Printing Woes

On Monday after much hassle, I finally had current proof of insurance for my two cars. Yet it didn't stop there.

After finally getting updated insurance forms, my printer decided it didn't like me. It refused to spit the darn things out because, as it informed me politely, it did not recognize my computer.

An easy enough problem to solve, oui? Non. Non, non non at all.

Going to the settings file on my desktop, I located a window which said to type in a code which my printer would give me at my command. Lo and behold, it did. So the printer appeared to recognize my device.

It turns out that it was snickering with evil. I typed the eight digit number into the window on my screen and that spinny thing began which supposedly means something is happening. Great. My issue would be resolved.

Then I heard that evil cackle. The access window on the printer was flashing; it reported that the time frame to use the code had expired. What? It had not even been 30 seconds.

I tried again and was given a new eight digit number. The code expired almost as quickly as I entered it.

Third time's the charm, oui? Non. Non, non non non at all.

In desperation I emailed my cards to me brother Phil, who conveniently lives at the other end of the block. I had to have the cards or else Tuesday I could not legally drive my cars. He came to the rescue, printed them, and brought them down to me.

So, insurance problem settled. But me and that printer are going have a talk. Perhaps an attitude adjustment is in order.

Insurance Blues

I pay my auto insurance in six months increments. That means it comes due on March 15 and September 15 respectively. I'm sure your life is complete now that you have that information.

But you need to know it if this edition of The Sublime to the Ridiculous is to make any sense at all. And no quiet, Ron this time. I'm genuinely interested in what he says here.

When your old insurance expires you get new proofs of it for the next half year. Well, duh. It typically works goes like clockwork. Yet typically is not always.

As I went to print out copies for each of our cars I noticed something very important. They were dated 3/15 to 9/15 this calendar year. But this past Monday was 9/15 of this year. I needed corrections. Fast.

It took three calls to my insurance agent to it straightened out, because for whatever reason it wasn't getting done on time. Maybe that's on me, as technology and I are barely on speaking terms, so perhaps I missed a step in the process. But I don't think so. Be fair: we're  never the culprits when we have an issue with something or somebody else. Admit it.

My first to call my actual agent went to voicemail. I get that. He has others folks worrying him about other dramas. I pressed O for the operator as the prompts suggested, because my guy only promised a 24 to 48 turn around time. That wouldn't do. 

The operators resent the forms by email yet clearly did not understand the problem even though, to my feeble mind, it was obvious. I warned that I tried the email route two times and kept getting the wrong thing. "Just give it about ten minutes to arrive, Mr. Cosgriff, and it'll be fine."

Of course it wasn't. I called back, got a different assistant who still couldn't fathom what I was talking about, before doing something I hate to do. "Could I speak to a supervisor please?" I asked.

One moment later, and it honestly was just a moment, on came a supervisor, who did not at first get it either, Finally, mercifully, she said, "Oh, I see, they didn't update the proofs of insurance and your old ones expire today."

I responded succinctly, "That is correct."

"We'll fix that." The sound of typing told me, or at least I hoped it told me, that everything would soon be made right. And it was. The supervisor waited patiently until the new email came through, which about 90 seconds. Thanking her, I finally had my new, correct, insurance cards.

Or did I?