OK, that's an exaggeration. Still no movers, they won't be here until Monday, so for the time being my place looks like it's been taken over by squatters. I basically have my new big-screen and stand, some bedding and a few pillows and the new computer desk i just put together. Oh, and my new ergodynamic chair which has been a boon! You don't appreciate a good chair and desk until you've been typing on a laptop while lying on your stomache in the living room.
So anyway, I am here to report that HD TV is in no way overrated. I got the HD-compatible DVD player to go with it, and the difference is astounding. I didn't even need to see the two pictures together to compare, the clarity and three-dimensional characteristics of the picture are amazing! Anyway, needless to say I've been rewatching a bunch of my DVDs until my cable gets hooked up.
Yes, that's right. The No. 1 proponent for the theory that cable companies are pure evil, me, is switching to cable television. Not by choice, just that the apartment is too strict on its regulations for me to install a dish. If I had a balcony I could set up a tripod, but no such luck! So I'll have to rough it with cable and hope that the group here is better than what I've experienced. So far, it's not looking good. For example:
- They're gouging me on price for high speed internet and virtually no discount for bundled service.
- They don't offer a wireless modem.
- When I ordered my service, they asked me if I wanted an HD DVR with it and I said no, I wanted to get it separately. At this point, someone should have told me that you can't GET an HD DVR except through the cable company. Since no one spoke up, I guess I'll just do without for the time being.
- I was told that my converter box would arrive on Saturday. So while I'm out running errands, a box arrives for me, which I'm pretty sure is the converter. Of course, they can't leave it on the doorstep, so essentially I could have had my cable hooked up yesterday had they gotten the dates right.
Yeah I know, all that's pretty picky stuff, and not a huge deal. But it's just a typical symptom of the attitude cable companies always have about being a monopoly and knowing it. They offer what they want, when they want, on their timeline, and if you don't like it, tough. That can be incredibly frustrating!
But anyway, other than that, life under the sun (and I mean that, it's been 100 degrees every day so far) goes on. I'll have to take pictures of the place once it's put together. But for now, it's all coming into place. And it turns out I'll be going to Colorado next week! They changed my training schedule, so instead of Indianapolis, I'll be attending client meetings in Durango for a couple of days. Man, I have a rough gig! I need to remember to thank God every night for finding me this job.
Speaking of that, what a great company! They gave me a stipend to use on home office (a good one! more than I'll likely need to use) and they don't care if you use your blackberry for personal use, and just in general it's a totally different atmosphere than the one at Ford, where you're constantly feeling like every move is scrutinized. I actually feel like they trust their employees here, and that says a lot!
Anyway, that's enough for this morning. More later!
Posted by Paul
at 10:54 AM CDT
