Nothing Succeeds As Planned

[liadnan]

Today is not my day for doing anything. Starting with waking up, a feat at which I rather failed.

The cause of this can be traced back... well to "let there be light" obvs. More immediately, it can be traced back to the fact I foolishly put my phone in my back pocket when exploring the island on my bike at the weekend. (In itself that was great: various pubs and beaches logged for future reference, though the weather's changing fast enough I doubt I'll have much use for the latter. My bike handlebars came inexplicably loose during the day, so there were some hair-raising freewheels down green lanes as the bars rolled in my hands and the brakes went out of immediate reach, but that's now dealt with.)

Anyway, the result was one broken phone screen. Very pretty, as bust TFT screens always are: an impressive fat swirl of magenta across the screen with a double border in sunburst yellow and an outer haze of azure blue, but frankly not much use as an aid to comprehension of anything.

Since my phone doubles as my alarm clock, and the alarm now can't be set, this leaves me with minor difficulties. So I rang Orange to ask them for a replacement one, and they said I'd have to pay.

"Ptui," thought I, or verbalisations to that effect, and said I'd think about it. More than one person has told me recently that if you threaten to terminate your contract Orange buckle remarkably quickly and start offering, if not quite a pony, at least free upgrades and the like.

I think they might be wise to this now. Or at least to me.

"I'd like to terminate my contract."

"OK. The earliest it can take effect is 1st Nov, is that ok?" [this is in my case, strictly speaking correct as I signed up for another 12 months last November.]

Um. Evidently they've been itching to be rid of me. Oh well, that'll teach me. I ought to sign up for a Jersey mobile anyway as it's costing me an arm and a leg otherwise, but I was rather fond of my number, which hasn't changed in six years.

In other news, I'm still struggling to come to terms with properly unitised billing and having to ask people to approve what I do instead of working when I feel like it and picking a figure from the top of my head when my clerks ask me how long a job took. Now I remember why I chose to be a self-employed barrister. And I'm trying to write something original, but nothing seems to be coming together as yet. I have no new opinions on anything and am therefore resisting the temptation to share them with you. (Also I still don't have a working landline at home nor can I persuade my wireless card to work.)

ETA: Oh, while I remember I shall probably be drinking and being 33 in some central London pub evening of 7th October, from about 7. The Shakespeare's Head on Kingsway, near Holborn tube, sounds a likely prospect.

Comments

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

Are you happy there, though? Was the move a good thing?

Re: the phone, you can take your phone number with you in most cases.

[liadnan]

Oh I'm mostly happy yes. Is a good thing for several reasons, and is only for six months.

We'll see what happens. I have time to rethink. But I still don't have a decent phone.

[booklectica]

7th October, OK. *makes note*

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

can't you pester tech support until they make the wireless card work?

7th October, then? *also makes note*

[liadnan]

What tech support?

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

oh, dear!!! that's grim!!

At least, I'm certain all these experiences will end up in your original writing somehow :)

[liadnan]

Unlikely.

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

You never know!

(I'm trying to be optimistic here, btw *g*)

[ninebelow.livejournal.com]

You what? You were only 30 last year.

[liadnan]

Sadly incorrect.

[ninebelow.livejournal.com]

Well, 33 it is then. See you next week.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

You're probably on a tarif that isn't sufficiently ripping you off to make it worth retaining you. Worth speaking to Orange locally, and tell them you're looking for a new contract, but want to keep your number.

I can recommend the Motorola Razor thingy - good reception and coincidentally CAF.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

What he said about your tariff. Although when I left O2 they professed not to care until the very last minute, at which point they said "ok, we'll do you a deal". But by that time I'd organised something else. If you don't spend a fortune on calls (no idea whether you do or not), they really don't care about you.

Hope you're enjoying t'island.

[greyarea.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when I told Orange I wished to close the account I've had with them for about 9 years they just said "ok", and did so. They then rang me back about 2 weeks later to say "thanks for being a great customer, and if you change your mind at any time, just ring us back and we'll see if we can sort you a deal to stay on". So maybe you'll get the same.

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

You're younger than me! You sod!

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

Wot she said!

And are you okay after that tumble?