Lemons vs Apples

Turns out the new laptop is a total lemon--broken DVD drive, still having start-up issues. They're sending me a new one. They're suggestion, not mine. I was all for the tech coming to my house with new parts.

In the meantime, thinking it was fixed, I downloaded Microsoft Office. All for naught once I send the defective computer back. Dell doesn't want to install Office on the new computer for free, I think they should--or send the tech to my house to fix the computer. That's $100 bucks we're talking about! Still haggling over that. So my $600 laptop will cost me $700 (if I've lost the argument) plus a trip to western Utah, 1 week of irritation/frustration, and 2hrs on the phone. Grrr!

Next time I will try Apple.

Disappearing Gum

I spit a piece of gum in the trash this morning but didn't ever see it hit. I kind of looked around on the floor but didn't search very hard because it was a gross public restroom.  Found it tonight inside the shirt I was wearing.

New Job

I begin to suspect being salaried is just a means to pay one less for more hours worked...

Hisashiburi

Here at the end of a crazy, busy week I'll make a short little post.

The week before Christmas I interviewed, was offered and accepted a job. I was also overcome with guilt over giving notice at one of my other jobs, so agreed to continue to work 1-2 half-days per week through the month of January. Somehow those have turned into 11 hour days and I will soon be dead (already neurotic).


Meanwhile, finally fed up with my ancient, virus-laden, slower-than-molasses computer, I decided to purchase a laptop while I try to decide whether an Apple is worth the price. Is it? I could buy like three PCs for the price of one Apple.

Projected date of delivery was Jan 25, so much to my dismay (following my delight at discovering I was the recipient of a Heart Attack--thank you, friends) I discovered three notices from Fed Ex on my front door stating no more delivery attempts would be made. Who uses the front door when there's a garage?? I leave and return in the dark! Curses!


Of course today is the slushiest, sleeting-est day Utah has seen in months. I rushed out of work at 3:35 trying to make it to the Fed Ex warehouse before 4 PM. Does it drive anyone else crazy to follow a vehicle which you canno't see around? Are they going slow because there are cars ahead of them, or are they just putting along to make me insane?


It's 3:57 PM and I'm driving in some industrial no-man's land--who knew there was a 5600 West?--hoping to find Fed Ex, which I did. After circling a warehouse the length of a city block, I finally found an entrance for people, as opposed to trucks, and got my package.

Trying to open the laptop, I realized I am impaired.  Seriously, I was ready to call someone for help. The little Dell logo, I thought perhaps it should face the user when opening the laptop. So I pushed, pulled and pried, trying to open it from the hinged end. Nice. Apparently that little button is not a release switch, but rather turns the screen on and off. It took me not a short amount of time to open the computer and bring life to the screen. Power on, power off; power on, power off. Why is the screen still black? Why is there a button like that??