Yet more grumpiness

[Shrain]

Here I am trying to write more of my novel, but it's so abominably COLD in this high-tech computer lab that all I can think of is how my hands and nose have no feeling. Typing . . . is . . . growing . . . . difficult.

I know computers need to be kept nice 'n' cool, but come on, 62 degrees?? *shiver* It's inhumane. Totally inhumane.

Perhaps I could get a short story idea outta this, though.... Maybe the computers are so sensitive in the future (because they're so fancy and all) that they require below-zero atmospheres or something. (I hear some computers nowadays are like that. Of course, that's from Alias, so who knows. haha) Anyway, because of this, all the poor humans have to wear these cold-suits to work every day.

[42]

What's wrong with 62 degrees?

Anyways, I missed my chance to be in a movie today. LDS Motion pictures was filming some soe pioneer movie in Provo today. They wanted descendants of the Marten Handcart Co. to be extras, so I got an invite since I was in the area.

[Shrain]

What's wrong with 62 degrees?

Well, for starters, it's, oh, 10 degrees colder than most people set their thermostats so they don't have to walk around in coats. Sure, I wear sweaters, but the ten degrees makes a big difference, esp. since you're just sitting at the computers, not walking around. And, actually, I think it's more like 60 degrees . . .

[Chimera]

Grumpy grumpy grumpy. I didn't get to go Mark Hamill's lecture because I got sick. Again. So I'm quite sad.

However, I did get to watch Karate Kid. Somehow, I have never seen the whole movie all the way through. Tonight was my night--and it was so great! I wish we had more good clean movies, with strong likeable characters, and a lot of heart, like that nowadays. Everything is "edgy" or "gritty" it seems. And while I like those movies too, sometimes is nice to have a good clean pick-me-up like the Karate Kid. I needed it.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I... don't know what to say about that.

[Harbinger]

Ditto.

[The Lost One]

I went in this morning to get the front brakes replaced on my car and the mechanic shop came back and told me that my car was unsafe and needed $1510 worth of repairs. What irked me about this is that I already knew what repairs needed to be done (from another shop) and I was just going to this mechanic shop to see if I could negotiate a better deal on the front brakes. I asked if they could just fix the front brakes and they started to discuss things. I overheard them say things like "Well, the calipers really don't need to be replaced." Obviously, they weren't being honest about what needed to be repaired and were making a bigger deal about some small problems to scare me in getting them fixed immediately. It is a good thing that I'm not that ignorant about cars (or mechanics).

Anyways, the shop refused to fix the front brakes unless they could make all of the repairs right then and there and continued to claim that the car was dangerous. Then they started to lecture me about their legal liability if they didn't make all the repairs. Instead of telling them that I was a lawyer and calling them on their lie about liability, I said that I was going to have another mechanic do the work. In the end they gave me a list of what they thought was wrong with the car and I noticed several items that had just be recently repaired or done and that I knew didn't need any work.

I went to a more honest mechanic (the one I had previously inspect the car and do some repairs) and got the front brakes replaced.

What makes me grumpy is that many people probably get entrapped by less-than-fully honest mechanics like at the shop I visted this morning.

[Shrain]

Boy, I despise sleazy repair shops!! I'm trying to find a good, honest place here in Quincy. I really need to get some recommendations from some friends so I can avoid jerks who want to rip me off.

Anyway, I am grumpy because I'll soon have to print all of my novel on my ink jet printer for my writing prof. Oy! I need a laser printer!! I tremble to think how quickly this new cartridge will be sucked dry.

[stacer]

Can't you print at school? I don't know about Emerson, but printing at Simmons was free for students.

[Shrain]

Unluckily for me, Emerson totally gyps us when it comes to printing. They give us a measly $5 print credit every semester and it costs 10 cents/pg to print! arrrgh!

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

boy, I despise sleazy repair shops!! I'm trying to find a good, honest place here in Quincy. I really need to get some recommendations from some friends so I can avoid jerks who want to rip me off.  

Call the Car Talk guys on NPR, they could prolly give you a number or two off air....

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I was thinking he should have made a stink right there in the office. With other customers there. To at least protect some folks.

[Shrain]

Uh-huh. My thoughts also. I would've made a mission out of clearing that office of prospective customers. Of course, maybe business was slow that day...

So, on a totally different (but certainly grumpy) topic, once again, I've proven that my superweakness--utter lack of directionality--is here to stay. No matter how much I mapquest or study maps, I *always* get lost. Like, this morning, taking 40 minutes to go 2.44 mi so I can check out this gym I wanna join!! Arrgh!

When it comes to directionality, I feel like this kid at a pinata party who's been blindfolded and spun around a billion times. The worst part is when I get panic attacks from being lost. That sucks, majorly. Today, I kept my cool pretty much. No panic attacks. Partly b/c I planned on taking about 6x longer than it should -and- I didn't have a set time that I had to be there.

Still, this superweakness of mine really depresses me sometimes. Hmm, maybe if I live here for 10 years, I'll actually be able to find my way around as well as I can in Orem.

[stacer]

That's not your superweakness. It's the superweakness of the city planners of Boston. I'd been there 4 months and ended up driving around Harvard Square for an hour, trying to go to Somerville, and kept ending up in the Back Bay. I can say where I was *now*, but back then I had no clue.  And this was when I had a car there. Actually, it was much easier to figure out Boston via the T. Not as many variables.

[Shrain]

Thanks, stacer. The chaos of the roads here is definitely a contributing factor. Too bad I'm directionally challenged in the first place, though. I've gotten lost in SLC, for instance, because I don't drive there much. Yet I'd quickly get back on track again b/c of the nifty street layout. Here, all bets are off. I never know how long it'll take me to get anywhere. *sigh*