I must be in an alternate universe

I recently had the best customer service experience EVER! After all the Verizon crap, I was getting used to bad service and then - wham, I go to the DMV. Yes, the Department of Motor Vehicles. And it was awesome.

I had to renew my driver's licence and had to go in person to get the vision test. So, I looked online - VA has this cool thing were you can see waiting times at several local DMVs in real time - and saw mine had a less than 3 minute wait, so I hustled out the door and drove over there. I walked in, got my number and before I could even sit down, was called. I did the vision test, paid my $20, and they told me to go across the room to sit and wait for my picture. I did, pulled out my blackberry, and before I had typed more than 2 words, was called to take my pic. Then I sat down to wait, and again, 2 minutes later - they hand me my new license. I swear I was in the place for about 7 minutes total. AMAZING.

I am going to write a letter to the state and thank them. unbelievable.

Verizon SUCKS ROCKS

So we needed to have phone jacks wired in our new spaces. Our contractors did some of it, but we needed the phone company to come and hook them up. This was first requested in early December. It is now mid-January and no phone jacks. So far DH has taken 3 days off from work, plus one Sunday spent waiting around all day. The first time or so they sent the wrong tech - "I'm here to fix your line" - "no, install" - "oh, I don't do that". At least 2 other times they just completely didn't show up. When DH has called he gets no resolution other than for them to write another ticket and then just not show up. It is truly ridiculous.

I looked into other local phone services - but it looks like they can't do the jack hook up - only switch existing service. Monopolies SUCK.

If anyone has a snailmail or email addess for the Board of Directors, we would LOVE it.

Cut Off From the Outside World

Ok, not really. But on Saturday morning when my MIL came by, she informed me that my phone was constantly busy. I picked it up -- no dial tone. So, I grabbed my cell and attempted to figure out who to call at the phone company. It was not easy. "0" did not work. I then had to call 411 to get them to forward me. I then had to deal with automated phone hell. Finally I got a person. I tell them my phone has no dial tone. First question? "are you calling me from that phone?" Um, yeah...i know how to dial without a dial tone. She transferred me to someone else. First question? "are you calling me from that phone?" What the #)(&$(#*@? Once we get past that, they run "diagnostic test" whereby they determine that the phone line is broken on there end, and they will have someone out as soon as possible, Monday morning. What? I have to live with no phone all weekend? They say they will forward it to my cell. That lasts about 5 hours. Then it stopped working.

Then on Sunday morning I go online to get directions to where we are going. Keep in mind we were surprised to still have Internet as they are both Verizon, and we assumed connected somehow. But, no Internet was working fine. Until about 1pm, whereby it was no longer working. ARGHH. Oh well. We'll see if them fixing the phone line fixes the Internet, or if we have to schedule that separately. Luckily DH is working so hard, he doesn't even miss his WoW fix.