Never eat when you're angry

Ordinarily things like this just roll off my back, but today... Here's the story -

I went into a local eating establishment for lunch / dinner. (What do you call it when it's 4:00 p.m.?)

I was greeted with a hearty welcome to... Okay, no I wasn't, but I usually am.

A nice young lady came to the counter and asked me what I would like.

I'll have a.. "Um, excuse me," a voice interrupted from the side. "Can you tell me..."

The nice young lady went to answer that query.

Another young man came to the counter. "What can I get you sir?"

I would like a..."Um, can I get some water..." another voice interrupted... and the young man was gone.

Deep breath Jimmer. "Does somebody want to help me?"

The young man returned. "I'm sorry sir, what did you say?"

I said, "Does somebody want to help me?"

I just went to give that girl a cup. What, you having a bad day or something?

Insert screeching tire noise here. Did anybody else see that needle come off that record?

I couldn't help myself. "Forget it!" I snapped. I told the guy behind me to go ahead. To his credit, he just stood there and watched.

What sir?

I wheeled around - "She asked me what I wanted and then went to help that person. You asked me what I wanted and then went to help that other person. I.AM.STANDING.RIGHT.HERE...IN.LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Um, do you still want your sandwich?"

I did. I was hungry, and I have a long night ahead of me.

He hustled to finish making my sandwich, the transaction ended. He chopped $.50 off the price of my sandwich and offered me a free drink which I declined.

I then learned an entirely new lesson.

Never eat when you're angry.

Commence stomach ache.

!Sigh!

If Jim Brochowski can do it...

Maybe this is why:

As I stood up at third base I could see him looking at me and shaking his head. I had just smashed, (Hey I was 13 I still smashed things.) the ball into the fence in left field and while I was disappointed it didn’t go over I was also thrilled with what was probably the best hit of my life.
I scored on the next play and as I walked up to my Dad he said: “Just think how far it would have gone if it had been a strike.”

Ouch!

He was right though, the ball I hit was pitched almost over my head. As the infamous movie line goes: I like the high ones!

Now, I love my Dad and I don’t blame him for anything about my upbringing, but my point is I always have greater expectations, It’s taken a long time for me to learn how to be satisfied, and well, I don’t handle praise all that well.

The year to date has been a good one. The MJB Foundation has raised almost $7,000 with an event still to come, I’ve lost 42 pounds, (as of this morning), and I learned a couple of weeks ago that I’m to be inducted into my high school’s hall of fame, mostly for my work with the foundation.

Right and left I’m being congratulated and praised. Folks are using words like inspirational, and...

… And I have no idea how to handle this.

My wife even wants to have a celebratory get together after the HOF induction. She created a Facebook event, and made me a host so I can invite people who are on my friends list, but maybe not on hers.

Really?

“Hi, Come celebrate me?”

That just feels wrong. Egotistical, making a big deal out of nothing. To me, it’s just weird.

I feel like if I can do what I do, anybody can do what I do, and the reality is it’s not me. It’s an incredibly supportive family. It’s a whole team of people. It’s hundreds of supporters. It’s the folks who inspire me that help me do the things I do. They’re the ones who deserve the recognition.

I’m told I just need to learn to say thank you and move on, but when people are heaping this high praise, thank you doesn’t seem like enough. Not even close.

A friend once told me that she loves exclamation points because they add emphasis to what is otherwise ordinary. Okay - let’s give this a try...

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YMMV.

There are 30 celebrities, 10 Brochowskis I don’t know, and 11 businesses or brands. There are 30 who I’ve never met, save for 2 phone calls, 30 I only know in passing, and 22 I’ve never met who are local who I’m making it my goal to try and meet soon. This leaves about 716 that I’ve met and know. I might have worked with them.  I definitely have a memory of them, and I can probably identify their voice. Many I see on a daily, or at least weekly to monthly basis.

Of course I’m talking about my Facebook Friend list.

But why?

Sunday, I heard a friend say that all this great technology was actually ruining “real communication.” I of course balked at this. I love this great technology. I think it has actually enhanced communication. In the interest of keeping the peace I didn’t argue with my friend.

Yesterday I noted that more than a few folks are “giving up Facebook for Lent,” so I shared this observation on my Timeline.

“I suppose it could just be me, but if you give up Facebook or some other social network for Lent aren't you really just saying: ‘I don't value those relationships so I'm okay with just blowing them off for 40 days?’”

i.e. In other words, ergo and forsooth, I think giving up Facebook could ruin (at least some part of) communication.

But that’s just my opinion, which is why I posted that. I wanted to have the discussion that followed.

Responses ranged from 100% agreement to Facebook is too new to establish cultural norms to  “Or is it saying because I value those relationships/form of communication, I am willing to give up something valuable to me for God for Lent?”

I agree with every one of them.

What?

Okay, no not really.

I understand that there are many who see social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and even blogs as nothing more than idle pursuits. Even folks who participate in those mediums sometimes downplay them as being nothing more than time wasters, stuff to do when there is nothing else to do.

But that’s not me.

I see social networks as valuable additions to those tools we already had at our disposal for communication because to me it’s not about the tools.

It’s about the people. Plain.And.Simple.

Now, I’m not passing judgment on folks who have decided to give up Facebook for Lent if they see that as a true sacrifice, if they just need a break, if they are resolved to use other perhaps more personal forms of communication to reach out to people in their lives. If they are trying to strengthen their relationships I’m all for that, and I will allow that my statement in passing doesn’t allow for their reasoning behind their decisions, not that they owe anybody an explanation.

But I wonder if we realize the true power of all these tools as we put them to use every day. I wonder if we understand the implications of our actions? Do we get that we might only know about what’s going on in each other’s lives because of our social network, and how valuable just knowing is to one friend, or another.

While I might know, in person, at least 700 some odd people on my friend list I am very aware that in all likelihood, without these tools I would not have the contact, the interactions with many of them that I have now, and I don’t believe for a second that would be a good thing. Not at all.

Don’t misunderstand -

I get that Facebook is “just Facebook,” and Twitter is “just Twitter,” etc... and so on...

I value personal interaction more than any other form of communication. I’d like to sit with all of you for hours, conversing deep into the night holding a beverage in hand, wiping a tear, or sharing a laugh.

Unfortunately, as we all know, that’s not possible. There just aren’t enough hours in the day, or dollars in the bank account for the travel necessary to bring us together.

While I would never advocate for replacing a personal interaction, a letter, an email, or even a phone call, (okay maybe a phone call - I do hate the phone) I would hope that folks might realize and value the social network communication that sometimes might have to suffice, and be grateful for it rather than seeing it as a commodity that we can simply cast aside.

Your Mileage May Vary.

Stuff...

I’ve been thinking a lot lately, okay for at least the last few weeks, about accumulation.

Maybe it’s because it is the season for accumulating. Maybe it’s the boxes and boxes... and boxes and boxes... and boxes and boxes...

And did I mention boxes? … of Christmas stuff Netter puts up to decorate each year.
(I like to tease her, but the truth is I really love the holiday decor. Shhh... don’t tell her. ;-)

It might be the lists that propagate this time of year. Grocery lists, guest lists, gift lists, lists for Santa and the like

Perhaps, it is because it’s that time of year when we all get together with our families, when we are reminded of our roots, of things that we learned as kids, traditions, stories, the evolution of ourselves, likes, dislikes, new likes, new dislikes... and you know … the like.
(last time, I promise)

For some one supposes a little more inventory is taken when we are inside all winter. Perhaps we notice more the number of material possessions we, (Hey, I’m saying we. Go with it.) tend to gather to our nests. Boxes upon boxes, closet full upon closet full, drawer upon drawer, pile on the desk upon pile on the desk.

For me it could be based on observing our oldest K, home from her first quarter at school, bringing with her a large accumulation of laundry among other things. How did she fit all that in that dorm room?

But I digress...

As I think about all of this stuff I wonder how it all comes together, seemingly without our knowing it is even happening. A lifetime of experience, and junk all rolled into one... Or do we know? Do we choose to ignore the stuff? Do we embrace the stuff?

I’m talking about some important stuff here.

It’s not always a bad thing - At our MJB Foundation board meeting last week I remarked that we had never really had a “business plan, “ that we had sort of hodged and podged and cut and pasted and put it altogether without ever really planning on what was happening next. Outside of our events we’re not always sure what’s happening, what’s going on... from one moment to the next and while some of that is circumstance the fact remains that  we are still helping kids, helping children experience the JOY of childhood. Don’t get me wrong, we are trying to find better ways, to plan better, to streamline and regulate, but while not knowing is sometimes frustrating it doesn’t take away from the fact that we have done some good along the way, and we should celebrate that success even as we try and improve for the future.

But there area also times when the junk piles up, when the stuff is overwhelming, when we don’t want to go, or don’t want to relate, or don’t want to deal with that... at least not right now.

Still you have to get there somehow....

But again, how does this stuff get here? How did it manage to accumulate without us even noticing? Does life go so fast, do the years fly by so quickly that we can manage to miss so much even when we think we are taking note of everything? Or did we notice after all?

Is it poor planning, good planning, a mistake, a success?

I’m not assigning a value here. I’m really just wondering... How does it all come together, how do we ease the flow, stem the change (charge?), let loose the tide...

Oh wait, that’s another blog post - or is it? (Did I mix up my metaphors?) Are we perhaps more in control than we realize? I mean, I know I make my own decisions.

Right Honey? ;-)

Seriously, I suspect we all have stuff, at least to a varying degree...


I wonder what might happen, how it would look, if we took it all away?

A Birthday Mystery

As I reflect today on 43 years on God’s green earth three stories keep rolling through my mind. I’m not sure exactly how they are connected, but I have a feeling they are, and I’m fairly certain I’m supposed to figure it out. Maybe you can help me?

(Note* The first two stories are things I don’t talk about very often, and many do not know. If you’re not looking for that much knowledge about me well, you’ve been warned.)

The first story - When I was 3 my Mom got divorced, and while I know there are different sides to every story and details I probably wasn’t aware of, the fact of the matter is that my biological father was largely absent from my life from that point forward. There were some visits. There was some contact, but what I remember most is that he would cancel visits often, show up very late, and sometimes not at all - and his new wife is one of 3 things I’ve had nightmares about in 43 years. She was just not a nice person. His stepsons were no walks in the park either.

So it’s understandable I think that after awhile I became detached, and eventually I just got pissed off and said I didn’t really give a damn, and I didn’t.

The last time I remember seeing Wayne, his name is Wayne - was the Christmas of what must have been 1978. I remember the year because it is part of the story. You see Wayne asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and with my “I don’t give a damn attitude,” I decided to go pie in the sky and ask for all the things I really wanted - top 3 on my list.

I wanted a rocket, a whole box of hockey cards, and a television set, and when I showed up for Christmas at my Grandmother’s (Wayne’s mother), I got exactly those 3 things and that was the last Christmas I spent any time with Wayne.

The rocket went back to his farm where we were “going to” set it off together. The hockey cards were combined with the rest of my card collections, played with and eventually sold when I was 19 or so because I was short on cash.

I still have the television. It still has the sticker that says 1978. It hasn’t been turned on in years. Even with a cable adapter it’s probably not even usable with all the new digital cable and such, but I cannot seem to let it go. I once put in on the truck at the thrift store, but immediately panicked and pulled it back. It was in our last garage sale, but I was relieved when no one bought it. Today, it sits with a collection of other garage sale items that have yet to be disbursed. I don’t know that it will be among those to go.

I don’t know why...

The second story - When I was 6 my Mom met and married a great guy who had no qualms whatsoever about her having kids. Instant family just add Rick, as a friend of mine would say. My Dad (Rick), wasn’t an instant father sensation, but he did pretty well for himself in the parent department and we grew very close. When I’m talking about my Dad, I’m talking about Rick. By the time I was 7 or 8 I was using Rick’s last name and when I was 14 he adopted me and I was officially his son.

My Dad is in Quality Control, which for folks who don’t know means - we moved a lot. QC folks can take one of 3 paths when they come into a new job. 1. They go into the company and tell the employees what they need to change, the employees balk - eventually the QC guy pisses off the wrong head honcho and they part ways. 2. The QC guy goes in, the employees adopt his methods, everybody loves everybody - The QC guy gets bored because there is nothing to fix. He stays with the company and retires pretty miserable. 3. The QC guys finds a new challenge at a new company, moves and the cycle continues.

My Dad chose the 3rd option so we moved a lot. Sometimes that was not as much fun as it sounds like.

Inevitably, at some point shortly after a move my Dad would notice that I wasn’t happy or I was sulking or I was bored or some other indicator he never shared with me, and we would head off on a Saturday morning car ride, and then to breakfast or brunch. Something like that. As an adult, I realize that my Dad was trying to get me to talk to him, to let him know how I was feeling, what was going on in my head, probably trying to determine if there was something he could fix.
As a kid, because my Dad would just say: “let’s go for a ride,” I always thought he had something up his sleeve. Were we going somewhere really cool? Were we picking up one of my friends from our old neighborhood at the bus station? Things like that.

I would get all amped up, end up giving him one word answers to every question he asked, be pissed off that we didn’t do anything “good,” and eat a disappointing meal I couldn’t wait to get home from.

Why didn’t I ever just ask my Dad what he was doing?

The third story - Last Saturday we went out with some friends to celebrate 2 birthdays, mine and my friend Renee’s.

While we were out I was talking to another friend and she stopped and asked me: “How are you doing?”

I could tell that she really wanted to know how I was, my mental state, my life condition if you will, so I paused, thought about it and said: “You know, I’m doing really good.”

She said: “I can tell. You seem a lot happier lately.”

We talked a little more about things that were happening, jobs, family, such... but I in the back of my mind, and still today apparently I keep coming back to that. What does “You seem a lot happier lately” mean?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad my friend noticed that. I’m glad I’m showing folks I’m as happy as I am. Still, as it has been quite some time since I was unhappy I’m wondering what has changed.

How have I changed?

So there you have it - Three stories rolling through my head -all with what I think are pretty significant questions - not seemingly related, but somehow I think they are.

Can you help me figure it out?

Time

You hear it all the time, (heh).

“If I only had more time...”

What?

I spent a lot of time this summer clearing things off my plate. It’s no secret that I have been doing a lot of reflecting, wondering about the “whys” of so many things in my life, and there has always been one consistent.

I am too friecking busy.

Or so I thought...

So, starting in the Spring I began to really look at what exactly was keeping me busy. As we progressed into summer I gave a few projects back, crossed a few things off the list that didn’t really need to get done, or just didn’t hold the same promise that they did when originated and started well, saying “no” sometimes.

I’m not going to lie, the last was the hardest. I don’t like to say no. It feels selfish. It feels wrong. It feels like I don’t want to help people, and that is not me.

But as a friend said to me recently, and Chris Brogan talked about here a few weeks ago saying yes too early or too often has its own set of ramifications.  If you’re working on too many things at once it’s hard to do them all well and then... Well then what are you selling?

Even with that - I felt overwhelmed.

I started to be really guarded with my free time, spending most of it with just family and a select group of friends. I wasn’t shutting anybody out per se, but I was making sure I was doing things that I “wanted” to do.

In August, eager to be rid of my Blackberry I wiped the phone completely clean as soon as I activated my new Droid. Oops!

So many notes tied to so many to do lists were obliterated. I had checked for contacts and pictures, but forgotten completely about all of the other info I had stored in that device.

As I considered the ramifications of this it began to dawn on me that it might actually be a good thing. I knew of only a couple of the things on that list that were “mission critical,” and as I remembered them I jotted them down. The rest... I left to history.

Still, I felt so busy.

If I just had more time...

So a couple weeks ago I started to try and really pay attention to how I was spending my time.

Here’s what I discovered.

Ready?

I waste a LOT of time.

I’m not going to break it down into a lot of intricate detail, but suffice to say that I spend large parts of my days paying attention to details that don’t necessarily lead to getting things done. Not all of it is bad or negative, but it became clear that it was definitely time to figure out what was more important...

The to do list and the stress of not having enough time, or just being comfortable being me?

I think the answer is really a little of both, but for the most part I’m opting for the latter. So, I’ll be revisiting my pockets and looking at what’s left of the to do list and trying to have a lot less stress about the whole process.

I think making sure I can do a few things well instead of a lot of things half-assed, (as my Dad would say) is a better plan in general, and a goal worth working on long term, a goal that will give me more time, or at least help me spend my time better. 

What are you working on?

I Suck At Fall

If I had to pick a season to call my favorite it would be Fall. The start of hockey season comes in the Fall. I love college football - Fall. My favorite beer is only available in the Fall. Unless you stock up which I may or may not be guilty of doing. Once. Last year. Because it was the first time it occurred to me. Yes, I probably will, might do it again this year.

But I digress... Sorry.

My birthday is in the Fall. My wife’s birthday is too. Halloween is my favorite holiday. Okay, I don’t really like holidays in general, but if I had to pick I pick Halloween. Hard to hate on free candy right?

Oh, and I really like the word “Autumn.”

But still, I suck at Fall. I get really sad. I get grouchy. I just want to sleep all the time. (Yes, even more than usual Dave.) I hole up in my office and stare blankly at my computer screen for hours on end. If you ask me, I don’t even remember what I was staring at...

… and I don’t know why. I don’t remember Fall always being like this, or maybe it was. As a young person I didn’t like Fall because I was not a fan of school, but that’s normal right. (Hey, I used normal in reference to myself. That doesn’t happen very often. Let me have this one.)

Still, as I got older, and especially after I met Netter I learned to really appreciate the beauty of Fall, the changes in the leaves, (even when Netter was pregnant and I had to rake them), the colors, the smells, the way the sun sets differently, the crisp autumn air. I love it all.

But then there’s that drag. Even as I write this my head feels heavy and my eyelids are drooping. I could be asleep in minutes.

This fall I’ve been working very hard to stay on task, to get things done, to make progress on my 3 words. I’ve been successful sometimes and sometimes I catch myself - just - staring - into - space.

Netter thinks I have seasonal affective disorder. I suppose that could be true, but I have always had the mindset that if you’re not bleeding or dying you play the game. And so I go on...

I try to stay on track, and focus. The girls are busy now. K just went off to college. D is caught up in band. Plenty to watch and see and listen to. Netter and I have been going on regular walks, exploring our neighborhood parks and trails. We take Mulligan along when we can.

We get really busy in the Fall.

I love Fall!

So why do I suck at it so much?

What do you think?

An Open Letter to Verizon Wireless

(This is long and maybe overly detailed, but a lot of folks have been asking me why I am so frustrated with Verizon so...)


Dear Verizon Wireless,

I’m going to need some real help with my next phone purchase. I’m going to want to know that I have the right phone plan, the right data plan(s). I’ll need a sales person with a real solid understanding of what it means to review a customers account and provide them exactly what they need. I feel I’ve earned it and I’m going to tell you why...

Oh, where to begin...

Let’s see - I’ve been a customer since December 2001 even though the guy at Radio Shack where we bought our phone acted like we were riff raff and couldn’t possibly afford such a luxury. While I will admit I was a little surprised at the cost it certainly wasn’t anything outrageously expensive. I didn’t blame you though, I blamed the Radio Shack guy. Not sure we’ve ever been back in fact.

By 2003 there were actual Verizon Wireless stores in our area so I dutifully marched in two years to the day it was due and renewed our contract. (Okay, I was one day late, but I’m still guessing that doesn’t happen very often.) I had no concept of “new every two” at the time so I wasn’t at all surprised when again I found myself forking over a fair amount of cash for a new phone.

By 2005 I decided to live on the edge and see what would happen if I didn’t renew my plan. It was a tight financial year for us and I thought the phone I had was sufficient so we just went with what we had...

We kept the same phone until March of 2008 -  A new Verizon store had been built very close to our house, and after driving by it many times we finally decided it was time for my wife to get her own phone. I admit I was pleasantly surprised when our new phones and contract renewal cost seemed fairly affordable and we were very happy to have finally come in to get new phones...

As an aside I wasn’t especially thrilled in 2007 when I found out from a co-worker that I was eligible for a 15% discount and had been for the six years prior as well. I mean I know you’re trying to make a buck, but come on... I didn’t even know such discounts existed, don’t you think someone might have asked me where I worked before that? You know? In the interest of good customer service? Ah well, I have always believed that ignorance is no excuse so no I didn’t really pin this on you, but man it was disappointing.

It would be nice though if you’d also let my wife get the 8% off her job with her non-profit employer allots. I’m just sayin’

We added phones for our daughters as the year progressed with the only mild bump coming in January of 2009 when my oldest wore out the battery on her phone very quickly, presumably from so much texting. Still, the phone was under warranty so it was just a good laugh for us, but then...

Then came August of 2009. Here is where I seriously began to think about leaving Verizon Wireless. You see, though your network has always been strong, and your website has steadily improved - well, your customer service skills are in serious need of improvement. I will grant that some of these experiences stem from your satellite stores, but not all and though you call them satellite stores... Let’s be honest - They all say “Verizon Wireless” all over them.

So what experiences you say? How ‘bout...

The sales rep who told  me that my Internet access on my new Blackberry would cost me $15 a month rather than the $29.99 the unlimited plan demands.

Or... The form that allowed him to uncheck Internet access for the Blackberry my daughter purchased from an outside vendor with her birthday funds when in reality that was not an option - All smart phones demand Internet access, and you miraculously “fixed” that form the very next time I came into the store.

Thankfully, after much begging and pleading and many - MANY - DID I MENTION MANY? - phone calls and emails a kind manager, (or was she just sick of hearing from me?) moved up my daughter’s renewal date, (you’ll see why this is important in a bit) and allowed that we could just purchase a “pretty phone” that did not require a data plan which was all my daughter wanted in the first place. Luckily, the outside vendor allowed us to return the phone she had purchased, less 8 bucks for shipping.

Of course, we couldn’t buy the new phone at the satellite store as Agent 10, yes that’s what she called herself didn’t want that store to get “another” commission for selling us another phone. Of course he hadn’t sold us the previous phone, but Agent 10 remained undeterred. So, we got to get the phone in the mail. Yay for Internet setup. Maybe... It was not without glitches and we did have to go back to the satellite store one last time to have my daughter’s address book moved to her new phone. (This was my fault as I missed this step in the instructions.)

A few months later my wife was due for an upgraded phone and my mother-in-law wanted to transfer her phone to our plan so she could text her grandchildren. Yay for Grandma!  Boo to the salesman who didn’t hear me say we would not be needing the “extras” and brought them out anyway - we got away with just the memory card which you over charged for as I recall, and boo again for charging us for among other things, an activation fee he failed to mention of $25.00  While we were issued some credits which took effect immediately, that blindside $25 fee... That refund? Yeah that took more than 4 months. No, I’m not exaggerating. I can show you the emails if you’d like.

In February of 2010 for some unknown reason we renewed my youngest daughter’s phone. I’ll save you the big long story about what has happened with her phone since and just put it this way - The first phone was defective, the slider failing almost immediately leaving her phone in essentially 2 pieces all of the time. The second phone, (a different model) was defective. After only 11 months the phone would dial out and send blank text messages without anyone even touching it. It was replaced in February of 2011 - still under warranty. The new phone works fine except that the battery failed last month, and we learned that though the phone was only 5 months old the warranty for the battery goes back to the first phone and new batteries cost $39.99 less 25% for? I don’t know what for? Because I glared at the sales person and told him Verizon was lucky to have my business because they have the best network and NOTHING more? Customer loyalty? V.I.P. status? It doesn’t matter really. You got my $32 and change.

In what I am starting to wonder may be against my better judgment we went ahead and renewed my oldest daughter’s phone again this summer, and I was delighted by the customer service person who worked with her to transfer phone numbers from a (water) damaged phone and worked with me by transferring my renewal to my daughter’s phone so we could get a $50 rebate and essentially pay only $3 and change for the new phone.

But now Verizon Wireless, now you are started to really disappoint me again.

You see my wife would like a smart phone, and I really want to buy her one. We have a line that is eligible for renewal even, but here’s the thing... We’ve made 2 trips into your store, the real store and we still don’t have a phone.

Why you ask?

Well, my wife wants a Droid 3, and at least until yesterday the Droid 3 was on sale 2 for 1. We thought that was fantastic, but of course we don’t have another line up for renewal until August 11.

On our first trip in though, the rather nice sales person offered that the phones could be purchased within 14 days of each other and we could still take advantage of the sale. So, on Friday July 29 we returned to the store where another sales person, (the same one who sold me the battery) explained that while that was technically true the sale might not be continuing into August so he could not sell us the phones. He could sell us one, but not two... and oh by the way - he didn’t know if the sale would be continuing and wouldn’t know until today.. Oh and they didn’t have the phones in stock anyway. We would have to order it.... and why the heck couldn’t the guy have just moved up my renewal day anyway. Seriously, we’re talking all of 13 days here fer cryin’ out loud.

and now... NOW I have a question Verizon Wireless. Actually 3.

Do you try to frustrate all of your customers this way?

Or, is my experience about typical for your customer base?

Finally, what exactly does “New every 2” mean anyway?

I’m going to need some help here.

Okay? Thanks!