OOOO~klahoma, Where the Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Plain...

Okay...so first I have to say that this post is for you, Shelley, for calling me out on not posting anything since the iPhone situation. Love ya! ;) Second, a sing-song voice when saying the title is an absolute have-to. Come on, you know you want to! And third, you may be asking why the heck I'm singing that song. No? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway...it's my first knowledge of this State!

When I was first told we would be moving to Oklahoma, I cried. I had been born and raised in small-town-Illinois and had every intention of living there until I died. The only things I had ever known about Oklahoma were the first line of that song and the fact it was somehow related to The Grapes of Wrath - which I had to read for my English class and felt (at the time) it was an experiment in torture. Oh yeah, and there's that little thing about how Oklahoma is right smack in the middle of tornado alley. Yeah...that sounded like an awesome place to swap out for my family, my roots, and my history…not to mention, drag my child.

Needless to say, economics won out and we headed off to Danny’s new job and the great unknown. Really unknown. We didn’t know the names of the local towns, we didn’t know the names of the area counties, and we didn’t know the local television and radio stations. Even worse, we didn’t get the local television stations. At that time we had DirecTv and local channels were locked out, so you had to get your network channels out of somewhere other than the local market. This never really seemed like a problem until we had lived here a few months.

We discovered what a problem it was to be completely oblivious to your surroundings on May 3, 1999. One of the worst string of tornadoes in Oklahoma history ransacked this State (click the link for details). Danny & I were listening to his police scanner, map in hand, trying to determine not only where the tornadoes were, but also where we were in conjunction to them. We decided to look at the sky and realized from our garage viewpoint that all the cars that had previously lined the streets and been parked in the neighborhood driveways had mysteriously disappeared. The sirens sounded, and we did the best we could to ride the storm out. Mercifully and through the Grace of God, we sustained no damage or injuries…other that the traumatic experience of huddling in the hall closet with the cushions from the couch all around for protection. I believe that stuck with Devin the longest, since he was only 5 at the time.

Since that initial baptism by fire, we have seen many storms come and go – some have been bad, some not so bad. The most recent was a little over a week ago when we were hit with straight-line winds up to 70 mph. We, collectively as a family, watched through the sliding-glass door window as the wind turned Danny’s barely-over-a-month-old gazebo into a kite and fly up toward the sky, then flipped it over and scattered it across the roof. We managed to find it later in the backyard of our neighbor’s homes...the pieces anyway.

In addition to the tornadoes, we’ve experienced multiple, ridiculously rainy seasons in which we thought the rain would never end. When we were living in our camper at the lake (yes, we sold our home ~ don't get me started on that ~ and moved in to an RV; but it was hardly ‘roughing it’), there was a time we could only access our RV by boat.

If it’s not storming with tornadoes and straight-line winds, or when Mother Nature’s not trying to drown us with never-ending rain, then we get to face the heat. The sweat-inducing, raisin-making, persecuting heat. Most recently, we’ve been experiencing a rash (no pun intended) of days in which the temperature has risen above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I think the record is 50-some-odd days so far. Also, if I remember correctly, the record temperature according to my car thermometer was 114 degrees Fahrenheit. If you looked out the window you might think it's fall since the leaves are all turning brown and falling off the trees.

Now don’t get me wrong, there have been some great things about living here. My job; which lead to my career for one. Devin being exposed the vast culture and endless opportunities afforded though living in a college town for another. There are some beautiful areas in Oklahoma, and some interesting history. But I have to honestly say that any enjoyment from living in Oklahoma has run its course. This is not my dream. My dream has always been the turquoise-blue water, the foliage and fauna, the tropical air. I hear the ocean calling my name, even more than before. I have been patient, but my patience wears thin. I count the days until Devin has graduated high school and the ties that bind me here are lifted. It’s time to smell the salty air, put my toes in the warm, wet sand, and find my forever home. A home which most definitely is not Oklahoma.

Honey, There's Something Wrong with My Brand New iPhone....

So since my hubby was laid off from work, he no longer has a company cell phone. Since we don't have a home (land line) phone, he kind of needed to have a replacement. Now, he's not the best at taking care of phones, in fact, he's been through more than our 17-year old son - which is really saying something - but he really, really, really wanted an iPhone. Since he pretty much always ends up getting what he wants, and because it was only going to to cost $49 for an iPhone 3, he got one. I made him get the Otterbox as well, to try to protect his phone from his destructive ways for as long as possible.

Over the next few days I got to hear about how "cool" his iPhone was and how much fun he was having with it using all the new features. See, his company phone did not provide anything but the basics - no text, no wi-fi, etc.  Prior to my hubby getting his iPhone, I had been using my son's old iPod Touch (which only had one speaker that worked if you used headphones). The Touch is very similar to an iPhone, so I knew how "cool" it could be and I found many of the applications very useful. Around that same time, my company cut me off from multi-media messages, downloading ring tones, etc. I have to admit, I was becoming a little green with jealousy.

Then my hubby had a brilliant idea: Since the iPhone is only $49, why don't I get one for myself? I pondered his suggestion for a bit - Did I really want to carry two phones? Could we really afford to add another line? After giving it some thought, I decided that yes, I really, really, really wanted an iPhone too - so I got one.

From previously using the Touch, I had some various accessories I had purchased off of eBay, including screen protectors. The screen protectors were a little late; however, since my son never used them and the face of the Touch had a few scratches on it already. Anyway, I no longer needed the Touch so I decided to use one of the screen protectors on my beautiful, new, non-scratched iPhone.

I spent the next couple of days joyfully downloading applications, creating new ring tones, and texting to my little heart's content. I had not, however, made or received an actual phone call yet. At least, not until I had to make a run to Wal-Mart. Walking down one of the aisles, I heard my favorite Def Leppard song, Rocket (one of the ring tones I had created), and realized my hubby was calling. I answered the phone, but could not hear a word he was saying. I pushed the little button to turn up the volume until it reached maximum capacity, and still could not hear well enough to make out what he was saying. I asked him to text me whatever he was saying - as I knew that feature worked well; I had been using it for days. I received his text, picked up his electrical tape, and when I got home, I experimented with my phone to figure out what was going on. I tried placing a phone call - I couldn't hear. I tried calling myself from my work cell phone - I couldn't hear. I finally convinced myself that something HAD to be wrong with my brand new beautiful toy. I was so sad.

The next day was Saturday and I was having a yard sale. I really needed to get my phone back to where I bought it to find out what was wrong with it, but I couldn't leave. I was afraid the store would close before I could finish up my yard sale, so I asked my hubby to take it in for me. Boy, am I glad I didn't take it in.

My hubby disappeared for a very brief period of time, and returned with a huge, you-won't-believe-what-I'm-about-to-tell-you smiles on his face. He showed me my phone, and pointed out that the screen protector I had so thoughtfully placed on my new toy to keep it from being scratched was actually covering up the earpiece on my phone. He then told me how much he appreciated my sending him to be the one to look like an idiot. Well, at any rate, the mystery was solved, and my brand new toy is working just fine, thank you! ;-)

Finally! Someone Who Knows What They're Doing!!

Today was a much better day in DirecTV land. I received a call bright and early from Trevor, the new technician, who was coming to fix or undo whatever Jeff had broken or done. He was calling to let me know he had a couple of orders to fulfill, but he should be to my home by 3 pm. Based on my experience with DTV so far, I had an "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude and went on with house cleaning and organizing chores.

Around 12:30 pm, I received a call from Trevor. I was expecting him to tell me how the jobs before me took longer than he expected...blah, blah, blah. To my extreme surprise, he told me he had finished early and would be at my home in about an hour! Adding to my amazement was the fact that he actually ARRIVED when he said he would.

Trevor went from one TV to another, checking the DVRs and boxes, ensuring they worked and we were able to actually get a signal. One of the DVRs came on (which was surprising, since it wouldn't work previously), but he had to replace the other. All together he was at my home for only about an hour - very impressive! Even more impressive: he left his name and phone number in case we had any other problems. Now THIS is the type of service I expected to get back on the 10th. And quite frankly, it only strengthens my resolve that Jeff is useless. Trevor accomplished in ONE HOUR what Jeff could not do in SEVEN DAYS.

On top of the fact that I finally have the DTV service I was expecting on the 10th, I finally got my computer desk organized, my son's speakers connected to his computer, and my room together. Ahhh...the world is as it should be. Time to bring on the water park tomorrow!!

Onward! Through the DirecTV Fog!

Today starts off on a good note: I wake up at 6 am and take Rasta (my newly-shaved-way-too-short Collie...but that's a story for a different day) for a 3-mile walk around Boomer Lake. We get back home almost an hour later (because Rasta had to 'mark' every tree, bush, tuft of grass, etc.). That's about where the "good note" ended. After showering, I begin my so-called-vacation-day by attempting to contact various tv and appliance sales and service locations in order to get estimates on my fried TV and surround sound receiver. I'm probaby going to date myself here, but there was a time you could very easily find a place to repair your television and it was relatively close to home. However, in the day and age of LCD and LED HD technology, that is no longer the case. After contacting what seemed like about one-hundred places, I was coming to my wit's end. I even tried the Best Buy Geek Squad, but apparently they can only fix things - they can't give estimates on repairs or replacement.

Upon the advice of my hubby, who is getting frustrated with my frustration, I give up and leave that particular mess for another day.

So, onward, through the DirecTV fog I go...Remember that phone call from a supervisor Ken so earnestly promised me would come within 30 minutes that still had not arrived at the time of my last post? Well, it never came. I attempted, once again, to contact DirecTV Customer Care to find out what happened to the call - or my service call for that matter.

At 10:35 am, I reach Jasmine, who asks me what she can do for me. I tell her the ENTIRE sorted story, and then let her know that I'm STILL waiting on my call. Jasmine tells me how sorry she is, as DirecTV "really appreciates their new customers." I'm thinking, but don't say outloud, "If this is appreciation, I'd really hate to see their idea of the opposite end of the spectrum." Jasmine informs me that I really should be speaking with technical support, instead of customer service, since tech support is who schedules installations. Apparently my story fell on Jasmine's deaf ears, as I was not trying to schedule anything. I'm trying to find out what happened to my phone call. Anyway, she sends me away to Sharita in tech support.

Sharita asks me how she can help me, and quite frankly at this point - eight representatives later - I'm bored with my own story and don't want to tell it anymore. I tell Sharita to look up my account and read the notes. I tell her I will give her a few minutes, as I'm quite sure there are a lot of notes. Sharita tells me she doesn't understand the problem, since she shows that a technician is scheduled to come by my house tomorrow between the hours of noon and 4 pm to bring me two new HD DVR boxes and install them. Maybe it would have been nice if DirecTV had informed me, the customer, of their plan to show up at my house. Maybe it would be nice if Sharita were a little more friendly or at least understanding. Maybe it would be nice if she REALLY read the notes and realized what this company has done to me so far. And maybe it would be nice if she understood that my plans get to change from enjoying a day at the water park to wasting ANOTHER so-called-vacation-day waiting for a DTV tech.

My Journey Through DirecTv Hell...

My husband and I decided to move in to bigger place with two bathrooms, a two-car garage, and in a better neighborhood. We chose the place and after what seemed like an endless two-three days, we finally moved everything out of the old place and in to the new. On May 31, I contacted all of the utilities, informing them to be turned off here and turned on there and so forth. When I contacted the cable company, they told me the earliest they could make the switch was June 9. I thought that was completely ridiculous, and decided to contact some other service providers to see what I could do....boy, did that turn out to be a major mistake!

I checked out DirecTv online. We had their service before and thought it was great, just a little too pricey, so we turned it off. We really missed that NFL Sunday Ticket, and when I saw they were now offering it free (so long as you signed up for one of the higher-end packages), I just couldn't pass it up. By the time it was all said and done, I had arranged to have two HD-DVRs, one HD receiver, and one standard receiver. I proceeded to the next page, only to discover the earliest a tech could come install the equipment was June 10. Guess the joke was on me. Anyway, $160 later, I was prepared to be totally enthralled by my new HD DirecTv. Ugh...if I only knew...

So June 10th rolls around and my hubby hangs out, waiting for the installer to show up. He, who introduces himself as Jeff, calls to say he is running behind and he will not make it between 8am and noon as originally stated. He showed up in the late afternoon; and my hubby being the sweetie he is fed him and gave him lots to drink (as this is Oklahoma and it's always hot outside lol). Many hours later, he is STILL at our house...still trying to install the equipment. At this point, he has the livingroom and one of the bedrooms hooked up. He claimed to be having a problem (which he explained to my husband as our "being screwed") with the splitter between two of the bedrooms. By now it's almost 10 pm and it's getting ridiculous. Jeff agrees to return another day to try to fix the "screwed" problem....

The next day is Saturday, followed by Sunday of course, so my hubby tells Jeff he can come back on Monday. Jeff agrees and claims he will be there "first thing" to get this wrapped up. Monday, June 13, my poor son, who is on summer vacation, is tasked with staying home to wait for Jeff. Noon rolls around, and there's no Jeff. He finally calls later to explain he was on a job that took longer than he thought and he will have to push it to tomorrow - but he will make sure he is there between 8 am and noon.

Tuesday, June 14 - once again, my son is chained to the house, waiting for this tech to show up so we may enjoy all the glory of 257 television channels - some in HD. At 1 pm I arrive at the house to discover Jeff has not only failed to appear, but he hasn't even called this time to explain himself. My poor child says he's starving, so I call Jeff to find out what's going on. Jeff said (once again) that he's being held up by another job, but he should be there around 3pm. I take my poor, starving child to lunch, then drop him off and back to work I go. I come home at 5 pm only to discover that Jeff has not appeared...AGAIN. He also has not called - AGAIN. My hubby gives him a call to find out what's going on, and Jeff gives his song and dance about a job that's taking much longer than he expected (we know it's taking him so long because the man moves like molasses) so he's going to have to send us one of his "other guys" to finish the job. Jeff promises this "other guy" will arrive "first thing in the morning."

Wednesday, June 15 - My son is once again left to wait for a DTV technician. Neither the "other guy" or Jeff shows up by the time I come home at noon for lunch. My son is frustrated with having to stay home all day, every day, on his summer vacation; and I'm frustrated because I've been almost two weeks without ANY kind of service. It usually takes quite a bit to get me worked up, but now I'm tired of getting the run-around. I call DirecTv customer care to complain. Customer Care assures me they will send me a new technician, and this individual will be there "first thing in the morning." Yeah, I haven't heard that one before. I tell Customer Service it's been almost a week now, and I am leaving town on Friday so SOMEONE needs to make it to my house ASAP. I'm told that I will be contacted by a supervisor and the install will be scheduled at MY convenience. Based on this info, I set my son free to hang with his friends. Shortly after, I get a call from the "new" tech, Kevin. Kevin apologizes and tells me he had no idea he was supposed to be at my home first thing in the morning, or he would have been there. He then says he will call when he is ready to come over. I figured that should work, because either my son or my hubby could be home. Unfortunately, Kevin calls me at 4 pm (while I'm still at work) and says he is at my home. No one is there. Geez... I tell Kevin to move on to his next job and check back when he's done. Later that evening, I get a call from Kevin, who tells me the job is taking longer than he expected and he won't be able to make it today. Hmmm....no surprise there, huh? Then he tells me he will be by (you guessed it) "first thing in the morning."

Thursday, June 16 - Kevin never shows. At least this time, my poor child is not stuck home all day - my hubby hung around to wait in the afteroon and set my son free. Like I said, Kevin never shows...instead, it's Jeff (ugh). Before I go too far into this particular visit, let me tell you that we had a pretty severe thunderstorm roll through Wednesday night/Thursday morning. I recall hearing the thunder and seeing the lightning flashes around 5 am. However, by the time Jeff-the-useless-technician appeared around 5 pm, that storm was long gone. It is also important to note that both the 27" television in my room, the Sony 5.1 5-disc changer surround sound system in the livingroom, and both DirecTv HD DVRs were working perfectly in the morning before I left for work AND they were working just fine in the afternoon when Jeff arrived. However, by the time Jeff left our house, none of those items worked any more...oh yeah, and he tried to blame that on the thunderstorm. He said something about the electric charge from a lightning strike being contained in the dish until he turned it off and then turned it back on. Sounds like pretty high-tech stuff, huh? Oh...and ANOTHER side note, we were leaving first thing in the morning to head to Illinois and meet our daughter's future in-laws, so we did NOT have time to deal with this stuff!! So, after Jeff tried to blame the thunderstorm, he calls up DirecTv and says we need two new receivers because the "electrical storm" had taken out the others. He promises he will have them to us on Tuesday.

Thursday night one of the HD DVRs begins working again, so my hubby hooks up the tv (and the new blu ray player and new surround sound system he bought to replace the ones Jeff destroyed) and he notices that his brand new, 55" Sony tv is starting to flicker. It scared the heck out of both of us, so we disconnect everything Jeff hooked up, give up, and go to bed.

On Friday, June 17, we had to forget all our DirecTv troubles and head on down (or up, in this case) the road to our daugher's house. We choose to stick our heads in the sand and forget about this mess until we get back.

Fast-forward to Tuesday, June 21 when we get back from Illinois. I contact DirecTv Customer Care (again). I speak with Tiffany. Tiffany is very pleasant and apologetic, but pretty useless. She tells me she has to forward me to their "damage claims" department, so then I speak with Debbie. Debbie is much more helpful, and also apologetic. She gives me all the information I need to file my claim for the tv and surround sound system. She tells me she is going to "escalate" my claim (whatever that means), and she's going to make sure I do NOT get Jeff again; since I made it VERY clear I did not want that man touching ANY of my electronics EVER again. I asked Debbie about the fact that since I ordered the service, I have not been able to use it and according to my account, I am going to be charged almost $70 on June 24. Debbie tells me she can't help me with that, but she will transfer me to Jennifer. Jennifer assures me, once again, that Jeff will not be coming to my home. She agrees to remove charges from June 10 through June 22 off my bill. She then tells me I will have a new technician come to my home. I thank her and hang up. Around 4 pm, I get a call from Jeff (who, by the way, was supposed to be here in the morning to bring two new HD DVRs to replace the ones he destroyed on the 16th). Jeff asked me if I was ready for him to drop off the new DVRs and install them. I'm extremely confused. Jeff is NOT supposed to come to my home. Debbie AND Jennifer assured me he would not be coming to my home. What the heck is happening here??? I immediately contact DirecTV Customer Care AGAIN. I get to speak with the ill-mannered and not very helpful Kari or Kay or whatever (I couldn't understand her). She argues with me until I lose my cool and tell her that perhaps DTV should not only reimburse me for the equipment their horrible technician broke, but also my original $160 AND then just cancel the whole darn thing because they are in breach of contract. Obviously she's heard this before (and what does that say about DirecTv???), because it didn't phase her a bit. She simply stated that all she could do was escalate the service call to a local technician and any property damage needed to go through the property damage department. She then passed me off to the SIXTH DirecTV person (not counting Jeff) that I have spoken to today. This time I get Ken. Ken is very apologetic and friendly. I feel sorry for Ken that I'm being a little rude, but I'm so frustrated at this point, I just want to tell them what they can do with their service.... Ken told me he was ensuring that Jeff would not be returning to my home. He said Jeff is aware that if he gets the call, he needs to send someone else. Supposedly, I was to receive a phone call from the "home office" within 30 minutes. That was around 4 pm. It's almost 6 pm now. I haven't heard from anyone...

At the end of the day, I'm still in the same boat I was in this morning. I have no service. My 27" tv is fried. My Sony 5.1 5-disc surround sound is fried. My DirecTV HD DVRs are fried (well, one is...I'm actually afraid to use the one that came back on after the surround sound connected to it was fried). I'm out $160 for equipment I can't use, and I owe a $70 bill on the 24th of June. Oh yeah, and if I want to cancel this "service," it will cost me an additional $480. Oh what a happy day....