Hmm, I have (had) some free time, tonight.
Catch up on some work? Um, nah. (hah)
Work on some websites for fun? Nah.
Work on some websites for money? Nah.
Watch a movie? Nah. No more.
Learn a new song? Nah.
Write a new song? Nah. Can’t.
Go out and take pictures? Nah.
Stay in and take pictures? Nah.
Look at houses online? Nah. No more.
Surf Flickr? Nah. No more.
Clean up? Nah. It’s not too bad in here.
Listen to music? Nah. No more.
Sleep? Probably, soon.
I want to do most of the above, but when I start to (or attempt to start to) do them, I have this strong urge to not be doing them, almost instantly after I start them. You know something’s out of whack when relatively easy money doesn’t even motivate you. I need to reboot myself, somehow. Blah? Nah.
Thank you, Best Buy, for sending me a free $40 battery for my new camera. It was the least you could do.
I bought a new camera a month ago. I took it home, opened the box, the camera wasn’t in a bag, the battery wasn’t in a bag, the manuals were scattered throughout the bag, the sliding lense cover was broke, and there was a scratch on the body of the camera. It was definitely not new. I took it back that same day, and they didn’t have any more in stock. They were able to get one shipped from the Midland store (3 hour round trip), and after waiting 8 days, they finally got me a new one. I exchanged it, opened the box there in the store, everything was in order — everything was bagged, unopened, and obviously new.
I took it out to the bar for Keri’s birthday, and took pictures for 4 hours and then it wouldn’t turn on. I figured it was the battery (which would suck if that were the case). The next day, I took it to Best Buy. The “Geek Squad” guy tested my battery, and determined it was a bad battery. I had to call an 800 number to get a new one shipped. I was going on vacation that weekend (last weekend) and wanted to get it expidited so I would have a camera for the trip — no can do. So I went around to the local Best Buys, CompUSA’s, etc., and finally found a battery at Circuit City. I charged it, put it in, camera still wouldn’t turn on.
I took it back to Best Buy, and told them what I did, and they said I could exchange it for a new one. Just like last time, there were none in stock, so they gladly refunded all of my money, including the service plan. I went home, ordered the camera on Amazon, and it was shipped next day for the same price I would’ve got it at Best Buy. It works great. I took it to Toronto (see previous entry) and took about 150 pictures.
I got home from vacation, and found an e-mail in my inbox. Great news! We have just shipped the part(s) for your Best Buy Partsearch order number xxxxxxx. UPS Tracking tells me it’s out on the truck for delivery. Sure enough, when I got home it was there shortly thereafter.
Thank You Best Buy. You made me run around in circles, come up to the store 4-5 times, go to different stores, hold onto a broken camera for a week, and deal with customer service countless times. It’s the least you could do. Now I have 3 batteries and an awesome new camera.
I got a Canon PowerShot S70, by the way. It’s a 7.1 MegaPixel camera with tons of features. Check out the pictures of Toronto or Keri’s birthday party for samples.
(two non-music entries? in a row? whhaaaat?)
Jackie and I took a vacation this weekend. We went to Toronto, with no real plans other than to bum around and go to the Blue Jays game. We ended up going to the game, going up the CN Tower, walking around downtown Toronto, and hitting the African Lion Safari on the way home.
Some pictures:
Jackie got us really good seats for the game. We were in the upper deck, right above home plate. You could see everything, and I got some really cool shots with my new camera.
I got to conquer more of my fear of heights by going up the CN Tower. I wouldn’t walk on the glass floor, but I went up there and that’s a huge accomplishment for me. When I was there back in Junior High or High School I refused to go up, and waited at the bottom while my family went up to look around. Jackie tried to get me to go on the glass, and I did .. two steps, holding my breath, eyes closed. I’m a wimp. Whatever.
The Lion Safari was awesome; basically they let you drive through and there are separate areas for different animals. The monkey area was the funniest .. they climb all over the cars and hang on while you drive through. There was a guy in a Lexus SUV who had one sitting on his mirror, and all of a sudden it just started urinating all over. It wasn’t a small stream either, it was like someone tossed a bucket of urine all over the guys Lexus. He started yelling, beating his window, honking his horn. I couldn’t help but laugh — they warned you when you came in that the monkeys climb all over. One monkey climbed up into my truck, and he had the dirtiest rear end ever .. I had to wash my truck when I got home, just so I didn’t forget and accidentally touch some monkey poo.
I had so much fun .. too bad what little time we had flew by so fast.
A few weeks ago David Gallagher from lightningfield.com asked for participants to help with his 3rd annual Fiona Project. I got to participate this year and be the first ‘A’ in “Happy Birthday Fiona”. Unfortunately, the project deadline hit right during my busiest week of the year so far (see previous entry), and I procrastinated and wasn’t completely happy with my entry. I could’ve done better — if I participate next year, I promise (to myself, David, and Fiona) to do better. Go check out this year’s project here. I’m honored to have been able to participate in something with some really great photographers who I greatly admire. Go check it out, and follow the links to the photographers sites — they do some amazing work.