Friday, August 29, 2008

The Power of Lists

One nifty thing I have installed on my iPhone is Zenbe Lists. As a list application, it's pretty average, but it's got the awesome feature of allowing sharing of lists. Our shopping list is finally electronic, and I can add stuff to it whenever I think of it, rather than having to wait until I'm in the kitchen with a pen.

Another list I've got is my Home Projects list, which is basically just non-work stuff I've been meaning to do for ages but haven't gotten around to. Now that they're on the list, they're getting done. Some things that I've done since they've been added to The List:

  • restructured home network completely, to take use new ADSL 2+ modem (which has been in its box for 18 months
  • converted video on DV tapes to movies we can watch on the computer whenever we want (some movies date back to 2000)
  • fixed the broken soap holder in the shower
  • set up a new Mac for my mother (nearly finished)
  • arranged to do our tax less than 8 months late (we usually do it in February, and it's only August!)
  • bought new chairs for the kitchen, and started painting them
  • booked in to get my full licence
I've never been so organized in my life. It's kind of scary.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Bloody Blood!

I'd like to donate some blood to the Red Cross, but it seems like they don't want it. They keep sending me letters and SMSes asking me for blood (they want my blood in particular - I'm O negative, which means they can use it for anything. It's good to know there's one thing I'm useful for).

They've sent a letter and a couple of emails asking me to donate this week at Sydney Uni. Can I book a time online? No, of course not. After all, it's 1998 and not everyone is online yet.

So I called up to book a time (which is a big thing for me. I hate calling call centres, so I only do it if I really have to). But it was shortly after 5pm, and they'll be buggered if they'll wait around until people who have jobs have time to call them.

So I called them back today, in business hours, I get a rather surly sounding gentleman. Telling me they're busy. He doesn't mention that he'd appreciate me waiting, or act in any way grateful. After all, he's doing me a favour by telling me they are busy. After he's told me that three or four times (and the phone line is silent in between, so I'm not sure if I'm supposed to wait or not, especially since he hasn't asked me to wait), another recorded voice comes on and tells me to leave my name and number, and they'll call back. They could've told me that when I first called, but they kept me on the line for ages instead. Odds are, when they call back I won't be at my desk, so I won't get their message.

So, no blood for them. Even though I'd quite like to give it to them.

Anyway, donate some blood to the ARCBS. It's difficult, but I've found in the past they'll occasionally let you.