What would Thomas Edison do?

What a day...I'm just full of piss and vinegar now, so be warned - I feel a rant coming on! Also...this post has some mild cussing...no f-bombs, but if you just came out of an FLDS compound, you might go to Hell for reading this contemptible and foul language. Just so ya know. You've been warned - risk your eternal salvation at your own peril. This might be the catalyst that leads to you wearing jeans and makeup. I'm just sayin'.

Had an argument with the power company, my 8000th discussion with the phone company and watched my son get severely disappointed on 2 different occasions today, partly because of a choice I made on his behalf. Ready for more? Let's roll!

The Power Company (Arizona Public Service), in it's infinite wisdom and heartfelt showing of compassion, has just slapped us with a $360 required deposit in order to continue our service with them. Here's how this came about: I mentioned my husband's work situation, we are struggling a bit right now after using most of our savings to get through the last few months. I have paid our power bill late the last 2 months because our income is sporadic right now. Keep in mind, I haven't skipped an entire month or anything like that. I paid the bill like 8-10 days late. So I call them today to let them know I will make my payment by Friday and then ask about this $360 charge on my bill and they explain that because I am a risk now, they are going to require a deposit.

So let me get this straight. I call you to tell you that we are having income issues and that although we are struggling, I will be paying my bill at the end of the week and your response is to charge me even MORE money? Did I not just say we currently have no money or jobs? If I can't pay my bill now, what in the name of Cheese makes you think I can pay a $360 DEPOSIT!?? If I had $360 laying around, I would probably have paid my bill with it last week, when it was due!! What kind of moronic logic tells someone that making a person who is struggling financially pay a deposit, IN ADDITION to their bill, is a good idea!?! DAMN!! I am so mad!

The lady on the other end of the phone graciously offered to extend the time for me to pay the deposit until September 1st. Wow...compassion at it's finest. What happens if I just pay my bill and don't pay the deposit? They disconnect my power, then charge me the $360 deposit, PLUS a $225 reconnection fee. Who is running this company? Don Corleone? What if I refuse to pay? Are they gonna send Rocko and Guido, the power goons, to rough me a bit? Leave a lizard head in my bed? Hey, APS...ask yourselves - "Is this what Thomas Edison would do?" I think not. And they wonder why people go postal.

Next - the evil phone companies. Yes, I said companies, as in more than one. Because there is more than one evil phone company. I have Qwest Phone Service. My neighbors have Cox Phone Service. I can't get calls from my neighbors or anyone who has Cox phone service. They get a recording that says my phone is disconnected, which it clearly is not. I can get calls from Qwest customers. Qwest says it's a Cox problem. Cox says it's a Qwest problem. Qwest has spent the last 4 months trying to solve a problem that doesn't seem to be coming from their end. Cox won't even try to help me because I am not their customer. Which, actually, in my few moments of clarity, I can kind of see their point. "I'm helping you why?" They aren't making money from me, so why would they want to help me? Because it's the RIGHT thing to do, DAMMIT!!! Qwest cannot call Cox and request help from them. How freakin' ridiculous is this situation? So after a year of not getting full phone service and 4 months of Qwest trying to fix the problem, I finally got smart and called a neighbor to bitch. She suggested I get a new number. That's why I call her. She's a teacher. She's smart.

Monday I will have a new phone number and hopefully my neighbors can call me. I will be writing Cox a great big old nasty letter for not even looking into the possibility that this could be their problem. I will also be writing Qwest a big ole long letter about how sad it is that they can't deal with Cox on behalf of one of their own clients. GIANT LESSON HERE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE - people remember when you treat them like crap!! The minute I find a phone service that works with us, I will be switching and neither Qwest or Cox will get my business!!! Unless Qwest offers me something really cool not to cancel. Then I might deal with the abuse a few months longer.

And BTW, I know my cussing was mild compared to some other blogs I've read, but I like to keep it clean here. I save my cussing for my loved ones! Nothin' but the best for my guys! (Kidding! Okay, mostly kidding. )

I will save my poor Big Brother posts for tomorrow...I am too weepy tonight to repeat them, plus I think I just need to go lay by him and give him hugs all night for being such a brave boy. He is so tender-hearted and feels things at such a deep level and he deserves better than me and his dad.

That is all.