Service with a smile

Sometimes things happen that really piss you off. It doesn't have to be a big thing, but something that strikes your nerves just right. As some of you know we recently upgraded our cell phones. Our old plan was a holdover AT&T Wireless plan. In the last year or two Cingular bought out AT&T wireless. Because of the buyout we officially had to switch over to a Cingular plan when we bought our new phones.

We returned from Disney World a day or two before we got the new phones and plans. Through a miracle in scheduling that happened to be at the end of the Cingular billing cycle, so we had a cell phone bill that included a vast majority of our vacation waiting for us when we got home, about $150. We had previously setup for our bill to be automagically withdrawn from our checking account, so the bill explicitly said "Do not pay, the balance will be automatically withdrawn" or language to that effect. It should also be mentioned that before we left for Disney World I lost my debit card and it had to be replaced.

Fast forward, the Cingular payment never comes out of our account. Whether that is due to me losing my card or the changes in plans I don't know. I don't hear anything from Cingular, I figure I will just wait for the next bill and contest any late charges.

Lat Friday the bill came, the late charges were insignificant, about 35 cents. So I set up a bill pay to send a check and nearly forgot about it. Until we got a call Monday, and Tuesday, and today from a Cingular rep demanding our late payment and saying that if we didn't pay in the next 10 days our service would be cancelled.

Now, we've sent the money already, I suspect they will have it by tomorrow. What I don't like is being overtly accused of intentionally not paying my bill. Couldn't Cingular have called us when the original payment didn't go through, just to say "hey, it appears something is wrong here." Where was the courtesy call? Instead we get, "pay up asshole, or your phone will be disconnected" like we did something wrong. I don't know, that really just rubs me the wrong way. So, when our contract is up I believe we will be switching cell providers.

Moral of the story, don't use auto bill pay, it'll screw ya in the end.

Candy Mountain

If you can watch this with a straight face then your veins run ice cold. I double dog dare you.

Cannonball!

We had a good Fourth of July here. Friday night we drove to Des Moines to visit Nana B and Papa Al. We spent the night watching Hogan Knows Best (because, well, he does, and because he rocks a fanny pack like no one else) and drinking some beers. We went out with the family for lunch on Saturday at the Roadhouse, Dad paid, so it was extra delicious. After a lazy Saturday night and Sunday things picked up on Monday with our foray to the casa de Garms for a beer bonanza. I drank too much I think, because I didn't feel right all day yesterday and this morning, but that didn't stop the Flores train from rolling to Loren and Lisa's for a raucous eat, drink, swim session yesterday afternoon. The end result being this. The weekend was capped by a trip downtown to watch the fireworks with the Pimlott's.

Anyways the party doesn't stop there, the Flo wagon moves to Chicagoland on Thursday and Friday for the Fiesta Grande and back to Iowa for Big Nate's birthday blowout on Saturday. So yeah, we get around.

Ok, now Tarantino it and go back. Hulk Hogan, WWE great wears an everloving fanny pack. It's a well acknowledged fact, after all he is included in the Wikipedia entry for fanny pack. So, all you little Hulkimaniacs out there riddle me this, what the hell is in the fanny pack? Seriously, the world needs to know this stuff. I say he's got to at least have a backup bandana and maybe a jar of the clear. Feel free to chime in.