08 September 2007

This Week

Last week was an odd one that I am glad to see disappear off my calendar. I've had my patience tested this week by several things, one of which is a collection agency that is calling for someone else. I think they think I'm lying when I say who I am. I want to waive my hand and tell them I am not the droid they are looking for.

I don't know how clear I can make this.

They tell me they will keep calling until I fork over a number for Nicole. I have started reporting them to the phone company for harassment because darn it, you can't scissor kick someone's head through the phone, no matter how much you want to.

I've been messing with Google lately. Have you ever used Google maps?

The map shows three options in the map window: Map, Satellite, and Hybrid. My kids and I had a blast this weekend with the satellite imagery. Just for fun we decided to look at a few landmarks:

Eiffel Tower
Tower of Pisa
Washington Monument
The Champs-Elysees
The White House
The Pentagon
Crater Lake
Golden Gate Bridge
Mt. St. Helens
Mt. Fuji
Mount Rushmore
The Grand Canyon
Statue of Liberty

I was floored to be able to zoom way in, especially on the Eiffel Tower, where you could actually see people lined up to go to the elevators. I couldn't help but laugh when Max asked me about Crater Lake.

I say excitedly, "It is a volcano in the middle and they haven't found the bottom of the lake. I've actually been there and took some pumice stone home and floated it in a glass of water."

The kids chime in, "WOW!!!!!"

Jaina immediately asks me excitedly, "So, the lake is bottomless?"

I answer back, "So they say..."

Max looks shocked and states matter-of-factly, "What if it goes to Japan and they say it's bottomless?"

I start to laugh, "You have a point there."

22 comments:

Clay said...

I had the same thing happen. After three calls with me saying, "There's no Dan here!" I began engaging these people in conversation. I would talk about TV shows, weather, English League soccer, very mundane stuff. Finally, one of the collection agents called me a horrible swear, and I never head from them again. I miss those calls.

~Jennifer said...

You go get 'em, and while your at it, have a little fun. ;-)

Wow, I never even thought of checking out the Eiffel tower and stuff like that on google satellite. I just look at my house and stuff like that. :-P I'll have to have some fun with that.

eyes_only4him said...

why did u move the blog?..shoot woman.

I would give the collection aganey Doozies number, say this is where Nicole lives;)

Have a Happy Birthday:)

Jeff said...

Ooh ooh... make sure when you open Google Maps to click on the "Street View" tab at the top. Then click on any of the cities that have the little camera icon on them. It will take you down to the street level to the point where you can literally read the license plates. I'm not making this up - try it.

Oh, and a big Happy Birthday to you!

Gary said...

Happy Birthday Nicole! (Errr, unless you're that other woman living at her house who keeps asking for my manager!

Okay, joking aside, celebrate your arrival on earth. We're glad you're here (and that you're blogging).

The Lazy Iguana said...

I had some great comment written, but Blogger was doing some sort of "update" and ate the comment.

Happy birthday in advance! I guess.

I have evil plans to get even with that collection agency. Great plans.

By the way, Crater Lake has been charted. It has an average depth of around 1,100 feet and a maximum depth of just under 2,000 feet. Something like 1,950 feet or something. The deepest lake in North America is around 2,100 feet deep.

Crater Lake is the 7th deepest lake in the world. The deepest lake in the world is Lake Baikal in Russia and is just over 5,300 feet deep.

Why this is important, and why I know this crap is a mystery. Maybe one day I will win a million bucks on "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader".

Clare said...

Hope you have a FAB birthday Ems and look forward to hearing all about it when you are back.

Jenn said...

Wow, that Nicole must be in Mexico by now. Have a nice birthday.

R said...

I would so get that woman canned.

James Grayson said...

The only thing I hate worse than wrong # collection thugs is wrong # fax machines. You can't even get into an argument with a fax machine! It always wins with the "beeeeepfwongchiiiirpzoingzoingbrrrraaaackwooooopbeeeeeeop!

Drives me crazy! And the fax on the other end repeatedly calls back to continue to try and force a fax through my speaker as I scream obscenities into the phone!

Happy Early Birthday!

Aunt Jo said...

i wish i was bottomless

Tee/Tracy said...

If there's anything worse than calls from collections, it's calls from collection that AREN'T EVEN FOR YOU!

My husband's name is like the Spanish version of "John Smith", (which is to say, it's very common) - so there are always mix ups. One time the police even called saying he had a warrant out for him! :p

wolfbaby said...

ohh your b-day is a week from my b-day how cool;)

have a wonderful b-day

i love how you handled that call i seriously need to take lessons

The Domesticator said...

Happy Birthday!

You handled that phone call with class. And I love the fact that YOU kept calling HER back! I .love. that....talk about putting the shoe on the other foot.

Oh, and I was just catching up on your last few posts. I really enjoyed The Martyr. Excellent post, and something I can relate to on so many levels.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Here's how I handle the situation when I get &ssh*les like that who call me:

1. Save the number or write it down so you know who they are when they call. If it pops up as a withheld number, even better.

2. When you see the problem number(s) pop up, pick up the phone, and cheerfully say "Dominoes Pizza! Will that be take-out or delivery?" When the person confusedly says "Er, excuse me?" Say again "Dominoes! Take out or delivery please," but say it with a slightly bored impatience. If you want to get creative, add "Our specials today are extra pepperoni and pineapple pizza, large, for only $10.50."

Noodle said...

The other side of the world from Crater Lake is south and east of Madagascar.

This is a great website called "If I dig a very deep hole, where will I end up?"

http://map.talleye.com/bighole.php

My urchins and I have had loads of fun with it!

ancient one said...

Have a Happy Birthday!!!!

Stalker Cyberstalker said...

Happy birthday! Hey, I saw my house on the Google maps. Thank heavens my yard had been mowed.

Rebecca said...

wow - how completely, totally bizarre. You're harrassing HER???!

Kimberly said...

Wow, you almost make it sound like fun. Then again, getting someone who's harrassing you fired would be fun, wouldn't it?

Millie said...

"She does not know she is going down like the Hindenburg" cracked me up. Way to go, you! I've half a mind to get Allstate's corporate number and prank calling them a few times just to take out my frustrations. WE AREN'T SWITCHING TO ALLSTATE. Get over it.

Happy Birthday - hope it's fun!

Bananas said...

ooh I feel my hackles rising as I read this. Which makes me wonder, what ARE hackles exactly? Deep thoughts. Happy birthday! Love your blog!

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