Year: 2003

Dude, I’m Getting A Dell

A Dell Dimension 4550 Pentium 4 Processor at 2.53GHz, 512MB DDR SDRAM at 333MHz, 18.1 in 1800FP Dell Ultrasharp Digital Flat Panel Display. For the past 9 years I have been getting a new PC like clockwork every November; 1993 a 386-33, in 1996 a Pentium 100 and in 1999 a 500 Mhz Pentium III, but this last November I didn’t really need a new PC so I skipped it. I still don’t really *need* one, but my wife offered that I get a new one, so without really arguing against it, I bought one. Ships next week with arrival scheduled for the week after. I applied for a Dell credit card online and purchased the PC with it. They were offering 90 days same as cash so that is the way I want to go. After applying it said I should select that option at checkout. When I got done configuring and went through the check out I never did see the 90 day offer, but I did use my Dell CC.

After I received my order confirmation I called the number for Dell because I wanted to be sure I got the 90 same-as-cash deal. Attempt one, follow the voice mail options a couple levels down and it asks for my customer number or order number. After I punch in my order number, I get a recording saying that I’ve reached a number that no longer works and please dial 1800mmmmmm – disconnect. The number went by so fast that I didn’t get it memorized or written down. Attempt two, follow the voice mail options again and this time I try entering my customer number, same recording, but I’m ready this time and get the number written down. Attempt three, new number with a new voice mail trail. Only there doesn’t seem to be a correct option for me, they were all about companies with x number of employees, etc. Crap. I hang up. Then I notice that there is yet another number for Dell Financial Services in one of the emails, this has got to be it. Attempt four, still another different set of voice mail options that I try to follow correctly. It asks for me to punch in my customer number or order number. Oh no, not again. This time I get a message that my call s being transferred and I will here two tones and not to hang up. I then get two very LOUD beeps ( I see why they have to tell you about them) I am finally connected to some one in the Bangladesh office I think, as her Indian accent is thick that I can not really understand mush of what she is saying. After several attempts to get my question to her in a way that she can give an answer that I can understand, I say thanks and hang up. I think what she was trying to tell me is that if I was told I qualified for it that that is the way it is assumed I want to do it. We’ll see.

Definitely Not Sponge-worthy

Washed the car this morning, man was it dirty. The inside was filthy too, but that has all changed, it is now mostly clean. Needs a real intensive spring clean and waxing, but that will have to wait until April sometime, as the next 4 weeks are out of town trips and a vacation to New Orleans. I washed it because the Master’s Miata Club was asked to show up for an elementary school’s spring carnival. The way it was presented it sounded like we were going to be parked at the center of attention for an hour, with other hours assigned to other vehicles. As it turned out we were there at the same time as the fire truck, the mustangs, the hot rods, etc. Not only that we were parked way off to one side and it was hardly worth our being there. So the seven of us mingled around the parking lot and chatted away an hour and left. As Elaine of Seinfeld would have said, “Definitely not sponge-worthy.”

Purchased Today: nada
Money spent since 03/03/03: $14.75
Started up, went down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 40

Ahhh, I Miss the Old Days of 1998

And I bet Shopgirl and NY152 do too. Just got through watching “You’ve Got Mail,” a likeable little movie with cute as a button Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. There is this one scene where Meg has been stood up by Tom so she checks her email on AOL to see if he is going to write her to explain his absence, she has no mail. Ha, today a mere 5 years later I bet it is impossible for any AOL user to not have any mail if they haven’t checked in the last 5 minutes.

Dude, I’m Getting A Dell

Well my dilemma as to what to buy with the $200 is over. The fire extinguisher used to put out the fire in my pocket is a new Dell Dimension 4550 Pentium 4 Processor at 2.53GHz, 512MB DDR SDRAM at 333MHz, 18.1 in 1800FP Dell Ultrasharp Digital Flat Panel Display. That $200 and I forfeit my March’s $100 mad money towards the purchase price and I get to replace my aging 500Mhz Gateway with out guilt. I say guilt, because I really do not need a new PC. This one here still accomplishes everything I ask for of it. The only time I notice that it is ancient technology is when I save an hour long MP3 of Echoes. Well the 4x CDRW is a dog, but I don’t do much burning. Ships on the 13th, should be here 3 to 5 working days later…I’m going to go wait by the mailbox.

Purchased Today: nada
Money spent since 03/03/03: $14.75
Started up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 39

Good Thing We Called

Big turnout for the Master’s Miata Club meeting tonight, 21. In an effort to mix up the meeting locations some we held this month’s at the Atlanta Bread Company. My wife called last week to reserve a spot for 15-20 people and re-called this afternoon to re-confirm, when we got there was nothing set aside for us. fortunately the corner we asked for was empty, so we moved a bunch of tables together and marked our territory. It was OK, but probably won’t be in the regular rotation.

Purchased Today: $14.75 in gas
Money spent since 03/03/03: $14.75
Started down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 39

Bicycle Circus

This is the busy week. First Wednesday of the month is the Aiken Bicycle Club meeting and the first Thursday is the Master’s Miata Club meeting. At least all I have to do at the Bike Club is sit and listen, at the Miata Club one I am the Secretary so I have to write stuff down. Which means I have to sorta pay attention. The bike club meeting was neat as we had some folks come speak to us about an upcoming bike race that is coming to town. Rich Hincapie (brother of George, Lance’s main man on US Postal) of Hincapie Sports and Tim Farrar from the SC Heritage Race Series chatted about what was going to happen on May 2nd when the bicycle circus comes to town. I would love to be there and help/watch. but we have already made or reservations for the inaugural “real” hike in the Georgia mountains that day.

Purchased Today: nothing
Money spent since 03/03/03: $0.00
Started up, went down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 38

Chinese X-Files

In Sunday’s entry I mentioned that I should rent the X-Files DVDs and watch one episode every Sunday night at 9:00 PM to help alleviate the Weekend ending dread I suffer from. Went over and checked Ebay for some prices, might buy ’em if they are cheap enough. I can buy seasons 1 thru 4 plus the movie for $129, that is about what Amazon wants for just Season 1, but it is from China. The seller has a high rating and it is just like a US release except for “only some Chinese characters printed on the packing.” I’m leery, yet oddly curious.