Monday 16 June 2008

Someone give me a paper bag to breathe in…

please !
Last night I turned off my computer about 11.30pm ... early for me but part of my good intentions.

A few hours ago I sat down to connect to my world ...my virtual world as I nurse the Brothers to nap.
NO access ...
All the lights were on except the Internet. I thought okay downtime.
I waited.
I half draft a post.
I waited more.Twin 1 asleep. Put him to bed.
Swap, repeat , reboot, restart do some computer housekeeping. Nothing it's been more than hour since I sat down.
Twin 2 asleep , put him to bed.

What am going to do ? I whine to myself - my first chance all day ...time is running out. I am hyperventilating... breathe ...calm blue skies ... don't let it rain on my washing either.

I decide to ring technical support and break the budget over 25c.

I get the cheerful voice animated computer tech man ...takes me through damn steps to nothing - have you ever yelled at man and got "I don't think we are communicating clearly ... maybe you didn't hear me ...let's try it again and listen all the way to the end the instructions can sometimes be complicated"
I want to punch him ... A man you can't win an argument with !

He says don't worry you won't have to go through these steps again ...grrrr.
Finally he says "are we finished " or "do you still want to speak to a consultant?" ...

"CONSULTANT" I growled ...

I get a real life man .I answer my name /date of birth with a slight growl -just in case he hangs up and I have to start again.I tell him the situation ... man I am hyperventilating I have no Internet access and yes my modem lights are on.

He detects the problem ...the code has been removed from my phone line ...programming is offline. I understand it to mean disconnected from the network.

He doesn't know why ... doesn't care it's not his problem -"tell them what I told you they will deal with it". He transfers me.

A cheerful ever so helpful woman answers.She says sorry he's right. I don't know why I have to check.

Fingers tap impatiently.I know the bills are paid automatically ... the Tool man wouldn't dare disconnect me.

After a few minutes she returns . She has no idea why it happened and says she has put through an order to reconnect but it won't be till tomorrow. The sweetener ...we will give you one month's free credit though for the inconvenience.

I can't say NO to that but I am thinking - Someone give me a paper bag to breathe in ...quickly.
I remain polite , nodding as she expresses sympathy and I question her to make sure I get the credit. We now owe $1 on our next bill she says.Excellent !

I hang up wondering what I am going to do till tomorrow -between 8am and midday -she said. I do some deleting and rearranging on the computer screen desktop and suddenly I see the elusive Internet light flashing on my modem ...we have lift off !


I want to toast to my survival ...wait 3pm is it too early for a drink ?
Back to my planned post later. Poor Bettina her computer blew up! I 'll stop complaining now.
Image by Flickr


Never miss a post

21 comments :

Lilly said...

Oh you poor thing. We really rely on the internet now, its true. Then, to get the run-a-round like you did when you made the call is so frustrating. You are a better woman than I, I would have been onto my third glass of wine by now with all the angst, but then again I do not have toddlers to worry about either. Glad you got lift off - otherwise we would have missed out on your posts!

Alison said...

Phew!
I'm so glad that crisis is over!!
Welcome back - and enjoy your month of free internet. :)

Andy said...

Phew! I'm glad the elusive little light came back on!!

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

@Lilly - so was I - I might had to watch TV *shudder* or talk to someone.

@Alison: I am most glad about that ... never missed it this morning busy with the boys and housekeeping. Bonus I never even asked for it.

@Andy: yes so am I ...very glad I have a bit of a break over weekend and as so behind in my reads and emails.Thanks for stopping by.

Dad of Divas said...

My wife says I am addicted to the online world...I don't tend to think so...though I do enjoy blogging...so I can relate at being irked (to say the least) when access to the virutal is interupted. Glad that you are back!

jane said...

Hi Trish,
Congrats on the free month's service, and you didn't even have to wait a day!
I'm out of touch for a couple of days because
(a)my email is down (I can receive your messages, but I can't answer you)
and
(b)I am jumping ship from MD and going to bluehost, who have been ever so helpful and don't hide their livehelp button.
I've been going insane in the last week with all our issues and I hope to heaven that this will end the mess!
Luvya,
InsaneJane :)

Anonymous said...

Awful how technology can hold us to ransom! And why is it when you can't access the internet all you can do is think if things that you need to do on it!

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

@Chris - thanks and that is so true a few years ago I wouldn't have cared less.

@Jane: I hope the new host ends your mess. I couldn't post the other night and couldn't find your email for a while but that was my fault !

@Planning Queen : I have so many other things I could or rather should have been doing .Instead I like to read what I could be doing instead ... planning two birthday parties or what others are cooking (eating) this week. I hope your host is behaving.;)I 'll be by tomorrow.

LadyNoor said...

Pheww! That was close... Glad to hear all sorted, with one month-free connection as a bonus!

My husband says I blog too much, but what can I say I LOVE blogging :p

(ps: my main blog is temporarily unavailable, will let you know when it's back..)

Texasholly said...

OMG that was so close. Thank goodness things turned out OK.

Sarah said...

I do the same thing when my internet goes da-whacky!! I need about half a dozen paper bags to ease my suffering *lol*

Jenn said...

Funny how much we need to be connected, huh? I'm glad all is working now!

Kristine said...

LOL sounds like you are as addicted as I am! It can be physically painful for me if I don't have internet access. Sad, sad, sad...

Anonymous said...

What a nightmare!! I know how you feel Trish - I had no internet all day on Friday and I was almost crying with dispair LOL. And I know the feeling of excitement when those lights come back on :D I did a dance when mine flashed LMAO. Well done on holding it together though while speaking with the stupid computer man. They are so frustrating and there is nothing you can do. Sometimes I just swear at them and they say they don't understand and put me through to a human. Am glad you got it all sorted :)

Anonymous said...

is so sad!!

but................ every cloud has its silver linging and this particular one has made my hubby get his bum into gear about organising to buy me a laptop! Woot!!

We have Angel Wings said...

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to get over here and say hi.

I love your blog and can tell that I'm going to enjoy reading it. I'm so glad that NaComLeavMo took place because there are so many wonderful blogs that I didn't even know about.

You sound lovely as well and I'm so glad that you got your internet up and running. I freak out when I don't have connections to this side of my "world".

Until next time...sweet dreams from Nebraska.

Jayne said...

Grrr how frustrating!
Glad to hear - and read! - that you're back in cyberspace again ;)

Crazed Nitwit said...

I SOOOOOOOOOO hate when that happens. I pay the cable bill so I know it's never a payment issue. We also have cable phone and tv so if it gives up I am too isolated for my own sanity. Yeah, I have a cell phone but no Hugh Laurie! No chcick flicks! Come on, I need my electronic life at all times.

Glad you did not pop a stroke and all is well again. HUGS!

Anonymous said...

I have terrible withdrawals when I can't get to my internet.
Glad you were only offline for a little while

Anonymous said...

Whew! I do not function properly when the internet goes away. Glad you are back up and running!

Anonymous said...

Oh nooooo!! We lost service for an evening last night -- I could barely stand it! : D Glad you're up and running again!

Post a Comment

Thank you for your comment.

Please know that even when I do not respond specifically to your comment - I treasure each comment made and consider it a thoughtful act of friendship.
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=14131376#othersettings
So what do you have to say ? Share with me ...
add your ingredients to this recipe we call life.