Run, Don't Walk, Away

If you have cell phone service with AT & T, I'm going to make a suggestion to you. When your contract is up, run, don't walk, away from them. I have had the most horrible experience with them! I've had AT & T home service since 2000, and I've always hated them. So when we looked at getting cell phones in 2008, I was very leery about getting it through AT & T, but since they could combine it with our phone, that's what we ended up going with. They've been screwing me ever since!

We're going to have to go back a few months to summer. Well, May really. My husband had gotten in touch with a childhood friend of his, and they started texting each other alot, so we decided to get on unlimited text. So when I made the payment in May, I told the girl to add us onto unlimited text. Next thing I know, I get a phone bill for $1400!! I about had a heart attack! Eventually, I got that straightened out, but I couldn't afford to pay another bill for a while. Well, on Sept. 15, they cut off mine and my husbands service on our cell phones. I made the payment on Oct 26th and got the phone back on, so that's over a month that we went without our cell phones. So the payment I made on Oct 26th was $605. Imagine my surprise, and anger, when I go to make a call yesterday only to find out that the f'ers have turned off our cell phone AGAIN less than a month later!!

Mind you, they charged us all the reconnect fees, AND $175 PER PHONE for breaking our contract. Which I contend was not broken, because I made the payment and service was "restored" and our numbers stayed the same. I even asked the lady, because both our RAZRs are broken and we both need new phones, and I said if we were going to have a new contract, we needed new phones, and she said no, the contract was the same, although we were due for an upgrade in November.

Anyway, I was on the phone with them yesterday for almost TWO hours, which ended with me asking for corporate phone number and hanging up on the guy when he wouldn't give it to me. I was absolutely LIVID. They said when I made the payment on the 26th of October, that I only paid the past due only, and there was $171 due that day. I asked why she didn't tell me that when I paid the bill. I then asked him what that $171 was for. He said the house line for Oct 1- Nov 1 and the cell phones from Sept 21- Oct 21. I asked him why, since the cells were shut off on Sept 15 and not turned on until Oct 26, why would I pay for a month of service I didn't get? Well, apparently, that's part of your contract. It was "suspended", not "disconnected".
Whatever. That's just lingo for, let me rip you a new one. THEN, I asked about being charged for breaking the contract. Even though I paid the bill and we got them back on, they want to charge us $175 PER PHONE for breaking our contract. I wanted to tell him to get bent. And then when he wouldn't give me the corporate number, that really pissed me off. I did google it while I was on the phone with the guy- "STAN" was his name. And I said, "Oh look, here it is right here on your website. What did you say your name was? Stan? Do you have a last name?" "That's private information." "Well, do you have an extension?" "Yes I do." "Great... have a day." Click.

He wouldn't give it to me because I had to go up the chain of command. Well, after him, the chain of command had to call me back, so he kept asking for a phone number. I said, "I'm not at home and you can't have my work number. I'm on my cell phone, which you cut off and it went straight to billing when I tried to make a call. So if he has to call me, I suggest you restore my cell phone so he can reach me." What a bunch of assholes. If I get it straightened out when I call corporate today, I'll let you know. Our contract is up in March. I will NOT resign with AT & T, and I don't care how badly I want an iPhone. I've lived without it this long. This chicky is running from this corporation as fast as I possibly can. Before you get screwed, I suggest you run too.

MNF

OMG I am SO glad that fall is FINALLY here. Not only does it mean a return to school for the kids (a month ago), and relief from the oppressive Texas heat, but also the return of FOOTBALL!!! YAY! I'm so, so happy to have football back. Gee, that makes it sound like it doesn't take much to get me excited... ha ha ha! Seriously though, I'm havin' a hard time with feelin' the love for my 'Boys. It really has nothing to do with their 1-1 record. I mean, yes, they absolutely should have won against the Giants, and yes, Romo had a really bad night, but I'm sick of hearing about it. but that's not why I'm having a hard time. It's all about the new stadium. Jerry Jones is such an a-hole. It's all about the almighty dollar with him, even though he has billions upon billions and no one in his family will ever have to worry about money, ever. Me... I can't even afford the $29 "Party Pass", even if I wanted to, which I don't. I think it's so shitty that he has turned the team into "For Elite Fans Only". If you're rich, you can afford a ticket. A REAL ticket, not a nosebleed STAND UP "seat". I guess I just feel that as a business, the Cowboys are a very fan un-friendly team. And I'm disappointed with that. They're my team, and America's Team, and I just think the situation with the new stadium sucks. But I still love my 'Boys. GO COWBOYS!

"Real" True Colors

I love Facebook. I could spend all day on Facebook, doing quizzes and playing games. Since I got a job (!), I'll be spending less time on Facebook. Maybe.

This morning, I took the quiz "The 'Real' True Colors Quiz'. I think the results are pretty accurate-

Gold

Values:
Loyalty
Perfection
Honesty

Joys:
Time for Family
Home
Order

Strengths:
Organized
Consistent
Dependable

Needs:
Stability
Orangization
Appreciation

Frustrations:
Lack of control
Disloyalty
Inconsistency

At work you provide stability and can maintain organization. Your ability to handle details and to work hard make you the backbone of many organizations. You believe that work comes before play, even if you must work overtime to complete the job.

In love you are serious and tend to have traditional, conservative views of both love and marriage. You want a mate who can work along with you, building a secure, predictable life together. You demonstrate love and affection through the practical things you do for your loved ones.

In childhood you wanted to follow the rules and regulations of the school. You understood and respected authority and was comfortable with academic routine. You were the easiest of all types of children to adapt to the educational system.

My Cat Thinks I Should Be Licking Her & Other Randomness

I have a kitten. I guess she's about 4 months old now. She was only 2 weeks old when we brought her home from my in-law's house. The mom cat disappeared (we think a coyote got her), leaving 3 kittens behind. 2 of them didn't make it, but the biggest one did, and in honor of Harry Potter, my daughter named her Ginny (Weasley). She thinks I'm her momma. I bottlefed her and washed her in the sink and took care of her, even though I said I wasn't going to do it (hey, that happened with the fish too!), so now she thinks I'm mom. And that's okay, except, she seems to think I'm a cat. She sits on top of my chest and buries her head under my chin and tries to nurse my neck. Obviously, she doesn't get anything out of it except the security. But when I don't respond, she picks her little head up and looks at me, and then rubs herself across my lips. YUCK! I guess she thinks I'm supposed to lick her or something. Thankfully, I've figured out when she's about to do it, so I can tuck my lips into my mouth and not get cat hair all over them. Goofy cat. She's got a great personality. The biggest problem I have with her is that she thinks it's okay to use the fat in my legs as a climbing post. My poor legs were ugly enough to start with, now they're all clawed-up.

Speaking of ugly legs and fat, I'm losing weight! YAY! Tae Kwon Do is ROCKIN' it! I LOVE Tae Kwon Do SO much! I really joined because when I was a kid I wanted to do martial arts, but never got to, and with my kids doing it, I decided to go ahead and do it too. Losing weight is a side benefit that I'm starting to enjoy. I've gotten on a scale that said I've lost about 25, but I don't know how accurate the scale was. I haven't been able to see it when I look at myself in the mirror, but I know it's happening, because yesterday I went to a clothing store and tried on clothes in smaller sizes than when I usually wear, and they fit! And they weren't tight! I was so happy. When I buttoned the shorts, my jaw dropped and I just twirled in front of the mirror looking at myself. It felt pretty good.

The job hunting is still going on. I think I may have a PT spot at the Junior College, but they're all a bunch of cluster f'ks up there, so I don't know yet. It's really irritating. I love my former teacher and I so appreciate that she busted her ass and put herself out there for me, and if I do get on, I will put myself whole-heartedly into it for 2 semesters, but then I am out of there. They are so undependable and clueless. I can't make a career at a place like that.

School started last week for the kids. They are on the same campus this year (YAY!). I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cam's teacher, and all of CB's too. I have really good feelings about this year. Cam got into Gifted & Talented, and CB is doing band (clarinet). Should be an interesting (& busy) year!

Speaking of years, CB had a birthday last week. She turned 11. It's so hard to believe, she's on the edge of teenagerhood. That makes me so sad. I miss my sweet little girl. Now she's reaching 'that' age and getting 'that' attitude. I really can't complain TOO much though. She's a good kid, mostly. Just a little sassy sometimes. And then my baby, MY BABY is going to be 9 in a few days. He graduated from Elementary school in May and now is one of the big kids. I really expected that I would cry when I dropped him off the first day, but I held it together, unlike last year when I bawled after leaving CB off at the big school. I think that was more about the new school and the fact that it was her 10th birthday, than about anything else. Still... it makes me sad to think about my kids getting older. That means I'm getting older too. That's never really bothered me THAT much, but, oh, I don't know. My daughter is almost halfway through public education. It's a weird feeling, I guess.

Now that the kids are back in class 5 days a week, I have a little more time to myself. Well, not last week, because I was babysitting, but THIS week I'll mostly be home and hopefully will be able to get something done around here. My house has suffered by my laziness and, you know, me never being home.

A Letter to Michael Jackson

My MIL found a box of stuff that she kept from my hubby's childhood, and passed the box along to us today. He handed it to me and asked if I wanted to go through it him, which I did. I found out several new things about my husband, some of which explain a lot to me about him and about our children, who, judging from the Elementary report cards of their father, come by their busy mouths in the classroom honestly. Among the childhood treasures was pictures, notes, drawings, and this letter which I found in an appropriately addressed envelope.

"Jan 18, 1984

Dear Michael,

Hi Michael how are things going. I saw you on those awards the other day and I thought you were great! I am planning to be a singer like you. All my friends think I'm crazy for liking your records. But they don't know talent when they see it. You're great talent!

When I wrote this note, this letter, I was hoping you would be my penpal but then I realized you're too busy for a stupid thing like that. But if you're interested, my address in which you can write to is ............
But even if you don't, you're the best. And also if you don't please at least send me your signature on a piece of paper. Oh got to go bye!

P.S. be my penpal.

Your friend,
"

He was 12 years old when he wrote it.