Training Day 103 - Meeting the Neighbors

Language: So... slow... And we've finished up all the real work so next week is a long march of nonsense leading up to the test. Fun times.

Military: Louie is being increasingly flaky and it's up to me to stop it... I'm trying just talking to the man first but I get the feeling it won't stop here.

Medical: Still sick... Marathon in two days...

Apartment: I was calling PG&E all day on my friend's phone because mine died and the charger is packed away. They were giving me the run around. Then I got to my apartment and the power was still off. Fortunately, my neighbors from across the way saw me step out of my car in cammies and immediately started cheering and screaming, "MILITARY! WOOO!" Therefore, when I found my power off, I thought they were a good bet for borrowing a phone.

Very nice people but also very noisy. Tickled pink the whole time I was there.

I was on the phone with PG&E for two hours. I was handed up the ladder twice after the phone monkey tried to shut me down and I told him it was unacceptable. People don't mess with my medical. I take my health seriously. Anyways... I was just about to get through with the third guy when he asked for my landlord's number. The office had just closed so I needed her cell but no one had it. Then, when I was trying to find it, the phone I was talking to died. My cell phone, which had come alive for about 30 seconds so that I could find the number, died at that exact same moment too.

I called PG&E back and handed the phone off to my neighbor while I ran off to find the number. I couldn't find it and came back. My neighbor said that the lady on the other end needed to talk to me. She also told me she told them that I was a Sergeant... Please don't promote me, ma'am. Especially not twice. That's hard to explain.

For some mysterious reason, this bottom-rung support lady was able to do what all the other support people and the various supervisors couldn't: Turn my power on. She said she briefly talked to her supervisor and that they both agreed that it wouldn't be a problem. I shouldn't be held responsible for the previous delinquent tenant's problems, which is why they turned the power off on Wednesday. When she said that the power would be turned on Monday I told her about my medical problems. Not only did she override procedure again to get them to turn my power on tomorrow but she sent out information on the "Medical Base Line" program. Now my power has to stay on and there's a credit every month on my bill.

That's about the one good thing that happened today. I'm still sleeping in the barracks though.

Personal: I'm weathering the storm. That's where I am right now. I know that awesome things happen at the end of all this so I'm doing what I can but I'm scraping by in some pretty important areas while I'm at it. I had to buy PB&J and a ton of ramen (at $0.13/pack) at the commissary to get me through payday. Then I was talking to mom and laughed about how I was eating ramen like I did back in MA and she decided to send me money.

That turned out screwed up to thanks to Western Union but a moneygram from Wal-Mart did get through so I got to eat real food. Thanks Mom for "sponsoring" my race! Honest. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope not to repeat this episode.