Doppler, A Roadies View

Saturday, October 29, 2005

More...........

It's a good thing I'm buying more than selling. I'm talking about ebay of course. I'm just not getting high bids on my auctions. It's starting to become of a waste of time selling.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

On my soapbox and I'm PISSED!!!!

This morning I made the call to my new cell phone service to activate the new phone. They tell me my old provider has a lock on my cell number. WHAT!?

I make the call to Nextel this is the cell company I have been using for nearly six years. That's right 6 years!! Yes, I have had problems with them. My first phone that I had with them quit working when I crossed from Mississippi to Louisiana. This was in 1999 I think. At the time they told me I had to turn off the phone before crossing a state line. Yes you read that right. That was a wonderful two days getting it resolved.

There have been the number of dropped calls which haven't occurred much in the last few years.

What has bugged me was the cost of their phones and some of them being total pieces of shit. Come on Motorola you make phones for other cell companies. They work fine and had better features before you put them on the Nextel phones.

Also Nextel is always trying to charge you for "extras" each month. Last month it was a charge for a detailed phone bill. Funny I have never been charged before. I called them and they said sure we can deduct that from your bill. Of course now I would not see what calls I made unless I went to the web site.

I have been thinking of changing companies for sometime. Finally decided on Cingular for several reasons. Several of my family us them, which means we get mobile to mobile minutes. Cheaper phones, and I got my first one free. The big selling point, rollover minutes. That's right I get to keep the minutes I don't use in a month and carry them over to the next month and the next for a year. Did I also mention my bill is half as much.

Getting back to why I'm pissed. After two calls to Nextel they finally released my number. A few hours later they turn off my phone from the network. I expect this since I'm no longer using there service. HOWEVER, I can no longer get into the phone to copy the numbers from my address book. WHY? the sim card is locked. I have a password on it, on the phone. This should have nothing to do with the network.

So I call Nextel from work on the new cell. Mistake, I spent nearly an hour with them on the phone. That's right nearly 60 of my new cell minutes. Bite me!!! Nextel. After talking to 2 idiots and one nice woman, I get on with a tech (I use that term loosely). This person has me do a bunch of key squences on the phone. Nothing!! After being put on hold three times. This genius says "oh you are no longer connected to the network" well duh, I told you that already was my answer. She goes on to tell me I can go to the local dealer and they can put my sim card in another phone to get my address book.

So off I go. At the store they try this. Nothing!! again. This smartass says you should have got your numbers off the phone before you switched. Well 99% of the time you can still access the address book even when not on the network.

At this point I've had it. I go and check the website for help. What do I find? A bill for $230 on my account. Seems they extended my contract earlier this and are also billing me $25 for porting over my number.

Guess what Nextel, kiss my ass!!!!! I am not paying at least some of this or any after what happened today. They can try to ruin my excellent credit. If they do I will contact the attorney general. I have cell phones bills for the last three years and can prove all the bullshit charges they have imposed.

Oh......I'm ready for a fight.

Friends if you are looking at or use Nextel......DUMP EM......DO NOT USE THEM!!!

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Roadies are tech freaks

We love electronics. Whether it is music related or computers we have to have the latest. It's in our nature, plus it makes us seem cool. ;)
Of course we are also always looking for a great deal. Anyway to save a buck.

Free is even better of course.

With my current situation my income is not what it was. I have had tighten my budget a bit. One of the things was my cell phone. I decided to find a way to cut my bill. My current provider Nextelwho have provided good service over the years, but are a bit expensive. This is especially true with their phones. So I have decided to change providers. I'm going with Cingular. The plan I'm getting is going to cost me half as much as I pay now. I also like the fact of the roll over minutes and the mobile to mobile minutes.

This time I was also able to get a free phone. Not one of the ROKR or Lazer phones but it will do.

I'm going low tech this time around.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

well it figures

In my last post I was talking about my job decision. Decision made, I decided to take the tour. However I've been told the position will not be filled. They have decided to do the tour without a lighting director. Oh well the nature of the business. I'm just glad I didn't say anything to my current employer. So at this point it's bordem as usual.

Monday, October 10, 2005

What to do........

I have been offered a tour. It is a lighting director position. Two busses, band and crew plus a truck for equipment. The problem I have is the pay. Yes it's more than I'm making working at home right now. Yet it is less than I normally get, to go on the road.

I'm not sure if it's worth leaving my current job which is steady, to do a tour that is only guaranteed two months. They tell me they will be touring through next summer. Well I never bank on those words. I've seen too many bands touring and promotion cycle end earlier than planned.

What to do..........

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Music on the go

The iPod, you know those things. Hey, you might even own one or two. I love mine. Lately it goes nearly everywhere with me. It is a savior at work. Without it I would probably lose my mind.

Being the weather has been so nice I am on the bike constantly. You know the iPod is along for the ride. Even mowing the lawn the iPod is there to help.

If I could take it in the shower I probably would.....well maybe not....but you get the idea.

Saturday, October 01, 2005

I realized

All these years seemed that I was always exhausted when I got off the road. I am have not been this tired in years. Yet since taking this local job I can't stay awake. I get home and all I want to do is sleep. It's Saturday and I was awake at 7:15 and need to get things done today. Yet now all I want to do is sleep.

I don't know how people do the 9 to 5, well 10 to 7 in my case.