re-birth, and re-launch, and a re-start

Not sure if it should be called a re-birth, and re-launch, and a re-start. But that is what I am doing starting today, re-starting both An Iowan's Random Rambles and Run Fat Cam Run.
With as much effort as I put in getting my interwebs back up at home I think getting back into blogging is the least I could do.

It started on Wednesday, the interwebs stopped. The modem showed no activity, the activity light would flick on every once in a while. After way too many beers Friday night I decided I would fix the modem. Let me just tell you, know that punching the modem only really serves to completely break it and not as intended to "fix it". Actually I would recommend not punching any electronics if they aren't functioning as expected (see, this re-launch is going to be educational as well as entertaining at least to me).

So off to Best Buy Sunday night I went and got a new Zoom cable modem. Hook it up, and it was a no go. Then I remember to activate your modem with mediacom there is a website to go to.
Hmmm, well I have no internets... just so happens my friend Keith calls and he does some digging. He finally finds a usable IP. Once I get into that, it wants my account number and confirmation number.

Hmmm, well we switched to paper-less on-line only paperwork. Jamie Lou was nice enough to dig up a bill from 2006. That has the account number but no confirmation number.
I call Keith back, He does more research for me he suggests try the last 9 numbers of the account number for the confirmation, Hey that works.

Now to authorize the modem swap I need a technician's number...
OMG when will this ever end?

Just then the Mediacom customer service line answers (did I mention I have been on hold with mediacom for the last 45 minutes? no? well I was). I hang up with Keith and explain to my new customer service friend that I am activating a new modem and need a technician's number. Before I can react she says I need tech support and I am on hold again. If only I could have gotten to this website I would have used it : USE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

Luckily this time it was only a 5 or 10 minute wait. I explain to him that I need a technician's number and he proceeds to say any number 1 - 999999 would have worked. Again: USE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. I put in 999999, and magically nothing happens. Another 30 minutes with a VERY helpful tech (and that isn't sarcasm, really it isn't, he was very helpful) I got all the DNS server issues and MAC address issues sorted out and Casa D'Christensen was back on the tubes to the internets. Strangely enough this new modem is much faster compared to the old one. So the moral to the story? Sometimes drinking a gallon of beer and smashing what you think is the problem does end up being a first step to finding the solution.

Strangest thing I heard this weekend? "Well this last couple I dated, The husband wanted me to pee on him so I told him, 'Get in the tub.'"

Second strangest? "I saw you sitting there and wanted to talk to you. You see I am friends with 12 Alpha Males, but I am the top Alpha Male. So I know how to be in charge."

Song of the day: System of a Down "Sugar" In the end it all goes away......