Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I Had A Movement


Well, I moved my body, two cats and lots of stuff yesterday from Logan Square to Rogers Park. I used Done Right Movers, and they did good by me. They quoted me a good price and a two-and-a-half hour move. And that's exactly what it was and what they did. Having done three moves in three years, I don't see myself ever going back to the rent-a-U-Haul-and-beg-friends-to-help service I had previously used for so long. Especially since it rained yesterday. Under the old model, it would have taken forever. These guys didn't even mention the rain or complain about it.

Unfortunately, I'm without Internet service at home til Friday. I'm sitting in a diner at Clark and Devon that has free wi-fi. And a decent skillet breakfast - although, dear God, people, don't put carrots in breakfast food! Or veggie burritoes! Stir Frys, yes, go for it. Otherwise, it's just not right.

Anyway, Comcast, my Internet provider, has really become more efficient. Last year, they screwed up after my move. This time, they screwed up a good four days before I moved. I arranged for everything on-line, even using their live chat service to talk to a rep, and set up someone coming to my new apartment tomorrow to set everything up. I did this a good week and a half ago. Everything went smooth as soy milk. Then on Thursday morning last week, I started getting automated calls saying someone would be coming by between 8am and 10am to install my cable. Whuh? I haven't even moved yet!

I had to call information to get their service number and then go through a hall of mirrors-esque series of voice-mail promps that included every option except "Press 3 if we screwed something up." I finally spoke to a live person who, without any apology or acknowledgement of responsibility, simply changed it to the next available slot of Friday. Woo-hoo! Two more days of trying to scam free Internet service from places and not being able to DVR Fringe, Sarah Connor or Burn Notice. Oh, and crap, doesn't Pushing Daisies start up this week? Oh, and, by the way, the economy sucks and Washington is still saying there "might" be a recession if they don't do anything. Might? Banks failing, epidemic foreclosures, McCain susoending his campaign, Bush giving a go-to-war-like talk about the economy... What's a recession? When the entire state of Illinois piles into a big jalaopy and heads west looking for work?

Um, okay, when I notice myself going on a rant about fairly petty things like cable service, I feel compelled to balance it out with something more substantial.

THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY


Yesterday, I asked...

"Paul Newman's first starring role came in 1956 when he was called upon to replace whom?"


37% said
"Marlon Brando"

12% said
"Charlton Heston"

13% said
"Tony Curtis"

38% got it right with
"James Dean"

According to My Way News,
Newman's breakthrough was enabled by tragedy: James Dean, scheduled to star as the disfigured boxer in a television adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's "The Battler," died in a car crash in 1955. His role was taken by Newman, then a little-known performer.

No bits here. Paul Newman was a class act all the way. His films are a study of manhood -a rite of passage for guys. His characters often held dark sides and light sides and often persevered in struggling to do the right thing. A role model for everyone and he sets the bar high for all men and all humans who aspire to walk their talk.