Ms. Gough tagged me, so I guess that makes me "it"... temporarily, anyway...
1. One book that changed my life:
Where to begin. I'm one of those people who is highly influenced by words.... powerful words, meaningful words, emotion-inducing-beautiful words, stern words.
I too, was often moved by words at a younger age, more than now, but I still get right into the fiction I read in a big way. I think when I was younger, a few books had major impacts on me. Orwell's 1984 was a big one inspiring my cynical political paranoia stage that I didn't indulge in for long but went through all the same. Umm... Life After God by Douglas Coupland was another one that a good friend turned me onto (after I'd actually read Shampoo Planet by the same author, which has it's own little story that I may tell later). Poisonwood Bible and a book of Kingsolver's essays was pretty important to me as well. How about... um.... oh! C.S. Lewis and Mere Christianity. That was a big one that I still quote to this day... "For the longest way 'round is the shortest way home". He did some pretty good things with words and ideas, even though I don't think his arguments are as irrefutable as he thought. I guess the last one would be "No One Here Gets Out Alive"... the Jim Morrison biography done by his old manager. I didn't ever get into The Doors music, but that was a damn fine book.
2. One book that I've read more than once:
Life After God has been one I've gone through at least a couple of times. I've reread Thomas King's collection of stories, "One Good Story, That One", as well as his non-fiction Massey lecture series collection called "The Truth About Stories", which I'll always love. I can't get his words out of my head when thinking about fiction... "... Just don't say that you haven't heard [the story]... you've heard it now". Some other short stories I can read and reread and not get bored... Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" or Valgardson's "Identities" and a host of others. And lots of E.A. Poe and Nathanial Hawthorne. Lucky for me, I've taken on a career where I can actually teach these texts to students and hopefully inspire a love for words in them that I've acquired. Oh, and I've definitely read the Pelican Brief (Grisham) a couple of times... I used to be a big fan until I realized that his books are all the same with different court cases and character names. For the most part anyway... :)
3. One book I'd want on a desert island:
Uh... can I ask for two? I'm one of those people who needs balance. I'd say something along the lines of "Poisonwood Bible", paired with something more intensely cynical like "A Brave New World" or some Rushdie. Getting down to one would be tough... maybe even a classic like The Odyssey or The Iliad, since you can spend hours on that stuff and always find something new at a different time of day or a different mood. These classics also have heroism, deceit, mayhem, disasters, love stories, etc. The whole kit'n'kaboodle. Not really sure which part is the kit and which is the kaboodle, but if it involves it all, I'd be happy.
4. One book that made me laugh:
The first one that takes the cake is "Why I Hate Canadians" by Will Ferguson. I've already mentioned my somewhat obsessive love for this man, but I'll state it again. The guy is freakin' hilarious. I can't wait to get a hold of "Bastards and Boneheads" or his anthology of Canadian humour. Another good one is Stephen Leacock's "Sunshine Sketches of a Small Town" or "Literary Lapses".
5. One book that made me cry:
Um... I'm not a big crier in books... movies yes, commercials and TV ads, sometimes... but not usually books. I'd say Kingsolver's books would probably come close (Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer". So would "White Oleander", which I still remember quite well.
6. One book that I wish had been written:
I have to mimic Ms. Gough and say my own. I've always had lofty ambitions of doing some serious writing, even though I'm pretty sure I'm a complete hack in every sense of the word. And I'm definitely not that interesting. It seems like many of the great writers have led tough lives or maintain a lot of existential angst, but other than my not-so-frequent middle-child-syndrome, I think I've lead a pretty uneventful and enjoyable life.
7. One book that I wish had never been written:
I read it all the way through while I was in Europe. Now, I should put up a disclaimer here, because some people have told me that, as an educated person in the area of literature, I should not hate this book. But here it is: "Of Human Bondage" by W.S. Maugham. It darn near killed me while I was on the train, but I'm one of those stubborn people who can't just leave it if it's not enjoyable... I have to get through it. I don't even remember it, but I remember the feeling of sheer and utter relief when I was done. I almost want to go and reread it in hopes of salvaging it from this very list. But for now, it should be burned during a camping trip, so it had the good use of contributing to my golden-brown-marshmellow roasting.
8. One book that I am currently reading:
Well, the grade 10 history text that our school provides... umm.... I'm STILL reading Rushdie's Shalimar the Clown... it's wonderful, but I'm terrible at making time to read. When I'm tired, I watch TV, not dive into dense, intense prose.
9. One book I've been meaning to read:
This would take hours... for starters, Tristam Shandy, which my uncle from Victoria gave me 3 years ago and I still haven't read... Teacher Man by Frank McCourt, Dante and Milton (everything and anything, because it's important), The Satanic Verses (since it's so controversial and another important read), some T.S. Eliot, more Vonnegut, the Qur'an, The Handmaid's Tale, Oryx and Crake... okay, I'll leave the list here... I could go on for decades.
10. Tagging two people to continue this thang:
I'd have to say Miss J.G. and Mr. K.S., since they're my other bloggers in crime.
Tag, you're it!
- T
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Rewards and feelings of failure
I think the rest of my weeks at school are going to be long. Some = REAL long.
I taught in 2 of my classes today for the first time, back to back. I was scrambling at lunch to make sure I had enough information to get through the classes, and my afternoon class was definitely not in the mood to sit and play the "quiet" game. And then this was followed by volleyball after school, so by the time I got to sit down, it was nearly 6:00. And I didn't get a thing done after that, minus the enjoyment of some CSI and brown, hoppy-flavoured soda.
The classes that I'm teaching can be really rewarding. There are a lot of really pleasant, fun kids who seem like they want to be there and are actually putting in some effort. It's not even very exhausting being in front of them. They had an assignment to do some 1940's style radio plays of their own (after reading one in class), and did a really good job on them for the most part. Very rewarding.
Likewise, my volleyball guys are really coming around. They're working harder, their attitudes are better, and it's really nice to see the guys smiling in practice that isn't always easy or fun. Also rewarding.
Sometimes this isn't always the case. Sometimes students will try to talk through you and over you and behind you, which is uber frustrating. Punishments may work, but they may just be brushed off. And sometimes it's a whole bunch rather than one or two.... definitely hard to deal with... I guess this is what they mean when they tell you about the importance of classroom management and how it's one of the toughest things to learn.
There is a whole world of people involved in this process of conversation and education, and it's hard keeping track of who to talk to and what to say and how to deal with all sorts of different people. Parents, sponsor teachers, administration, university advisors, other staff, students, PAC members, etc. It's a steep learning curve for us young'uns, so I guess I just have to stay the course and keep my caffeine at optimum levels.
Between the fact that I was in class all day and didn't have time to eat lunch and had volleyball until late, I was a tired puppy. Should be a fun career! :)
Okay, enough ranting. I'll post something else on the weekend. Ciao all...
- T
I taught in 2 of my classes today for the first time, back to back. I was scrambling at lunch to make sure I had enough information to get through the classes, and my afternoon class was definitely not in the mood to sit and play the "quiet" game. And then this was followed by volleyball after school, so by the time I got to sit down, it was nearly 6:00. And I didn't get a thing done after that, minus the enjoyment of some CSI and brown, hoppy-flavoured soda.
The classes that I'm teaching can be really rewarding. There are a lot of really pleasant, fun kids who seem like they want to be there and are actually putting in some effort. It's not even very exhausting being in front of them. They had an assignment to do some 1940's style radio plays of their own (after reading one in class), and did a really good job on them for the most part. Very rewarding.
Likewise, my volleyball guys are really coming around. They're working harder, their attitudes are better, and it's really nice to see the guys smiling in practice that isn't always easy or fun. Also rewarding.
Sometimes this isn't always the case. Sometimes students will try to talk through you and over you and behind you, which is uber frustrating. Punishments may work, but they may just be brushed off. And sometimes it's a whole bunch rather than one or two.... definitely hard to deal with... I guess this is what they mean when they tell you about the importance of classroom management and how it's one of the toughest things to learn.
There is a whole world of people involved in this process of conversation and education, and it's hard keeping track of who to talk to and what to say and how to deal with all sorts of different people. Parents, sponsor teachers, administration, university advisors, other staff, students, PAC members, etc. It's a steep learning curve for us young'uns, so I guess I just have to stay the course and keep my caffeine at optimum levels.
Between the fact that I was in class all day and didn't have time to eat lunch and had volleyball until late, I was a tired puppy. Should be a fun career! :)
Okay, enough ranting. I'll post something else on the weekend. Ciao all...
- T
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
I think I may be a control freak...
I spend time in practice, and I nearly go bananas. I really don't like to be interrupted, and sometimes, even oftentimes, this happens. Some talk right through explanations, have trouble following directions, and just tend to ignore me at a variety of points. It kinda makes me want to blow my top. So what happens? They run. Laps, lines, suicides, and the like. Then they get another chance. Blow it? They run again. "Can we do jump serves coach?" Not a chance. They do it anyway? They run. "This drill is stupid" they say.... run again. One thing I have to remember: kids are there to have fun while learning. I think I sometimes lose this perspective when I'm struggling to get them to work hard. I don't want to be a tyrant, but I still think that my other coach and I need to maintain our control over everyone.
Classes can go this way too... I've been talking to my own sponsor teachers and other teachers about what to do about this (interruptions and the like), and they all have their own management techniques. It's a little overwhelming, to be honest, trying to figure out who I am and how I can carry this out. But I guess I just have to learn how to control interruptions and distractions and other such things my own way while following school policy. I knew from the beginning that this was going to be how it was... I knew I was going to struggle with classroom management. I just didn't think it would keep me up at night and frustrate me like it sometimes does. I guess I know how my parents felt when I was lazy or disrespectful as a kid. Karma's no fun when it's whoopin' your behind.
I guess you really have to put out small fires before a big one erupts. "If you give them an inch...". I give people chances in every aspect of my life, but I still have a backbone, and I'm not afraid to show it.
- T
Classes can go this way too... I've been talking to my own sponsor teachers and other teachers about what to do about this (interruptions and the like), and they all have their own management techniques. It's a little overwhelming, to be honest, trying to figure out who I am and how I can carry this out. But I guess I just have to learn how to control interruptions and distractions and other such things my own way while following school policy. I knew from the beginning that this was going to be how it was... I knew I was going to struggle with classroom management. I just didn't think it would keep me up at night and frustrate me like it sometimes does. I guess I know how my parents felt when I was lazy or disrespectful as a kid. Karma's no fun when it's whoopin' your behind.
I guess you really have to put out small fires before a big one erupts. "If you give them an inch...". I give people chances in every aspect of my life, but I still have a backbone, and I'm not afraid to show it.
- T
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Rain outside my window...
... tells me that my summer's fading away. And this new place I'm in is getting more and more real every single day.
I'm definitely the type of person who builds certain life events up in my head until they're overwhelming, only to discover that the event in question wasn't as monumental as it seemed. I know I touched on this during the previous post, but I figured that since I run the show around here, I should just keep banging the gong about it continuously.
On a completely different note, one of my sponsor teachers and I have been creating little games in class when we do attendance so we can remember student names a little bit better. We've covered things like "what did you do over the weekend" or, "what is your favorite meal". I'm the first one to admit that it's totally cheesy, but it is definitely helpful when trying to remember the names of 30 Grade 9 kids. The last day we did one on pet peeves. Some of them were a little strange, others were funny, but most were typical. My favorites, though, are always the most random ones. Like feet. Some people (mostly girls, I've found) hate feet... everything about feet. The look, smell, feel, etc. EVERYTHING. And this seems like the strangest thing ever. I dated a girl before K and I were together who hated feet so much that she actually tattooed her foot with little stars and things (small and tasteful, of course) to make them less revolting.
My sponsor teacher's peeve was smelly people. After admitting this, she entered into a long tirade about a triathalon she was participating in and this smelly guy on the bike course with her... just to avoid being behind him, she would speed up every time he tried to pass. I think she scored a personal best because of it. Seems strange that a little BO would push you to accidentally strive for excellence. Sort of makes me wonder if guys like Lance Armstrong had peeves that pushed them on to success.
I try to think about mine and I come up with the standards... bad drivers, line jumpers while waiting for tickets for a concert/show, movie talkers in theatres, and generally stupid people. Now, the last category can include most (if not all) of the previous 4 categories, but can also be applied to a host of other groups. I won't go into detail, but there's definitely no shortage of boneheads around. And a broad, all-encompassing category is necessary to include these goof-offs. Others to enter this category are those who talk about something they know nothing about, buffoons at a restaurant that treat their server like a whipping boy, and stereotypical North American travellers who go abroad and ask people from a non-English-speaking country, "Do ya'll speak English? ENG-LISH? DO YOU SPEAKY ENGLISH??" That really gets my goat, and really takes the cake... idiots thinking that saying it: a) louder b) slower c) with an accent will get them the response they want. I think Jeff Foxworthy would respond to them by handing them a sign that reads "Stupid", while stating, "Here's your sign".
Enough boringness for tonight... still have some stuff to do for class tomorrow, and knowing me, if I don't do it now, I'll be asking for an extension. That's just the way I roll :)
- T
I'm definitely the type of person who builds certain life events up in my head until they're overwhelming, only to discover that the event in question wasn't as monumental as it seemed. I know I touched on this during the previous post, but I figured that since I run the show around here, I should just keep banging the gong about it continuously.
On a completely different note, one of my sponsor teachers and I have been creating little games in class when we do attendance so we can remember student names a little bit better. We've covered things like "what did you do over the weekend" or, "what is your favorite meal". I'm the first one to admit that it's totally cheesy, but it is definitely helpful when trying to remember the names of 30 Grade 9 kids. The last day we did one on pet peeves. Some of them were a little strange, others were funny, but most were typical. My favorites, though, are always the most random ones. Like feet. Some people (mostly girls, I've found) hate feet... everything about feet. The look, smell, feel, etc. EVERYTHING. And this seems like the strangest thing ever. I dated a girl before K and I were together who hated feet so much that she actually tattooed her foot with little stars and things (small and tasteful, of course) to make them less revolting.
My sponsor teacher's peeve was smelly people. After admitting this, she entered into a long tirade about a triathalon she was participating in and this smelly guy on the bike course with her... just to avoid being behind him, she would speed up every time he tried to pass. I think she scored a personal best because of it. Seems strange that a little BO would push you to accidentally strive for excellence. Sort of makes me wonder if guys like Lance Armstrong had peeves that pushed them on to success.
I try to think about mine and I come up with the standards... bad drivers, line jumpers while waiting for tickets for a concert/show, movie talkers in theatres, and generally stupid people. Now, the last category can include most (if not all) of the previous 4 categories, but can also be applied to a host of other groups. I won't go into detail, but there's definitely no shortage of boneheads around. And a broad, all-encompassing category is necessary to include these goof-offs. Others to enter this category are those who talk about something they know nothing about, buffoons at a restaurant that treat their server like a whipping boy, and stereotypical North American travellers who go abroad and ask people from a non-English-speaking country, "Do ya'll speak English? ENG-LISH? DO YOU SPEAKY ENGLISH??" That really gets my goat, and really takes the cake... idiots thinking that saying it: a) louder b) slower c) with an accent will get them the response they want. I think Jeff Foxworthy would respond to them by handing them a sign that reads "Stupid", while stating, "Here's your sign".
Enough boringness for tonight... still have some stuff to do for class tomorrow, and knowing me, if I don't do it now, I'll be asking for an extension. That's just the way I roll :)
- T
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Survival of week #1
It wasn't nearly as monumental as one may assume.
I stepped into my classroom as an actual teacher (or student teacher, anyway) for the first time this week. Over the past weeks and months, I had built it up in my head as something massive to fear and be anxious about. But, it was not nearly as busy/stressful as I thought... "This is the way the [week] ends, not with a bang but a whimper". I'm still unsure as to whether I'm anxious about getting my hands dirty and getting to the activities and making plans and marking papers, or if I should simply be happy that I've got time to relax right now and take my time getting ready for the hellish schedule that is to come.
The week more or less consisted of me getting my bearings at the school. Tuesday started with a staff meeting at 7:30am. I had shown up on the previous Friday to roam around and get some texts from the school... I would have totally missed our staff meeting and newbie orientation if I hadn't asked. I'm glad I emailed the other two interns to let them know the deal. After that, the first couple days were dedicated to getting class schedules sorted out for teachers and students alike, getting coaching assignments handed out, and mainly just getting to know the place and people that I would be hanging around for the next 10 months. It was good... pretty low stress, everyone seemed welcoming and friendly, and there were definitely a couple people who were excited about the fact that I'm taking on the role of co-coach for the Boys Volleyball team.
The main problem I found is this... sitting in a classroom without being in charge of it while someone else is teaching is NOT that much fun. Sure, it takes away the stress of being responsible for everything myself. However, after two days of watching my two sponsor teachers in action, I began to feel like I needed to just take the reigns and start doing my own thing. Unfortunately, that moment doesn't take place until the end of the month, so I guess the next couple weeks will be a test in patience (alongside learning the names of 40-50 staff members and about 70 students/players). They're both great though, so I'm sure I'll survive.
I'm sure that as the students get settled in and we all get used to the fact that summer is on the way out, things will sort themselves out. I'm also hoping that our staff wine tasting will help this along. And realistically, I've got plenty on my plate this week... night class tomorrow, Tuesday night V-ball tryouts, Wednesday night coaching meeting, Thursday retreat (with wine!!), Friday practice, Saturday University class.... the list goes on, so I guess I should just concentrate on getting some sleep and getting ready for what this new world is going to throw at me. C'est la vie.
- T
I stepped into my classroom as an actual teacher (or student teacher, anyway) for the first time this week. Over the past weeks and months, I had built it up in my head as something massive to fear and be anxious about. But, it was not nearly as busy/stressful as I thought... "This is the way the [week] ends, not with a bang but a whimper". I'm still unsure as to whether I'm anxious about getting my hands dirty and getting to the activities and making plans and marking papers, or if I should simply be happy that I've got time to relax right now and take my time getting ready for the hellish schedule that is to come.
The week more or less consisted of me getting my bearings at the school. Tuesday started with a staff meeting at 7:30am. I had shown up on the previous Friday to roam around and get some texts from the school... I would have totally missed our staff meeting and newbie orientation if I hadn't asked. I'm glad I emailed the other two interns to let them know the deal. After that, the first couple days were dedicated to getting class schedules sorted out for teachers and students alike, getting coaching assignments handed out, and mainly just getting to know the place and people that I would be hanging around for the next 10 months. It was good... pretty low stress, everyone seemed welcoming and friendly, and there were definitely a couple people who were excited about the fact that I'm taking on the role of co-coach for the Boys Volleyball team.
The main problem I found is this... sitting in a classroom without being in charge of it while someone else is teaching is NOT that much fun. Sure, it takes away the stress of being responsible for everything myself. However, after two days of watching my two sponsor teachers in action, I began to feel like I needed to just take the reigns and start doing my own thing. Unfortunately, that moment doesn't take place until the end of the month, so I guess the next couple weeks will be a test in patience (alongside learning the names of 40-50 staff members and about 70 students/players). They're both great though, so I'm sure I'll survive.
I'm sure that as the students get settled in and we all get used to the fact that summer is on the way out, things will sort themselves out. I'm also hoping that our staff wine tasting will help this along. And realistically, I've got plenty on my plate this week... night class tomorrow, Tuesday night V-ball tryouts, Wednesday night coaching meeting, Thursday retreat (with wine!!), Friday practice, Saturday University class.... the list goes on, so I guess I should just concentrate on getting some sleep and getting ready for what this new world is going to throw at me. C'est la vie.
- T
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Catharsis
I realized that after my 1/2 hour yelling match with Telus' terrible CS reps, and writing about it on here, I was able to calm down through the process of yelling, writing, and watching mindless TV for 20 minutes. I calmed down a bit, anyway. I finally talked to the manager, and although I'm still getting screwed, it's not nearly as bad as it was before. I got it out of my system though, and it's probably good that it happened before I arrived at school to deal with 15 year olds all day.
Speaking of which, I'm officially a student teacher. I haven't started any of the actual teaching stuff yet, but I've already begun my prep, met a tonne of teachers, been invited to the welcome back socials, figured out when ball tryouts are (I'll be coaching), and claimed the beautiful yellow and brown plaid couch that resides in the humanities department prep room as my own. Although my classes changed completely yet again (this is round number 3), I've got the schedule worked out, at least until February. I'm teaching one English class and one Socials class. Still, it's looking like I'm settling in there tolerably well, and so far I haven't alienated anyone. I guess you actually have to DO something or say something beyond "Yes, I did an English degree on the coast before coming into the program... no, not from B.C.... I'm an Alberta boy... my wife's looking for work right now, and she's really confident about finding something right away... I'm really excited about being at this school" before you alienate anyone.
The house is mostly unpacked, my internet and phone are hooked up, I went for a run yesterday for the first time in weeks, and it's been over 30 degrees all week. I guess I really don't have too much to complain about.
- T
Speaking of which, I'm officially a student teacher. I haven't started any of the actual teaching stuff yet, but I've already begun my prep, met a tonne of teachers, been invited to the welcome back socials, figured out when ball tryouts are (I'll be coaching), and claimed the beautiful yellow and brown plaid couch that resides in the humanities department prep room as my own. Although my classes changed completely yet again (this is round number 3), I've got the schedule worked out, at least until February. I'm teaching one English class and one Socials class. Still, it's looking like I'm settling in there tolerably well, and so far I haven't alienated anyone. I guess you actually have to DO something or say something beyond "Yes, I did an English degree on the coast before coming into the program... no, not from B.C.... I'm an Alberta boy... my wife's looking for work right now, and she's really confident about finding something right away... I'm really excited about being at this school" before you alienate anyone.
The house is mostly unpacked, my internet and phone are hooked up, I went for a run yesterday for the first time in weeks, and it's been over 30 degrees all week. I guess I really don't have too much to complain about.
- T
Saturday, September 02, 2006
ARGHHHH!!! TELUS!!!
Here's a story to help you wrap your head around the fact that THINGS ARE NEVER FREE when it's comes to people trying to snag your business!
I signed up for Telus internet last year because they were offering a free IPod Shuffle if you signed a 2-year contract. Before signing this contract, I mentioned that I was potentially moving the following year to Kelowna and asked if the switch-over would be a problem. They assured me that there would be no problems, so I signed up and got my IPod.
I phoned around last week to get all my bills switched to my new address. Telus included, so we wouldn't lose track of any of them. There were no issues.
So I try to install my setup CD for my telus internet again so it would automatically reset my internet address, and immediately encountered problems. I called the C.S. line and found out from C.S. Person #1 that the Kelowna area had NO available ports for an internet hookup. AFter discussing the problem with #1 (being offered dial-up, which wasn't going to happen), he advised me to find another provider and cancel my account with them if I found one. So I went out to Shaw, got an amazing internet/cable deal for students (ask for it if you're still in Uni!!!), came back to the house and called Telus to tell them that I found other services and that they would have to cancel my contract.
I was then informed that I would be charged $120 for my contract cancellation. So I told them that it was THEIR fault that the contract was being cancelled and that I wasn't paying a fee for THEM defaulting on the contract. They tried to tell me that the actual cancellation fee was $240 and that they were discounting that fee by half because it was their fault, but since they sent me the gift (IPod), I would be charged for that gift and this was standard policy and it didn't matter WHO defaulted on the contract! Needless to say, I started getting a little upset.
After telling the girl that such a policy was absurd and that I wasn't paying it, she tried to tell me that the "gift" was worth $300!!! I came back and told her it was worth $80, and she tried to tell me I'm wrong. I proceeded to call her on it, since you can get a brand new Shuffle for $79! I definitely called her a liar and told her that she had no idea what the hell she was talking about. I then told them I would just send back the IPod because I didn't care that much about it and they could have their bloody gift back. THEN, she told me that they can't take them back because of CRTC regulations! Obviously B.S. She also kept repeating the phrase "We gave you a free gift"... my reply was, "If it's FREE, then I DON'T PAY FOR IT! By making me PAY the $120 fee, I was PAYING FOR IT! And that was unacceptable." So I told her to credit my account another way and she told me that there was no way to do that. I then asked to talk to her Manager and she told me that she had talked to her manager and she said the same thing. I asked again, and suddenly the manager was nowhere to be found. I then told her that I wasn't satisfied and wasn't paying anything and that her manager could call me. She said that she would in 24-48 hours, so I left the house for a bit to cool off. The manager called back and left a message for me to call her long distance (knowing that I had cancelled my long distance and went with another carrier), or that she would call me back Tuesday. She's going to have to call Tuesday, because she's the one picking up any costs for that phone call.
T's not happy, and I do feel bad about yelling at the last C.S. agent I talked to, but two things they should never do to me: lie to me, and try to rip me off. I may get screwed once in a while, but I'll kick up a fuss if I ever figure out someone's trying to do it. THe moral of this story is that nothing's free. DON'T GET SCREWED BY TELUS!!!!
- T
I signed up for Telus internet last year because they were offering a free IPod Shuffle if you signed a 2-year contract. Before signing this contract, I mentioned that I was potentially moving the following year to Kelowna and asked if the switch-over would be a problem. They assured me that there would be no problems, so I signed up and got my IPod.
I phoned around last week to get all my bills switched to my new address. Telus included, so we wouldn't lose track of any of them. There were no issues.
So I try to install my setup CD for my telus internet again so it would automatically reset my internet address, and immediately encountered problems. I called the C.S. line and found out from C.S. Person #1 that the Kelowna area had NO available ports for an internet hookup. AFter discussing the problem with #1 (being offered dial-up, which wasn't going to happen), he advised me to find another provider and cancel my account with them if I found one. So I went out to Shaw, got an amazing internet/cable deal for students (ask for it if you're still in Uni!!!), came back to the house and called Telus to tell them that I found other services and that they would have to cancel my contract.
I was then informed that I would be charged $120 for my contract cancellation. So I told them that it was THEIR fault that the contract was being cancelled and that I wasn't paying a fee for THEM defaulting on the contract. They tried to tell me that the actual cancellation fee was $240 and that they were discounting that fee by half because it was their fault, but since they sent me the gift (IPod), I would be charged for that gift and this was standard policy and it didn't matter WHO defaulted on the contract! Needless to say, I started getting a little upset.
After telling the girl that such a policy was absurd and that I wasn't paying it, she tried to tell me that the "gift" was worth $300!!! I came back and told her it was worth $80, and she tried to tell me I'm wrong. I proceeded to call her on it, since you can get a brand new Shuffle for $79! I definitely called her a liar and told her that she had no idea what the hell she was talking about. I then told them I would just send back the IPod because I didn't care that much about it and they could have their bloody gift back. THEN, she told me that they can't take them back because of CRTC regulations! Obviously B.S. She also kept repeating the phrase "We gave you a free gift"... my reply was, "If it's FREE, then I DON'T PAY FOR IT! By making me PAY the $120 fee, I was PAYING FOR IT! And that was unacceptable." So I told her to credit my account another way and she told me that there was no way to do that. I then asked to talk to her Manager and she told me that she had talked to her manager and she said the same thing. I asked again, and suddenly the manager was nowhere to be found. I then told her that I wasn't satisfied and wasn't paying anything and that her manager could call me. She said that she would in 24-48 hours, so I left the house for a bit to cool off. The manager called back and left a message for me to call her long distance (knowing that I had cancelled my long distance and went with another carrier), or that she would call me back Tuesday. She's going to have to call Tuesday, because she's the one picking up any costs for that phone call.
T's not happy, and I do feel bad about yelling at the last C.S. agent I talked to, but two things they should never do to me: lie to me, and try to rip me off. I may get screwed once in a while, but I'll kick up a fuss if I ever figure out someone's trying to do it. THe moral of this story is that nothing's free. DON'T GET SCREWED BY TELUS!!!!
- T
Goodbye home, hello home
It's the same area code. The same province. Even the apartment layout is pretty similar. But it's a town of strangers. Funny enough, I feel relatively at home here.
Kelowna's a cute little city. Lots to do, beautiful scenery, and a new life that's starting for K and I, a little closer to the cities we used to call home back in Alberta. K's dad came out to help us move and drive the U-Haul over the rain-covered Coquihalla, after we had said goodbye to friends, family, and the beautiful coast that we called home for the past few years. It fit me like a worn in pair of shoes that you don't want to throw away. But maybe these new shoes will be alright after some wear and tear.
K was just napping on the couch with me a few minutes ago, and now she's puttering away in the kitchen getting some dessert ready for later tonight. We took a short drive up to Kalamalka Lake earlier this afternoon, got some fresh fruits and veggies at a small store off the lake, and came back into Kelowna for lunch here at the new apartment that has officially been unpacked and put away. We still need some things, and we haven't had the opportunity to establish our own smells and sounds, but it's coming along. We have more space, the building is somewhat young, and K loves it. She was like a kid again at the lake, where she spent at least a weel nearly every summer of her childhood. Her aunt brought over dinner and some fresh fruit and veggies from their garden to help us get settled in before we had the chance to hit up the grocery store. It's 30 degrees and sunny and the surrounding lakes shine a brilliant green in the afternoon. Our apartment is on a huge park. Maybe things aren't so bad around these parts.
I even had the chance to meet a couple more teachers and touch base with the head volleyball coach that I'll be kinda-sorta working with over the next few months. I have textbooks in hand, and maybe, just maybe, I'll be a great teacher like I'm hoping. I have no doubt that there's a tonne of work ahead, but it's what I've been working toward the past few years. Now I guess it's time to embrace it. And I can already smell the smell of peach crisp browning in the oven. I'll say it again... maybe things aren't so bad around these parts.
- T
Kelowna's a cute little city. Lots to do, beautiful scenery, and a new life that's starting for K and I, a little closer to the cities we used to call home back in Alberta. K's dad came out to help us move and drive the U-Haul over the rain-covered Coquihalla, after we had said goodbye to friends, family, and the beautiful coast that we called home for the past few years. It fit me like a worn in pair of shoes that you don't want to throw away. But maybe these new shoes will be alright after some wear and tear.
K was just napping on the couch with me a few minutes ago, and now she's puttering away in the kitchen getting some dessert ready for later tonight. We took a short drive up to Kalamalka Lake earlier this afternoon, got some fresh fruits and veggies at a small store off the lake, and came back into Kelowna for lunch here at the new apartment that has officially been unpacked and put away. We still need some things, and we haven't had the opportunity to establish our own smells and sounds, but it's coming along. We have more space, the building is somewhat young, and K loves it. She was like a kid again at the lake, where she spent at least a weel nearly every summer of her childhood. Her aunt brought over dinner and some fresh fruit and veggies from their garden to help us get settled in before we had the chance to hit up the grocery store. It's 30 degrees and sunny and the surrounding lakes shine a brilliant green in the afternoon. Our apartment is on a huge park. Maybe things aren't so bad around these parts.
I even had the chance to meet a couple more teachers and touch base with the head volleyball coach that I'll be kinda-sorta working with over the next few months. I have textbooks in hand, and maybe, just maybe, I'll be a great teacher like I'm hoping. I have no doubt that there's a tonne of work ahead, but it's what I've been working toward the past few years. Now I guess it's time to embrace it. And I can already smell the smell of peach crisp browning in the oven. I'll say it again... maybe things aren't so bad around these parts.
- T
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)