Technology and Tantrums

 

Hello dears.  I have had my share of struggles, frustrations, and temperamental issues today.  All related to technology.

Sigh.

If only it didn't add so much to our lives!

I literally got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning because that is the side I slept on, the wrong side.  John and I swapped sides so that he could lie on his right side and have his face out in the room, since his left cheek was so sore.  Not an issue.  I happily gave up my spot, but for anyone who hasn't sampled the other side of the bed, it most definitely sleeps different.  It was almost akin to being in a strange bed (guest, hotel, etc.).  I did sleep, but I woke up very early and in pain because I changed my position to accommodate the differences.

I had meant, this morning, to get up early and leave home early to head to the grocery store and then get back home, early naturally!  It didn't at all go that way.  I was up early, then slopped around the house for a few hours and didn't leave until 10ish.  

I drove back to Warner Robins today, not because I had to or particularly wanted to, but because I didn't want to go to either of the other two Kroger stores, I might have chosen.  I wondered later exactly why I felt either of them was inferior to the one I was in.  I don't like the store I go to in Warner Robins.  It's chaotic, nothing is arranged in anything that appears in the least bit reasonable, and they are forever telling me they have something and it's right there on aisle such and such.  Well, no it isn't.  But all that aside, it's the chaos of it that really drags me down.  

Stores all have their own personality regardless of affiliation.  The nicest of Kroger stores is located about the same distance from the house, give or take a mile, but parking is nuts there and people in that shopping area will run you over and not look back to see what went bump.   Last week I was at the Perry store, which is older and darker and smaller.  

So, to the Warner Robins store, where I completely forgot that customer service and chaos reign there.  I did my shopping, finding that the chuck roast advertised for $6.99/pound was not available in that store at all.  I could buy chuck roast but for $8.99/pound.   After a disappointing journey over aisles to find ice packs (not in first aid and none in picnic supplies), I headed to the register.  I was trying to pull up my Plus Card and the Kroger app kept saying "Access denied".  I had to stand around for a good fifteen minutes to get connected to Kroger internet and bring up the app once more.  Why my phone had no service is beyond me.  I got in line and had the girl scan my card first thing, for fear I'd lose the connection, and I'd not get those card related bargains.

From there I went to the phone store to try and get a service stopped and change our plan for the remaining service lines.  No luck.  The young woman told me I had to call in to do this and that was that.  She turned her back on me and walked away.  I followed and asked a question and was told that I was wrong in my supposition and I'd have to call in to the main line to talk to customer service.  She turned away again. 

I went by the discount grocery to pick up their sale priced Chuck Roast.  It was only a few cents higher than the sale price at Kroger.  I did stop at the clearance produce aisle and got some Brussels Sprouts, Green Bell Peppers and celery.  I was very happy to find celery for 75c rather than the $2.19 I've been avoiding paying at the other stores.

Home.  I unloaded groceries because I am trying to protect John.  I got hot and bothered.  I opted to sit down with a cool drink of water and have lunch.  Before I was finished eating, Sam stopped by to print off lesson work and then he sat and talked.  He went online with my phone service to try and help me sort out a new plan.  I was very disappointed in pricing overall based upon what was online.  

After Sam left, I put away the cold items and then went to my room to make the dreaded phone call.  My first customer service rep said his name was Chris.  His accent made me suspect that was not his actual given name.  In the background behind him I could hear a great deal of shouting, and I could clearly hear Spanish and other languages being spoken, as well as English.  Eventually he sent me over to another customer service rep who had the quietest background I've ever heard.  Each time he fell silent I was convinced the connection had been lost.  

I explained what I wanted to do.  I was assured there was no way.  Little did I know that my original bargain plan now cost so much because "when it was first offered, the company was making a big savings on it.  As it became more popular and more people were signed up, it became more expensive for us to provide it to so many more people..."  Oh okay.  It's our fault (as customers) because we bought the program in the first place.  Shaking my head over that one.  

And then the representative said very quietly, "I'm not supposed to share about this but..."  He proceeded to tell me about a plan meant for the 55 and over group to allow them to save money.  

If you want to raise my hackles say, "Trust me..." when I don't know you, or say "I'm not supposed to say this but..."  Ugh.  Never mind.  He then informed me I needed to go to a store and get that set up if I thought it was something I'd be interested in.  'Call customer service.'  'Go to a store...'  

I went and put away the rest of the groceries and calmed myself a bit.  John went online and said, "They have a number here where you can call and get signed up."  I steeled my nerves and called the number.  This time I lucked out.  I got a very nice young man who helped me do all I needed to do to change our plan, save money, go paperless, get my email on the account, and sign up for autopay.  Yes seriously.  He was quite wonderful!  And in the end, I had done all I wanted to do without talking to more than one person.

Later, when I was all finished with that process I was feeling lucky and decided now was the time to print off my credit card statement.   

Our printer used to work fairly well.  It had a bit of a conniption every time John or I printed something and then the other person needed to print something too.  Our printer just could not accept that it is a shared printer.  Then Sam started printing stuff off, too and it's been extremely testy ever since.  We often have to resort to uninstalling and reinstalling the drive.  And then we got fiber optic.

My printer is 4G.  Fiber Optic is 5G.  My printer does not like 5G.  It boldly states that it is not equipped to handle 5G.  It recommended we use a USB cable, which Sam went and bought.  

We still have to uninstall, reinstall and try ten times in order to get anything printed.  Today it was especially stubborn about printing my statement.  As John is fond of saying, "I've done everything except swing chicken bones around my head..."  

Once I got the printer reinstalled, the computer then demanded that I must download what I wanted to print out.  I just wanted to print straight from the page.  It balked and refused.  Fine.  I downloaded.  Immediately not one of my files could be opened to show me where that item was stored.  I'm sure it's someplace perfectly obvious like being stuck in the midst of a set of children's photos from 15 years ago.

By this point, John was a little testy with me over my continuous muttering and fussing and temperamental outbursts.  Can't blame him.  Can't say any of it had helped get me the results I wanted, either.  I clenched my jaws shut, bit my tongue and willed myself to be quiet as I continued to struggle with the printer.  At one point, a muffled scream escaped me despite my best efforts. But I won out at last and printed off the two pages I needed.  That only took 45 minutes.

When it was all said and done and I'd headed to the kitchen to sort out the supper that I had failed to set out meat to thaw for, or planned, nor bought anything at the store to fill the gap, I determined that I seldom have to deal with such issues as I had dealt with today.  It is a rare thing, truly, for me to have to deal with technology and customer service representatives as much as I had today.  And I'm so so glad that is true!

As of today, after the shopping I'd done today, I am officially out of grocery money.  We should be just fine until our next pay period.  I can make bread.  I have plenty of eggs, milk and cheese and all the pantry basics.  We'll see how well I make out.  I may as well tell you that this pay period, I cut back on groceries by one quarter because I thought I had to make an early payment in November which is a late pay period month for us (five weeks between, not four weeks).  Turns out I was mistaken, but I think I've done well.  As of this Friday when my Amazon order arrives, I have filled all the gaps in my pantry.  I am ready for the winter at last.

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