Earlier this year, I was dying to get Verizon Fios. Now, I’m dying to know why they SUCK so much! I live in NJ where there has pretty much always been a monopoly on cable tv. You either had your choice of Comcast or some satellite provider. Comcast charged about $50 a month for about 50 channels. So, when Verizon came touting their $99.99 plan for over 300 channels (with internet and phone), we were doing cartwheels. Too bad they were full of shit. Firstly, my bill is not $99.99 – it is more like $149.99. Secondly, their door-to-door solicitors are liars. Back in April, a man came to our door telling us that our neighborhood had now been outfitted with Fios. The promo he offered us was either a free digital camera or a year’s worth of HBO. Since we had just received a new digital camera for Xmas, we opted for what we thought was going to be a free year of HBO. After 3 months, our bill told us our HBO was ending. I called to complain and Verizon offered us a Movie Package deal of all of the other movie channels for 3 months. I took it after specifically asking if I was going to be charged if I didn’t cancel it after 3 months. They said no, it would come off automatically. Again, lies. This month, not only did my bill have a $15.99 charge for HBO, it now had a $14.99 charge for the movie package. In addition to this, there was also a $5.99 inside wire maintenance fee. Since no one has come to my house to do maintenance, Iquestioned this. The representative told me that this was an insurance charge so that if something broke with the Verizon inside the house, you wouldn’t have to pay their outrageous labor charges. 1) I never authorized this to be added to my bill and 2) after having Fios for 4 months now, why was this suddenly added to my bill this month? This is just Verizon’s way of hoping that people don’t pay attention to their bill to make some extra money. My parent, who live on the other side of town, signed up for Fios about 2 months after we did. They were offered a year’s worth of all of the movie channels as their promo. Again, lies from the solicitor. After calling to complain that they did not have the channels, my mother was told that in the time she signed up for Fios and the time it was installed, the promo ended. So, because they couldn’t find a convenient time for their schedule, they got screwed on what they were offered. Now, Verizon is clever in their marketing, because there is never any documentation of their “promos”, so when you call to complain, you basically get a “Oh, sorry, too bad sucker!”. And Comcast is wise to what is going on because their marketing materials now say something to the effect of “Have you been screwed by Verizon?” There are rumors going around that despite many offered wage and benefits packages, the workers of Verizon are planning to strike. Well, I say – let them. Hire scabs who maybe, just maybe might be able to do more than the half-assed job that is currently being done over at Verizon. Shame on you, Verizon. You better get your shit in gear or it is back to Comcast I will go.
Diseased
July 25th, 2008
I bit the bullet and went to the doctor yesterday. Something I don’t usually do until I’m full-on diseased. But this time, I vowed I was going to nip this adult croup crap (aka bronchitis) in the bud before I become the miserable, sad sacks my kids were last week. A couple Omnicef later and I’m already feeling better (God Bless you Abbott Labs). Unfortunately, not only did they tell me I did have bronchitis, but that my blood pressure is also very high. When I was pregnant with The Sleep Deprivator, I developed pre-eclampsia. Hence, his premature birth (4 weeks to be exact). My blood pressure was so high the day before his birth that they actually wanted to call me an ambulance from the doctor’s office (I declined – I’m German….I’m strong, I’m stubborn!) Apparently, about 10-15% of women develop high blood pressure even after the pregnancy. And since it runs in my family, I’m pretty much in the shit. Being 75 pounds overweight isn’t helping my case either (damn the doctor for not yelling at me for gaining so much weight when I was pregnant with CheezWaster. And damn the entire chocolate industry for feeding my every desire while pregnant). Needless to say, when I came home from the doctor’s, I decided that I’m going to attempt to lose some weight (again!). So what just appeared in my inbox at work? A friggin invitation to a birthday party with cupcakes. Enough said.
Autism
July 22nd, 2008
In light of this asshole’s comments, I thought I’d give my 2 cents. Up front – before the hate comments start rolling in – I’d like to state some facts about me and my family: 1) I have 2 kids (ages 2.5 and 7 months) who have been and currently are vaccinated 2) I live in NJ where the rate of autism is significantly higher than anywhere else in the country (can anyone say pharmaceutical and chemical company capital of the world??? – you know this shit is in the water, soil, air (oh and did I mention I live 2 blocks from Schering Plough – great!). I’m not a big book reader due to lack of time and therefore, I read a lot of magazines (mostly the parenting type and any science type magazines my husband has laying around the house). I’ve seen articles ranging from “My Kid has Autism because they were vaccinated” to “Vaccinations don’t cause autism”. I have interacted with kids with autism. I will say this – I think given the wide spectrum of autism – it is going to be a VERY long time before scientists figure out what “causes” autism. Firstly, another fact about me – I am not a scientist. I don’t have a science degree (if you care, I have a BS in International Business, Finance and German). In fact, I wasn’t really ever very good at science. But, life has taught me a few lessons: 1) We are destroying our environment (no, I’m not a hippie, tree-hugger – though I try to do my part) and that has got to have some effect on human (and other forms of) life and 2) I, myself, have health problems that really have yet to be diagnosed/explained (that is another post all in itself!). That being said, you have just read my point to this whole bit – I, personally, think that many things figure into autism – the environment, the things we stick in and on our bodies, vaccines (in conjunction with the aforementioned), genes – the list goes on. Why is autism higher in NJ? Why does the rate of autism not decrease despite measures such as removing thimerasol from vaccines? Why is there so much more autism today than when I was a kid? As a mother, I of course worry about lots of things and this definitely is one of them. However, I also had an uncle who died of polio (when the vaccine was just coming about and incidently 6 boys in his neighborhood got the disease and died or were subject to an iron lung). And frankly, I would rather spend a lifetime with a child with autism thanhave my child die from a previously eradicated disease that could have been prevented. Therefore, I have chose to vaccinate my kids. I get very angry when I see/hear/read parents who get up and say “Vaccines Did This to My Child”. Clearly, science has proven that autism in not solely caused by vaccines (doctors with kids with autism have stated this). Common sense would indicate that every child who is vaccinated would then have autism. You don’t need a science degree to figure that one out. Jenny McCarthy fully states that by putting her autistic child (who she claims was “killed” by his vaccinations) on a special diet, he has improved greatly. This also proves to me that there is more to it than just the vaccines and most likely an environmental and/or genetic component. The comments made my Michael Savage were clearly out of line, but honestly, if you have ever listened to this guy, you would know what an ass he really is. Whether or not you have a child with autism or kids at all, please take in all of the information that is out there before making choices. Love your kids no matter what their problems. If you are going to make assinine comments, keep them to yourself (especially if you work in the field of media). Let’s try and make this world a better place – if only one step at a time. God bless, people – GOD BLESS!
Forced Insomnia
July 15th, 2008
First, I’ve debated on what name should be bestowed upon my little one. CheezWaster has already earned his spot in the hall of fame. I tossed around Snuggler, Sir Chubs-a-lot – even though he is coming out of his sausage stage. Bu,t after much debate (and but a few nights with decent sleep), I’m back to The Sleep Deprivator! The Sleep Deprivator is 7 months old – weighs an appropriate amount for such age and STILL does NOT sleep through the night. It is killing me – literally! CheezWaster is sick (with the I’m clingy, need and only want my mommy syndrome (and a bit of the croup)), so I’ve been up quite a bit the past few days, but last night was just ridiculous. CheezWaster took almost 2 hours (and 16 stories later) to go to bed and just as I was about to settle into bed, The Sleep Deprivator awoke – the first of many times, I was forced to schlep out of bed in a zombie like state. Now, since I only work part-time and my husband (whose “name” shall be forthcoming) is slave-driven by his job, I try not to ask him to get out of bed too much. However, last night, I must admit that I cried myself to sleep in the chair (I don’t think I’ve slept more than an hour horizontally in 2 weeks) due to lack of sleep and pure forced insomnia. Work today should be fun!
Vanished!
July 14th, 2008
Today, I was at a picnic in a large park and a child disappeared. Thankfully, the child was found rather quickly and unharmed, but the police were still notified in the first few moments of panic. Having 2 kids, this is one of the MANY fears that keep me up at night. A few months back, in this same park, I had 2 altercations with a crazy fisherman and one incident with a weirdo old lady (needless to say I haven’t been back since). The crazy fisherman was screaming obscenities at me and plotting my death for feeding the ducks next to a clearly (yet newly) posted sign that asked the public not to feed the ducks. Now, I must admit that in this case I was wrong (mark your calendars folks, you might not see that one again for some time). However, CheezWaster and I have fed the ducks in this park for nearly 2 years now and frankly, I don’t see the harm in feeding the ducks and in fact, the main reason for this sign going up was to combat duck shit. So – I should have to give up fun with my son, who by the way now thinks that all bread is intended for duck feeding, because the general public is too lazy to step over some duck shit? I think not (not to mention there is no fine info posted on the sign, so I’ll take my chances!). And the weird old lady, that was a bit more frightening. I was in the play area of this park when my son befriended a sightly older boy. He was chatting up this old lady who I assumed was his grandmother. Well, a few minutes later I chat up his babysitter (who I assumed was his mother). In conversation, I come to find out this old woman is, in fact, not his grandmother but a stranger. Now 1) the babysitter proceeds to ream the kid a new one. Tone of voice – uncalled for. actual comments – very serious and necessary. 2) this old lady mentioned in conversation how she liked to come to the park and feed the ducks with the kids. I proceed to observe her troll over to any kid who was willing to pay her some attention. Now, I never actually saw her leave the play area with any children, but boy did this scare the crap out of me. I see how many parents are distracted in the park, mostly due to their own fault, but nonetheless. A quick phone call, a commiserating chat with another mother - In mere seconds and the blink of an eye, anything can happen. So to make a long post longer and not to sound too pessimistic but rather realistic – I urge you to 1) be aware of your surroundings and the people in them 2) never take your eyes off your kids and 3) be prepared for the worst.
