righteous anger

my phone crapped out on me last Tuesday. just *bloop!* and it wouldn't turn on. since plugging it in to charge didn't turn on the charge light and just resulted in making my phone hot, i deduced that there was an issue with the battery.

since i didn't realize this until after my lunch hour at work, i decided to stop by the local cell provider's store on my way home after picking the wee girl up from daycare because there was one right on the way. of course, as fate would have it, the store that WAS right on my way home was no longer. they were in the process of moving to a new, inconvenient-to-me, location.

so i went home. i fed the wee girl, fed the dogs and emailed cowboy charming to let him know not to bother calling me before he headed home from class because my phone was still not working. i recently set up gmail on his new smartphone so i wasn't sure that he'd notice, but figured it was worth a shot.

it worked, he noticed the email. he came home prepared to watch the wee girl while i headed to the only cell provider's store still open at 8:00.

i walked in the store, was greeted, explained my situation, and was promptly told that all the techs go home at 7:00 and i could come back tomorrow.

apparently since i wasn't going to be BUYING anything i was not important.

i went back the following day on my lunch. the tech tested my battery. yup, it was bad. nope, they don't carry that battery because my phone is SO old and "not many people have it anymore" (read: more than 1 year old and not an iPhone). i had already been to every non-cell provider battery place in town to try to get a new battery and had been told that they didn't have them but could get one in 3-4 days.

the tech apparently took pity (or something like it) on me and opened a little box that was filled with cell phone batteries. he found one for my model phone & gave it to me admonishing that it likely had no charge, but have at it. after it sitting in my office charging to no effect for over an hour and getting BLAZING hot, i realized that what i had was probably not a battery problem.

after work: again cowboy charming watched the wee girl and again i went to the cell provider's store. the battery was tested by the tech again. again the diagnosis was: bad battery. again the response was "can you upgrade?" (not eligible until March, no ready cash to just BUY a phone) and "sorry i can't do anything to help you". i asked if there was a way to determine if the issue was with my phone itself, and not "just" a battery issue. the tech responded that without being able to turn the power on, there was no way he could diagnose an issue with the phone itself.

i ordered a battery off amazon that night with expedited shipping.

the battery FINALLY came in yesterday. again i charged my phone. again it turned hot. again, off to the cell provider's store i went. by this point i am BLAZING mad. and then even though it appears that there are customer service reps available, i am made to wait.

i get to a tech. by this time i am so irritated i can't speak without crying. this is my failing point in the angry department: i have NEVER figured out how to get mad without crying. so people interpret my angry as sad, or pitiful or just plain crazy person.

the tech tests the new battery, it's good. i explain the issue with the phone getting hot. the tech pulls the battery out & scans the back (the first tech did not do this) and then looks at his computer. he says "sounds like you have a short in your board. there's nothing we can do to fix your phone if you have a short in your board" (um, how did you MAGICALLY diagnose this where the guy a week ago told me he couldn't do anything??!)

he again advises me that i'm eligible for an upgrade in March. yes, douchebag, i am AWARE of that. it comes out as "i realize that, but i've already been without my phone for a week, it's my PRIMARY phone and can't be without a phone for another 6 weeks." i'd like to say that i said this with an even, rational, threatening tone, but in reality i was sobbing with anger.

his reply: "well, you only need something to limp you along until March, do you have any friends who have an old phone through us that they could give you?" no dude, i don't. "have you thought about checking eBay or Craiglist to see what you could find there?" dude, i don't have the TIME to search for a phone compatible for your service and then wait ANOTHER week for it to be delivered by a faceless person on eBay or HOPE that the Craiglist ad was valid. this came out as more weepy sobbing information. he went into the back and found an "equitable replacement".

apparently since he interpreted my anger as sadness, he didn't even offer to try to make good. i don't have an iPhone, i didn't pay for the extended service plan, i'm not making the right kind of scene, apparently. i paid for the replacement.

i lied to cowboy charming when he asked about that part.

i have a working phone. i'm less emotionally angry now. i know i'll be getting a customer satisfaction survey from the cell provider soon. i'm not satisfied. i've been with them for a LONG time. even without an extended service plan or an iPhone i shouldn't be treated like crap. i deserve a FREE replacement phone or an expedited upgrade.

if after talking to corporate, things aren't made good (i get a proration of my bill for being without a phone for a full week, i get my  $$ back for the replacement i purchased, i get a FANCY new phone for FREE), well, my contract is up when i'm eligible for upgrade. cowboy charming and i just may be on separate cell phone plans for a while.

i still need to figure out how to express anger without crying. anyone know how to do that? is there a class i can take? i feel like i'm a pushover when i should be a lion.

new beginings

this is not my first blog. or even my second. i've been away for a bit. taking a bit of a forced hiatus due to one of my prior platforms having changed to the point where i'm basically locked out and i'm not the kind of person who pays for the privilege of writing down thoughts that generally i'm the only one reading.

this is a voice that i need an outlet for so that the face that my acquaintances and (especially!) family can continue to see the me that they have been accustomed to see and interact with. the me that they are comfortable with. the me that does not make them question their place in the world because i am where i am "supposed" to be.

and now, since it is nigh to the time that cowboy charming should be returning home from class & the wee girl's bedtime, i'm going to wrap up.

i just had to get (re)started somewhere.