why I hate my cable company

Four visits from a technician.

Two trips to the Spectrum store.

Multiple calls to Spectrum, varying in hold time from nine to 25 minutes.

Multiple calls to Spectrum with many many different people with every single one of them  giving me conflicting information.

And the outcome?

I turn in my DVR cable boxes and DVR service saving $35/month.

I cancel my HBO service and buy it instead directly though HBO, saving $100 for the year.

I add a DVR cloud service for $5/month (I record a lot).

The result?

The app loads slowly.

The interface is just okay.

And the DVR service doesn't work on my bedroom TV.

I call again and spend about an hour on the phone with the most senior level technical supervisor.

He has me signing in and out. Plugging and unplugging. All sorts of useless activities.

Still, it doesn't work. I schedule an appointment.

A technician comes to my house. While very nice, he says, "We only handle equipment problems. This is an app problem."

I call Spectrum. 

Twenty minutes later I reach someone, and ask immediately for a supervisor.

This time, I am lucky. 

I get Carlus. 

The only one in the entire company who happens to know Spectrum's cloud DVR service is not compatible with Samsung TV's made in 2016 (that's my bedroom TV, not my newer living room one). 

I guess this is a big secret at Spectrum that only Carlus has been told about.

Carlus is fantastic. And Derick the technician who has come to my house twice is too.

But they are only two people in a company of over 93,000.

Good luck sorting through all the misinformed and rude people to find the few hidden gems.

Addendum, only for those who care about getting rid of cable: 

I end up buying a great little ROKU for $40 and can now DVR shows in my bedroom. In addition, I can now watch Apple TV and DIscovery Plus which I couldn't before because my 2016 Samsung Smart TV was, I guess, not smart enough. 

I also buy a digital antenna so I can get NBC, CBS, ABC etc. with the hope of saying a complete goodbye to cable. The set up is easy. But, I don't like the interface and it's far too unwieldy, so I return it.

But just by doing the things I did do, I cut my cable bill by $50/month without much of a compromise.

So yes, it is worth it. But the process is a big pain, unless you have a better cable company than I do.

at long last... big news

I got a job. A real one!

No more getting up at 4am to travel through a dark city and then sit around for hours and hours hoping for a sliver of an on-screen appearance.

In a million years I never thought that this very blog might lead to a job, but it has.

Someone reading it — someone I had met once and hadn't seen in over 30 years — thought of me for a job they knew was open.

They contacted me through Facebook Messenger at the beginning of August.

And then, over the course of the next few weeks, I spoke via Zoom to four key people at the company. 

I start tomorrow.

It's a full-time job. I'm Director, Office of the CEO.

The company is Cumulus Media;  it's the third largest owner and operator of radio stations in the US, with corporate headquarters in NYC and Atlanta.

But mostly I'll be working remotely. 

I couldn't be more thrilled.

rainbows and roses and whiskers on kittens...

Every now and then, and always unexpectedly, someone will tell me that they bought something I had recommended and how much they, too, love it.

Inspired by this bit, here's a short list of a few favorite things.

Dyson V7 Motorhead Vacuum

I live in a relatively small NYC apartment and hate to vacuum. I love to organize, not to clean. And vacuuming is such a chore. Even my small Miele is heavy.  And then there is the plugging and unplugging.  But this little Dyson is great. Maybe not for a big house, but perfect for a small apartment.  It's light, easy to use, holds a charge, does a very good job, and makes vacuuming regularly something I now do.

The Cheese Knife OKP2

Not much to say about this knife, except it does what it's supposed to do, and does it flawlessly.

Twelve South Forte for iPhone | Modern Desktop Stand for MagSafe Charger and iPhone

This is something you might not think you want or need, but once you have it, you'll love it. It both holds and charges your iPhone. I love the aesthetic and its ease of use. And, it has a very small footprint. Another plus.

Baratza Encore Burr Coffee Grinder

Never used to care that much about coffee. But that changed when I was at a friend's house and they had one of these coffee grinders. It does make a difference. This coffee grinder is fast, consistent, and makes your first cup of the day something worth getting up for. The one minor issue is the spray of little coffee grinds that always end up on my counter.

Breville Die-Cast 2-Slice Smart Toaster

Easy, fluid adjustments from light to dark. Not too much to say. Just think this small toaster is great, if you need one.

Sowaca Ceramic Cooking Pan

If you live alone, or frequently cook for one, this pan is great. I use it all the time to heat things up. Easy to clean. Just the right size for most things. Comes in a few colors. And oh so adorable.

Then there's this app called...

Too good to go

I'm not sure how useful it is if you don't live in or near a big city, but if you do, it's a great little app to know about.

Contigo Ashland Chill 2.0 Water Bottle with Autospout Lid

Have tried many many water bottles and this, I think, is the best. It really keeps water cold  (and ice cubes frozen, for over 24 hours). I also like the silicone sipping spout. You just need to drink from the bottle while it's held vertically.

And finally, if you don't have an ice maker in your refrigerator and you buy ice...

Manual Ice Crusher

I don't drink often but I like an occasional Cosmopolitan with a friend. I buy a bag of ice and really have no way to crush the ice. So I purchase this little set on Amazon. It's now been ages since I've made a Cosmo, but I do need ice cubes. The big bag of ice I bought a while ago has basically morphed into one big block of ice.  (As a side note, I recently learned that bought ice should always have the IPIA label). Last night I try the small mallet above and use it on the bag of ice. One small smash and I have tons of ice cubes. Perfect to add to my Contigo above.

Yup.  Even small things in life can make me happy.

if you ever think you're having a bad day...

 I meet Gail in 1981. 

She is my first boss after graduating from business school. 

Although younger than I am by a few years, Gail has already been at Gillette for three years when I arrive. 

She is the one who teaches me how to write. How to rationally structure arguments. How to maneuver around corporate politics. 

She is a great mentor who also happens to be very smart. Supportive. And kind.

I leave Gillette in 1984 and don't see or speak to Gail until we reconnect via LinkedIn. It is then we discover that we both live in NYC. 

We meet for dinner in February 2011. We haven't seen each other in 27 years so we have a lot to catch up on. 

In short, Gail is now married to Greg, a brilliant Harvard-educated doctor.  She's held various senior executive positions at major cosmetic companies. And she is still tall and glamorous, with luxurious skin and hair — just as she's always had. 

Over the years, we don't see each other often but are always in touch.

Then, the day before Thanksgiving of last year, I get this text from Gail:

Gail is not an alarmist. Neither is she a complainer. Her disposition is sunny. Bright and sunny. She barely recognizes clouds. And if she does, they go unacknowledged.

I call her right away. It turns out to be a tumor at the base of her tongue caused by the HPV virus. The prognosis is excellent; the treatment (chemo and radiation) is dreadful.

Exactly three days later Gail calls crying. "Greg just died." Greg has had many medical issues but his death is sudden and unexpected.

Then...

In preparation for her grueling, two-month treatment, Gail goes through a series of tests, including a head-to-toe PET scan. It is then they discover a brain tumor. Totally unrelated to her tongue cancer.

Can you imagine?

Through it all Gail never complains. Her spirits remain high and her humor is always intact. I honestly don't have the words to describe my admiration for the dignity and grace Gail shows throughout this personal and medical nightmare.

Never do I have a conversation with Gail that she doesn't:  Ask how I am. How my son is. And tell me again how much she appreciates whatever small thing I may have done to support her.

Gail finishes her chemo/radiation treatment in April.

She has her brain surgery two weeks ago (successful and benign).

Today she is told her healing is "perfect."

She is in better health than anyone I know, having had every inch of her body poked and prodded and examined and treated.

She is now on her way to a complete recovery. 

And her hair, and everything else about her, is still luxurious and beautiful.