For years I have used a comcast.net email address. And for years I have watched my Comcast bill go up and up and up. So I started thinking that I might want to change to FIOS or some other alternative. Changing from Comcast's TV service would be easy, and with FIOS I might even get better picture quality. I still use Verizon for telephone service, so that wouldn't be an issue. And changing internet providers would be a snap too...except for that email address that is used not only for friends and family, but also for so many business transactions. The bank, telephone company, monthly parking bill, credit cards, select mailings, and website sign-ons are all tied to my email address. It would be easy to let inertia control the situation and do nothing, but my anger over the Comcast bill was too great, and I needed to prepare to move on.
I sat in front of the TV, laptop in hand, and started the process. I decided gmail would be the way to go, and I found an email address that worked for me. I sent out an email to family and friends and advised them of the change - that was simple enough. Then came the businesses. For the most part, it went well, just a bit time consuming. I had previously kept a file that listed all the sites where I had an account, thank heavens for that. Of course, there were a few places I forgot to list in the file, but no big deal.
But there were some pain points. Live Nation, the ticketing company, just doesn't want to let go of the old email address. I was so frustrated with them that I deleted my old account and made a new one; but they still send to the old email address and still do not send to the new one. Ok, there is probably a logical explanation for this, but it escapes me. I even sent multiple emails to them to check to see if I had some other account tied to the old email address (which I am certain I don't), but I received no response. And Parkway, the parking management company in Philadephia, seems totally disinterested. I sent their customer service department an email asking them to change the email address and to reply advising that they had done so. No response. I sent four follow ups asking if it had been done, still no follow up. Is there any possible excuse for that? I guess I'll have to call them next week to get this done...I expect I'll be on hold until my patience runs out and I hang up. And Verizon, after changing my email address, they insist on sending emails to both the old and the new address...go figure.
So the email change is just about done. A few pain points, but for the most part, a successful project. So when the next Comcast increase comes along, and I can't get another 6 month price reduction, I'm ready to make the change.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Teamwork
We won our hockey game today 9-1. (Observant readers will recall that it's the same score as last week.) Funny thing is, the other team (the Bullies) had just as much talent as our team, and maybe more. Indeed, the Bullies were probably 10 years younger than us on average. (My 53 years does skew our average age up!) But we outplayed them from start to finish. The difference was teamwork.
Teamwork makes up for all sorts of shortcomings. Think about teamwork in your home life, with your family. My wife cooks and does the laundry, and my teamwork contribution is to...ok, bad example. But teamwork in my office is fantastic. We share the work load and help each other out all day long. We take advantage of each individual's strengths so as to provide the best service possible. And since people generally like to play to their strengths, this approach has been very effective. Teamwork allows us to do more with less, and takes difficult work and makes it fun. (And since I can't possibly say it enough, here's a great big thank you to all my teammates at work for being the great people that they are!)
In my high school years I played basketball, a true team sport. Around the age of 30 I traded my basketball in for a nice street bike, and instead of shooting jumpers, I took long solo bike rides. I enjoyed the fresh air, the exercise, and the time to think random thoughts
. These were good times.
At the age of 40 I picked up my first hockey stick and soon after I was playing competitive roller hockey in Philadelphia. Hockey is another true team sport. We win and we lose as a team; no individual wins a game, and no individual loses a game. It has been great sharing the exhilaration of winning, and it has been comforting to share the disappointment of losing. And there is a special feeling knowing that someone on the team has your back, and you have theirs.
While I had great enjoyment in my individual pursuit of solo bike riding, I have really found great joy in the teamwork of hockey. At some point I will no longer be able to keep up with my teammates, and maybe then I'll re-find the joy of an individual sport. Until then, I'll keep enjoying the stench of a hockey locker room.
Teamwork makes up for all sorts of shortcomings. Think about teamwork in your home life, with your family. My wife cooks and does the laundry, and my teamwork contribution is to...ok, bad example. But teamwork in my office is fantastic. We share the work load and help each other out all day long. We take advantage of each individual's strengths so as to provide the best service possible. And since people generally like to play to their strengths, this approach has been very effective. Teamwork allows us to do more with less, and takes difficult work and makes it fun. (And since I can't possibly say it enough, here's a great big thank you to all my teammates at work for being the great people that they are!)
In my high school years I played basketball, a true team sport. Around the age of 30 I traded my basketball in for a nice street bike, and instead of shooting jumpers, I took long solo bike rides. I enjoyed the fresh air, the exercise, and the time to think random thoughts
. These were good times.At the age of 40 I picked up my first hockey stick and soon after I was playing competitive roller hockey in Philadelphia. Hockey is another true team sport. We win and we lose as a team; no individual wins a game, and no individual loses a game. It has been great sharing the exhilaration of winning, and it has been comforting to share the disappointment of losing. And there is a special feeling knowing that someone on the team has your back, and you have theirs.
While I had great enjoyment in my individual pursuit of solo bike riding, I have really found great joy in the teamwork of hockey. At some point I will no longer be able to keep up with my teammates, and maybe then I'll re-find the joy of an individual sport. Until then, I'll keep enjoying the stench of a hockey locker room.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
808
I was away from home at business meetings this week. I arrived home late Friday night and after catching up on all I missed, I went to bed late. So I woke up late this morning, at 8:08 to be exact.
Looking at my alarm clock showing a bold 808, it flooded me with memories. Look at the clock just right, and what does 808 look like? Why, BOB, of course. So 808 has always been a special number to me. Sounds weird, but I have always been a bit of a number geek. I probably should have been an accountant! Which is interesting, since Robert is studying accounting at Penn State.
The house we lived in before moving to the Philadelphia area was in DC. To be exact, it was at 808 Aspen Street. Yes, 808. Coincidence? My wife swears I bought that house for two reasons: one being it was 808, the other being that the closets had lights that automatically turned on when closet doors opened. How could I not love this house?
808 Aspen was a super house in a great location. And by great location, I mean funky location. Probably the worst thing about the location was the pay phone a couple of blocks down the street on Georgia Avenue. Remember pay phones? Drug dealers would sell in locations near pay phones, so the location attracted some undesirables. It was mostly after dark and far enough away so that it didn't bother or affect us, but it did cause some concern when we thought we would be raising our children there.
The pay phone would get vandalized every once in a while. I always thought it was the neighbors doing their best to move the drug dealers farther down the street. I never did find out for sure, but breaking the phone served its purpose...until the telephone company fixed it. That was back when the telephone company actually provided good service, unlike now when you call and get some automated system that tries to figure out your problem, but rarely does. Which provides material for another post, for another day.
Looking at my alarm clock showing a bold 808, it flooded me with memories. Look at the clock just right, and what does 808 look like? Why, BOB, of course. So 808 has always been a special number to me. Sounds weird, but I have always been a bit of a number geek. I probably should have been an accountant! Which is interesting, since Robert is studying accounting at Penn State.
The house we lived in before moving to the Philadelphia area was in DC. To be exact, it was at 808 Aspen Street. Yes, 808. Coincidence? My wife swears I bought that house for two reasons: one being it was 808, the other being that the closets had lights that automatically turned on when closet doors opened. How could I not love this house?
808 Aspen was a super house in a great location. And by great location, I mean funky location. Probably the worst thing about the location was the pay phone a couple of blocks down the street on Georgia Avenue. Remember pay phones? Drug dealers would sell in locations near pay phones, so the location attracted some undesirables. It was mostly after dark and far enough away so that it didn't bother or affect us, but it did cause some concern when we thought we would be raising our children there.
The pay phone would get vandalized every once in a while. I always thought it was the neighbors doing their best to move the drug dealers farther down the street. I never did find out for sure, but breaking the phone served its purpose...until the telephone company fixed it. That was back when the telephone company actually provided good service, unlike now when you call and get some automated system that tries to figure out your problem, but rarely does. Which provides material for another post, for another day.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Penn State
From the picture posted on the left side of this blog, you might guess that I am a Penn State fan. And you would be correct! The picture was taken in front of the Palmer Museum of Art on the Penn State campus. I was there to pick up my son, Robert, at the end of the spring semester. While Robert and I were visiting the museum, my wife, Pam, and my daughter, Crista, were seeing the Rockettes at the Bryce Jordan Center. Robert, a sophomore, had not yet been in the Palmer Museum, and really wasn't expecting much. But what a surprise! There were some great pieces of art in there, and of a nice variety too. There were quite a few old paintings that were simply wonderful, as well as modern sculptures, such as one done completely in sharpened pencils. If you are on campus, or even just nearby, make it a point to drop in.
Robert had a few great options for college, including NYU business school and Boston College. He ultimately chose Penn State for the academics, beautiful campus, and sense of community. The big time football program was probably a factor too, but I don't think he would admit that. And it didn't hurt that a few of his good friends also decided it was right for them.
I am in awe of the school spirit the Penn State students demonstrate. Not only are they the country's number one student section at football games, they do amazing charity work with their annual THON dance marathon. THON raises money to fight childhood cancer, raising over $7,000,000 in 2009, and nearly $60,000,000 since its inception in 1973. Whenever I see somebody wearing Penn State attire, I ask them about their Penn State experience. I have not yet heard one person say anything less than they loved it. And I have asked a lot of people!
My daughter will start college in September, and Penn State, at which she was recently accepted, is at or near the top of her list. American University (Pam's alma mater), Villanova and West Chester are still possibilities.
We are fortunate in the state of Pennsylvania (actually a commonwealth) to have several quality state schools that cost about half of what similar private schools cost. It is really a shame what is happening with the cost of higher education; middle class families struggle mightily to help their children attend college, while less fortunate families have severely limited options. Let's hope that something is done to reign in college costs before only the wealthy can afford to attend.
Robert had a few great options for college, including NYU business school and Boston College. He ultimately chose Penn State for the academics, beautiful campus, and sense of community. The big time football program was probably a factor too, but I don't think he would admit that. And it didn't hurt that a few of his good friends also decided it was right for them.
I am in awe of the school spirit the Penn State students demonstrate. Not only are they the country's number one student section at football games, they do amazing charity work with their annual THON dance marathon. THON raises money to fight childhood cancer, raising over $7,000,000 in 2009, and nearly $60,000,000 since its inception in 1973. Whenever I see somebody wearing Penn State attire, I ask them about their Penn State experience. I have not yet heard one person say anything less than they loved it. And I have asked a lot of people!
My daughter will start college in September, and Penn State, at which she was recently accepted, is at or near the top of her list. American University (Pam's alma mater), Villanova and West Chester are still possibilities.
We are fortunate in the state of Pennsylvania (actually a commonwealth) to have several quality state schools that cost about half of what similar private schools cost. It is really a shame what is happening with the cost of higher education; middle class families struggle mightily to help their children attend college, while less fortunate families have severely limited options. Let's hope that something is done to reign in college costs before only the wealthy can afford to attend.
Why not blog?
I enjoy writing and sharing my thoughts, and what better way to do that than by blogging? I guess I'll find out soon enough if anybody out there is listening. At the very least, this can be like a diary, except for the small matter that there is no lock or key to keep my words from others.
It was a good time at the roller hockey rink this morning, we beat the Inebriators 9-1 (you have to love the team names people come up with - their jerseys had a mug of beer for their team logo). But don't worry about us getting too cocky, our Thursday night team lost last week 8-0. My Sunday team, Draft B, is made up of a great bunch of guys. We like to win, but our primary objective is to have fun and enjoy the competition. Captain Jim O'Brien named us Draft B because we started out as the second (and last) draft team set up by the league back about ten years ago. Draft teams are thrown together with guys that don't already come as part of a team. None of us knew any of the others when we started, so it was a challenge to keep the team together for very long. But, so many years later, much of the original team is still intact.
My Thursday night team, OGD, standing for Original Genuine Draft, was another team that started out as a draft team. The Sunday team and the Thursday team share many of the same players. It helps playing with the same guys on a regular basis, as we know each other's tendencies and abilities, which is critical for good teamwork. All of which reminds me of how important teamwork is in so many areas of life...a subject I should address in another post!
Until next time...
It was a good time at the roller hockey rink this morning, we beat the Inebriators 9-1 (you have to love the team names people come up with - their jerseys had a mug of beer for their team logo). But don't worry about us getting too cocky, our Thursday night team lost last week 8-0. My Sunday team, Draft B, is made up of a great bunch of guys. We like to win, but our primary objective is to have fun and enjoy the competition. Captain Jim O'Brien named us Draft B because we started out as the second (and last) draft team set up by the league back about ten years ago. Draft teams are thrown together with guys that don't already come as part of a team. None of us knew any of the others when we started, so it was a challenge to keep the team together for very long. But, so many years later, much of the original team is still intact.
My Thursday night team, OGD, standing for Original Genuine Draft, was another team that started out as a draft team. The Sunday team and the Thursday team share many of the same players. It helps playing with the same guys on a regular basis, as we know each other's tendencies and abilities, which is critical for good teamwork. All of which reminds me of how important teamwork is in so many areas of life...a subject I should address in another post!
Until next time...
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