Tech Support

Okay, i've called Qwest 5 times since I woke up (2 hrs ago). These are the things I've learned:
1. I have the intro menu memorized.
2. They probably have approx. 5 people working at a time, since I've talked to "Jared" twice now.
3. Actiontec HATES Qwest. So much so, that if you admit to being a Qwest customer, they will actually send someone to your door to KILL you.
4. Qwest representatives, however much we've dissed them in the past, are apathetic people, who really do want to help you. (Some of them) They also give off a false sense of "good 'ol boy" in the way they talk to you and sympathize with you.
5. Qwest representative speak clear, understandable english. This a MAJOR bonus to tech support lines. "Jared" is probably sitting in a cubicle in Eugene, not Bangladesh.

Talking to Microsoft Tech Support:1. Is fun. They have english accents, which I think are cute.
2. Makes you feel important. They have someone take your call when you're on hold to long, just to say, "I'm transferring you to the representative who may BEST serve your issues today," and you feel good about it for another ten minutes until someone else picks up. For all I know, it was the same dude, who just put his current customer on hold.
3. They WILL try and trick you into answering questions like, "How many machines have you intalled this software on?" Because we all know, you're not REALLY supposed to share burned copies... And "Did you buy this computer DIRECTLY from Dell?" (Or off of some dude in an alley, right? Right?)

Talking to Backcountry.com Tech Support:1. Is the most fun.
2. The guy talking to you can probably onsite 5.12, hasn't shaved in atleast five months, has a dog you'd love, and lives out of the back of his truck, sometimes bathing in public restrooms.
3. He most definately was playing with a hacky sack when you called him, and has his feet up on his desk.
4. He uses phrases such as, "Ya. Like. Well. Okay, dude, it's going to work, like, so much better if you do this. Check it out..."

This has been my afternoon experience of Tech support. Thank god for Sunday's because we can do all of the things in one day that we've really really been dreading the rest of the week.

 

My New Bike

So, this is my new bike. Some of you have been hearing about it. A lot. I really love to ride it. In fact, even when it's pouring down rain with 40mph wind gusts, amidst bad drivers who are not considerate of wet, smallish, biker peoples I still love riding it. And I better, because as of tomorrow, this baby is my primary mode of transportation. I have a pretty crappy insurance company (many of you have probably heard of it), so in order to save some dough, and the planet, i'm going to ease off burning the fossil fuels for a few months. Just a couple days ago, I put a rack on the back of it. People around here do that. Then they strap some sort of square, plastic crate to it too. I might invest in a crate. Since I'm not paying for car insurance anymore that is. You might notice that I have something strapped to my rack in the photo. It was the first time I used the rack. What you see is a 3 liter jug of extra virgin olive oil.  

High water in Oregon

Waves over Cape Kiwanda! Click here to view movie.

Sorry, the file is very large, and you may have to wait up to fifteen minutes once you click on the link. I'd just go do something else for a few minutes and check on it. Trust me though, the footage is worth the wait!

Pacific City

Posted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office from Portland, OR today. Linked from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration when searching for a weather report for Pacific City, OR.

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
905 AM PST WED JAN 4 2006

ORZ001-002-WAZ021-042200-
/O.EXT.KPQR.SU.Y.0003.000000T0000Z-060104T2200Z/
NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-
905 AM PST WED JAN 4 2006

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON..

THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PST THIS
AFTERNOON.

LARGE WAVES WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE SURF ZONE AND BEACHES
THROUGH MID-AFTERNOON. EXPECT WEST SWELL OF 20 TO 22 FEET THROUGH
2 PM...THEN SUBSIDING TO 18 FEET LATE THIS AFTERNOON. AT 8 AM THE
COLUMBIA RIVER BUOY REPORTED SEAS OF 22 FEET WITH A RATHER LARGE
PERIOD.

REMEMBER...YOU CAN LOSE MORE THAN YOUR BALANCE ON THE ROCKS AND
JETTIES DURING HIGH SURF CONDITIONS. YOU COULD LOSE YOUR LIFE.
SUDDEN LARGE WAVES CAN EASILY KNOCK YOU INTO THE WATER...AND WITH
THE HEAVY SURF ACTION...WASH YOU FURTHER AWAY FROM THE COAST. STAY
OFF ROCKS AND AWAY FROM THE WATERS EDGE. EVEN NEAR CLIFFS...WAVE
ACTION WILL CREATE EROSION...AND COULD UNDERCUT THE CLIFF ALLOWING
IT TO FALL INTO THE OCEAN WITHOUT WARNING. LARGE LOGS POSE A MAJOR
LIFE-THREATENING HAZARD.

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY MEANS THAT HIGH SURF WILL AFFECT
BEACHES IN THE ADVISORY AREA...ENHANCING RIP CURRENTS AND
LOCALIZED BEACH EROSION.

WEISHAAR

The surf is incredible. I have never seen it this big in my entire life. It's breaking maybe a quarter mile off shore in huge monster crashes, and over the cape, which stands around 100ft tall. I'll attempt to get this video up that I took this morning with my new digital camera.

Phil and I are over at the cabin for a couple days. We were hoping to see some gray whales migrating, but it has been so stormy here, the lady at the movie store said there hasn't been a report of a sighting at all this year. This morning we woke up to clear blue skies and perfect visibility. It was the calm after the storm I guess!