Okay, with all of the bad customer service experiences I've written about-- it's time that I give a positive experience.
I have been using my bank since 2001 and I LOVE them. It just doesn't get much better when it comes to customer service.
I remember being able to just stop in and sit at my account rep's desk anytime I had any question. She would give me free checks and anytime I have had a problem, they were right there to fix it, no questions asked. For example, the few times I have had fees on my account, I've asked about them and they were removed immediately-- even if it was my fault.
Most recently, I have a new account rep who just goes above and beyond what is necessary at all. This is why--
Before entering grad school, I had one of those accounts with lots of bells and whistles. This was in big part because of all the money I was saving so that I could quit my job and go to grad school.
Since entering grad school in Malibu, as you can imagine, my account balance has slowly dropped. I started to notice fees on my account from the bank for having my fancy smancy account, so of course I called to see what was up. After explaining my situation, my rep agreed to remove the fees for a few months. Now, keep in mind, I could have switched to a student account or some other free account, but I really wanted to keep my current account-- for free. :-)
On top of helping me out with this, my account representative personally sends me the recepits for any transactions that I make with the bank. And, anytime I have questions, I have his email address and he will e-mail me back right away with an answer.
That's all I'll say. They're just great and they help me each and every time I have a question! Here's a small note that I exchanged with the rep today to show just how nice they are:
From me:
I just wanted to drop you a note to say how much I really appreciate all of your help with my account!
...(portion removed for my privacy!)...
I will have to stop in to say hello in person.
Thanks again!
Response from my rep:
You’re welcome!
I’d love to meet you in person. Stop in when you get a chance!!
Have a great week!
As you can see, this company knows about customer service. If you know me and you'd like a recommendation to a great bank or account rep, let me know.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Roots Rock Reggae Festival
It's lunch time and I'm finally starting to get motivated about my day. I worked for most of the weekend, so I'm having one of those slightly less than productive Mondays.
Anyway, as a reward for my hard work this weekend, I went to a fun concert at the Hollywood Bowl. It's called the Bob Marley Roots Rock Reggae Festival 2006.
The performers included Ziggy Marley (son), Stephen Marley (son), Bunny Wailer (old bandmate), and Ozomatli.
I really enjoyed the show. The most interesting thing besides the music was that almost everyone in the audience had some sort of big spread of food there with them. When I say that, I mean that they brought a bottle of wine and real glass wine glasses, real plates, real silverware, etc. And, the food they had was funny too... it was clear that most everyone came from the same marketing demographic. Instead of just normal potato chips, people had the special kettle cooked variety. Instead of a cookie, one couple had a full on tiny chocolate cake that had multiple layers, icing, etc. I think that just about everyone in the audience had stopped by Whole Foods on the way there to stock up.
Another interesting phenomenon is this thing called "stacked parking." There is so little parking in Hollywood and so many people, that unless you want to pay $40 for valet parking, you opt for stacked parking. Stacked parking costs $15 and essentially, you drive your car into an empty lot of grass. Someone is there to direct you of how to park and they will not allow you to park more than around a foot away from the car next to you. Your car also pretty much has to touch the bumper of the car in front of you and someone is going to park just as close behind you. As you can see, the idea is to fit as many cars together like a puzzle as you can onto one piece of land. Normally, getting out would be a nightmare. Who knows where the people who own the sea of cars around you were sitting in the Hollywood Bowl! Lucky for me, we were only parked in by one layer and I must have had a lucky moment because the only person who decided to leave early was parked on the outside layer in front of us. So, we drove out immediately following the show!!
Before heading home, we drove through In-N-Out for a hamburger and fries. I just LOVE In-N-Out and I had a single with cheese, animal style. :-)
The Roots Rock Reggae Festival will be touring around through the end of August to other cities. For more information, here's their press release and their web site.
Anyway, as a reward for my hard work this weekend, I went to a fun concert at the Hollywood Bowl. It's called the Bob Marley Roots Rock Reggae Festival 2006.
The performers included Ziggy Marley (son), Stephen Marley (son), Bunny Wailer (old bandmate), and Ozomatli.
I really enjoyed the show. The most interesting thing besides the music was that almost everyone in the audience had some sort of big spread of food there with them. When I say that, I mean that they brought a bottle of wine and real glass wine glasses, real plates, real silverware, etc. And, the food they had was funny too... it was clear that most everyone came from the same marketing demographic. Instead of just normal potato chips, people had the special kettle cooked variety. Instead of a cookie, one couple had a full on tiny chocolate cake that had multiple layers, icing, etc. I think that just about everyone in the audience had stopped by Whole Foods on the way there to stock up.
Another interesting phenomenon is this thing called "stacked parking." There is so little parking in Hollywood and so many people, that unless you want to pay $40 for valet parking, you opt for stacked parking. Stacked parking costs $15 and essentially, you drive your car into an empty lot of grass. Someone is there to direct you of how to park and they will not allow you to park more than around a foot away from the car next to you. Your car also pretty much has to touch the bumper of the car in front of you and someone is going to park just as close behind you. As you can see, the idea is to fit as many cars together like a puzzle as you can onto one piece of land. Normally, getting out would be a nightmare. Who knows where the people who own the sea of cars around you were sitting in the Hollywood Bowl! Lucky for me, we were only parked in by one layer and I must have had a lucky moment because the only person who decided to leave early was parked on the outside layer in front of us. So, we drove out immediately following the show!!
Before heading home, we drove through In-N-Out for a hamburger and fries. I just LOVE In-N-Out and I had a single with cheese, animal style. :-)
The Roots Rock Reggae Festival will be touring around through the end of August to other cities. For more information, here's their press release and their web site.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Sprint Customer Service Sucks!
GEES! I just had a completely less than desirable customer service experience with Sprint today.
In short, I have a giant cell phone plan so that I won't ever go over on my minutes. And, until last month, I hadn't. But since I was out of town for an entire month of July, I managed to rack up around 50% more minutes than are in my plan. (Note: quite a few of these were for dropped calls.)
When I got the bill, I called a friend of mine who just last month quit Sprint, where he worked as a customer account rep. He gave me all of the tips on how to have the $400+ in additional charges reversed:
In short, I have a giant cell phone plan so that I won't ever go over on my minutes. And, until last month, I hadn't. But since I was out of town for an entire month of July, I managed to rack up around 50% more minutes than are in my plan. (Note: quite a few of these were for dropped calls.)
When I got the bill, I called a friend of mine who just last month quit Sprint, where he worked as a customer account rep. He gave me all of the tips on how to have the $400+ in additional charges reversed:
- Explain that you've been a customer for 3 years
- You have one of the most expensive plans they offer
- You're a good customer
- In LA, you experience TONS of dropped calls that you never report b/c before this, you've been way under on your minutes
- In Malibu, where you went to school, there were NO Sprint cell phone towers, but you kept Sprint for the entire 15 months you were there, despite this. (Literally, I had to just shut off my phone as soon as I drove through the gates at Pepperdine. Also, there are certain roads in LA that just don't get Sprint service... and certain turns that when you take them, you ALWAYS drop the call.)
- It's outrageous for them to charge you this much for overages
My friend basically talked to me about going through all of these points. He said that at a minimum, they should take 50% off my bill, but he expected that they would take off all of the charges (As a side note, I take responsibility for my excessive calling, but this is just over the top... However, if this is the game that they want to play with customers, then I guess we'll play).
My friend also mentioned that if I had noticed this HUGE bill before it was printed, Sprint sells additional minutes to its customers for $5 / 100 minutes. So, that's $50 instead of $450. Hmm... seems like a deal, no?
Well, for me, no. The customer service person I spoke with claimed to have no power to help AT ALL. She wouldn't sell me minutes for $5 / 100 minutes because I called after my bill was printed. She wouldn't credit my account. She wouldn't do anything!
Finally, I said, "you know, I don't even get good service in LA. The last thing I need is a huge unexpected phone bill too. I guess I should just cancel my account."
She just basically said okay and put me through to the cancellation person. According to my friend, it's this person's JOB to convince you to stay with Sprint. They are allowed to do anything: credit you a huge amount of minutes, give you a free phone, etc. They'll bend over backward to make you happy.
Well, apparently whoever normally does that was off today. The person I spoke with said, "okay, so you want to cancel your account?" To this I replied, "Yes, I have been a good Sprint customer for 3 years. Since I've been in LA, I have tons of dropped calls and no service. The last thing I need is for a bill that is 5 times my normal bill to show up because I used 50% more minutes. This just makes me feel uncomfortable as a customer." And to that, the person who is SUPPOSED to be part of a retention team said, "okay, can you just validate your mailing address for me so I can cancel your account?"
!!!!
GEES! How is is that I'm the person who always pays everything on time or ahead of time and the one time I mess up, customer service could care less if I stick around?
AAAARG. It looks like I'll be getting a new cell phone soon...
Friday, August 11, 2006
Going once, going twice...
(Updated Aug. 12, 2006)
Alright, so not too much new going on here in Santa Monica to report. I did get a haircut today and had lunch at a fun Indian resteraunt called Pradeeps. Right now, I'm sipping excellent Rideau wine and hoping to get out soon. I hear that making smoores is in the agenda tonight, so I'll have to let you know how that goes.
In other news, there are a few online auctions going on now of note.
First, Paris Hilton: She hired a moving company to move and store some of her belongings. Unfortunately, the movers forgot to pay the storage people. Anyway, according to her contract, the stuff can be auctioned off if the bill isn't paid. All the items were sold at a blind auction and now, whoever bought her stuff is now selling it all on eBay using a 3rd party lister. Paris is threatening eBay if they don't take her stuff down, but for now, it's selling. Check it out: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZchironclub
Second, Ted Kaczynski's stuff is also going to be auctioned off soon, per a California court order issued yesterday. Remember him, that crazy unibomber guy? Anyway, the judge is ordering that all of his personal belongings (minus some potentially dangerous writings) be sold on an online auction site. The money is to be given to the victims of his crimes, to help pay off a $15 M debt he has to them. For more details including a list of what will be sold in the next two months, click here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0811062tedk1.html
Lastly, I almost forgot-- Tori Spelling is auctioning off her own clothes. Since she isn't receiving that much of her dad's estate and because she's apparently about to have a baby, she's decided to do a little house keeping. Check out her auction here: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZsyes
That's it... until next time!
Alright, so not too much new going on here in Santa Monica to report. I did get a haircut today and had lunch at a fun Indian resteraunt called Pradeeps. Right now, I'm sipping excellent Rideau wine and hoping to get out soon. I hear that making smoores is in the agenda tonight, so I'll have to let you know how that goes.
In other news, there are a few online auctions going on now of note.
First, Paris Hilton: She hired a moving company to move and store some of her belongings. Unfortunately, the movers forgot to pay the storage people. Anyway, according to her contract, the stuff can be auctioned off if the bill isn't paid. All the items were sold at a blind auction and now, whoever bought her stuff is now selling it all on eBay using a 3rd party lister. Paris is threatening eBay if they don't take her stuff down, but for now, it's selling. Check it out: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZchironclub
Second, Ted Kaczynski's stuff is also going to be auctioned off soon, per a California court order issued yesterday. Remember him, that crazy unibomber guy? Anyway, the judge is ordering that all of his personal belongings (minus some potentially dangerous writings) be sold on an online auction site. The money is to be given to the victims of his crimes, to help pay off a $15 M debt he has to them. For more details including a list of what will be sold in the next two months, click here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0811062tedk1.html
Lastly, I almost forgot-- Tori Spelling is auctioning off her own clothes. Since she isn't receiving that much of her dad's estate and because she's apparently about to have a baby, she's decided to do a little house keeping. Check out her auction here: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZsyes
That's it... until next time!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
An Inconvenient Truth
Tonight, I saw a very important movie. I hope that just how important it is won't have to be revealed to me in another 50 years as the movie predicts....
Here's a quote from Roger Ebert's review of it: "In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to."
The name of this important movie is "An Inconvienent Truth." It is a detailed scientific account of how the world is being affected by global warming. Al Gore has put a lot of work in to break each topic down into bite sized pieces.
To be fair, there were a few political references in the movie that may distract from the environmental message some. Unfortunately, it sounds like the key to solving the existing problem is going to involve politics. So, take that part or leave it... but the real message in the movie is the environment.
I was surprised to learn that our country alone produces more than 30% of the emissions for the entire world... along with many other facts.
Anyway, I'll keep this short. If you haven't seen the movie advertised in your area, visit www.climatecrisis.org. It has a list of all the theatres showing the movie, by state. Go, see it, and let me know what you think!
Here's a quote from Roger Ebert's review of it: "In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to."
The name of this important movie is "An Inconvienent Truth." It is a detailed scientific account of how the world is being affected by global warming. Al Gore has put a lot of work in to break each topic down into bite sized pieces.
To be fair, there were a few political references in the movie that may distract from the environmental message some. Unfortunately, it sounds like the key to solving the existing problem is going to involve politics. So, take that part or leave it... but the real message in the movie is the environment.
I was surprised to learn that our country alone produces more than 30% of the emissions for the entire world... along with many other facts.
Anyway, I'll keep this short. If you haven't seen the movie advertised in your area, visit www.climatecrisis.org. It has a list of all the theatres showing the movie, by state. Go, see it, and let me know what you think!
Sunday, August 06, 2006
A pretty good day.
Today was a nice day.
I woke up on time, got up, and got ready. At around 1, BoRyan got the idea that he wanted to get all new bedding for his room, so we headed to Bed, Bath, & Beyond. Luckily, I've always got coupons lying around, so he was able to get 20% off!
After BBB, we started scouring the neighborhoods for pie. I wanted pie last night, but was convinced to skip it at Houston's. :c) I think someone was feeling guilty. Anyway, luckily I was able to call Jessica F., who always knows the best places to go. After we got past my accent (Thai != Pie), she navigated us to a great place in Santa Monica called Bobolu's. It's a Southern / Island feeling sort of a place with home cooked foods and lots of PIE. Although we had both already had breakfast, we shared an eggs Benedict and then we got pie. He had strawberry shortcake and I had coconut praline (essentially coconut cream pie with pecans). It was GREAT!
Afterward, we came home for a few minutes and each had a small lunch before heading over to Dustin's. Dustin graduated from Pepperdine's MBA program today (Congrats!) and was having a barbecue. Of course, I didn't want to be rude, so I had to have a bite there too. He had a GREAT spread! Carne Asada, beans, rice, grated cheese, sour cream, watermelon, and a few other things. I'm thinking he had to have help... it was just perfect and definitely more than one person could throw together after graduation!
Next, we hopped in the car and headed to Parvez Michel's art gallery in Beverly Hills. Parvez loaned his gallery out to a group called StepUp for an exhibit they put on tonight. It was GREAT! StepUp is a non-profit that empowers women; in this case, 13 year old girls. The title of the show was "Seeing the World Through the Eyes of a Teenage Girl." About half of the exhibit was dedicated to the them "When I Am President." Each girl chose a theme that would be her platform when running for president of the United States. Then, they each took photos to represent that platform. All of the pieces of art were on sale and I'm now the lucky owner of a print that will help to support the organization.
The artist who created my piece is named Sophiaya. I'll include an excerpt about her below. If you're interested to learn more or to donate to Step Up, visit www.stepupwomensnetwork.org.
"My name is Sophiaya. I am really outspoken. And sometimes I've gotten into trouble for that.
When I am president, I will create positive media images of women and Muslim Americans. My presidential campaign is about the media and how it affects my life as a Muslim Latino, Asian, American girl. Ever since 9/11, I've been looked at differently. I felt judged for something another person did....
...Through photography class, I have been able to express myself. Before the class, I always felt like I had to be blond and skinny... I'm okay with myself now and I don't care what people think anymore... I look at myself in a better way now.
My first picture is of my shoes. I always wear Converse sneakers, which represent a part of how I see myself and my American, youth culture. When you look at me in my Converse, you probably don't know that I am Muslim, but there are lots of sides to me."
This was a part of what Sophiaya said about her work. If you know me, you know that I also really like Converse shoes and photography.... and I support equal rights for all people, especially women and minorities. Sophiaya's photo seemed just perfect for me and for my collection. I'm so glad that we were able to stop by the gallery. I know the event meant a lot to everyone. Luckily, Sophiaya's mom spotted me buying her photo and she came over to take a picture of me buying her daughter's first work. How cool!
Now, I'm sitting at home, sipping on wine from my favorite vineyard (Rideau) and eating the rest of my pie from earlier.
Goodnight!
I woke up on time, got up, and got ready. At around 1, BoRyan got the idea that he wanted to get all new bedding for his room, so we headed to Bed, Bath, & Beyond. Luckily, I've always got coupons lying around, so he was able to get 20% off!
After BBB, we started scouring the neighborhoods for pie. I wanted pie last night, but was convinced to skip it at Houston's. :c) I think someone was feeling guilty. Anyway, luckily I was able to call Jessica F., who always knows the best places to go. After we got past my accent (Thai != Pie), she navigated us to a great place in Santa Monica called Bobolu's. It's a Southern / Island feeling sort of a place with home cooked foods and lots of PIE. Although we had both already had breakfast, we shared an eggs Benedict and then we got pie. He had strawberry shortcake and I had coconut praline (essentially coconut cream pie with pecans). It was GREAT!
Afterward, we came home for a few minutes and each had a small lunch before heading over to Dustin's. Dustin graduated from Pepperdine's MBA program today (Congrats!) and was having a barbecue. Of course, I didn't want to be rude, so I had to have a bite there too. He had a GREAT spread! Carne Asada, beans, rice, grated cheese, sour cream, watermelon, and a few other things. I'm thinking he had to have help... it was just perfect and definitely more than one person could throw together after graduation!
Next, we hopped in the car and headed to Parvez Michel's art gallery in Beverly Hills. Parvez loaned his gallery out to a group called StepUp for an exhibit they put on tonight. It was GREAT! StepUp is a non-profit that empowers women; in this case, 13 year old girls. The title of the show was "Seeing the World Through the Eyes of a Teenage Girl." About half of the exhibit was dedicated to the them "When I Am President." Each girl chose a theme that would be her platform when running for president of the United States. Then, they each took photos to represent that platform. All of the pieces of art were on sale and I'm now the lucky owner of a print that will help to support the organization.
The artist who created my piece is named Sophiaya. I'll include an excerpt about her below. If you're interested to learn more or to donate to Step Up, visit www.stepupwomensnetwork.org.
"My name is Sophiaya. I am really outspoken. And sometimes I've gotten into trouble for that.
When I am president, I will create positive media images of women and Muslim Americans. My presidential campaign is about the media and how it affects my life as a Muslim Latino, Asian, American girl. Ever since 9/11, I've been looked at differently. I felt judged for something another person did....
...Through photography class, I have been able to express myself. Before the class, I always felt like I had to be blond and skinny... I'm okay with myself now and I don't care what people think anymore... I look at myself in a better way now.
My first picture is of my shoes. I always wear Converse sneakers, which represent a part of how I see myself and my American, youth culture. When you look at me in my Converse, you probably don't know that I am Muslim, but there are lots of sides to me."
This was a part of what Sophiaya said about her work. If you know me, you know that I also really like Converse shoes and photography.... and I support equal rights for all people, especially women and minorities. Sophiaya's photo seemed just perfect for me and for my collection. I'm so glad that we were able to stop by the gallery. I know the event meant a lot to everyone. Luckily, Sophiaya's mom spotted me buying her photo and she came over to take a picture of me buying her daughter's first work. How cool!
Now, I'm sitting at home, sipping on wine from my favorite vineyard (Rideau) and eating the rest of my pie from earlier.
Goodnight!
Friday, August 04, 2006
Reruns
Since it's summer, there are just a ton of reruns on TV these days. I can hardly find anything interesting to watch!
Yesterday though, Dr. Phil had a rerun of the show that I saw in person, so I thought I'd repost my Dr. Phil moment.
Yesterday though, Dr. Phil had a rerun of the show that I saw in person, so I thought I'd repost my Dr. Phil moment.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Remember
Well, it's been a few days since I've posted. I've been a little uncertain about what my next post will be... but I'll just take a moment to mention this. I have two cousins who are my age. A girl on my dad's side of the family and a boy on my mom's side, Kenny Cook. Kenny was born two weeks before me in 1978. This past Sunday, he was killed in a car wreck driving home from fishing in Oklahoma.
Here's the small news article about the wreck:
ARPELAR, Okla. Two men were killed today when their vehicles collided on U-S Highway 270 in Pittsburg County. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says 53-year-old Al Smith of McAlester was driving east when his 2004 Ford crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a 2000 Ford driven by 27-year-old Kenny Cook of Shawnee.
Both drivers were killed in the crash around 11 a-m two miles west of Arpelar, a small town west of McAlester in Pittsburg County.
With that said, let's take a moment to acknowledge his accomplishments. This was published today in the Shawnee News Star:
Lifelong Tecumseh resident Kenny Cook died Sunday, July 30, in Arpelar, Okla. He was 27. He was born in Shawnee to Bobby and Judy (Holsapple) Cook on October 27, 1978. Kenny graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1999 and was currently working for Tinker Air Force Base. He had also worked with the JTPA Summer Program at the Shawnee Fire Station#1, as well as Mazzio's, Wal-Mart, Atwoods, Van's Pig Stand, and the OHP Radio Shop. He had also volunteered at the Shawnee Expo Center. Kenny was a member of the Tecumseh FFA and a Friend of AOK Train Company. He was an amateur photographer who loved nature and the Tecumseh and Shawnee Fire Stations. Preceding him in death were his sister, Bobbi Jo Cook; cousins, Rodney Cooper and Phil Barnes; and his grandparents, Earl and Lois Cook, and Hubert and Emmy Holsapple. Survivors include his parents, Bob Cook and wife, Judy, of the home; two aunts, Geri Goodnight of Tecumseh and Janice Cooper of Shawnee; three cousins, Cindy Dellinger of Shawnee, Tammy Reece, and Shawn Cooper, both of Tecumseh; and numerous, numerous friends and relatives.Service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Tecumseh Alumni Center with the Rev. Chad Brodrick and the Rev. Robert Rider officiating. Burial will follow at Tecumseh Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home.
The part that is so unfortunate to me is that his parents only had 2 children. When I was in college, Kenny's little sister died of an undetected heart condition when she was 16. She essentially went to sleep one day and never woke up again.
I can't image how hard it must be to bury both of your children. I hope that many people will surround their family and help them in every way needed.
Here's the small news article about the wreck:
ARPELAR, Okla. Two men were killed today when their vehicles collided on U-S Highway 270 in Pittsburg County. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says 53-year-old Al Smith of McAlester was driving east when his 2004 Ford crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a 2000 Ford driven by 27-year-old Kenny Cook of Shawnee.
Both drivers were killed in the crash around 11 a-m two miles west of Arpelar, a small town west of McAlester in Pittsburg County.
With that said, let's take a moment to acknowledge his accomplishments. This was published today in the Shawnee News Star:
Lifelong Tecumseh resident Kenny Cook died Sunday, July 30, in Arpelar, Okla. He was 27. He was born in Shawnee to Bobby and Judy (Holsapple) Cook on October 27, 1978. Kenny graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1999 and was currently working for Tinker Air Force Base. He had also worked with the JTPA Summer Program at the Shawnee Fire Station#1, as well as Mazzio's, Wal-Mart, Atwoods, Van's Pig Stand, and the OHP Radio Shop. He had also volunteered at the Shawnee Expo Center. Kenny was a member of the Tecumseh FFA and a Friend of AOK Train Company. He was an amateur photographer who loved nature and the Tecumseh and Shawnee Fire Stations. Preceding him in death were his sister, Bobbi Jo Cook; cousins, Rodney Cooper and Phil Barnes; and his grandparents, Earl and Lois Cook, and Hubert and Emmy Holsapple. Survivors include his parents, Bob Cook and wife, Judy, of the home; two aunts, Geri Goodnight of Tecumseh and Janice Cooper of Shawnee; three cousins, Cindy Dellinger of Shawnee, Tammy Reece, and Shawn Cooper, both of Tecumseh; and numerous, numerous friends and relatives.Service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Tecumseh Alumni Center with the Rev. Chad Brodrick and the Rev. Robert Rider officiating. Burial will follow at Tecumseh Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home.
The part that is so unfortunate to me is that his parents only had 2 children. When I was in college, Kenny's little sister died of an undetected heart condition when she was 16. She essentially went to sleep one day and never woke up again.
I can't image how hard it must be to bury both of your children. I hope that many people will surround their family and help them in every way needed.
Friday, July 28, 2006
I'm a Foodie
As I'm combing through my tracker, it becomes apparent to me that many of my new readers are finding me because we share a mutual admiration: food!
Here are just a few of the culinary searches that have found my blog lately:
Here are just a few of the culinary searches that have found my blog lately:
- Memphis downtown brunch Sunday
- Downtown Memphis food delivery (good luck with that)
- Egg Keish
- New England style hot dog rolls available in calif (see - I'm NOT the only one!)
- Downtown Memphis grocery
- Dan Mcguiness restaurant Memphis menu
- Sakura Sushi Joyce Roll (this roll really is famous!)
That's it!
On a side note, someone else also searched for "Adam Garrison from RPI." Adam, someone's looking for you.
Procrastination
The title says it all. Today was virtually unproductive... I really need to make my way back home, so that I can actually focus on what I'm supposed to be working on.
To make matters worse, Myspace is having issues, so I couldn't even zone out reading profiles.
I did however get caught up on the news. Here's a small summary:
Lindsey Lohan is apparently facing problems with her latest film "Georgia Rule." She hasn't been showing up to work because she has been 'sick' lately. The CEO of the production company producing the film wrote her a very direct and somewhat threatening letter to tell her to stop partying or else.
Florida millionare Jeffrey Epstein reportedly solicited teenage high school girls for massages... and more. I read the entire 22-page affidavit on The Smoking Gun and was surprised by the similiarities in all of the girls' stories. Then, I looked up the news articles on the case and I was even more surprised by how much Epstein's lawyers are trying to play down the incidents (there were many). I suppose that's what lawyers are paid for, but anyway... Even stranger is that some of the news outlets aren't even covering this story. From reading the affidavit and other news articles, I learned that Epstein recently tried to give the police department in Florida a huge monotary gift. He has also given large gifts to political organizations in the past and has close ties with an ex president, etc. The last odd thing I will mention here is that the girls were all recruited from one high school and each girl would be paid for recruiting additional girls. Now that this story has broken, I wonder how odd it will be for all of those kids to go back to high school in a few weeks. Good luck in jail JE.
I just learned that religious guy Mel Gibson was arrested today in Malibu for DUI. He was driving early this morning along the PCH at a high rate of speed. I used to take the PCH every day to Pepperdine and it's definitely NOT a place to be fooling around... it's super curvy with lots of traffic, construction, mud slides, random people with surfboards, etc. Oh yeah, then there's that whole ocean factor. The last thing you'd want to do is lanch yourself into the sea.
NBC had a story on tonight about American Apparel founder Dov Charney. Around a week ago, I was a fan of American Apparel and their socially responsible practices. Dov's currently facing sexual harrassment charges from 3 different employees of American Apparel. Actually, I believe he has settled with 2 of them, and the last one is pending. Charney claims that in a creative environment, more explicit things are bound to come up-- he runs a marketing company after all. On the other hand, has he gone too far? I would vote yes on this. BoRyan's company faces ethical dilemnas on the topic of what's decent (because they publish dating advice), but they would never dream of having to address the kinds of things that Charney is accused of (and admits to) doing. Included in the laundry list is coming to work in his underwear, only. He also enjoys sleeping with his female employees... describing women's body parts using words like those that rhyme with 'hunt'... conducting a meeting in only a "c*ck sock"... masterbating and receiving oral sex from his female assistant in front of a reporter from Jane Magazine... and more. The lady who is suing him was reportedly asked by him to masterbate in front of him when they were discussing whether or not she'd get a raise. From the interview and his admission to all of these things, I'd say that it's clear-- reality has left his building. During the interview, he even stuck out his tounge a few times when questioned. Is this what happens when the company you founded makes $250 M in profits during the first 3 years?
Jada Pinkett Smith has reportedly seen Baby Suri. In a report published today, she said that she and her husband Will visited Tom, Katie, and Suri at their 90210 mansion. She said that among other things, Suri has black hair just like Tom and Katie. Well, thank goodness... because, you know, I was really worried. :-)
Prince is getting divorced from his wife of five years. I honestly didn't realize Prince was married... maybe I'm just not dialed into the Purple Rain generation enough.
Pamela Anderson is getting married to Kid Rock very soon. How exciting! Honestly, they are the perfect white trash couple... oh the tabloid stories they'll make!
To make matters worse, Myspace is having issues, so I couldn't even zone out reading profiles.
I did however get caught up on the news. Here's a small summary:
Lindsey Lohan is apparently facing problems with her latest film "Georgia Rule." She hasn't been showing up to work because she has been 'sick' lately. The CEO of the production company producing the film wrote her a very direct and somewhat threatening letter to tell her to stop partying or else.
Florida millionare Jeffrey Epstein reportedly solicited teenage high school girls for massages... and more. I read the entire 22-page affidavit on The Smoking Gun and was surprised by the similiarities in all of the girls' stories. Then, I looked up the news articles on the case and I was even more surprised by how much Epstein's lawyers are trying to play down the incidents (there were many). I suppose that's what lawyers are paid for, but anyway... Even stranger is that some of the news outlets aren't even covering this story. From reading the affidavit and other news articles, I learned that Epstein recently tried to give the police department in Florida a huge monotary gift. He has also given large gifts to political organizations in the past and has close ties with an ex president, etc. The last odd thing I will mention here is that the girls were all recruited from one high school and each girl would be paid for recruiting additional girls. Now that this story has broken, I wonder how odd it will be for all of those kids to go back to high school in a few weeks. Good luck in jail JE.
I just learned that religious guy Mel Gibson was arrested today in Malibu for DUI. He was driving early this morning along the PCH at a high rate of speed. I used to take the PCH every day to Pepperdine and it's definitely NOT a place to be fooling around... it's super curvy with lots of traffic, construction, mud slides, random people with surfboards, etc. Oh yeah, then there's that whole ocean factor. The last thing you'd want to do is lanch yourself into the sea.
NBC had a story on tonight about American Apparel founder Dov Charney. Around a week ago, I was a fan of American Apparel and their socially responsible practices. Dov's currently facing sexual harrassment charges from 3 different employees of American Apparel. Actually, I believe he has settled with 2 of them, and the last one is pending. Charney claims that in a creative environment, more explicit things are bound to come up-- he runs a marketing company after all. On the other hand, has he gone too far? I would vote yes on this. BoRyan's company faces ethical dilemnas on the topic of what's decent (because they publish dating advice), but they would never dream of having to address the kinds of things that Charney is accused of (and admits to) doing. Included in the laundry list is coming to work in his underwear, only. He also enjoys sleeping with his female employees... describing women's body parts using words like those that rhyme with 'hunt'... conducting a meeting in only a "c*ck sock"... masterbating and receiving oral sex from his female assistant in front of a reporter from Jane Magazine... and more. The lady who is suing him was reportedly asked by him to masterbate in front of him when they were discussing whether or not she'd get a raise. From the interview and his admission to all of these things, I'd say that it's clear-- reality has left his building. During the interview, he even stuck out his tounge a few times when questioned. Is this what happens when the company you founded makes $250 M in profits during the first 3 years?
Jada Pinkett Smith has reportedly seen Baby Suri. In a report published today, she said that she and her husband Will visited Tom, Katie, and Suri at their 90210 mansion. She said that among other things, Suri has black hair just like Tom and Katie. Well, thank goodness... because, you know, I was really worried. :-)
Prince is getting divorced from his wife of five years. I honestly didn't realize Prince was married... maybe I'm just not dialed into the Purple Rain generation enough.
Pamela Anderson is getting married to Kid Rock very soon. How exciting! Honestly, they are the perfect white trash couple... oh the tabloid stories they'll make!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Thursday Thoughts.
Yesterday turned out to be much different than I had originally anticipated. First of all, my little brothers slept through their tennis lesson. I was left driving around their school trying to locate them... only to find out later that they were still in bed.
I ended up spending most of the day chatting it up with my grandmother. I now know all the latest gossip on everything and everyone. :-)
This morning, I woke up relatively early and worked on my projects for most of the day.
This evening, I went to dinner at a place called Harry Bear's that's known for it's great fried peaches. I had an "old fashioned cheese burger" and of course, fried peaches.
After dinner, my parents and I went on an unplanned shopping trip for school supplies. We got 4 fun things for each of their 4 grand children. They're just fun little things to complement their existing school supplies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also of interest lately seems to be all the crazy elections around here and in TN. One of the big races in Oklahoma this year was the governor's race. Two days ago were the primaries and I heard quite a lot about this race in my family especially because one of my little brothers is dating one of the governor's daughters. She's a great girl; she once helped to critique one of my web sites. Anyway, my brother is very into the whole thing. Yesterday, he even wore a campaign t-shirt out to lunch. Luckily for everyone, it looks like the governor is going to win again. Here's his campaign site.
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Lastly, I received an e-mail yesterday that tax free week is coming up soon in TN, just in time for back to school. Be sure to look up the dates if you haven't already.
I ended up spending most of the day chatting it up with my grandmother. I now know all the latest gossip on everything and everyone. :-)
This morning, I woke up relatively early and worked on my projects for most of the day.
This evening, I went to dinner at a place called Harry Bear's that's known for it's great fried peaches. I had an "old fashioned cheese burger" and of course, fried peaches.
After dinner, my parents and I went on an unplanned shopping trip for school supplies. We got 4 fun things for each of their 4 grand children. They're just fun little things to complement their existing school supplies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also of interest lately seems to be all the crazy elections around here and in TN. One of the big races in Oklahoma this year was the governor's race. Two days ago were the primaries and I heard quite a lot about this race in my family especially because one of my little brothers is dating one of the governor's daughters. She's a great girl; she once helped to critique one of my web sites. Anyway, my brother is very into the whole thing. Yesterday, he even wore a campaign t-shirt out to lunch. Luckily for everyone, it looks like the governor is going to win again. Here's his campaign site.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lastly, I received an e-mail yesterday that tax free week is coming up soon in TN, just in time for back to school. Be sure to look up the dates if you haven't already.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
An Early Oklahoma Day.
I'm up early today because I'm going to make the 1 hour trek to Shawnee to visit my dad, grandmother, and brothers. My brothers have a tennis lesson this morning at 9 AM, so I need to leave in 30 minutes to make it to see them.
I'm not sure what else will be on tap today, other than possibly worrying about being behind on my work.
Yesterday, I had a fun time with my niece and nephew in the morning. We spent a good chunk of time drawing on the sidewalk with chalk.
Then, my brothers Chris and Nick picked me up and we went to Bricktown for a few hours. It should be noted that they just recently turned 16, so this was the first time they've driven me. They were actually very good drivers - safe, calm, but aware of their surroundings, and the speed limit. Now, I can only hope that they drive that way when someone over 18 is not in the car with them.
We went to see Superman Returns. Considering that I almost never check out fantasy flicks, it was pretty good... I was surprised. After the movie, we had dinner at Spagetti Warehouse where we ate, of course, spagetti.
That's it for now - I'm off to tennis.
I'm not sure what else will be on tap today, other than possibly worrying about being behind on my work.
Yesterday, I had a fun time with my niece and nephew in the morning. We spent a good chunk of time drawing on the sidewalk with chalk.
Then, my brothers Chris and Nick picked me up and we went to Bricktown for a few hours. It should be noted that they just recently turned 16, so this was the first time they've driven me. They were actually very good drivers - safe, calm, but aware of their surroundings, and the speed limit. Now, I can only hope that they drive that way when someone over 18 is not in the car with them.
We went to see Superman Returns. Considering that I almost never check out fantasy flicks, it was pretty good... I was surprised. After the movie, we had dinner at Spagetti Warehouse where we ate, of course, spagetti.
That's it for now - I'm off to tennis.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Home again, home again, jiggity jig...
After 8 hours of driving, I made it safely back to Oklahoma City. In case you didn't know / weren't sure, I grew up in Oklahoma; I'm a 6th generation Oklahoman in fact.
Anyway, I had an excellent drive and only stopped once - at about hour 6.5. This was a huge accomplishment, not only for my body, but also for the SUV I borrowed for this trip. It got surprisingly good gas mileage today.
Waiting for me when I came in were my niece and nephew, Sean and Savannah. They're visiting Oklahoma from Georgia for the entire month of July! Sean is 5 and Savannah is 4. This year, Savannah will be in pre-K and Sean will be in Kindergarden. She told me approximately 10 times in the hour and a half that I saw her that "pre-K is going to be very cool" and "I'm going to pre-K starting next month!" :-)
She also spent quite a bit of time telling me how scared she is of my big Raggedy Anne doll. She sits in my childhood bedroom on a chair my grandfather made for me. She explained that the red yarn hair reminds her of Chucky. She just doesn't understand why anyone would want to play with a Raggedy Anne Chucky doll! hehe.
The crowning moment to the evening came when I found out that she doesn't sleep in her own bed by herself yet. She has been sleeping between my parents since she arrived. Because this was her solution to having to go to bed, I tried to tuck her in to their big bed at around 11:30 PM. She took the bait until she realized that I would be leaving her to go to my very own big kid bed. At that, she started wailing about wanting to stay in my bed with me.
Woa - wait a second... what's up with kids these days? lol.
Anyway, clearly we can see how this turned out. :-) Fortunately, I don't put too too much weight in the attention getting freakouts that kids do. I'm fine with them, I just don't tend to respond to them much. So, as you can see, I'm having my quiet time with my blog instead.
Goodnight.
Anyway, I had an excellent drive and only stopped once - at about hour 6.5. This was a huge accomplishment, not only for my body, but also for the SUV I borrowed for this trip. It got surprisingly good gas mileage today.
Waiting for me when I came in were my niece and nephew, Sean and Savannah. They're visiting Oklahoma from Georgia for the entire month of July! Sean is 5 and Savannah is 4. This year, Savannah will be in pre-K and Sean will be in Kindergarden. She told me approximately 10 times in the hour and a half that I saw her that "pre-K is going to be very cool" and "I'm going to pre-K starting next month!" :-)
She also spent quite a bit of time telling me how scared she is of my big Raggedy Anne doll. She sits in my childhood bedroom on a chair my grandfather made for me. She explained that the red yarn hair reminds her of Chucky. She just doesn't understand why anyone would want to play with a Raggedy Anne Chucky doll! hehe.
The crowning moment to the evening came when I found out that she doesn't sleep in her own bed by herself yet. She has been sleeping between my parents since she arrived. Because this was her solution to having to go to bed, I tried to tuck her in to their big bed at around 11:30 PM. She took the bait until she realized that I would be leaving her to go to my very own big kid bed. At that, she started wailing about wanting to stay in my bed with me.
Woa - wait a second... what's up with kids these days? lol.
Anyway, clearly we can see how this turned out. :-) Fortunately, I don't put too too much weight in the attention getting freakouts that kids do. I'm fine with them, I just don't tend to respond to them much. So, as you can see, I'm having my quiet time with my blog instead.
Goodnight.
Monday, July 24, 2006
~~Waving Goodbye to Memphis~~
I'm on my way out of Memphis today. This is my final post from the bluff city.
I just wrapped up my lunch at Cafe Francisco and I'm about to jump onto I-40 headed west.
I'll be on the road for around 8 hours today, so if you want to chat, give me a ring.
Until next time!
AngieD
I just wrapped up my lunch at Cafe Francisco and I'm about to jump onto I-40 headed west.
I'll be on the road for around 8 hours today, so if you want to chat, give me a ring.
Until next time!
AngieD
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Days 14 and 15 – Reflections
The past two days have been busy ones, full of thoughts of change and possible decisions. 
Yesterday, I spent a good chunk of the day driving from apartment complex to apartment complex as I mentioned in my previous post. It was extremely hot at 105 degrees. But, the good news is that I was able to pick up all of the information that I needed. And, on an interesting note, my old apartment in
Afterward, I went to dinner with Jessica at Le Chardonnay. Le Chardonnay is pretty much my favorite place in
Today was also an apartment hunting day. Angie and I met up at 10 AM to tour one apartment downtown. Then, we headed over to the Farmer’s Market. The Farmer’s Market was great – all sorts of nice flowers, fruit, music, etc. I even ran into one of my friend’s from FedEx who was playing with his band there. (I should note that this is a different friend and different band from my previous post).
Then, Angie and I headed to Midtown to have breakfast at Brother Juniper’s. Brother Juniper’s is ranked as one of the best places to eat in
Afterward, we toured another apartment and I drove around looking for more. All in all, I have found around 4 places that I would consider. Although they’re probably 20% higher in price than what I paid before, they’re the same price as what I’m paying in LA. So, although I’m not excited to pay LA prices in
In case you were wondering also—I’m not sure if I’m moving back, really. Honestly. I just happen to be a super planner… always looking way into the future around every turn. And, since it looks like I may have to make some quick decisions, I want to be prepared for whatever may happen.
Oh—and on one last side note: I cannot believe that so many things downtown have been converted to condos. I mean, on one hand, I’m glad that downtown is doing so well and that people are so interested. On the other, it’s the businesses that I like downtown and when they turn themselves into condos, it doesn’t help. For example, I tried to visit my very favorite art gallery in downtown
Friday, July 21, 2006
Good times... great ammenities.
Wow, this afternoon I went and looked at the apartments in Downtown Memphis (note: it was ~105 degrees today in downtown). I had forgotten about all of the amenities they offer to residents! Some of them are just so over the top that they’re laughable if you were coming in from anywhere else, with any other expectations. They’re nice, really nice.
Here are a few of the amenities offered by the apartments that I toured:
- Two clubhouses
- Five pools with large sundecks
- Hydro-spa
- Saunas and steam rooms
- Indoor racquetball, basketball, and volleyball court
- Social activity room – TV & billiards room
- Three tennis courts
- Lush landscaping
- On-site car wash / car care center
- Wrap around patio, deck, or sunroom
- Gas Fireplace
- Vaulted ceilings
- Ceiling fans
- River or pool views
- Crown molding
- Built in microwaves
- Garden tubs
- Tiled entry foyers
- Washer and dryer in unit
- Kitchen island
- Controlled access gates
- Executive business center
- Fitness center
- Garages
- Mountain bikes
- Free movie checkout
- Movie – media theatre room
- Sand volleyball court
- Walk-in closets
- Faux granite countertops
- Arched entryways
- Computer desks
- Hot tub
- Gas grills
- Basic cable
- Wireless internet
Keep in mind that not every apartment offers all of these, but most offer at least half of the list. It’s a little crazy, no? But really… who doesn’t want a free washer and dryer, and a 24 fitness center?
Thinking...
Alright, first off, I'm tired today! Angie and I stayed out late last night playing trivia. I would have thought of sleeping in this morning, except that the refridgerator is supposed to arrive today now.
So, I'm going to have to find a way to shake off my tired thoughts and get to work... eventually. :-)
For now, I'm pondering a little over Memphis. I came to visit to see how I feel about the city in its current state. Overall, things are looking good, but there are still a few concerning things...
So, I'm going to have to find a way to shake off my tired thoughts and get to work... eventually. :-)
For now, I'm pondering a little over Memphis. I came to visit to see how I feel about the city in its current state. Overall, things are looking good, but there are still a few concerning things...
- Religion is a huge part of the culture here. My issue isn't with the religion, but it seems that when it becomes such a part of life, there are often dividing lines between different groups of people. That's the part that I don't like.
- It's hot. This week, it's been over 100 degrees every day. Lucky for me, I don't mind it much, but still... it's hot.
- The bugs. This point is actually a little unnerving for me. Almost every place I have ever lived in Memphis had a ton of bugs (spiders, mosquitos, roaches, ants...). They like it here because it's so warm and humid. Anyway, to make a long story short, they like to bite me-- a lot. It's just an added thing to have to remember to put on bug spray when I leave the house...
- Racial tension. There's always been a lot of racial tension in Memphis. Clearly, this is in part because the Civil Rights Movement happened here. It's a VERY important issue. Unfortunately, the day to day tension can be very uncomfortable. Twice since I've been here, I ended up in the 'wrong' part of town. I would be okay with that, but both times, a stranger spotted me, identified me as someone who wasn't where I was 'supposed' to be, and then took actions to try to scare me. That's unfortunate. I'd like to hope that the tension is there is because Memphis is experiencing growth and positive change.
- Crime. I've heard about the crime rate skyrocketing this year from everyone. It seems to be one of the main topics of conversation these days. Two of my friends had their houses broken into this year; one of them twice. I've been hearing about shootings and robberies... tying folks up in their homes... being hit from behind walking down the street. It's terrible. I'm not sure how to interpret it though, because I keep hearing that crime's up all over the country. What's the deal?
- Housing costs. The price of an apartment downtown has gone up significantly since I left two years ago. This would really make more sense to me if the job market here had grown significantly... or if employers were suddenly paying 30% more... or maybe if there had just been a huge influx of residents moving into downtown. However, none of these things seems to be the case. I'm going to be checking out a place on Saturday that's for rent for $1200. That's how much I pay in Santa Monica. Except, in Santa Monica / LA, there are tons of jobs and companies and I'm within walking distance of the beach.
As my friends know though, Memphis is my favorite place... so don't assume by my thoughts above that anything has changed. I'm just milling through my observations.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Lucky 13
Today was definitely one full of unexpected things.First, Shane's appliances never showed up. In the meantime, beautiful flowers arrived from BoRyan - thanks! :-)
Then, Jessica showed up with lunch for me!
After that, Angie invited me to dinner. We went to TJ Mulligan's downtown and I had stuffed, fried mushrooms - which you'll see a photo of below. After eating a ton and having 3 drinks each, we settled in for a game of trivia. Being just the two of us and our first try, we did pretty well. Although all of the final rankings weren't revealed, the third place team got right around 100 points and we had 83. I think that we might have come in fifth at the end... we got the very last question right and wagered the entire 20 points, so that helped.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Day 12 - Memphis Adventure Continues...
Today was actually a pretty boring day, thank goodness! I had a few phone calls... a few e-mails... and then I was finally able to work on my own projects a little!!
Tonight, I went to Dixie Cafe with one of my favorite co-workers from my last job. It was so great to see her again and to hear about everything that's been going on.
Sounds like the same people and a lot of the same projects...
Oh yes, and as a side note, I had chicken fried steak! I'm not able to get that in L.A., and although I don't think it's as popular in Memphis as in Oklahoma City (my hometown), it's still available, so I had to go for it. I had it with creamed gravy and mashed potatoes and corn -- and rolls. Lovely!
On another side note, I saw on CNN today that Ms. Rice has reversed the decision asking those stranded in Lebanon to pay to be air lifted out. Good job!
Well, that's about it... I should go-- tomorrow's the big day... I'm receiving a fridge and stove for my friend tomorrow morning. I'm staying with him while I'm here and I'll be here bright and early to greet the shiny appliances.
Tonight, I went to Dixie Cafe with one of my favorite co-workers from my last job. It was so great to see her again and to hear about everything that's been going on.
Sounds like the same people and a lot of the same projects...
Oh yes, and as a side note, I had chicken fried steak! I'm not able to get that in L.A., and although I don't think it's as popular in Memphis as in Oklahoma City (my hometown), it's still available, so I had to go for it. I had it with creamed gravy and mashed potatoes and corn -- and rolls. Lovely!
On another side note, I saw on CNN today that Ms. Rice has reversed the decision asking those stranded in Lebanon to pay to be air lifted out. Good job!
Well, that's about it... I should go-- tomorrow's the big day... I'm receiving a fridge and stove for my friend tomorrow morning. I'm staying with him while I'm here and I'll be here bright and early to greet the shiny appliances.
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