Appreciations of the day

[Rukatin]

Jim Butcher's new steampunk series came out with it's first book The Aeronaut's Windlass. Got it in the mail today and I'm devouring it greedily.

[Yuthirin]

I'm having a shockingly good week. Nothing in particular is going well, I'm just feeling great about it all.

[Dracos]

All group on yuth.  He's tempted fate.  Get 'im out of here before he gets knocked down.  :P

[Yuthirin]

Rude!

[Dracos]

Hopefully interviewed minion one of many at the new place.  Damned if I don't need extra hands.

[thepanda]

Just got back from Hot Springs National Park. Fishing weekend is good weekend.  Other than dropping the phone in the lake. >_> Here's hoping the rice trick works.

[thepanda]

Just got back from watching the Boruto movie at the theater. Gotta admit, it was a fun outing. Got to the theater late, but the the movie froze a few minutes into the showing so everyone had to move to a different room and start from the beginning so I got to see everything I missed. The room was pretty full of the kind of fans that would pay $15 dollars to see a Naruto movie in theater, which just added to the experience. And the movie was good.

[Merc]

[11:24] <Ragnar`> how do I convince Windows Update that I don't want Windows 10?
[11:25] <WorkSlacker> Given your luck with computers?
[11:25] <WorkSlacker> Try to install it.

I appreciate this.

[Arakawa]

I have badly drawn avatars, but at least I can change them on a whim :P

[Dracos]

Draw On :)

[KLSymph]

The first time I translated an entire 160-page manga tankoubon in a single day, it took fifteen hours (with one hour of breaks) and left me severely woozy.

The second time I translated an entire 160-page manga tankoubon in a single day, it took ten hours (including a half-hour nap, an hour for meals, and two hours of watching Twitch streams of the Dark Souls 3 Network Test), and at the end of it I was like "Hmm, I have another two hours before bed. Should I translate some more?"

(I managed to stop myself.)

[Merc]

I finally have a working treadmill again. That was a fucking nightmare of a process to resolve (and it's technically only 'mostly' solved).

But it's WORKING. And that's what matters to me.

"Full background of treadmill problems": ShowHide

I have a Nordictrack treadmill, which has a computerized control panel. It's basically an android tablet with the IFIT software, which I technically don't use since that has a subscription cost. I usually just run in manual mode or a few of the frew modules for variety. Bought it back in March 2014, been working fairly well.

Cut to Saturday evening on Sept 5th, there is an application update for the IFIT software, and I start updating.

Sunday morning: ...Huh, the update seems to have stalled? Weird, give it until the evening, don't want to accidentally break it or something.

Sunday evening: ...shit, it's still frozen. *cross fingers and tries to do a hard reboot* Okay, looks like it's loading fine, just fine, yup, just fiiiiiiiin...FUCK *watch as the screen starts looping between two loading screens*

*begin to try to do the basic troubleshooting in the manual, as well as just the generic 'leave treadmill off for 5-10 minutes then try again'* Oh, the screen is still looping. Fuck. Better call support.

Support is only Monday to Friday from 6am to 6pm. Well...okay, I'll call after work?

Monday evening: Hrm...making it home around 5:40pm, probably not gonna have any luck. I'll try tomorrow.

Tuesday through Thursday: ...Fuck work.

Friday afternoon: *wait 30 minutes on hold* Hi, my treadmill isn't working... *go into details and have to go through all of the troubleshooting again to the same results, because that's what they make you do of course. Fuck my life.*

Friday afternoon Part II: ...did the call just get cut off? *screams internally and dial again, waiting 40 minutes this time* Hi, my treadmill isn't working...I called earlier and my call got cut off, I was talking to [Generic Guy #1]... *go into details again, and AGAIN have to go through the SAME troubleshooting*

[Generic Girl #1] Hrm...well it's getting kind of late in the afternoon and the guys that work in the department that can help you *scream internally again* are gone for the day, but I think I know what the problem is, and I'll put in a message for them to call you on Monday to resolve this problem.

Me: *helplessly hostage and with little other recourse* ...thank you very much.

Monday afternoon: It is now September 14th. I have received no emails or phone calls. I leave work early and call in. *30 minutes later...* Hi, I called last week about a problem with my treadmill, I talked to [Generic Guy+Girl #1] and [Girl #1] said that [Generic Department of Runaround] would resolve my issu... *is transferred to said department and then asked to describe the problem for a third time and thus I scream internally yet again, on the plus side this time I just fake going through the motions of troubleshooting to hurry things along*

[Generic Girl #2] Ah, I see the problem. Okay, we will be mailing you an SD card that you can place inside the device and reset the firmware through. That should solve your issue and get it up and running.

Me: *finally thankful, finally getting somewhere, relieved* ...thank you. Really, thank you. *ominous feeling/instinct* ...but hey, just in case the SD card doesn't work, is there a number I can call about this issue?

[#2] Well, you could try the IFIT support number at [phone number]?

Wednesday, Sept 16th: Nothing much happened, just get a message saying the SD card has shipped.

Tuesday, Sept 22nd: SD card arrives

Today's been a day.

Car battery died at lunch, stuck out in the sun until I finally found a coworker with jumper cables willing to drive to where I went for lunch, jumpstarted it, got back to the office, jumpstarted it again, car died on the road, jumpstarted it a third time, made it to a car shop, replaced battery, got home, received SD card that supposedly will fix treadmill (did I mention my treadmill's program got fucked? I'm sure I didn't, but yeah, it's fucked, I had fun all of last week trying to get customer service for that), wrestled with screws trying to figure out how to get to the goddamn console slot where the SD card goes, finally figured it out, seem to have two screws extra, not giving a fuck about that because you know what just fuck it, and now just waiting for SD card to finish with installer crap and to see if treadmill works again.

Did I mention today's been a day? It's been a day.

It did not.

Wednesday, Sept 23: Okay, fuck this thing. *calls in at work and say I'll be late, then call in this ifit support number, hopefully I don't wait long in the morning...I am thankfully correct and only wait 5 minutes on hold* Hi, I've been having trouble with my treadmill... *describe problem, describe SD card results, same repeated troubleshooting process...*

[Generic Girl #3] Hrm, well if the SD card has not worked, then I think we'll just have to order you a new console for the treadmill. Give me a few moments and I'll put in the order *puts me on hold for 15 minutes*

[Generic Girl #3] ...Hi, I'm sorry for the wait, I've talked with my supervisor and this is apparently an ongoing issue with your model of treadmill, and that particular software update. Our IT guys are working on fixing the problem, but if we send you a new console, you'll just have the same problem again.

*Merc OS had a fatal error, rebooting...rebooting...rebooting...*

[GG #3] I'm making a note to have you contacted as soon as the problem is resolved and we can send you a new console at that time.

Me: *twitching* ...thank you for your time.

[GG #3] I'm sorry I couldn't be more help, please call again in a week or two if we don't get back with you.

*I hang up*

Friday, October 2nd: It has been a week and a half since my last call, it's a nice friday morning, I don't have any hurry, it's time to deal with those menaces again. *Calls Ifit support, on hold for 5 minutes* Hi, I called a week ago regarding a problem with my treadmill, which was related to a firmware update, do you know the status of that?

[Generic Girl #4] One moment, let me pull up that info *I am surprised as she pulls up my info, but hey at least I don't have to repeat everything and the troubleshooting. For once* Okay, I'm going to put you on hold for a few minutes, and I'll let you know. *am put on hold for 10-15 minutes*

[GG#4] Unfortunately, the problem hasn't been resolved yet. What I can do for you is to put in a console order for you with the old firmware, and send that to you. However, you will have to avoid making any updates until we resolve the issue. You should be able to use the treadmill at the very least.

Me: *breathing slowly and deciding that's victory enough, even though I could have gone with this resolution much earlier, and had in fact suggested it to multiple of these people* ...thank you. Do you know when it will arrive?

[GG#4] ...Well, the console is in backorder right now, but as soon as we get some in stock we'll send it out! *gives order info as I once more scream internally*

October 13th: I get a message saying console has shipped.

Tuesday, October 20st: Package arrives after a sucky day of work. You know what? Fuck this, I don't want to deal with this tonight. *put package inside the house and I go to parents' place for the night and playing Neph's FFd6 game, not giving any thought to the stupid package*

Wednesday, October 21st: Huh, okay, this is a big console and I won't be able to do this alone. Mom, dad, sis, can any of you help me with this?

[Mom] Nope.

[Dad] Tomorrow?

[Sis] Tomorrow?

Me: ...fine. Thanks.

Today, October 22nd: *Sister helps me out, I cross fingers, SUCCESS!*

It's been a month and a half, but I have a working treadmill!

As a reminder, I don't -use- the Ifit module, but that's the thing that fucked up my whole machine. Remember, if you get a treadmill, don't deal with Ifit. Although at the very least, their customer support seems a bit better put together than Nordictrack's. Just a bit. Jesus fuck, all I wanted was to be able to run and get some exercise, was that too much to ask for?

[Merc]

Took the PE exam. Fucking nightmare that was, but it's over with for the time being.

I can't do anything more until I get the results and figure out if I need to take it again in April or if I'm done. At the very worst, I at least don't have to worry about it for a few months.

[Anastasia]

Congratulations! Have this catnip.

[Dracos]

I'm back home.  That's nice.  Travel was long.