Week Two of the Basement Project

Week Two of the Basement Project ended on a very positive note.  A lot of water lines were moved, studs were roughed in, and cement was mixed and poured where the new bathroom will be.  This is a view of where the bathroom will be, before the cement was poured and studs were installed:

This is the floor before the cement was broken up.

A few plumbing lines installed and in place.

Lance doing his magic.

This is what is looks like now:

Insulation is now in place and the old carpeting is gone:

Perhaps the most important thing to happen last week was that the plumbing, electrical and structural inspections passed without a problem:

Plumbing inspection approved!

Electrical and Structural inspection approved!

Next week will be all drywall, all the time:

Updates to follow as the project continues to unfold.

Comast. It just gets better and better.

Since last week, technically, 11 May, I have been trying to find out from Comcast how much it would cost to drop our land line and just have HDTV and high speed internet.  Since then, I have received e-mails from Andrea Burton, Elisa Stagliano, some person named Victor R., from the "Comcast City Desk, as well as a post on this blog from Mark Casem whose title is "Comcast Corp., National Customer Operations (Mark can be reached at We_can_help@cable.comcast.com).  And let's not forget the "Online Sales Representative" named Chris who reached out to me to "help" me last weekend, but the only help he could give me was to upgrade my service, not meet my needs.  I also have been playing phone tag with Andrea since last week.  She seems to call me whenever I am not available and when I call her, my call goes straight to her voicemail.

I remained hopeful as I am an eternal optimist, but an e-mail exchange I had with Andrea makes me think that Comcast is just not capable of the most basic customer service.  Maybe Deirdre is right.  Maybe we should look for an alternative to Comcast, but they are essentially a monopoly here.  See the e-mail string below:

Deirdre Honner	4:59 PM (3 hours ago)
from:  Deirdre Honner dhonner@gmail.com to:  Paul Kratochwill cc:  "ESL Department, Michigan Region" ,  we_can_help@comcast.com,  We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com date:  Tue, May 15, 2012 at 4:59 PM subject:  Re: Comcast Cable Billing Inquiry
to me, ESL, we_can_help, We_Can_Help

This is unreal.   Let's look at AT&T.

Deirdre Honner

On Tue, May 15, 2012 at 4:28 PM, Paul Kratochwill <plkrat@gmail.com> wrote:

Andrea,

Why would I be penalized for dropping the digital voice service?  I signed not contract with Comcast, why can't I add or drop services as I see fit?  If I want to drop digital voice but keep my current HDTV and interenet access, what is that cost per month?

Paul

 

On Tue, May 15, 2012 at 3:35 PM, ESL Department, Michigan Region<MichiganRegion_ESLDepartment@cable.comcast.com> wrote:

Dear Mr. Kratochwill,

At Comcast our goal is to ensure customer satisfaction.   As the Executive Customer Care Specialist for Comcast, my responsibility is to ensure that all customer concerns are handled promptly and receive a satisfactory response. 

I am sorry you were not available today to take my call at the alternate phone number you provided. I apologize for any inconvenience.

I understand you wish to remove the Comcast Digital Voice service from your package. By removing this service, you will lose the bundled discount you are currently receiving. Thus, your services will be billed at the current retail rates.

Listed below are some options:

Option#1

$20.49* Limited Basic

$9.95* HD Service

$1.99* DTA Adapter

$58.95* Blast Internet Service

$7.00* Modem

Total $98.38* monthly before applicable taxes and fees

Option #2

$29.95* Digital Economy  

$9.95* HD Service

$1.99* DTA Adapter

$58.95* Blast Internet Service

$7.00* Modem

Total $107.84* monthly before applicable taxes and fees

Option #3

$64.25* Digital Starter   

$9.95* HD Service

$1.99* DTA Adapter

$58.95* Blast Internet Service

$7.00* Modem

Total $142.14* monthly before applicable taxes and fees

For additional assistance with the channels available within the various levels of service, please refer to the channel lineup card I have attached to this email for your review.

Please contact our office at 734-331-1217 at your earliest convenience if we can be of assistance, between the hours of 9:30am and 5:30pm Tuesday through Saturday. We look forward to hearing from you.

Andrea Burston

Office: (734) 331-1217

Fax: (734) 254-1861

Executive Customer Care Specialist

ESL00595069

DISCLAIMER: *Some restrictions including franchise fees, taxes and other fees may apply. Offers are subject to change without prior notice. You may choose to cancel your service at any time. A franchise fee will be added to all applicable Comcast services. A monthly FCC administrative fee will be added to your statement. A deposit may be required if service is shut off for non-payment. The response contained in this message is intended for the addressee only and may vary from other responses depending on geography, promotional campaigns or other factors. If you are not the intended recipient of this response, please delete this message. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of the information contained in this correspondence is prohibited.

There is no rhyme or reason to the "packages" that Andrea sent to me.  The channel listing and price sheets are inscrutable, and it appears that if I drop my phone service before some date in the future only know to Comcast, my monthly cost will increase.  This just gets better and better...

For a communications company, Comcast does not appear to communicate...

I have been asked by at least three different people from Comcast for my "account information."  Each time I have provided it and I was just asked by Victor R. for my "account information," but he did not specify what this account information was that he needed.  This just gets better and better...

Paul Kratochwill	9:00 PM (5 minutes ago)
to Comcast

Victor,

Mark Casem from Comcast asked me to send him my phone number and a link to my blog.  What information do you need?

Paul

On Mon, May 14, 2012 at 8:53 PM, Comcast City Desk <city_desk@cable.comcast.com> wrote:

Hello Paul,
Please reply to all with your account information to have someone give you a call.

Thank you
Victor R.


Original Message Follows: ------------------------
Mark,

Please reach me at 616-648-XXXX.  Here is a link to my blog:

http://plkrat.blogspot.com/2012/05/comcast-customer-service-is-oxymoron.html 

Paul

--
Paul Kratochwill
plkrat@gmail.com 

616-648-XXXX

Comcast Customer Service is an Oxymoron

My struggles with Comcast are well documented here  in this blog.  Most of the attempts I have made to communicate with Comcast about my bills or service have been very painful.  Unfortunately, Comcast is the only high speed internet provider we have here, so they are essentially a monopoly.


After giving it some thought, we decided to drop our landline.  We rarely use it and it is costing us money each month for a service we do not use.  I logged into our Comcast account and I poked around the website trying to find out what it might cost us to drop the land line and go with HDTV and high speed internet.  The Comcast website is so poorly laid out that it was not possible to determine what it would cost to drop our landline while keeping HDTV and high speed internet access.  I kept getting sent to a webpage asking me which of the premium movie channels I wanted... HBO, Stars, etc.  I do not want any premium movie channels, I simply want basic HDTV and high speed internet access.


While I was trying to find out the answer to what I thought was a simple change in my service plan, I get an instant message from a person identified as Chris at Comcast.  Below is how the chat went: 


Chris: Hi, I'm a live Comcast product specialist. Would you like my help checking out?
Chris: Just type your question below.
Me: Your website is impossible to navigate!
Me: I want to change my services, but I keep getting sent to a webpage asking me about premium TV channels.
Me: I currently have HD Preferred XF bundled services
Me: I want to drop my land line and have HDTV and high speed internet access
Chris: I am sorry being an online sales representative I don't have access to your account therefore I would recommend you to please contact our customer service at 1-800-comcast as they have the complete access to your account and will be helping you with the best option available for you.
Me: I don’t want HBO, Starz, etc.
Me: If you can' t help me, why did you instant message me?
Me: If you are on online sales representative, and you can't sell me a new package, what can you do for me?
Me: I want an online sale to happen. Are you the wrong person to help me?
Chris: I am sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.
Chris: I apologize and I know that my apologies would not compensate for the inconvenience caused to you. However, I am an online sales representative and due to limited access, I would not be able to get the details of your account.
Me: So just what is your function at Comcast? Is your job to contact people via instant messaging and then tell them that they need to call 1-800--COMCAST?
Me: Can you tell me what it would cost me to get HDTV (no movie channels) and high speed internet access?
Me: I want you to sell me the aforementioned items. What would it cost me?
Chris: Okay.
Chris: May I know how much are you paying for the current service?
You: $159.95/month,
Chris: Prices and plans vary by location, however we can definitely take a look at the available offers in your area. 
Me: With all taxes and fees, my bill is $179.47.
Me: Can you tell me what it would cost me to get HDTV (no movie channels) 
and high speed internet access?
Me: I want you to sell me the aforementioned items. What would it cost me?
Chris: Okay.
Chris: May I please have your address and zip code?
Me: My address is .... (hidden for privacy reasons).
Chris: Thank you for providing your complete address.
Me: I saw a deal for something called "Blast Plus" for $79.95/month.
Chris: I can assist you with adding services or upgrading here on this website. 
To discuss lower priced options, please call our Customer Service Team at 1-800-COMCAST (1-800-266-2278) for more information. They will be able to access your account information and see what options are available to you.
Me: So despite your title as an "online sales representative," you can't help me or sell me anything?
Chris: I can understand your concern but really apologize for the inconvenience caused as I cannot downgrade a customer.
You: If you can't really help me, why did you contact me?
Chris: I am really apologize.
Chris: Please contact our customer service for better information and options available for you.
You: Thanks for nothing.


So, Chris is an online sales representative for Comcast who reaches out to me to help me change my Comcast package... but he can't really sell me what I want, unless I want to upgrade my service.  I am still trying to find out why Chris contacted me... and once again I am reminded about how painful it is to deal with Comcast.


This journey will unfold in the next few days.  I will keep you posted.

Week One of the Basement Project

Well, the professionals at HWC Homeworks have been busy in our home this past week.  They have been working in our basement remodeling and transforming the space.  We also decided to add a 1/2 bath, so there is a lot of demolition and roughing in for the new spaces.


First we had to remove some ceiling tiles...

We were pretty surprised to see some of the electrical issues once we removed the tiles...

And we kicked up some dirt and dust...

It is good to own a shop-vac.


More images of the first week of work:

We have lost a stall in our garage for the duration of the project:

The new 1/2 bath will go here:

Here is that same area after some work.  A lot of work...

Lance from Grandville Plumbing is back doing his magic for us once again...

Roper and Jim are back doing their magic, too...

Look for more updates as the project continues.  The transformation is going to be pretty amazing.

Relay for Life Update

We are less than a month away from the 2012 East Grand Rapids American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and I am happy to report that so far I have raised $690.00.  My personal goal is to raise at least $1,000.00 and I am well on my way to doing just that.


My team, Connie's Crew, has raised $1,115.00, and the team has a fundraising goal of $5,000.00.  Overall, the Relay has 36 teams, 178 participants, and the teams have raised $7,627.00 to date.  


There is still plenty of time for you to make a donation in my name in support of this fight we all must win.  Simple click on this link:


www.relayforlife.org/eastgrandrapidsmi 




On the left hand side of the webpage look for the word DONATE, click on "Support a Participant," enter my name, then click on "Go."  I truly appreciate your support as we fight back against cancer.

East Grand Rapids ACS Relay for Life Update

Activity for the 2012 East Grand Rapids American Cancer Society Relay for Life is picking up.  We have two Committee planning to go, as well as one more Team Captain Meeting.  The Relay will be at the East Grand Rapids High School track from 3PM 18 May, to 3PM 19 May.  If you are in the area that during these times, I encourage you to stop by, say hello, and learn about the Relay.


I have officially joined "Connie's Crew," which is the team my neighbor Rosanne started at the first EGR Relay in 2008.  Connie's Crew is named in honor of Rosanne's Mom, who is a cancer survivor.  Though I am a team member, I will be so busy with the logistics that I won't spend a lot of time with the team.  So far, I have raised $360.00, and I am hoping to raise a lot more!  


If you can afford to send a few bucks my way, please click here.  This link will take you to the EGR Relay for Life website and you can make a donation in my name.  Thanks for your support and any amount you can donate will help fight this battle we all must win.

2012 East Grand Rapids ACS Relay for Life

Gentle Readers,
I am pleased and proud to tell you that once again I am serving as the Logistics Coordinator for the American Cancer Society's 2012 East Grand Rapids Relay for Life.  This is the fourth year that I have served as the Logistics Coordinator and I am looking forward to supporting this event.

The Relay will be held at the East Grand Rapids High School track from 3PM Friday,  18 May until 3PM Saturday, 19 May.  During these 24 hours, relay teams will be walking the track continuously, raising money for the American Cancer Society.  For more information about the Relay click on the link below:

www.relayforlife.org/eastgrandrapidsmi


One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people across the country each year to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that takes too much.    Each year, the American Cancer Society works to raise money for research to fight this disease.  With your financial help, we can help the American Cancer Society raise the money it needs to continue its research to cure cancer.

What I need from you is simple: your money.  I am not leading a team as I will be working the logistics from the start to the finish of the Relay, but what I can do is accept your donations to the American Cancer Society.  No amount is too small or too large to support the fight against cancer.  

The 2012 East Grand Rapids Relay is a little more than 6 weeks away, so there is plenty of time for you to crack open your check book and send me a check.  Again, no donation is too big or too small.  If you can help me by sending me a check (and no amount is too small!) to raise money for cancer research, please drop me an e-mail at plkrat@gmail.com and I will send you more information.

I hope that you can find the time to take a few minutes, make a donation (which is completely tax deductible!) to the American Cancer Society and send it my way.  I will ensure that whatever you send to me will help the fight against cancer.  Thanks again for your help in this fight we all must win.

Paul

Samson 2, Squirrels 0

It happened again.  Samson captured and killed a squirrel.  It has been almost 4 years since he last caught a squirrel.  He has bagged a few rabbits and field mice since then, but squirrels have been beating him at his game for a while.  Until today.





It seemed an innocent enough act.  Samson was at the slider in our Back Room and he was squeaking.  Samson makes a high pitch squeak when he wants to go out, and his squeakiness is attenuated when there are squirrels in his yard.  I saw two squirrels running around near a large tree in our yard.  I thought that Samson would have no chance whatsoever to catch either of these squirrels.


I was wrong.


I did not see him bag his quarry.  It was Deirdre who looked out into our yard and said to me, "Oh my!  He got the squirrel!  He got the squirrel!."






I went outside and Samson was proudly standing over his prey.  The squirrel from my vantage point did not have any obvious wounds, but it was clearly not moving.  I called Samson away and he did walk away, but he kept looking back at the squirrel, as if it was going to get up and play again.


We got Samson in the house and Deirdre said to me, "You know, I am not taking care of the squirrel."  I acknowledged her comment.  I went into the garage to get a shovel and gloves in case I needed to humanely end the life of the squirrel.


I walked up to the squirrel and he was clearly dead.  I rolled the animal over and there were abrasions in his fur, most likely put there by Samson's canine teeth.  The squirrel also seemed quite limp, so I am suspecting that once Samson had the squirrel in his mouth he shook it a couple of times and broke its back.


I disposed of the squirrel's lifeless body, returned my tools and gloves to the garage and I came into the house.  I praised Samson for his efforts.  His tail was wagging wildly as I patted his head and gave him a puppy treat.





Be forewarned if you are a squirrel or other varmint and you dare cross into Samson's yard. You do so at your mortal peril.

From the Archives: Happy St. Patrick's Day

From the archives.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Those of you who know my heritage know that I am half Irish and half German. My mother's family came over from County Mayo in the 1800s and settled in easter Pennsylvania. The Irish did not stray far away from other Irish when it came to marriage, so I come from a long line of Hastings and Clancys. My father, however, is a first generation German. His mother and father emigrated to the United States in 1921. My parents met when they were both stationed at Parks Air Force Base in California. They married and moved back to Michigan where I was born and raised. Well, my mother is quite proud of her Irish heritage and when I was growing up, St. Patrick's Day was always a cause for celebration. We would go to the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Detroit, we would wear green clothing and sometimes put on silly hats and pretend to be leprechauns. One part of the celebration was the evening meal, which invariably was Corned Beef and Cabbage. For the life of me, I think that the reason why so many Irish left the Emerald Isle is because like me, they could not stand this vile cut of seasoned meat.

Each St. Patrick's Day my family would look forward to eating what was essentially boiled shoe leather. My mother would fill a cauldron with water, throw in a hunk of corned beef, some potatoes, cabbage, maybe some salt and pepper, perhaps some celery for flavor. How one could ever flavor shoe leather is beyond me, but she would try nevertheless. The aroma of this dank cut of meat would fill the house, so I would try to spend as much time as possible outdoors whenever this "dish" was being prepared. After my father came home from work, the table would be set and the the carcass of beef would be removed from the pot, along with the soggy vegetables and potatoes. My siblings would rejoice at the thought of the meat, while I could barely keep myself from retching at the stench of it.

So, we would then take our places at the table, grace would be said and then my parents and siblings would relish in the consumption of this thoroughly proletarian dish. I was forced to eat this wretched excuse for a meal, so I would slather as much mustard as possible between two pieces of bread, then put a slice of this offensive meat there as well. I would then try to gulp this down, chewing as little as possible so that I would not have to taste it, much.

So, while I applaud the celebration of the birth of the patron saint of Ireland, to this day I cannot stomach the smell, taste or appearance of corned beef. I will probably have a beer or two, maybe even a green one. I will leave the consumption of corned beef to the peasants.