A new laptop for MMK

A few months ago, I posted a list of a bunch of things I either wanted or needed to buy in the near future. This afternoon, I bought one: a laptop. My current one is fast approaching its 3rd birthday and it’s starting to behave like the last one did before it bit the dust – hot [...]

Job Fair: The 2009 version of the bread line

I’d say I live within spitting distance of the Sheraton, except that every attempt I’ve ever made to spit always resulted in a messy dribble. I had a client at noon today who had to battle through a thousand well-dressed people looped around the Sheraton on this bitter cold, windy day waiting for admission to a [...]

Self-employed and Semi-laid off

Yeah, business is not exactly booming. When companies lay off their employees, their employees in turn lay me off (um…is it just me, or does that turn of phrase sound oddly perverted?).  My income has taken a ~30% hit, which means there’s not a lot of wiggle room in my budget. Of course, things will be improving [...]

Saturday Night Linguistic Rant

I think the term “Recession” was coined in the 80s to avoid its sound-alike D-word. Now there’s an aversion to the R word and we’ve been given ”economic downturn”. What an understatement! That makes it sound like a fiscal frown instead of the manic money panic it really is. I say “Down With Downturn!”
And while we’re at it, could [...]

Update: Venus blades

I got an email from P&G customer service today assuring me that this issue would be raised with the team and I will receive compensation by mail in 2-3 weeks. Not sure if that means a check or coupons for free replacements, I’ll keep you posted. Either way, as an 7-year user of this product, [...]

I was in a gambling mood this morning

Complete novice idiot that I am (though I’d like to prove my own self-deprecating assessment wrong!), I decided to pick up 1000 shares of AIG this morning @ 51.7 cents a share.  It’s a gamble I’ve been contemplating for a few months, actually, on the basis that the government has proven that they will not [...]

Update: Rite Aid Customer Service

Well, I must say, I’m impressed.
I emailed their customer service late Tuesday night about rejecting their own coupons as “new store policy”, and when I didn’t hear back, I called the 800 number this afternoon (2 minutes later I got a follow-up email to my online complaint…figures). The rep promised that the regional manager would call me [...]

Have I struck bodywork barter gold?

A few weeks ago, I posted about getting a Rolfing session for my neck/shoulder problem and discovered that this is one market where demand outstrips supply even in this economy. One of the providers I inquired with actually teaches a program in NJ, but I didn’t see him because he wouldn’t answer my “what are [...]

Time for a couple of Customer Service emails

A few years ago, my best friend picked up a new Venus Divine razor and cartridges, only to find that she hated it. She had a lot of time on her hands back then, so she called the customer service number and asked if they guaranteed her satisfaction or her money back, because she wanted [...]

Rite Aid Cashier: “Is that the best you can do?”

I love shopping in the suburbs…shop staff are less harried, they deal with fewer freakazoids, and they have a lot of experience administering their coupon programs. Here in NYC, the cashiers hand your coupon back if it beeps and tell you “too bad” because most of them just don’t feel like typing in the code. [...]