Blogging Year 1 - 2003

2003 was an interesting year for me. I really got inspired to blog when I was reading slashdot and saw that google had purchased blogger.com. So I was like what the hell I will check it out and found that having this easy engine to write down my thoughts to be a rather nice release for me. I was in a relationship that was on it’s way to an end. I was working with SiriusBackstage.com as a Forum Jockey and had been around the Satellite Radio business for a while now. I was working for Best Buy as a Computer Tech.

I think the two highlights of the year were when I came back to Seattle for 3 weeks for my sisters graduation. I got to borrow my aunts truck when I was visiting so I had freedom to just do whatever the hell I wanted when I wanted. Went to a few Lan Parties and all and all it was a great vacation to see my friends.

When I was living in Indiana I honestly had no real friends. I had all of my internet peeps that I connected with and that was enough to make time pass easily enough. But I had no such happiness in Indiana. Which resulted in the end of my time their. The girl I had been seeing broke it off with me in December of 2003. To which I promptly got on the internet and let my mother know of the situation. The resolution was I could be out in two weeks to tie up all of my affairs. I flew my buddy Darin out from Seattle to Indiana. We drove from Indiana to Seattle in a few days with threat of a winter storm at all moments. I have been really meaning to finish writing about that drive since it was incredibly interesting. But have just never been able to find the time to do so.

I got back to Seattle a few days before Christmas it was the first Christmas I had spent at home in 2 years. That was pretty much 2003 in a nutshell.

I am going to write up a yearly summary daily up until this year. Friday-2003, Monday-2004, Tuesday-2005, Wednesday-2006, Thursday 2007-2008. Let’s see how well I do to meet that goal. =)

September 11th 2003

Was the first day I wrote my first official blogpost. I will start working on a 5 year summary. Good times indeed. Been a fun ride thus far. I seem to never have the time to write on this site anymore. It’s not that I don’t want to. I just can’t find the free time to do so. I find it hard when I am at home to grab my laptop and start writing.

I really miss podcasting and blogging. I need to make a stronger effort. But anyway 5 year writeup coming up.

Sad News

I am a bit late on this one but I just heard about it this morning. One of the most famous voice over actors passed away. Don Lafontaine (August 26, 1940—September 1, 2008).

I really admired the guy. I wish I could do what he did. I always thought I had a pretty good voice. Nothing compares to this fellow. He will be missed. Lots of people passing away this year. George Carlin will be missed. I remember going to see his last concert in Seattle. I said “I wanted to see him before he passed away” Not even a year later he does. Sad Times indeed.

Here is my favorite youtube clip.

5 Voiceover Guys

A New Design

I have been trying to come up with a new design for the website. Update the look and feel a bit. But everything I look at or try or modify just does not have the same feel as this design it’s rather homey to me. But I am open to input and ideas what would you like to see in a new design of the site?

Sprint PCS Chat Customer Service Experience

Ugh my Sprint Phone has been driving me up the wall and the customer service experience has been even worse. I usually resort to the chat method since it seems to be faster then waiting for 30-60 minutes in their hold queue dealing with everyone else that is frustrated with them.

I have the Sprint Motorola Q. It has been a decent phone up until recently. About a week ago the phone has been in “Roaming Service” and it is rather annoying with my phone in roam. So I jumped on a Sprint Chat Session and these were the results.

1:57:13 PM        System      System
Connected to sprint-ap1.cnxchat.com
1:57:13 PM        System      System
Session ID: 2859609
1:57:19 PM        System      System
Please hold and the next available agent will be with you shortly.
1:57:34 PM        System      System
Arthur has joined this session!
1:57:34 PM        System      System
Connected with Arthur
1:57:34 PM        Agent      Arthur
Thank you for contacting Sprint. My name is Arthur. How may I assist you today?
1:57:49 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
Hey Arthur! I have an issue with my phone.
1:58:04 PM        Agent      Arthur
what is the issue.
1:58:23 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
I would say about a week ago my phone went into Roaming. I look at the screen and it says “Roaming Service”
1:58:46 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
It can still make calls and so forth but I can’t surf the internet or check my e-mail.
1:59:02 PM        Agent      Arthur
One moment please.
1:59:25 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
I tried to dial the *2 to call Sprint and I keep getting sent to a message that says “Welcome to Verizon Wireless, That is not an available number” or something like that
1:59:58 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
I tried going into Settings > Phone Settings > Network and it’s set to “Sprint Only”
2:00:25 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
I have tried to reboot the phone multiple times.
2:00:43 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
Take the battery out for a while and put it back in and power it back on. Still no issue.
2:00:44 PM        Agent      Arthur
allow me to get some technical support for you.
2:01:02 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
I have tried to update the software on the phone via the Motorola Updater and that didn’t appear to fix the issue.
2:01:50 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
I have no issues leaving it in “Roaming Service”
2:02:48 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
I just don’t want to get flagged for data access in roaming or phone roaming even though I get free Roaming
2:05:39 PM        Agent      Arthur
Do not fret you will not be charged for that.
2:06:40 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
That’s good
2:07:10 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
Well I guess I could just leave it in Roam then
2:07:10 PM        Agent      Arthur
Thank you for contacting Sprint. Our goal is to make your chat experience a great one. There will be a survey after this chat that you may fill out to advise us of how we are doing. Please disable all popup blockers before this chat session ends to ensure you are afforded the opportunity to participate. Should you have any additional feedback or comments you would like to provide regarding your chat or chat agent, please send us an email at: sprint.customerappreciation@connextions.com. If you would like a copy of this transcript please press either the print button at the bottom of this session or the copy button to copy/paste into the word processing program of your choice.
2:07:38 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
Why did you just send a bunch of spam onto the screen?
2:08:16 PM        Agent      Arthur
the towers are being worked on
2:08:43 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
You sent a bunch of spam to the screen because towers are being worked on?
2:09:26 PM        Agent      Arthur
We did not send it
2:09:35 PM        Agent      Arthur
It is being de scrambled.
2:10:08 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
We being “Sprint” did not send the flood of text on the screen on a chat help line that they are hosting or paying somebody to host?
2:10:19 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
When it appears to be coming from your name on the chat session?
2:10:42 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
What’s the Sprint customer # because the *2 isn’t working while it’s in Roam
2:11:17 PM        Agent      Arthur
Sir it is coming through us as an error we are working to fix that .
2:12:26 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
So why did you just say you are not sending it when now you are saying that it is your fault and you are working on fixing that?
2:13:07 PM        Agent      Arthur
Whether it is our fault or not we are claiming responsibility to rectify the situation for you.
2:13:12 PM        Agent      Arthur
So we are claiming it.
2:13:31 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
Okay then.
2:13:50 PM        Agent      Arthur
Thank you for contacting Sprint. Our goal is to make your chat experience a great one. There will be a survey after this chat that you may fill out to advise us of how we are doing. Please disable all popup blockers before this chat session ends to ensure you are afforded the opportunity to participate. Should you have any additional feedback or comments you would like to provide regarding your chat or chat agent, please send us an email at: sprint.customerappreciation@connextions.com. If you would like a copy of this transcript please press either the print button at the bottom of this session or the copy button to copy/paste into the word processing program of your choice.
2:13:55 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
So work is being done on the towers in my area and that is why my phone has been in Roaming Mode for a week?
2:14:07 PM        Agent      Arthur
Yes sir
2:14:52 PM        Agent      Arthur
It sometimes gets to be a problem it is not always that all goes well sometimes we have issues .
2:16:29 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
Then why is it the gentelmen in the cubicle right next to me has a Sprint Phone a Sprint Katana or whatever has perfect service and has never had this issue and mine had perfect service up until last Tuesday?
2:18:53 PM        Agent      Arthur
It just happens sometimes we are working things out.
2:19:23 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
What is the customer service number since *2 does not work while in roaming
2:20:48 PM        Agent      Arthur
*2 for customer service.
2:21:07 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
I have said twice now *2 does not work while in roaming.
2:21:24 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
What is the 800 or 888 or 877 number to get in touch with Sprint Customer Service.
2:22:28 PM        Agent      Arthur
888-211-4727
2:23:04 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
Why couldn’t you have given that to me when I asked the first or second time?
2:23:28 PM        Agent      Arthur
i apologize here it is.
2:25:48 PM        Customer      Tristan Pipo
Ok
2:25:56 PM        Agent      Arthur
Thank you for contacting Sprint. Our goal is to make your chat experience a great one. There will be a survey after this chat that you may fill out to advise us of how we are doing. Please disable all popup blockers before this chat session ends to ensure you are afforded the opportunity to participate. Should you have any additional feedback or comments you would like to provide regarding your chat or chat agent, please send us an email at: sprint.customerappreciation@connextions.com. If you would like a copy of this transcript please press either the print button at the bottom of this session or the copy button to copy/paste into the word processing program of your choice.
2:26:01 PM        System      System
Arthur has left this session!
2:26:02 PM        System      System
The session has ended!
Type your comments in the box below and click send.
Send
You are on a secure connection with a Sprint Chat Agent
Copy     Print     Exit
The session has ended!
Session ID: 2859609
Question40
Pick one of the following options:
OK     Cancel

Crazy

It’s interesting to think that in September I will have been blogging for 5 years and have 1,000 blogs under my belt.

Blogged from an iPhone

iPhone

Just got the wordpress app for my iPhone thought I would try to write a blog post. This seems better for short form but it works. Hope life is treating everyone well miss hearing from everyone. Trying to update twitted more and keep contact by emailing people now that I am a proper mobile device. Keep in touch.

The Playstation 3

Well I guess the time had to come soon enough. I now own the Wii, XBOX 360 and Playstation 3. I first made my jump back into consoles back when the Wii was released. I waited from 9pm until 7am in front of a Target in Silverdale that cold November day. Everyone said they would stop by with food and coffee and not a person took the time to show up. Not that I am still bitter or anything about that. But the Wii sits there most days not being used. More of a toy that people always ask about and want to play when they come visit.

The Wii Games that I have currently.

  • Wii Sports
  • Legend of Zelda : Twlight Princess
  • WarioWare
  • Super Smash Brothers Brawl
  • Super Mario Galaxy
  • Mario Kart Wii
  • Wii Fit

WiiFit isn’t mine it’s Raleighs but all the same she enjoys it. It’s rather gimicky but no real fun games to play and the lack of online play that is actually useful or fun is perhaps my number one gripe with the console. It seems to be a good lure for women. They actually enjoy the system. So I guess I keep it around for that reason. When Raleigh had a Rock Band party a few months ago they seemed to enjoy the Wii more then Rock Band.

Then I picked up the XBOX 360 Elite in May of 2007. This has been the greatest console I have ever owned to date. They rape you on accessories for the console. I had to pickup an extra controller $60 and the Wireless Adapter $90. I also picked up the ill fated HD DVD Drive addon. Now while HD DVD looks beautiful and I thought it would be the winning format I sadly failed in that arena. I have that white drive mocking me every single fucking day. “You spent $200 on me” I look to the right in the DVD case and see The Matrix Trilogy another $100 HD DVD Mockery. Planet Earth HD DVD$70 mockery. Heroes Season 1 HD DVD another $80 mockery. I picked up the Ocean’s 11,12,13 gift set on HD DVD from Amazon for $27 which I thought was a steal at the time. So I have a small but respectable HD DVD collection. I feel like I am the kid on the block that had the Dreamcast. Awesome at the time but quick to die and easily forgotten. I love my XBOX 360 even when I had to send it in for repairs when it quit reading discs all together. Had to pay $100 to renew my warranty for a year and to get it repaired which took 3 weeks.

During this three week social experiment I was going a bit nutty. My thumbs were not getting used as often as I would have liked. Raleigh was going crazy with me not having my video game fix. So after a week or two of not having the XBOX I just break down and buy the Playstation 3. I picked up the Metal Gear Solid pack.

80GB Playstation 3 + Metal Gear Solid 4 + Rumble Controller for $499.

What I was intending to do was pickup the 40GB PS3 for $399 and MGS4 for $60 and the new Rumble Controller for $55 but in the end the bundle was the better deal. The cool thing is that it also plays Blu-Ray discs. Which is generally all around awesome so I can keep up with the next generation format. Most people are thinking “Whatever” in fact I think that is all that Raleigh thinks about my toys. I think that whatever keeps me busy and not bothering her she is happy.

I guess I really have nothing to say. I own all of the current generation gaming platforms.

  • Nintendo DS
  • Sony PSP
  • Nintendo Wii
  • XBOX 360
  • Playstation 3

I have a hard time finding a reason to say “I’m bored” other then I ordered Batman Begins on Blu Ray from Amazon and it’s taking longer then expected to arrive. I hope all is well with everyone else.

My next blog post will probably be about how Sprint is annoying me. It’s currently in the works. This post is kinda like Seinfeld. Nothing was said. A few gripes and we are now more enchriched upon reading this.

Day in the Life of an IT Guy

Go check out
The Website is Down for the full video.

So true to life it’s comical.

Also RSS feeds have all been redirected to appear as if I am inflating my actual readers.

The Power of a Teethcleaning

I thought I would take the time to write about the experience one experience of the weekend. Which would happen to have happened on Friday. Raleigh had decided for me that going to the dentist was in my best interests for keeping her happy. In that regard I was happy to fulfill her request. The basic circle I have found out that if Raleigh isn’t happy. Tristan’s isn’t happy. So if Raleigh is happy Tristan will then be happy. I pretty much use this simple way of thinking to work around any idea I have to decide if it will break this loop I have going.

So a few weeks ago I went to the dentist. I hadn’t been to the dentist since I was 11 or 12 or so. The last time I recall was when my mom was working at a Nursing home and my sister and I were getting babysat at some construction site for one of our tenants named Stewart. A Scottish fellow that was incredibly odd but if you really care to know how odd shoot me an e-mail. I remember all day I was brushing my teeth and using mouthwash. Must have been at least 20 times that day. So I go to the dentist without any hitches then and because of parents and lack of insurance or drive I hadn’t been to the dentist since.

This appalled Raleigh and she did a check on my insurance and was like “You are going to the dentist” Had I refused the circle of someone being happy would be broken and well bad day for everyone. I really am not a fan of the dentist ever since they started using needles and I hate needles because some nurse screwed up giving me an injection when I had mono. So the general idea of needles has made me rather unhappy and I tend to freak out. Bees scare me because they are basically needle marines that inject you with micro poison. They are quick to anger as well. So pretty much anything with a needle is a “No” unless you give me something to calm my nerves.

So the first time going to the dentist in many years my thought was that all my teeth are going to be broken and sucked out and I would need to get dentures. Raleigh had me basically thinking my mouth was a cesspool of vermin and decay and death. But after all this time it turned out I only had one cavity and needed a stronger cleaning then normal but not a program of deep cleanings. So which basically raised my ego about a billion points because I had healthier teeth then the lady Raleigh. They had to use this thing called a gouger and soul extractor or a hook thing and a water pick as Raleigh would say because she says I exaggerate things to much.

During this cleaning I was holding on for my life. Because I feel like they are ripping my face off with these hooks and picks and tools of death. What I was told was an hour and a half seemed like just 20 minutes of pure hell. So for the filling they gave me an Rx and told me to come back in two weeks for the drill. They gave me some Rx for something which is purely amazing. It made me not remember a whole day. I totally didn’t have to recall an experience going to Ross.

I am sure everyone knows what Ross is. But if you don’t let me enlighten you. It’s a discount retail store for discounted retail stuff. So something goes to Macy’s lets say. It doesn’t sell there or there is something wrong with it. They send it to their outlet store and if doesn’t sell there they send it to one of these Ross type stores to sell. So they have lots of cheap crap they couldn’t sell anywhere else. They are always horribly lighted and trashed and no room to do anything with crappy music and they just smell dirty. Raleigh loves this shopping establishment. I would rather pay the extra few dollars. To not deal with any of these issues. But I digress. I was told we went there on Friday and I don’t recall it at all. But we do have a new can opener. Which I use mostly. I have yet to see her use one. I know when she reads this it will be “Shutup Tristan. I use the can opener. I use it all the time. I am the can opening goddess of the greenwood” Which I will probably laugh at and get “Baby, don’t laugh” see right now as she is reading this she is pondering what she is going to say to me when she looks to her right and sees me sitting there. If I had to guess what I am doing right now as she is reading this I would say probably working out a math problem in the air.

But anyways back to the gloating of teeth cleaning. So I took 2 pills Friday morning to make my filling experience a bit more pleasant for everyone involved. Which was probably the best idea anyone had. Because I had never been so relaxed. They put all this crap and a rubber sheet over my face and it was like whatever. I don’t care what you do just keep me pain free. I bought an audiobook to keep my mind busy but turned out I didn’t need it I don’t recall what I listened to there didn’t appear to be a thing that could get me down on Friday. They took care of my teeth and now have a perfectly clean mouth other then the obscenity that pops out for a random reason. So really this entire post was a reason to gloat.

After my teeth had been cleaned Raleigh actually did something I had never seen her do before. It happened on Sunday. We were at a Red Robin and she had an Iced Tea and I got some Strawberry Lemonade. I had a drink of my lemonade a few times and she decided she didn’t like her tea. She actually took a sip of the lemonade. I was beyond perplexed she will never try a drink if I touched it. But she did so I guess in that respect having my teeth cleaned was worth it.

In case you didn’t get the circle reference here is a little flowchart. To help you understand since the flow can go either way it can have an affect on either party involved.

Tristan Creates another Masterpiece

Tristan is Out.