While making my bug list this week I’ve been having a lack of inspiration. I’ve jotted down notes like “turtle tank is messy… but so hard to clean… should be an easier way” and “MEDICAL CENTER IS LABYRINTH! NEEDS WAYFINDING SYSTEM” I feel that I’m having a hard time because I fear the commitment of a 12 week project. I want to do something that I care about. I have a hard time caring about something unless I know I’m helping people. I am extremely interested in youth development programs like 4-H and how they can make an impact on their lives–but I am just where I can observe such interaction to catch any bugs. I know there are bugs. Nothing is perfect. Being an involved member of 4-H growing up, I’m trying to take myself out of nostalgic memories and replay them as an observer.

In other news, I’ve decided to make a regulation four-square platform in front of the design lab (it will be a temporary platform… masking tap only). Hopefully I’ll be able to get out and purchase the appropriate ball this weekend. I am hoping to initiate a little more play at studio 2453…. Maybe that will help those (like me) who are desperate of a few “wild ideas”. Which leads me to think that maybe there is something in our lab environment that could be changed so that we could function/think differently? On second thought… the room serves so many purposes, keeping it basic seems to be like the only way.

BUGlist:

1- Twice this week I’ve been stranded with a dead car battery. No warning. Just a car that refused to start.
2- Poor/Inconsistent Service by AAA: Twice (technically 3 times) this week I’ve used AAA— the first time went rather smoothly—no true complaints.. last night though, I went to the library to do some work, and left at midnight… hopped in the car… no start. Recalling my first success this week with AAA–I dialed them again. This time… I was extremely tired, so I just wanted them to send out a tow truck—it’s thursday night in morgantown, everyone on the street is inebriated, there’s no hope in asking for a jump, plus I had a hard enough time getting in and out of the car without dinging another persons door… let alone the chance of getting a car close enough for the jumper cables.

A. AAA uses the same “schpeel” when you call them. You to them your problem, and they say, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that”… earlier this week… the woman sounded so sweet and sincere, I felt like she was my mom! Tonight… the fellow couldn’t have meant it less. It being so late, that just aggravated me more. I just thought… nice service buddy.

B. I was parked in a prominent location downtown. Right beside the WV Junior college, and right across from White Hall, I even knew what street I was parked on, and the name of the street a block away… the operator could not find my location. After 30 minutes. He asked me to hang up and call 911 to help me find the address. I called a friend and had them google the WV Junior College so we’d have the actual address to the place. It took about 30 seconds. At this point, I’m ready to ream something. What if I really didn’t know where I was?! What if I couldn’t have called a friend and gotten the address, how would I get help?

C. When you call AAA–you have to enter you membership code. Then you choose a function you’d like to do, THEN you talk to an operator, and you have to READ them your membership code! Whahhadhuh? I ALREADY PUNCHED IT IN. When the guy hung up on me the first time (literally it was like “call 911 to get your address and call me back… click”) I had already given all of this information. Now I had to enter it a second time, talk to a completely different operator, give them my number, tell the story, gave the address. THEN they “transfer” you.

D. Transferring you means they put you on hold and get you in contact with someone in the “WV Division”…. as helpless as the first guy was… I don’t think it should matter. I’ve had roadside assistance before with Ford, and I spoke with a lady in Texas, she could look up the tow company’s number and call them. Then they ask for your name and a lot more information and location and it’s just too much repeating myself.

3- dinging car doors…

4- Refrigerators just dying. Or freezers for that matter (thanks Eve)—no warning. Just the fact that your food is thawed and good money wasted. At home, we’d even have instances where the freezer door didn’t get shut right (I’m taking one of those huge tall upright freezers that you put your family’s dinner’s in for the next 6 months…) and we lost everything.

5- I burn up my tea kettle b/c I forget to turn off the burner. There should be some type of feature on the stove.

6- Sometimes I have a hard time seeing both ways at intersections. Sometimes it’s a structure that’s in the way, sometimes it’s a shrub.

7- The OXO Tea Kettle “fill up” issue as meantioned in previous blogs

8- I am always loosing the contents in my grocery bags, school bags, travel bags etc. in my car. When I go around a turn everything goes everywhere. Whether it’s packed safely or not. I’ve been looking at newer cars that seem to pack things away nicer but I wonder if it would be any better, or just more complicated car stuff.