The house is quiet. Peaceful. The bird is chittering. The sun is streaming through the windows on this cold December afternoon. I have my laptop and a hot cup of French Vanilla Cappuccino. My feet are propped up in my favorite chair next to my little bird. The decorations are up for Christmas, the house is tidy and the wash is pretty much done. These are optimal writing conditions.So why do I find myself staring at a blank page?
Is my season for writing not righting now? There is a pun in there somewhere.
I am thinking I should give up this precious free time and do somethings else. There are many things I should be getting done before the end of the year. Like calling to get an appointment for an adjustment on my walk aid. It is time to have it adjusted and I need to get new electrodes to keep it functional. I think I am down to the last ones. But before I can call for an appointment, I need to talk to the insurance to find out the billing procedures so that when I go to my appointment, I can make sure the office receives the correct instructions. For three years this has been a problem with the insurance and the office. I am tired of the problem.
Twenty minutes into the phone call and still no person comes on the line.... Perhaps this is not the day to try and talk to the insurance company. Every five minutes I am sent back to the automated menu to select an option to speak to an agent. After pushing all the buttons, I am then subjected to mind numbing music. Is that ornament on the tree one that my daughter made in kindergarten? I think I am too easily distracted to do this. Discouraged, I hang up.
Maybe instead I should be investigating my internet/phone options. This is probably pretty important. I have received about a hundred notifications that I had better contact my provider and make arrangements to prevent any interruption of my service. Interruption? Is that like a disturbance in the force? I suspect this could be bad. They are not very clear in all the notifications I have received on just what this interruption will be, so I call to talk to someone. This time I get a real person. Unfortunately, this person doesn't seem to know what this interruption in service means either. But she is really happy to tell me about what they have to offer; a special price for the next twelve months for phone and internet. Of course, after this special offer period, my bill would be exactly the same as it is now. Kinda. Well, a few dollars more, actually. Mind you, that is a different price than was listed on the last notification sent to me. However, I would be assured of continuous, uninterrupted service, for whatever that was worth. Unfortunately my phone and internet would be different. My phone would no longer be a land line, it would be internet based. Oh, and my wireless router would not work with this new service, I would have to use one of their routers. Available for me to rent. Installation was free though, such a deal, and if it ever broke down, the company would send out a replacement in the next few days at no extra cost. Days during which time I would have no internet. Or phone. Well that sounds like an interruption in service.
Apparently they don't like to provide me with the service I currently enjoy. If you ask me this really sucks. I rather like the service I have at this time. Overall, it has worked pretty well for us as a family. I don't have to rent equipment at a price that would buy me a new router every year or so, and if my current wireless router does break down, I simply go out and purchase a new one to restore my internet service right away. Brief interruptions like these in my internet service does not affect my ability to use my phone. Of course, the agent thought I could keep my current package, but it would cost more and provide less.
Not satisfied, I told the agent that I would have to think about it and review my options.
The options are not great. My research so far indicates there are lots of companies offering internet. None of them offer land lines. Most want me to add cable TV. All of them use different terms to talk about speed and data capabilities. None of their prices match the advertisements. Conversation via live chat revealed that one company doesn't actually offer the service that they advertise specifically for my area. With every passing moment I am more confused and angry.
So much for a more productive use of my time. Happy Holidays.
Since I am not doing much writing, not able to reach an insurance agent and not moving forward against the empire in my effort to obtain a suitable internet and phone service, I toy with the idea of running to the store to pick up a few gifts. This option seems like it would be far more satisfying than my current situation. It also seems a bit like tempting fate.
Rather than check to see if my bail/bond card is still valid, I cast about for other activities that would keep my afternoon from being a total waste and might help rekindle holiday good will and sense of peace that I enjoyed earlier. Lo and Behold, I find a stack of Christmas cards on my desk and a fresh roll of stamps. Never mind that the Christmas cards were bought two years ago and the boxes need a bit of dusting.... This is just the thing to bring my spirits up and get my creative juices flowing once more.
As I head up the stairs, I hear laughter.
I think the Elf on a Shelf is laughing at me.
Which is odd. We don't have an Elf on a Shelf.
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