Saturday, March 24, 2001
I'm back from spring break in Portland! I really enjoyed my time there, although it seemed too short. I suppose it felt longer than I expected, being just one short week, and considering the full 24 hours of total round trip travel time.
My week home was one of pure relaxation. Without homework worries, I was simply taking a break from the daily routine at Cornell. I got to see only one college friend, and a few friends still in high school back home. For the length of my stay, I guess I saw quite a few people and tackled several things that had to be done while I was back.
Sunday I attended church and said hello to everyone there, but the rest of the day was mostly rest and a little bit of unpacking. Monday was my day to make several phone calls, most of them regarding my summer plans. I also attended a scout meeting that night... good times. Tuesday, I waited in anticipation of getting my phone calls returned (I had to leave messages with every single one of them). I visited family, and also cleaned up my room and organized a lot of my mail that had come in while I was away.
On Wednesday, I was able to ride again with the AMR crew in Wilsonville for 12 hours, 8am to 8pm. I met two more paramedics, since the regular medic I was in contact with was out of town. We did get one call toward the end of the shift, when an apartment tenant left a pan of grease unattended on the stove. It caught fire, and in the process of handling the flaming pan, received some partial thickness burns to his arm and wrist, as well as on his leg. The heat of the flames caused a superficial burn to one side of his face. We did not transport him, as he was tolerating the pain well, had no complications with his face or airway, and was willing to ride with his brother to the Emanuel burn center. We did almost receive a second call, a rollover accident, but as it turned out the accident was located on an intersection closer to the second Wilsonville crew.
Thursday was my day to cancel credit cards. A word of advice to you all... avoid First USA unless you really, really want their credit card. You will never escape their grasp. If you've ever tried to cancel a credit card with a company like this, you know what I'm talking about. They take the good guy/bad guy approach. First you're buttered up by their friendly nice female (always) account representative. They pointlessly take all of your account information and verify your identity, and then ask if they can answer any questions before they process your cancellation request. (No questions) So then she throws a curve. "Please hold for one moment while I transfer you to an account specialist who will complete your request."
Trust me--the man (always) they transfer you to is no account specialist. What makes him special is the hours and hours of training (and probably observing) he has had to prepare him for his one and only task--to not complete your request.
"Aaron? I have John on the line who will take your call. Have a great day, sir." [oh, I bet my day's just getting started now] "Hello, my name is John. What can I do for you today?"
This is the point where you wish he were a bit more special. He knows exactly what he could do for you today. He knows your account number, your social security number, and your mother's maiden name. He asks for it again.
Another word of advice--you're not getting off the phone with this man until you give up and take your $100 credit limit increase, or you verbally fend off every swing he takes at you. So if you happen to be in this situation and your pastor from church is walking up your driveway to meet you and you're only half way through his 13 unique excuses, tell him this. Suddenly he will magically find the Enter key on his keyboard, and will whisk you off the phone with showers of "We have enjoyed having you as a customer [I've never used the card] and will welcome you back at any time." [not if I have to go through this again]
And then we have Friday, a day of great plane travel... one 727 through Cincinnati and all the way to Syracuse. So here I am, 3 loads of laundry and 2 homework assignments later, all ready for school to begin on Monday. Only 7 short weeks till summer begins!
Aaron
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