Five Non English Tech People,Two Jasmines and a Bridezilla

Let me start by saying,

We are busy.

Not just 40 to 50 hours a week busy, but...

Dead Tired,

More hours at work than at home,

Drop into bed and pass out,

Busy.

And I am thankful for the work.

We had a bad year last year.

We need to catch up.

That being said,

of course...

something is going to break.

And it did.

Last Thursday night in the storms my monitor on my desktop rolled over and died.

It had been terminal,

It was only a matter of time.

Eight years old.

That's about two hundred and three in human years,

it had served me well.

I called Dell.

The nice, limited English speaking, tech person played coroner and confirmed the death.

He also put in the expedited order for a new one.

To be delivered Tuesday.

I was skeptical,

but always having good service in the past with Dell,

I tried my best to trust them.

Four computers, I have bought from them and always good service.

Until now.

Tuesday when the monitor didn't arrive,

I began calling.

and calling

and calling.

After a total of five non-english speaking tech people with names I didn't understand,

my saying

"pardon me"

and

 "would you please repeat that"

 and

"please run that by me again"

(which they really don't understand)

I grasped the fact that I was not getting a monitor from Dell in the near future. 

Jump forward to 5:00 

and I am on my way to Pittsburgh to buy a monitor.

(what I should have done Friday morning)

You see, I thought that if I had a problem with the monitor hooking up, I would not have to hear

"It's your computer, not our monitor."

Nice people at Best Buy.

In and out

Less than 1/2 hour and I have a 24", so big you have to move your chair back from your desk, monitor. 

Wednesday AM

Hook up the monitor and everything works for the twelve hour day that I work. 

Thursday AM

I think that I should run the cd with the drivers on it to get optimum performance. 

And the trouble begins. 

Try this.

Try that. 

Restart the computer.

Again and again. 

Call tech support at Samsung.

Jasmine #1 tells me the words that I did not want to hear,

"It's not our monitor, it's your computer."

I know that fire came from my ears. 

I hang up.

I call back. 

Jasmine #2 is more compassionate.

She gives me her supervisor.

Something in my voice must have made her pass that on. 

The supervisor is not named Jasmine. 

She says, impatiently,

"Why would you ever run that cd with the drivers on it?"

"What possessed you to do that?" (almost screeching)

I say, through gritted teeth.

"Gee, I don't know, maybe because it came with the monitor and says to look at this first."

She says,

"We have problems with those drivers and they destroy the video cards on computers."

and then the words that set me right over the edge..

"Call Dell and they can figure it out!" 

And then the Bridezilla called.

You see, we had an order for shirts for a wedding party.

You know the ones,

Bride, Bridesmaid, Groom, Wedding Singer...

Pink with Black , Black with Silver.

Green with Silver

Black with White.....

Those confusing, why did I even take the order, orders.

And

I ORDERED THE SHIRTS WRONG!!! 

Totally my fault.

She was crying,

and 

tense

and mad...

Really Mad.

Big Oops!

Jenn and I sprung into action, dug out shirts in the right sizes, but not colors,

made them, gave them to her and gave her the money back for them.

Still sniffling,

but leaving with shirts and a one hundred dollar bill in her hand.

Crisis somewhat averted.

The next call.

A customer in Erie.

His shirts are missing.

What address did I send them to?

I reply,

"The same address as last year."

He says

"But, we moved"

Did I know this?

No.

Call to local UPS.

Call to our driver for the tracking number.

Call back to the customer.

Crisis averted....I think.

I didn't hear back.

If you add in the 800 or so shirts for Relay for Life that we print for free, signs for the fire hall and the $100 refund, I don't really think it was a high profit day.

Guess you have those.

I am going to cut some more fish.

Stress Relief.

On the bright side.

It was a beautiful day,

the neighboring farm is temporarily done spreading manure,

the boys were pretty good at the shop today.

Tyler's funny comment of the day.

"Gramma, will you take me to Monticello?"

Me

"I supposed we could go there someday, why?"

Tyler

"I want to see Thomas Jefferson, he is my favorite president."

Me

"Tyler, you do realize he is dead?"

Shocked look.

Not sure a five year old quite grasps that concept.