I Rock my Socks!

Okay, really this post has nothing to do with socks ('though I am wearing some!)

A couple of weeks ago I received a MASSIVE phone bill, almost $500 when out highest previous bill had been $150ish and the regular bill is closer to $80. I was completely floored, I nearly cried. There is just no way I could afford a bill like that and to maintain the service (ie I would have to pay it off so slowly that the service would be suspended until it was paid.)

Around 11 months ago the telco we use for our mobile phones was amalgamated with another telco (the one that gets the most complaints for those who are current affairs aware.) We never really took much notice of our call charges as they were always quite reasonable, this time though, I certainly had cause to check them out. When the amalgamation happened I was under the impression that all calls between the two telcos would now be included in our "cap"; ie calls between T and V would now be free as were calls previously between both of our T phones. (Anyone up with the guessing game! ;) )

People who know me well know that I have "phone issues" and "confrontation issues" so ringing a service provider to make a complaint is not something I've ever done before. "Financial responsibility" is FAR from being my middle name too, let me tell you. So for me to make this phone call was really a very big deal. I really don't know what possessed me but whatever it was - I liked it!

The first customer service person I spoke to offered me $50 credit on the bill once I said I was thinking of closing the account. After that offer I again said:
"ok, but I'm just not sure, we've been talking about closing this account and with this last bill, well, I really just can't afford it."
"If you don't mind holding for a moment, I'll speak to someone else here..." followed by...
"I have X here to speak with you and see what we can do about this..."
BINGO!
I explained to her that we had believed T to V calls were included in the caps we currently use and again stated that I was looking to close the account as I was not happy with this bill, nor the standard that new contracts allow this free communication within the came cap. She stated that all new contracts had that inclusion but people weren't automatically changed over to the new caps as they had higher call rates. Really, they should surely have OFFERED all existing customers the same deal as new customers, that is very poor customer service when customer retention is the easiest way to increase your sales. She did a bit of a verbal dance, I stood my ground, then she made me happy.

"What I can do, is waive the cost of those T to V calls on this account only, so you will be credited $370(ish), does that help you?"
Within a few minutes my phone bill had gone from nearly $500 to $130(ish)!
Unfreakingbelievable!
Happy dance!


Early this afternoon my time was worth around $750p/hour - who else gets paid that much?!

Got a problem with a bill from one of your service providers? It's well worth taking it up with them; the worst that can happen is they say "too bad, pay the bill", the best - you can AFFORD to pay the bill and save yourself a LOT of money.

10/365

A Self Portrait.

9/365

This is my alternate reality; the one I could have. I know it's achievable, before I fell pregnant with Djr I joined an intensive weight loss/training program at the gym and got back to 67.5kg without plateauing. I just have to get off my butt and do it.

Another day... ;)

(There were books behind the scales, under my heels but boy! My Achilles tendons are SO sore now and it only took a few minutes to take!)

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
1/80s
f/5.6
55mm (EF-S 18-55mm)
ISO1600

8/365

That's my girl...

Portraits are my least favourite photography genre, I need a lot more practice, fortunately I have a couple of quite willing models to help me out with that...

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
1/125s
f/1.8 
50mm
ISO200

seventy-three to seventy-seven...

73: photography and my tutor
74: seeing into people's secrets on "Baggage"
75: family game night, despite the fights
76: medicine to stop the babe's runny nose and bring him some comfort
77: kittens, for their cuteness

7/365

This was the photo I finally submitted for my assignment. Was thrilled to get 9/10 for this module, the technical aspects of the course are truly doing my head in but I'm finally "getting it". My tutor gave some very encouraging responses to this photo including that there was very little he could add to it, 'though he did suggest that more of the handle of the whisk could be included.

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
1/1000s
f/1.8
50mm
ISO400

6/365

Another day of assignment shooting; I think I'm getting close to something I want to submit...

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
1/1600s
f/1.8
50mm
ISO400

5/365

Still working on a photo for the same assignment showing depth of field.

My Dad grew this pineapple (and the one that came from the top behind it.)

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
s1/250
f/1.8
50mm
ISO200

4/365

I heard that you can take macro photos without a macro lens... I think my next big photography purchase will be a macro lens but in the meantime, this holding the fixed length lens backwards technique is quite nifty. Only problem is that there is no auto focus, the camera knows there's no lens attached and you can't use any of the camera settings (no adjustment of shutter speed, aperture, etc) so you have to hold the camera (and lens) at the exactly right distance from the subject, be in the right light, hold the camera (and lens) exactly still... hard work!

This poppy was my first to bloom; a lovely surprise to greet me this morning.

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
50mm (held to the lens attachment backwards.)

sixty-eight to seventy-three...

68: an easy going landlord
69: freedom to garden at a property we don't own
70: State of Origin; loving the building excitement right now
71: afternoon naps
72: networking, just talking to people
73: different opinion, even when I think they're stupid!

sixty-five to sixty-seven...

65: childcare
66: a great dental prosthetician, good at his trade, personable and friendly
67: studying photography and improving my craft

3/365

I love the treasures of nature, little bits and pieces that can be found all around us. Take the time to notice them and you will see beauty where ever you go.

This photo was taken as a trial for the final part of the previously mentioned assignment.

Specs:

Canon EOS 400D

1/800s

f/1.8

50mm

ISO 200

sixty to sixty-four...

60: a supportive community to help with troublesome assignments

61: Monday night babysitting

62: no-one having been hurt at the next door shop's hold up yesterday morning

63: no "accidents" at school! yay!

64: children moved by books (R, Once, Morris Gleitzman)

2/365

This was taken for the third part of the same photography assignment.

Liam's motorbike helmet; I'm sure it's too small for him now but it's still one of his prized possessions.

-♥-♥-♥-

Specs:

Canon EOS 400D

20s

f/8

50mm

ISO 200

fifty-two to fifty-nine...

52: a block of Snack chocolate when everyone else has gone to bed

53: feeding "duckdies" at the river

54: IQ series recording

55: my camera and learning more about it

56: cake wrecks

57: Dave Grohl; so cool...

58: the Foo Fighters

59: kittens

Here We Go Again...

So, I started my 365 project at New Years Day and got off to a cracking start in January, often posting more than one photo a day. Unfortunately, I took a couple of days off uploading once February began and lot momentum.

Four and a half months later, I'm going to try it again, and so...

1/365: I had a photography assignment to work on so went with D and Djr to feed the "duckdies" by the river. I had to take a series of photos using different settings and completed all but one photo of Part A of the assignment before my batteries ran out! Bah! Will have to start over again tomorrow.

forty-eight to fifty-one...

48: evading rapture

49: cheap plants

50: an hour's babysitting for "a piece of quiet"

51: an easy start to toilet training

forty to forty-seven...

40: a shop of our own and

41: a hard working husband who has earned

42: the loyalty of our regular customers

43: who understand the value of supporting small business

44: a bye weekend when you're team is untouchable on top of the ladder

45: the dogs being defeated

46: a house that possums visit

47: reheatable meals when the cat steals your chicken!

thirty-five to thirty-nine...

35: another tenancy inspection over and done with

36: girls socks 10 for $10!

37: trackie pants for the babe, cheap!

38: full moons

39: pretty sunsets

thirty-one to thirty-four...

31: good quality second hand, like the stroller I picked up this morning

32: having money to pay some bills, even if it's only on pay day

33: plants revived by liquid fertiliser, my husband was convinced that I'd killed them, not getting them into the ground soon enough.

34: the courage to go back to playgroup, even when I was running late.