User Name and Avatars: Origin Stories

[R_J_K75]

I previously had Spectrum(Which is a TimeWarner subsidiary) and paid $30/mo for the first year and then it went up to $45 the year after for just internet. It was a drag. With that said, I had zero complaints about the service. I never had an outage, and always got great speeds.

Here in Western New York in the early 2000s it was Adelphia until the owners went to jail, and Time Warner bought them. I'm not sure exactly what happened but I think Spectrum bought Time Warner, at least here. I had a promotional price for 2 years for internet and cable, but once that was up the cost skyrocketed, I had to pay equipment fees and other "service" fees (which I think is a NYS tax thing). Once a year they would lose negotiations and drop channels or jack up the price to keep those channels. Their internet speeds suck, and are way below what you pay for, I used to constantly have to reboot my modem because I'd lose connection. Once they went completely digital cable, my TV would freeze, or there'd be lag and pixelation when I was watching TV. Worst of all was when they would do system "upgrades" (which never solved anything) and at night and the cable would be unavailable for an hour or two. I called one time complain and the guy says to me well sir have you ever tried reading a book instead of watching TV? I lost it on him needless to say the least and made him prorate my bill for the month. I've never had good service from them.

 

[Meech17]

Here in Western New York in the early 2000s it was Adelphia until the owners went to jail, and Time Warner bought them. I'm not sure exactly what happened but I think Spectrum bought Time Warner, at least here. I had a promotional price for 2 years for internet and cable, but once that was up the cost skyrocketed, I had to pay equipment fees and other "service" fees (which I think is a NYS tax thing). Once a year they would lose negotiations and drop channels or jack up the price to keep those channels. Their internet speeds suck, and are way below what you pay for, I used to constantly have to reboot my modem because I'd lose connection. Once they went completely digital cable, my TV would freeze, or there'd be lag and pixelation when I was watching TV. Worst of all was when they would do system "upgrades" (which never solved anything) and at night and the cable would be unavailable for an hour or two. I called one time complain and the guy says to me well sir have you ever tried reading a book instead of watching TV? I lost it on him needless to say the least and made him prorate my bill for the month. I've never had good service from them.

Cable companies are the worst. Where I lived in Central Ohio, it was Time Warner, and then bought out by Spectrum. They were always great to me. When I called to get my cable connected the lady told me about about how the government was providing a grant for home broadband (This was in the midst of Covid) and she told me to be sure I applied. I did and and was accepted.. That $30-$45 I mentioned I guess was a little misleading, as it would have been even more than that, but that's what I was paying. When I called to cancel the lady asked about where I was moving and if we could just transfer service. I mentioned I was moving out of state and she told me to check and see if I could get that grant transferred, because apparently some people were able to. I wasn't, but it was still nice of her to point it out, even though she wasn't keeping me as a customer.

I totally feel your pain though. These mooks at Xfinity charged me a $10 equipment set up fee... When I took home and set my equipment up myself. I called and complained hoping to get it back and I was told that if I had had a technician come out and do it, it would have cost even more and I should consider myself lucky.

 

[R_J_K75]

Cable companies are the worst. Where I lived in Central Ohio, it was Time Warner, and then bought out by Spectrum. They were always great to me. When I called to get my cable connected the lady told me about about how the government was providing a grant for home broadband (This was in the midst of Covid) and she told me to be sure I applied. I did and and was accepted.. That $30-$45 I mentioned I guess was a little misleading, as it would have been even more than that, but that's what I was paying. When I called to cancel the lady asked about where I was moving and if we could just transfer service. I mentioned I was moving out of state and she told me to check and see if I could get that grant transferred, because apparently some people were able to. I wasn't, but it was still nice of her to point it out, even though she wasn't keeping me as a customer.

I totally feel your pain though. These mooks at Xfinity charged me a $10 equipment set up fee... When I took home and set my equipment up myself. I called and complained hoping to get it back and I was told that if I had had a technician come out and do it, it would have cost even more and I should consider myself lucky.

I was getting the $30/month COVID relief too, they repealed it and that was the last straw that drove my cost so high.

I moved into a new apartment in 2005 and got cable & internet. There was a $70 activation fee, and a service tech came to install the equipment. He was clueless, couldnt get it to work and had to call the main office to get help. He tells the girl on the other end my name, and he says OK and hands me the phone. Turns out I knew her and she walked me through setting it up. The guy had a couple connections backwards, it was pretty funny. I never did have to pay the $70 connection fee, hello new coffee pot.

 

[Gammadoodler]

Back in the day there was a kid's toy called Magna Doodle, which let draw with some iron filings and a magnetic stylus.

Its always struck me as kind of funny, harnessing one of the fundamental forces in nature to make fuzzy stick figure drawings, and then imagining a professional title for a person who might do such drawings professionally.

As time has gone on, I've selected other natural phenomenal to doodle with, in the case gamma rays.

As for my avatar, it is the first letter of my username, and totally a conscious choice rather than a failure to look for the appropriate account setting

 

[Riley]

Riley was my last 2e character, and my first 3e character.

He carried and played a lute, and described himself as a minstrel. Not a “Bard” though: he was a Rogue with a bit of Wizard.

Riley was a transformative character for me, chosen to lighten up my play and counter all my worst overly-cautious, max-min'ing, and puzzle-solving tendencies.

His was defined by his foolish enthusiasm: "I can do that." (wisdom: 8)

His fate: He was the first to die in 3 campaigns/groups.

He was soo much fun to play.


His avatar is from Swashbuckling Adventures (AEG d20). Excepting the pirate flag and lack of a lute, he’s a decent match for Riley.

 

[Maxperson]

Its always struck me as kind of funny, harnessing one of the fundamental forces in nature to make fuzzy stick figure drawings, and then imagining a professional title for a person who might do such drawings professionally.

People out there can make some pretty good stuff with Magna Doodle

 

[Ryujin]

Riley was my last 2e character: a dual-classed Wizard-Rogue. Riley was also my first 3e character: a multiclassed Rogue-Wizard.

He was a transformative character for me, designed to get me to lighten up, and play against all my worst overly-cautious, max-min'ing, and puzzle-solving tendencies.

His defining character trait was foolish enthusiasm (Wisdom=8).
His motto was: "I can do that."
His fate was: He was the first to die in 3 separate campaigns/groups.
But he was soo much fun to play.

For no reason other than this comment made me randomly think of it.

 

[Maxperson]

My cable & internet went up $25-$30 a year for the about the past 5 years. It was up to ~$250/month. In mid-April I packed up all my cable equipment, turned it in, cancelled it and just kept my internet. Once I did that, they gave me all kinds of discounts and promotions, I haven't had a cable bill since. I think I still have about two free months left and will only pay $30 a month for internet for the foreseeable future. They're a bunch of crooks with their hidden fees like the service technician truck tire inflation charge. Between Philo and a TV antenna, I get all the channels I want, and should be able to get most of the Bills games. Not sure about the Sabres because they're on MSG, but since they brought back Lindy Ruff, not sure I care.

AOL did that to me for about a year and a half before it went free. Every 3-6 months when the charge came back I'd call to cancel and get 3-6 more months free.

My wife and I just ditched cable completely and rolled that money into covering the cost of most of the streaming services, so we can just watch what we want when we want to.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Years ago, I temped for AOL for about six weeks, in the department that handled cancellations. And by "handled," I mean "illegally denied them." We were instructed to ignore copies of death certificates (originals only, please!), tearful phone calls from family members of people with dementia who had signed up for dozens of subscription services of various sorts, etc.

After a week, I went rogue and just started cancelling everyone who asked.

 

[CleverNickName]

After a week, I went rogue and just started cancelling everyone who asked.

Not all heroes wear capes.