Calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean, calm blue...

OK. I've been repeating this to myself over and over again. It makes me laugh and takes the edge off when things get tough. It came from the first season of the Tracey Ullman Show, (I miss that show!) back before they had the Simpson's between skits. It was this cartoon of two women of a certain age, in a car, one attempting to show the other how to drive on the freeway. The driver was anxious and nervous and kept repeating "calm blue ocean" over and over again in a very panicky way. As they drove along the slightest thing would make her panic and she would repeat her mantra in an increasingly panicked tone! Hilarious. So for years this has been our mantra and yesterday was one of those days that needed a mantra. It irks me to no end when you are trying to play by the rules but the giant corporation you are playing with isn't. And let's just say that this time of the month I should be barricaded in the kitchen with some old Sex and the City DVDs, a cup of coffee and a pint of Ben and Jerry's. So it took all of my strength not to reach through phone and strangle some poor schlep who was maybe doing their job?!? It all started last month in a serious attempt to cut my business costs. I figured out that by getting rid of my credit card processing company and using only PayPal I could save at least $30 a month. So I just lucked out and called to cancel my serves the one time I can within a 24 month cycle, which was last month. It took quite tome doing and a lot of run around but managed to send emails to the right people. So what should appear on this months bank statement? A charge of $60!!! Not only had they not canceled my account but they added another $10 to my bill!!! ARGH! So I called up and got a run around and they tried to tell me that I didn't cancel but if I would like to I could but there would be a $275 dollar cancelation fee. Uh. No. So I get my contract out and what he telling me is not correct (mine says $240 at least!) and of course he can't change anything in the system. So I send him a copy of what I have and like magic, the system changes! After more run around I ask for a supervisor and I've been on the phone back and forth for hours. I keep thinking this is costing them more in man hours than my $275 and they have lost me as a customer already anyway. They never tried to win me back either. And yet when I called the office where I sent my cancellation notice they said I had been canceled. Duh. UGH! So the lovely supervisor get on the line and wrangles the 6 headed beast into a logical conclusion! Yes! I have been canceled. No! I will not have to pay the fee! AHHHH! calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean....

This one is for you Mellanie! (my son is on a General Grievous kick and it made me calm blue ocean.)

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