Love can make you feel crazy and love can make you feel cozy, but love doesn't pay the rent. If you think it does, then that ain't love. ---someone somewhere sometime must have said this or something like it. If they didn't then I just said it.
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| Old computers (including a Xerox Star). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
I've got this crazy love affair going on that seems to have hopelessly taken hold of me. Many years ago I said--with complete sincerity--that I didn't need no stinkin' computer. Then I started messing with someone else's computer and discovered Google and Amazon and stuff like that and before I knew it I was hooked. Not long after that I became a computer junkie.
Computers are so darn helpful. They're also a huge diversion and time suck. Now I don't know that I'd ever want to be without computer access. This is why I started getting frantic a few weeks ago when my internet started becoming very inconsistent.
Seems like every year shortly before the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge I start encountering strange computer problems. Probably I just notice more at this time when abnormal computer things start happening, but some years the slow downs and disruptions have been serious issues for me during April.
So when my internet connection totally shut down on me one day I contacted my provider to see what the heck was happening. They said they were upgrading the lines in my area and had no idea when the job would be finished. Up until last summer I'd been getting service from Verizon and then suddenly for reasons of which I am not aware, my provider become Frontier. Okay, no big deal if I've still got service, but last November I began noticing that my connection was no longer reliable. I was becoming annoyed with this new provider. And as the months went by, the service got worse until that day of the shut down.
The tech guy at Frontier said that it could be a while before the upgrades in our area were completed and he had no idea when things would get better. He did, however, offer to connect me with a sales rep who might have some other service to offer me. I accepted--after all, it couldn't hurt to listen and I wasn't doing anything else.
The rep said that they could install a different kind of service through another cable other than my phone line and that service would be far faster and more dependable. After I inquired as to how much additional I'd be paying, he checked my current plan and told me that the new faster plan would be about $25 less. Sounded like a deal to me so I said to proceed.
The technician came today and set me up with the new service. I've only been working with the new set up for half a day now, but if this is how it's going to be then you can count me as a happy camper. If everything continues as it's been going today then I'll be rocking and rolling this April. And if the price and service stays like it is now I'm going to be so crazy in love with Frontier.
And by the way, if you haven't been doing so already, be sure to be checking the A to Z Challenge Blog for updates and tips about the upcoming April Challenge. Things are being done differently this year and that's where you can get your Challenge info as well as helpful pointers to make the Challenge--and blogging in general--a bit more rewarding.
Battle of the Bands
In my most recent round of Battle, I pitted two versions of Paul Anka's 1958 hit "Crazy Love" as done by the Serbian artist Miki Jevremović and the Cuban singers Dúo Los Diablos. I liked both of these a great deal. Miki's version was certainly the most commercial sounding and closest to Anka's original recording. The Dúo gave a darker jazzier bluesy turn to the song and that is the version that I gave my vote to. My vote was enough to break a tie and push the Cuban duet over the top for the win. And before doing the tally I was sure that Miki had won. What a race that was!
Final Vote Tally
Miki Jevremović 12
Dúo Los Diablos 13
Next Battle on Wednesday March 15th
I'm planning a post or two before that next Battle. I may not get directly political, but I might be a bit controversial nevertheless. After all, Tossing It Out is my business on this blog. My next Battle is one that came to me recently and mid-March seemed to be a good time to do it. With the April Challenge quickly approaching, the pairing I've planned seemed to be something on the minds of many. The next Battle will consist of two different songs by two well-known groups. The songs involve a related theme--it's something we all deal with on a daily basis. Maybe that gives you some hints so you're free to guess the songs or the theme. You've got some time to think about it.
Are you planning to participate in this year's A to Z Challenge? How's your internet service? Have you become somewhat dependent on computers and internet?
