I am fuming today. My anger is fueled by (note: not “powered by”) the amount of work that I have to do, but shouldn’t have to, in order to get people to do their job.
I am about as tired of feeling like a loser as your probably are reading about it. But when shit, continually different shit, keeps happening to me I have to wonder aloud.
Water Water Everywhere, Except Of Course In My House
Last night I got home from the optometrist and started to think about how I was going to spend my evening — then I flushed the toilet. When I flushed I noticed something very different — silence. I immediately thought that the toilet had broken, so I “turned on” the water to different faucets to verify I had water, only to hear air. I immediately called the City of Atlanta in order to get someone to come out. After two hours of waiting, as well as posting a query on the EAV Buzz I decided to check my water meter to see if it was moving while I had no water in the house. Not only was it stationary, the damn thing looked brand spanking new, because it is! My theory was that a crew came out and replaced my meter but never turned the water back on, or did and I have some leak that caused them to immediately shut it off again.
Here’s a free suggestion for the City of Atlanta, Let the goddamn homeowner know when you do this! For fuck’s sake, I shouldn’t have to spend my time playing Columbo in order to figure out what’s going on for something that you have done.
At 5am I went out and turned the water service back on because no one ever came out to my house. In doing this I believe that I have a water leak somewhere (but I kinda already knew that). Gee, that’s exactly what I need, another job around the house. Let’s see, clean roof, fix chainsaw so that I can finish with downed limbs, paint railing, get soffit repaired, check attic for critters, and now look for and repair water leak(s). I am sure that there are other jobs but can’t bring myself to try and remember them.
Twelve Days Of ITP Flickr Pics
Each day through Christmas I will be picking my favorite photo for each month of 2007.
Today: February
A night that will live in infamy.
The Week Of Follow-Ups
It’s only Tuesday, but I already know that it is going to be one of those weeks…
You’ve read about yesterday, which of course now has spawned an unknown amount of work for me (or a nice expensive plumber) to complete.
Today I need to compare the second bill sent to me by my (soon-to-be previous) doctor’s lab so that I can fight at least a portion of the bill. The second bill is for work done on the blood sample that I was told had been lost. I am sure that I will have to go and chat with the doctor’s office today. As I see it either the first sample was not lost and thus I should not have had to give a second and receive a bill for the test run on it, or the first sample was lost and I should not have received a bill for tests run on a lost blood sample. Either way I refuse to pay twice.
Also at some point today I need to touch base with the accountant that I am trying to get to calculate my estimated taxes for this year so that I don’t get whacked with penalties when I file in April. This has turned into a two-month long process because I am constantly having to call her. She was supposed to call me with information last Wednesday and has not gotten to me since. If this wasn’t so close to year’s end I’d start shopping around for another accountant.
I am sure that this is the pot calling the kettle black, but what has happened to the work ethic in this country? Seriously I cannot be this unlucky, can I?
I Already Have My 2008 Theme
You find out what it is on January 1.
Ladies And Gentlemen Start Your DVRs
Last night I discovered that there is one more new episode of Kitchen Nightmares to be aired, which will occur this Wednesday. I could have sworn that the Coming Attractions shown at the end of last week’s episode made Wednesday’s show look like a re-run.
Also, remember that this coming Sunday will be the finale for Survivor: China. CBS will show an hour-long episode on Thursday evening and follow it up with the two-hour long finale on Sunday.
CD Pick Of The Week
Another week of new releases that I have no interest in buying. So this week I am going to suggest that you go out and buy Okkervil River’s “The Stage Names.” You won’t be sorry.
And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal…
Current Mood – frustrated
Current Music – WOXY‘s Holiday Mixer stream
Website Of The Day – Even though I thought Saturday’s trivia contest was crap I like trivia. If you do as well you should check out Weird Facts.
Exercise (b)Log – nothing, I waited around the house for the water workers to arrive — they never did
Monthly Foot Mileage – 15.3 miles
Monthly Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Mode Of Transportation To Work – My car
Monthly Marta Rides – 4
December Goals
1) Run no fewer than 50 miles
2) Ride Marta no fewer than twenty times (ten round-trips)
3) Read at least one book
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
J-e-s-u-s. That’s a good look. No wonder Peter Faulk always wore a hat!!!! What made that infamous, I need a refresher on that one! (actually Paulie, still laughing, erm, with you??? hilarious pic.)
I know little Willy helped KKGB replace her water line to the house, biggest issue will be digging the ditch. Repair overall won’t be hard if you need a new line… but this is a “profit maker” for plumbers for sure.
Contact Jim, he’s a great account and has always been prompt to return emails for calls to me….
That was after a Thrashers game last February, the one in which BWanA “kidnapped” me and Martha for “just one more beer” and I wound up escaping and walking back to my car which was parked at the Candler Park Marta station. This photo was taken after I woke up the next morning and (not surprisingly) called in “sick” to work.
Willy has always been too busy to get around to me. What could KKGB have that I don’t? 🙂 This weekend I will be turning the water off to the house (because I know that I can) and replacing the guts of one toilet and the washers/gaskets to at least one of my external spigots.
Thanks for the accountant recommendation, but I am trying to avoid using a hasher for this. There is not much private within the hash so I’d like to keep my finances one of those. How can I possibly continue telling people that I am a millionaire if someone within the hash knows the truth?
Accountant… damnit!
Yeah, Bwana can be the pusher, that’s for sure!
I think she just bakes better cookies…… you can get a completely new one for under $100 bucks, you might consider that instead… I’ve done a few “gut replacements” at the duplex and won’t be doing any more!
Understood. People would just laugh if I tried that one, so I don’t worry too much, but I think any accountant worth his salt would have the mantra “loose lips, sink ships and get me throw out of the local CPA association and sued”… but I understand!
I still shudder when I think of that night and at least two of the stupid things I did…I haven’t been to a hockey game with Bwana since then.
> Accountant… damnit!
Knew what you meant.
One of the problems of having “original plumbing” from the 1950’s is that you can’t replace an entire toilet very easily. The one in question is some variant of mint or sea-foam green. Further, I’d have to check to see if the toilet sits on to of the matching floor tile, or if they have been cut around its base.
I have no doubt that Jim is top-notch and would not speak a word of confidential material. It’s the looks he’ll be showing when I spread my BS in George’s that (don’t really) concern me. 🙂
I’ll use hash services for a lot of things, accounting and medical doctoring are not professions that I want my local hasher to handle however.
> I still shudder when I think of that night and at least two of the stupid things I did…I haven’t been to a hockey game with Bwana since then.
Yeah, that night won’t go down as “Best Night Ever” in either of our obits, will it…
hmmm – you are such a dreamer……. thinking any city worker/dept. would let you know a head of time that they are doing something in your yard. I wonder if they will try to charge you for the new meter? Have you been getting bigger than normal water bills?
I received one bill for July that was huge ($138) compared to my then-normal ~$10. For the past few months my bill has been around $35.
Martha said that she was informed that they would be replacing meters on her street in a few weeks.
This morning I noticed that at least one of my neighbors had a small pile of red dirt/clay near their meter box as well. I bet that they got their meter replaced but didn’t have a leak so they never noticed.
I’m looking forward to the new meters…after my crazy $250 bill I got this fall because some asshat read my meter wrong (on the plus side I haven’t owed any money for months).
Paulie you may have received a notice and tossed it aside…I almost did. It was only a postcard and didn’t look like anything important.
> “Best Night Everâ€
Hardly…hey at least that didn’t end up being the night they WROTE our obits.
While I’ve not paid extreme attention to details recently I think that I would have noticed a postcard alerting me of a new meter. Maybe not though, as it might still be mixed in with all of my pr0n 😉
Paulie: Littlewilly was unemployed at the time,regardless KKGB is and will always be sweeter than you!!!!
Willy, as long as you are picking KKGB over me I will respect you. 🙂