Addicts Are Us

Posted on November 30, 2015 by cordeliasmom2012

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMy name is CookieCakes, and I am a webaholic.

Over the last few years, my husband has often accused me of having a “soft addiction” to the internet, especially once I became a blogger.  How ridiculous is that? Blogging is a fun hobby, as is surfing the web to find ideas.  Like any hobby, it can be given up without any grief whatsoever.  Ah, but can it be given up so  easily?

My computer had been acting weird for the last few weeks, especially when accessing the internet.   I just figured it was an older computer with limited storage space.  I knew it was reaching capacity, so I bought an external hard drive and began transferring files to that.  It seemed to help.

But I was still having trouble occasionally accessing certain websites.  When the WordPress site failed to load, I just figured WP was playing games again, and I found a different way in by going to another blogger’s WP site and tracking back to my site.  That worked for awhile.

Then the unthinkable happened.  It was a Saturday, and I had just sat down to upload Victo Dolore’s guest post.  I clicked on my WP shortcut and immediately got a message that the website address could not be located.

Say what? Did I tick WP off somehow? I had just renewed my annual subscription, but maybe they were upset that I didn’t upgrade to premium? Were they incensed that I signed up for the “no advertising” option? Ok, WP, I’ll beat you at your own game like I did last time.

So I tried to go onto another blogger’s website, which I had as a favorite.  Nothing.

Hmmm.  WP must really be pissed.  What on earth could I have done?

I tried Yahoo, Google and AOL. Nothing.

Now realized it wasn’t WP at all. It was the ENTIRE INTERNET! Nooooo.

I checked all the connections between the computer, the modem, the keyboard, the wall.  Everything looked A-OK.

My husband heard me swearing and came downstairs to tell  me that he had the same issues with his laptop, and that a few nights before he had solved the problem simply by shaking the modem.  I tried that.  Nothing.

The modem lights were on, but nothing was happening.  Time to call Time Warner.

Have you ever tried to call your internet provider? On a Saturday? Good luck with that.

I dialed the number on the Time Warner invoice and got a recorded message to the effect that there were service issues in my area, which were being resolved.  I decided to wait it out.

Several hours later, I tried the internet again. Nothing.  Time Warner has lied in the past, so I decided to go the next step.   The last time I had internet problems, I was able to resolve them online with Time Warner – but how could I do that today when the internet wasn’t connecting?

A light bulb went off in my little brain – I now have that LG table that I bought from Sprint! And it works on the Sprint network as well as wifi! Yippee!

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So, I dragged that baby out and powered it up.  Bear in mind that I had never really used it and was totally unfamiliar with its operation.  But it was time to learn.  I got onto the Sprint network, accessed the internet, and managed to get to the Time Warner website, which thankfully has a Live Chat function.

The tech verified that there were no outages in my area (told ya, didn’t I?)  The tech told me to check the connections (already did so) and reboot the modem (already did that three times).  According to their system, everything looked OK:  the modem was communicating with them just fine, but for some reason it just wouldn’t talk to my computer.  The tech was very polite and determined to help me.

But then the tablet crashed.  I had thought it was fully charged, but apparently not.

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Now I had no computer access and no tablet. *sigh* Have to use the PHONE again.  So, I dialed and got the exact same recorded message (hello, your own rep told me there are no outages, liar!).  I chose a different option and got a recorded message telling me to check the connections, reboot the modem … at which point I screamed something like, “Dammit I already did all that!”  It was a voice-activated system, and the immediate response was a very polite, “Ok, let me connect you to a customer service representative.”

I had to explain the Live Chat I had just gone through so the new tech could assist me.  We got to a point where the new tech asked me to check the serial number on the back of the modem, and I couldn’t find one.  When I again picked up the phone, the call had been TERMINATED.

The third time I called Time Warner, I’m afraid I wasn’t particular polite, especially since I had to go through the same two recorded messages I’d already heard the last two times.  Finally, I got a tech who reviewed the other two techs’ notes, checked the system, and determined that it was an internal problem in the modem itself.  The modem was almost 10 years old, and modems only have a life expectancy of 3-5 years.  A service call was arranged for installation of a new modem, and yes, they could do it on Sunday afternoon.

The serviceman who came Sunday was a little chatty, but very pleasant and definitely knew what he was doing.  He got a little excited when he saw the existing modem – “Wow, I’ve heard about these but never actually saw one!  And you still have the original box?  Awesome!”

A new modem was installed (and in a better location than the last one), and the serviceman sat down to wait for the verification codes and updates from their system.  And wait …. And wait …  It was late in the day and he really needed to get home, but he would stay and make sure everything was working properly.  I had the privilege of listening to his conversation via speakerphone with the tech guy in the main office – “Well, gee, it should be working.  The codes are right.  It says it should be working.”

Turned out the new modem was defective (see how my luck runs?).  Thank heavens, the serviceman had another one on the truck, and it only took a few minutes to switch them out.  And, the Good Lord be praised, all the lights started flashing in the correct order and suddenly, the computer, the laptop, and the tablet (which had been recharged overnight) all had internet access!

Victo Dolore’s guest post was saved!

And I learned that two days without internet access are not something I care to go through again.  For two days, I had no idea what was going on in the world – I don’t get a newspaper (had just cancelled it the week before), and I don’t watch TV.  Without internet, I am totally lost.

Is that addiction? Or is it a sign of technological advancement?

Don’t know, don’t care. I’m just glad to be back online.

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I love to hear from my readers.  You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com or notcordeliasmom@aol.com

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Images by Cordelia’s Mom

Posted in Humor, That's Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

THE LOST NOTES (Guest Post by Victo Dolore)

Posted on November 23, 2015 by cordeliasmom2012

I am truly honored that Victor Dolore has agreed to guest post for me today.  Please join me in welcoming the good doctor to Cordelia’s Mom’s house:

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PianoVicto1

 

THE LOST NOTES

By Victo Dolore

My grandmother’s spinet piano sat unplayed after her death for over a decade. My grandfather had given it to her many years before, and it was her most prized possession.

My grandfather tried to kill himself every day after her funeral, smoking three packs of cigarettes a day. If you asked him he would tell you why he wouldn’t stop smoking: “Because I want to die.” He worked hard at it. When he did eventually pass, I found out that he had wanted me to have that piano.

There was no place really to put the piano, and about half a dozen keys were stuck or would not play. Still, it was my grandmother’s –  and my grandfather wanting me to have it was his way of saying “I love you” one last time. I couldn’t bear to have it lying on a garbage heap somewhere. I had to have it. Pianos are exceedingly heavy and difficult to move, and it took thousands of dollars to get it even close to playable again. Some of the ivory was chipped, making the keys jagged. That just could not be fixed.

Then, I stopped playing. It sat unused in my house for over a decade until my son started using it for his own practice.

Side step for a moment…

For over twenty years I have searched for a particular arrangement of Pachelbel’s Canon in D that I played for my high school talent show. My best friend played the flute in a duet. It was spectacular as we practiced it. In fact, we were a favorite to win the show after we pulled it off flawlessly in the rehearsal. I floated in those notes in my sleep, my fingers knew it so well.

At the time of the actual performance, however, I froze midway through. For maybe twenty seconds (it felt like an eternity) I just sat there at the grand piano keyboard, panicked. I have no idea why I lost my place in the music. Finally, I recognized where we were and I picked back up. Our chances to win were blown, and my friend and I never played together in public again.

That music has haunted me, though.

It was the most achingly beautiful piece of music I had ever heard or played. While even now my fingers still remember parts of it, there are large chunks of the melody that have disappeared from my mind. When I realized that the notes were slipping away from me, I went looking for the physical sheet music. It had been lost. For the past twenty years I have tried to find it, purchasing or looking at every arrangement I could get my hands on but none of them was ever the exact right one.

I needed that exact right arrangement.  All of the others felt like shallow impostors.

Last night I picked up one of those not quite right arrangements and found that it was now somehow good enough. I had lost the detailed memory of the old arrangement to the point that I could now replace it with this. I stumbled through it several times, emotions flooding back. In the process I could recognize how badly out of tune the piano actually was, just like my memories.

The last time I had played the Canon I was full of hope for the future but still wallowing in the shame of a botched performance. The shame is now gone, I can just enjoy the piece for its simple beauty again.

But this piano. I cannot keep this piano if my son is going to keep learning. It has to be replaced. I tell myself that it is a thing, not the person, that I am letting go of that the memories will last forever. But if I am honest with myself the memories won’t last forever. I mourn them like I mourn the loss of my sheet music and my piano and my grandmother and my grandfather and my youth. I mourn these things like the billions of other people across the face of this Earth mourn their own losses.

We are all the same. Moving on, marching forward, letting go.

VictorDolore

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Victo Dolore and I love to hear from our readers.  You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com or notcordeliasmom@aol.com

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Images by Victo Dolore

Posted in Guest Posters, Relationships, That's Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 65 Comments

More Real Estate Stories (Re-Blog)

Posted on November 19, 2015 by cordeliasmom2012

MoversI received compliments on my post awhile back about my life as a real estate paralegal, so I figured now would be a good time to relay a few more of my experiences:

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THEY WON’T LET ME LEAVE

I’ve never really understood why sellers schedule the sale of their existing home at the same time as the purchase of their new home, thereby forcing them to do everything in one day.  I understand that some people have to do that due to financial circumstances, but it is never, ever easy.

I once got a call from a client the morning of closing, indicating that she was trying to get her stuff out, but that the buyers’ movers had already arrived and were blocking her driveway.  I told her to just ask them to move the truck.  She indicated she had done that and the movers refused, saying their customers (the buyers) insisted they unload NOW (even though the deal wasn’t actually closed yet!).

My client also indicated that she was afraid of the buyers  because “He is a cop, has a temper, and carries a gun.”

Say what?

Eventually, I convinced my client to put the mover on the phone with me, and I told the mover that he had to back out or he wouldn’t be able to unload at all, and therefore wouldn’t get paid.  I told him not to unload ANYTHING until he got a call confirming that the sale had closed.  Somehow it worked out and we got the deal closed, and everyone moved  into the houses they were trying to get into.

***

Elderly

SWEET LITTLE OLD LADY

My clients were an elderly couple who were closing on one of those “reverse mortgages.”  They were the sweetest couple ever.

Closing was to take place at the County Clerk’s  Office downtown, and my clients did not want to brave the city traffic, so they came to my office and I drove them to the closing.  I parked in the nearest city ramp, and when we were all out of the car, I turned to my clients and informed them that we would have to go through a metal detector.  Speaking directly to the husband, I told him that if, like many men, he had a pocket knife, he might want to leave that in the trunk of my car.

Whereupon, the sweet little old lady opened her purse and pulled out a humungous hunting knife á la Crocodile Dundee (“That’s not a knife – this is a knife!” [sic]).

My jaw must have dropped nearly to my toes.  My client explained that she used to own a store in a not very nice section of the city and had grown accustomed to carrying a knife in the event that she would have to protect herself.

The knife was deposited in the trunk of my car, and we went on our merry way.

But I made sure to never, ever tick off THAT sweet little old lady!

***

Change

YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?

And then there was the time, early in my career, when my boss had a back injury just before the assessment review hearing FOR OUR OFFICE BUILDING.

Now, my boss is the type who never lets illness or injury stop him from working, so I knew he was feeling poorly when he told me that I would have to cover the hearing.  Not – could I drive him downtown so he could do it.  Oh, no – my, myself and I were in charge of making sure our building was re-assessed at a lower value than it currently carried.

No pressure there, right?  I was a fairly new employee, still unsure of her standing in the firm and unsure of my employer’s faith in my abilities.  And  God knew, I was totally unqualified (at least in my opinion) to handle that type of situation.

Was this some kind of test?

I  drove myself downtown as slowly as possible, hoping I might miss that darn hearing.  Upon arrival (on time, wouldn’t you know it), I embarrassed myself by not knowing the names or titles of the gentlemen running the hearing (and whose opinions would ultimately decide my fate my office building’s tax assessment).

Questions were asked, and I answered as best I could.  It became more and more apparent that I really had no business being there.

Finally, the older gentleman in charge chuckled and told me my firm’s request for a re-assessment was … GRANTED.   (My heart rate thereupon returned almost to normal.) And he added to please give his regards to my boss, whom he knew very well.

Whew!  Do you have any idea how angry my fellow co-workers would have been had I failed and they were denied year-end bonuses because the taxes on the building were too high to allow for bonuses?

Guess I must have done all right ‘cause 15 years later, I’m still in the same job.   Fortunately, I have never since been asked to cover a hearing of that type, although now I could do it without suffering heart palpitations.

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I love to hear from my readers.  You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook page, or email me at:  cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com

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Images by:  John/MTSOfan, and Duncan Brown (Cradlehall), and One Way Stock, respectively.

Posted in Humor, Re-Blogs, Relationships, That's Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Dog at Home

Posted on November 16, 2015 by cordeliasmom2012

This post is in response to Marilyn Armstong’s Serendipity Photo Prompt 27: At Home With Dogs.

What does your dog do when you’re away from home? Do you let your dog roam free, or do you crate him/her?

Puppy Cody has not needed a crate since she was 8 months old and suddenly decided that she was a BIG DOG.  On returning home at lunch time or at the end of the day, I seldom find any damage or any items where they’re not supposed to be, and now that her digestive problems have been resolved (knock on wood), I also never find any surprises in the middle of the living room.

So, what does she do all day?  This is what I would expect (and hope):

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THE HOUSE IS HER KINGDOM

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GOTTA FIND JUST THE RIGHT SPOT

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NAP TIME!

 

And, of course, she watches the world go by as she waits for her people to return:

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WATCH DOG ON DUTY

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OOOO,OOOO, I THINK I SEE MOM’S CAR!

But then I have to wonder.  What if I didn’t close the doors to the upstairs bedrooms or bathroom?  And what if, heaven forbid, I left my sock drawer open?

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TEMPTATION AWAITS

CodySocks1

WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?

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THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!

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CAUGHT!

Yes, she stole one of those socks, but I caught her before she could do too much damage to it.  Cody just LOVES socks.

What does your dog do all day?

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I love to hear from my readers.  You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com or notcordeliasmom@aol.com

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Images by Cordelia’s Mom

Posted in Humor, Pets, Photography, That's Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 34 Comments