(no subject)
Jul. 19th, 2016 11:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_rckWe’ve got internet right now. I’m trying to decide whether I should just assume that things are fine or spend the resources involved in chasing AT&T and Earthlink customer support, trying to figure out what’s going on. There’s a little bit of static on the landline, and static can make the DSL not work. I’m just not sure that this is enough to be a problem like this.
We usually need to get AT&T to fix the line about once a year. If I understand correctly, the problem is likely squirrels. AT&T always insists that the problem must be internal to the house, most likely our phones being terrible since we didn’t buy from them, and issues dire warnings about how much they’ll charge us if that is the case. The problem is always, always the external line. I have no idea who would/could fix that if we didn’t still have a landline and so guaranteed service from AT&T.
Scott power cycled the modem, but that actually made the problem worse. He and Cordelia were trying to do some research into possible destinations for our trip while Scott’s on vacation. They didn’t get very far because of the internet issues. My guess is that we’ll end up in Chicago because it will be easier to find a reasonable place to stay with a week’s notice than it will be in Traverse City or Mackinaw City. There’s also a lot more to do in Chicago. Traverse City and Mackinaw Island would be pretty boring if the weather turned bad, and with only about two days wherever we end up going, that’s a pretty large consideration.
Scott talked about going further away, but Cordelia and I both think that a drive longer than about five hours is undesirable unless we can stay longer.
Naturally, my laptop wants to do a huge software update that would take hours with reliable DSL, and Cordelia wants to download a movie right this second. I’ve put off the update, but the OS will eventually start the download without asking my permission. It no longer gives me the option of refusing updates for things like the digital camera software that I have never and will never use.
I realized last night that part of the problem I’m currently having with the WIP Big Bang is that Cordelia is spending a lot of time sitting next to me, snuggled up. I can’t write anything at all while she’s doing that, and I never know when she’s going to be joining me. Even when she’s just sitting a couple of feet away, watching a movie, I can’t write this particular story because it’s got nasty, terrible things happening to children. I have no idea at all what to do about this problem because I don’t want to tell her to go away or anything. Her wanting to spend time with me is precious, and she’s been feeling really rotten (though better today and able to do without medication). We’re watching Disney’s Alice in Wonderland right now, and we cuddled from the start of the Tweedledum and Tweedledee interlude through the end of the business at the White Rabbit’s house.
But I’ve only got a week to get this story done.
This is also the worst week out of the year for our internet to be flaky. Going downtown to the library or to a coffee shop is a terrible, terrible idea this week because of Art Fair. It doesn’t start until Thursday, but things downtown will be focused entirely on preparations today and tomorrow. Scott suggested going to the Traverwood library, but I’m not sure I can handle the bus for that without freaking out. I can almost certainly get there. I’m just not sure I can get home again. I pointed that out to Scott, and he suggested that I just stay late enough that he could come get me. I’m not enthusiastic about that because it makes me feel trapped.
We usually need to get AT&T to fix the line about once a year. If I understand correctly, the problem is likely squirrels. AT&T always insists that the problem must be internal to the house, most likely our phones being terrible since we didn’t buy from them, and issues dire warnings about how much they’ll charge us if that is the case. The problem is always, always the external line. I have no idea who would/could fix that if we didn’t still have a landline and so guaranteed service from AT&T.
Scott power cycled the modem, but that actually made the problem worse. He and Cordelia were trying to do some research into possible destinations for our trip while Scott’s on vacation. They didn’t get very far because of the internet issues. My guess is that we’ll end up in Chicago because it will be easier to find a reasonable place to stay with a week’s notice than it will be in Traverse City or Mackinaw City. There’s also a lot more to do in Chicago. Traverse City and Mackinaw Island would be pretty boring if the weather turned bad, and with only about two days wherever we end up going, that’s a pretty large consideration.
Scott talked about going further away, but Cordelia and I both think that a drive longer than about five hours is undesirable unless we can stay longer.
Naturally, my laptop wants to do a huge software update that would take hours with reliable DSL, and Cordelia wants to download a movie right this second. I’ve put off the update, but the OS will eventually start the download without asking my permission. It no longer gives me the option of refusing updates for things like the digital camera software that I have never and will never use.
I realized last night that part of the problem I’m currently having with the WIP Big Bang is that Cordelia is spending a lot of time sitting next to me, snuggled up. I can’t write anything at all while she’s doing that, and I never know when she’s going to be joining me. Even when she’s just sitting a couple of feet away, watching a movie, I can’t write this particular story because it’s got nasty, terrible things happening to children. I have no idea at all what to do about this problem because I don’t want to tell her to go away or anything. Her wanting to spend time with me is precious, and she’s been feeling really rotten (though better today and able to do without medication). We’re watching Disney’s Alice in Wonderland right now, and we cuddled from the start of the Tweedledum and Tweedledee interlude through the end of the business at the White Rabbit’s house.
But I’ve only got a week to get this story done.
This is also the worst week out of the year for our internet to be flaky. Going downtown to the library or to a coffee shop is a terrible, terrible idea this week because of Art Fair. It doesn’t start until Thursday, but things downtown will be focused entirely on preparations today and tomorrow. Scott suggested going to the Traverwood library, but I’m not sure I can handle the bus for that without freaking out. I can almost certainly get there. I’m just not sure I can get home again. I pointed that out to Scott, and he suggested that I just stay late enough that he could come get me. I’m not enthusiastic about that because it makes me feel trapped.
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no subject
Date: 2016-07-19 07:05 pm (UTC)AT&T has the worst customer service ever. They always blame us for downtime even though we know it's on them because it's happening to other neighbors, too. Ugh. I can't wait for Google to come into our neighborhood.
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Date: 2016-07-20 07:46 pm (UTC)AT&T promised a service call before 5:30 today. It's 3:45 now, however, so I'm not optimistic.