Listening: Verizon's on-hold music

Reading (perhaps quality): Arturo Perez Reverte's new book. At least I mean to start it. Sometime soon. Really.

Reading (definitely pulp): picked up Alice Hoffman's "Turtle Moon" again

Drinking: Nescafe. I've grew to like it after I went to Greece to visit Thali and SS the SS.

August 31, 2002
2:55 pm

Am trying hard to be reasonable.

When I got my bills this month I decided I have to scale down my expenditures and that some things could would have to go. So I rolled back down to basic cable (the reception is so bad here that I wouldn't be able to see much of anything at all without it), and the phone plan where you get like 60 calls a month and then pay 8 cents for calls after that. And while I was at it I'd get Verizon to fix my phone too.

Because, you see, my telephone is wack. They call it a hum but it's more like a cacophony. A jet plane at takeoff. It's so loud that I have to almost shout to be heard, have to ask the other people to shout too. Its especially hard with my father (as his voice tends to be soft) and my grandfather (who's a little hard of hearing even on clear phone lines).

So for the past couple of months I've been saying I'm going to get it fixed. But I figured today would be a good day - since the cable guy was coming I'd be home anyway. And at the end of the day I would have a land line I could actually use!

End of the day may be right. The cable guy came at 12 (he was slotted between 12 and 3). The Verizon guy was slated to come between 8 and 12 and still hasn't arrived. Customer service at Verizon has been of limited help. For the last couple of hours they've claimed I'm next in line. They've assured me that there's nothing they can do and seem perplexed that I'm not comforted. I'm actually pretty pissed off.

Am just hanging out, then. Want to do laundry but have been hesitant to leave, even with putting a note up on the door, even for 10 minutes to just stick the loads in. Want to even shower damn it but am afraid that the five minutes when I'm washing my hair will be right when the repairman gets here.

3:27 and still nothing. Damn phone company.

Just started listening to Eva Cassidy's "eva by heart". Have seen news stories about her, how her music is incredible amazing and though I've had the CD for a while now (long story but a guy I dated briefly a few years ago wanted me to listen to it) I hadn't really listened to it. But it's great. Would completely recommend it.

Weather's not rainy today but still a little damp and cool. Have the windows open to catch whatever breezes I can and can hear the dampened rush of cars zooming by on Route 50.

Though I'm sure there will be a few hot days yet, it feels like fall is on the way. The tree outside the dining room window is still green with one twig of enthusiastic fall-turned leaves.

4:02. Still nothing.

Same story at 5:03 pm.

The Verizon technician just called to say he's coming up to the apartment. 5:51. Almost 6 hours after the outside time they gave me. Grrrrrowl.

Doing (life and related tasks): Staying home to wait for errant repairman, updating the site's design for fall.

Doing (crafty stuff): would like to finish my chunky shell, once I'm done writing will get to it.

Wanting: The damn Verizon repairman to get here.

Anticipating: hanging out with Marie tonight, catching up with D about her Ireland trip, going to the vineyards with Carrie and Sarah on Monday.