Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Service
A short post about customer service.
It’s really no secret if anyone has been paying attention, that I’ve had issues with Microsoft for quite a while. Everything from Hotmail to phone to PC and, most recently, OneDrive. I’ve spent countless hours online, with knowledgeable friends, with tech-support and at the Microsoft “Store” attempting to resolve issues that have occurred. My friends jokingly call it ‘karma’. I call it poor customer service and lack of connection with actual, real-live humans who use the product. I won’t belabor my irritation with Microsoft and their problems; instead, I’ll focus on what customer service SHOULD be.
A few years ago I was gifted with a used Kindle (Generation 3) as a friend was upgrading to a newer generation and sold my husband theirs. I used it more than I expected to and downloaded quite a few books through the service; using a variety of “free e-book” sites including Book Bub and Kboards.
I keep my Kindle plugged in and charged next to my bed unless I’ve grabbed it and thrown it in my purse for the day. That way when I find a free book to download, I’m within my wireless area and I’m not dumping my battery every day.
This last week I grabbed my Kindle and threw it in my purse as we had an evening function that would have some downtime where I could read a bit here and there while waiting for the event to begin. I turned it on and nothing. I re-tried a couple of times and still nothing. Came home, plugged it back in, check the cords were connected and left it overnight. The next day, still nothing so I looked online and tried to “hard-shut-down” as recommended on several sites. No success.
A couple of days later, after looking on the Amazon site for more tips, I called Amazon for assistance. Their tech support site has a button for “email” or “call” support. You can have them “call right now” or in “5 minutes”. They call RIGHT NOW! Seriously! Yes, it was a robo-dial, but after I picked up, I waited on hold for less than a minute and was connected with a live human. She listened to my problem, asked what I had tried, and tried to offer more suggestions. After no success, she said to plug the unit back in, wait an hour and if nothing happened then I’d need to replace the unit. By the time I hung up from the call there was an email in my inbox with links to our call and links to the site where I could contact tech support again to get my replacement process started.
I waited the hour, still nothing so I selected the link in the email. Again, they gave me the choice of “email” or “call” support. You can have them “call right now” or in “5 minutes”. And again, they called IMMEDIATELY! Within 20 minutes I had an order placed for a newly refurbished Kindle Paperwhite unit for a discounted price, an email link for a return label for my old unit and an email link for the purchase receipt of the new unit.
Amazon shipped my new unit IMMEDIATELY (I got the tracking email within an hour) and received the actual shipment within 5 days (3 actual business days – I called on Friday and had the new unit on Tuesday via UPS). My return shipping label is printed and ready to tape to an envelope with the old unit inside.
My NEW Kindle came in a sealed box with a cord. I plugged it in, entered my wireless key and the Kindle automatically connected me to my Amazon (Prime) account, Facebook and all my books on file (242 in case you’re interested). In under 10 minutes. With no hassles, or issues.
AMAZON? I’m a total fan.
Microsoft? Catch up.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Inside the Actor’s Studio
These 10 questions originally came from a French series, "Bouillon de Culture" hosted by Bernard Pivot. They're better known as the questions that James Lipton asks every guest at the end of "Inside the Actor's Studio" show.
Answer them for yourself, and have fun with your friends. You'll be amazed at how much they reveal about a person's thoughts, feelings and beliefs.
I suppose the answers may change depending on age and circumstances, but here are my answers:
What is your favorite word?
Library
What is your least favorite word?
Can’t
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Acting on your words
What turns you off?
Not taking a stand for your beliefs.
What is your favorite curse word?
Right now? Juice-bag (thanks to my grandson)
What sound or noise do you love?
Ocean waves
What sound or noise do you hate?
Tapping
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Archeologist
What profession would you not like to do?
Teacher
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Welcome Home!!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Blog Tour (or "Being a Good Sport")
I was “invited” to take part in a blog tour by my friend, Scarlet. I’m doing this to be a good sport because she tagged me, but really I find this kind of thing annoying and well, revealing.
Annoying because I hate these “tag” things. I do them (as I said above) because I’m a good sport. Revealing because I don’t really read other “people” blogs; mostly political opinion blogs. So, I’ll answer the questions and tag the two people whose blogs I read, but I can’t guarantee they’ll follow suit or that they’ll even respond.
1) What am I working on?
I have four Facebook pages, three blogs, two businesses and one website. There are a variety of thoughts that haven’t made it out of my head and onto paper or computer yet and a book that lives in my head until I have time or the right words to get it down on my computer. I also have poetry that floats around in there and a calendar that keeps track of the husband, teenager and various organizations I’m part of. It’s crowded in my head.
2) How does my work differ from others in its genre?
I have no idea. My main blog is mostly whatever is in my head at the moment that I have time to get down. Sometimes it’s local politics, sometimes mom stuff, sometimes a rant and sometimes just annoying photos from the few vacations we take. Blog #2 is Family history and genealogy related. My book is a contemporary romance.
3) Why do I write what I do?
My main blog started because someone jokingly suggested that I write one. And it kind of took. I don’t have a huge readership – sometimes that bothers me and sometimes that comforts me. I have written everything from book and movie reviews to local political commentary to opinion to rants. There are things I won’t write about because my intent isn’t to hurt anyone. My intent is to make people think and generate their own opinions. I really don’t care if you agree with me or even understand me. But I have to get things out of my head or I’m even more mental than I normally am.
That being said, some things just don’t have words. Or the words that are there are just going to be too painful (hurtful, angry, mean, hateful) for anyone to read and get past without hating me. You don’t have to like me but I don’t want anyone to hate me.
4) How does my writing process work?
It depends. That was really helpful, I know. The book in my head has been there for several years and I’ve written and re-written and re-re-re-written about a gazillion times. I know the characters and then ‘they’ do something that messes up the storyline earlier so I have to re-work it and then, well I get frustrated. So I have all these documents on my computer with just scenes or several chapters but they haven’t gotten together to actually form a credible story at this time.
I also have McDonald’s napkins and scratch pieces of paper and sentences on sticky notes floating around in a file.
My poetry is either in a notebook, mostly typewritten or on the computer. I usually write it down as soon as it comes to me unless I’m in the shower or driving. Most of my ideas come to me while driving or in the shower. The trick is to remember them long enough to get somewhere where I can write them down. I hate the sound of my voice so the recorder app on my phone is just there. Doing nothing.
My blog is what I work on more steadily. Sometimes I start something that’s floating in my head and work on it for weeks before I post it. Sometimes I just sit down and three pages later I’m done. Sometimes I write it down, finish it and don’t post it because it didn’t go where I thought it would.
Now I’m supposed to tag bloggers who might want to take the challenge. So, I’m tagging the two women who make me laugh and think and cry.
Ironic Mom has made me laugh and snort and appreciate the fact that I don’t have twins. I pre-ordered her first book and read it in two days. I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants and certainly made people in public think I needed to be institutionalized. (Not that they didn’t think that before, but hysterical laughing and crying usually makes people start dialing for the men in the white coats and the I-love-myself-jacket sooner rather than later.)
Suburban Snapshots is one of the bloggers that I read no matter what she writes. I’ve purchased two books that she’s had shorts in and laughed so hard I hurt. Sometimes she swears more than I’d like, but she’s never wrong in what she writes about. And I hate that she looks cute in boots.
Apparently you have one week to post your answers to the questions above and tag other bloggers to do the same. I don’t think you’ll win millions or be blessed if you do and I’m sure you won’t be cursed if you don’t, but sometimes playing the game is fun.
Annoying because I hate these “tag” things. I do them (as I said above) because I’m a good sport. Revealing because I don’t really read other “people” blogs; mostly political opinion blogs. So, I’ll answer the questions and tag the two people whose blogs I read, but I can’t guarantee they’ll follow suit or that they’ll even respond.
1) What am I working on?
I have four Facebook pages, three blogs, two businesses and one website. There are a variety of thoughts that haven’t made it out of my head and onto paper or computer yet and a book that lives in my head until I have time or the right words to get it down on my computer. I also have poetry that floats around in there and a calendar that keeps track of the husband, teenager and various organizations I’m part of. It’s crowded in my head.
2) How does my work differ from others in its genre?
I have no idea. My main blog is mostly whatever is in my head at the moment that I have time to get down. Sometimes it’s local politics, sometimes mom stuff, sometimes a rant and sometimes just annoying photos from the few vacations we take. Blog #2 is Family history and genealogy related. My book is a contemporary romance.
3) Why do I write what I do?
My main blog started because someone jokingly suggested that I write one. And it kind of took. I don’t have a huge readership – sometimes that bothers me and sometimes that comforts me. I have written everything from book and movie reviews to local political commentary to opinion to rants. There are things I won’t write about because my intent isn’t to hurt anyone. My intent is to make people think and generate their own opinions. I really don’t care if you agree with me or even understand me. But I have to get things out of my head or I’m even more mental than I normally am.
That being said, some things just don’t have words. Or the words that are there are just going to be too painful (hurtful, angry, mean, hateful) for anyone to read and get past without hating me. You don’t have to like me but I don’t want anyone to hate me.
4) How does my writing process work?
It depends. That was really helpful, I know. The book in my head has been there for several years and I’ve written and re-written and re-re-re-written about a gazillion times. I know the characters and then ‘they’ do something that messes up the storyline earlier so I have to re-work it and then, well I get frustrated. So I have all these documents on my computer with just scenes or several chapters but they haven’t gotten together to actually form a credible story at this time.
I also have McDonald’s napkins and scratch pieces of paper and sentences on sticky notes floating around in a file.
My poetry is either in a notebook, mostly typewritten or on the computer. I usually write it down as soon as it comes to me unless I’m in the shower or driving. Most of my ideas come to me while driving or in the shower. The trick is to remember them long enough to get somewhere where I can write them down. I hate the sound of my voice so the recorder app on my phone is just there. Doing nothing.
My blog is what I work on more steadily. Sometimes I start something that’s floating in my head and work on it for weeks before I post it. Sometimes I just sit down and three pages later I’m done. Sometimes I write it down, finish it and don’t post it because it didn’t go where I thought it would.
Now I’m supposed to tag bloggers who might want to take the challenge. So, I’m tagging the two women who make me laugh and think and cry.
Ironic Mom has made me laugh and snort and appreciate the fact that I don’t have twins. I pre-ordered her first book and read it in two days. I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants and certainly made people in public think I needed to be institutionalized. (Not that they didn’t think that before, but hysterical laughing and crying usually makes people start dialing for the men in the white coats and the I-love-myself-jacket sooner rather than later.)
Suburban Snapshots is one of the bloggers that I read no matter what she writes. I’ve purchased two books that she’s had shorts in and laughed so hard I hurt. Sometimes she swears more than I’d like, but she’s never wrong in what she writes about. And I hate that she looks cute in boots.
Apparently you have one week to post your answers to the questions above and tag other bloggers to do the same. I don’t think you’ll win millions or be blessed if you do and I’m sure you won’t be cursed if you don’t, but sometimes playing the game is fun.
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