New Printer Fun

12.08.2003

Over the weekend, I decided it was finally time to get myself a photo-quality printer. I'm not really sure why I decided this, except that the last couple of pictures I tried to print out didn't look all that good. Being that I'm trying to move to more of a quality instead of how-cheap-can-I-get-it kind of guy, I asked my good close personal friend Jer to suggest a printer. About 15 seconds later he had pointed me to the HPPhotosmart 7960.

After reading the reviews, it looked like it would fill my needs, so I set out Saturday to my local Best Buy, armed with my 10% off coupon, ready to bring home a new toy. But it's Christmas time. That time of year when salespeople think they need to be helpful and friendly, instead of staying out of the damn way like they do the other 11 months of the year.

I made my way to the printer aisle where Helpful Best Buy Printer Guy was helping someone, while 2 pairs of people were browsing the various printers. I go to the HP section, find the model number, then see the display model. My first thing to wonder about is where to the printer cartidges go? About this time, Helpful Best Buy Printer Guy comes up to me.

Helpful Best Buy Printer Guy: So is there anything I can help you with?
Me: No, I've pretty much got my mind made up.
Helpful Best Buy Printer Guy: Are you sure? I've got another model that can save you $100...
Me, cutting him off: No, I've been reading some reviews (well, ok, I only really read one) and am pretty much sold on this one.
Helpful Best Buy Printer Guy: Really. Well, ink for this one is pretty expensive. Are you prepared to pay $100 to replace the ink?
Me: Yep.
Helpful Best Buy Printer Guy: Ok. Well, if there's anything I can help you with, just let me know.

Ok, do I not know anything about printers? Do I look like I can't afford anything more than $100? I'm 200lbs overweight. Glasses. Single. I'm the poster child for people that hang out at Best Buy. I managed to get the printer (carried it up to the checkout without smacking anyone over the head with it), and now have it at home, sitting in the floor, waiting for me to figue out where to put it.

Maybe they should ask that when you're looking at printers. " So you're interested in a printer? Have you got some place to put it?"

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Heat Pump Reloaded... or Revolutions

12.04.2003

Today was finally the day! Roy came back to fix the heating unit. He brought the $30 controller board. I don't know why it took 2 hours, but he got it installed and I once again have normal heat pump heat like real people, although I still liveout in the boonies.

The timing for this is good, because the weather conglomerate is predicting coldness for the weekend. Damp, dank, dreary coldness, perfect for Christmas shopping.

The upside of this (hey, I'm trying here)is that I haven't paid for the heat Pump Repair of '03 yet. Roy said they would send me a bill later, but to wait a week or so to make sure everything's working ok and I don't have to call them back out on another repair call.

That Roy. He's a sharp one. I'll have to learn his real name one day.

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Heat Pump Redux

12.03.2003

Today, a second guy from the Heating Unit Repair Place came by to check on the heating unit. I'll call him Roy, not because that was his name, but he looked like a Roy. Roy climbed up in the attic and fiddled with the unit up there. I fiddled with the thermostat. Sometimes it would work, sometimes it wouldn't.

After an hour and a half, Roy said he would be back tomorrow with a control panel for the unit to see if that would fix it. Oddly enough, I thought that's what Roy had been doing since Guy #1 from yesterday suggested that a new controller might fix it, and that the controllers were in stock both in Athens and Decatur.

So I think Roy did exactly what Guy #1 did the day before. It took about the same amount of time, so it's a pretty good guess. Although I like the xcuse to do some work from home, I think I would much more enjoy to have a properly functioning @#%%ing heating (and come March, cooling) unit!

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Heat Pump Fever

12.02.2003

I managed to get the heating unit looked at today. It seems there's a problem somewhere between the thermostat, unit controller, and heat pump. When the heat pump comes on, a fuse in the heating unit goes poof. As it is, I can use the "emergency" setting for heat which bypasses the heat pump for now.

With luck, it will only take replacing a controller board in the heating unit to fix things (which will be tried tomorrow after getting said part). I'm just glad this is all happening now instead of when it's 90 degrees outside. Cold I can handle, thanks to my naturally exothermic state. I'm the guy that starts to sweat once it hits 75.

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Holidays BAD!

12.01.2003

I have a history of things going wrong during a holiday. The Flat Tire of July 4th. The Memorial Day Lightning Strike. This year: The Thanksgiving Heater Crash.

I finally turned the heat on last week, and everything seemed to be working fine, but sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning, the heating unit stopped working. No fan. No lights on the thermostat (although the temperature still showed up), nothing. I changed the batteries in the thermostat. I tripped thecircuit breaker. I checked on the heating unit outside, still nothing. It being a holiday weekend, it was hard to get hold of anyone to come look at it, but hopefully somebody will come by tomorrow (I've still got calls to make). Will I end up getting a new 96 cent part? Will I have to get a completely new heating and air unit? Is there anything in between? Maybe I'll find out tomorrow.

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