Today was supposed to be an interesting day. It was only me who didn't know just how interesting it was going to get.... I was supposed to go to the Tacoma Art Museum today with a friend to see the exhibit about Frida Khalo and her life. I love Frida, she's one of my favorites and I was so glad when he suggested we go. His wife, though she has a great artistic sense, doesn't like museums which I love so it was perfect. We planned breakfast at 13 Coins, this really great joint in Seattle that seems like Humphrey Bogart or Frank Sinatra could walk into at any moment, then on south to Tacoma... The museum is closed on Mondays during winter months. Oooops, glad he checked online for directions. So, instead we decided to still have breakfast but to stay closer to home and went for Brown Bag Cafe.... mmmmm Brown Bag. Yum. Anyone who lives near or is travelling to the eastside of the Seattle area... GO, IT ROCKS. We had breakfast and I related my computer trouble to him. Basically it came down to CompUSA saying, "Jennifer, you're fucked, go get another computer." Which they didn't really say... but that was the message. So I told him how I needed to go to the store and buy a new one and he said, "Hey, want to just go there from here?" and I said sure... Got into Best Buy, found a new one I like (still getting used to the keyboard but so far's good...) and sat down with the sales guy to go over warranties and such. They have a new partnership with Geek Squad and one of the things they offer is to basically set up the computer and get rid of unwanted programs, etc. I said I wanted to do that and was told to pick up my new PC at 7pm. At 7:25 I was walking out of the store with the laptop underarm. I got home, opened the box and pulled everything out to get all set up. The AC adaptor was missing. I picked up my phone to call BB and saw there was a message. How convenient. They called to say that I had left the adaptor. As far as I recalled, I was handed a shopping bag and a computer box and told I was all set. But that was fine, I got in my car and drove the 20 or so miles back down to the store where I retrieved my missing parts without a word of apology from the man who had repacked my box. I got home at 8:45 pm. Hooked everything up, including the modem, etc. From my previous computer issues I knew that I needed to reset the modem, which I did. No internet service. I called Comcast. The first few times I called I told the automated system that I was an EXISTING CUSTOMER and it sent me to the sales office which closes at 8pm. I finally caught on and told it I was a NEW CUSTOMER and it sent me to IT. Funny that. I was on the phone for a while with a very nice lady named Sally. She couldn't help me though, and told me to call the manufacturer. I called Gateway. The first few times I told the automated system that I didn't know if I had a "brand name" that fit the e-service or whatever it was I was trying to get. When I told it I had Gateway it said it didn't understand me and hung up on me. 3 times. I finally said, "yes, I have a brand name" and I got IT support. Very very nice young man in Salt Lake City named Jeremy who helped me for about 45 minutes. I never faltered, I knew he could help me, I knew I would have service... until we got disconnected and he didn't call me back. I finally called Gateway again and got the rudest person on the face of the planet named Jay. Jay from the get go told me he could not help me. Yet had no advice whatsoever for me to do. And when I said, "I don't understand, you can't help me, Comcast can't help me, should I take the computer back to Best Buy?" He said, "Ma'am I need to soften your tone." I admit, I was really upset and frustrated. But I work in Customer Service and I honestly don't think I had raised my voice to him at that point.... Ohhhhhhhh, but I sure did then! And hung up the phone.... I know this is long, really, I lived through it.... I called Comcast back. (Making sure to tell it I was a new customer so that I would actually get service.) I encountered a young man named Ryan. Ryan is my hero. Ryan took me through a few things and then finally asked me if I had my old ethernet cable from my last computer and I should try using that cord.... WONDER OF WONDER, MIRACLE OF MIRACLES!!!! I HAVE INTERNET SERVICE!!! It's now 11:45 my time. I spent approximately 2.5 hours trying to get this thing up and now all I want to do is go to bed. I have a new computer. I have internet service. It will all be fine in the morning...