Christmas (or why I'll never use Charter bundled services)

On Thurs, went to Smooths where Ryan S. was giving a party. Fun time, a beer, some wine, margarita later, had spoken with Randy S., who was there with his 'crackhead' girlfriend, whom I correctly IDed, much to Ms. Megablogger 's chagrin.

Then found out through Ryan that Ron P. had inherited mucho records which he never bothered to tell me about, even tho he knew he owed me for Xmas book several years ago. So we got into and it wasn't pretty. He was evasive and cute and I called him on it and he didn't like that. We left at about 8:30; Ryan told me party went on to 3:30 a.m.!!! - guess we're getting old - and Ron stayed to 2;30 - obviously he's not.

We told them to come by here next Thursday - Ron, Ryan, Randy - we'll see if anyone shows.

Next day, there was a bad police involved shooting downtown very near where we were - 2 cops almost got killed...but didn't. Big reward and huge search for shooter. Listened to it for hours on the scanner.

Friday, it was Jay's house in Pk. Estates. Classy place, drank rum & eggnog, ate ham & baby lobster, had grrreat time. As Jay's wife works for PD, she wasn't home, called out on the shooting. We met Alexa and Bryon and few others, left at about 8:30 - that's our life. Marchal and family, Cindy and family, guy named Gordon who used to work at Platterpus and some others were there and we all talked. It was of interest, but didn't change my life. Ms. Megablogger drove up, I drove home, got lost in Pk. Estates! That can't happen.
rday, I tried to resume my walks.

Sunday, hardly watched football at all. Both days, I did write. Decided to call Charter about bad signal and the follwing happened: -----------------------------------------------------------Shortly after 10 a.m. today, I spoke to Mel at a customer service position, who transferred my call to another line for a service appt. without telling me in advance. After I gave my info. to Ryan, only then did he tell me he was hi-speed internet - why had I called him? Mel sent me there, he didn't I.D. himself coming in. He transferred me to Raymond, who when I asked him if I had the right dept., answered "yeah." I asked him if he thought "yes" might be more professional, and he answered "yes" in a very exaggerated and patronizing way. I asked to speak to a supervisor. Raymond put me on hold, 15 minutes later I figured out I'd be on hold all day, but knowing you probably had call centers all over the U.S., there'd be no way to trace him back. Finally, I had to hang up, and reach a very professional Claudia in TX, who seemed to work at the same level as Mel, who couldn’t schedule an appt., yet Claudia could. Claudia’s supervisor Margarita confirmed my fears: Raymond doesn't have to worry, if someone wants to complain, he just presses hold and forgets about it. Only the customer has the problem and Charter doesn't get a bundled account, as at least Verizon offers a more professional level of customer service, even in their office in India. Think about it, call me back if you figure out who Raymond is as I'll probably be writing about this...and your response will perhaps temper my sarcasm. At least Margarita told me to go here, that all calls are recorded and my call with Raymond is on record. I hope you do the work to figure out who Raymond is, he’s not a good rep for the company…and you can tell him I said so. In all honesty, when I found out through Jason in Wisconsin that the bundled account is $124.99 ($102.99 is just a bait and switch - my word, not his - I mean promotional price), you were priced out of the market anyhow...way more than I pay Verizon for phone and Internet access. And Jason isn’t empowered to negotiate a better rate. I don’t see the motivation to go with you guys, and tho I don’t like Verizon, I might well go with them, if and when, they offer cable access, just because of startingly poor Charter customer service. Please pay attention. Thanks and Merry Christmas…I mean Happy Holidays…I noted your employees have to say the latter and not the for
mer.

When I sent in the text, got back message that the email was down. Charter will never know.

Today, figured out the rates: $58 for cable, $30 for Internet, leaving the cost of phone at about $37 – some deal...way over my current Verizon bill. Charter does the following: Claims local programming, but one is w/ deceased lady pitching a tire shop, others are sales jobs made to look like local programming. Should I go ahead with this?

Monday was Christmas. Shea got up at about 11, opened presents for an hour. Brian had stayed the night before and we had good time, waited for Opal & Ellen, who showed up at about 4:30 or 5. Everyone else had gone to Amy's, thank God we didn't. We ate ham & the trimmings, had some drinks, talked a lot, didn't listen to records much, Brian left for El Cajon at about 8, got there at about 9:30 - world record time. By then O&E had left.

Tuesday, Mel Alexander called. Had gumbo he wanted to share. Heather called from DK, and after we spoke about presents, she reminded us of some she'd given Ms. Megablogger when we were in NJ, which she got and we liked, after Heather hung up. Later, I went over to Bach pkng lot, saw records an old hippie now turned Jesus freak brought, then waited for gumbo. Opal & Ellen called that night, but couldn't work out time to share gumbo, either us or them would be busy, forced to eat it today - wow! Crab legs & all.

Thursday, Ron, Randy, Ryan, we hope.

Firday, Opal & Ellen go to Chinese buffet.

Rain last night, windy today. Trees falling everywhere, don't know when it will stop. Oh my.

That is all.

my contribution to Books By Authors or why did they publish this?

I arrived in Long Beach, a very callow youth of 11 with no clue…about anything. What I found out was that guys of my age, who grew up together in Naples, on the Shore, the Heights, Downtown or any of the neighborhoods that Long Beach wrought were in the in-crowd. Leaving me little elbow room for social progress.

Maybe that’s why my parents sent me to a ballroom dancing class at a studio on Redondo at Seventh St. My most cogent memory was of one of the male dancers walking through a glass door, not dance steps.

My mouth got me in the most trouble. My first day at Jefferson Jr. High School was tense. Over the summer, a student accidentally shot and killed another, and some were waiting for the shooter. He never showed. I had a few friends on the block, Ricky & Ronnie, Nick and John, rich in kids my age. Then we moved. I was used to that, having been born in Berkeley, moving to Missoula, MT, Arcadia, Long Beach.

Junior high was a blur: juvie cops in the shower room waiting to bust John (no last name), seeing Tony (no last name) smoking weed and seriously bloody fights. Wilson High was car clubs, fraternities and one black student, an exchange student from Africa. I got my first job as a page at the Carnegie Library. Assigned to shelve kids books at the McArthur branch, I went to a City College football game instead, was snitched on, fired at the start of a page career path.

Much has happened in the intervening 40 plus years. Even so, pages still get crap assignments and I’m convinced a select few still go to football games on weekend nights. We’re part of that path.

solving three major social problems in 3 easy steps...

1. Prison overcrowding & too many criminals...

Legalize & federally control all drugs - ala alcohol.

2. Homelessness...

Convert millions of containers now being stacked near the harbor.

3. Gridlock...

Totally free public transit.

Of course, truly solving these problems would mean many specialists and experts - cops, guards, rehab folks, social workers, traffic cops, freeway and traffic engineers would be out of a job...but the savings would more than offset their at negative economic impact.

parties

Since Thanksgiving, we've been taking it easy. The cold I got went away rather handily, but now I'm getting more symptoms, so, shit!

In very late Nov. , went to record show - found some good things with Mark & then Randy Fried never ever lets you down. That week, I decided to write a book on the easiest part of L.A. music history, namely, country blues. I've been making really good progress and having fun doing it, listening to 45s and wailin'!!!

We went to 5th Dist. Xmas tree lighting and on Nov. 27, went to sex molester community mtg. and helped Shea get word to PD about weirdo who bothered her.

Been to downtown cop shop twice, once on Dec. 4 media meeting with chief and Dec. 14 to get printed and background checked for PD Academy that starts Feb. 7.

We've been slated for party-time, 7 of them from this weekend to Xmas - Gene Kinsey's this past Friday and Bernie's Hannakuh potato fry yesterday. Gene's was okay, nothing special, met Barry Cohen who might be able to rescue my old c-drive and some other folk, one of whom - arrogant sort from the UK - whom I pissed off...then there was arrogant Dave, an economics teacher.

Met Gene's mom, Pam and her dad were there, buncho Gene's friends and Pam's black neice who showed up at Bernie's. Had some wine, not dangerous amounts, both times.
At Bernie's drank wine, ate less, talked with Ed about Ash Grove days - he's doing a movie - Blues Bob, his wife Carol, blind blues singer Duane and his woman, saw Terry DeRoune as we were leaving and Mike Berry, who turned me on to Larry Lynt - now there's a possibly explosive story there about early "Dylan" songs - can't tell the story now, but it's huge!

Today: book event at Elm & 3rd - found out I'm published in new Books by Authors, Barb's open house - might not go - Dale's. Thursday, something at Smooths, Friday, Jay's. Hope cold stays gone.