Meanderings of a shambolic mind...

OH-MY-GOD…I thought I’d got out but they were trying to drag me back in…Promptel (code word for useless wanker bastard phone company) - I got home last night to find a bill from them. Interesting – I am no longer with these nitwits. It was for full service charges for one month in arrears and one in front. I rang and explained I was no longer with them for any telephony whatsoever. Yes we know. Okay then – why are you charging me? Because the services have not been officially cancelled. Huh? Now I worked at this company for 13 and a half god-awful-throwing-everything-onto-the mortgage-is-there-overtime-tonight-years. I speak fluent Promptel but even that did not make sense in my handy dandy ‘how-to-talk-out-of-your-arse Promptel dictionary.’ Clearly there is a newer version. They went on to explain

that while I had no active service with them I still have to pay a monthly fee because their records showed it had not been ‘officially’ cancelled. I asked to speak to a Team leader – he gave me the same bullshit line and basically blamed it all on the competitor I changed over to. That’s a big no no in Telecommunications in OZ. I reminded him of that. He started to sweat when he realized I wasn’t some dumb bunny customer. He stammered that I would still have to pay for something they knew I did not have and was not using. Riiiightt. I asked his full name and other details. I said I wanted a complaint number – I named their complaints data base – and I wanted it now. He said it would take 10 minutes to type in and he would call me back. I said fine - while you’re doing that I will type my own online complaint to the Ombudsman. Yes, I could hear the sweat dripping off his brow because I know Promptel hates things to be escalated to a 3rd party who can kick their pudgy arses. I put my online complaint in. Ten minutes passed. No phone call. I called him. I’m no shrinking violet. He said – after some thought, and it has nothing at all to do with you going to the Ombudsman, but we will cease all charges and backdate your bill. Funny about that…it all comes down to who has the bigger balls doesn’t it? But it begs the question – what happens to people who cannot stand up for themselves?

How nice…I got a contract on Taking the Fall with Resplendence Publishing. What’s it about? Its ménage and no I haven’t written the blurb yet – bad Amarinda – but it’s basically about an angel and a demon who want the same mortal woman. She thinks she is bloody lucky and is enjoying the guilty pleasure of both men until she realizes what they really want….

I watched an interview with Kathleen Turner this morning while I was doing the pukeable exercise thing. It made me mad that this woman has been treated as she has. Why does society constantly devalue women as they get older? Here is a smart attractive woman, with a hell of a voice, who was being treated like crap because she is aging and illness had taken its toll on her. For fuck sake why do we not give people a break? Why is the outer shell the most important thing? Who amongst us is perfect? Yeah she was beautiful as a young woman. I don’t know about you but I think she is just as attractive now. It made me glad that I was never perceived as beautiful in my youth as it appears to be a damned hard thing to live with because people expect you to remain chocolate box pretty forever. People are people and not less so because they are or are no longer deemed ‘attractive’ in some pillock’s eyes. Hollywood has a lot to answer for.

Two tribes are going to war tonight - the maroons and the blues – the cane toads and the cockroaches. What am I talking about? It’s State of Origin – rugby league – Queensland versus New South Wales and its war. Yes, I am about as sporting as a gold fish but the thing is people get so caught up and tribal about it that it becomes fascinating to watch the face painting, the breast beating and the boastful taunts. It’s like living in some weird tribal society where you are separated by colours. Being a Queensland I support the Cane toads even though the only thing I like or understand about Rugby league are the muscular upper thighs and the butts of the players when they bend over for a scrum. But hey, that’s a hormonal response and I can’t help that can I?

I drew a line in the sand today at work. I'm big on doing that. If I don’t want to do something I don’t. And by not wanting to do something I mean something that I will not enjoy or I know will make me feel uncomfortable and wishing the hell I never did what I did. So I drew yet another line today and upset people accordingly. Line drawers do that. Have you found that? You’re probably too smart and rational to draw lines. I explained that I would not be doing something because I did not want to do it. The inevitable question was asked Why not? I don't want to. Everyone else is doing it. I'm not everyone else. It will look odd if you don’t. Odd works for me. This will be awkward. Only if you allow it to be so. What will I say? Any bloody thing you like. Don’t you care what people think? Nope. If it's within my power and I don’t have to or want to do something then I don’t. How many times have you thought 'crap why did I allow myself to be talked into XYZ?’ Do yourself a favour. The next time your gut instinct tells you that you don’t want to do something then don’t. It very liberating.

I have finally gotten around to getting a domain name - www.amarindajones.com. No don’t rush there because unless I have an amazing rush of energy tonight - ain’t gonna happen - you will find a blank page. When I first started this writing lark I thought I'll probably just write a book or two…hmmm…it's turned out to be a tad more than that. So I will endeavor to become all technical and build a website. How hard can it be? Okay…scratch that…that's a famous last words statement if I ever heard one.

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?