AOL users, please note!
I’ve had a long term love/hate affair with AOL. A defunct portion of AOL gave me a great break and lots of exposure. Paid me well, too, at one point. But they also promised me a “free for life” account that was terminated in Y2K. Now, a new problem has cropped up: bounced mail.
[style=floatpicleft][/style]The bounced mail is not from a bulk mail carrier. There’s actually a low volume of mail going out, but the AOL itself is automatically refusing it. What I get is a cluttered inbox with the usual “bounced mail” notice and a link to AOL, suggesting I do something.It’s one guy on this end, and media conglomerate on the other. I have a very small dog in this fight. Not a chance.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog?”
What-ever.
What it amounts to, though is that AOL is blocking your access to e-mail that you’ve requested from me.
Like, when an AOL user signs up for a subscription, and wants a password. Hint: it was sent, just blocked by your connection, refused.
I feel so rejected.
I was afraid of this when I read the announcement that AOL (and some other ISP) was going to charge for email postage. Other than my ire and subsequent irritation at not being able to communicate with clients, it’s not my problem. Nor, is this a fight I wish to undertake. I’ll lose.
As a nice guy, I can’t understand it when other people don’t play nice. I’ve had this very same problem with hotmail before. Somehow, that eventually resolved itself, but first I had to deal with an inbox full of bounced mail. One of the reasons I no longer maintain an active email list – way too much trouble.
The other option is to charge AOL members more. But one of the points I pride myself on is the cut rate price of the weekly subscription. Trying to implement a two-tiered price level. Nope, not going to happen.
I’ll figure something out. In the mean time? You know what? I’m fulfilling my end of the deal. In good faith.
Things fall apart
The center cannot hold. As Homer Simpson would be credited with exclaiming, “D’oh!” (But who said that?)
Not many absolutes here. I’ve been much motivated to explore my mind, such as it is, with all its juvenile, puerile thought processes, as of late. Something’s cooking, and I’m unsure of what. It’s as if there’s a big container of chili, on the stove, slowly simmering. Something’s missing, though.
Bad News:
Return of the suit? Whatever shall I do?
Brilliance:
Best podcast ever. Only wished I’d a-thunk of it fust.
Quotations:
Bartlett’s Quotations is familiar desk reference to some of us. Any more, though, folks just seem to plug words into a search engine, and the results are easier to access. Beats getting a book off the shelf – especially a heavy book like that.
A couple of years ago, my own, sweet, Scorpio mum gave me a copy of Bartlett’s. It replaced a college version I’d ferried around for years. In the interest of authenticity, the other evening, after an attributed quote, I opened up Bartlett’s to see what I could find.
This goes a little deeper, as the introduction to a book of fishing quotes, the author, or rather editor, of that little tome claimed he just purloined all the quotes from Bartlett’s. Just run down the index and look up “fish” or “fishing.” If it wasn’t an attractive book, well-organized, useful – and fun – I’d be upset that I didn’t think of that idea, first.
I flipped through Bartlett’s the other night. I couldn’t find a valid attribute for the quote I mentioned, but whatever. I did find some other quotes, thought provoking, useful, tidbits that say something in a short, concise manner. Poetry, too.
Concise:
On a whim, I sent a query e-mail to local monthly magazine. One of those “free entertainment” specials. Editor asked for a sample column, I did one up for April, considering the lead time for print publication. I received an overwhelming approval, only, the editor was ready to run the April scopes for March.
Unlike some scopes, my material is very specifically timed for certain astrological events. Which meant, since I was late for the March deadline, could I hurry up and knock something out. Which I did.
For one sign, for a month, let’s pretend that’s four weeks, that’s averaging between 800 and 1,200 words. Try and condense the flavor, describe the style, and cover all the bases in 50 to 100 words.
I thought April material was smooth and relevant, but the March column was like wrestling a pig in the mud. But I beat the deadline, with at least 45 minutes to spare.
As an academic exercise? A good challenge. Try thinking in a different way. Think differently.
Holiday note:
Dia de la Bandera? Guess so. Party on.
The story behind the story?
I suppose, first read the Capricorn version.
|> On 2/17/06, Greg wrote:
|> Transit SUN trine natal Uranus
|> Feb 15 through Feb 17, exact on Feb 16
|> Brief transit. You’ll have a tendency to have restless energy
|> that you are likely to put into trying something new. There is a
|> potential for surprises today — expect the unexpected. If you feel
|> a need to break from routine, you’ll probably find a very pleasant
|> way to do it; for that matter, a way may find you.
|>
|> Bubba: “artists live in different time zones.”
|>
| you do this shit on purpose.
|> On 2/17/06, Greg wrote:
|>
|> Bubba: I do?
|>
| not that i can prove it.
|
| you just do good work.
Years ago, my sister (Gemini) made a clock for me. It had 11 of the 12 astrological signs, colorfully arranged around an artist’s (hers) depiction of me, I guess. I’m not sure. The motto read, “Artists live in different time zones.”
As much as I adore my sister and her handicrafts, that one clock, as of late, started jumping from its post on the patio. Leaping. High winds buffeted it mercilessly. After three attempts at escape, I deemed that it wanted another place to live. The object no longer held any affection for me. Or the Austin weather.
Now, Mr. Capricorn, he’s really an artist, note the logo he designed, and as such, I figured, when she’s rich and famous, Sister’s artwork will be worth something, like on eBay. It could happen.
One of the links is really good. An example of American values (link is offensive to some, and certainly NSFW). And risibility.
