Don’t get me wrong, I love my cats. [No, I haven't been able to go pick up Washu's little ones, Ohki and Taiga..] I will flood my blogs and other social networking outlets with pictures of them because I think they’re cute and I have friends who think they’re cute, etc. My oldest cat [he will be nine, this year], who resides with my parents was raised by my mom and I by hand–literally, we had to bottle-feed him. I am very attached to them and I know I will cry my eyes out whenever it is their time, but they aren’t my kids.
Quite frankly, I am offended by the people who says their pooch is equivalent to a human child. I can only imagine that it is offensive to people who have children, too.

Wtf? This is marketed as a Pet Booster Seat from Bed, Bath & Beyond. Unless you’re actually taking your pet somewhere [if you're moving, taking them to a kennel or a friend's to mind them if you're away, or going to the Vet, or going to a park] the dog does not need to be coming along on errands.

People bring their little obnoxious dogs into my store all the time. It is clearly posted that you are not allowed to bring animals into the store unless it is a service animal. A yorkiepoo [don't get me started on how much I hate the dog hybrids..] is NOT a seeing-eye dog and should not be around millions of dollars of electronics.

What is worse on that section of the email they sent me is the Potty Patch. I don’t know how far stupid products reach around the world but it is basically for dog owners who are too lazy to walk their dogs…it is a patch of astro-turf that they can relieve themselves on. It is marketed as an, “Indoor Washroom for Dogs.”
…really?!

That’s just going entirely too far…

I’m not saying you shouldn’t love your pets or that they shouldn’t be able to live comfortably, but there’s treating your animals well and there’s being a fucking idiot who will buy ANYTHING.

Oh no.
Here, we abide by Murphy’s Law!

Later in the evening of my previous post, I was rushing around Best Buy [I ended up washing my hair with bottled water] selling computers and all that. Jeremy comes in 2-3 hours before my shift ends.

“The bad just got worse.”

He proceeded to tell me that he went into the basement to make sure the pipes were okay. No, one had cracked. Okay, not terrible. His dad comes over, offering to fix it for us because he’s handy. He walks in smoking a cigarette. The offending water pipe had three bursts.

“…why do I smell gas? …!” Frantic stomping out of cig.
Major gas leak. Cool, so the house almost exploded.

We had to get the gas shut off, which took a few days [...even though it is a major hazard] in which time we couldn’t stay there. We get in touch with the owner, who is our room-mate’s dad…he lives in the downstairs area, but is only there on weekends due to his job. He decides he doesn’t want to fix anything until at least April.

Cool, I guess.
But we can’t live there anymore.

We would take care of it ourselves were it not for the fact that the rest of the house is in such disrepair and I mean…with all the RELATED things that would also have to be fixed it would put us out a grand or two. And, just, no. Not for a house that is that bad.

We’re at Jeremy’s dad’s until we can find a suitable house. We’re looking and looking, but until like 2 days ago we had to try to find a place for us + room-mate and his kid. Fortunately, the room-mate has decided to do his own thing. [Even if that own thing is really only to extend his laziness and siphoning of our tax dollars...I mean, he pays taxes too, but way to be a loser.]
I’m going insane. I can only handle small doses of his stepmother…and so can he. I more or less detest his brother because he’s a worthless sack of shit who does nothing but complain about how bad he’s got it although he’s been handed everything, never suffers consequences, etc. She always bitches that she’s underappreciated although I thank her daily or that she has to do too much–although most of her work is created by herself for being unorganized or procrastinating. We get woken up 4 out of 7 mornings a week because she’s bitching at his dad for something that’s her fault. The other two mornings we are woken up by his brother whining about this or that.
Evidently knocking is considered a commodity not only by my mom, but his stepmom too. Like no, we aren’t screwing in the middle of the day, but at least a warning knock? One of us could be changing or something. I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoy having my privacy violated.

I probably shouldn’t complain because we could be totally homeless right now, but they INSISTED we stay with them…so, I mean, if you were offering someone a roof for a little bit, would you be obnoxious to them?

At least this means we get to have a NICER place of our own. We might get a different room-mate…someone reliable. Even with that, though, I’d rather not have one. I like my privacy.

No water. A faint hiss, but no water.
The bill is up to date as far as I know. Broken watermain? Maybe. Frozen pipes? Fuck.

I’m not used to being in a place with shitty pipes/insulation. Awesome.
I sent our room-mate a text (he’s at work) to see if he knew anything. He seems to think they’re frozen, too. He evidently leaves the water trickling at night (which I -never- knew, and I’ve been here four months now) and didn’t last night. He complained of not being able to bathe this morning.
Upon discovering that, wouldn’t one typically try to turn the water on to a trickle to coax it out of its frozen state? I mean, I would, knowing that my room-mates would have to work later and stuff, you know, be considerate. I’m not upset that he forgot whatever last night, but upon discovering it this morning and not even saying anything is kinda fucked.

I have to work in two-and-a-half hours and have no way to wash my hair, which cannot go a day-and-a-half without being washed, unfortunately. (Effing oil production, effing scalp…eff.) I mean, I’ve got some bottled water, but that’ll be difficult if there’s anything it’ll be. I was half-considering hitting up a hair place since I’m due for a cut anyway, but…meh.

This situation, too, is…fucked.

I hate it.

1) I cannot seem to be able to load it up/sync it/etc with Winamp. This is an issue.
-   Winamp cannot recognize it no matter what witchcraft I perform.
2) iTunes seems to not really like the iPod, either. It is not the cable(s) or port(s)…
-    My computer usually sees it but iTunes says, “Piss off, you.”
3) Random disconnection from all THREE separate cables and docking station.
-   Um…defect, or does it just suck?

Honestly, I’ve had more of a headache over this thing in less than a month than I had over my precious 30GB 5th Gen. Video in THREE YEARS, even with its spastic battery. I’ll be returning the blasted thing tomorrow when I head to work and probably just ordering a replacement battery for the old one when the refund clears. I’m out like $20 in accessories I bought–cases, screen protectors, etc–because I tossed the packaging. I’ll probably sell them to a friend or eBay them.

My old, faithful iPod still works with all the above connectors. It is able to be used in both Winamp and in iTunes without issue, although I no longer have iTunes installed.

My iPod might be older and not as shiny as your new one, but hey…mine works.
Love is over, teeny iPod. You were attractive, but you’re full of fail.

Sure, this is Pittsburgh and snow isn’t uncommon, but this is crazy! It started snowing around 1PM yesterday but didn’t start sticking until around 5PM. Since then, we’ve accumulated at least 20 inches. So our car is stuck where it is parked. Several people have been stuck on the nearby roads and stuff. Lots of spinning tires. They haven’t effectively plowed the roads…Lots of crazy people are out driving right now, and their tire marks are enough that you can barely see the lines on the road…still, no thanks.

I’m reluctant to lose hours, but my safety is vastly more important than selling someone a computer. I didn’t hear anything about Best Buy being closed for the day, but they’re mad to have opened at all. Surely people weren’t able to work. Not many will be out shopping with conditions as they are. It’ll be a huge revenue loss. But whatever, that’s their business, I guess.

We ordered pizza last night because I got hungry at a weird hour. Bless the delivery guy; I tipped him handsomely because, y’know, fucked roads were fucked, and you’ve got to be mad for being willing to deliver in those conditions. I’m glad I ordered a ton because I’m hungry now and we don’t have a stocked pantry. Cold pizza leftovers ftw…

I’m not used to a ton of snow, really. Where I’m from [50 miles south of Washington, DC to give an idea] we never got loads and loads. Last ‘big’ snow we got was the winter of ‘95-’96, but really when we’d get a ‘fair’ amount it was no more than 4 inches, if that, just enough to sled for a day or two. This year, my parents have been getting raped with snow. Week or two before Christmas they got a couple feet or so. Week or two ago they got several inches. Between yesterday and today they’ve gotten 30. Thirty! WTF. That’s ridiculous!
As such [not being used to 'real' winter] I’m not really equipped for it. I’ve got a coat, of course, because cold is cold regardless of snow. But I don’t have, for example, snowboots, nor do I have pants that WON’T sop of a ton of frigid water [I pretty much have...jeans jeans jeans and more jeans, some khakis, uhh...] so I’m not relishing having to go outside for oh, just about anything.

I do have a boatload of scarves though, mreer! :D

Now, don’t get me wrong. I do enjoy a pleasant interaction. It is nice to see people happily leaving my store with the things they need to get up and running, not feeling as if they have been pressured and/or mislead. I like to see/hear return customers ask for me by name. I can say that I have never lied to a customer to get them to buy something…after all, I am not commissioned. The only thing I get out of my job aside from my hourly wage is a POSSIBLE bonus if my entire store hits over 103% profit margin…so yes, I want us to be profitable, but not badly enough to mislead people. On that same note, I’m not bothered if people think I’m full of shit when I lay out our non-commissioned statement because, I mean, why get mad over it? Their mind is made up, it isn’t like I could change it, and even if I could, it isn’t like it would do anything for me.
Going non-commissioned is something a handful of people think was a mistake for Best Buy because of the fact that many of their salespeople are like, “Fuck it, I don’t get anything out of this, so why bother?” In my opinion, that’s a bad attitude, because you do get a paycheck. My thoughts are that since Best Buy decided to remove the commissioned part of their sales is that they should have raised the average hourly rate…but of course that’s asking too much.

Oh, and I might be a supervisor of my department, soon. Hah.

I have a Moto Q 9c that a friend very generously has loaned to me. [I say very generously because he pays the bill. Which is very generous, although he'd have been doing it even if the phone wasn't in use--oh, contracts...] The contract is up in April, so after about a year of having totally free cell phone service [thanks again, Jon] I’ve got to go back for paying for my line and such. That isn’t a problem; Jeremy and I make enough for each of us to have our own plan, although it would be more cost-effective to have one plan with two lines. We have yet to determine how we want to work that, and that’s fine.

Methinks I’d like the HTC Hero (US Sprint version here). I’ve been playing with a [working] demo during downtime at work and have been toting around a dummy to get used to size/feel. I don’t have much experience with Android, but from what I can tell it is a pretty big hit. Simply put, I’ve heard vastly more good than bad. I’m not concerned with the learning curve or anything…but after having a smart-phone [yeah, yeah, Windows Mobile.. smart.. right.. shh], I don’t think I could go back to having a regular cellular. Being able to tether and have full web access alone are incredible.

I won’t be purchasing it until April, so I hope by then there will be an available upgrade to Android 2.0 or 2.1 for the Hero devices. Honestly, I’d probably get it even if not…but…yeah!

Any thoughts?

Since I work at a big-box electronics retailer, I get access to discounts on stuff. Now, I wouldn’t on a regular new-in-box iPod because the markup on them is virtually nonexistant. However…if Auntie Susan got her niece an iPod nano and this niece did not like the color [and it had never been turned on, no defects, no scratches...headphones and USB cable still bound], it would be returned to us. If the box was opened [which it was] that means they have to take 15% off the price to resell it as open box even though the device itself had never been touched.

I saw it.
I wanted it.
But I behaved and didn’t do anything until Jer got me from work that day. We were looking at getting a new case for my computer…well, I don’t really need one. The one I have works just fine; I’ll get a new case eventually…when it comes down in price. So he consented, and we agreed that it would be my Valentine’s gift since I’d been wanting a replacement for a bit [so if I've got to take the bus to work, you know, I've got something to do on the ride there].

I didn’t have to ask him, of course, I’d just received my pay for the previous period that morning [and there was a bonus on it!] but I don’t like to just go out and randomly do stuff like that. It detracts from the concept that the money that he and I earn from our work pools together to be “our” money not just, “his money,” or, “my money.” We got it for approximately $150 + tax. wewt.

Anyway, it’s a 16GB nano. I don’t need to bring my whole collection with me…I mean, there are times when parts of my collection go unlistened to for months. I had forgotten it had a built-in video camera and FM tuner. It’s got a pedometer, too [which I don't think I'll use]. Oh, and did I mention that it is the most beautiful shade of emerald green ever to bestow anything, much less an electronic?

Apple, while I adore your mp3 playing device…you aren’t any closer to winning me over than you were three years ago.

• “How do I turn this on?”
• “I thought computer viruses were biological, like other ones.”
  
• “+Points to a computer (just the tower).+ I need to buy this internet.”
• (From someone claiming to have their CCNA) “Will a Kodak printer work with an HP computer?”
• “What do you mean these don’t have built-in floppy disc drives? That’s ridiculous. What about all my programs?”
  
• “I need memory for a computer.” “What kind?” “…what? Memory.” “Yeah…um, do you know the model number of your PC?” “It’s just memory, it’s all the same, isn’t it?”
• “+Approaches with MagicJack+ This gets me internet wherever I want, right?”
• “Why won’t this laptop fit?” “That’s a 17.3″ laptop…?” “Yep.” “…that’s a 15.6″ bag.”
• “I bought this netbook and it won’t play Eve Online…”
• “You guys got printer ink?” “Yep, what kind do you need?” “I don’t know.” “What kind of printer do you have?” “I don’t know.”
• (Over the phone) “I need prices on hard drives.” “What size?” “I dunno, decent sized.” “500GB for $X, we have 640 for $Y…” “That cheap? I thought I’d be out 600 for that big thing.” “Hard drives are fairly small, sir, do you mean the whole computer?” “Yeah, the hard drive!”
• “Which one of these cameras has zoom?”
  
• “I want a really fast laptop with a lot of storage and a 17″ display…for under $500.” (Yeah, don’t we all?)
• “I want this.” “I’m sorry, we’re sold out. We’ll get more; I can try another store.” “Why don’t you have it?” “It is a very popular product and we recently sold out, I’m sorry about that.” “But it’s in the ad.” “Yes ma’am, I understand…and we sold out.” “But it was in the ad, you should have it. This is bullshit.” “Ma’am, our ad comes out on Sunday…it is now Thursday; many people in this area saw and we sold out. We can give you a rain-check or hold one for you when it comes in.” “BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE IT CUZ THE AD SAYS.”
• “I hate this brand of computer, so I don’t want one?” “Bad experience with them?” “They’re just bad.” (“I know nothing about computers and that isn’t a name I remember because I’m senile.”)
  
• (Over the phone) “How many gigabytes do the cameras have?”
• “How do I make my dial-up do wireless?
  
• “I want one of those little notebooks.” (I take them to a 14.1 inch notebook/laptop.) “No no, one of the tiny things. Not a laptop.” “They mean the same thing. Netbooks are the little ones, here.” “That’s what I said, ‘notebook.’”
• (Thirty feet from the HUGE sign that says, “Car Electronics,” instead, near digital cameras.) “Where are your GPS systems?” “…Is that a car electronic?” “Yes..?” “+Points.+”
  
• “I need a replacement cord (power supply!) for my laptop. +Sees cost.+ Why are they so expensive?” “You aren’t just buying a computer when you buy a laptop…”
• “Where are your Kindles located?”
• “I need an adapter for my iPod.” “Okay, here you go.” “That’s what they gave me last time and it didn’t fit.” “Which iPod do you have?” “+Points to a Sony Walkman mp3 player.+”
• “I bought this here PC the other day…where do my speakers plug in?” “The mint-green 3.5mm port on the back.” “My (USB) mouse is plugged in there.” “It is not.”
• “I can’t put multiple discs in one drive at once? Oops.”
• “My phone line (RJ11) sits in the Ethernet (RJ45) port but I can’t get online.”
• “How can LG make monitors? They don’t make computers, right?”

…sigh.

I was appalled to find people shopping early in the morning today, this first of January… Er, half of them were out and about still intoxicated, and others were nursing hangovers. Weird environment to sell electronics in, surely.

We still need a car. It is very difficult to purchase one… He’s young, doesn’t have bad credit, just not a very looong credit history. Therefore, every place wants a cosigner. I’m no help because I’m younger. His dad’s no help because his credit is a catastrophe. His boss is willing, but that will only be viable if we get a car under $10,000 because the people will say he’s overextended or something [his boss has like 2-3 cars he's paying for]. Jeremy and I make enough money between us to cover it without any concerns, but…the credit stuff is silly.
I’ve been trying to get a low-limit starter n00b card to build mine so we have less of a problem down the line, but it is still so difficult to get approved without an established history. I have a bank account in my name that is in good standing, but ugh. Congress [and then Obama] passed a set of credit laws which…well, some are useful and try to make it more difficult for people to sink themselves in credit card debt and makes it more difficult for creditors to rape their cardholders…but on the other hand, it changes the law here so that you can’t get credit cards until you’re 21 UNLESS you already have cards OR you’re 18, sign a waiver, and have a cosigner. So that means I have until February 22 to try to obtain something. So far:
Victoria’s Secret [unable to approve].
Best Buy–where I effin’ work! [unable to approve].
Wal*Mart [...no response? wtf].
Next I will try some other retailers, maybe a jewelry place…I’m not big on jewelry, and it wouldn’t be to get shiny things but just to establish my effin credit. My phone isn’t in my name yet but it will be soon, which will also help. Meh.

I’m beginning to hate fried food. It’s so bad for you!
I need an oven… +Cries.+

Been trying to play Counter-Strike:Source with Jer… It’s fun but I’m not that great. I have a pretty steady hand, so while my K:D ratio is crap, my K:HS ratio is lovely. :] I’m still learning. It’s fun, but I can only do small doses because I. Get. Raged. I feel like a little fucking kid having a tantrum sometimes, haha…but at least I can laugh at myself about it. I’m interested in seeing the FFXIV beta when it’s all set… I need a game to play. Meh.