To anyone who passes by our quiet (lately) blog....
Happy New Year!
May 2007 bring you health, happiness and prosperity!
Friday, December 29, 2006
Happy New Year!
May 2007 bring you health, happiness and prosperity!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Why do those words bring out so much angst?! Normally I would be in full panic mode by now but we are actually 98% done with our shopping so it's not so bad. However, I have a lot of little errands to run, a couple of gift cards to buy and wrapping to start. Yes, I said START! Then we just have daily life that happens between now and Christmas day, which in itself can be panic inducing.
I just can't believe Christmas is 5 days away. Every single year I somehow get lost in mid-December and seem to think there is an extra week added between the 12th and 25th and it never fails. When the 18th or 19th comes around I never realize that Christmas is only less than a week away. Every year. Maybe it's denial or a defense mechanism kicking in. I just have to get a grip sooner or later.
This Christmas will be special though. Because it's the first Christmas I'm excited about in a long time and the first one where my oldest son will actually start to enjoy. He still doesn't understand what Santa is and what Christmas is, but he'll actually enjoy seeing his gifts, after they are opened. The youngest still won't get it, but he is a ball of fun anyway so it doesn't matter. Next year Christmas should be even better. Also for the first time I'm excited about getting the boys things and spoiling them. It's just a concept I never understood, until now.
I guess now we are in GO MODE! Full speed ahead... then crash. Reality comes back, bills pile up, kids break their new toys, returns must be made and crowded stores are still an issue and you realize you are carrying around 20 extra pounds. Fun times.
Negativity aside, Christmas is awesome (like me) and special and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday this year. I really do. I particulary enjoy the family time and good food, but then again most people do. I love my husband's family and really look forward to the holidays with them, every year. Now I can't wait for Christmas day and for my boys to open their gifts!
Merry Christmas!
I just can't believe Christmas is 5 days away. Every single year I somehow get lost in mid-December and seem to think there is an extra week added between the 12th and 25th and it never fails. When the 18th or 19th comes around I never realize that Christmas is only less than a week away. Every year. Maybe it's denial or a defense mechanism kicking in. I just have to get a grip sooner or later.
This Christmas will be special though. Because it's the first Christmas I'm excited about in a long time and the first one where my oldest son will actually start to enjoy. He still doesn't understand what Santa is and what Christmas is, but he'll actually enjoy seeing his gifts, after they are opened. The youngest still won't get it, but he is a ball of fun anyway so it doesn't matter. Next year Christmas should be even better. Also for the first time I'm excited about getting the boys things and spoiling them. It's just a concept I never understood, until now.
I guess now we are in GO MODE! Full speed ahead... then crash. Reality comes back, bills pile up, kids break their new toys, returns must be made and crowded stores are still an issue and you realize you are carrying around 20 extra pounds. Fun times.
Negativity aside, Christmas is awesome (like me) and special and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday this year. I really do. I particulary enjoy the family time and good food, but then again most people do. I love my husband's family and really look forward to the holidays with them, every year. Now I can't wait for Christmas day and for my boys to open their gifts!
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
I tried a new chocolate chip cookie recipe today. Oh my goodness! It rocks! It is the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever made. I'm so psyched! I hope my client like them as much as my daughter and I do.
*crunch crunch crunch*
*crunch crunch crunch*
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
I got this email that I found humorous. If anyone is insulted, please don't be. I just found it funny.
For My Democratic Friends:
"Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher."
For My Republican Friends:
"Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"
For My Democratic Friends:
"Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher."
For My Republican Friends:
"Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
It seems we Angel's here are busy busy busy. Blogging will be less frequent with all we have to do.
I'm not sure about the Angel of Drama but I know I am in the midst of 'cleaning week' here and next week will be 'baking week' and then we will be entertaining and enjoying the festivities of the holiday season. Fun fun stuff!
I'm still trying to figure out how to sew pillows for my kids to lay around with. Do I have the time? Will it make a huge mess? And then the wrapping (no not rapping like Run DMC. Wrapping the gifts.) When will I find the time to do that? In my down time probably. When the kiddies are in bed and I usually relax on the loveseat staring blankly at favorite show of the night.
I'm not sure about the Angel of Drama but I know I am in the midst of 'cleaning week' here and next week will be 'baking week' and then we will be entertaining and enjoying the festivities of the holiday season. Fun fun stuff!
I'm still trying to figure out how to sew pillows for my kids to lay around with. Do I have the time? Will it make a huge mess? And then the wrapping (no not rapping like Run DMC. Wrapping the gifts.) When will I find the time to do that? In my down time probably. When the kiddies are in bed and I usually relax on the loveseat staring blankly at favorite show of the night.
Friday, December 8, 2006
I have a dog.
A cocker named Amber Raye Doo. I named her Amber Raye (Amber for her coloring, Raye for the ray of sunshine she was) but my kids added the doo. They love scooby doo. We even have a 4 year old Goldfish named Shaggy. There used to be a Scooby but Shaggy offed him. But I'm off the point.
My cocker, Amber, thinks she's a kid. Right now she's my stinky kid. I have to take her to the doctors for her regular visit and shots before making her grooming appointment where they make her look less like a sheep dog and more like a cocker that smells like a gingerbread cookie.
When she comes home she is so happy she prances around like a show pony. I don't know if it's from the joy of being home after a 3 hour grooming session or if it's because she feels so pretty. So I say to Amber now, enjoy rooting in the snow with your thick coat of hair because next week....you will freeze your puppy butt off.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
"Where did my picture go?" asked the Angel of Design.
*sigh*
Now I have to figure out how to put it back up. And my laptop is acting all wonky lately. This ought to be tons of fun for me, the anti-techi.
*sigh*
Now I have to figure out how to put it back up. And my laptop is acting all wonky lately. This ought to be tons of fun for me, the anti-techi.
1. Despite all the work I love to decorate the house. I love seeing it transformed from the house I see all year round to the Christmasfied home it is now.
2. I love having two trees. One real one fake. They each have their pros and cons. Like the fake tree we paid for at a reputible tree dealer before we got married and paid about $85 for. By now, the 11th Christmas we got our money's worth. Real trees smell nice and have their amazing charm. I never had one growing up and this will be our fourth year with one. The cons are the clean up and the upfront cost EVERY year. I don't water the tree, that's hubby's job.
3. I love baking. But that's a given if you've read anything about me. I love to plan out and bake Christmas cookies and have my kids help decorate the sugar ones.
4. I love to shop for other people. I love picking them out and showing hubby when he gets home. I love shopping for my kids especially. I went today and got most of what I needed to get them. Some items are out so later today I'll be online shopping. We're lucky because hubby gets a pretty comfy holiday bonus every year so that's our holiday spending money. I still would like to start a Christmas club account to add to it. Hubby wants a music studio by Yamaha or something and I'd love to get it for him, but it's too expensive. *sigh*
5. Wrapping. I love to wrap. It's a good thing because I do 99.9 % of it (the .1% would be what hubby buys me and I hear him say how much better I am at it than he, to which I roll my eyes like Lioux.)
6. I absolutely LOVE, did you read that? LOVE those Christmas movies. Not just the adult ones but the kid ones. I love Rudolph and Frosty. I love Santa Claus is coming to town with The Berger Meister (please forgive my spelling) and whatever one has the Heat Miser and Cold Miser (I have yet to find that one DVD.) I love the Grinch movie and the Muppets Christmas Carol. My favorite Christmas Carol is with George C. Scott. I become a kid at Christmas. I love it.
7. I love Christmas music. I listen to it all day every chance I get.
8. I love seeing my kids on Santa's lap, even the years my daughter has cried.
9. I love seeing my kids on Christmas morning when they see that Santa came despite us telling them they better shape up. LOL.
10. I love how the church is decorated for Christmas mass and teaching my kids the real reason for Christmas.
11. I love seeing all the people I love. Yep.
So you can see, I love all the aspects of Christmas. I do dislike the twisty ties they put on all kids toys to make them theft proof and I'm sure they will cause me to have claw-like hands once again this year. LOL. I do dislike trying to recycle all that Christmas paper over a few weeks and I do dislike taking the decorations down. But I don't do that until after the new year. We leave it up for the whole season long.
Now I ask you? What do you love about Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanza?)
2. I love having two trees. One real one fake. They each have their pros and cons. Like the fake tree we paid for at a reputible tree dealer before we got married and paid about $85 for. By now, the 11th Christmas we got our money's worth. Real trees smell nice and have their amazing charm. I never had one growing up and this will be our fourth year with one. The cons are the clean up and the upfront cost EVERY year. I don't water the tree, that's hubby's job.
3. I love baking. But that's a given if you've read anything about me. I love to plan out and bake Christmas cookies and have my kids help decorate the sugar ones.
4. I love to shop for other people. I love picking them out and showing hubby when he gets home. I love shopping for my kids especially. I went today and got most of what I needed to get them. Some items are out so later today I'll be online shopping. We're lucky because hubby gets a pretty comfy holiday bonus every year so that's our holiday spending money. I still would like to start a Christmas club account to add to it. Hubby wants a music studio by Yamaha or something and I'd love to get it for him, but it's too expensive. *sigh*
5. Wrapping. I love to wrap. It's a good thing because I do 99.9 % of it (the .1% would be what hubby buys me and I hear him say how much better I am at it than he, to which I roll my eyes like Lioux.)
6. I absolutely LOVE, did you read that? LOVE those Christmas movies. Not just the adult ones but the kid ones. I love Rudolph and Frosty. I love Santa Claus is coming to town with The Berger Meister (please forgive my spelling) and whatever one has the Heat Miser and Cold Miser (I have yet to find that one DVD.) I love the Grinch movie and the Muppets Christmas Carol. My favorite Christmas Carol is with George C. Scott. I become a kid at Christmas. I love it.
7. I love Christmas music. I listen to it all day every chance I get.
8. I love seeing my kids on Santa's lap, even the years my daughter has cried.
9. I love seeing my kids on Christmas morning when they see that Santa came despite us telling them they better shape up. LOL.
10. I love how the church is decorated for Christmas mass and teaching my kids the real reason for Christmas.
11. I love seeing all the people I love. Yep.
So you can see, I love all the aspects of Christmas. I do dislike the twisty ties they put on all kids toys to make them theft proof and I'm sure they will cause me to have claw-like hands once again this year. LOL. I do dislike trying to recycle all that Christmas paper over a few weeks and I do dislike taking the decorations down. But I don't do that until after the new year. We leave it up for the whole season long.
Now I ask you? What do you love about Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanza?)
Monday, December 4, 2006
Yes, you read that correctly. I am giving PROPS to a phone company! Go ahead, pinch yourself to make sure you aren't dreaming. I'll wait.
Did you hurt yourself? Good, see, you are alive and not dreaming.
Customer service IS NOT DEAD! I repeat, CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NOT DEAD! Were you like me and beginning to think that customer service had been on the world's extinction list? Did you think that it was just remnent of years ago when little mom and pop stores ruled the world and people actually pumped your gas for you?
Guess, what people, AT&T has resurrected the ancient art of customer service. AT&T took over SBC here in Illinois (and maybe elsewhere but I'm not a walking business news magazine). When you dial their 800# a voice operated phone system answers and I don't cringe in disgust over it! It understands what I say and isn't as restrictive to certain words as most are. I usually find myself cussing out voice operated computers because they don't understand what I'm saying.
"NO YOU PIECE OF SHIT VOICE COMPUTER! I WANT AN AGENT"
"Let me see if I understood you correctly, you wish to pay your bill"
"AGENT! I WANT AN AGENT!"
"I'm not understanding you. You say you need technical assistance?"
"I WANT TO TALK TO A LIVE, LIVING, BREATHING PERSON!"
"Hold one moment while I transfer you to an operator."
"Dear God that is all I wanted in the first place!"
That is how past conversations with voice operated computers used to go. Now, when I call AT&T I get this pleasant voice computer who lets me direct where I need to go. He is so incredibly friendly that he just says, "Tell us a little bit about why you are calling". I can say something like "Customer service please" and he directs me to an operator! How about that!
So, I have dealt with AT&T about 5 times in the last 4 days. We have ordered some new services thru them because of some bundling package rates that will save us quite a bit of money. Each time I call and get transferred to a rep without having to scream at an inatimate computer I am greeted with:
"Hi, this is (insert name), how can I assure you are completely satisfied today?"
"Well, aside from giving me mulitiple orgasms and baking me a chocolate chip cookies, I just need to discuss my recent order."
"Sure, how can I assist you?"
I go on to explain my issues and the agents, each and every last one of them, have bent over backwards to help me. They are pleasant, KNOWLEDGEABLE and have gone above and beyond in their service. Now, usually when you call a company you either get a rude agent who doesn't know jack, or you get one great agent that answers all of your questions but you have to call back and ask a couple more things and you find out that the previous agent was just a dream and everything they said was all false information.
The agents at AT&T must be specially trained because they all know what they are talking about. They seem to be intelligent people that speak well and don't appear to be located in India. They also make wonderful notations in your accounts because when you call back the new rep knows exactly what happened in your last phone call. I have had charges waived and received a lot of great information that remained consistant with every subsequent phone call. And, even when a mistake was made and I called back to ask for some resolution, they came thru.
When I receive service like this it puts me at ease and makes me believe that people in this world really do care. It also lowers my defenses so I am able to express what I need clearly without frustration and therefore, being nice to the agent, gets me resolution that I find acceptable. When I worked for an airline in their call center I always made sure I took care of our passengers and went above and beyond for them. There were many times I had people call me very angry and many even swore at me. Most times I could calm them down, turn their problem into a solution and make them happy. Sometimes I even made the angriest of men laugh by the end of the call. It was a challenge for me. So I am extra sensitive to customer service when it comes to call centers because I know exactly how they work.
I just want to say thanks to AT&T for their outstanding service and employees. You have rejuvinated my hope that customer service will come back. Consistancy is vital to a company and they have definitely got that down.
Go ahead, re-read this if you need too. I really did say the words "customer service, consistancy and knowledgeable, intelligent employees in one post regarding a phone company. It's not a dream.
Did you hurt yourself? Good, see, you are alive and not dreaming.
Customer service IS NOT DEAD! I repeat, CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NOT DEAD! Were you like me and beginning to think that customer service had been on the world's extinction list? Did you think that it was just remnent of years ago when little mom and pop stores ruled the world and people actually pumped your gas for you?
Guess, what people, AT&T has resurrected the ancient art of customer service. AT&T took over SBC here in Illinois (and maybe elsewhere but I'm not a walking business news magazine). When you dial their 800# a voice operated phone system answers and I don't cringe in disgust over it! It understands what I say and isn't as restrictive to certain words as most are. I usually find myself cussing out voice operated computers because they don't understand what I'm saying.
"NO YOU PIECE OF SHIT VOICE COMPUTER! I WANT AN AGENT"
"Let me see if I understood you correctly, you wish to pay your bill"
"AGENT! I WANT AN AGENT!"
"I'm not understanding you. You say you need technical assistance?"
"I WANT TO TALK TO A LIVE, LIVING, BREATHING PERSON!"
"Hold one moment while I transfer you to an operator."
"Dear God that is all I wanted in the first place!"
That is how past conversations with voice operated computers used to go. Now, when I call AT&T I get this pleasant voice computer who lets me direct where I need to go. He is so incredibly friendly that he just says, "Tell us a little bit about why you are calling". I can say something like "Customer service please" and he directs me to an operator! How about that!
So, I have dealt with AT&T about 5 times in the last 4 days. We have ordered some new services thru them because of some bundling package rates that will save us quite a bit of money. Each time I call and get transferred to a rep without having to scream at an inatimate computer I am greeted with:
"Hi, this is (insert name), how can I assure you are completely satisfied today?"
"Well, aside from giving me mulitiple orgasms and baking me a chocolate chip cookies, I just need to discuss my recent order."
"Sure, how can I assist you?"
I go on to explain my issues and the agents, each and every last one of them, have bent over backwards to help me. They are pleasant, KNOWLEDGEABLE and have gone above and beyond in their service. Now, usually when you call a company you either get a rude agent who doesn't know jack, or you get one great agent that answers all of your questions but you have to call back and ask a couple more things and you find out that the previous agent was just a dream and everything they said was all false information.
The agents at AT&T must be specially trained because they all know what they are talking about. They seem to be intelligent people that speak well and don't appear to be located in India. They also make wonderful notations in your accounts because when you call back the new rep knows exactly what happened in your last phone call. I have had charges waived and received a lot of great information that remained consistant with every subsequent phone call. And, even when a mistake was made and I called back to ask for some resolution, they came thru.
When I receive service like this it puts me at ease and makes me believe that people in this world really do care. It also lowers my defenses so I am able to express what I need clearly without frustration and therefore, being nice to the agent, gets me resolution that I find acceptable. When I worked for an airline in their call center I always made sure I took care of our passengers and went above and beyond for them. There were many times I had people call me very angry and many even swore at me. Most times I could calm them down, turn their problem into a solution and make them happy. Sometimes I even made the angriest of men laugh by the end of the call. It was a challenge for me. So I am extra sensitive to customer service when it comes to call centers because I know exactly how they work.
I just want to say thanks to AT&T for their outstanding service and employees. You have rejuvinated my hope that customer service will come back. Consistancy is vital to a company and they have definitely got that down.
Go ahead, re-read this if you need too. I really did say the words "customer service, consistancy and knowledgeable, intelligent employees in one post regarding a phone company. It's not a dream.