I’m very unhappy with my camera situation. Don’t ever take out a warranty on anything but a car, that’s my advice to you. I took out a dumb warranty on this camera at Best Buy and it was supposed to cover anything that you could do to the camera. You could run the camera over with the car and they would fix it or replace it, said they. “I’ll take it!” said I, and handed over a giant wad of cash.
Now, the camera is damaged. I took it in, and and the customer service guy told me to take it to the “Geek Squad” desk. I don’t think the Geek Squad concept is nearly as cute as Best Buy does. I handed the camera to a true geek and he promised, in spitting, stammering sentences, to send it off for repairs. If they couldn’t repair it, he drooled, they would replace it with a brand new camera. This pleased me very much. Several weeks later, the geek returned my old camera. When I went to take a picture, it made the same grinding sound it had made when I gave it to them. And I can’t bear to face another geek.
Oh, how I loved my old camera. They’ll never replace it. They’ll keep geeking around with the old one.
So, for now, I’ll have to just use my words. Yesterday was a glorious day – there’s just no other way to describe it.
I decided to groom up Mark and take him to Steep Rock for a ride. Mark has been in a field all summer and was wearing the field on his coat and in his long, bushy mane. Mark’s mane doesn’t grow like most horses’ manes. Instead of lying flat along his neck, it grows out and up. It’s a little like Don King’s hair and it collects all sorts of flora and fauna in it’s coarse and shockingly upright strands. So yesterday I took the clippers to the mane and sheared the whole thing off. This is called “roaching” the mane. I think in England they call it “hogging” the mane. Anyway, whenever I do it, it takes me a few days to get used to his new look. I think that men often look a little boyish when they first get a haircut, and the same is true for Mark. He looks very off to school in in his big boy pants. I’ll try to get a photo today.
So we went to Steep Rock and Mark hasn’t been there in a while so he was a little bit jazzed. I think I’ve blogged about this before (am to lazy to provide a link), but when you ride a nervous horse it can make you nervous. When we humans are nervous, we sometimes hold our breath. So do horses. So, when a horse notices that his rider is holding her breath, he will become very anxious indeed. An older, experienced horse person once told me that when riding out alone on a nervous horse, it’s a good idea to sing, as you cannot hold your breath while singing. Also, the vibrations you produce are soothing to the horse. This is absolutely true, I have tested it many, many times.
I must interrupt my little story here to restate my vows of love and devotion to my Ford Diesel F-350 pickup truck that my husband so thoughtfully earned for me. I LOVE this truck. I used to just haul the horses in order to get them to the place where I can ride. Now, I enjoy the hauling almost as much as the riding and have often thought I might just load up the horses for a spin around town and then bring them back home. One of the things I love about the truck is that you can plug your ipod into the dashboard and your songs come out of the stereo! Yes, I know that most new cars have this technology, but my car isn’t very new, so this is extremely thrilling for me.
I have many playlists on my ipod, and yesterday I was listening to one I have titled “Torch Songs.” They’re all great love songs sung by Etta James, Dinah Washington, Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin, etc. Songs of yearning for men. Songs begging men to love the singer. I just love these songs, so yesterday, we were clip-clopping down the deserted trail and I was singing,
Take me to he..a..rt, and I’ll always love you
And nobody can make me do wrong
Take me for granted, leaving love unshown
Makes will-power weak and temptation strong….
and
Will it ever cloy
This odd diversity of misery and joy
I’m feeling quite insane and young again
And all because I’m mad about the bo-o-o-y
Of course, it never fails that when I hit the notes that are most at odds with my very limited range, I encounter a horrified hiker. I’m not joking now, I’ve seen people run.
I don’t do the songs justice, but I love these songs and I hesitate to share this, but when I’m singing them on the trail, I’m singing them all to Mark. I’m just mad about that boy.
Old, pre-roach photo taken at Steep Rock
Our favorite view:
I agree on the warranty, we never buy them.
Can’t wait to see Mark’s new haircut!
: )
*Looks over her shoulder* I was told by the girl at Staples when I bought my camera this spring that since it covered accidental damage, to be sure it had ‘an accident’ right before the warranty ran out, so I could get a new camera. So maybe your camera needs to have ‘an accident’ like being dropped or stomped on. Something unrepairable. ahem. You never heard it from me.
I’m so glad you were able to get out and ride, and I’m sure Mark was too. Your description of Mark ‘post roaching’: ‘He looks very off to school in in his big boy pants.’ was priceless.
I know I hold my breath when my anxiety is bad, it’s actually impossible for me to take deep breaths. They’re very shallow, like my chest is constricted. Very cool advice to sing to keep you breathing. Laughing very hard at the thought of hikers and joggers running away from your singing. lolol
My car is a 2004, so I don’t have the ipod hookup thing either. But I couldn’t live without my 6 cd player. You’d have to pry that out of my cold dead hands!
Oh, my daughter had the same type of geek squad experience, except with a laptop—it was in 3 times for the same problem; but her warranty experience was different. She had one and after 3 tries, they replaced it with a brand new laptop. So-she was pleased–replaced a 2yr old computer with a new, current model. And we had saved everything on a zip drive-so she lost nothing. I admire her–she fights hard for everything she’s entitled to. I’ll send her to you for a day—she’ll get you a new camera!!
The ride sounds wonderful. I’ll bet that after being away so much of the summer, Mark just treasured being serenaded. Bet it was a terrific day–even without the camera.
Barbara
Boy, I wish I was with you and that Ford pick up truck. I just love flea markets and junking around in old barns up north. Do you ever junk? I like to reuse old things as flower pots, they look great. Have a fun weekend. Do you put old things up in your barn? I love the fall leaves changing, pumpkin patches, October fests, cool clear days and the glory of mother nature in the fall before she goes to sleep for the winter. p.s. to all my follow mid-westerners, Galena, IL is too beautiful for words, but especially in the fall.
Ann – I have had SO many bad experiences at Best Buy and I ended my relationship with them as far as purchasing electronics years ago. The one store on L.I. near me – the service is horrendous. Their rebates state very clearly the ending date of when you can apply for it from a purchase and Best Buy never ever stands behind it. They actually were in some deep shit about it on tv a while back. I’m so done with them. I would like to think other BB’s are better and we just have a lemon store. Your honestly better off researching the camera you want and getting it on line.
It is SO SO nice to see Mark again………at least his mane. Please send a frontal soon.
Torch songs? Don’t forget about Ms Billy Holiday…love the song “Strange Fruit”. Marlena Dietrich and I am madly inlove with Edith Piaf.
In two weeks we are taking 2 of our shepherds herding. I cannot wait and I cannot wait to see their reaction to sheep. This will be the beginning for us so they will be on a long lead one at a time. I am so excited to see them in their element. I hope they enjoy it.
Today (Saturday) is THE most beautiful day. Enjoy your holiday everyone.
Ann:
That is a work of art of a story!. I bet you Mark understand your singing well and he is relieved that you are doing that instead of holding your breath. There. Funny and very well written.
Hi Ann,
I never bother with the warranties either. I’m beginning to think that it’s all a big conspiracy and of course a money maker for them!! I think that in the days of our parents they were a good thing to have when purchasing that big ticket item, because in those days they ACTUALLY repaired things. You’d take your TV in and they would replace the tube or do something else to it to make it work again. Now, I don’t believe there is a repair sector anywhere. They don’t repair, they swap parts. I also think they hope that we’ll just forget all about the fact that we purchased the warranty in the first place!!
Looking forward to animal pictures!!
Hi Ann,
I know how much you love your dogs. Someone from my Wheaten Terrier email list just directed me to YouTube to see a lovely little video. I am not good at linking, but if you go to YouTube and enter God and Dog by WJ Francisco, you can watch it. This message isn’t necessarily for your blog, I just wanted to share this with you, and I hope you enjoy it.
I really understand, by the way, your experience with anxiety. I have learned to think of depression and anxiety as acquaintances who come to visit on occasion when I am not taking good care of myself. I hope you are feeling better today. Looks like Mark was good medicine.
Ann, I’m a fellow geek squad victim, having been deprived of my computer for almost a month, with no end in sight. My only access to a computer has been my Crackberry and here at work. My son used to work at Best Buy, so I should have known better. Going to work is such a pleasure now, knowing I can read your blog during lunch!
Loved hearing about Mark again, missed him
Karen in Tucson
Ah, yes, “Do Right Woman” (a/k/a “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man”) penned by Memphis songwriters/producers Chips Moman and Dan Penn. That song has been recorded by so many singers, but I remember first hearing it in the late 1960′s on the very first Flying Burrito Brothers’ album The Gilded Palace of Sin. Quite an interesting twist to hear it being sung by a man, in this case, the late (and lamented) Gram Parsons. If you’ve never heard this version, do yourself a favor and track it down…and listen!
I have an 09 Mazda 6 (Zoom-Zoom)and the iPhone/iPod goes through the speakers via Bluetooth. Nothing to plug in anywhere, just turn the radio to BT and it plays —- gosh do we buy cars anymore for the tires – or for the sound system
I absolutely detest Best Buy and can’t believe they are still in business when Circuit City folded. My husband had a horrible experience with them and a brand new computer. They insisted he needed all of the packaging and not just the box it came in. They refused to take back the hard drive, even though it never worked. He was so furious with them. A few weeks later, I found all the twist ties I could and cut out the Best Buy logo from their ad. I mailed my husband all the twist ties as if it came from Best Buy. He was furious when he got the mail and then realized it was me pranking him. We still laugh about it to this day.
Whenever someone tries to sell me an extended warranty I ask them what that says about their product, =)
Wow, thanks Alan, can’t wait to find that version of one of my favorite songs.
Mary, your twist-tie story is very funny. I love elaborate practical jokes – just too lazy to every carry one out.
Kim-
Edith Piaf… I like to sing “Je Ne Regrette Rien”..at the top of my lungs when I am, say, doing the dishes or watering the plants. If I ever tried it on our horse I would be found in pieces on the ground in the next county..
Ann, so glad you got to enjoy some Mark and truck time. We have terrible luck with anything electronic (or even mechanical), and just save all the paperwork and receipts because we know we will have to haul it all back within a week. Now it’s a running joke. Sorry you had to go through this with your beloved camera.
My car is a ’73 Volkswagen, so I am farther behind pretty much eveyone when it comes to in-auto technology. We replaced the old tape deck (which was the 1990′s upgrade that came with it) just a year or so ago with a CD player. It’s like magic to me.
Julie in Eugene