What a week. After the ongoing Xbox Saga reared it’s ugly head once again over the weekend, the customer service myth (nightmare?) continued. I learned Sunday night that our cell phone contracts were ending on Monday. Being really happy with our service, thus wanting to continue with a new 2 year plan of the same and just upgrade our phones turned into an ordeal like none other.
I’ve spent upwards of 5 hours online and on the phone, with whom I’ve spoken with no less than 7 separate people. Let me remind you – all I wanted to do was buy something that I knew I wanted, and it turned into such a difficult process. I’ve never had such a problem obtaining something from someone who was supposed to be willing to get it to me.
During this season when so many people are more open to spiritual matters than most other times in the year, we have a great privilege to remind others what Christmas is all about. Charlie Brown. But so many times we make being a child of God so much hard than it really is. When we strip it all away, it’s not a list to do this/don’t do that. According to John, it’s really a lot simpler than that. Tell somebody who doesn’t know Jesus this Christmas about Him. I triple dog dare you.
on December 21, 2007 by karlo
Nice page over on Garfield minus Garfield. Even without G, it’ pretty stinking funny. You owe it to yourself.
Props to Ken for the find.
on December 20, 2007 by karlo
I’m finally finalizing Bethany’s Christmas present. It’s one of my favorite times of the year – I love giving just the perfect gift to someone, especially someone you love (awww is right). What gets me is that sometimes everything about the gift falls into place: you know just what it is, can find it without much hassle, and things just click. Then other times you struggle for weeks trying to come up with what’s just right. When you finally settle on it, you wonder if you can actually pull it off because nothing seems to go your way in making it happen. But then. Oh yeah. It works. Funny thing is, I like both of those situations and the fulfillment that comes with it, but there’s something about the latter that really makes you feel like you came through in the clutch. Here’s to you, clutch sweet Christmas gifts for others giver person.
That is all.
on December 19, 2007 by karlo
You may or may not remember my ongoing xbox saga. If not, you can catch up with part I, part II, and part III.
Part III had a happy ending. I got a different console shipped back to me with a card for a free month of xbox live. I realize it’s only worth about $5, but the gesture made me feel good. I also ended part III of the saga hoping that it would end on a trilogy.
But no…
After glitching & freezing on two of my favorite games, I got the red ring of death tonight – AGAIN. It’s pretty bad when I know how to begin and end in accomplishment a service call to a company like Microsoft in under 4 minutes. Boo yah, point for me. So thus we are in the throws of part IV of this saga; not quite a trilogy, but a quadrilogy. Something might be wrong with me that after so many repairs, I’m still tied to this brand of console. Let’s hope this ends well.
p.s. if you know anyone that works for Microsoft who would care about my story and could do something about it, hit me up.
Tagged: xbox on December 13, 2007 by karlo
I got my Hulu beta invite this morning. Sweet.
on December 11, 2007 by karlo
In uncategorized on December 11, 2007 by karlo
I was sitting in a cafe that I really enjoyed once, when so many things just hit me at once. I usually am pleased with my time at the cafe; it’s not great, but it’s acceptable. Places to sit, coffee available at a decent price, free wi-fi, downtown. All good things. But that day, lots of little irritations started to arise.
- I realized that there are only three tables out of around 40 that were close to an electrical outlet. For a location that hopes to be a Third Place, that’s pretty sparse.
- Since I was doing some work while waiting for someone to come for a meeting, I went for a regular brewed coffee. Why? There was a sign for $.50 refills. Sweet. Except when I got my first refill, $.50 was pre-tax. I came with a pocket full of quarters ready for an even transaction. Now I’ve got $.22 in my pocket, destined to get lost.
- Half of the carafes of coffee were empty, and a peak time in the morning. That’s no good.
Little things that I don’t normally notice, but made a difference in my perception of the entire experience. I wonder what little things on Sunday mornings at services, Wednesday nights at FUSE gatherings, and special events I may be missing? What are the little details we have control over that can greatly influence our experiences?
I’ve been following Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC for about a year now, which is almost half as long as they’ve existed as a church. Pastor Steven’s blog is a daily read for me, and continually challenges and encourages me as a follower of Jesus. His post today fired me up. It reminds me that the church is indeed Jesus’ bride, He cares for it more than I ever will, and that He delights in exceeding our expectations.
on December 10, 2007 by karlo
In uncategorized on December 6, 2007 by karlo
I read this today over on Ulyssesonline.com. Just in time for Christmas.
Warning: if you’re under the age of 8, stop reading and go here instead.
Let’s say on average, Santa’s budget is $50 per household. With 2.5
billion households to visit, that’s a whopping 125 billion dollars
budget every year.
Another report circulating on the Internet suggested
however that Santa’s sleigh, weighed down with presents and travelling
at supersonic speed, would encounter such massive air resistance that
the entire contraption would burst into flames and be vaporised within
4.26 thousandths of a second.
That’s a lot of money to blow up in smoke.
I’ve been cruising some websites for churches and businesses around my town and have realized this: lame is defining characteristic. Since being with First Church I’ve been giving a lot more thought into how a church presents itself to the community – marketing, if you like that. It bums me out that the Church, a place that claims to have the desire to spread the greatest message in history, can easily give very little effort/resources/thought into how that message is presented outside of a sermon. As I try to take what Paul says seriously in my daily life, I can’t help think that it carries over into even the details of the ministry I’ve been placed in.
on December 4, 2007 by karlo
