Two for Tuesday

Two comments left on the blog: First one from Karen who gave me a cool "magic" way to tell where the gas filler thing is. Thank you, Karen.  Several years ago when I was driving a VW Jetta Younger Daughter Rebecca told me the same thing. You would think I could remember something like that but apparently not. This morning I checked the Plymouth and yes, same thing. The hose icon on the gauge points to the right, starboard if on a ship. The question now is, will I remember to look next time I need gas? I doubt it.

Andi left a comment about Costco gas pumps having long hoses (can I say that here?). We get gas whenever we shop at Costco so know about hoses there. (can I say that here?) A side note to Andi, laundered underware is fair but buying new shouldn't count.

I was waiting for a call from Safeway when I closed the blog yesterday.

The last prescription I took in was not ready prior to leaving for Nevada City. The medication is also available over the counter, around twenty dollars. I bought a container and told the pharmacist I would check later. The day after we got home we went out for groceries. Wanda was shopping while I went to the pharmacy. It still wasn't ready so I asked if they would call it in, again.

Last month I had a large problem with the medication I take. Saturday May 21st has a long blog that continues on the following Monday. I know this is redundent for some of you, sorry. This is how it is supposed to work.

Pharmacy at Safeway contacts "Elm" then they contact "Hank" for authorization. This takes less than two minutes if done properly. The next step is follow up, which no one did. Aparrently "Elm" was waiting for Safeway to check back and Safeway was waiting for "Elm."

Yesterday I took my regular, every month, always the same prescription to Safeway. It was two items, one was processed on the computer. The second required a phone call. The clerk told me she would contact "Elm" then call me at home with the refill information. This morning I had not yet heard from anyone.

I decided to take control of the situation so I called "Elm." Ring...ring...ring...blah blah blah push 2. Blah blah blah blah push 3.

Is it just me? I have problems with customer service lines answered in foreign countries. But, more often these days, here too. The kids on the phone talk so fast I only catch about half the conversation. This morning I had to ask her to repeat her name, Laura should not be that hard to hear. My ears are getting older and my brain is getting slower. Please, enunciate and s-l-o-w down, stop talking like you're paid by the word.

Laura told me "Elm" was waiting for authorization from "Hank." I called "Hank" who told me I didn't need to call him. "All you need to do is take your card to the pharmacy," he said. I explained the situation; pharmacy waiting for "Elm" and "Elm" waiting for him, etc. While we talked, "Hank" checked his e mail. Hey, how about this? Yesterday he somehow missed one, the request for authorization from "Elm" for, me.

"Hank" sent the approval. Ten minutes later I called "Elm" and asked them to call Safeway.  Several minutes after that, Safeway called me, "We just got a call from "Elm" the authorization went through." I thanked them and said I would be up later today or tomorrow.

Customer Service? It was my phone calls that got this done, the phone calls that I "don't need to make."

How about a little "What The Yuck." Years ago when I was a kid our choice of daily news came from one of four television stations. Also, we could listen to the radio or peruse three daily newspapers. Today we can get our news from hundreds, if not thousands of sources. Consequntly, many things that are not "newsworthy" make headlines. Stories must come from somewhere, from something. The adage, you couldn't make this up, rings true every day. 

Yuck number one is Hefner's new girlfriend, the January 2011 Playmate of the Month. The 25 year old was to be the "maid" (or is it "made") of honour at the wedding that never was. She has "moved into Hefner's bedroom" which I'm sure makes it easier to administer his medications. Reports have the couple "canoodling" at a recent movie night at the Playboy Mansion. I had to look up this word, "canoodling," It means, to feed a person noodles. At least Hef is eating.

Yuck number two is the marriage of a 51 year old character actor and a 16 year old aspiring country music singer. Sources claim the happy couple married in Las Vegas, May 20th. There is nothing "fishy" about the union and the couple are reportedly mad about each other. The bride said, "love is ageless" while the groom was quoted as saying, "so's Viagra." News of the marriage a month ago broke yesterday. Did they needed the 4 weeks to check the legality of the marriage? Maybe, track down the brides mother who had to sign a consent since her daughter is only 16 and, "A good Christian girl." Who by the way, was a virgin. Funny, I read she was from Washington not Virginia.

This girl is 16 like I'm 20. Since late last night her website has had well over 10,000 hits. My blog was started 6 months ago and in under 12 hours she has doubled my numbers. She obviously has a very clever promoter who knows sex sells. I wonder if I should post a few racy pictures here? Naw, probably just scare people away.

Damn, I did it again.

Last week Comcast sent out notices about a new security program. I did not install it until last night.

This morning my browser crashed each time I tried to open, documents, music, pictures and games. Computer, control panel, and just about every folder I have. I didn't install the program for Wanda so I checked from her sign-in. No "Constant Guard" for Wanda, no problem for Wanda.

A typical Catch-22. To uninstall the program I need to open the Control Panel. Each time I try to open Control Panel the browser crashes. I'm sure the program isn't supposed to work this way, closing 99% of the web sites I use. I understand nothing terrible will happen this way. I won't get "hijacked" and I will not get "worms" or "bots." No hacker will get my passwords or bank codes.

I didn't need the Comcast "Constant Guard" for security like this. I could have achieved the same results just by pulling the plug.

PS: From this afternoon: "Comcast looks into reports that scientists have genetically modified cows to produce human breast milk." And we just started buying Organic, damn!