Slow as f***

I should preface this entry with a warning about what a shitty/frustrated mood I'm in and that this is going to be an old person rant about how irritated I get by terrible customer service and corporate inefficiencies (I really am becoming my father).

So last week I called the cable/phone/internet company to get our home all wired up. I gave them all our details and my payment info, etc. I was told the guy would be there the following Tuesday for the set up. Afterward, I get like four text messages saying that they will only be installing my cable and I'll have to call after it's all set up for my phone and internet to get hooked up.

So after giving me a SEVEN hour window for the install today (I know I don't have a job, that's beside the point) the guy shows up with our fancy new cable box. So we spend our 188 quid on the set up and our cable is good to go (we also got a sweet 32'' flat screen off gumtree [their version of Craigslist]). Anyway so then I call Sky and they say it will take up to 15 days to activate our phone line and then they list THREE days they MIGHT come to install it. So I'm just supposed to sit around my house like a douchebag waiting for you to come over and what, show me how to plug in my phone? Then they tell me it will take up to an additional 15 days to hook up our broadband. Honestly, if I have go to Starbucks to use the internet for another month, I am going go to ballistic on some Baristas.

At first I thought this chick was pulling my leg, but then I forgot that no one in customer service has a sense of humour or any social skills whatsoever. I swear to god, if you want to get a job in customer support, the only question they ask you is whether you're a sociopath who enjoys being completely useless, wasting people's time and generally making everyone around you completely miserable. The only acceptable response is to punch the interviewee directly in the face, after which time you are given your ID badge and escorted to your phone to begin ruining innocent people's lives.

And I'm sorry, did this Kingdom not colonize most of the modern world? Did it not have a vast, expansive empire and control the majority of the planet's population? And it's going to take them more than two weeks to hook up my phone? What the fuck is wrong with this picture?

/rant

I spent the entire day waiting for the Sky dude and cleaning our home from top to bottom. We're going to IKEA on Thursday to get some shelving and kitchen stuff. Tomorrow I have an interview with a website called partygaming.com which owns partypoker.com and some other gaming websites. Not sure exactly what I'd be doing but at this point I don't even care. I'm just going to go in there and tell them how much I love games and parties and that will be that. I had my interview at the BBC yesterday but I tell you more about that when I hear back from them.

Other than that, not much else is new. Going to a birthday party this weekend and then hopefully to Borough Market on Saturday which is supposed to be amazing (every single person I know here has told us how we HAVE to go). I will make sure to take more pictures and write about exciting adventures (and stop ranting about bad customer service).

To end this blog post, I will tell you about the two funniest things that I saw today:

1) A three year old (probably on his way to Starbucks, little bastard) was walking down the street in the pouring rain holding his mom's hand. His corduroy pants were around his ankles, revealing his large, soiled diaper. I wanted to stop the woman and tell her her son was exposing himself to the world, but then I didn't because I thought it would be funny. And it was. Stupid kids.

2) In Starbucks, I watched a a grown man put snow pants on over his dress pants without even a hint of embarrassment.

Also someone asked me to sign for a delivery for my neighbour today. It was Rock Band which would be awesome on our new TV. I want to steal it but I had to sign my name. I should have made a stupid name that I could easily deny. 'Um no, my name is not Sapphire. Yes, that is MY brand new, unopened Rock Band. Yes it is a coincidence we both ordered it at the same time. Now get off my lawn.'

Maybe I'll force my neighbour to let me come over and play it with them. That's what people like right? Neighbours who constantly come over unannounced?

Alrighty I should go. I'll write back soon!

Cheers,

Patsy