Posted 3:45ish am Thursday morning (and WHY am I still up ?!?)
Note: no note.
Today, oh- very busy work day then spent much time on a mix cd (can we just call it a "mixtape") for c., which I was happy to deliver even though she's super busy and will hopefully call me in a mere 3 1/2 hours for some running, (ouch)
But yes, busy- trying to juggle Capt. Underpants, then Bookclub (I finished Master and Margarita!) then Michael Vermillion's cd release then Clayton's DJ-ing at the Bus Stop, and somehow I managed to stop by Havanna for thier opening party, which was very Belltownish... but ok.
More important than all the so-called socialization of tonight is the phone calls which I dealt with this morning, namely the first from the Cancer Society of Blah-blah of America
"Hi is Mr. Todd there?"
"no, he hasn't lived here for several months-"
"Oh, is Mrs. Todd there"
"They moved"
"Oh, well you can probably answer this question as well as they can, I'm from the Cancer Society of Blah-blah of America-"
"Ok, wait, before you go further which percentage of your donations ACTUALLY go to the cause-?"
"Oh, well, I don't have that access to that information-"
"Well, from what I've heard these types of organizations give a mere 10% of the proceeds to the donations to the cause, the other 90% cover overhead, so if that's the case I'm not going to pay you to call me to ask for money, y'know?"
"Oh, well we're a registered non-profit (blah-blah)"
"What's the name of your organization?"
"the Cancer Society of Blah-blah of America"
"Whats your phone #?"
"Oh, we dont' actually have a phone number here-"
(thinking: skeeetchy! You're CALLING me but you don't have a phone #?!?)
""well, what's your website?"
(he gives it to me)
"I'll have to look into it, if I'm intersted I'll contact you."
UGH! Vampires!

Call 2: after being on hold where they played obscure 50's sci-fi movie dialog soundtracks- kinda like Forbidden Planet?
"Hello,this is Gametap, how can I help you?"
"I need to cancel my acct."
"May I as why you want to cancel?"
"I don't have any free time, and if I did I wouldn't/shouldn't be playing video games."
(I was actually drunk when I set up the account- who can resist?)
so that was simple.

Third call, however was a real charmer:

"Hello, Netzero cusomer service, how can I be of assistance to you today?"
"I need to cancel my account."
"Well sir I can certaily help you with that, but may a ask why you want ot cancel with Netflix?"
"My ex-girlfriend was supposed to cancel the account in January, but I just noticed that she didn't. I've been paying for her internet for the past 6 months. I want it cut off pronto."
"Oh, well, sir, we can tranfser that to you and change the password"
"No, I have internet in the new apt. I dont' need it, thanks"
"Oh, well we can give you free access for the next 2 months-
"No, I dont' need it, thanks. I have wi-fi or whatever here at home now."
"Well, I can give it to you free of charge until September"
"No, thanks, I just need it cancelled"
"Ok, sir I'm right there with you- you don't want to be payin' for your ex-girlfriend's nothin'!"- (goes off and loses me on some vaguely religious/family values tangent)-"I mean if she's your girlfiriend then of course, but you ex-girlfriend, no way- I'm right there with you, Sir."
"Oh, yea, thanks..."
(then after a long pause and checking his records, etc.)
"hello?"
"yes sir, I'm just looking up your records, if I can get her phone number we can pinpoint the location from which she's been dialing up from an confrm your suspicions"
(thinking: "suspicions?")
"Uh, I don't know that off-hand"
"Oh I've got it right here sir- _______"
"Yea."
"That's where she's been dialing from..."(sound of vigorous typing)
"Right, that's her new phone # , I just need to cancel my account, though-"
"yep, just gotta do a few things here" (another long pause) "well, sir- (blah-blah) if you have a pen handy I'll just give you your cancellation confirmation number...you there in Seattle?"
"Yes"
"oh, you going to the Rainbow Gathering?"
"Uh, the- I've heard of it..." (Thinking: that's kinda how we lost Troy to the world for a year or two, isn't it? Like, some crazy woodsy hippie gathering where people - I dunno, I don't know much about it, actually.)
"Yea, I thought all you west coast folks might be there, I'm out here in West Virginia but I've gone every year for the past 7 years."
"You drive to -"
"Colorado, just outside Steamboat Springs."
"From West Virginia?-"
"Oh, but it is worth it! I mean you just can't believe how- well, i can't really describe it good 'nuff, but the website is -(something something) and it goes on from the 3 of July to the 7th, usually des down a bit around the 5th though- I get there early though to get a good camping spot, oh it's great, you should go-"
"Uh, yea-"
"Yea, if you're from Seattle you'd just love it. Maybe I'll see you there?"
"Uh, yea, maybe- I actually have to go to work here really soon-"
"Alright, sir I don't want to keep you but you've got your confirmation number and you're all set, that ex-girlfriend of yers will get cut off on the 25th, sorry I couldn't do any sooner-"
"Oh, no problem just as long as it is cancelled. Thanks."
"Thank you sir, and hope to see you out there in Colorado-"
"Yes, you too. Bye."
I hung up then relized that he never did end up giving me a cancellation confirmation number afterall....
Wonder if that call was recorded for quality assurance?...

Speaking of strangeness... I learned this morning that there is a star called Betelgeuse, it is really really really reallly so so soooo soooooo REALLY big, and 427 light years away...