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Check Your Email

May 13, 2008 in Technology with 3 Comments


Last week I sent out an email to my key leaders working with Elementary kids at the church. It was sent to about 20 people, but I’m realizing that there might be something wrong with email communication. I have learned that using email as my sole form of communication just doesn’t work, so I try and use email when I need to supplement what I’ve already passed along via telephone or in person with someone. In this particular event reminder email I put a note at the very bottom that stated that the first 3 people to reply to the email would receive a $5 Smoothie King gift card. It’s been 7 days, and I only got one reply. What’s wrong with this picture? It could be my email, however I really don’t think the email itself was terrible. It wasn’t that long, and was passed along simply as a courtesy to give my team members a heads-up about upcoming events. But I think I might know what the problem is. It’s me!

I live an electronic life. I prefer twitter messages, email, or a text message to talking on my phone at length. (Especially if it’s something not that important.) But not everyone feels the same way I do. I have great friends from college that take 2 weeks to reply to an email, if they ever do reply. I have friends from previous churches that have no idea what a ‘blog’ is. There are those on staff with me currently that haven’t mastered sending a text message from their church provided Palm Treo. I’ve always thought it was an age thing, but I’m beginning to think that maybe it’s not so much age.

One of the most frustrating things to me about technology, is the reluctance of others to keep pace. If I use twitter, text messages, and blogs to communicate things; but no one that I know personally uses them then I feel like I’m not getting the same value out of the existing technology. I’d love to have my entire team use twitter on a Sunday Morning to communicate happenings to each other all around campus. I think many meetings could be avoided with a properly sent informational email. I believe that ‘keeping up’ with friends could be accomplished more easily if some friends would return emails, start reading and commenting on blogs, or heaven forbid start their own!

This has turned into a rant. Sorry about that. Using this ‘Internet’ thing I have gained some new friends that I would have never known before. I’ve got friends all over the United States, and even some overseas; and all because of this silly little blog. It’s nice to know that my car could break down just about anywhere, and I could possibly find someone willing to help me out. I think…

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Now playing: JJ Heller – Small
via FoxyTunes

Google Calendar Gibberish

April 23, 2008 in Technology with 0 Comments


I opened Google Calendar today, and it’s all in another language. Unfortunately it’s a language that I neither read or speak. What’s is up with that?

A Special Place in Hell for Vonage

April 3, 2008 in Personal, Technology with 1 Comment



I was a faithful SunRocket Voip (R.I.P.) user and never had problems with Sunrocket; until they went out of business that is. After using Vonage this is my experience:

I recently cancelled my service with Vonage after 4 months and 21 days. I cancelled my service because it consistently drop calls and I would have a missing dial tone at least twice a week. It became a regular practice to reboot the device, and/or call Tech Support and spend 30-45 minutes of my day trying to resolve the problem. (And trust me, you do NOT want to deal with the customer service department for this company. They barely speak English. It’s almost like you’re being secretly taped for a funny TV show…)

I understood that the ‘No Contract’ advertised by Vonage was untrue, and that I would be charged $39.99 to disconnect service after the first 30 days. In fact I found this out only becuase I had heard it was true, and when I started the service I went ahead and confirmed it with the representative. In other words, Vonage didn’t volunteer this information. However, I did not know; nor was it explained to me upon signing up that I had to have service for 1 year to avoid being billed a Rebate Reversal fee of $79.99 for the “Free” modem/router/adapter I was issued upon starting the Vonage service. To cancel my bad experience with Vonage I am being charged $129.99. I am disputing the $79.99 charge, as I feel it is unfair to be charged for something that is NOT clearly explained in the check-out process at the beginning of my service. I am also willing to send the equipment back to Vonage, and feel it is an unnecessary charge me anything above the $39.99.

Isn’t it interesting that when I appealed to Vonage for assistance I was told to read my “Terms of Service.” In other words, “Pay no attention to our advertisements, or website, if you really want to know what to expect please read the Terms of Service Section 7 Line 5 for details of what we really mean.” I have never in my 32 years felt as jobbed by a company. Usually I can appeal for assistance, and cooler heads prevail; but not this time.

To all those thinking of using Vonage, I warn you to BEWARE! It’s a sham of all shams. If your service works and you feel like using it for months and years, then good for you. If you think you’ll give it a try and see if it’s worth the money; then for the freaking love of God try anything else but this company.

Consider this a vent. I already feel better.

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Now playing: Rosie Thomas – Since You’ve Been Around
via FoxyTunes

Blog Updates

March 27, 2008 in Technology with 0 Comments

You might have noticed a few new things on the blog.

  • I’m providing you with the last 5 runs I’ve ran with using my new Nike+ Sport Kit. You can check out my progress in the sidebar. This device has finally merged the mildly athletic side of my brain with the nerdy techno side. In a few weeks I’ll give you more information on how this is working for me; stay tuned!
  • I’ve crossed over to the Twitter side. You can see my previous twitter posts in the side bar. Trying to use Twitter has fully exposed that I have NO technologically advanced friends. Absolutely NONE of my close friends have blogs, use twitter, or even answer text messages. It’s a lonely world sometimes.
  • You might have also noticed the FoxyTunes music links attached to my posts from work.

Don’t be scared. Change is good.

Merging of Worlds via GOOGLE

March 11, 2008 in Links, Technology with 0 Comments

Did you Know?
Sync your Google Calendar with your Microsoft Outlook™ calendar

Google now provides a sync tool to sync the Google Calendar with Microsoft Outlook.

This is good. This is very, very good. I have just exposed my nerdiness yet again, darn!

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