Technical Rant!

I nearly ruined my day.
It started out nicely enough and got even better…until…..

my modem went.

No big deal, right?
Here in the north, it’s a big deal. I can’t just go to a store and get another one for a couple of reasons.

To make a very long story short, I was in the middle of a very interesting email, one of those neat exchanges with someone intelligent and engaging, where you have to think through your position.

phhhfffttt.
Grrrrrrrrr.

I checked all the cords against the phone.
I began to dread, and I mean dread the conversation with the ISP. Thinking about it, I began to shake in frustration. I know I’ve pre-programmed myself to not handle tech stuff well. Even though I know that and take deep breaths, my stress level goes from 0 to 60 in 3.4 secs.

Meantime, the ice was breaking up on the lake.
It is a beautiful thing to watch.
So, thinking I’d simmer down, I grabbed the modem and went down to the lake.
It was spectacular. Mountains of ice, glistening like diamonds, piling up against the shore with abandon.
But I couldn’t get my mind off the modem.
I’d already anticipated the hassle at the Bell outlet.
So, I gave up on the lake and went to the store.

I’m not your stereo-typical polite Canadian.
I wish I was, I want to be, but I’m not. Braced for battle, in I went.
The clerk was very nice. Now try to understand; this is Bell, customer service has never been their strong point. The clerk was nice, but the answer was “no, I can’t help you.”

I don’t do ‘no.’ No, with an explanation is ok sometimes, but no just because it’s no, does not get my blood pressure down.

When I get this frustrated and angry my voice gets very even.
“This is not acceptable,” I said.
It was still “no”.
They gave me the ISP number and let me use their phone.
Was I grateful?
No.
The sane litttle voice in the back of my head that usually lives in the front of my head was saying….”Calm down. They were nice about this. First time ever in a Bell store you got a nice clerk. Go with the flow here.”

10 minutes of voice mail later I got a real person. They were very nice too.
I was not calm.

“3 to 5 business days.”
“This is not acceptable.”
Their customer service has improved. The guy laughed.
“Yeah,” he said. “If this happened to me, I’d be mad.”

That was totally disarming, but I was not appeased. I had no modem, no back up because my contingency computer at my twin’s place is in the shop. The mother board blew last night. Back up plan #1, shot.

I went to a friends house. They took one look at me and told me to simmer down, and yes, of course I could use their Outlook, once they finished their game. I had to wait. And wait. (it only felt that way)
God bless my friends. They just get out of my way and laugh at me. I executed back up plan #2.

I fumed all the way home, even though I know this doesn’t affect the price of tea in China.
I hooked up some wires and got on the phone.

“Why can’t I use dial-up?”
“Well you can, but our computer will charge you.”
“This is not acceptable.”

Several hours later, as you can see, we ironed out the difficulties.
I should take my coat off and stay awhile.
I get too focused. No is not a good word, and I push to the max, and miss all the good stuff.
Like polite clerks.
Funny techs.
Mother nature putting on a major show.
Life is too short, God is too good. A modem is just a thing.
I need to adjust my attitude.
But I still hate the word no. :^)