I HATE Starbucks....
What a &%#@ cluster #$*& it is trying to use Starbucks for 15 minutes of Internet access.
It took me 45 minutes this morning to log on because "I hadn't had a 'Qualifying' transaction on my account in the past 30 days."
Apparently somewhere in the fine print AT&T and Starbucks have decided among themselves that if I'm not some sort of yuppie coffee shop denizen that lurks around the espresso machine at all hours of the day and night (read that--I have high speed Internet at my house and don't live under a bridge or in a homeless shelter or commune) that they can take my money and then make me jump through all kinds of hoops in order to check e-mail every two months.
Can you believe that sort of crap? No wonder Starbucks is closing down stores and laying off people.
Any way, since I hadn't been to a Starbucks since the last time I was here on our little island six weeks ago my TEN DOLLAR Starbucks card wouldn't let me into the Internet without "verifying my e-mail address."
Since I couldn't get into the Internet to respond to the "e-mail" verification process, I went and bought another FIVE DOLLAR card but guess what...
Since I registered the new card under the same name I STILL COULDN'T LOG INTO THE INTERNET BECAUSE I HAD TO CHECK MY E-MAIL TO RESPOND TO THE E-MAIL THEY SENT ME WHICH WOULD ALLOW ME TO LOG ONTO THE INTERNET.
How screwed up is that?
So I finally had to resort to charging $3.99 on my credit card for TWO HOURS of access and given that I have to leave within the next half hour I ended up paying...get this
the equivalent of about $16 per hour to check e-mail today.
Thus my reason in blasting the inane feckless stupidity of AT&T wireless and Starbucks.
I say that in my opinion you'd have to by default an idiot to hang out somewhere which requires that you show up every few days just to use a service which they made you pay for in the first place.
Screw AT&T and Starbucks...
I have to go have a drink now and get back to having fun at the beach...
Dammit...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
On To The Georgia Coast
The Journey Continues...
We reluctantly leave Cedar Key later this morning after adding an unplanned third night to our stay. Yesterday was spent on the beach and walking around the shopping area with the Turbo Pup in tow as the entire Island and most restaurant decks are "Pet Friendly."
We reluctantly leave Cedar Key later this morning after adding an unplanned third night to our stay. Yesterday was spent on the beach and walking around the shopping area with the Turbo Pup in tow as the entire Island and most restaurant decks are "Pet Friendly."
Later this morning we start back toward St Simons Island for a couple of nights and a little Real Estate business before heading back to the banks of The Mighty Tennessee River on Sunday.
Oh...by the way...here's a look at our home away from home for the past three days--The Cedar Key Bed & Breakfast
YOU really aught to get in the car or on an airplane and get your butt down here because this truly is a unique little place on the ocean. No crowds, no go cart tracks, no bungee jumping...just old time Florida peace and quiet and relaxation.
Regards Y'all...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Sunrise On Cedar Key
The Moon & Venus As Co-Stars
(Click to enlarge)
And I think I can get you a really, really good deal on this house if you're interested...
...on second thought, I want it.
(Click to enlarge)
And I think I can get you a really, really good deal on this house if you're interested...
...on second thought, I want it.
Smoking Sleeping In "The Girls Room"
Home Away From Home?
(I didn't name the room...I'm just staying there...)
(I didn't name the room...I'm just staying there...)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Too Tired To Bark
But She Might Grunt A Little...
After doing this all day...
...you could end up looking like this...
(Decided to Stay on the Key another night...stay tuned for more Turbo Pup antics)
After doing this all day...
...you could end up looking like this...
(Decided to Stay on the Key another night...stay tuned for more Turbo Pup antics)
How I Spent My Summer Vacation The Fourth Week In April
Musings from Florida's "Big Bend"...
In my considered opinion, if it weren't for the mosquito's and "sand gnats", this place could almost be considered to be the perfect vacation spot.
OK...one of several I know about and have mentioned here on the blog in the past...including Mexico Beach on the "Forgotten Coast" and of course our Little Island--St. Simons--on the south Georgia coast. (we're doing all three in a week this time)
And especially if you can come in the middle of the week in April rather than a weekend like Memorial Day, fourth of July, or Labor Day.
That's pretty much how I've handled my vacations for the past near twenty years--off holiday and off season.
Of course I understand that you have to be retired or un-employed (and independently wealthy) or self-employed to be able to do that schedule, and of course you can't have school aged children in order to spend weeks of the time in spots like this in the late fall and early spring/summer.
Add to the location and schedule the ability to meet business obligations and even do business in/near one or more of the locations and I just don't know how much luckier a fellow could be in life.
Believe me I don't take my good fortune for granted, and I don't mean to appear to brag too much here but I just want to tell everyone about the places I love to visit in hopes that you might take the time to visit too sometime.
I've been all over the US and the Caribbean and a number of other places around the world and when it comes to the perfect coastal experience, I think I know a thing or two about the details.
Cedar Key today is like Key West was back in the late 1970's the first time I visited it--before the Spring Breakers and the modern ill behaved asshole tourists arrived and the Overseas Highway was widened to four lanes.
Of course by writing about it I guess I'm contributing to spreading the word and risking dooming this little place to the same fate.
But then again, there aren't any "ill behaved asshole tourists" in my regular readership. Some come on down next October and Pat Missy the Turbo Pup and I will meet you here.
Time now to head on over to the dock to get on a boat for a few hours touring the outer "Keys."
In my considered opinion, if it weren't for the mosquito's and "sand gnats", this place could almost be considered to be the perfect vacation spot.
OK...one of several I know about and have mentioned here on the blog in the past...including Mexico Beach on the "Forgotten Coast" and of course our Little Island--St. Simons--on the south Georgia coast. (we're doing all three in a week this time)
And especially if you can come in the middle of the week in April rather than a weekend like Memorial Day, fourth of July, or Labor Day.
That's pretty much how I've handled my vacations for the past near twenty years--off holiday and off season.
Of course I understand that you have to be retired or un-employed (and independently wealthy) or self-employed to be able to do that schedule, and of course you can't have school aged children in order to spend weeks of the time in spots like this in the late fall and early spring/summer.
Add to the location and schedule the ability to meet business obligations and even do business in/near one or more of the locations and I just don't know how much luckier a fellow could be in life.
Believe me I don't take my good fortune for granted, and I don't mean to appear to brag too much here but I just want to tell everyone about the places I love to visit in hopes that you might take the time to visit too sometime.
I've been all over the US and the Caribbean and a number of other places around the world and when it comes to the perfect coastal experience, I think I know a thing or two about the details.
Cedar Key today is like Key West was back in the late 1970's the first time I visited it--before the Spring Breakers and the modern ill behaved asshole tourists arrived and the Overseas Highway was widened to four lanes.
Of course by writing about it I guess I'm contributing to spreading the word and risking dooming this little place to the same fate.
But then again, there aren't any "ill behaved asshole tourists" in my regular readership. Some come on down next October and Pat Missy the Turbo Pup and I will meet you here.
Time now to head on over to the dock to get on a boat for a few hours touring the outer "Keys."
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Turbo Pup Vacation Pics
Fancy Dining On Two Coasts...
Mexico Beach at Sunset:
Then a late Lunch on the water with Mom and Dad on Cedar Key:
Time to go wander around theisland Key some more...
Mexico Beach at Sunset:
Then a late Lunch on the water with Mom and Dad on Cedar Key:
Time to go wander around the
Good Vibrations Vacation
Internet Hell...
Well, as our stay on the Florida Gulf Coast ends, I'm happy to report having a GREAT business meeting yesterday morning, a good afternoon in the sun, and dang fine food for all three meals during the day.
I put a dent in some oysters and part of the Grouper population while I was here, but from a business/Internet standpoint I'm glad to be getting out of what I call "Internet Hell" for the past couple of days.
The little Inn we're staying in on the beach only has 16 rooms and as far as their network support and Internet connectivity capabilities they only have 16 brain cells as when you ask about connectivity "ISSUES" they just blankly respond...
"we got wireless..."
I managed to pirate my way into someone else's nearby unsecured Linksys network sporadically on Sunday evening and a little Monday morning, and finally tonight I got through again thus the source of this posting.
As a result, I checked over at Cedar Key about the next two night's accommodations and found out the little 1960's vintage waterfront hotel over there also didn't have Internet.
WTF?
I had to cancel that reservation and spend AN EXTRA $100 for two nights in a "Pet Friendly" Bed and Breakfast away from the water in order to find somewhere on that island which had high speed wireless.
This in anticipation knowing that our friends providing Thursday and Friday's free accommodations over on Our Little Island on the Georgia Coast still live in the dark ages without Internet except for dial up on and old desktop computer
AOL
...aaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHH
I can't possibly live for four weekdays without decent internet...and Thursday and Friday will be spent with twice daily visits to Starbucks to check E-mail and the news.
So any way...wish us luck as we continue on our journey east across Northwest Florida and I'll try to not bust a blood vessel or go into Internet withdrawal in the mean time.
Regards Y'all
Well, as our stay on the Florida Gulf Coast ends, I'm happy to report having a GREAT business meeting yesterday morning, a good afternoon in the sun, and dang fine food for all three meals during the day.
I put a dent in some oysters and part of the Grouper population while I was here, but from a business/Internet standpoint I'm glad to be getting out of what I call "Internet Hell" for the past couple of days.
The little Inn we're staying in on the beach only has 16 rooms and as far as their network support and Internet connectivity capabilities they only have 16 brain cells as when you ask about connectivity "ISSUES" they just blankly respond...
"we got wireless..."
I managed to pirate my way into someone else's nearby unsecured Linksys network sporadically on Sunday evening and a little Monday morning, and finally tonight I got through again thus the source of this posting.
As a result, I checked over at Cedar Key about the next two night's accommodations and found out the little 1960's vintage waterfront hotel over there also didn't have Internet.
WTF?
I had to cancel that reservation and spend AN EXTRA $100 for two nights in a "Pet Friendly" Bed and Breakfast away from the water in order to find somewhere on that island which had high speed wireless.
This in anticipation knowing that our friends providing Thursday and Friday's free accommodations over on Our Little Island on the Georgia Coast still live in the dark ages without Internet except for dial up on and old desktop computer
AOL
...aaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHH
I can't possibly live for four weekdays without decent internet...and Thursday and Friday will be spent with twice daily visits to Starbucks to check E-mail and the news.
So any way...wish us luck as we continue on our journey east across Northwest Florida and I'll try to not bust a blood vessel or go into Internet withdrawal in the mean time.
Regards Y'all
