 and 8. I was unlocking my door when my cell rang and it was the AT&T technician, a live person, calling to say he was on his way to work on my phone. Talk about fortuitous! I put my things away and before I knew it, he was at my door.

a familiar face

I always have a hesitation about people coming to my door. But, this man had a uniform, announced himself and the company before he moved to enter, and I recognized his face from helping me some years prior. So, I was okay with letting him in.

great tech service is a wonderful thing

He was nice, efficient, thorough. He fixed the break in the equipment outside and came back in to check the phone jacks before he left. He even checked and told me that my modem is still good for the internet (coming soon). In spite of all my frustration in getting help, this man made up for it and he didn’t even know it. His only effort toward this was doing his job well.

I’m pleased to say that my face-to-face experience was as good as I expected it would be. We chatted for a bit and he was on his way. And my phone works!

resigned to automated mediocrity

While the run-around on the telephone is always an unpleasant experience, I think it may be a symptom of the way the world will be for a while to come. When you say someone will call you back, and set a recorded message to play thinking that’s appropriate, I know there’s no way this company’s going to change soon.

Today I am catching up on my writing for my blogs and for work. I’m doing it at a restaurant near my home. Not because I needed to get out. I didn’t. I’m here because I competed with a computer and lost.

Yesterday, I waited 12 hours for an AT&T technician to come out an install my phone. I was told that I couldn’t get a smaller window, and that I would have to wait until next week for the same company to prepare the Internet. (???) That was even after I told them I had an old modem on hand and that I wouldn’t require technical support.

No one came to my door. No one called me. And I couldn’t get a live person on the phone—until this morning. By this time, I was ready to pop because of the sheer ludicrousness of the situation. When I did get a person yesterday and today, they told me that the computer was showing that my installations (phone and internet) were complete. (So???)

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My blogs are my friends because they give me a forum to write about things that are important or insignificant. They present me with space to write about topics I consider worthy. Whether I’m imparting ideas based on where I’ve been or those spawned by where I’m heading, the choice is mine alone.

That’s powerful and frightening too. There’s no one to keep me out of trouble, or to blame when things go seriously awry. In part because of these things, I blog very happily. It’s fulfilling and helpful to me to have a record of ideas when they happen. It’s a great reference tool. There’s another reason, too…

Ultimately, I do it because I’m grateful. Gratitude is my overarching motivation for much of what I do. It permeates my efforts here.

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Moving day is upon me and I am almost finished packing. It’s all I want to think about. But I can’t because there’s everything else going on too. Class. Writing. Web design. Graphics prep. And . . . the iPhone OS4 is available tonight.

I would love to be asleep right now, after a long evening of packing and arranging and puttering and thinking and reading. My iPhone upgrade won’t let me rest. It’s taken forever it seems. And it’s likely it feels that way because I am tired, and I really want to go to sleep.

The upgrade is very close to done. I can’t go to bed and let it run because my computer is not that kind to me. It does strange things when it sleeps. I was going to turn that off but I couldn’t think of where that command was.

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