I took the train today and was treated with a great evening ride home. The fog had halfway come in and the sun was shining through the cloud breaks, turning the ocean into alternate patches of turquoise and gray. Quite beautiful.
I was happy to be on the train enjoying it and happy to be here to enjoy it.
Wednesday, June 19, 2002
Saturday, June 8, 2002
I Am A Criminal Suspect (Apparently)
I went shopping at a local nation-wide chain of computer stores today and was treated like a shoplifter because I walked out of the store after buying something.
I went shopping for some computer stuff today at a computer store. I don't usually go to this store but I was out and it was on my way back home. I found the time I needed and paid for it at the register. I was th eonly person at th register at the time. After completing the transaction I walked out f the exit. i was stopped by an employee who wanted to see my receipt. I asked him why. His response was, "Because that's what the sign says and it's my job."
We exchanged words and eventually I allowed him to examine my purchase and "let" me go.
I was torn - I needed this particular piece of equipment to get back online, but I wanted to go home and do my other chores (which I have been neglecting the last few weekends). I could have simply said, "Well, since you are treating me like a shoplifter I will return this item right now. You'll lose this sale and every potential sale in the future, too. Or you can assume I legitimately purchased this item and allow me to exit unharassed, just as almost every other store I've ever been in does." If the answer was "return it" then I would have had to drive down to the Apple store 30 miles away to buy a modem.
Guitar Center pulled this crap on me the last time I went there. I refused to allow him to look at my stuff and walked away. So, I now only go to local music stores for equipment and accessory purchases.
I'll not give this chain my business in the future, but I wish I had been able to make a freer (or maybe "more equal") choice this afternoon. I'll have to locate a store that stocks Apple products and use it from now on.
I went shopping at a local nation-wide chain of computer stores today and was treated like a shoplifter because I walked out of the store after buying something.
I went shopping for some computer stuff today at a computer store. I don't usually go to this store but I was out and it was on my way back home. I found the time I needed and paid for it at the register. I was th eonly person at th register at the time. After completing the transaction I walked out f the exit. i was stopped by an employee who wanted to see my receipt. I asked him why. His response was, "Because that's what the sign says and it's my job."
We exchanged words and eventually I allowed him to examine my purchase and "let" me go.
I was torn - I needed this particular piece of equipment to get back online, but I wanted to go home and do my other chores (which I have been neglecting the last few weekends). I could have simply said, "Well, since you are treating me like a shoplifter I will return this item right now. You'll lose this sale and every potential sale in the future, too. Or you can assume I legitimately purchased this item and allow me to exit unharassed, just as almost every other store I've ever been in does." If the answer was "return it" then I would have had to drive down to the Apple store 30 miles away to buy a modem.
Guitar Center pulled this crap on me the last time I went there. I refused to allow him to look at my stuff and walked away. So, I now only go to local music stores for equipment and accessory purchases.
I'll not give this chain my business in the future, but I wish I had been able to make a freer (or maybe "more equal") choice this afternoon. I'll have to locate a store that stocks Apple products and use it from now on.
Ceiling Saga
I decided a few weeks ago to scrape the acoustic covering on the ceilings in my house. All of it. So, I called a few people and ended up picking a guy that someone else in the neighborhood had used.
We started off badly; he was supposed to start on Monday but didn't show up until Tuesday and then only worked a short time putting up plastic sheeting in the two unused bedrooms.
On Wednesday he did more; he scraped the master suite and the dining room.
On Thursday I came home to a complete trinawreck; the entire house was off-limits; every room had been blocked off with plastic sheeting, and the rooms were covered with scraped off stuff. I was a littl emad; I could barely get into the kitchen and the master suite. Both cats were outside and while Figaro responded almost immediately to my calls Aida wither ignored me or was too far away to hear. I did the best I could getting to bed and in the morning I called Anthony and told him he had to give me my house back for the weekend (since originally he was supposed to be done on Friday).
When I came home on Friday afternoon (I left work early), his crew was cleaning up. They had skip troweled every room except the two bedrooms upstairs and the entry hall (which is the two-story high ceiling and a difficult job, no doubt) and had removed all the plastic everywhere. I was very happy.
They will finish the skip troweling on Monday and prime and paint on Tuesday and Wednesday.
He mentioned that apparently at one time my master suite bathroom flooded beacause the dining room ceiling had been damaged and extensively repaired. He thought they had done a good job, though. He also told me he thought the original builder had done a decent job on the ceilings to begin with.
So, with a little luck I'll have scraped, troweled and painted ceilings on Wednesday.
I decided a few weeks ago to scrape the acoustic covering on the ceilings in my house. All of it. So, I called a few people and ended up picking a guy that someone else in the neighborhood had used.
We started off badly; he was supposed to start on Monday but didn't show up until Tuesday and then only worked a short time putting up plastic sheeting in the two unused bedrooms.
On Wednesday he did more; he scraped the master suite and the dining room.
On Thursday I came home to a complete trinawreck; the entire house was off-limits; every room had been blocked off with plastic sheeting, and the rooms were covered with scraped off stuff. I was a littl emad; I could barely get into the kitchen and the master suite. Both cats were outside and while Figaro responded almost immediately to my calls Aida wither ignored me or was too far away to hear. I did the best I could getting to bed and in the morning I called Anthony and told him he had to give me my house back for the weekend (since originally he was supposed to be done on Friday).
When I came home on Friday afternoon (I left work early), his crew was cleaning up. They had skip troweled every room except the two bedrooms upstairs and the entry hall (which is the two-story high ceiling and a difficult job, no doubt) and had removed all the plastic everywhere. I was very happy.
They will finish the skip troweling on Monday and prime and paint on Tuesday and Wednesday.
He mentioned that apparently at one time my master suite bathroom flooded beacause the dining room ceiling had been damaged and extensively repaired. He thought they had done a good job, though. He also told me he thought the original builder had done a decent job on the ceilings to begin with.
So, with a little luck I'll have scraped, troweled and painted ceilings on Wednesday.
Sunday, June 2, 2002
Birthday Party
I have some really great friends. I have some really great neighbors, too.
I threw a party for everyone yesterday and it was a lot of fun. I bought a bunch of beer, wine, a bottle of tequila and food. The food was eaten pretty quickly, which was great.
The band played but I was very dissatisfied with my own playing. The first songs were rough from a playing standpoint for me since my fingers were cold and stiff. I was nervous and a little buzzed, too. Basically I couldn't play for shit. The vocals sounded pretty decent, though, apparently.
I'll do some basic clean up htismorning and then head down to PB for the rSan Diego Rock and Roll Marathon with Ed and Jerry. Maybe I'll bring them some chicken.
I have some really great friends. I have some really great neighbors, too.
I threw a party for everyone yesterday and it was a lot of fun. I bought a bunch of beer, wine, a bottle of tequila and food. The food was eaten pretty quickly, which was great.
The band played but I was very dissatisfied with my own playing. The first songs were rough from a playing standpoint for me since my fingers were cold and stiff. I was nervous and a little buzzed, too. Basically I couldn't play for shit. The vocals sounded pretty decent, though, apparently.
I'll do some basic clean up htismorning and then head down to PB for the rSan Diego Rock and Roll Marathon with Ed and Jerry. Maybe I'll bring them some chicken.
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