Hello, Samsung? An Update…

I’ve been going to write this for several months but kept putting it off because of other awesome ideas that popped into my head. What other ideas, you ask? Read my blogs. Ok, maybe not so great but they were crowding my thinking process and needed to be set free. Digressing here…

If you read below, you will find my original blog that details the troubles I had with my Samsung dryer and how I was treated by customer service when I called for help. Well, it’s been quite a while since posting my original blog and I thought I’d give you an update on the assistance…or lack thereof…I received from Samsung.

Basically, after months of trying to get someone at Samsung to listen to me, I gave up. But I took some business of theirs with me when I did so. Quite a few people I heard from online were shopping for either a washer or dryer and decided not to purchase a Samsung after reading my blog, not only because of what happened to my dryer but because I was shown such disrespect by customer service, along with their lack of concern and refusal to investigate my problem.

Not only did I reach people via my blog, but also in person as I made the rounds at the local appliance sales type places in search of a new…and more reliable…dryer unit. Every time I saw a person considering a Samsung washer or dryer, I related my story to them. And gained a few new readers as well. Most of them changed their mind about what brand to buy and thanked me for my input.

As for me, I made a purchase. A Maytag Duet (Can it be called a duet when I only bought the dryer or does the washer have to be included I wonder?) and I’m so totally satisfied with my choice. It not only was on sale for much less than the Samsung brand but has a better warranty and, amazingly enough, the customer service representative that I spoke to when I called with a question was not only helpful, he treated me with the respect I was due as a Maytag customer.

So my advice to the Samsung Powers-That-Be would be to remember who pays your light bill. Train your people to be a little more courteous and a lot less high and mighty. I may not have bankrupted your company but I took a little bit out of your wallet. A lot more than you would have spent fixing my dryer.

Original Blog Posted 9/30/14…

When we moved to Louisiana in 2011, my daughter, grandson and I basically came with nothing more than our personal belongings. We filled up my Honda CRV, leaving a small nook in the back for the boy, and what didn't fit, didn't come. No furniture, no television and no washer or dryer. We rented an apartment two weeks after arriving but it looked really empty due to our trip with next to nothing. So we went shopping.

One of the first things I looked into purchasing was a washer and dryer. With a 2-year-old that needed his clothes changed twenty times a day, it was a must.  I picked a great time to buy them as it was right after Thanksgiving. Christmas saving doesn't always have to include toys and clothes and Lowe’s had a great deal on a Samsung set…front loader washer and dryer, $1,200 for the pair.  I researched and found excellent reviews on the brand. I bought them thinking I wouldn't have to replace them for at least ten to fifteen years. They were here and installed within a week.

Fast forward to July 2014. I’m drying a load of clothes in my Samsung DV350AEW/XXA (I’m giving you the model number in case you own one of these babies and want to keep an eye out for what happened to me). After about twenty minutes, the dryer stopped. No warning. Not a sound. It just quit. I’m thinking that maybe a breaker tripped. Yeah, I’m not an electrician but what else could have happened? Well, look at the picture below and you will see exactly what made my dryer stop.

                

Imagine my shock when I opened it up, removed my clothes and saw this. A crack. In my drum. I’m not even going to mention the clothes that were ruined because they were stuck inside the crack (the black marks below the crack are the result of those clothes).

Now I want to first point out that only myself and my daughter have ever used this dryer. We wash our clothes and the boy’s. No uniforms, heavy items, shoes or the like have ever seen the inside of this thing. I work in an office so my things are basic office wear. Small child things. My girlie's workout gear. Just normal clothes. It was not abused in any way, shape or form.

I immediately went to the Samsung website to find out who to contact about this thing and there’s really no information. To get a phone number to call, you need to fill out a “Two Thousand” transaction so that those in charge can figure out (I’m guessing here) if your problem warrants their attention. I did this, got a ticket number (I’m figuring I was deemed worthy of such an honor) and the golden phone number I was seeking. Good deal, I thought, as I dialed the phone. I’m in like Flynn…whoever he is.

My optimism came too quickly as I had approximately two billion callers ahead of me. I put in my blue tooth and took a walk while listening to the same strange ditty over and over. Walked about six miles, came home and made lunch, same ditty is playing. Ate said lunch and did the dishes, same ditty. Took a nap, knitted an afghan…ok, so not really but you get the point.

Finally my call was answered…by someone who spoke very little English. What he said to me, I will most likely never know. I’m sure he was a very nice man but after being on hold for what seemed like a week, my level of frustration rose with every passing minute. My end of the conversation consisted of “Excuse me?” and “I’m sorry?”(repeated ad nauseam) and finally with gritted teeth, “Can you please put someone else on the line? I can’t understand you.” And, oh pennies from heaven, I was transferred!!!

My jubilation came too quickly. He transferred me to Tai (ID #86092), a very competent, pleasant sort. Or so I thought. Oh, she was pleasant but the kind of pleasant that made you want to pull your eyes out through your ears. The kind that tells you she thinks she is superior and you are an idiot. She was “reasonable”. She was an Executive Level Agent. With attitude. The following is the result of my conversation with the executive level of Samsung service:

-My dryer was out of warranty. Duh, I knew that but circumstances, I believed, warranted a second look at this issue. A not quite three-year-old appliance with such a major failure? Could it possibly be a factory defect?

-It was not a factory defect. Because, says Ms. Executive Level Agent, there has never been a report of it happening before. My response? There has to be a first time. Perhaps mine was it? She pooh-poohed that idea out the window. Apparently first times never happen.

-The “Executive Level Agent” in charge of parts was consulted to see if they could, at the very least, provide replacement parts for free. His decision? Oh. Hell. No. My response? Unprintable. Actually, I said nothing to this because by this time, I expected nothing, but the response in my head was definitely unprintable.

-Most Samsung appliances have a life expectancy of approximately ten to twelve years. Your comment makes no sense, I say. Ten years but mine didn't even last three? And who wrote the good reviews of the product that I read when I was considering my purchase, Samsung ad execs? Well maybe I should have purchased a Maytag. The Maytag washer/dryer set that I left with my ex was almost fifteen years old and still going strong. Tai, ID #86092, had no answers to my questions.

-The Executive Level is the highest level I could go for help with Samsung. There was no one else to take my complaint to. Oh, that is where she was so wrong. So very wrong. I’m a blogger. I’m active in social networking. I may not reach too many people but I will reach some. Maybe no one at Samsung will listen but I have others who will. They can’t help me but they will shake their heads in disbelief at the callousness of those who are to be obeyed at Samsung. They will there there me with sympathy. It won’t dry my clothes but I’ll feel a little better.

Anyway, the end result? I got nothing. My gently-used, almost new dryer is not fixed. I am taking my clothes to the laundry to dry them.  I was pleasant and respectful, at least until her pompous attitude made me feel like a lower class citizen and a fool. Someone trying to cheat Samsung into fixing my dryer for nothing. Listen, I’m not trying to get something I don’t deserve. I paid a lot of money for an appliance that did not operate as it should have, for as long as it should have. I honestly feel that my dryer had a factory defect and to that end, I contacted them. I've spent a lot of my time since my phone call doing more research but have come up with nothing that will help me. But at least I tried.

My next step, after posting my blog, is to take my worthless, broken, piece-of-crap Samsung dryer out to the trash with a huge sign that says “THIS PRODUCT SUCKS & I DON’T WANT IT ANYMORE!” After doing so, I will make tee shirts for all my friends, neighbors and co-workers that say “Samsung Service = Not”…

Things To Do When The Boss Is Gone For Office Personnel

You know we all do it. The boss takes a vacation or develops typhoid and needs a week off and we don’t show up for work. At least not mentally. We may be sitting at our desks, but we’re definitely not “there”. What has to be done is done but, unless it is critical in nature, the rest falls by the wayside. Just for a day or two. Or five. And since this is something most will do, I thought I’d give you some ideas…

You can play games. On the computer or your phone, doesn’t matter. Card games, poker, popping bubbles. It’s easy to find one to peak your interest since they are everywhere. And they’re free!!!

You can surf the internet. Always something to look for on there. New thoughts for decorating your sunporch or stalk your old boyfriend. Dinner ideas. Ways to keep your toddler from driving you nuts. It’s all available for the asking.

Watch a movie. Bring in a DVD (or a Blu Ray Disc, if you’re lucky enough to have an employer that buys only the best). Because who has the opportunity to watch a good movie any other time? Too much to do at home. Children to take care of, house to clean, dinner to make.

You can sleep. Yeah, get caught up on your rest when the kids keep you up late. Or when Jimmy had someone fascinating on the night before that you just couldn’t miss.

Talk on the phone. To someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Actually being able to do it without having a child rattling on in the background is just a bonus. And if they’re boss is out at the same time, you can have a long conversation.

You can doodle. Just grab a stack of printer paper and your favorite pen. I’m a big doodler. I get a lot of phone calls where people on the other line drone on and on. And on. About basically nothing. So I fill my notebook with silly little pictures. It’s actually quite relaxing.

You can have gab sessions. Umhmm,  sit and talk to your co-workers about issues at work or at home. Complain about the boss, the schedule or the job itself. Your kids are a great topic of discussion as well. I actually used to have one on a daily basis at one of my last companies. I was an early bird and so was a lady I worked with. We sat most mornings (when the boss didn’t come in early) and had coffee, cookies and a very heartwarming discussion about whatever was on our minds. Some of the best days started off with this.

If you’re a blogger, write away. Put your headphones on, turn up your IPod and let the ideas just filter in. Jot them down and post away. Because if you’re like me, when you sit down to blog on purpose, your mind is a wasteland. But if you do it when you aren’t supposed to be doing it, the words will just flow from your imagination to your fingertips to the keyboard. NOTE: I know that a lot of you think my mind is a wasteland anyway but please be kind.

A ninety minute lunch? Sure, why not? Sometimes you just need to eat a little slower and digest. A lot easier on your system than the typical 30 to 45 minute grab and run.

You can … amazingly enough … do your job. I’m one of those who feels guilty if my work falls behind and since our department is one of the busiest, it’s a real possibility that could happen if I took a minute off. So I work. And so should everyone.

Honestly, I’m not one to skip on my work. Well maybe a little bit longer for lunch but since my boss is rarely, if ever, gone…I miss out on the opportunity to be naughty. The guilt would drive me crazy anyway.

Author’s note: The information contained herein are suggestions, not advice, and may actually result in job loss. Contact your Human Resources professional for further information.

What I Wish For Them - Elijah

In case you missed the first two (Go back and read them if you missed them!), I’m writing a series of blogs about what I would wish for my kids that money can’t buy. Even if you want them to have everything their heart desires, it is impractical and nearly impossible to get that for them. Along with being just a really bad idea. Last in my three-parter is what I wish for my grandson, Elijah. It’s so hard to figure this one out because the little dude is so out-there. The ones for Deanna and Deb are kind of tongue-in-cheek but Elijah’s is a bit more serious. He’s outrageous, mischievous and bold. He’s also sensitive, loving and kind. And interested in EVERYTHING. Read on to see what I’ve come up with.

An endless supply of Pepperoni Pizza. Elijah sure does love his slices. Pepperoni only. When we’re having a bad day or he just isn’t in the mood for food…not a good thing at this age cause a growing boy gotta eat…pizza is the answer. What kind of TMNT would he be if it wasn’t? He prefers Pizza Hut but will settle for frozen from Walmart. Stuffed crust is his favorite but he’ll take regular. Thick or thin is not even an issue. He likes both. So my wish here is that he has all the pizza, all the time. Day or night. Maybe we can find a way to hide a few vegetables in there while we’re at it.

The ability to always see things with the same excitement and joy that he does now. He sees a garbage truck and he has the same reaction as the first time he saw one. Fascination. He goes to a new fire station and it’s like he’s never been to one before. He finds a penny from Heaven (what we call pennies on the ground) and he’s thrilled. Even if he’s found ten of them already that day. A dandelion or clover flower for his mom brings the same joy as it always has. My wish is that he never lose this virtue that so totally defines him.

To always be interested in the unique, off the wall things he is now. What kid in Kindergarten says his favorite subject is science or social studies? I’m thinking not too many. But Elijah does. All boys at his age like to see snakes and dinosaurs but how many want to know what their bones look like on the inside? Most boys think gators, whales and sharks are the coolest but how many want to know how and where they swim or how long they live? How many want to know how many different types of animal species live in the Amazon Rain Forest? Yeah, he’s a nerd. A really cool nerd but a nerd all the same. My wish is that it never changes because it is so uniquely Elijah.

The ability to show love to his family. No matter who is watching. When I drop him off at before care, he gives me hugs and kisses in front of a bunch of “cool” guys in 2^nd and 3^rd grade (I think these are the ones who taught him really neat cuss words but I’m not sure). When he’s out playing with his friends, he’ll stop what he is doing and run over to give us love. He shouts out “I love you” to us in a grocery store or at the park while playing. I think because we aren’t shy about showing affection, Elijah isn’t either. I wish, I wish, I wish for him to never lose this capacity to be open and caring.

So now you have it. May my wishes come true. But if not, may you all get a chuckle about what I’ve written. And maybe just an idea about what you would wish for your own little…and not-so-little…ones.

If wishes were fishes, we’d all cast our nets….Frank Herbert

What I Wish For Them - Deb

This is segment two in a three part blog naming what I wish for my babies that can’t be bought with money. My younger daughter, Deb, is a complicated girl and coming up with ideas for her list was a little tougher than for her sister. Of course, I don’t live with her so I can be forgiven for that. As I said in my first blog about Deanna, many things that you wish for your children can’t be purchased and, when they are all grown up, most of us couldn’t afford it anyway. Here are my ideas for Deb.

Journals for life. Deb has an obsession with journals. To me, they are fancy notebooks and when I feel the need to write, I use a plain $.99 spiral from Walmart. Not this girl. She writes a lot (I wonder where she gets that trait from?) but she needs a pretty book to do it in. Any time she sees one in a store, she wants it. So one of my wishes for her would be an unlimited supply that would just show up like magic on her nightstand. Journals with pretty pictures on the front, of all shapes and sizes.

Pens to go with the journals. Not just any kind of pen will do for Deb though. They have to glide like magic over the pages of her journals. Plain old Bics are not an option for this girl. No, we’re looking at a Uni-Ball Impact 207 or a Sharpie Fine Point or something of equal quality. Color doesn’t matter. It’s all about the glide…

Free monthly shopping trips to specialty food stores. She’s a cook and when she cooks, she likes to make food from different countries. Ingredients for meals like that are outrageously expensive. In order to keep both her creative side and her man’s stomach happy, a shopping spree is exactly what she needs. Come to think of it, I may as well add in a free trip to a kitchen store as well because if the ingredients are expensive, the cookware to make it is even more so and there is always something new for her to try that needs a unique, pricy gadget to create it.

A gum gum tree in her back yard. No, this isn’t a new variety of plant life; Deb likes bubble gum. So much so that it’s amazing that she has such beautiful teeth. And to keep her in gum gum is very expensive so I’m wishing for her a tree with an endless supply of gum and no end to it’s growing season. We need to make it a pretty tree and the fruit (gum) has to come in different, yummy flavors.

Right next to the gum gum tree is a tea tree. Earl Grey specifically.  Girlie drinks her tea like most drink coffee. Can’t leave home without it. Doesn’t speak in the morning until she has it…not anything civil -like anyway. Again, has to be pretty and no end to it’s blooming. Because Deb without her tea (with a spot of milk) is not someone you want behind the wheel of a car. Or anywhere else for that matter.

These are my wishes for Deb. Stay tuned for Elijah’s … it’s coming up next.

What I Wish For Them - Deanna

I’m starting out with my eldest, Deanna. Most people realize that they can’t give their children everything. Even if you had the money, you couldn’t do it because as we all know, the best things…the most important…can’t be bought. Since I don’t have the money anyway, I’ve made a wish list of things that can’t be bought that I want my children to have. Here is my list for Deanna.

A yarn fairy. Deanna is a yarn-a-holic…if she has an extra dollar, she’s going to spend it on yarn. I’m glad she does because she makes beautiful things with her oh-so-clever fingers, as those who have benefited from her talent can attest. She has knitting needles, crochet hooks and looms. All she needs to create those lovely items is yarn. So the yarn fairy that I wish for her would bring her a multitude of skeins in all the colors of the rainbow and more. Yes, she definitely needs one of these.

An endless supply of hot water. If you are well acquainted with Deanna, you also know that she loves to take long, luxurious showers. And if you are the one in the shower after her, you’re definitely taking a cold one. I have always called her my water baby because from the beginning, she has been obsessed with it. Why it takes so long to get that little body clean is beyond my understanding but the endless supply that I wish for her would ensure that she never has to limit her time.

An alarm clock that never rings. And has no need to. So that Deanna can revel in one of her other great loves…sleeping late. Of course, along with this she would need her child to cooperate but that’s a different story. I remember the girl who never slept past 6:00 a.m. when she was a child. I could put her to bed at three in the morning and she would still wake up early. Ready to go. Before I had my coffee. Now she can sloth with the best of ‘em.  So the alarm clock would never ring and Deanna could sleep to her heart’s content…until she had to pee anyway.

99% off of everything in Hobby Lobby. Cause Deanna loves Hobby Lobby and everything in it. They sell whatever a crafty person could ever need, including knitting needles of all sizes, crochet hooks large and small, looms of every shape and size…and yarn. But of course, she won’t need the yarn because she has a fairy to provide that.

A cleaning genie. Because Deanna hates to clean. This genie would wash dishes, scrub bathrooms, vacuum and…most importantly…follow along behind Elijah to pick up what he’s laying down, which is basically everything he owns. Genie would also go through the clutter that Deanna collects (she is a Packrat with a capital P) and disposed of anything that causes my body to twitch. That is pretty much everything she has laying on the floor of her bedroom. I can’t go in there; it makes me break out in a rash and have nightmares. Her room would be tidy and neat; something that it hasn’t been since she graduated from a crib to a big girl bed.

And that is what I wish for Deanna. Keep popping in to see what I think Deb and Elijah should have.

Me in Five Words and Why

I’ve been challenged to describe myself in five words and then tell why I picked those words out of all the many that exist in the universe. Well, seeing as being I’m not really good at talking about myself except in stories, this proved to be a difficult task. But I persevered and here’s what I came up with…

Silly. I can be extremely silly. Because I like to have fun. And I enjoy making people laugh at my silliness. And I especially enjoy dropping down to Elijah’s level and playing at being silly. After that, it just seems to seep into other parts of my life.

Unfiltered. I have no filter. If I think something, I’m gonna say it. Not to offend or hurt anybody. Just because I kept my mouth shut for too long about too many things. And now I don’t have to. So I won’t.

Emotional. I cry at the drop of a hat…figuratively, I mean. I laugh just as much. I love big. Really big. I show everything openly and hope I can teach Elijah to do the same, just as I taught my girls. Because hiding your emotions is not only bad for your health, it’s painful. And unnecessary.

Talkative. This is something I guess I really don’t need to expand upon. Anyone who has met me, even for like three seconds, knows that I never quit talking. I talk to anyone. And any thing. My neighbors think it’s hilarious that I talk to the cats when I sit on my patio. Or a bug when it’s bothering me. If I’m on the phone with my daughter and she’s checking out at the store, I tell her to say hi to the cashier for me. I just enjoy talking.

Attitude. It’s a noun, not an adjective but if you know me, you know it fits. I have an attitude and I’m glad I do. It keeps people from taking advantage. It protects me from those who would try.

And now you know, if you didn’t already, who I am. In five words. And why.

Now that I have completed my challenge, I am to extend it to someone else. So I’m taking it to Tammie Sue Brown over at thegrayingchronicles.wordpress.com (By the way, if you’ve never read her stuff, you really should). Go, little sister. It’s your turn. And don’t forget to pass it on.

Why Parenting a Young Child At My Age Is Not a Good Idea

As you all know, my daughter and her six-year-old son, Elijah, live with me. If you don’t know, then you don’t read many of my blogs and you should be. With my daughter’s new work schedule, I am taking an even more active role in Elijah’s day-to-day care. Getting him ready for bed. Getting him ready for school and all that entails. Driving him to before care. Taking care of him on the weekends. It’s a huge adjustment and I’ve realized now why God in his infinite wisdom decided to cut off childbearing for women at a certain age.

Number one is lack of patience. As you get older you are supposed to gain it but when dealing with a child, especially this one, I’ve learned that I have less than I had when my own kids were his age. Probably because he is a boy and another part because he is a little more…or a lot more…to handle than they were. Into EVERYTHING. Curious about EVERYTHING. Wanting EVERYTHING. I’m exhausted beyond belief at the end of the day.

Of course there is a lack of energy. Because see paragraph above.

Number three would be lack of free time. I’m used to picking up and going wherever, whenever. Now I have to make sure Elijah is wearing clean clothes, doesn’t have snot or something equally gross on his face and goes pee before we get out the door. Oh, and everywhere we go, he has to be wearing something weird. A ninja mask. A sword or two tucked into the back of his shirt. A turtle shell with a strange hat or shoes. And God forbid if he should happen to leave something behind. That is EPIC. When we arrive at wherever, whenever, I have to get him out of the car. Now with normal kids, this isn’t a problem. You open the back door, unbuckle the child and get to where you want to be. With him, you have to argue about why swords/guns/toys have to stay in the car. “Because weapons are not allowed in public places.” or “They’ll think you stole that power ranger if you take it in the store”. Or “BECAUSE I SAID SO!!!!!” Which is usually how it ends up.

Next would be a lack of ideas. Because Elijah is so gosh darn precocious, it takes a lot of activities to keep him occupied and out of trouble. He’s always bored (insert annoying, whiny voice here). And when he’s bored, he gets into a lot of trouble. You can read previous blogs to see the numerous ways he gets himself in hot water. So I need to come up with good ideas to stimulate his already overactive brain. Especially with the cold winter we just had and the so-far rainy spring. As a for instance, this past weekend, it was raining. What to do, what to do? One of the ideas was travel. Not outside. In his bedroom. We sat on his bed, pulled the blankets over our faces, “blasted off” (there was a lot of boy spit involved in this) and landed in another location. We went to a farm, the Amazon Rain Forest and to the moon, among other equally fabulous places. Then we described what we were “seeing.” Fun. And imaginative, if I do say so myself. Well done, Yaya.

 Then we played hide and seek. With a conversation that went like this:

Elijah: “I’m hiding, Yaya. You need to find me.”

Me: “Ok.” Not moving from my spot lying on the floor. Due to aforementioned lack of energy.

Elijah: “Are you looking for me?”

Me: “Yup.” Still not moving.

Elijah: “Um, you actually have to get up to look for me.”

Me: “Mmmhmm. Looking.”

Elijah: Gets up and tells me with a loud laugh…”I was under my covers the whole time!!!”

Me: “I know. I saw you hide there. If you want to really hide, you can’t let the other person see where you go.”

Elijah: “Oh.”

Fortunately, I am blessed with the talent to do two things at once, like nap and play games simultaneously.

My other activity ideas include going to Toy’s R Us, which he thinks is so cool. It’s like going to visit a friend who has pretty much every single toy in the world. One weekend we spent at the local swamp doing a tour, which was the “absolute coolest.” Snakes and junk. Next weekend is the annual visit to the zoo. I’m really beginning to hate the zoo but it keeps him amused so who’s to argue. At this point, I’ll do anything legal. Because you can only watch so much television.

Ah, then there is a lack of sleep. The boy NEVER sleeps through the night. In fact, when he does, I give him a treat. Or a dollar. Hey, I’m not above bribing the child so I can get some rest. But he either has to pee (must have the smallest bladder in the history of six-year-olds), has a bad dream or is cold. Or he just had a thought that I needed to hear immediately. I mean like right now. At 3:00 a.m.

Lastly, there is a lack of blog time. But then again, with him, I have an unlimited amount of things to blog about so I guess there is a payoff. When I get the time. I have a lot of sticky notes with ideas written down. Maybe someday…

So that’s why I quit having babies after I hit twenty-five. I’m sure my daughters are relieved. But not as much as I am. Because this is harder than you think.