Screwed by Verizon

I'm having issues with my VerizonFios services and equipment. I've spent HOURS speaking to people on the phone, as well as as reaching out on facebook and Instagram. It has all ended in what I view as unsatisfactory resolution. After commenting to them on facebook, I did receive phone call from a nice guy, who was also unable to help me, however he suggested I reach out via social media platforms, and hope that someone "higher up" see it and assist me. So hear I am, reaching out via social media. 

Let me tell you my story, I will try to keep it brief, but it's been a long road, and I'm upset so I tend to ramble. A few months a go one of my cable boxes broke, it said err4. They guy I talked to was nice and sent me a new one right away, but no return label. I requested a return box several times via their chat support, no dice, so for at least 6 months, I've paid the monthly rental for four boxes when I've only had 3 that are working. Fast forward 3 months, another breaks same err4 message (I get it, they are old, I've had them for YEARS) anyway, I do the chat, say they are sending a new one, no dice, so now for 3 months, I'm paying the monthly rental fee for four boxes when only two are working. Fast forward again, Monday, another one is broken, same old err4 message. 

So, on Monday I call. I waited on the phone for 30 minutes to be told theres a long line of callers, but they'll call me back. They did about 30 minutes later. The first woman I spoke to was incredibly rude. Incredibly. She was of no help and transferred me to someone without even saying good bye or indicating I was now being transferred. Anyway, the next person I talked to (after an hour of talking) said she'd send two new boxes and return things for 3 boxes, and I'd have them Tuesday.  She told me she'd call me back in an hour to confirm (she never called back, and I waited up until 11:00 pm for her call) I did get an email confirming they'd put an order in for the return boxes. 

Tuesday arrives. No boxes. 

Wednesday arrives. No boxes. So I call and call and call, talked to several people on Wednesday, explained my frustration. Am assured that a technician will be at my house this evening between the hours of 5-7pm. 7:00 pm comes and goes with NO technician. 

I call back. Make several calls, spend more hours on the phone. Am finally transferred to a customer service person, who informs me the best they can do is send new boxes...which will be shipped to me in 7 business days. Now it's Wednesday, rather than Monday, extending the time it would take me to receive them. 

I reluctantly agreed because, well I have no other option do I? That's what they tell me, this is my best and only option. Lame, that after being promised I'd already have working equipment on two separate occasions, that I'd now have to wait an additional seven days. 

It sucks, but it is what it is. Here's the kicker folks. I get an email confirmation "thanking" me for my order and a breakdown/total of my bill. The amount I'm being charged to replace their broken equipment is insane to me. Never in any world would I expect my bill to increase, because their equipment broke. Never in a million years would I expect to have to pay them more money, after being misled by several employees that already told me this issue was resolved when it wasn't. 

The cost increase pushed me over the edge, never in my life have I been treated like this by a company. I asked several employees to speak with a supervisor, and was directly told no, I couldn't speak with a supervisor. I also asked several times to speak to someone about my bill, and information about canceling my account so that I could have all my options, and was directly told no again. 

So those of you that know me, know my situation and personality, those that don't (and let's hope some new people are reading this and it catches Verizon's attention) let me break it down for you. I'm a single mom to an amazing 2yo little girl. I work two jobs. I in no way say these things to make you feel bad for me in anyway, but say them so that you recognize how precious and limited my time and finances are. I've wasted hours on the phone, I've kept a poor tired 2yo up passed her bedtime waiting for a technician I was promised would show that never did. The worst, is that I pay money to this company (for four years) and am treated rudely, am misled, charged extra money and provided no answers to my questions. 

Since when do companies treat customers in this way? Since when is it ok to blow off people, who give you their hard earned money? What I've learned from this experience is that customer service is gone. Especially in big enterprises such as Verizon. Do I imagine that Comcast would treat me any better? Unclear. 

All I know is that, I asked for a refund, of the two weeks, I can't watch tv, of the box rental fees for the boxes that aren't working. I didn't ask for any extra incentives or extra refunds for how rudely I was treated, or for all the time and effort I've spent dealing with this.  I was told "once you get the new boxes, call back and let them know what you've been through" I've said several times, why can't you, the person I'm speaking with right now resolve this for me, and I've been told because that's their policy. 

I've been told by Verizon to take to social media to see if I can catch someone's attention, so they could change the way they do business. So here I am, on social media, asking that you leave me a comment or share this on your page, to see if we can get Verizon to be able to permit employees to discuss bills, ending contracts, give customers refunds for services not received, asking that we can't get these big companies to treat us a little bit nicer when we call at 7:30pm inquiring as to why a repair man didn't show up during the scheduled time, while we have our babies screaming in the background, and dinner burning on the stove. 

If you read this, thanks, if you read part, thanks, if you know someone at fios who would actually read this, from one annoyed consumer to another, thanks! 

I'm back!

I haven't updated in a very long time :( for that I'm sorry, both to anyone who actually reads this stuff and to Charlotte! I started this to capture memories (between two jobs and playing with her, who has time for an old fashioned baby book any more?!) so I want to keep it going, keep those who care updated, have a place to express myself and have a place to put down in writing all the fun adventures me and my little one have! 

Well Charlotte is two now!! She's super grown up and all over the place! She's a talking maniac! Here are some quick fun facts :) 

Favorite song: shake it off by Taylor swift (literally screamed at me once when I turned the car off and it was still playing! 

Favorite food: Pizza

Favorite phrases: not yet, sit a minute, go away monster, um, hi mommy 

What did you do at school?: um, Emma 

Favorite show: curious George 

Favorite place to go: GG's and science center 

Favorite toy: babies 

Favorite game: putting everyone and everything to night night 

There you have it! A quick update into our lives :) Charlotte is about 24lbs now, and growing every day! She's not nearly the little peanut she used to be, but sometimes late at night when she's tired and wants to cuddle I have glimpses of my sweet baby girl who I used to rock and rock (now she's my sweet toddler girl who goes to bed by herself) 

Everyday presents a new challenge for me and for her, but I'm doing my best to take it one day at a time and savour the little moments when I can catch my breath! 

She's growing so fast, I've said it before and will say it again, it's incredibly bitter sweet, I year for the days gone by of my tiny sweet baby, but my heart overflows with the joy and privilege of watching her grow up and being as present as I can be in all aspects of her life. 

There are many things I'm not good at, and even more I've failed miserably at, but one thing I know, is that I was meant to be a mom, and more than that, was meant to be her mom. I am ever thankful and blessed, even in my most challenging moments that I get to call this sweet little girl mine :)

No, I don't have a husband thanks for asking

Most of you know I started a new job. Today I was telling a cute story about Charlotte and someone who I'd don't know well said "you have a daughter?" I proudly responded yes!! And she said "wow, I didn't even know you were married, that's great" 

Stopped me in my tracks. Since when does someone need to be married to have a child? 

I know she didn't mean anything by this comment, and she's actually a very nice person, but those words made me want to simultaneously punch someone, cry, and eat a king size kit kat. 

I almost wanted to say, you're right I SHOULD be married but I'm not. Sorry if it offends you. But the thing is ppl don't have to be married to have a kid, ppl don't need a partner to have a kid. 

I didn't choose to be a single mom. When Charlotte was conceived and born, I was married to her dad, and I thought we'd be married forever. I was shocked and thrown for a loop when Charlotte was 13 days old and he said he wanted out. I had no choice, no control over the situation, no say in it. I was blindsided, I wasn't asked about it, wasn't offered a chance to work on anything, wasn't given options, was just told that he was out. 

So no I'm not married, but have a kid. I'm not a bad person, I'm not a slut, Im not a crazy person. Ppl constantly assume I'm married, or in a long term relationship or at least have a boyfriend when they find out I have a very young daughter. I've been asked the following things throughout charlottes young life: do you know who her father is?, why did you leave your husband; it's hard to raise a kid on your own; but she's so young, why; it doesn't seem like a good decision; isn't it hard.  (The one I hear the most often, literally almost EVERY time I have to explain to ppl that no I do not have a husband is "but she's so young")

So here you go universe, no I don't have a husband, yes I know who her father is, yes she's young, I didn't have a choice in the decision, but thanks for your input, yes yes it's hard (but nothing good has ever been easy), yea, you made your point she is young, oh she's young? I had no idea, thanks. 

I feel bad getting upset over a comment that is meaningless to someone else, but honestly I hear this shit all the time, and it doesn't make me feel great. Some days are better than others, but most days I'd like to wear a sign that says "I have no husband, and I'm not accepting comments or questions, thanks anyway"

I love my daughter more than anything in this world, and I love being a mom, it's really fucking awesome! I'm super blessed to be able to be able to be a mother, but I'd be a good mother with or without a husband. 

There all different types of families, some ppl aren't married but have kids, some ppl aren't allowed to get married and have kids, some ppl have an oops with a one night stand, some ppl never had a long term relationship but go to a sperm bank bc they want to have a kid, some ppl adopt, some kids have no parents, some kids have one parent some kids have four or three some just have a grandmother or an uncle Or something. 

Stupid stereotypes ruin my day. 

But coming home to my one and only always makes it better :)

Oregon Ridge Nature Center

Sorry that it's been so long that I've blogged, but boy have we been busy! I will def be overloading you all with a ton of posts the next few days! 

In the earlier winter we went to Oregon Ridge nature Center! It was my first time there, but it was very fun! 

ORNC has an indoor nature area and it looks like a lot of walking trails, there was snow all over the ground (and falling from the sky) so we didn't get to explore the outside as much as I would have liked. 

Inside they had lots of animals and tanks to look at as well as some exploratory things, when we went there was a free animal encounter program and they brought out their opossum for the kids to get an up close look at. They talked about the opossum and there was a free craft to do. Charlotte did not sit through the informational part, so we walked around the nature center, everyone else was inside the meeting room looking at the animal, and listening, so we had the place to ourselves, and one of the employees was kind enough to take one of the turtles out for the kiddo to touch and see! 

It was a fun way to spend the afternoon, and I very much look forward to going back when it gets warm outside. The best bonus is that this place is free. I love a deal!!

Charlotte things of note: she wore her snow boots and was very excited about that, she loves walking on her own up to the nature center, the road/sidewalk was all salted bc of the snow, and she shuffled her feet and laughed the whole time (it was a whole new sensation for her), she said turtle at lot, which was one of her new favorite words at the time, she giggled when she got to pet the turtle and loved his "hands", she loved walking in the snow, and tried to jump in it, but it was a little hard for her, she had a ball! 

Too little time!

So much has been going on in my life I haven't had time to update since before Christmas. One of my resolutions is to update more! I was so good at it for a brief period of time! 

Things have been hard, but I have a lot of good things on the horizon. I have been taking each day one at a time. I am working everyday to be the best mom and person I can be. 

Charlotte is doing great as per usual. She is really growing and changing each and every day! She knows a lot of words now and communicates her wants pretty well. Sometimes she has a complicated plan in her head and she gets easily frustrated when I don't understand. She has mini temper tantrums when she doesn't get what she wants. I'm learning to ignore her and not give into her every demand. 

She got her first sickness in the beginning of the year. She puked so much. I mean I've seen a lot of bodily fluids throughout the years, vomit included, but I'm pretty sure when she puked it was her entire body weight. Watching your child get sick IS THE FUCKING WORST. You want to make ten feel better instantly but you can't :( it's very sad. She recovered nicely and is doing well! 

She still loves animals! Ask her what the elephant says...it's the cutest! My mom got her a robot fish for Christmas and she loves it!

Another of her current favorite things is Elmo. She says Elmo and points out Elmo whenever she sees him. She equally likes and hates Sesame Street. She loves it but hates when Elmo isn't on it.

She loves to play with her baby dolls especially the cradle my mom got her for Christmas. When she says "baby" it's the cutest thing ever and melts my heart.

She is really an amazing little human and I'm so proud to be her mom everyday!