My beloved denim Dooney & Burke sac is almost here! It has been back ordered for weeks and I didn't think I'd get it in time for my trip to San Diego on August 13th, but it shipped today and I should have it in time. Good thing, since it matches my suitcase perfectly!
A few weeks ago we took the Jeeps (and Land Cruiser) up to 21 Road just past Grand Junction by Fruita, CO for some trail fun. Fun indeed! Steve W. got in a mess when he was high centered on his tranny. So to get him out, we threw a tow strap around the corner of his bumper and yanked him out with the Land Cruiser. We also yanked his bumper completely off the frame. Not a big deal except that his front leaf springs are attached to the bumper! No problem! We had three Jeeps, three batteries, two jumper cables and a welding rod to make a 36 volt system. Yep, these guys are that prepared. Hence – TRAIL WELDING! Murray welded up Jolly Roger (Steve’s Jeep), Sarah W. and I made sandwiches and we were back on the trail in no time. Total stop time including lunch: 1 hr. 25min.
Kali is just a little over 5 years old now. She's quite the little dog. She's gone with me everywhere: The desert of Glamis; Dog-beach in San Diego; Car-shows around Denver; various Outback Steakhouse Restraints (hidden in my purse, of course!)
My constant companion since we first met 5 years ago, this little dog has been my best friend and savior through many rough times and many happy times.
So Phill L. and I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest earlier this week. I loved the first movie and wanted to see the second, but had the fear of “Hollywood sequel” in me. It always seems that if Hollywood has a big hit movie on their hands, they’ve got to ruin it by making another…and another…and another, until it no longer opens big at the box office. Forget going down on a high note. There are a few great movies that Hollywood did leave alone: Pretty Woman, Titanic (where else could they go?), Mr. & Mrs. Smiths, Police Academy…So needless to say, I was afraid they’d ruin Pirates with the second installment.
I will say I was actually impressed for the most part. Until about 2 hours into it when I had been sitting there for so long and didn’t see and end in close sight. That’s because there is no end. That’s right…they ended it with no ending to make you come back in a year to see the NEXT Pirates. One thing is never good enough. I would have been content with just the first one, and probably won’t go see the third one at this point, because I can already guess the plot. (STOP reading if you don’t want me to ruin it for you!)
Pirates of the Caribbean – The Quest for More Moviegoers Money: Captain Jack Sparrow will conquer the beast that swallows him while Elizabeth continues to be perplexed on whom she really loves, Jack, or the blacksmith kid William Turner. Keith Richards will make his acting debut as Jack Sparrow’s father and will require no more make-up than what he normally wears now. Will Turner/blacksmith kid and perplexed Elizabeth will set out with villain Barbossa from the first Pirates movie to save Captain Jack with the help of Jack’s father Keith Richards.
Once reunited with Jack, the group will set forth to fulfill young Will’s promise to his father that he will save him from the evil curse of Davy Jones. They will succeed and in the end, Elizabeth will choose Will Turner and the two will be married by Captain Jack Sparrow in the company of all the pirates on the island where they all get drunk.
The End (we hope!)
This weekend, Phill L. will be installing a Poison Spyder roll cage into our buddy Steve W.’s Jeep. Poison Spyder sends the role cage to you disassembled and is made up of 1.75” .125 wall DOM. Parts are precut/pre-bent and ready for you to assemble and weld yourself. Not a project for the non handy, but can be done if you’ve got a friend that is somewhat handy with a welder.
Left to Right: Jolly Roger; Warthog; FRANK!
Murray's Land Cruiser.....
We did alot of work on Warthog over the off season, including a complete rebuild of the motor, boat siding, rear corners, tube fenders, enhanced rollcage, and something else I can't remember. OH - PAINT!
I picked up the new CD by the Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way. I haven’t listened to it all the way through, and have read reviews that this album is supposed to be more rock than country, but I still hear classic Dixie Chicks in it. They are still very infectious and produce great music.
I really hope they are able to rebound their career and it looks like they just might pull it off. Listen: Taking the Long Way.
TGIWF is flying to Boston today and I am once again disappointed by the post 911 United Airlines. I have recently taken on the responsibility of all travel at work, and since doing so I realize and live out his travel frustrations with him.
Even though he is a United Mileage Plus Member and has been for quite some time, I can no longer choose his seating prior to departure when making his reservations, no matter HOW early I book his travel. So inevitably, he ends up sitting in a center seat in the back of the plane, usually in front of the bathrooms so he can’t even recline.
So as his assistant, it’s my job to hear his frustration and do something about. Only problem is that no one hears my frustration! If you’ve ever called the United Airlines Reservations or Customer Services lines, you know that after you finally make it to an agent, they are normally located in India and have no idea how to really help you beyond making a simple reservation which is not what I need when I call.
As a very “online” person, I do everything online. I pay my bills, I read my news, I listen to my music…all online. I make TGIWF’s travel reservations online, too. So when I experience a problem, and my only option is to call into a phone number that only gets me to a reservations rep that can only partially help me, I end up hanging up and calling back.
The interesting and frustrating part is that on my third or fifth call when I finally reach someone sitting in the Chicago base, they can magically produce the Economy Plus seating he was originally supposed to get when I made the reservation online with his Mileage Plus number.
United overall customer service: D-
United customer service when talking to US call center: A
Chances of getting to a US call center: 10%
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