Posts Tagged With: cell phone

LOST IN APACHE JUNCTION?

Yesterday, I took a bike ride to town, just to look around. I found an Antique Mall that was so full my eyes kind of glazed over. In a motor home you can’t really shop, but I still like to look.

A beauty of an old pot belly.  I can relate.

Graceful sideboard in appearance, but  a cast iron wood stove, instead. This one took me by surprise. It actually has burner plates to cook on.

Amazing how many different types of irons were made. I like collections and when I look at these I can say, “praise be, I live in an era of a  steam iron and permanent press.”

Someone saw fit to cast a flower on this iron, maybe to cheer up his wife during a tedious task.

Fill that brass iron with water and it took muscle to lift.  I have a wood stove at home and occasionally put a pot of beans or steel-cut oats  on to cook. And, during winter, I always have hot water for tea.  It was then I remembered I bought tepary beans at Organ Pipe. They are a desert food source from the palo verde tree and have the highest protein content of any bean,  and I had a pot of them soaking on the stove for dinner. I rushed to get back and found my self on a dead end portion of Broadway. Hmmm. Could I actually get lost in Apache Junction? I crossed the highway and found a second extension of Broadway, also dead ended. I had to retrace two intersections to find my way, and was grateful that I carry a cell phone, even though I didn’t bring my glasses and couldn’t see to call Jim.

The tepary beans were great tasting. I cooked them for a couple hours (2 cups) without salt, then added seasonings, and vegetables.  A 15 oz can tomato sauce,  a half medium sweet potato, a half cup of (cooked) brown rice, a serano pepper, 1/2 an onion, a stalk of celery, two tablespoons chopped cilantro, 2 toes of garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and cumin. The usual stuff you add to beans. Before serving, I cut up chunks of mozzarella cheese on top, and a dollop of thick yogurt in each bowl.  Rib-sticking good.

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609 Words About Modern-Day Customer Service…

It’s really hard to find! How’s that for a few words?

I’m lucky in so many ways. One on those ways is that I have little interface with the outside world…outside of my peaceful, quiet and serene RVing lifestyle world. I went paperless about one year ago and that appears to be working well.

But…every once in a while…I do have to interface with the outside world. And every once in a while…I need assistance…sometimes to file a compliant …more often than not…about poor customer service.

What ever happened to real customer service? It seems to me that…in today’s modern world…that when I seek some form of assistance…the person/company to whom I am making the request makes an instant evalation….is there any money associated to why this person is bothering me???? If not…customer service…never heard of it!

And don’t you just love those automated menu-answering systems that never seem to address my particular problem and won’t let you speak to a real-live human being…but instead justs keeps your going around in a never-ending circle?

And then…finally when you do get to speak to a real live human being…I wonder…with their personality and so-called assistance…which seems to be most of the time…no…you can’t do that instead of… of course..you bet no problem. How in the world did they ever get a job as a “Customer Service Representative”? They do not have a clue as to the meaning of the words! It seems like there’s a formula…the larger the company…the lesser the understanding of customer service. When you’ve got millions of customers…why care about one person and their tiny little problem(s)?

But…there are exceptions to this general rule. The old one-in-a-million trick!

Because of my reclusive life style…my major interface with the outside world is through either a cell phone or computer. Do you now that a mere six years ago…I had neither in my life? Anyways..both of these methods are through a company known as Verizon Wireless.

I’m happy to say that Verizon Wireless seems to understand the words customer service and…most of the times…not always…I’m satisfied with their attempt at customer service.

Now…ABOUT MY ONCE-IN-A-MILLION EXPERIENCE! If you are a regular follower of my Blog you know that in my last two entries I’ve described the physical process of shifting Internet Gears from 3G to 4G. Prior to the actual switching…there was lots investigation/homework to be done regarding what equipment choices to select.

Along the way I happen to connect with a delightful gal in Verizon technical support by the name of Peggy…and let me tell you…she is very knowledgeable…and just a hoot. This lady fully understands the words customer service! She could make millions teaching customer service…if anybody cared enough to want to learn about it.

Anyway…she has provided me with outstanding customer service…and you won’t believe this…she actually gave me her email address (they do not have individual phone extensions) so that I might contact her directly if I had any further questions/problems. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? It’s true! Now…when I have another question’problem…I send her a brief email and usually within a very few moments…she is back in touch with me! Fantastic! It almost takes my breath away!

I was so moved by her level of customer service I actually went out of my way to identify her supervisors so that I could send them an email message about her outstanding customer service.

Whew…as you can tell…I was really moved by my experience with her. Peggy…thank you…you are truly one-in a-million! You’ve made me a very happy camper!  🙂

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://lulu.com/panamaorbust

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My 12-Year-Old Grandson Is Teaching Me How To Text!

Jim says:

Everybody in my son’s family texts like crazy all the time. I tried it a couple of time…found (I thought) that it was too much of a pain to mess with. After all. I use my cell phone to make telephone calls!

My 12-year-old grandson is a text wizard and he decided that I need to know how to text, so he stopped by yesterday to give me some texting lessons. The first thing he did was to restructure my phone to make it easier to text. It wasn’t long before I was texting!

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I held my camera at arm’s length to get this photo.

Granted, I’m not yet as fast as my grandson, but with a little bit of practice…and I’m sure more lessons are forthcoming.

In other news…
Saturday night we went to a July 4th party at a neighbor’s house just up the street. The party was given by a guy who is a Connecticut State Trooper. It was the tenth year in a row that he’s done so. I went when I was here in 2007. He invites all his neighbors and friends. There were several hundred people in attendance! At 10:00 PM he put on a huge fireworks show that lasted. for a half-hour and must have cost him $1,000! Quite a show and quite a party!

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Yesterday my son and his family went to his wife’s sister’s home for the day. I opted to have a quiet day for myself and stayed at home. The heat and humidity have returned. It’s forecasted to be heavy-duty for the next week and the weather wimp…that’s me…is saying “Triple Yuk!”.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

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