Seventeen Melodies

It seems like only yesterday I was moving into college for my first semester. I still remember talking to my next door neighbors for the first time (mac and rob), meeting everyone on my floor (chris, russ, larry, don, blumpkin, spock, martha, kim, bill, spooky mike, joe, aj, and many others), my first class (psych100), and the rest of the freshman experience. I learned a lot that year, and the subsequent years as well.

Now I stand (well I'm sitting right now actually) exactly one month before I'm finished with college. December 19th, 2003 is the day my last final is scheduled for. College seems to have flown by while I was sleeping (which hasn't been much lately). I am having a hard time convincing myself that I really will be finished with school (at least for now) in four short weeks. I have learned so much over the years but wish I learned more too. 29 days from now will complete my 17 1/2 years of schooling. I say it but it is still so hard to believe. I have spent so much of my life in school and now I will be out, trying to find a job.

A job. That is my next point. I have been so busy I have not really had time to really search for one yet. For a while, I have been hoping to move to California and work for google or another tech company out there, but I am also interested in some of my own projects. At this point, I am not restricting myself to any location. If someone wants to give me a job in Australia, I'm game. =] As long as it’s a good job that I'll like of course. Therefore, if you have any Network Security jobs that you need someone for email me.

This is my first attempt at poetry/lyrics so don't make too much fun of me. :)

School-time Memories
Ancient history
Over so quickly
Just wait and see
I go on now
Each day further
Path's uncertain
Sing the melody of life
O' life

Life is a promise
Life is a good friend
Life is the hard times
And the joy of the good
Life is the magic
Life is the story
Life is the melody
We all can sing

[last revised 2003-11-21 2:50pm]

- Sung to "Eight Melodies" from "EarthBound" (video game)
- Adapted from the lyrics by St. Paul's Cathedral Choir

Bad Company

So I don't advertise for this company at all I'm going to spell their name backwards: moc.biayub. NEVER NEVER NEVER buy from this company!

I am going to attach a copy of my interactions with them today as I described on reseller ratings and pricewatch. In 15 minutes when the BBB gets back from lunch I am going to try calling them again as well. After my credit card bill closes for the month I am going to disput it when them as well.

--- NEVER BUY FROM moc.biayub ---

**After** my order (Thursday November 7th 2003) was placed I was told that it would take 2-3 weeks for the item to be shipped. This was too long so I immediately tried to cancel my order. I emailed every email address they had posted on their web page saying I wanted to cancel my order citing the order ID. (Reason: shipping was going to take too long. I needed the item ASAP)

No response from the email so a day later I send them another email.

I also tried calling every phone number (except the fax #) on their web page over and over again for three days during business hours, never getting an answer (even a automated answer).

Finally today the charge showed up on my credit card. I tried calling them and after about four tries I finally got someone to answer. They answered "hello". I explained the problem and they just sat on the phone not saying anything and I heard a TV or radio in the background. After asking if they were still there the man replied yes and did not say anything else. I asked if he heard what I said and he said "seems like there is a problem". I then tried to confirm I had the right phone number for the company and the name of the company he gave was not what I new the company as so he hung up.

I checked the number I dialed (cell phone) with the number on the website and they matched so I tried calling back again.

No answer after about 5 tries.

On the sixth try they finally answer again and it is the same person. I asked his name this time and he said it was Leo. This time he also asked for my order number to check the status. He told me that it shipped Monday and he couldn't do anything about it. I told him again that I emailed them several times and he claimed he was not the one who checks the emails and he hung up on me.

I got through on the second try when I called back the next time. Leo again told me that there was nothing that he can do since the order shipped Monday and that they never got any of my emails. He told me that I would have to pay a 15% restocking fee, called me a "JACKASS" and hung the phone up.

I called back once more (took three or four tries this time), got Leo again and asked to speak to a supervisor. He told me ok and put me on hold for about two minutes and answered the phone again as if this was a new call. I asked again who it was, found out it was Leo, and asked why he didn't transfer me to a manager. He told me that he tried and no one answered. He also told me no one was in charge at this time.

I asked when a manager would be around and he told me 5pm. I asked "isn't that when you close" and he replied "yup". Playing along I asked who the manager would be at that time and he answered "Leo". I asked "isn't that you?" and he answered "yup". After this he hung up on me again.

I tried calling the BBB and they have a bad rating for this company. Reseller ratings also has a horrible rating for them. I even at one point noted this fact to them "RR lists you with a 1.21 rating out of 220 votes" and Leo said "that’s an awesome rating" or something to that extent.

I am sending in this report in hopes to try to get this company removed from pricewatch. I wish I never saw it listed here. I would have saved so much time and effort.

I am still trying to get my $40 charge refunded at this point. They are unfair, hide details (2-3 weeks shipping), are extremely rude ("JACKASS", hanging up, ignoring customer, etc), and incompetent (ignore emails, do not answer the phone).