powerless

So it’s another post from the BlackBerry. Only because the power is out in the house.

The power company told me that it’d be restored by 9:32, but that clearly didn’t happen.

It’s weird being this unplugged. Not having internet or mobile phone is desired from time to time, but this is a little much for me. It mostly reminds me that I need a new book to read. Or pull out one of the old biggies to finish (aka Shadow by Bob Woodward).

So I guess we’ll see if sleep is in the cards or not.

Snow Job

While some say giving into anger and hatred is the path to the dark side, I’m at a point of pretty immense feelings. So as per my last blog, I have not been able to drive since Tuesday thanks to snow and the after effects of snow “removal”. Upon getting a ride home from my wife this afternoon, we sat out to bear down and dig out. Over 90 minutes and one broken snow shovel later, the only thing holding the Jetta from freedom was some ice formed somewhere between the road and the beneath the car.

Part of me felt defeated, but then again much progress had been made. All I needed was a gentle tug out, and I’d be free. So I go grab that handy dandy AAA card in my wallet. I call around 7 pm and request assistance while doing my best to convey how little it would actually take to accomplish the task. I was told that it would be 2-3 hours, and I should call back to check on the status of my request.

I call back at 9 – nothing new.

I call back at 10 – nothing new.

I call back at 11:30 – nothing new.

I call back at 1 am at which point I’m finally told that I’m 25th on the list for non-sheltered requests for service.

So while none of this surprises me all that much, why couldn’t I have been given a more realistic estimate or an honest appraisal of the situation? This is a service paid for in times of need. I’ve been a member since 1992, but now it feels like the service is on par with AOL customer service specialists halfway around the world.

So it’s now supposed to snow 2-4 inches tonight, and the plows are most definitely going to bury me again.Boy am I pissed.

I can’t drive… At all, let alone 55…

To all you California, Texas, or anyone not in the path of the weather system that just moved through Indy, consider yourself lucky as I wish I was in any location than this.

I love snow as someone who grew up skiing and sledding, and I’m pretty confident in my ability to drive in it regardless of vehicle. But this is the first time my vehicle has ever been confined due to snow. But I have to take some of the credit away from mother nature for this and give it to the dim-wits at the City of Indianapolis DOT for plowing me in and nicking my rearview mirror (a neighbor had theirs taken clear off).

Later today I’m going to bear down and dig out. I’ve already done so once in the beginning stages of the system that later buried my car which was further buried by the mindless plows. I spent over 30 minutes trying to dig around my car last night without any visible improvement whatsoever. One to three on Saturday as well… But that’s according to the wonderfully bright people predicting the weather… Wait a second…

Do weather people go to Vegas? If they gamble as good as they predict weather, then they must be the reason for the success of that town (and probably the unsolved murders on CSI as well). In my book they are closing in on the public likability of ambulance chasers.