Phone frustration

GAH! I am so, so, SO frustrated with this whole cell phone problem. My Android died last month, so after several weeks of research, trials (meaning I bought a phone off eBay, hated it, and resold it -- yay eBay), bandaging my current phone, I finally received the phone I loved last week.

Only problem: the phone is locked to a Canadian cell phone company (Fido), so it won't work when I put my SIM card in. Normally that's not an issue -- you can purchase an unlock code online for less than 10 USD -- but it's a problem when said unlock code doesn't work, which is what happened to me. (I got my money refunded.)

So, apparently the only way to get the phone unlocked is to call the cell phone company and beg for them to unlock it for you for a fee. However, there are all sorts of caveats, such as -- you have to be a current customer, the phone must be off contract or originally purchased at full price, etc. Being of the optimistic desperate sort, I called Fido. The guy who answered was very nice and said, "Well, since you're not a current customer, we can't do anything for you. But there is a trick -- I'm not supposed to tell you this -- but you can register as a customer for free and then say you already have a phone that needs to be unlocked, and they will unlock it for you. I can transfer you now."

SUHHWEEET.

Well, turns out I can't exactly do that. The next guy asked me for my SIM card number, and I said, "Uhh... I actually have an AT&T card at the moment." He said, "Nope, you have to have a prepaid SIM card, which you can buy in a store in Canada, or else I can't get you an account."

But... but... the nice guy told me I could just register... ahh damn. Noooooooooo...

So now I'm at a crossroads. I suppose I could purchase a SIM card online, use that to register myself with Fido, and then go from there... but at this point I'm ready to start banging my head against the wall, especially when my current phone is literally falling apart at the seams and I have this new, beautiful shiny phone I can't do anything with. :(

I'll take you frame by frame it

Recently I had a somewhat awkward experience with trying to get a print framed for my bedroom. There's this semi-large, ugly, fuse box on the wall next to my bed, and it's a bit of an eyesore. (Why they couldn't just put it in the closet is beyond me.) Me, being of the thrifty sort, measured it and found this frame from IKEA would cover it nicely top-to-bottom, and still have enough room on the sides so that I could still attach it to the drywall. Better yet, it has plexiglass instead of glass, and for clumsy me (who routinely drops/breaks things), it was perfect.

Once I found the frame, I had to find the print. The not-so-nice thing about large IKEA frames is that they're measured metrically and don't jive with the good ol' Imperial system. This one was a balanced 60x80cm, which translates to 23 ½ and 31 1/2 inches.  (Actually, I think it was even worse than that – like 23 2/5ths, but the IKEA site is deceiving.)  The good news is that I found a print I liked that I could mat it so it'd fill out the frame. My mom does matting all the time – "It's not rocket science," she says, and supposedly local art stores usually cut down mats for people.

Nope. Apparently NOT down here in my city. I called at least 4 different stores, and no one just cuts mats. Michaels tricked me and said they cut mats, but when I went there, the guy behind the counter said, "Sure, we cut them... but only the outside. It'll cost $80 cut a window on the inside." WTF!

Finally I found a store that's actually a kind of a do-it-yourself shop, where they'll show you how to cut your own mat and mount it to a frame. However, first and foremost, they're a custom frame shop, which is obviously how they make their money. So I show up in the evening, expecting they'll help me cut down a mat in 20 minutes and I'd be on my merry way. Nope. Long story short, the lady behind the counter would cut the mat for me the next day, and the next evening I'd come back to mount it there in the shop. All this for only $38.

This is where it gets embarrassing. I was kind of hoping I could just take the mat home and do it all myself so I didn't have to come back and have them show me basically how to use scotch tape. But since the service included a "how to," I had to do it all in front of them with this cheap ass IKEA picture frame. And, like anything from IKEA, it requires some sort of assembly. We had to wrestle with the frame to get everything all snugged up and in place, and it because glaringly obvious that bringing a $20 frame to a custom frame-making place is like bringing Two Buck Chuck to a cocktail-attire champagne & cheese party.

Anyway, we finally get everything settled in, and I do my best to book it out of there once it's wrapped up. As I thanked them and went out the door, the woman calls out, "Pleasure doing business! Next time we'll have to make you a frame." As if I weren't embarrassed enough that I brought a particleboard and plastic picture frame to this shop, I get a guilt trip as I'm leaving. Gee, thanks guys.

Next time I'm just going to buy a mat cutter and try to do the damn thing myself. ;)





Post title song reference: "O.P.P" - Naughty by Nature

Take the "B" train

So, how's this for complete randomness?

Last Thursday, I was late getting to work as usual. I was waiting on the subway platform and saw a cute guy standing nearby. [For those of you who know where I live, I would never call it the "subway" in real life. But for anonymity's sake, it's the subway. :P]  The first train that showed up was packed to the gills. Normally I would have just jumped on and dealt with it since I was running late, but there was another train about a minute away, so I waited. Sadly, cute guy did not and squished himself onto this train. I was sad. :(

Turns out this was actually in my favor. I jump on the next train, which was blissfully empty, and get off at my stop for work. I start walking to the other side of the platform's stairs to avoid the crush of people disembarking. To my amazement, Facebook guy is RIGHT THERE, waiting for the opposite train. Whaaaaa!

(Okay. Facebook guy is officially "Josh," because "FB guy" could be misconstrued as Fuck Buddy Guy or Ferret Boy Guy or something.)

Yeah. Very random. He stopped and recognized me, so we had a 30 second conversation, because his train was pulling up and he was leaving for the airport. Anyway, as he was getting on the train, he said, "We have to ride together soon," or something to that effect.

Gerhh. That means I have to actually start riding my bike so I don't die on a simple 25 mile ride – that is, if he follows up. I'm also the world's slowest uphill biker, even when I'm in shape, because my knees are shot and I ride with a triple chainring (meaning, itty bitty front gear so my poor knees don't explode). That triple is the reason I have a "no two person bike rides" policy – because most guy road bikers are total spokejocks/triathletes-in-training who treat every ride as if it's a competition, and also have no road manners (aka, not staying on the shoulder, etc.). 

On the flip side, guys who bicycle recreationally on hybrid/mountain bikes are scared by my road bike, because I usually go faster/farther than they do, even when I'm riding at my normal, slowish pace. Sounds dumb, but it's happened. So, as silly as it sounds, my policy has some merit. ;)  The only person who's an exception to the rule is my dad, and that's only because he's 30+ years older than me and I'm able to keep up with him.

Anyway, it's funny to think that skipping the first train and missing out on the cute guy from my station (who I probably wouldn't have even talked to... or better yet, is married) would time perfectly when I walked off the second train. AND I was wearing my hair down, so I didn't look like my normal, disheveled self with a lopsided ponytail! Strange how these things happen.






Post title song reference: "Take the 'A' Train" - Billy Strayhorn/Duke Ellington orchestra

I hope ya don't mind, let me clear my throat

So, the Valentine's party was interesting, to say the least. First off, the open bar was a complete shitshow. I literally stood at the front for 25 minutes before I got my drinks. It was like I was in this black hole of the bar, because the people on both sides of me couldn't get the bartenders' attention, either. I think the problem was that the open bar was a true open bar – for example, you could get a specialty martini with your drink tickets, which meant they were busy making drinks rather than just pouring standard rail drinks and beer.

Secondly, it was at a bar that hosts a bocce league, so the poor bocce ball teams were trying to just get their pitchers of beer in between event folks ordering ridiculously complicated drinks. I was standing next to a really cute bocce ball player for most of my wait time, and unfortunately couldn't even start a conversation, because it would have meant taking eye contact away from the oblivious bartenders. He ended up walking away after 20 minutes, saying, "Sorry... hopefully I'll see you later!" Unfortunately he disappeared by the end of the night. Sad face.

Thirdly, there were more women than men, which doesn't entirely surprise me, but it tended to make other girls unfriendly. I think I got the hairy eyeball from several girls simply for saying, "Excuse me," to walk past their conversation partners. Also, I think the problem with these branded "singles" events is that everyone knows everyone else is available, and therefore everyone has an agenda. That, combined with the male-to-female ratio, meant it was in favor of the dudes, most of whom just wanted to get some booty.

And finally, my #%^@ cold/post-nasal-drip induced cough came roaring back by the end of the night. I had nearly kicked the thing by using a nasal decongestant spray the night before – I made it through Wednesday night without waking up coughing, which was a welcome relief. However, I didn't do the spray before I left the house Thursday, and one tickle-y cough turned into a couple more, and before you know it, I was coughing literally every 30 seconds. It was not attractive.

I guess on paper it looks like the party was a bust, but it actually has me interested in joining a bocce league. Granted, I don't have the slightest clue on how to play bocce, but it doesn't look super hardcore. (Unlike last year's kickball league, which had this one asshole team that played it as a serious competitive sport and ruined it for everyone.)

As far as my cough? Much better after a weekend off, but at this point it's just an annoying post-nasal drip cough -- the cold seems to have finally left my body. Finally!






Post title song reference: "Let Me Clear My Throat" - DJ Kool

Another tragic case

Arrrgghh.

Remember Blake from Christmas? Well, he's engaged to the mean girlfriend.

I mean, it's not a huge shock, but at the same time, I get the feeling like he did it in an effort to fix his problems. Sorry dude, but getting married is not going to fix the fact that you hate your job, you hate the city you live in (and she still won't consider relocating so he can get a better job), and you have very few friends as a result of moving across the country to be with said girl who wasn't that into you from the get-go.  Also, from the stories I've heard, she's manipulative, greedy, and controlling, and I have a feeling the ensuing Bridezilla is going to be of massive proportions. Poor guy... I really don't think he *really* knows what he's getting himself into.

The other thing that's bothering me is that there's something very unbalanced about all of it. I think nearly all of my FB friends changed their profile photos of themselves with their fiancés (that, or their ring) within a day of being proposed to – and for good reason! You're getting married, you should be sweet and cheesy and romantic about it on FB (much to us grumpy singletons' chagrin). Yet her photo is still of her and her friend in a "biyatch, I'm fabulous" pose.

Then, there's the tweeted Instagram pic of her perfectly manicured left hand (good timing?) with the hashtags "#diamonds #love." I can also thank Twitter for her tweeting, "Finally!" with the announcement. I guess we know what her priorities are... diamonds and a wedding. [Insert McKayla Maroney "Not Impressed" meme here.]

I'm not going to hide the fact that I'm disappointed that I missed out. But at the same time, it sucks just a bit more because she's just not a nice person, and I think I'm generally a nice person. So where's my prince? ;-)

Anyway, I'm headed to an "Anti-Valentine's Day" singles party on Thursday. I actually like Valentine's Day, even though I'm always single on it, because I lurrvve chocolate, and I used to make all my friends little bags of candy and cards every year. Now all my friends are in relationships or married, so I'm going to get off my butt and go have some fun. And then maybe buy some candy at CVS on the way home. ;)





Post title song reference: "Head on Collision" - New Found Glory

I'm waiting for this cough syrup to come down

After last weekend's incredibly bad decision, I am more than content to stay in and veg out on the couch for the next two nights. It's probably a good thing, since I am currently battling some sort of cold/bronchitis brought on by -- get this -- accidentally inhaling a chunk of salsa on Monday. Somehow it managed to bring on a spat of coughing that wouldn't quit, which somehow formed into a cold/bronchitis.

Under orders from my medical genius sister, I went to the doctor and came home with an Advair inhaler and prescription for Albuterol to prevent this thing from evolving into chronic asthmatic bronchitis, which is precisely what happened to me several years ago... not fun.

Anyway, I'm sitting here watching Tron: Legacy on TV, which is actually fascinating to me as I've never seen the original one. And as a computer nerd, I'm catching all these funny computer references in the movie -- such as, the program opponents in the game arena had names like "Cray" (a 1970s supercomputer), the Unix commands Sam (who is DAMN HOT!) types into the basement computer, and Rinzler/Tron makes this funny clicking noise that's supposed to indicate his corrupted data -- much like how a hard drive starts to clunk/click when it fails. Also, as a former orchestra dork, the score is pretty damn good with Daft Punk added.

Annnnd that's about it. Not much else to report. Anyone watch The Americans?




Post title song reference: "Cough Syrup" - Young the Giant

My head feels like I musta' had some fun

Ever have such a bad hangover that you literally spent the entire day in some sort of horizontal position?

Yeah, that was me yesterday. I haven't had one of these horrifically bad mornings-after in a long time, and it sucked.

One of my friends and I went to this fancy black-tie fundraiser party on Saturday night. I've been to this event in years past, so I was excited to go again because they have a great band, open bar, and MINI CUPCAKES. NOMMM. However, I made the huge, huge mistake of drinking too much, too fast (damn you, open bar), because I wasn't feeling the effects right away. I think I had at least four or five mixed drinks (oof), and even worse, I took a shot at the after-party. (Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.) So, by the time I stumbled home, it was 3 AM, and I was so obnoxiously drunk that I went to bed still wearing my long coat and scarf. That's embarrassing. Normally I at least have the coherence to change clothes and take the clean unfolded laundry off my bed.

Needless to say, Sunday was awful. The sinus headache, the nausea, the shakiness just about killed me. I feel like someone ran over me with a truck, backed up, and then ran me over three more times just to make sure I was sufficiently dead. I didn't have any Gatorade (that's usually what helps the most), and I was too nauseous to eat, so I couldn't take any ibuprofen for the headache.

I finally felt about 75% by 11 PM. Unfortunately, I wasn't very tired (thanks to sleeping on and off all day), so I didn't fall asleep until around 2, and today I'm still feeling tired and a little headache-y.

So! Lesson learned, hopefully for the last time. If you don't feel buzzed after a couple of drinks, don't keep drinking. Slow the fuck down when doing open bar, unless you want to waste a full 24 hours of a weekend day recovering. The 'fun' isn't worth it. Gahhh.




Post title song reference: "What Happened?" - Sublime