WC 1M Post Challenge - You Ready?!

[MSFTisMIA]

Thank you! I finished this stupid last minute assignment today so I'm done. I'm glad, I'm just waiting for grades of the final things.

So you a graduate now?

Nice!

 

[libra89]

So you a graduate now?

Nice!

Thank you! Technically, my final grades have to be posted and I have to be cleared but I'm sure that I'll be.
My virtual commencement is a little while away.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Thank you! Technically, my final grades have to be posted and I have to be cleared but I'm sure that I'll be.
My virtual commencement is a little while away.

You'll be fine.

 

[Rose640]

I've had a ton. But understand that we are being dragged into more virtual meetings - so when you get stuck in a bad one, it crushes. Especially when you've got to put other work on hold.

I feel you.

 

[libra89]

I'm trying to make my way back to my hobbies, aside from just watching stuff lol. I miss the season, so this does feel extra weird.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

From the department of it is convenient until it ain't.

I'm in the easy pay program for the MTA that auto refills the card. So when COVID-19 hit, I didn't suspend my account because I could justify paying the full rate for April. Now I go to suspend my account May and having bought a smaller card instead and find out:

1) They charged me for May BEFORE sending out the replenishment notice (never did that before),

2) They're charging me a suspension fee of $30.

3) The call center that handles the program is closed as it's not seen as essential personnel, so I cannot protest that they pulled my cash prior to the renewal.

I know they're desperate for revenue since ridership has plummeted but still, that's crooked.

Update....:

So I emailed them asking for:

1) a refund, or
2) waive the cost of suspending the account

Their response was, you need to let us verify the account by email asking for a ton of information. If they cannot verify it, I have to call in (to speak to someone at a call center that the phone lines are currently closed). All they can do is deactivate the card, close the account. It takes 2 weeks for a refund of whatever balance is there to be issued. Now, if you lose the card, it takes two weeks for them to mail you a replacement. In the interim, you don't get a temporary card and have to pay your way (more expensive).

The best part - I emailed Monday afternoon and got a reply Friday afternoon. My card was set for replenishment on Thursday but they took the money out Monday morning first thing. So who is gonna go through cluster**** round #2? Not me. I'll just pay at the suspension fee at the end of the month so they don't take out next month's amount. Maybe by then the lines will be open so I can speak to someone to confirm how fast (and how much it will cost) to reactivate the account from suspension.

Sounds cumbersome? That's the MTA for you. And you wonder why people shake their head as to why for a world class city we're stuck with this bonehead management for a second rate transportation system.

Convenience my .

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Thank you! Technically, my final grades have to be posted and I have to be cleared but I'm sure that I'll be.
My virtual commencement is a little while away.

I'd tell you to pop champagne...but I'm sure you rather wait until when you actually graduate.

 

[libra89]

Update....:

So I emailed them asking for:

1) a refund, or
2) waive the cost of suspending the account

Their response was, you need to let us verify the account by email asking for a ton of information. If they cannot verify it, I have to call in (to speak to someone at a call center that the phone lines are currently closed). All they can do is deactivate the card, close the account. It takes 2 weeks for a refund of whatever balance is there to be issued. Now, if you lose the card, it takes two weeks for them to mail you a replacement. In the interim, you don't get a temporary card and have to pay your way (more expensive).

The best part - I emailed Monday afternoon and got a reply Friday afternoon. My card was set for replenishment on Thursday but they took the money out Monday morning first thing. So who is gonna go through cluster**** round #2? Not me. I'll just pay at the suspension fee at the end of the month so they don't take out next month's amount. Maybe by then the lines will be open so I can speak to someone to confirm how fast (and how much it will cost) to reactivate the account from suspension.

Sounds cumbersome? That's the MTA for you. And you wonder why people shake their head as to why for a world class city we're stuck with this bonehead management for a second rate transportation system.

Convenience my .

Wow...

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Wow...

Yup. That kind of cluster****.

 

[worldspy99]

Well broke the cabin fever by doing an outdoor mini hike to Ventura River Preserve in Ojai today. We kept our masks on but there were others who didn't. We walked a bit more and found a secluded spot for our family in the shade. It was crowded but not as crazy as last year when things were normal.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Well broke the cabin fever by doing an outdoor mini hike to Ventura River Preserve in Ojai today. We kept our masks on but there were others who didn't. We walked a bit more and found a secluded spot for our family in the shade. It was crowded but not as crazy as last year when things were normal.

Looks good. Clearly the people in the first picture were appropriately wearing masks.

 

[worldspy99]

Looks good. Clearly the people in the first picture were appropriately wearing masks.

Ha ha.
They weren't and so we stayed far away from them. It was quite hot as well - 85F.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Ha ha.
They weren't and so we stayed far away from them. It was quite hot as well - 85F.

Too many covidiots are roaming around. Don't blame you there.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

I haven't pulled a Sahib in a while. Here goes...

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Ugh yes this is really bothersome. I have been listening to a podcast where she calls everything going on with COVID-19 and America, "America the Series Finale". So fitting.

I mean, we'll get through this for sure. But all of the warts are on display for EVERYONE to see. People have always known that America was never perfect, but the COVID pandemic has really laid bare how contradictory key parts of the culture really are.

I suspect that for those who benefits the most from the old system will continue to paint this wistful picture of pre COVID-19 life. Everyone else will face the new normal but we will see.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Well, I'm still enjoying the combo of the Pixel 3XL and LG V50. Haven't had an itch for anything else since, really. My only wish was that the Pixel was a 128GB variant.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

I think the only thing I'm really looking forward to adding is the iPhone SE2. Likely will set up it and make some moves next year to see if I'm good enough for my own thing.

It'll be adding that and the second laptop, I'll be good.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

So my Mate 20 Pro has been in the roster for a year now. Got it last April. I really like it, even though I've used it sparingly this whole time. I have it in one of the unique color schemes - blue. The blue and green models have the specialized design on the back that I preferred over the glossy twilight color they made as the flagship color.

Now the regulars here know I have an affinity for the Huawei + Porsche combo. Porsche is one of my all time favorite brands. Blackberry did some nice stuff with their design group and Huawei oddly enough has built on it nicely. I still think that from a design point, the Mate RS is my favorite of the Huawei porsche designs.

Why bring this up? My favorite site has the Mate 20 RS for $900. The damn thing is expensive. It's nearly two years old. The Mate 20 Pro on that site is for $470 new (which for the type of phone it is, still punches pretty well in 2020). Why care? Well, I got the regular Mate 20 Pro instead of of the Mate 10 porsche design as the former was cheaper and a better kit. Now, at launch, the Mate 20 RS was launched at Galaxy S20 Ultra money. So it's cheaper now. It's also a rare phone. The vaunted Mate RS I love I see on Swappa for $700 now.

If I was back in the day, I would have swapped out the regular Mate 20 Pro for the 20 RS. Why? I like the Mate 20 Pro design - outside of that curved screen. I'd be getting leather on an IP67 phone - I miss my LG G4 (the tan and red leather backs...gosh!). They only did the black as global - the red is just straight up my alley. That design is a massive flex move - that's the only reason for the price difference. Yes, it would be the 256GB + 8GB RAM as the base variant, but the standard Mate 20 Pro runs really well. Will I do it? Likely not. I wish I could though.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Speaking of flex moves, here's what I would own in my ultimate flex collection:

Essential PH-1 Ocean Depths
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 Jade Green
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro Pearl White
Samsung S6 Edge Emerald Green (the best green I've ever seen on a phone)
Huawei Mate 20 Pro Porsche design Red
OPPO X2 Pro Ceramic Black or Vegan leather
LG G8 Carmine Red
LG G7+ Moroccan Blue
LG V10 white
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Coral Blue
HTC U11 Solar Red
HTC 10 Carmella Red
OPPO Reno 10X Zoom ocean green
Huawei Mate 10 Mocha Brown
Xiaomi Mi 5 White
Sony Xperia XZ3 Green or Red
Sony Xperia Z2 Purple
Sony Xperia Z3 Copper (as much as I loved the Silver Green)
LG G4 (tan, red, black, yellow and blue leather backs)
Moto X (the white front and white weave back or the black front with that teal back)
Moto X 2014 (black or red leather OR the dark or light wood backs)

An iPhone 11 Pro in project Red (I know it doesn't exist) or the midnight green.

I'm sure that there are a few I'm missing here. But if people choose to look up these color combinations, they'll see why. Simply show stopping looks.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

Everyone makes a good black phone...i do like the black V50.

Still, Sony's piano black stands out as the best for me. There's such as classy flow to it on all the devices they've used that paint job on. It looked so good on the Z3 - as much as that was a bit of an iterative phone on the Z2, it had some of the best color options on a phone at launch.