Z/Web

Flew up to Oregon today. Check-in was a little slow, but okay. I was flying Southwest and got confused by their weird open seating policy. I’m used to assigned seats. In the waiting area I found an empty seat and waited until boarding began. The row I was in was boarding so I went along, only to get turned away at the gate because my ticket had a “C” on it and only “A” was boarding. Apparently “A” seats are window seats, so those people go in first, then “B” center seats, and finally “C” aisle seats. That sounds good, except that all the “B” people took the aisle seats so when I got on there were only middle seats left! Why have a policy if you don’t enforce it? Bizarre. I was not impressed with Southwest. Supposedly they are tons cheaper, but they’ve never seemed that way to me. In this case they were only about $10 cheaper than Alaska, but their tickets, while not refundable, can at least be used for airline credit. Since I was uncertain of my schedule I wanted tickets I could at least reuse if I had a change in plans. I had another negative when I went to get my checked bag. It’s a black traveler that looks like a million others so I had a purple ribbon attached to a strap on the bag. Well, somehow Southwest unclipped the strap and lost it! I saw my bag go by but thought it wasn’t mine because it didn’t have the ribbon. When it came around the third time and there were only a few pieces of unclaimed luggage left, I finally opened it and saw it was indeed mine. I was quite irritated, not just because Southwest lost part of my luggage, but also because it makes it more difficult to identify my bag. Stupid morons.

Had another adventure getting my rental car. I’d booked it online in advance for a total of $73. The guy at the Dollar booth immediately tried to upgrade me to an SUV. It was normally $89 a day but was on special for $49. That sounded like a terrible deal, nothing close to what I’d booked, and completely confused me. When a customer obviously wants something cheap, why counter with something expensive? Then he threw out some “LDW” term at me at the same time commenting that I wouldn’t need liability insurance, so I said yes. It turned out, that “LDW” was some sort of damage insurance and doubled my rate! I didn’t realize it until he handed me the bill to sign and I saw it was twice what I’d been quoted. “You said you wanted it,” he whined when I complained. I admitted I’d made a mistake, but later realized that he’d never said the “LDW” thing cost anything. What kind of business asks if you want something without telling you the cost? But we still weren’t done. Next he threw a bunch of fuel options at me. For just “$1.99” I could buy a tank of gas. Well, make that $1.99 per gallon. With a 16-gallon tank, that meant an additional $36. You see, I buy a full tank even if I return it nearly full! Of course if I don’t bring it back full, it costs even more per gallon, so it’s “cheaper” to buy the tank in advance. All these options were really annoying me and so I said so. “This feels like a bait and switch,” I told the guy, who got upset. He claimed it wasn’t and that I could get the price I was quoted if I wanted. I finally got out of there getting what I was quoted, but it felt like a hassle. I hate it went estimates and reality don’t match. It really pisses me off.

I got to my Aunt and Uncle’s place about 8:30, I think. My uncle gave me the key to my place. I could have stayed the night at their place, but I really was wanting to see my new house. I was nervous. It’s been a month since I’d been there. This was a huge commitment. What if the house or area didn’t match up with my memory? What if I discovered something I really hated? I headed out with some apprehension. Seeing it at night for the first time added yet another difference. It was dark and foggy, but there was little traffic. I found my way easily, arriving right at 10 o’clock. The house looked a little ordinary as I pulled into the driveway, causing another twinge of apprehension. Had I made a dreadful mistake? But coming since the main door (Whew! The key worked!) I saw the huge living/family room and remembered what I liked about the place. The lofted ceiling, hardwood floors, spacious kitchen, etc. where what I’d wanted. Trying to be more critical, I realized the limitations. There were a few aesthetic flaws such missing baseboard trim, no towel racks in the main bathroom, a kitchen sink that needed replacing (it wasn’t even hooked up), a shower door with no handle, etc. At first it was depressing thinking that the house wasn’t perfect or that some of the workmanship wasn’t top notch, but then I realized that every house has flaws and the ones here really are minor and all fixable. It may take me a little time to fix everything, but it’s certainly doable. By the time I went to bed (exhausted), I was very comfortable with my decision. The house isn’t a mansion, but it’s certainly a step up from my previous place and it’s got great potential. It will be an excellent place to live for a long time to come.