Please someone - be kidding me!!

This has got to be just a cruel joke. Please say it isn't darn near the end of March and we just got MORE snow last nite. How on EARTH will I ever get to utilize these cute new spring fashions like gauchos and platform sandals and new makeup if it is still freaking SNOWING outside???

Hopefully the sun makes an appearance today, warms it up to the tropical temperature of roughly 36 degrees, and melts this stuff away. I want snow in the WINTER, not the spring thank you very much. If you can't deliver snow on MY timetable, don't deliver it at all.

So anyways - besides that minor setback today - I am ready to attack this weekend. Not that I have any huge plans - I just - i woke up early and feel oddly full of energy. But I truly have nowhere to really divert that energy. So be ready for massive gallery flooding by yours truly for all the AWESOME pages I am sure to create this weekend. i will probably needlessly shop as well, inspired as I was by my friend MizAmyLou's shopping foray last weekend. She raked it in man. I love vicariously shopping through friends. I really truly haven't gone hogwild shopping in a while. Been too busy it seems like. And with snow - ehhh - who wants to shop for cute springy clothes???

So today we have Karissa's hearing evaluation appointment. I am sort of torn about it. On the one hand, I do'nt want anything to be really wrong with her. On the other hand, a totally clean bill of hearing health means - she just doesn't wanna talk. Or I am doing something wrong with her. Either way the problem comes back to me, me failing as a mom, me doing something wrong as a mom, me screwing up somehow. right? I mean, logically I know that isn't true, but as moms don't you sometimes feel like you have the responsibility for EVERY single thing that occurs in your child's life, like every single moment from conception forward is a possible starting point for the downward spiral of your child's physical, emotional or mental health. Why do we put this pressure on ourselves? Why am I being such a downer about this when really I am in a pretty good mood? Just random thoughts I guess.

Anyways - after that, we get to pick up my mom's dog, Maximus. I love this dog. I truly do. I am not really a dog person, but I love Maxie. Oh yes you will see plenty of pictures in days ahead. I am trying to train him to become a seeing eye dog or one of those helper dogs so that I can take him on trips with me. He isn't buying into the training so much. Probably a combo of a.) I started him too late and b.) I am in no way shape or form a dog trainer, much less an aid dog trainer. But hey, its fun to try! My mother just rolls her eyes at me and mutters something out loud about where did she go wrong. (See what I mean with the mom guilt??? Like its her fault I am a warped personality!)

And then....i dunno what the rest of the weekend holds. I assume it will probably GREATLY depend on if I got paid or not. If i go to our little cubbyhole mailbox and see that glorious HAGC envelope staring back at me, well, then momma's got a new pair-a-shoes! And if not, the girls and I will find something to entertain ourselves I hope!

I need pictures on here to brighten up the bloggage. yes, yes I feel typepad looming ever closer in my line of vision. I am actually waiting on Shannon to cave first. If she goes to the dark side, I am SO there. Speaking of the utterly wise and adorable Miss Bieger - lets all head on over to her blog and wish her a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I love celebrating birthday's in cyberspace, specially with digi-friends. So Shannon - I hope your day is extra special and tons of fun and that it is not snowing on your birthday where you live. May the rats stay in their little hiding places tonite and may you be overjoyed at the celebration you have on this day.

Is there really anything else worthy of writing it down here today....

oh yeah! My best buy damn the man story!!!

So anyways - two years ago I broke down and bought my daughter a portable DVD player. BAck in the day they were pretty expensive still, so I dropped $250 on it, plus bought the $70 warranty. In two years I have exchanged that puppy SIX TIMES. Yes six for the price of one folks. I guess this is why they do not recommend letting your two year old handle her own electronics. But I digress. So throughout this time I have been able to upgrade since the prices have fallen since that first player i bought. Well eventually the manufacter's warranty runs out so now I am on the best buy warranty. I take it in about a month and a half ago for service, and they ship it back three weeks later saying, oh we just needed to clean the lens head. Right. Like I didn't try that myself thirty three times before I brought it in to you. It took you three weeks to tell me that??? So I get it home - nope still broken. So i pack it all back up and take it BACK in. By now my box has like fifteen little best buy pink security check stickers on it. So now they tell me, they will send it back, but if it has to be replaced then that will use the warranty I have on it, so I wll have to purchase a NEW warranty on any NEW player I get. Fine. Totally understand the logic of that. So they call me a week later. Umm we need to see all your warranty receipts. Me: why? all my warranty info is typed onto my work order sheet right here that is in your system. Geek Squad Geek: Wellllllllll ummmmmmm I dont know, I am just reading the notes on my screen. Me: Ok thanks for your uber ability to handle my customer service. I will be right in with my warranty info.

The whole fam-damily trucks into the car and into the store. Have I mentioned how much my husband hates trying to corral my two children in best buy? Oh yes, his favorite thing to do on the weekends. Anyways.

Me at the counter to the poor geeky kid who offers to help me: I was told to bring in all my receipt warranty info for my player. (pushing my large folder stuffed with numerous receipts all nicely organized by date and time across the counter to him.)

Geek Squad Geek: Ummm yeah see the problem is, when you exchanged it the last time, you should have bought a new warranty then. So ummm this dvd player now that we have out for service is like ummmm not covered by any warranty. so if ummmm you want it back, like, umm you are gonna have to pay for all the service charges and stuff.

Me: Neat. But no that theory does not hold any water. See, it was never explained to me that I had used the warranty, so I was never offered the opportunity to purchase a new warranty. As you can see, i buy warranties on everything I purchase (me showing him my warranty folders on my thirty dollar thumbdrives.) So if I had been told that there was no warranty on this plaer, I most certainly would have bought one.

GSG: ok umm see, that really isn't my problem.

Me:(fuming mad cause if there is ONE PHRASE in the customer service language that pisses me off it is someone telling me something isn't their problem) Oh looky here young man, you are gonna MAKE it your problem real fast or I am going to find someone above you who WILL make it your problem!!! (Ok i really said, alright then please have a manager come over here to discuss this with me.)

MEanwhile, another GSG has noticed that I am about to ring first GSG's scrawny pimply neck and goes -" ummm Greg, why dont' you take this phone call and I wll finish up with this customer".

GSG #2 reviews folder and documentation and calmly listens to my side of story again. Notices the numerous visits I have had to make to Best Buy in the past month, decides quickly his life is worth more than a stupid dvd player and goes to find a manager.

Comes back and tells me that while it is against their policy, they are going to be making an exception due to my impeccable record keeping skills with all my receipts and warranties.

Thank you!

So yes, I fought the big bad corporate monster that is Best Buy and I WON!!!!!! Walked out of there with an even BETTER new dvd player (which screamingly is now on sale for $50 off this week!!! gggggrrrrrrr) with two screens for my children. Bought the new warranty and hopefully will not have to deal with that issue for a long time to come.

The moral of this story? Buy a warranty and do'nt let your toddler hold her own movie player.

There, that's all I got for ya folks!

If you are still reading - i hope you have a GREAT weekend!

Write and tell me what your fun plans are! Let me live vicariously through you!

PS - does anyone use hello? I have been made fun of for my ridiculously short list of friends. wanna be my friend? let me know your hello sign on name so i can relentlessly bug you throughout the day.

Terra