Just Because...

Update On The Stupidity That Is DirecTV...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:52:00 +0000

I'm one for finding a resolution - I don't want to hear excuses or the blame game b.s. Let's just fix whatever problem we're having. I tend to apply that theory to everything in my life. Sadly, DirecTV doesn't subscribe to that theory and the amount of b.s. and lip service I've heard from that company astounds me - seriously, how did I ever tolerate them for 6 years.

I gave them a drop dead deadline to hear from them by close of business last Tuesday - when did they call - Wednesday afternoon. And the email they sent me was b.s. as well - advising to call one of their 800 numbers. Seriously - are you kidding me? First problem - they don't hit a deadline and then push it off on the customer.

I went through the holiday weekend thinking "Fine - I'll deal with the situation at the beginning of the week" because I have some serious letters that need to be sent to the FTC, FCC, Better Business Bureaus & the Attorney Generals of both Florida & California. Those letters take serious thought. Also, contrary to their "yes you need to send them back/no you don't need to send them back" mixed messages re: the converters, I have to incur additional expense, labor etc in shipping these converters back to them which entails inventorying of each converter, remote, access card, etc., writing another letter to their inventory control department, cc'ing their general counsel on everything, etc. In short, a basic "Here's your ****, don't ever contact me again" breakup letter - but, of course, a bit more legally verbose.

In my theory of "Let's just be done with this", as I was in the midst of preparing the requisite cranky "Trusting My Position Is Clear" letters, I made the mistake of actually taking their call Monday afternoon.

My reaction to the b.s. on their end - are you EFFIN KIDDING ME?

This service MANAGER - Rachel - had the nerve to tell me that DirecTV does, indeed, maintain the right to keep ANY credit card their customer uses and reserves the right to charge out at will for balances due. If you currently have them, know that they have this in the super fine print.

Even better - while I was paid through Sept. 15th, I am obligated to pay through Nov. 15th because while one of their CSRs from one of their many call centers in whatever country didn't follow procedure. To drive the point home, Rachel made the comment that they will charge out my account for the full amount. Well, then you'll be dealing with USAA again. USAA is wise to the b.s. and DirecTV is on their radar - not in a good way.

For the amount of trouble I'm having to go through to cancel each and every credit card EVER used with DirecTV - seriously, I should bill them an hourly rate. Thank god USAA is handling it on my end with the dispute and, should DirecTV try to bill again, then it's on. Not to mention, those letters are going out this week to the AGs and the appropriate government agencies and their converters will be shipped back. Should ANYTHING come up on my credit report - hell hath no fury. Also, as a sidenote - to the Plaintiff's attorney that's got a federal suit pending against DirecTV, don't worry, you'll get a copy of my letter as well.

Rachel - note for future use - when your senior VP of communications forwards you a blog post and email for answering - (a) note the deadline and (b) READ THE ENTIRE BLOG FOR FOLLOW UP POSTS. See, if you had, you would have seen that Laura and I had it worked out and you just blew it right up AGAIN.

As expected, DirecTV doesn't know how to correctly follow through ANYTHING (or you would have hit the deadline by Tuesday evening). Boo on me for actually (A) taking your call; (B) giving you a chance to speak and (C) for actually believing that you, as a company, could come correct. Guess after 6 years, I really didn't know you AT all.

DirecTV - EPIC fail - seriously, I do hope that Comcast and DISH TV teach you one hell of a lesson - especially in customer retention. I'm loyal to a fault and, quite frankly, I should have left you a long time ago.

Holiday Online Shopping - Getting More Bang For The Buck...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:41:00 +0000

I'm one of those gals who avoids much of the holiday chaos- namely Black Friday and the chaotic mall shoppers. Why should I feed the frenzy when I can maximize my dollar with online sales, shopping and cash back, right?

Well, here's the refresher course for y'all along with some new finds and for the new readers - welcome, bookmark and enjoy.

First of all, here are the sites to sign up with - g'head, it should open in a new window so I'll wait for ya.

Cash Back:

Coupon Sites

Now that you are all signed up and bookmarked, here's how this works. First thing you need to understand is that most cash back will be available 60-90 days after the purchase - to allow for returns, etc. So, let's say you are doing your holiday shopping - well, in March, you should be getting some extra green in your wallet - just in time for St. Patty's Day and everyone is a winner.

Start off with going to EVReward to see who offers the MOST cash back - that's vital. If you know where you are going to shop, then why not get the best deal out there, right?

I often know the item I'm looking for - like, let's say a great pair of Elizabeth & James shoes from ShopBop. I head to EVReward to see who's giving the most cash back on ShopBop which is, in this case, Cashbaq with 7% cash back on my purchase. So, let's say I buy the boots I've been coveting - which are $276. 7% cash back of that will mean that come March, $19.32 will be my cash back reward. To maximize my cash back dollar, I will also make note of any coupon codes for ShopBop through RetailMeNot.com or any of the other coupon sites that have done great by me in the past. Works like a charm every. single. time. Often you can find coupons for free shipping, etc. especially with the retailers wanting to make this holiday season their best one ever.

Here's another thing - my bff, Meowmix, often shops online via eBay. Did you know you can get cash back for any eBay shopping? Big Crumbs offers up to 36% cash back. Bing! offers 10% cash back while Ebates offers 2%. You see where I'm going with this.

Now, for those of you buying those big ticket items from, let's say BestBuy - here's my suggestion - buy online through Bing! with 5% cash back, select the "Pick Up In Store" option and you don't even have to worry about the shipping. Most times, it's ready in an hour or so and you don't have to deal with all the craziness. This helps especially when you are looking for that TV, Video Game System or other high ticket item and you don't want any shipping drama but still want the maximum cash back.

Basically - most of the stores you shop online are on the cash back wagon and why shouldn't you be too?

Now, the disclaimers - keep track of your purchases and receipt emails to make sure that you get credit for everything. Most of the cash back companies are great with tracking, but some purchase can fall through the cracks. Just send their customer service an email after a week or so and they'll jump right on it. Secondly, yes there are referral links which means that both you and I are getting a Win/Win as they put a little something in your cash back stocking.

I am happy to say that after 3 years of living the cash back mantra, I can never go back to online shopping the old way. I always make sure that I've maximized everything through cash back and coupon codes and couldn't be happier. Heck, I've even gotten cash back for my cable installation - who the heck knew you could do that.

So, while the holiday brings out the crazy in shopping, know that you can enjoy CyberMonday behind the computer with your coffee in one hand and the mouse in the other as you click your way to cash back happiness. And, if you have any questions, know that I'm only an email away to help.

Happy Shopping!

More DirecTV Stupidity...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:36:00 +0000

Did you know that DirecTV:

Retains EVERY credit card you ever used with them and will charge them out accordingly as they see fit. (Note to self: CANCEL EVERY CARD EVER USED!)
While they often will tell you that the equipment is yours, it is not.
If you pay for the DVR at Best Buy, it's not your equipment - it's still theirs. Therefore, you are out $200.00.
You need to return the equipment after you cancel or you will be charged after the final disconnect.
They can send you boxes to return equipment that you will be billed for the shipment for OR you can pay for it yourself and know that it got there. (Thankfully I was a cable wench so I will do an equipment inventory to include with it).
You can't dispute the charge until you START UP NEW SERVICE (boy did that situation make me laugh)
will often route you to an overseas call center where you will get conflicting stories about the situation.
When you get back into the States, you will often get a rude gal who won't note the account and will force you to lose your daggone mind asking for a manager.
Customer Care cannot help a gal at all - I now have to go through the Billing Dispute Department, the Office of the General Counsel and a ton of other hoops.

I'm happy to report that after 4 hours of my life that I will never get back, constant repeating of my story again, and again, and again, howls for a MANAGER v. Supervisor, etc., it took ONE LONE Supervisor, Ms. Laura, who apparently was no stranger to this mess and probably has heard it all before. She gave me the requisite addresses and told me that there is nothing she can do - it's in the offices of the Billing Dispute department and the General Counsel. She also is sending me a final bill - turns out I was paid up through Sept. 15th when I paid on Sept. 4th and the $141.65 should have never been billed. No kidding Sherlock!

One bright note, USAA has been a godsend in this drama and are helping me through the ramifications. As much as I whined about the cable install upon moving here, I could hug Comcast right now. I am a stickler for brand loyalty and I will NEVER leave USAA and Comcast and I will be BFF from hereon out.

Monday - I have tons of letters to write to the Attorney General in Florida & California, the Better Business Bureau, the FTC and the FCC about the DirecTV drama. DirecTV's in-house counsel's assistant will be none too pleased at the amount of paperwork coming their way.

DirecTV - we're done. There is no Ross/Rachel break - lose my phone number, lose my name and, yes, GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK!

DirecTV: MASSIVE FAIL!

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:29:00 +0000

Here's the story of a girl who moved and the company who didn't cancel the gal's cable service when directed to.

Remember how I was in the midst of a massive work project right up until the move. Well, during my very few minutes of downtime, I made all the move arrangements - canceling Electric, Telephone AND Satellite TV. I also arranged new service of electric, gas, telephone and cable to the Philly apartment. Now I'm a smart gal and I will toot my own horn thankyouverymuch. However, guess what I find out when reconciling my bank accounts - DirecTV took it upon themselves to charge out $141.65 to my bank account for service up until NOVEMBER! What the @*@*!*!*! They "disconnected service" Well - DOH - that should have been done in SEPTEMBER WHEN I ORDERED IT, specifically SEPTEMBER 15th!

I call today and speak with two very competent CSRS who seem to have the right info and immediately get me over to the proper manager after holding for 23 minutes. I'm routed to a Marie/Mae or whatever she wants to call herself and this gal has the NERVE to tell me "Well I need to see what's disputed". HELLO - the whole effin' amount. I should have only paid a prorated amount for 11 days since my last payment on September 4th.

So - smartazz Mae tells me "You work in law - you can send us a formal dispute correspondence to our PO Box and they can handle it from there." First of all, yes, I do work in Law - so that means I want a signature and someone to hold liable for receiving the correspondence or a fax number. See, when you inevitably will drop the ball again, I want someone's head. I'm not stupid. And then, compounding the drama, Mae snottily remarks, "Well there IS an early termination fee" Early termination my butt! I MOVED and I had been a DirecTV customer for over 4 years. Hell, now that I think about it - I think it was close to 5 or 6 years.

Manager Mae turns out to SUPERVISOR Mae and clearly has a chip on her shoulder. That chip got worse when she was told to find someone higher than her - even after angrily remarking "There's no manager available!" Well, FIND ONE because I don't believe that Mae was the highest in the food chain on that call center floor. Turns out I was right and, on the line comes April - a manager. April is just as frustrated as me because DirecTV won't give them an address or fax number of the dispute idiots. Plus their website is down so finding a legal contact is impossible. So, after much apologizing, she and I were calmly trying to find an adequate resolution and after she put me on hold for another 7 minutes to see what she could do, I hear her come back on the line with "Ms. Lys" and then the dreaded DISCONNECT.

ARG!!!!!!! ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?

So I have to call back - and start to tell my story for the 4th time and, CSRs - take note - NEVER tell a customer "I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!" because that is when I lost it - throat was ripped out at the unfortunate CSR who uttered that phrase and I told him - "FIND APRIL or a MANAGER. Do not, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD put me back in touch with MAE!"

And, after 17 minutes, KEVIN a SUPERVISOR gets on the phone and - yet again - DISCONNECT as he's speaking.

I finally had a come to Jesus chat with Joanne, a very sweet CSR and told her that if a manager doesn't get on the line soon, I'm about to go to the executives with this drama because DirecTV should have NEVER pulled this crap in the first place. I know they are all about customer retention but c'mon already - I MOVED and into a COMCAST footprint. I CANCELLED MY SERVICE.

Again, I was put on hold and subsequently routed to a ROSE in some call center in the Philippines. SO I had to go through the arguing AGAIN. Even better was Rose telling me "Well, you get routed to managers all over the world". So, the bell in my head goes off - we're dealing with outsourcing (you know how I detest companies that doe that). And as she remarks "Well we mailed you a hard copy bill on Sept. 17th and Oct. 17th. You know how the mail system is" Well "ROSE", the mail system in my country - while not perfect - knows a FORWARDING ADDRESS plus I gave it to DIRECTV's girl on Sept. 4th when she tried to get me to stay with the company. However Rose tells me that the note was only about payment and not the disconnect. Now irate and boiling, I insisted on transferring to a manager in the states. And, again during the transfer - you guessed it - a disconnect. And their website is down and their office is closed now until the morning.

However, know that in the AM, I will have a nice chat with USAA who will be made aware of this drama and a request for reversal of the charge will be put in if need be because I did NOT authorize DirecTV to use my debit card on November 16th, nor was authorization implied for ANY future use when I made a payment with said card on Sept. 4th. And I will have a chat with the people in the DirecTV US offices when they open for the correct info as well as a hard copy of the bills. And the legal dispute will begin because, as I was only supposed to be billed for 11 days of service, by their error and oversight, I was charged for 2 MONTHS of service. Somehow 11 days does not equal $141.65.

Also, DirecTV - EPIC fail because for someone who always touted how great you were even during the hurricanes, your customer service - horrid. For something so simple as a disconnect, your people couldn't even do that right.

This fight is FAR from over...

So Late In Posting This....

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:25:00 +0000

I know, I know - I'm bad. Anywhoo - here is a pic of Wiggy in his Halloween costume. He's not one for clothes, dressing up nada - he ripped off the fireman costume the minute I tried to put it on him and as for him being a medium - NEVER. He's a large - couldn't keep anything on him. He consented and wore the pirate hat around the house to answer the door and was far from happy until the delivery guy told him how freakin' adorable he was. Never saw that dog prance until then.

He must have caught the vain-virus from Ms. Shadow... Go figure.

OOPS - let me try again...

RAWRRRRRR - Iz Pirate!

The Bitch Is Back...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:55:00 +0000

No, not me - I never left. How excited am I that Amanda Woodward, my fave character EVER on Melrose - well, except Rob Estes - is back. It makes suffering through all things Simpson bad acting somewhat okay. Who knew that Melrose Place (from the 90s) was my guilty pleasure. Go figure.

And for the love of God will someone tell me where the hell they found these shoes for Amanda's return - they are screaming to be in my closet.

Check out the clip - best line ever "You know when I hired you to give this place a makeover, I didn't mean to smear it with lipstick and turn it into a five dollar hooker."...

The One Where My [Driving] Past Resurfaces...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:36:00 +0000

You know my theory of "don't put it out there" or "don't think about it" or "stop thinking about it because you know if you focus on something, it's gonna happen". Well, it's happened - I got a flat tire in Philly.

See, being up north they have a nasty thing called potholes. You know that daggone Geico commercial where the pothole has a "discussion" with a tire that it kicked the crap out of?

Take a sec and watch...

Doesn't that pothole remind you of Britney Spears? Well, I digress.

I might have mentioned that back in college A. & B. often came to this gal's rescue because potholes and I are not friends in ANY way - and the amount of tires I went through was epic (at least for me). It was the running joke and one that I wasn't too proud of. I can change a tire but I reason that AAA can do that (and don't get me started on the AAA south club - They won't transfer my membership to Philly until renewal NEXT SEPTEMBER!) Stilettos are NOT made for changin' tires ;)

I thought recently that "Gee Lys, you haven't had any flat tires recently - thank god!" Well, then that stupid commercial has been on repeat on the networks. And that commercial reminds me often of the college tire trauma - thereby making me think about flat tires often. Not good.

I had a meeting in Center City this a.m. and I decided that I should leave an hour or so early and, as I'm backing out of the parking space I hear "SCREEEEEEEEECCCCCHHHHHHH" and thought "WTH?!?" as I jumped out of the car to be greeted by a flat tire. These were BRAND NEW TIRES that were purchased in September - what the #*!@*@#*#@*!*!*#*@

Turns out there was a screw on the sidewall so I had to get another whole new tire (thanks Goodyear on Ridge Ave - Love those guys!) but damn - and I'm sure that there was a pothole somewhere that was laughing and junk...

Welcome to Philly, right?

Obsessed With: Elizabeth & James Lace Pumps...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:26:00 +0000

You know, I detest loving this new line by the Olsen twins. I see a pair of their shoes, not know it's made by them and *boom* fall in love - HATE IT! And what's worse is I have a pair of E&J boots that fit fabulously (yes, THOSE boots I waxed poetic about before). Not to mention the quality is stellar. Perhaps I should get over my celebrity brand issue, huh (except with Jessica Simpson - that one will NOT change. Same with J-Lo. And Britney Spears. And.... let me shush).

So now they have these Elizabeth & James Lace pumps and I adore anything lace. Couple that with the buttons down the heel and they had me at hello. So now this means I'm going to start scouring for coupons/sales/cash back and hope my size doesn't sell out in the meantime.

*le sigh*

Wiggy Better Pack A Lunchbox..

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:07:00 +0000

Quick amusing (well, not to him at the moment) story...

I ran out of the house quickly to drop off the trash before my father arrived. Well, Mr. Wiggles who detests whenever I leave the house without him, threw one of his infamous temper tantrums in the span of 3 min. This time, it wasn't dumping the trash, knocking over Shaddy's litter, overturning the laundry and making a bed or going through the trash in my bathroom. The target of his anger - my purse which he dumped the contents of which all over the entryway.

Currently, he's in a timeout but damn, doesn't take him long to show he's annoyed.

Does anyone want a pug with an attitude problem?

Moving In Stilettos: Becoming A Legal Pennsylvania Driver...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:19:00 +0000

Philly is quite *ahem* interesting when it comes to vehicles and drivers' licenses. Last week, I finally headed to the DMV in neighboring Montgomery County to get a Pennsylvania License and a Pennsylvania Car Registration... The one day I was planning on going, well, it was a madhouse because Jon sans Kate was to appear in court and Norristown was crawling with those lovely vermin known as paparazzi... So I decided to table it until the end of the week and went to face the music.

First of all, the DMV requires your Social Security card, birth certificate, two bills to show that you do, indeed, live there and your first born. Well, I'm kidding about the first born but it felt like that - I was about to hand over Wiggy if they asked for anything else. I went through the hoops, brought the requisite paperwork and $28 dollars and one bad photo and I was holding a temporary license with the official one headed my way in 10 days.

Then, off to a "Tag Agency" to get the plates - oy vey. While they tell you to register your car within 20 days of moving to the city, they tell you that you have to get a Pennsylvania license within 60 days after establishing residency. HOWEVER, you can't get Pennsylvania plates WITHOUT having a Pennsylvania license or ID. So, which came first the chicken or the egg?

Well, I had a duplicate title, I was told by the Tag Agent that perhaps I'd have to pay sales tax because the title wasn't 6 mo. or older. HELLO - Florida TAKES the title and I lost it. I understand that but hot damn - it's not rocket science. I finally said "Fine, I'll pay the tax if I have to but seriously, how stupid are the state workers". Then I remembered having to deal with some state workers and it all made sense. Apparently it's the same in all states - laziness abounds when you work for the government. Thankfully, the agent saw my reasoning and highlighted it for the idiot in Harrisburg that would have to process the paperwork so there was no confusion - I bought the car in 2001, move to Florida in 2002 and I was NOT paying sales tax. Period...

Finally, now the piece de resistance - the car inspection. Thankfully, before I moved down here, David Maus Toyota went through the car top to bottom and did a HELL OF A JOB getting it "inspection readY". That will take a whole 'nother post because of the lovely bug issue. Anywho - Rifleman told me to go visit one of his buddies to get the car inspected but I couldn't remember the name for the life of me. Instead, I went to this place down the street and, after 45 minutes of Nick's Auto Body inspecting EVERYTHING, I have new shiny stickers on my car saying I have the right to drive in Pennsylvania for the next year. They even told me that the car was in excellent shape thanks to David Maus Toyota and crew!!!

So, it's official - I'm a Pennsylvania gal and so is the Cougar. However, never again will I move across state lines - too many hoops. And, yes, I've got the car title and the social security card in a safe place.

Barnes & Noble.com: EPIC FAIL!

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:15:00 +0000

First of all, can I tell you how red in the face I am - seriously I'm livid. It's my birthday for cryin' out loud and I shouldn't have to wage war AGAIN with Barnes & Noble's inept customer service center for their idiocy.

Some background. I've been a loyal B&N customer for YEARS. I've held the membership faithfully. I buy a TON of books, DVDs, etc. I often enjoy the website's interviews, etc. and make a point to buy all my magazines there. Needless to say they make a good sum of funds off me. I've noticed that recently my orders have been *ahem* shall we say slow. Now one of the perks of buying a certain amount online is "Free Super Saver Shipping" which you could set your clock by - 3 business days or so and *boom* it's in my hands. Which is great like when I want to review Jaden's fabu new cookbook "Steamy Kitchen" and I am looking forward to the UPS guy knocking on the door with that gorgeously shot book (yes I leafed through a copy in the store - I couldn't wait). I also ordered the Foodie Handbook by the one and only Pim. Can we say I'm crazy stoked about both of these books - both of which I put back in anticipation of the order coming to my mailbox.

Well - it's two weeks later and, guess what - not one but TWO orders are "lost in the mail". That's my original order AND the order that they issued as a replacement for the first one that is "M.I.A" from a distribution center in NEW JERSEY - the next flippin' state over.

When I called with concern at the end of the week last week to find out what the heck is going on because well, you just can't get tracking from their inept distributor ARGIX DIRECT, they informed me that there were a few complaints and that the replacement would ship out via UPS to me from now on as I'm a member who has been with them for years. The B&N operator was very understanding and also told me that she was having problems personally with this dumb as rocks (my description - NOT hers) ARGIX DIRECT. She assured me it would ship out post haste and I again waited patiently for the little present to come to the door. Now, mind you my Sephora order came and that I ordered SUNDAY NIGHT via UPS. The UPS here in Philly rocks! Love them (which, if you know me is quite the event because UPS in Orlando and New Hampshire seriously sucked!)

Well, I get an email from B&N which tells me that it reshipped my replacement order and *wait for it* it went via ARGIX DIRECT via US MAIL. AGAIN - from New Jersey - next state over. Shipped out and *boom* guess what - it's lost in the mail again and we can't find ANY tracking info for it because B&N and/or ARGIX dropped the flippin' ball. What happened to "Ms. Lys - we're going to ship it to you ASAP through UPS so you won't have this problem again"

Needless to say, I lost my patience today when I had to talk to this gal "Cecile" or whatever who not only told me my address was wrong (newsflash - I changed it immediately when I moved and it's on all my receipts so check your flippin' screen dummy because the gal prior to you knew the right address) and then told me "ohhh - it's got to be lost". When I told her I just renewed my membership and I wanted it canceled and refunded - no go. She begrudgingly refunded my order cost for both books and I told her that we're having a hell of a breakup. This is no Ross/Rachael Friends Breakup - this is the real deal as in don't call me, don't email me, lose my damn number we are O.V.E.R. Seriously - OVER. Which is sad and hurts me deeply because I really did love going to B&N and browsing the aisles. Now, it's all Borders & Borders.com which is 20 min. out of the way for me but to prove my point, I'll do it.

So Barnes & Noble - I don't believe a word of what you say anymore. Clearly, while I know you are "cutting costs" by using this supposedly cheaper ARGIX DIRECT service, you just lost a very loyal (and profitable) customer. I've put up with your lack of changing magazines, lack of stock in the Plymouth Meeting Store, etc. because to me B&N has been a part of my shopping loyalty since I was in college. I just can't sit by and say "Oh it's okay" because really it's not. What you are doing to customers is disappointing. So, here's where I tell you publicly (and my readers) - do NOT buy the membership - it's not worth it. And, that's money I will never see again but I'm sure you will need that $25 because you will lose more customers than me by year's end if you keep this inept shipping distributor. Clearly, ARGIX has proved itself to be useless in my eyes not once but TWICE. Go figure.

So excuse me while I head over to BORDERS to go buy the Foodie Handbook and Steamy Kitchen at FULL PRICE because, you know what, Borders has NEVER did me wrong like you have Barnes & Noble. And I'm sure they will welcome my business (and wallet) with open arms.

Adventures In Moving: Living In A Sports Town...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:50:00 +0000

Living in Philly has taught me the importance of Sunday being a day of rest - specifically for all things Eagles, Phillies and Flyers. The complex is abuzz with activity with football jerseys, high fives and screams of "C'mon - let's GO!" and that's just from the gals trying to get their men out to the sports bar to see the game. One of the unspoken fashion mantras of this town is gals do wear sports jerseys/tshirts and they do come in pink.

I head out to walk the dog and my neighbors are often out at the same time I am - the commercial breaks. When people are screamin' - good or bad, you know it's game related. And if you are in a restaurant or club or even walkin' down the street in the Italian Market when there is a game on, there are TVs everywhere - and people drop what they are doing to find out the score and to talk about how good (or bad) the players are doing. Don't even get me started on the FaceBook crap talkin' that goes on with my Philly/NY/Boston pals.

Yes, the trials of livin' in a sports town. Now if only I could understand football...

What A Day

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:56:00 +0000

Philadelphia Phillies win

Martha Stewart

Shopping

Cocktails with OurBuddy and Rifleman...

OyVey

Seriously, Am I Ready For This...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:59:00 +0000

This bad blogger that I know *ahem* has decided to sign up for NahBlahBlah with not only this blog but also Cooking in Stilettos...

I guess perhaps I could use some of the writing practice, huh?

So, tomorrow - be prepared for a doozy of a post recounting my trials and tribulations getting reacquainted with a city that I adore as I finally start to settle in...

For now, I'm off to nurse a headache from my Phillies giving it up to the Yanks AGAIN!

Adventures in Carpentry...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:42:00 +0000

One of the joys of moving was the purging I did at the Altamonte apartment. However, part of the purge was the p.o.s. bookshelves that housed my books for years. I figured I'd start fresh here in Philly - plus the bugs love that daggone particle board. That way I wouldn't have any stragglers (more on that later)...

TarJay was having a huge sale and part of the sale were 3 shelf bookshelfs for $16.00 - perfect - I could use that for my cookbooks. Today, after having quite the convo with someone who seemed to think that I was just your typical blonde, I decided to assemble the bookshelf and work out that brainpower (seriously - you want me to take a PAYCUT AND pay city/state tax - I. Don't. Think. So).

I'm convinced that forget waterboarding - these "easy to assemble furniture pieces" are disguised as Chinese torture assembly devices. Put Part A in Part B - use dowels in Part E to attach to Part C - Twist your arm while trying to fit in Part H Blah Blah Blah.

Needless to say I have a third of a daggone shelf built, one screw that was protruding that I had to pull out and no way to attach the side panel to make the shelf complete. P.O.S. I tell you.

I'll be working on this for a bit longer but trust me, I'll be cursing like a sailor during the entire assembly process while Wiggy "supervises" from his perch on the couch.

So NOT how I imagined a Friday...

Adventures At The Social Security Office...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:38:00 +0000

One of my issues in trying to become a legal responsible resident of Pennsylvania includes getting a proper drivers' license. Granted my Florida one doesn't expire until 2010, however per Commonwealth rules, you must have a new license within 60 days of establishing residency. Easy Peasy - right? WRONG! The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania doesn't make it so simple as turning in your new license and showing your lease/bill/etc. to show you live here - they also demand your Social Security Card be shown. Ummmm... however, much like the title to my car, the SS Card is MISSING! I'm sure I'll find it when I've gotten my replacement but I haven't seen it in years since I moved to Orlando. *sigh*

The only way to get the replacement card is to make a visit to my local SSA Office closest to my address. The one that the SSA sent me to was in the heart of Germantown. For those of you that aren't familiar with the Philly landscape, Germantown is not a favorable area - my gal Suz is a police officer in that district and the stories she tells me "Oh we had a stabbing/There was a shooting/Oh I have to testify at a murder trial" blah blah blah. You get the picture. Suz is in court almost every day and at night she's patrolling the streets of Germantown. Needless to say, when I was looking for an apartment, Suz was the one to yay or nay a place.

So, my dad joked that I should go earlier in the morning because "the riff raff are still sleeping". Sure - not a problem. I figured it would be simple and that would be it. 4 hours later, my viewpoint on society has changed. I'm now convinced that I need to channel my inner Suze Orman and save for my retirement because I am convinced there will be NOTHING for me when I retire. The conversations I heard were such perfect blog fodder that I figured you might enjoy/shake your head or start praying for society as a whole...

I'm convinced that a day at the SSA is like a prison lunchroom with people trading tips on how to best the system. Now, before we get "political", let me just say that I have friends who have been on the system and have used it to help when they were in a tough spot and now they are on their own. That's not the point of this post. I fully support the system for those that need it.

However, I was privy to a conversation to two women who were quite loud and that I have never been so thankful to hear my number called so I could leave them without telling both of them to "grow the eff up". One of the woman, a badly bottled blonde, couldn't have been more than 26. She would only work 15 hours a week so she couldn't lose her SSA benefits. According to her, she's bi-polar and couldn't work more than 15 hours because of that. To make it even more "head shake worthy", she wouldn't accept responsibility for losing her prior job because she was caught SMOKING CRACK when she should have been teaching. She was a headstart teacher in Northeast Philly. Ummmmm.. The other woman is "diabetic" and she couldn't work because she had diabetes therefore she needed a SSA check while her boyfriend who wasn't her husband had a good paying job. Are you effin' kiddin' me? Seriously. There was a woman to the right of me who decided she would just change her baby's diaper in full view of everyone where the baby let out a howl and a half because, well it was COLD. There were people who go there daily and it was like a lunchroom catch up with everyone. There were retired veterans who actually NEEDED benefits that people wouldn't move to let them sit. The sense of entitlement that was around the room just pissed me the hell off. And when my number was called out of order to get my replacement card, I heard people chattering behind me going "That ain't fair. They should call my number." I almost turned around to tell her "Bitch PLEASE - I'm here for a replacement card - NOT TO MILK THE SYSTEM like your funky azz". And the people that work there - there was one woman who needed to be "retrained" as she copped major attitude with everyone, kept taking breaks and I'm convinced she was on the internet or something as she would wait before taking another person - no initiative. There were 4 windows and only two open. Boy was I thankful that after the 3.5 hour that they opened up a third window.

I do believe that there are people who are disabled and need SSA benefits. However, I don't feel that bipolar, depression and diabetes counts as reasons to not work. If you take your meds, there is hope, right? I can say that never again will I ever go to the SSA Germantown office and, quite frankly, I'm now convinced that society has "issues."

GUILTY OF IDIOCY: Altamonte Animal Hospital...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:15:00 +0000

One of the stories from the move was a sad one - and one that left me shocked and still, to this day, very annoyed.

My pug, Mr. Wiggles is a character - of that there is no doubt. He does tend to be very hyper and "wiggly" when he sees people initially but that's just how he is.

When I left for Philly, I asked for sedatives for both him and Shadow as it would be a long drive and I wanted them to be calm. Shadow had been sedated for her flight to Florida so I didn't think much of it.

The day of the move, we waited until about half an hour before we left to give the pets their meds. Shadow was prescribed a 1/4 of a 10 mg. tablet of Acepromazine. Wiggy was prescribed a full 25 mg. tablet of Acepromazine. Shadow took her tablet with little incident. However, Wiggy spit his out twice. Finally, with the bribe of cheese, he took it and my dad took him for his last walk. I was told it would take 30 minutes for it to take effect. Well, within minutes, Wiggy promptly convulsed, lost control of bodily function and basically collapsed and couldn't walk.

WHAT THE @*#@*@*@?!?! I called the Altamonte Animal Hospital only be told I could "drop him off". Listen here dummy - I'm leaving to MOVE TO PHILADELPHIA TODAY and you want me to DROP HIM OFF?!?!? ARE YOU NUCKIN' FUTZ?!?!?! Not to mention, after this incident I didn't trust them with a pen, let alone my dog. She told me that it was my option to leave with him sick but I really should just "drop him off." I about lost my mind.

As I sat with Wiggy, I started googling results of Acepromazine with pugs. He kept lookin' at me with the saddest eyes and would try to walk but couldn't move his back legs. Thankfully, he threw up the pill and still would go in and out of sleep.

I texted Rifleman asking him for a vet suggestion in Philly. If they told me to bring him back to the Altamonte vet, I would - but I was far from pleased. He came back immediately with the spot he takes his dog to - Wissahickon Animal Hospital which is right near the new apartment.

Thankfully, Jen from the Wissahickon Animal Hospital talked me off of a ledge, got me calm and told me that he should be fine, especially if he threw up the pill. That was the first step. Secondly, she said that apparently he had a reaction to it but interestingly enough, the vet prescribed him 25 mg. for a 20 lb. dog. That was enough to sedate a 100 lb. dog. Some vets prescribe 1 mg. per pound but considering that they did one quarter of a 10 mg. tablet for my 12 lb. cat, shouldn't they have done the same for my DOG? Jen made an appointment for me to bring in Wiggy after the move and told me it was safe to leave in an hour or so just to keep an eye on him and call if there were any problems. During my phone convo, Wiggy woke up and haltingly started walking over to my dad for comfort. That was the best sign ever!

I tossed their pills in the bag, vowing to never use them again. During the drive, Wiggy had a couple seizures but would quickly snap out of it. Can I tell you the immense amount of guilt I had for even sedating the little guy in the first place???

While I was driving through Georgia, my cell phone rang and on the other line was the Altamonte Animal Clinic's office manager wanting to talk about the incident. I didn't hold my tongue at all - they overdosed my DOG! We went back and forth a bit but she told me that the Vet was at liberty to prescribe a 25 mg. dose for Wiggy since it was his prerogative and Wiggy was so hyper. While I understand that, I felt I should have been consulted first as I would have to drive with him and he had never been sedated with that before. As his parent/owner, in the end, I didn't see how they could prescribe only a quarter of a 10mg. tablet for my 12 lb. cat yet a FULL 25 mg. tablet for my 20 lb. pug. Plus - while they only see the hyper "initial" side of him, they don't see the quasi-calm guy I live with when the excitement of seeing people is over.

It is what is is and thankfully Wiggy was okay during his checkup with Dr. Jacobs at the Wissahickon Animal Hospital and absolutely adores everyone there. HOWEVER, after this drama with Altamonte Animal Clinic and Dr. Hart, I could never recommend Altamonte Animal Hospital again. This one lapse of judgement on their part could have taken him away permanently. And being told to "Drop him off" like he was a rejected piece of luggage, that was just poor taste on their part.

The Move - In Pictures...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:54:00 +0000

Found a few pics from the move that about summed up the chaos...

Shadow "guarding" her territory of boxes...

Momz - where's mah stuff?

The Overpacked Uhaul...

Wiggy and Shaddy "chill out" in the car for a second before we leave Savannah...

Momz - Movin' is Hard Work!

The big "Face Off" at the new apartment...

Inspectin' the truck's progress...

And, of course, he'll take a nap whenever he has the opportunity...

Shadow after a "dose" of catnip...

Our new home... Those stairs give a hell of a workout...

And this pic says it all Just give him a beer and he'd be a happy pug...

The Moving Train Comes To An Abrupt Halt...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:21:00 +0000

Seriously, outside of the chaos of boxes, I have so much to do and I'm at a standstill to do two important things until I unpack EVERYTHING just to find A) My Car Title and B) My Social Security Card. See, I never keep my title in my car and I never keep my SS Card in my wallet - and now I'm regretting both [responsible] decisions.

I can't get my new plates or my license without either item. So, back to unpacking I go. Seriously - will it ever effin' end. Let's hope it's where I think it is - in one of my many "Important papers" expandable files that I start each year and hang on to "just in case". And, those files are in one of the many (remaining) boxes that are in my den just waiting for me to unpack. If I can't find either, I'll be going insane getting duplicates of each. Oy Vey - someone pass the Morgan.

*sigh*

The Case of the Toasty Marshmallow...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Picture this - we've been driving since 10 a.m. the day prior; it's 6 a.m. on Saturday and I finally arrive at the new abode. Come into the house, the dog promptly christens the new hallway, I lose my mind for a second, then it's off to crash for a few hours.

Once I woke up, it was time to unload the UHaul from hell. However, one [un]pleasant surprise when I awoke - it was CHILLY! And by chilly I mean just straight up cold. Wiggy, we're not in Florida anymore. So, this gal remembers that her new landlord turned on the AC to get the apartment ready. I decide that the only smart thing to do is turn on the heat and warm up the place.

Well, a couple hours into the heat working, I smelled the faint whiff of something burning. I didn't think much of it until it came along again, off and on as I would go in and out of the house, reminding me of the smell of smores on a campfire. I thought, perhaps, it was just the heating system getting some use after being dormant for a while. Maybe it was a crisp new filter in the vent getting broken in. Or, as my over active imagination was racing with the idea that perhaps the wiring was sparking and me, by turning on the heat in the new apartment, I could have started a fire in the vents and now the apartment would burn down.

The toasty marshmallow smell was quite strong in my bedroom by the vent which was next to the window. I finally panicked and called my new landlord K. and told him my fears. Turns out they were leaving early and maintenance had already left for the day. However, K. paged the maintenance supervisor and then the game of phone tag began. See, I have a plethora of radio towers outside my apartment and I wasn't hearing ONE phone call and things were just driving me nuts. The smell kept getting stronger and now my mind went into overdrive. Finally, upon connecting with John from Maintenance, we discussed the situation as I started to wander the apartment to see where the smell was originating from. I had already turned the heat off prior so now the fact that the smell was VERY strong, the panic was starting to surface. The smell was strong in my bedroom and as I went to the back porch to discuss it quietly with John, I noticed the smell was very strong out on the back porch - where there was no vents. Confused, I looked around and then I spotted it - my neighbors in the building next door were using a charcoal grill with some foil packages on it - most likely containing something with marshmallows.

I laughed and told John that the case was solved. You can imagine my shock when he said "Oh - neighbor XYZ. They aren't supposed to have that type of grill - we'll send out a letter on Monday".

Yeah, that's how this gal started off her new life in her new apartment inadvertently ratting out her new neighbor (who has since moved out due to other issues).

I just will never look at smores the same way again...

Emerging From The Chaos of Boxes...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:42:00 +0000

Can I say this was the move from hell? Seriously - Move. From. Hell. Y'all know I had that last final work project which continued on and on and on, burning me out to the point of no return. I was exhausted only to have to pack up 7 years of my life in Florida into a 17' UHaul. Thank god for my family and friends who saved my butt and pitched in with helping me pack up the apartment. Looking back, perhaps we should have gotten the 24' however somehow we got everything SQUEEZED into the truck & the Cougar and drove up the east coast to my lovely new neighborhood of Manayunk in my favorite city of Philadelphia.

I know, I've been a horrid blogger as I'm still drained - however, I do have some funny moving stories which I'll try to rehash as I get my feet wet getting back into the blogging world.

To paint a pic of the chaos I'm facing - my kitchen is only 1/2 done. I JUST found my coffee maker and I've been here a week. My clothes are still in boxes - I think I've unpacked 7 boxes of my 13 closet boxes. Go figure. My first meal I could cook here on my schmancy new gas stove - yeah, it was a batch of rice and hamburger for the dog & cat who are having their own issues "adjusting" to the water up here. Quite mortifying to meet my new landlord face to face when I'm looking like a hot mess and my dog has quite the need for a little Pepto. (yeah, I know - TMI!) But I'm relaxed more than I've been in a long time and quite calm in my city. I haven't had the chance to slap Ant or Rifleman upside their heads yet but give me time.

So bear with me and I promise to tell y'all the story of the Toasty Marshmallow on Moving Day and the Vet who Overdosed my Dog... both of which were ummm.. not fun. Thankfully the dog is fine and no marshmallows were harmed. The Vet, however, the jury is still out on that one.

Ahhhh - The Joys of Home...

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:21:00 +0000

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah - I know I should be packing like a fiend but the day to day has gotten in the way. Working crazy mad hours had me about passin' out yesterday. I just had no idea I was so exhausted. The best thing Friday was seeing Wiggs & Shadow and Wiggy's reaction to me picking him up. It was like he was doubtful that I'd pick him up. Being without those two was a hard adjustment for me when I was traveling. I've gotten use to the furbrats and their snoring.

So Tuesday (or Wednesday) is the last day at the 9to9. I'm sad to be leaving some fabulous people behind but excited to see what is on the horizon. The moving truck is here on Sunday and I should be Philly bound Monday if all goes well.

Ahhh - another milestone - those slimy rat bastid palmetto bugs in the car have been vanquished (or the lone survivor is hiding in fear). I found them in the trunk and just ditched EVERYTHING I could, including some press kits from back in the day. Oh my lord, I was so upset with myself - and even more upset when the slew of them attacked me like "Bitch, how dare you upset our home". Mind you they crawled up through the Fred Flinstone Stiletto hole and just populated in the trunk. I was terrified of going in there but once I started cleaning it out, it was like a madwoman took over and I just pushed on. I know that sometimes I put off the hard stuff and I need to stop doing that and just face it head on.

Thursday, the car goes into the shop for a tune-up, oil change and H.'s uncle is going to make sure it gets detailed. I'm sure I'll get a lecture but I owned up to the drama and I Found out that palmetto car attacks are quite common around here.

Now, I have 30 boxes that I have to get packed before tomorrow afternoon so if you don't mind, Let's just hope Wiggs doesn't try to "mark" the boxes.

Technology Today

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:44:00 +0000

So while I was out of town for the last work project, I was forced to learn this daggone phone and I discovered that the iPhone battery is crap, the apps are addicting and the fact that I can watch The Rachel Zoe Project on my phone cuz the hotel is sans Bravo is genius. Now I'm headed back to Tampa on tuesday which throws off my timeline a bit so I'll be incommunicado for a bit longer. Talk about living on the edge.

The One Where I Realize I Have Way Too Much Going ON....

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:00:00 +0000

The move is in about 2 weeks and, stupid me, I agree to take on ONE last project that I'm going "WTH?" about every other minute. Now that I have a dog, traveling like I used to for the daily is just not an option. I have to arrange for pug care and that is no easy task. Thankfully, Ms. Mary, Wiggy's foster mom, is helping me out and he gets to have a "sleepover" at Ms. Mary's house for a few days while I'm traveling out of town for work. Of course, the original plan was for me to go down Sunday and work until Wednesday in Tampa. However, plans changed to me heading down Thursday a.m., working through the weekend weekend until next Friday.

So plans changed and here I am running out of the office to bring Wiggs to Ms. Mary's house before it gets too late (because, of course, those bugs like to drive my car after dark - don't ask. I will find and kill them SOON!) I'm running crazy late, lots going on and I've got my boxes packed and in my little luggage cart along with various items from my desk as I've been purging like crazy as I didn't think I'd be back in the office for my last day. Also I have my purse and my blackberry and my keys. I'm going crazy trying to hit my deadline and put things down to get those daggone boxes in the car along with this rusty pain in the azz luggage cart and I put my blackberry down on the trunk fin.

You see where I'm going, right? So daggone distracted that my blackberry goes missing in Downtown Orlando as I drive off with the red blackberry on the red Cougar and I see NOTHING!

F*** My Life!!!

All went to hell and I hit my level of frustration. It's a bit of "give an inch and people will take 20 miles". Thankfully, I had a long chat both with my gal P. and Ms. Mary. I finally said "NO" and compromised on a few points. How the hell am I supposed to pack to move - the truck is coming on the 12th and that part is NOT changing. However, because I "don't have a job" in Philly, some people think I can just prolong this and, quite frankly, I can't. Later is NOT better especially when I'm paying for TWO apartments. I can't pass up any more interview opportunities because it's not convenient. I need to move and enough is enough. And, I'm basically kickin' my own ass because it's Catholic guilt - I always think of everyone else first and I need to stop that.

Funny sidebar story, during the chat with Mary, Wiggy got a little nervous as he's been sent back there before by prior owners and started stockpiling his toys as if he's not coming back. He'll be a bit confused but the munchkin will learn that he's with me for life - even though some people have designated him a "pain in the azz" (he's my dog so if he's a pain in the azz that's MY call and, quite frankly, I find him to be rather charming!) I just can not kennel him after the last debacle and this will give him some time to say goodbye to Mary who took such good care of him when the other owners decided that he was disposable.

So, after all that drama that day, I decided to rest, think and "enjoy the silence" of no cellie. The next day, I finally bit the bullet, flew into AT&T and upgraded to the iPhone. I'm learning and it's quite a change. The apps are interesting so I'll be trying the blogging via iPhone I'm sure when I'm traveling.

Now wish me luck as I go forth to this one last hurrah - it's literally my life full circle with people from my past crossing my path, back to the scene of my first major project and finally putting a lid on everything here in Orlando.

And, after that, I have less than a week to pack up the apartment and then Shaddy, Wiggs and I are Philly bound. I can't wait.

And I hope that my blackberry just doesn't show up miraculously somewhere *LOL*

Welcome to the [Blog] Neighborhood: Meowmix

justanothagal@gmail.com (Lys) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:34:00 +0000

Yup - you read that right, Meowmix, I mean "Sidney" has decided to join the blog-o-sphere so, while I'm off and about working on one LAST project for the 9to9 and then get ready for this move, why don't you mosey on over HERE and tell Meowmix welcome!

Trust me - she's seriously hilar!

Spygirls Wear Spikes