November 7th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good Morning! I attended a presentation at our library last night. My friend Keith was there to talk about a new project he is in involved with called Writers 2 Writers. This was the TV show I did an interview for over the summer and he is one of their hosts. The show is only playing on a local cable station, but if you want to see it, the episodes will be on YouTube shortly after they air. If you click on the link I provided above, you’ll get to see the teaser, and there’s a place for you to subscribe to the show so you can get notifications of when a new episode posts.

Not me, but she's got the right idea

For some reason, I did not get the email reminder that the program was going on last night, so I sent Keith a text asking if it was last night or next Thursday – because if it wasn’t last night, I was getting into my jammies, pouring myself a vat of cocoa, and settling in for the night. It was cold and raining last night, and I really didn’t feel like going out. (Keith thought that was funny.)

After only a little grumbling, I dragged myself out of my nice, warm, dry house, and drove the three minutes over to the library. I’ll admit it, I’m glad I went. He did a great job, but he always does. There were at least a dozen or so writers who weathered the dreary night to come out and see him, including a fifteen year old writer. I don’t think I got her name, but she is a sophomore just like Dani, and she is hoping to go to college and get her degree in Creative Writing. I think that’s awesome!

Keith’s presentation went on for an hour, and then we were able to get into a lively conversation. I heard about an app for authors that I’m going to check out. It’s called Scrivener, and it is an organizational tool, which may be very helpful, especially for my historicals. There are so many characters, with so many different homes, and so many support staff, that it is extremely difficult to keep everyone straight. This may be the answer I have been looking for; and at only $40, I think it’s definitely worth a try.

I reached my breaking point yesterday with Verizon, a point of no return. So today, Dani, my mother and I are going cell phone plan shopping. I currently have three smart phones with only 2 gig of data and one dinosaur phone with no data on my current plan, and Verizon is charging me $225 a month plus taxes and fees. That is nearly double the going rate, and even though they are offering a better plan, the plan is only for new customers, and I’m not eligible.

What a load of bunk.

Basically, I got a “screw you” for the 20+ year customer, we are only interested in new customers. Can someone please explain to me how this makes good business sense? At one time, Verizon was the only one out there who had the services and the coverage, but that is not the case anymore. They are no longer the only game in town, and I don’t have to deal with them any longer. YEAH!! I know you can’t see me, but trust me, I’m doing a happy dance over here.

Pink for Lys, Blue for Dani
Yellow for Mom, and I guess
I'll get Green for me.

The only thing that is going to be a royal pain is I don’t think the new company is going to be able to download my contacts into my new phone. Oh yeah, a new phone, I should probably warn you about that. I have often said I was not smart enough for my smart phone, and by the end of today, I’ll probably have an iPhone. It’s not going to be pretty. I can guarantee I will mess something up. So it you happen to be one of my almost 500 phone contacts, and you call me or send me a text, and I ask, “Who is this?”, please don’t be offended. I probably lost your contact information when converting to my new phone (OR, if you haven’t heard from me in a while, give me a call).

The challenge is going to be getting a phone to Lys. I’m pretty sure, in order to get the deal, she needs to turn in her old phone. I wonder if they will allow us to send her the new phone and then have her mail her old phone back to them. I can’t be the only one in this situation. I’m sure other folks, with kids away at college, have switch their plans. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

I had Lys ask her friends on campus which carrier they used, and if they we happy with the reception they had at school, because, let’s face it, coverage here, in the “New York Area”, is the same across all carriers, but when you get to the little towns out in the middle of nowhere, that’s where things get dicey. The overwhelming front runner for High Point, NC was Sprint, even over Verizon, so Sprint is where we’re going.

I am almost positive we will be able to keep our old phone numbers, and that Sprint will get us out of the last seven months of our contract (our upgrade is scheduled for June) – that’s even if we have a contract. I’m not really sure at this point. As I said, I have had Verizon for twenty years, I think I have served my time. What I’m not thrilled about is having to pay this last over-priced bill, but whatchya gunna do?

I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge:

I’ve taken all I can stand, I can’t stands no more…

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.