Driver's Ed Redux

I got the notice in the mail a few weeks back: attend a driving retraining course in the next three months of my license would be suspended.

Until recently, I had gone 12 years without a moving violation. But this year, the law of averages caught up to me. I got dinged for driving with an expired inspection sticker and two speeding tickets. The second speeding ticket was the most frustrating; it was right before my moving hell and a police cruiser nailed me once the speed limit dropped from 35 to 25 mph because I was doing 40. Thus, with three within the span of a year, the state of Massachusetts requires me to attend a driving course. (It used to be five, but apparently Massachusetts has a reputation for not having the most courteous drivers and the state is trying to crack down.)

I had to get up this past Saturday at 7 a.m. to go to a hotel and attend the course. Not fun. There were better uses of my time. That said, some of the questions were amusing.

We each filled out a survey asking how we felt about the following statements:

"Other drivers are opponents who are trying to slow me down."

"I force my way through groups of pedestrians when making a turn at a crosswalk."

"I scare pedestrians by revving up my motor at intersections."

We watched videos of bad drivers bitching each other out. We watched another video of people driving drunk and (presumably) getting into a four- or five-car accident. We were asked "Do you want to keep your driving privileges?"

But the most bizarre part of the day came near the end, after a break, when the guy next to me and the guy behind me almost got into a fistfight and had to be separated. I have no idea what it was about (I was out getting a snack when it happens). Defensive driving, indeed.

I went home that afternoon and drove pretty much the way I normally do. Now life has returned to normal.

Just watch yourself if you're on the road with me. Because you are my opponent, and you're trying to slow me down.

Computer Back

Tuesday afternoon I got the callback from Geek Squad.

"Come on out, your computer's ready."

I didn't realize how naked I feel without a computer. Luckily I have a friend who generously loaned me her computer during times when she didn't need it.

I drove to Best Buy and tested the computer out first. Virus -- gone. Computer -- back to normal. It doesn't appear that I lost anything. The computer runs like new, which is good because it more or less is new.

That's one thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Dancing With the Pats

Monday night the Patriots game pre-empted the final night of competition of Dancing With the Stars on Channel 5. The station broke bad the news to everyone so they'd be prepared, but it didn't sit well with everyone. One DWTS (and maybe Kansas City Chiefs?) fan posted on the WCVB website:

"Here's a comment, Channel 5. You suck! Our viewership suited you all season for DWTS, now you replace it with football on the finale! And you have the nerve to say on your ad, "because you deserve it." Deserve what? Staying up all night because Ch. 5 is another good ol boys club. Hope it pours buckets because you deserve it."

But it doesn't end there. 98.5 FM The Sports Hub is the flagship radio station for both the Patriots and Bruins, which created a problem Monday night when the Patriots played Kansas City and the Bruins had a big game with the Montreal Canadiens. Something had to give. And it was the Bruins, who got their game moved to 100.7 WZLX, normally Boston's Classic Rock but also 98.5's sister station and, on his night, the home for hard checks and power plays.

WZLX and 98.5 made the announcement in advance. But this also made a few enemies.

"bruinsfan867, So that just means that 98.5 is not the Bruins home hockey station! The Bruins should have remained on WBZ anyway! Can’t believe the stupis [sic] frauds from foxboro force the Bruins to move. That is BS!"

Oh well. The Patriots always were a bunch of troublemakers. 

Cable Outage, Conclusion

While I'm still on my friend's computer...

Saturday, once the cable was fixed without any gunfire, I called Comcast and explained that my cable, phone and internet had gone out twice in the span of seven days.

"So what can you do for me," I asked.

They told me they will give me a $20 credit on my next bill. I also requested my next statement be sent in the mail so that I can keep an eye on this. But I was happy to take a stands and get some results.

Virus

My computer has a virus. It's at Geek Squad right now. I'm at my friends' right now, using hers to type this in exchange for a little babysitting of her son, who is sick and home from school.

I know I left people hanging with my last blog. I'll try to be online for as much as I can while my computer is in the shop. Geek Squad may be a couple days.

Cable Outage, Part One

Friday night, as I was scrambling to finish the revisions on my thesis, my Comcast went out. It's the second time in as many weeks that I've had a cable outage, but that's tomorrow's blog. I needed to get the thesis done and sent out and this was going to create a problem. I went out to Barnes & Noble for the wi-fi and tried to conduct business as usual.

I stayed at B & N until closing time. When I got home there was stll no internet. I called Comcast and bitched. They tried having me do the things I already tried (unplugging and plugging back in the modem) and again it didn't work. They scheduled a technician to come in Saturday afternoon.

The technician never had to show. Around 12:30 Saturday morning I looked out my window and saw a Comcast van pulling into the driveway. I went downstairs and the guy told me he's the emrgency outage guy and pretty much our whole block was out. He fopened up the cable box and began fiddling with it.

This was good -- it seemed like it might lead to the return of phone, cable and Internet. But it dawned me...

...and apparently it dawned on my landlord (who lives downstairs and has FiOS) too. He came outside.

"Excuse me, what are you doing?" my landlord said to the guy.

"The block is out," the guy said. "I'm trying to get the cable fixed."

"And you need to come out here?"

"Yes."

It struck me at that moment, as I watched them go back and forth, that this is Fitchburg. And if a stranger winds up wandering around behind you house, it generally isn't the cable guy. Even though he lives in the same building, I've only had a handful of interactions with him since I moved in about two months ago. Luckily he seems low-key. Given this scenario, some people would emerge from their apartment with a gun.

The Sequel

I made some last-minute changes on my thesis and turned them in today. So we're back on the anxiety train.

I'm pretty exhausted. I will probably do a lot of sleeping now. I'm not sure if this is the end or if there will be additional last-minute, 11th-hour revisions. All the heavy lifting is totally worth it, but it also makes me skittish and jumpy and not myself.

I haven't been myself for awhile. Hopefully I'm about to go back to normal soon. I don't want to be this way forever.