If it’s not an urgent item, I definitely wait for a sale to buy something. Waiting also helps me reconsider if I realize later on I didn’t really need to buy it anyway. I also like discount coupon hunting. The chance of finding a working coupon is low, but when it works it’s like striking gold.
I had a flat tire at midnight once. Tried for about an hour to change it myself before calling a tow truck company that said it was open. Got routed to a call center who said they had to contact one of their freelance trucks, after paying $250 over the phone. A little more back and forth and about 90 minutes later (when they said it’d be 30 minutes), no truck ever appeared. The call center (third rep that night) called and said the one person they had working tonight broke down outside of cell service, can they come out in the morning? I said that won’t work, I’ll just cancel and get a refund. They said it’d take 3-4 business days to get the refund and there’d be a $50 refund processing charge.
I didn’t quite blow up at them, but any time I have to stand up for myself I get shaky and struggle to keep the anger out of my voice. I explained (several times) that there was no way that was acceptable and that I would like to speak to their manager. “I spoke to my manager and there’s nothing we can do, that’s just the cost of processing a refund.” Well I paid for services that I didn’t receive, due to no fault of my own. Let me speak to your manager. Another hold. “My manager is willing to pay the refund himself this one time.” Yeah ok sure thanks bye.
20 minutes later my tire was changed by a different tow truck company who had a real employee answer before the second ring, had multiple trucks on duty, didn’t even ask for payment until after the work was done, and it was about $80. I fully expected to have to issue a chargeback for the first company’s charge but fortunately it never showed up on my card statement.
“I’m sorry, but you failed to provide a service. Either give me a full refund or I will start the charge back process with my credit card company and you’ll be forced to explain why your refund policy violates their ToS and any penalties that arise from that process.”
Also, if you can and can do so without overspending, this is why it's best to use a credit card for all purchases rather than cash or debit. Can't do a chargeback if you didn't use a credit card.
There’ve been a couple times. I make a distinction between frustration at the company and the person, but sometimes you run into reps that are willfully unhelpful or actively malicious for their own gain.
Two cases come to mind. I’ve had an ISP rep call me about updated prices, who then proceeded to try and sell me a broadband and streaming bundle subscription. I would have gotten a slightly faster speed, plus the streaming BS. Same price as I was already paying.
I specifically asked if unbundled contracts had also been changed, and the dude said “no”. I checked the prices online while still on the call, and the bastard was straight up lying. Without the streaming bundled, the price was lower and came with even more speed. I told him this, and he asked “oh do you want that then?”. I replied “yes, but not if it gives you a sales bonus”, so I hung up and signed up for the new contract via the ISP website.
In the other case I was shopping for jeans, and the store rep repeatedly handed me elastane-ridden skinny jeans a few sizes too small, insisting they’d look better, even as I kept telling him the exact size I wanted, and that I preferred the 100% cotton denim, loose fit jeans. At the fourth pair of skinny jeans I told him to fuck off, and just went through the store myself until I found what I was looking for.
I agree with the others – stay hydrated and maybe drink coffee to give yourself a boost. But I have another suggestion which works for me but not for my husband so I have no idea if it’s unusual.
As long as I haven’t just very recently peed, I can make myself pee by tickling the top of my ass crack. So I sit on the toilet, touch that spot, and pee starts to trickle. Then it’s like as soon as it gets started, it’s easy to continue.
I just signed into YT for the first time in ages to verify this, and you’re right - I am not “verified” with YT, so they won’t let me upload any custom thumbnails. You’re right to not want to give them your phone #, but then again, I imagine they did this because people will game the system, setting a misleading thumbnail for an otherwise unrelated video. (Set the title & image to say, “How to do X” but then the video tries to sell them something else entirely).
But in the end, it’s their platform, as crappy as it is, you have to work within their rules. This is why we need better options for uploading videos. I know you mentioned PeerTube, but have you tried one of these alternatives?
I might try peertube one day, even though I am not sure it is the plateform with the best audience for tutorials, I had the impression that most content on there is either political or just content creators making backup accounts in case youtube terminates theirs for no reason.
Are you radically different than your younger self?
Oh yes. Younger me was an intolerable little shit.
Are there key elements that have stayed the same? > Most parts?
Lots of stuff. Getting older is mostly additive, hobby wise. I’m just worse at all the physical aspects of each hobby.
Do you feel as if you’ve followed the “roadmap of life” or forged your own path?
I had a pretty clear plan and stuck to it. Make the pretty beep beep computer box dance, and charge people money for doing so.
Have there been “chapters” or do things all sort of slide into one contiguous flow?
Definitely separate chapters. 0-2: Literally full of shit. 2-22: Full of shit, because I didn’t know any better. 22-32: Full of shit, but working on improving. 32-42: Getting my shit together. 42-62: Still full of shit, after all that effort. 62-Dead: Probably still full of shit, honestly. Hopefully in a fun way, by now.
Oh this was fun. I think I was laughing through the whole lot. Hahahaha! You're funny! Beep-boopers of a certain era are goofs, idk if it's some intelligence -> wit type thing or what? Either way, keep kicking until you're not. Sounds like you're a goodun'!
p.s. - I like your talk about hobbies growing, but skill lessening. I love drawing, but it's gotten harder for me cause sometimes I have MIckey Mouse gloves for hands. But I still love the act, so you know - even getting scratch down makes me =)
I’ve tried turning down the steering sensitivity, but no dice. I’ve been running on foot, or trying to see if I can get Jackie/NPC to drive. If not, I’m just creeping along on the highway, probably getting laughed at by NPCs
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