rockpile

I agree and disagree. I had a three strike rule and F-bomb #3 was a disconnect if directed AT me. . I would advise them the call was being recorded, give them a "warning", and explain I could not help if all they were going to do is swear at me. On the flip side, some call center people might disconnect for multiple reasons. * Long call expected near end of shift * Close to lunch * Not trained to provide service requested * Did not feel like handling it and so on If a customer was being mishandled by the company/call center, I would spend an hour or two helping if necessary, and sometimes call them back after talking to supervisors or other departments, even if it was to explain what the solution or non-solution was about. Sometimes, after 7.5 hours I did not realize I was not speaking clearly!

I have learned from being on the call center side of the wall to be polite but firm when I deal with customers AND when I call because I need customer service. I used the same head set for 4.5 years even though we changed phone software multiple times. Sometimes when a person got through to me, they had been transferred a few times already, which compromises the quality of the sound you get. Where I worked, help desk 'customer service' personnel were paid by having a high sales/call ratio, length of call, availability, and number of calls taken. Actual service quality is only 10-15% of the quarterly review. This is not customer service. Also the customer's expectations range pretty evenly from polite but frustrated, to holier than thou, to ignorant/stupid. Some customer service agents DO suck, by the way.

Amway or Jesus? I am just teasing......

A successful season will be when I do not have to say "Well, Gomer, there's always next year!" I have been saying that since the Bills did not go to the first AFL/NFL championship. I am glad I did not know then that the first championship would be a loss - 25 years later! I look forward to each season, but have drastically lowered any expectations. If you have no expectations, you cannot be disappointed. ...rockpile

Even going in with low expectations, Mad Max was worse than I thought it would be.

Thanks for the updates, and continued prayers for Rick and his family. It is great you are doing this and I am sure he really appreciates visitors to talk about something besides his illness. Kudos to you all!

I remember him and miss him.

If any season ticket holders are able to buy tickets for my 'group' please send me a message or reply with a way to contact you. If you are so inclined, we can work out price and method of payment that is mutually agreeable. Jay, thank you once again for doing your best. What more can we ask?

Do I make that picture by typing "smiley face and I would like a beer"? Just wondering. I have been around since the Cookie days myself, Howard. Favorite Bill was Tom Day. I shook his hand when I was about eleven. Was your Mom's name N.J. Sue? I feel this thread drifting towards the pickle juice jar. Got any tennis balls? My sh*tter is clogged.

Pictures for Jack: Family Rocks https://www.flickr.com/photos/upstatenychapter/17179381037/in/album-72157651941216429/ the walking dead: https://www.flickr.com/photos/upstatenychapter/17188228339/in/album-72157651941216429/ The lovely Mrs Rock: https://www.flickr.com/photos/upstatenychapter/16758988903/in/album-72157651941216429/

How many days, RR??

I have been here since Scott was designing the first logo and e-mailing folks to write articles to get things started. Many folks have me beat on "post count" though! A lot of folks have spent a whole lot of time making this place "home" since then.

Well, another walk is completed. We had beautiful weather - sunshine and mid 70's. We took the long walk, 5 miles. I hit the wall around three miles but pushed to get a second wind and actually jogged the last 100 yards. I am sore all over and tomorrow may be hell, but it was worth it. With a several at the wire sponsors on line and a couple checks, the total came to (drum roll please) $1,365.00 You people never cease to amaze me. When I left for the walk this morning I had recorded $960. TBD Sponsors: JÂy RÛßeÒ Cugalabanza The Tomcat TBD Fezmid Mr Info Boyst Mr. WEO tsaikotic papabear ? Cowgirls Fan Doc Others Jane P Dunk Marcie and Dave Grace B Arlene H Bilby kimm Jwalk2000 Lou P dsmack Jesse G Karen and Fred R

Off to the WALK. FYI - we are at $960 in sponsors as of two minutes ago. $40 to reach $1,000.... You ROCK!

We are 10 hours away from the start of the MS Walk and $155 away from reaching $1,000. Come on Jack, you can get us to a milestone. I will send you pictures!

The health industry sucks, no doubt. SSI and SSDI suck worse. Add Medicare to the mix and you can just about forget getting through the bureaucracy without legal assistance.

I am doing just fine. Thanks for the kind thoughts! Sorry if it came across as a negative post. At one time in the past, some of the "millennials" were ragging on the "boomers" for ruining their lives.

Medical insurance is currently closer to $8K per year out-of-pocket for the wife and me. That is already planned into the budget when I retire. Some of it will be covered by Medicare, but I will carry insurance to fill the gaps. Her SSI will not be a lot, if she ever retires, because she is self employed. We have maximized her SEP every year to compensate.

I have four grown children who I can count on to help me and the wife as best as they can if needed, but I have medical insurance for a reason. If you have a chronic illness, how do you pay for it? As many of you know, I have multiple sclerosis. Just two pills I take daily would be $84,000 per year if I paid for them out of pocket. Added to those two prescriptions: blood work, GP visits, MRI's, vision and dental expenses. How could anyone cover that without insurance? Read The Millionaire Next Door for some good advice. You can have a great life and save for the future if you do not piss away all or more money than you bring in. If you use common sense, you do not have to be cheap. I worked for a company for 25 years. I contributed the maximum into their 401K, they matched my contribution to either 4% or 6%, and they had a pension plan! I thought I had it made. They sold us to another company, and paid off our 'pension due' in a lump sum. I rolled my 401K and pension check into an independent IRA (not their stock). The unlucky ones who were not laid off or took early retirement, got screwed out of their pensions when the company went belly up. We are a very close family. No BS or drama! When my mother-in-law needs assistance, I will welcome her into our home. She can stay as long as we can care for her. I only wish our other three parents were still here! But seriously, I can provide a home - but who would pay the medical expenses? With any luck, I will be able to retire in less than 18 months, LONG before SSI alone would be enough to support me if that was my only source of income. Save for the future and retire young enough to enjoy it.

THREE DAYS WEEK TO GO!!! There is plenty of time to pitch in, if you can. http://walknyr.natio...287&pg=personal ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks to my amazing sponsors! Today's update: $755 TBD Sponsors: JÂy RÛßeÒ Cugalabanza The Tomcat TBD Fezmid Mr Info Others Dunk Jane P Marcie and Dave Grace B Bilby kim m Jwalk2000 dsmack

I was laid of in 2007 after 27 years. I spent 20 months at Corning Tropel, "contract-to-hire" as quality engineer, took about a $12K pay cut, and was laid off again. Worked at a small manufacturer as a quality manager. That lasted for 12 months until they fired me for not completing engineering tasks I specifically told them I was not trained for and had never done, before I signed the offer. Dropped another $8K too. That was difficult, because I was treated like dirt for too long but had to get fired to insure I would get unemployment. After a year on unemployment, I took an internet help desk job, that did not pay well, unless you were starting your career, but it was full time with good benefits. I needed that because two pills I take daily for MS would be $84K annually out of pocket. Four years later, I am still there but looking to make another change. I will keep this gig until another is found. As far as salary? I make now what I made almost 30 years ago. So much for Baby Boomers living the "high life". LOL

When do you expect the ordering to start? I do not get on the computer every day and do not want to miss out. Thanks, Jay You are my hero.

The Rockpile Sections is up over 20 tickets now. TY

Good one! I am not PC. Ticket scalpers are bottom feeding scumbags. If this offends any Native Americans, please read on: From the Urban Slang Dictionary, "Someone who purchases large quantities of goods (usually tickets) early with the sole intention of re-selling them at a higher price at a later date (closer to the event)."

EIGHT DAYS WEEK TO GO!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks to my sponsors! Today's update: $515 TBD Sponsors: JÂy RÛßeÒ Cugalabanza The Tomcat TBD Anonymous Fezmid Others Dunks Jane P Marcie and Dave Grace B Bilby