Switching my iPhone from AT&T to Verizon has been a #nightmare #phonehostage

After way too much drama yesterday, and no I shouldn’t have written that last post. Delete! Ten views. Might be time to retire the blog again. This one was mainly about my fitness regimen, which, well… Let’s not talk about it.

And of course things are unresolved with the phone. First, neither Verizon (my new carrier) nor AT&T told us I’d need a new sim, and we had to wait a couple days for that. Then I find the activation is going to take a hell of a lot longer than “a few minutes”. It’s not like turning on your credit card when changing carriers, sadly.

AT&T has been hugely negligent

AT&T quite significantly forgot to mention I’d need to have my phone unlocked when terminating my account at the end of my latest contract. I thought they’d just add on the $31 in “Screw you!” cancellation fees to the usual auto-billing and we could call it a day, but no. I needed to log into my account and pay it off in order to get the phone unlocked so Verizon can activate the new sim. Problem was I couldn’t log into my account because my contract was over. They knew I’d need a new sim with a different carrier and they ended my account with my phone locked. I spent like an hour on chat working with “Jesus”. He didn’t save me. He just wasted my time, gave up and gave me a phone number. It took an hour and a half on the phone to be allowed to read off my credit card information.

The lady I was speaking with told me I could get into the unlock portal right after, but she lied. Didn’t work and the website error message said I’d have to wait 24-hours.

I got in a little early, this morning, but now I have to wait two more business days for “processing”. This means we’ll have to try calling back the Verizon people on Monday – Charlie and I are both busy Friday and it might not be fully processed by then anyway – and pray there are no further problems.

Right before I got off the phone with AT&T lady and she said some script-blurb about my having been a “valued customer” I snorted in disgust… It’s so hard not to take it out on these phone drones… I know it’s not their fault but there is something about the particular torture of cell phone providers that is perhaps worse than cable service companies. What do we depend on more? It probably comes down to that.

Verizon has been completely inept

When we were initially going to “quickly” get my sim in and activated before jam night, we looked at the instructions which said, STEP 1: Call this number to activate. First thing the guy asks us is if we’ve got the sim in yet, because it’s gotta be in the phone to get activated. That was our first surprise, which we weren’t prepared for. It’s STEP 2 on the manual, and a lot of the times with computers and networking equipment, the order you do things IS important. The text indicating step order was big and bold. Your instructions are badly written, Charlie and I both said to the guy, in different ways.

Then he told us to find the tool that came with the phone (Sure I’ve got that lying around from two years ago and no there was never a tool in the package to begin with) to open the Sim tray. I googled & found a paperclip would work. C got it open. Then the guy told us it had to be gold side down / logo up top, but was unclear of how to tell us which end went in first. Finally we got that straight but he said we should stick the sim in and then put the little drawer thing in after it. We immediately got the sim stuck in the phone. Right after, he denied saying that but Charlie and I both heard it.

Luckily C was able to pick the card back out (surgeon skills) and install it, in the tray first, which the agent kept insisting he’d said at the beginning. Wrong! Wrong! Powered the phone down. Powered it up and discovered it was still locked & I’d need to contact AT&T.

He said he’d call back in 20-minutes and never did! I can see why. We both refused to agree when he claimed he’d told us to put it in the tray. Why is Verizon having people with no tech training on these kinds of calls? I guess it’s for the same reason the manual is so poor. Or maybe he just knew it’d take an unreasonable amount of time -1½ hours, plus two business days instead of 20minutes – and just been playing dumb before for fun.

Rest day, #ashtanga #yoga

Rest from the HIIT that is! I was ridiculously stiff & sore last night and this morning. I’ve been over emphasizing the Julia circuits of course, and I’ve been getting a little bit low-level tweaky. So today jumping was absolutely forbidden! Well… not counting the jump throughs and jump backs and hand stands of my Primary+.

I wasn’t going to wear the monitor… But even if I know it’s going to be low part of me wants to know the stats, and that part always wins, lol.

A 106 average! That’s not even a brisk walk. This is about what a normal, low energy primary would be for me. And part of me is like, Oh man, you stopped just 2 short of cracking 400! I could’ve jogged in place for that last two. Silly.

• Suryas & fundamentals
• My primary+
• Second to Laghu Vajrasana,
• Urdhva D, 3 drop backs, 3 ticks
• Finishing

Cooking & rest days

Taking a rest day today so thought I’d write about cooking while I wait for the chicken noodle soup to finishing simmering. Nothing like soup with homemade stock! Charlie and I are getting pretty good at roasting chickens too, I have to say.

The glop on top is the fresh rosemary & garlic rub.

I used the rest of the roasted veggies that we hadn’t eaten, as well as the juice (wine & stock), since we didn’t feel like going to the store today.

I just tasted the stock and it’s ah-MAZ-ing.

I sometimes regret going to the “dark side” and eating meat again. I go from month long vegan experiments to eating antipasto plates at brewpubs, but… I guess right now it’s just easiest to follow the path of least resistance.

Henry health update, #restday

I haven’t found any more fleas since the one I nabbed two days ago. The scabs that run half the length of his back have progressed from raw, wet wounds to darker and dryer. I suppose that’s good. I nearly put the cone of shame back on him yesterday.

I did order some diatomaceous earth to have on hand for the next time (because you know there will be one, if he’s getting fleas while staying mostly inside in freaking December), but though Amazon tracking says it was dropped off yesterday evening, it was nowhere to be found this morning. We live at the end of a long, windy, uphill and dead-end drive, so packages disappearing isn’t generally a problem. An Amazon query says you need to wait 36 hours before they’ll do anything about it, as sometimes packages are marked as delivered preemptively. Interesting! I’ll have to look up some more information on it before testing it out on future flea problems. You’re supposed to avoid their eyes and nose, which makes sense, but I’m not sure about any open wounds.

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The weak area in my left tricep has been squawking a little bit & I haven’t taken a rest day yet this week  so I’m going to go ahead and take one today. I’m not going downtown to work tomorrow. Otherwise I’d wait until then.

Finally got all the information I needed to call the IRS, verify my identity and get my 2015 refund into final processing stage! It was one mix-up after another, but I know for certain I’d given my new address to my NYC accountant when we spoke over the summer. I remember him saying he’d put a note in my account, but of course I had no paper trail. That was the mistake that started the whole cluster fuck. I dropped the ball too but I wouldn’t have if I’d gotten my mail.

The follow-up has been pretty lack luster, and he raised his fee by $15 over the prior year too. I guess it’s pretty obvious from my (near total lack of) earnings last year that I’m not going to continue to be a client. That explains it. I’ll do my own next year. Fuck it. It’s not like I don’t have the time.

Fake rest day, light workout, About 33min #HIIT & 23min easy #yoga

Probably I should’ve just taken a rest day. I really wanted one yesterday & turned in a lackluster (due to low energy), short (due to procrastination) workout. This was because I’d taken two days off already last week and barely move otherwise.

Today is a new week and I could’ve passed. Detailed out a Julia workout & thought, That’s way too much work for today, and came up with the below. Actually I’d planned yoga that was a little more work but bailed, so I got another burn in the “short, brisk walk” category, even lower than most full primaries would be for me! I suppose it’s better than nothing. It’ll get me in the shower and dressed so there you go.

Adapted from:

Jump rope & plank

• (15/50) with jump rope before every move for a 32:30min set.

1. Sliders Forearm Plank Feet on sliders, go from plank to pike
2. Pull-ups
3. Right Side Plank From hand, adding hip dips.
4. Left Side Plank
5. Chatarunga
6. Stationary Pike, feet on wall, trying to get shoulders right under hips Knee Drop Plank
7. Plank Jack Hands
8. Elbow Tap Plank (right) Forearm
9. Elbow Tap Plank (left)
10. Reverse Plank Leg Lift Plank This move & the next work upper back of the legs
11. Superman
12. Side Plank Leg Lift (right)
13. Side Plank Leg Lift (left)
14. Elevated knee in & to opp knee, alt
15. Plank Step Feet elevated, tap opp foot down & out

Yoga

• Surya As w/ backbends & handstands – 5

(15/45) yoga intervals

1. Virasana 30lbs
2. Supta Virasana
3. Malasana 5lb
4. Paschimo
5. Anjenayasana upright R
6. Anjenay backbend (10lb) R
7. Hanuman upright  R
8. Anjenayasana upright L
9. Anjenay backbend (10lb) L
10. Hanuman upright L
11. Ardha Matseyen
12. Other side
13. parigha var
14. Other side
15. Baddha Kona A
16. Baddha Kona B
17. Baddha Kona C
18. Upavistha Kona
19. Krounchasana
20. Other side

Lost interest in the consecutive intervals.

1min

1. Rack 1
2. Rack 2
3. Sarvanga, hala, karna pida, next one, next one (lol) savasana

Body image, depression and a balanced approach to exercise

I can relate to a lot of this… Unlike Christine, I unfortunately don’t have access to a gym or heavy weights.

I can totally relate when she talks about wanting to get back to a certain leanness that she first achieved somewhat effortlessly when starting on a raw food diet. I experienced the same kind of thing when I launched on the India cycle, winter 2006. (India screwed both of us up but in different weight directions!) Sometime after 2010 I hit the ashtanga plateau, compounded by the fact that I couldn’t find a local teacher and then I also stopped going to India. I aged past 43-45, the perimenopausal window of hormonally induced belly fat. I’ve been unhappy with my weight for 4 or 5 years now.

Recently I’ve been loving the new crazy-intense workouts on Fit Body by Julia, but I cannot do them every day like she can. She’s got a few kids, but depending on when she started might even still be in her late 20s, probably with a much healthier lifestyle than mine overall. I’m way less addicted to this idea of an exercise regimen than I used to be in the days of The Cult, when missing days brought a whole lot of culturally supported guilt, but I still get a little worried about it. Now that I’m on The Hill, I’m almost entirely inactive when I’m not working out. I also won’t even bother to shower or even get dressed most of the time if I don’t exercise. I just lie here and read. That’s it.

But then I can’t seem to restrain myself from really blowing it out of the water when I do. Then I’m sore the next day and can’t seem to step up to the plate if I don’t feel I’ll be able to generate a certain level of intensity. Today I was thinking maybe to do just 15min of a HIIT and then some low key yoga, but…

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None of this is of end of the world import. It wouldn’t be a tragedy if I settled into an every-other-day plan. I’d just like to be more balanced in my approach, but I guess today I will lie in bed, think about exercise and write about exercise rather than do any.

Wow! I’ve only worked out 3x this week

And instead of doing it today, I rushed out of the house to go through the long weekend process of getting to the NW via public transport. I think I left at like 9:30.  It’s now 10:42 & I’m not there yet, but I’m practically giddy to be out, making all this effort just to go sit in a cafe & read a novel while killing time. I’m meeting Charlie for lunch later at my favorite Indian place in pdx. It’s not Saravana Bhavan but it’s good.

Doubtful I’ll exercise in the early evening. Seems somehow intrusive in the shared space of the downstairs. Maybe. Who cares, right?

Gets back into bed with laptop

If I’d been more disciplined last night I could’ve totally gotten in a workout today, since I’m getting a ride & don’t have to do the 90-minute version of the 2.5 mile commute, but… Meh. Thinks back to the entrenched guilt of the Cult days. Back then my teacher & shala mates would know if I’d skipped. It’s still hard for me to believe that I paid $240 a month for yoga ten years ago, without blinking. What would that be now, $325 monthly? And that wasn’t even for 24/7 access year round. When you pay for ashtanga, you’re lucky to get 5-6 days a week access (depending on the moon schedule), past 10am, except when the teacher is: sick, on vacation, getting paid to be in two places at one time (doing a workshop elsewhere). Yoga Sutra was awesome back in the day, before Greg screwed over Christopher, only later to be shafted himself but there’s karma for you. There were two teachers, going from 6:30 to I think it was 11:30am, so if you had a day off work you didn’t still have to get up at 5 to get your fix in. That blissful situation didn’t last long, and these days AYNY can only exist in Brooklyn.

These days I’m so apathetic about everything that I’m on a 4x a week exercise plan. It’s just as easy to eat less on days I’ve got a retail shift. I used to be able to get up at 5am sharp to get in a yoga practice before a 7 or 8 hours of work but that was when I was doing design. I guess lazy & flabby goes along with unskilled labor for me.

I know regular yoga would still be good for me, but I could only manage it if I had a group, and I don’t have the budget for that.

Thinks about meditation.

Doesn’t meditate.

At least this year I will finish a themed group of 16 illustrations. There’s something.

Having a #retail #associate gig is like having a bad, #bootycall boyfriend

1. It never takes your needs into consideration and will not commit to a schedule, regularly summoning & discarding at will.
2. It expects “passion” but offers as little as possible at all times, in all aspects including salary, non existent perks like transportation reimbursement and creature comforts so that you don’t have to, you know, work in pain. Sure you’re on your feet all day, but don’t even try to stand on the cushy mat behind the counter unless you’re waiting on a customer. Makes you less available servile, supposedly.

I walked in the door at 12:25pm, having spent half the day on an errand that should’ve / could’ve been worked into a downtown visit with Charlie and taking up all of one half-hour. The end of my commute was a half hour walk up the sidewalk-less, shoulder-less Dosch Road, in the rain, because this isn’t a time I could either take the 51 or ask C to pick me up. But the worst part is that my $109 art supply run should’ve been covered about 60% by today’s earnings. What if I had needed that money for groceries? The corporation doesn’t care.

I minded the walk less than usual because I’d already planned on not exercising today and I have no paint so I’m going to do artwork. I got mud on the hems of my navy work pants and sweated through my work shirt, but I’ll hang them up to dry now. Good as new!

 

Today’s reading #tarot

No exercise today, beyond mental endurance and withstanding foot pain. I’m glad I made the time for this daily reading before retail though, because it’s interesting.

Card 1 within: 9 of Cups

More generally, the Nine of Cups reflects happiness in all areas such as health, finances, work, luck, love or relationships. After the difficult choices of the Seven and the stagnation of the Eight, the Cups suit starts to balance out with the Nine. One of the most positive and uplifting cards of the entire deck, the Nine of Cups shows satisfaction on all levels – emotional, physical, and sensual. It is no wonder that many Tarot readers refer to this card as the Wish Card as its appearance is often taken as a sign that, whatever your heart’s desire, it shall be granted in the coming days or weeks. Know that you have paved our own way on the path to success.

As a Cups card, the Nine usually refers to an emotionally fulfilling situation, such as the strengthening of a romantic bond, the solidification of a friendship or the consummation of a sexual relationship. It shows that joy and happiness are within your grasp. In fact, you probably already have them. It is a sign to enjoy the abundance of life and to feel each of your emotions as if you had never felt any of them before. See the perfection all around you.

The Nine of Cups is also about counting your blessings, living in the moment, and enjoying the good things that life has to offer. Start or end every day by creating a mental list of the three things you are most grateful for. You will find that over time, you indeed have a lot to be happy about and it may increase your feeling of deep contentment and fulfilment.

The Nine of Cups represents stability and advancement. This card signals delight and pleasure, contentment with what you have accomplished so far and forms a steady foundation for the future. Your worries are all in the past and you can look forward to a bright future. This is from biddytarot.com

Introduction: The 9 of Cups is one of the most uplifting and pleasant cards to receive in a reading. Known often as the “wish card” it can mean that what you are hoping for or dreaming about most is very likely to be yours – in a brief period of time, generally, too.

General: The appearance of this card is usually a portent of happiness, and good things about to come. It also usually means that what you want is likely to come into being in your life. If asking a yes/no type of question, this card is the most powerful indicator of “yes”, but like everything else in the tarot, that is not carved in stone.

Card 2, without: King of Wands

Last seen May 25th in the 1st position.

Master of your own energy, soul, spirituality, creativity, life force, passions through knowledge and experience. Justice, righteousness, illumination of what was previously dark, misdeeds and bad intentions.

The King of Wands is an indication that you are someone who is very visionary and goal-oriented. You achieve a lot because you are very clear about your future direction and how you will get there. You do not waste your time on activities or relationships that you believe will lead no-where. You never just go with the flow, instead you prefer to embark on a strong and direct course of action.

The King of Wands reminds you to lead your life with intent, vision and a long-term view. Know that even though you are experiencing challenges now this is just a part of your journey to something much more positive. Eventually, you will see this time as just a little blip on the radar and it will have simply served to make you stronger. Stay focused on your long-term goals.

The King of Wands in the present position indicates that any project you are working on is an inspired choice and will take you far. There is no time like the present to use your abilities to solve a complex problem. You can get many people to help you as long as you keep them inspired and ensure that the aim of your project has some benefit to them as well. Your ability to delegate is strong and this is an indication of a new level of maturity – you can trust other people instead of trying to do everything yourself. This is a high-water mark in your development on the path to success. keen.com

Card 3, advice: 7 of Cups

In the future position, this card is actually not menacing at all. The temptations that are so present in it are far off dreams. They may even be motivators of something good coming your way somewhere on down the road. The strength of this card in this position is that you are tempted to continue on a current path out of self-interest. While the card will tempt someone to drop out of school when it is in the present position, here it will cause a greed that one can only satisfy if one is to stay in school in order to get a higher paying job. The Seven of Cups tempts you from so far off that the illusions it provides you actually may build your character.

General: In general this card points to a need to narrow your focus. When it appears, you are probably trying to do too much, and doing most of it not very well. Choose just a few of the myriad things that are on your plate, and work through these items one by one, carefully. You may be feeling overwhelmed. Remember that you can control at least in some areas, how much you are trying to take on.

Midway upon the journey of our life
I found myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost. – Opening lines of the divine comedy, Dante Alighieri

Keywords: Shadow self, dark side, wild, unmanageable, subconscious, energy, passion. Choose your path, reality based on perception, subjectivity. Most exalted state of this card is knowledge and acceptance of the internal dark horse.

Imagination, deliberation, plan, design.