Argh
Actually, it’s not all that bad.
But I’m still without my computer, and likely to remain that way until at least November 27th. Take that, all my glowing thoughts of HP’s service centers. I’m afraid your reputation is somewhat tarnished.
Things that have annoyed me about this repair:
1. Having to call THREE times AND chat with a technician to ensure that the ship-to address (once the repair’s completed) is NOT the ship-from address (i.e. Oak View).
2. Still not being completely confident that the address change made it through.
3. A 2-week delay that wasn’t communicated until the original “completed repair” delivery date.
4. Much as I like to think of myself as culturally tolerant, the current outsourcing of techs to other countries doesn’t work all that well for me. Mostly it’s because I have had some MAJOR difficulties in the last three weeks communicating my problems to techs whose English is not fluent. Especially when I use alternate terms for technical things… (i.e. “power strip” vs. “surge protector”).
Other than the computer rage, I’m settled in, I’m tweaking webpages and working on a lot of random little projects, and so far my life in the DC area seems to be going well. Quiet, very quiet, but well. Boston for Thanksgiving will be a welcome change – even if it’s quiet, it’ll be quiet in the fun kind of way I’ve come to expect from good friends. I hope.
I’ve made it into DC twice so far (this past Saturday and Sunday). I’m still processing what I saw and heard on Sunday – I was there for the 25th anniversary rededication of the Vietnam Wall. I stood in a crowd of thousands of veterans on Veterans Day, and listened to the stories told by people who lived it, and felt myself moved. The English major in me wants to sift through the layers of emotion and meaning I found, but then I feel that to overanalyze might weaken the effect it had on me. So I’ll say that I was there, and that afterwards I told my grandfather and my uncle, and that I sincerely hope I won’t forget it.
This weekend I’ll explore some of the Smithsonian museums – Air & Space is first on my list, then I’ll explore the rest as the mood takes me.
The Holocaust museum is also high on my list, but I’ll be careful of my mood before I go. From all tales, and from my own experience at the center in Los Angeles, I know that this one will be an intense visit.
So yes, friends and family, I’m here, I’m doing pretty well, and I’m feeling at home enough to challenge myself by seeking sights and sound and adventure. I’ll post again when I have more to say, and certainly when my thrice-accursed computer finally shows up.
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