When will they learn? Do they need to keep tweeking their sites to keep their jobs? Get a good site and they change it. Never fails.
Most of you know how FaceBook just can't leave their site alone. I check my page daily but I'm not a power user. The only difference I noticed on the last change was notifications was moved from the left side of the page to the right side and the little icons looked a little different.
Pond5 spent months developing it's new version. I tried the new version but preferred the old except for one feature. Luckily they kept both versions runing so we can switch back and forth.
Yesterday Smugmug announced the unveiling of its new site. I must have been under a rock; I didn't even know a change was in the works. The new site was touted to be fully customizable and the customization much easier than the old version. I was excited to get started but couldn't last night. Smugmug had to first import my images and settings into the new site and that took half of forever. I went to bed with it still transferring.
Today I found the new site just as difficult to customize as the old site had been. On top of that they renamed the photo organization. The old version had Categories with Galleries in each category. The new version calls Categories, folders. It put all my pictures in folders and left the gallery section empty. Why do they have both? One of the other unless I'm missing something.
People on FaceBook talking about the troubles they're having with the new Smugmug. Once we get used to it there will be no real difference between the old version and the new.
People wish for new features. We want better functionality. We want to keep up with technology. Most of all we want it to work properly without a lot of effort or learning curve. I believe developers can integrate our wants and needs into their tried and true platform. Why revamp everything so you'll have bugs to fix.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
No Contract
Andrea and I have had our ups and down when it comes to cell phones. She doesn't like the phone I provide, she has it on silent, the screen cracks, she gets it stolen, always something. Just over a year ago I threw up my hands in frustration and said forget it, I'm done, you'll get a phone when you buy one yourself. Between Andrea not answering the phone I'd paid for and Sprint not standing behind a phone that was still under warranty I was Threw. I had no contract so I took over hers and made her go without a phone.
I get free of her Sprint contract on July 17th. A few days later Andrea pops up talking about wanting a phone. She tells me how I can add a line for $9.99 or something. I tell her I don't want another contract. I check prices of phones that will work with Spring and found them too expensive.
Andrea calls Sprint to see if she can get a phone on her own account. She can't. They tell her if I get the phone for her she'll be able to transfer it to her own name after she turns eighteen. Andrea even shows me a phone they said she could get for free. I say no because I don't want a contract, you'll have to qualify and possible pay a deposit when you do turn eighteen to get the account in your name. She's dissapointed but that's life.
I called A. T. & T. to see what they had. It was even worse; even if you buy the phone you've got to sign a contract. They've got to be kidding.
We were at the mall yesterday and I noticed a Best Buy Mobile store. I suggested we go in. I was up front about what I wanted. It must work on Sprint. It must have no contract. It must be cheap. The lady said phones like that start at $200 and go up to $800. How about a prepaid phone? Andrea was reluctant to look at them because she thinks the ones at WalMart are made of cheap plastic. We took a look at them since we were already there. Andrea found a phone she liked and can afford. She got an LG Optimus Elite for $69. It's a smart phone that runs on the Android system. She got the $35 a month service plan. It has unlimited date and messaging on a 3 or 4 z network through Virgin Moble. Because she talks very little she got the 300 minute plan.
I'm happy because I still don't have a contract. Andrea is happy because she has a phone she likes and to look at it you can't tell the difference between it and a several hundred dollar phone. She can text and surf to her hearts content. She has a bill now to learn responsibility.
I surprised myself by suggesting she get the Best Buy warranty. Usually I don't buy these things but she's hard on phones and the screen on her Sprint phone cracked before a year was over. So I had her spring for the $11.99 a year Warranty. I had to call Best Buy today to clarify. Virgin Mobile's computer said she had two weeks to get insurance on her phone. I speak to their customer service wondering what's going on. The rep said the phone didn't have insurance and insurance is $5.99 a month. I double check the receipt and call Best Buy. Best Buy said we have insurance through Best Buy, not Virgin Mobile.
I get free of her Sprint contract on July 17th. A few days later Andrea pops up talking about wanting a phone. She tells me how I can add a line for $9.99 or something. I tell her I don't want another contract. I check prices of phones that will work with Spring and found them too expensive.
Andrea calls Sprint to see if she can get a phone on her own account. She can't. They tell her if I get the phone for her she'll be able to transfer it to her own name after she turns eighteen. Andrea even shows me a phone they said she could get for free. I say no because I don't want a contract, you'll have to qualify and possible pay a deposit when you do turn eighteen to get the account in your name. She's dissapointed but that's life.
I called A. T. & T. to see what they had. It was even worse; even if you buy the phone you've got to sign a contract. They've got to be kidding.
We were at the mall yesterday and I noticed a Best Buy Mobile store. I suggested we go in. I was up front about what I wanted. It must work on Sprint. It must have no contract. It must be cheap. The lady said phones like that start at $200 and go up to $800. How about a prepaid phone? Andrea was reluctant to look at them because she thinks the ones at WalMart are made of cheap plastic. We took a look at them since we were already there. Andrea found a phone she liked and can afford. She got an LG Optimus Elite for $69. It's a smart phone that runs on the Android system. She got the $35 a month service plan. It has unlimited date and messaging on a 3 or 4 z network through Virgin Moble. Because she talks very little she got the 300 minute plan.
I'm happy because I still don't have a contract. Andrea is happy because she has a phone she likes and to look at it you can't tell the difference between it and a several hundred dollar phone. She can text and surf to her hearts content. She has a bill now to learn responsibility.
I surprised myself by suggesting she get the Best Buy warranty. Usually I don't buy these things but she's hard on phones and the screen on her Sprint phone cracked before a year was over. So I had her spring for the $11.99 a year Warranty. I had to call Best Buy today to clarify. Virgin Mobile's computer said she had two weeks to get insurance on her phone. I speak to their customer service wondering what's going on. The rep said the phone didn't have insurance and insurance is $5.99 a month. I double check the receipt and call Best Buy. Best Buy said we have insurance through Best Buy, not Virgin Mobile.
How To Overcome
I thought Andrea would be the last one to make a sterotypical comment about a blind person. Where did I go wrong. I thought she'd know better.
When baking cakes for a fundraiser Andrea's friends at church asked her, "Did your mom teach you how to cook before she went blind?" They were surprised to learn I was born legally blind and could still teach Andrea to cook. Andrea was surprised at the ignorance about blind people and their capabilities.
Yesterday we're on the train and andrea says, "There's a blind lady on the train. She's really well dressed too."
Thinking she would describe a knock out tailored suit or sexy dress I ask, "What is she wearing?"
"A pink T-shirt, white shorts and white shoes."
"What's so special about that?" I ask.
"It's not mismatched," Andrea says.
What! Just because she's blind doesn't automatically mean mismatched outfits. She should know better. I haven't done my job. No wonder employers think we can't do the job.
I'm taking her to the next GFB and GCB activities. She needs to see more blind people in action. Between me, her Aunt Constance, Cousin Harold, and grandfather she should know and expect more.
When baking cakes for a fundraiser Andrea's friends at church asked her, "Did your mom teach you how to cook before she went blind?" They were surprised to learn I was born legally blind and could still teach Andrea to cook. Andrea was surprised at the ignorance about blind people and their capabilities.
Yesterday we're on the train and andrea says, "There's a blind lady on the train. She's really well dressed too."
Thinking she would describe a knock out tailored suit or sexy dress I ask, "What is she wearing?"
"A pink T-shirt, white shorts and white shoes."
"What's so special about that?" I ask.
"It's not mismatched," Andrea says.
What! Just because she's blind doesn't automatically mean mismatched outfits. She should know better. I haven't done my job. No wonder employers think we can't do the job.
I'm taking her to the next GFB and GCB activities. She needs to see more blind people in action. Between me, her Aunt Constance, Cousin Harold, and grandfather she should know and expect more.
They'er All Alike
I've been a passenger in many a car and all the drivers have one thing in common. They yell at and complain about other drivers on the road. From Beazle to Andrea and everybody in between all have something to say about their fellow drivers. If you think the other drivers are scary, the drivers of the cars I've riden in can be even more so.
Beazle would honk at "fools" or say, "man!"
Merritt called idiot drivers, I'll use the 1990's substitute, "Richard heads." She also informed some drivers, "You don't need to stop to turn! Just turn"!
Utah drivers accused each other of speeding up when it snows.
Edwin simply said most people don't know how to drive.
Andrea, driven only a few times adds her cents worth to the chorus already, "It's called a signal, use it." I've heard the no signal use from so many drivers in so many states. Mormon Missionaries accuse Arkansas drivers of not using the turn signals. I've heard Edwin complain about drivers not signaling across the country.
As a passenger I've seen drivers do all kinds of things behind the wheel.
Beazle can eat anything while driving. Befor it was outlawed she could talk a blue streak on her phone while eating and driving.
Edwin's lane changes at the drip of a hat, cheese cutting, and speeding scared even a teenaged boy.
Holiday likes to relax while she drives. When we went to Savanna she layed her seat as far back as it would go to drive. I'd heard about that being done on the Autobon in Germany but that was the first time I'd seen it done.
When Merritt was learning to drive she slowed for nothing, and I mean nothing. She'd speak a warning, "railroad tracks". That meant hold on because you were in for a bumpy ride. I learned what G force felt like when we were on a particularly windy off ramp. To her credit she has learned to slow down at bumps and curves.
I didn't know what to think when Andrea was driving and our neighbor was supervising. We were on a crowded four lane highway and Andrea reaches in the overhead bin for her sunglasses. This was her third time driving in traffic. I want both her hands on the wheel. I also want her to be able to see. The sun goes behind a cloud and she takes the sun glasses off and puts them away. I'm in the same quandary.
While on this same four lane highway our neighbor says, "sometimes you've go to take your lane." We keep driving in the same lane a bit longer. He repeats, "sometimes you have to take your lane." Later Andrea said she put on her blinker, put the tire on the line, and someone let her it. Then she said, "Thank you".
This on parent said she and her daughter drives around their neighborhood. They will do that until she, the parent, feels confortable before the get on the road. On the surface that sounds good but I'll never feel comfortable. Let me explain; the thought of Andrea driving in the neighborhood was scary. The thought of her on the road is less scary than it was. Every time I think of the next step I'm not comfortable, I have to screw up my courage and let it happen; with her instructor or our neighbor.
I truly believe men are more relaxed in these things. Her driving instructor said, "we can't just drive around the neighborhood, that's not driving. You've got to get on the road". I'll never forget when Edwin let Merritt drive to church when she was fourteen. We took mostly back roads the first couple times then he let her take a busy street and next the freeway. Beazle was still at the Merritt's driving scares me stage.
I'm looking forward to June 20, 2014. Andrea can take her road test then.
Beazle would honk at "fools" or say, "man!"
Merritt called idiot drivers, I'll use the 1990's substitute, "Richard heads." She also informed some drivers, "You don't need to stop to turn! Just turn"!
Utah drivers accused each other of speeding up when it snows.
Edwin simply said most people don't know how to drive.
Andrea, driven only a few times adds her cents worth to the chorus already, "It's called a signal, use it." I've heard the no signal use from so many drivers in so many states. Mormon Missionaries accuse Arkansas drivers of not using the turn signals. I've heard Edwin complain about drivers not signaling across the country.
As a passenger I've seen drivers do all kinds of things behind the wheel.
Beazle can eat anything while driving. Befor it was outlawed she could talk a blue streak on her phone while eating and driving.
Edwin's lane changes at the drip of a hat, cheese cutting, and speeding scared even a teenaged boy.
Holiday likes to relax while she drives. When we went to Savanna she layed her seat as far back as it would go to drive. I'd heard about that being done on the Autobon in Germany but that was the first time I'd seen it done.
When Merritt was learning to drive she slowed for nothing, and I mean nothing. She'd speak a warning, "railroad tracks". That meant hold on because you were in for a bumpy ride. I learned what G force felt like when we were on a particularly windy off ramp. To her credit she has learned to slow down at bumps and curves.
I didn't know what to think when Andrea was driving and our neighbor was supervising. We were on a crowded four lane highway and Andrea reaches in the overhead bin for her sunglasses. This was her third time driving in traffic. I want both her hands on the wheel. I also want her to be able to see. The sun goes behind a cloud and she takes the sun glasses off and puts them away. I'm in the same quandary.
While on this same four lane highway our neighbor says, "sometimes you've go to take your lane." We keep driving in the same lane a bit longer. He repeats, "sometimes you have to take your lane." Later Andrea said she put on her blinker, put the tire on the line, and someone let her it. Then she said, "Thank you".
This on parent said she and her daughter drives around their neighborhood. They will do that until she, the parent, feels confortable before the get on the road. On the surface that sounds good but I'll never feel comfortable. Let me explain; the thought of Andrea driving in the neighborhood was scary. The thought of her on the road is less scary than it was. Every time I think of the next step I'm not comfortable, I have to screw up my courage and let it happen; with her instructor or our neighbor.
I truly believe men are more relaxed in these things. Her driving instructor said, "we can't just drive around the neighborhood, that's not driving. You've got to get on the road". I'll never forget when Edwin let Merritt drive to church when she was fourteen. We took mostly back roads the first couple times then he let her take a busy street and next the freeway. Beazle was still at the Merritt's driving scares me stage.
I'm looking forward to June 20, 2014. Andrea can take her road test then.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
In My Day
Andrea and I were reading Because I Said So by a good book about the science or bunk behind old wives tales. I had to stop the book and comment when we got to the part about a child being lost in a national park in Utah. The child had been lost for more than a day, tired, scraped up, and dehydrated. Rescuers learned the child had done things he was told to do, well almost. He stayed on the trail; except when he saw other people. Then he'd leave the trail and hide. The child didn't approach these people because they were "strangers". What are younger parents teaching their children? When does the insulation come off?
Things we see on old TV shows as normal were normal in real life. Kids spent much of their free time unsupervised. We walked to friend's houses and played games passed down from who know where; tag, red rover, hide and seek, jump rope games, kick ball. If things got routy a parent stuck his or head out the door and said, "Play fair." Grown folks didn't make a Federal case out of kids minor disputes. I remember on the first season on The Waltons one of the parents asked the older kids, "Where"s Elizabeth?" The older kids answered, "She went up the road." No berating the older kids for leting her go. No stressing over the fact she had gone.
I told Andrea about her Sister Merritt's kindergarten orientation in the early 1990's. I don't remember the exact reason but I remember the reason was more logistical than fearful. The principal said not to let our kindergarteners ride their bakes to school because there weren't enough bike racks or something like that. First graders on up can ride bikes to school but please not the kindergarteners.
I rode the Trailways bus home from school every Friday my whole blind school career. Nobody thought anything about it back then. Someone drove us to the bus station; I don't think they even waited with us. We listened for our bus to be called, proceeded to the correct door, gave the driver our ticket, and boarded the bus. I don't think any parents would do that with their high schoolers, let along kindergarteners now days. I wouldn't with little ones for sure and probably not Andrea but for many reasons.
I think I've written about fourth graders and above being allowed to roam the state fair unsupervised. Nobody got lost, hurt, or abducted. Everyone returned to the designated spot for lunch and when it was time to leave. Again, this wouldn't happen today with children so young.
When did, "Don't take candy from strangers," become, "Don't talk to strangers"? As a little kid I remember being told the former. As a parent I don't remember telling my children either but they picked but not talking to strangers somewhere. Andea doesn't even want to go up to someone to ask directions.
I don't know how Andrea, and I guess others her age, can be so uninterested in their surroundings. Even when we're on a bus rout we've never been on, Andrea will read a book. I study the map before the trip to get an idea where it goes. If I want to know what businesses we're passing I have to ask her. Then she can't remember how to get there again. I had to refresh her memory on how to get to Piedmont Park, somewhere we've been several times. I think our insulating these kids robs them of skills we picked up through osmosis. We learned to pay attention, to ask questions, to find our way. Take away their phones and I wonder how many of them could find their way to anything a mile away.
Andrea would like to visit Pine Bluff on the Bus. Will I let her? No way! Number one, her looks and there are too many weirdos on Greyhound buses. Number two, she doesn't pay attention to her surroundings. There's no telling where she may get off or which bus she may board. Number three, she may not even ask a ticket agent for instructions. and last but not least I think they have an age limit of 17. If I could afford plane fare I'd send her that way. Fewer weirdos, tighter controls so she's not going to get on the wrong plane or transfer at the wrong city.
Things we see on old TV shows as normal were normal in real life. Kids spent much of their free time unsupervised. We walked to friend's houses and played games passed down from who know where; tag, red rover, hide and seek, jump rope games, kick ball. If things got routy a parent stuck his or head out the door and said, "Play fair." Grown folks didn't make a Federal case out of kids minor disputes. I remember on the first season on The Waltons one of the parents asked the older kids, "Where"s Elizabeth?" The older kids answered, "She went up the road." No berating the older kids for leting her go. No stressing over the fact she had gone.
I told Andrea about her Sister Merritt's kindergarten orientation in the early 1990's. I don't remember the exact reason but I remember the reason was more logistical than fearful. The principal said not to let our kindergarteners ride their bakes to school because there weren't enough bike racks or something like that. First graders on up can ride bikes to school but please not the kindergarteners.
I rode the Trailways bus home from school every Friday my whole blind school career. Nobody thought anything about it back then. Someone drove us to the bus station; I don't think they even waited with us. We listened for our bus to be called, proceeded to the correct door, gave the driver our ticket, and boarded the bus. I don't think any parents would do that with their high schoolers, let along kindergarteners now days. I wouldn't with little ones for sure and probably not Andrea but for many reasons.
I think I've written about fourth graders and above being allowed to roam the state fair unsupervised. Nobody got lost, hurt, or abducted. Everyone returned to the designated spot for lunch and when it was time to leave. Again, this wouldn't happen today with children so young.
When did, "Don't take candy from strangers," become, "Don't talk to strangers"? As a little kid I remember being told the former. As a parent I don't remember telling my children either but they picked but not talking to strangers somewhere. Andea doesn't even want to go up to someone to ask directions.
I don't know how Andrea, and I guess others her age, can be so uninterested in their surroundings. Even when we're on a bus rout we've never been on, Andrea will read a book. I study the map before the trip to get an idea where it goes. If I want to know what businesses we're passing I have to ask her. Then she can't remember how to get there again. I had to refresh her memory on how to get to Piedmont Park, somewhere we've been several times. I think our insulating these kids robs them of skills we picked up through osmosis. We learned to pay attention, to ask questions, to find our way. Take away their phones and I wonder how many of them could find their way to anything a mile away.
Andrea would like to visit Pine Bluff on the Bus. Will I let her? No way! Number one, her looks and there are too many weirdos on Greyhound buses. Number two, she doesn't pay attention to her surroundings. There's no telling where she may get off or which bus she may board. Number three, she may not even ask a ticket agent for instructions. and last but not least I think they have an age limit of 17. If I could afford plane fare I'd send her that way. Fewer weirdos, tighter controls so she's not going to get on the wrong plane or transfer at the wrong city.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
For Those in the Know
If we ask you a question it is because we don't know, we need answers. And by that I mean good answers. Yesterday Andrea and I had a crash course in how unhelpful some people that should know better can be.
I've already ranted about Andrea's EOCT being at Kennesaw State University. I called Cobb Community Transit (CCT) for rout planning. I told the rep we'd be coming from MARTA and we need to be there by 8:30 a.m. After a brief pause she says, "I can get you there by 8:18." I said, "Great!"
She says to get on the #10 at the Art Center Station at 7:15. Transfer to the #45 at the Marietta Transfer Center at 7:30. And arrive at KSU at 8:18. Do you see anything wrong with these instructions? Neither did I. Because I didn't know the #10 takes forty-five minutes to get to the Marietta Transfer Center I didn't question her. I stuck the directions on the fridge until the following week.
So we get up at 4:00 to have a good breakfast. We catch the MARTA bus at 5:47. Next a series of transfers to a couple of trains. When we get to the Art Center Station we ask an attendant where to catch the #10 CCT bus. She asks "Ten A, B, C, or plain ten? because you catch ABC out this door and plain ten upstairs and around the corner." I opted for plain ten. It shows up on time and we think all is well. I had forgotten about the 7:30 departure of the #45. When we get to the Marietta Transfer Center it is eight o'clock. All kinds of buses are waiting but not the #45. We check our directions and see it left at 7:30. The next one is at 8:45. I ask a bus driver if another bus goes to KSU. He says only the #45.
Luckily Georgia Virtual School had sent a phone number to call in case we get lost. I called and told the person on the other end we'd be late. She said she'd have a proctor call me back. The proctor says they can't let Andrea start late. After the doors are closed they stay closed. I asked about another time today. I was told there's another test at noon and three. She went on to say they were full and the only way Andrea could test is if there's a no show. I was so angry because we had no way of know the CCT rep had given us wrong information until it was too late. I wanted to call and read them the riot act but it was too noisy.
The #45 shows up and off we go. We get to KSU around 9:35. The computer announces this is also a transfer point for the #40. I asked the driver if the #40 goes to the Marietta Transfer Center. She said it does. Why did that driver tell me only the #45 went to KSU? Andrea said she saw the #40 when we got off the #10. If we had known we would have had a better chance of getting there in time for the test.
Andrea takes a look at the campus map by the bus stop and pronounces it upside down. We go into the nearest building looking for people. We found empty halls and a class in session. Finally a man came along and Andrea asked him for directions to Kennesaw Hall. He gave directions, then apologized for them being bad. They weren't bad because we found the building easily. We were told to come back around 11:30 to see if Andrea would be able to test at noon. We got directions to the student center to have lunch.
Andrea was fascinated by the campus. She said she wants to go to school there. I reminded her this is the first campus she's been on that she probably remembers. I am glad she got excited about it; she will have more motivation to buckle down with her studies. I'm going to take her to other campuses so she can compare. After eating at their expensive Chick-Fil-A we visited the bookstore. She looked at the prices and was shocked. I told her only shop at the campus bookstore if it's due tomorrow and you're out of something. We visited the computer store and got some information on their packages. Andrea saw a record display and made a B line for it. "I'm all into vinyl," she states.
We head back over to Kennesaw Hall and they're still testing. A parent said they didn't get started until after 9:30. Andrea got to test. She was proud of herself because she had ID and could check herself in. Now, I'm threw, finished, Kaput, done,etc with Georgia Virtual School. As I said before NEVER AGAIN.
We're headed for the bus stop when a young lady stops us. She wants to know where some building another is. We tell her we're just visiting. She said her adviser told her to come on campus and look at a map to find the building he's in. She and Andrea walked over to another map and both pronounced it upside down. They were able to find building 4 but that wasn't the one she needed. Andrea points her to the student center to ask in there.
We settle down to wait for either the #40 or #45. The #45 comes first, here we go again. I step one foot on the bus and the driver says, "I'm going to the mall." I ask if I can get a bus that will take me to MARTA there. "I'm going to ...the mall," he patiently says again. His utterance wasn't any more helpful the second time. Either this bus would take me somewhere I can get a bus to MARTA or it won't. A passenger waiting to board the bus spoke up, "Yeah, you can take this and catch the #10C at the mall. It'll take you straight to the Art Center Station." And I thought some MARTA drivers were unhelpful.
We get off at Towncenter Mall and before long the #10C pulls up. Who'd a think it? It was a BUS; tall, plush seats, lots of leg room, like a nice tour bus. That helpful passenger said the #10C only runs during peak hours. We rode through Marietta to the transfer center where more people were waiting. We hit the freeway and were Atlanta bound.
I had to check our Breezecard balances to see how much they took out of our stored value for that #10C bus. I was surprised to learn nothing extra was taken out. We would have paid the same price if we'd taken the regular buses.
As for the riot act I decided against it. Andrea got to test and we never have to do that again. If I ever need to be somewhere in Cobb County at a certain time I will check after the agent myself.
I've already ranted about Andrea's EOCT being at Kennesaw State University. I called Cobb Community Transit (CCT) for rout planning. I told the rep we'd be coming from MARTA and we need to be there by 8:30 a.m. After a brief pause she says, "I can get you there by 8:18." I said, "Great!"
She says to get on the #10 at the Art Center Station at 7:15. Transfer to the #45 at the Marietta Transfer Center at 7:30. And arrive at KSU at 8:18. Do you see anything wrong with these instructions? Neither did I. Because I didn't know the #10 takes forty-five minutes to get to the Marietta Transfer Center I didn't question her. I stuck the directions on the fridge until the following week.
So we get up at 4:00 to have a good breakfast. We catch the MARTA bus at 5:47. Next a series of transfers to a couple of trains. When we get to the Art Center Station we ask an attendant where to catch the #10 CCT bus. She asks "Ten A, B, C, or plain ten? because you catch ABC out this door and plain ten upstairs and around the corner." I opted for plain ten. It shows up on time and we think all is well. I had forgotten about the 7:30 departure of the #45. When we get to the Marietta Transfer Center it is eight o'clock. All kinds of buses are waiting but not the #45. We check our directions and see it left at 7:30. The next one is at 8:45. I ask a bus driver if another bus goes to KSU. He says only the #45.
Luckily Georgia Virtual School had sent a phone number to call in case we get lost. I called and told the person on the other end we'd be late. She said she'd have a proctor call me back. The proctor says they can't let Andrea start late. After the doors are closed they stay closed. I asked about another time today. I was told there's another test at noon and three. She went on to say they were full and the only way Andrea could test is if there's a no show. I was so angry because we had no way of know the CCT rep had given us wrong information until it was too late. I wanted to call and read them the riot act but it was too noisy.
The #45 shows up and off we go. We get to KSU around 9:35. The computer announces this is also a transfer point for the #40. I asked the driver if the #40 goes to the Marietta Transfer Center. She said it does. Why did that driver tell me only the #45 went to KSU? Andrea said she saw the #40 when we got off the #10. If we had known we would have had a better chance of getting there in time for the test.
Andrea takes a look at the campus map by the bus stop and pronounces it upside down. We go into the nearest building looking for people. We found empty halls and a class in session. Finally a man came along and Andrea asked him for directions to Kennesaw Hall. He gave directions, then apologized for them being bad. They weren't bad because we found the building easily. We were told to come back around 11:30 to see if Andrea would be able to test at noon. We got directions to the student center to have lunch.
Andrea was fascinated by the campus. She said she wants to go to school there. I reminded her this is the first campus she's been on that she probably remembers. I am glad she got excited about it; she will have more motivation to buckle down with her studies. I'm going to take her to other campuses so she can compare. After eating at their expensive Chick-Fil-A we visited the bookstore. She looked at the prices and was shocked. I told her only shop at the campus bookstore if it's due tomorrow and you're out of something. We visited the computer store and got some information on their packages. Andrea saw a record display and made a B line for it. "I'm all into vinyl," she states.
We head back over to Kennesaw Hall and they're still testing. A parent said they didn't get started until after 9:30. Andrea got to test. She was proud of herself because she had ID and could check herself in. Now, I'm threw, finished, Kaput, done,etc with Georgia Virtual School. As I said before NEVER AGAIN.
We're headed for the bus stop when a young lady stops us. She wants to know where some building another is. We tell her we're just visiting. She said her adviser told her to come on campus and look at a map to find the building he's in. She and Andrea walked over to another map and both pronounced it upside down. They were able to find building 4 but that wasn't the one she needed. Andrea points her to the student center to ask in there.
We settle down to wait for either the #40 or #45. The #45 comes first, here we go again. I step one foot on the bus and the driver says, "I'm going to the mall." I ask if I can get a bus that will take me to MARTA there. "I'm going to ...the mall," he patiently says again. His utterance wasn't any more helpful the second time. Either this bus would take me somewhere I can get a bus to MARTA or it won't. A passenger waiting to board the bus spoke up, "Yeah, you can take this and catch the #10C at the mall. It'll take you straight to the Art Center Station." And I thought some MARTA drivers were unhelpful.
We get off at Towncenter Mall and before long the #10C pulls up. Who'd a think it? It was a BUS; tall, plush seats, lots of leg room, like a nice tour bus. That helpful passenger said the #10C only runs during peak hours. We rode through Marietta to the transfer center where more people were waiting. We hit the freeway and were Atlanta bound.
I had to check our Breezecard balances to see how much they took out of our stored value for that #10C bus. I was surprised to learn nothing extra was taken out. We would have paid the same price if we'd taken the regular buses.
As for the riot act I decided against it. Andrea got to test and we never have to do that again. If I ever need to be somewhere in Cobb County at a certain time I will check after the agent myself.
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