Thursday, April 10, 2008

Things That Tick Me Off.....


Welcome to Minor Irritations 101. Here is a sampling to start off with:

You have worked a full day, gotten home, eaten supper and are now in comfy jammies and kicked back in your favorite couch or chair getting ready to settle in for some TV. Your drink is at hand, dog has been out and back in….the stage is set for a few hours of relatively relaxed couch potatoism. (that’s not a word apparently, so I’ve made one up…...I like it) Continuing......

For the past few months, Comcast has been airing their promo commercials. The woman they have hired to “star” in them…..even though she has a nice speaking voice…looks as if she smells something distasteful….like dirty socks or wet dog. For a while it made me laugh to look at her…now it just irritates me. The part that really ticks me off, though, is the fact that their ads come across 50% louder than what you’ve been watching or any other ad that’s being aired. You literally jump out of your seat. I realize they want to get your attention….but this is ridiculous.

And this leads me right into the second thing that ticks me off….. Since their ad comes blasting out at you, you immediately attempt to find the remote and locate the right button to mute the sound. Since you’ve made yourself all comfy this has included shutting off the lights so the room is only dimly illuminated by the TV. You may knock over your drink trying to locate the remote (been there, done that) or you may find the remote but fail to find the right button to mute the sound. By the time you find the right button, the commercial is over. Unfortunately I have Comcast because the only other option is no TV. They raise rates on a regular basis and what I’m paying for basic cable and Internet is just plain sinful…but that’s a whole ‘nother story for another time.

So, then you start fuming over the remote and why aren’t the buttons illuminated so you can see them in the dark and speaking of remotes….how come you have to have 3 remotes at your side just for an evening of TV? So you go out to the store and find a remote that is supposed to do the job of all three of them. Get it home and you can get one thing to work on it, but not the others. So now you’re back to square one except you’re $20 poorer. See how things snowball?

6 comments:

Brad said...

I hate being at the mercy of Comcast and cable companies in general Why do we have to buy 'packages' rather then just pay for the stations we want to watch? And what ever happened to those channels that played old movies ? I miss them. Have a good day Dear.

Moohaa said...

Oh how I know. And I carry extra shame as I used to work for them. For a long time. Oh, the shame.

I'm sorry Val.

If it's any consolation, I think they suck too.

Anonymous said...

I can relate! In my case, I've asked the dog repeatedly if he wants to go outside before I settle down, and as soon as I've pulled the recliner lever and settled my book in my lap and balanced my munchies between the book and the arm of the chair, he suddenly wants to go out. NOW. That's just one of mine. ;-)

SOUL said...

sorry-- but i had to chuckle at your tv hell--- but only cuz it sounds like a night at my place :))

hope the weekend is commercial free!

happy friday!

boneman said...

Comcast doesn't want you to know, but there are other options. I doubt it's cable, but rather, dish.

Then again, that's if you want to get rid of the climbing rates and all. I think basic dish is only twenty bucks, extras included were going to be around fifty altogether and te internet was going to be included for $15.
Then we found out that the att people had a deal of no long distance, internet for 'bout $15 and it's broad band (I say that like I know what it means, but, I don't. I can get videos and I don't grow old and die everytime I change the page. That's all I wanted)

But, it actually sounds like, well, if you didn't want to mess with anything, just come home and jamy up, grab the dog, some popcorn and a pop for some tv time?

Get a tv tray out and put stuff on it. Now, that may not sound like a good idea at first, and indeed there is a downside (ain't there always?)
First, there is a rule that I've come to find as truthful...
Any flat surface will be filled with something.
(Remote control, an empty glass from last night, half a bag of chips that poochie didn't know was up there or it wouldn't actually be there, now)
Second, a permanent tv tray by your tv watching station is a definate sign of ...(I have to be careful here)...old lady status.
Sorry. I couldn't think of a pretty way to say it. Me? Hey, i got enough grunts and groans getting up and down to absolutely WIN the grunt and groan olypics this year in Beijeng, but the fact is, I don't fly anymore.

Well, I've never flown. But I have been on airplanes that fly. And I don't do that anymore.

OK, there was one time I got so drunk on some Sothern Comfort that I thought I was flying....but, that kind of flying gets you nowhere....

You know....I think I've written too much, eh?
Give the job to dog.
Are you aware that they make lil backpacks for dogs of ALL sizes? Yup, and for a multitude of things, too. Bigger bags that could haul wood (dang! If I had some, our dogs would be earning teir warm home!) down to small bags for, yeah, a remote, a pack of cigarettes and the lighter (and you always hope the pup isn't sneaking out for a smoke, eh?)

Such is the like.
I saw a store in California (yeah, I see you have your bags packed already...even taking the dog for measuring and all....)
Thing is, up here on the google bar I would type in (and I just did)
"dog backpacks"
and you wouldn't believe all the stores that popped up. Lots of local chains probably have them, too.

Question is, there's another lil soul to ask about this "backpack" talk, eh?
That would be the one carrying the danged thing.

Jamie said...

I'm really sorry, but this made me laugh...mostly because I have been there, too.

I love the way your write Charlotte, you really do crack me up.

:)