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Mirena Update

Had my 5 week check up on Monday. Gyno says all’s well. Yay. (If you are here via search and are looking for an in depth post about the Mirena and what it’s like to get one, see this post.) ALL UPDATES about the Mirena are HERE.

I’m STILL bleeding (we’re on wk 4) but the Gyno says that some women take longer to stop that. Of course I’m one of those. I never get a fucking break. I just hope that it stops soon and I don’t have periods for another year, which is RARE. Watch, I’ll be a lucky one that does. ::sigh:: At least there’s no pain or any of that. I *think* I might be having a period now – hard to tell when you’ve bled for 4 weeks – but I am craving sweets and feel cranky, so that’s probably what it is. If that *is* a period, I’ll fucking take it. NO PAIN.

Other than that, everything is mostly the same around here. I got the store up on thinkweasel.com (go buy something, bitches!) and everything’s on an even keel. Guess that’s a good thing, right? :)

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Another DO NOT BUY FROM: wegotbetterdeals.com

The latest in the litany of shitty online companies that I have had to deal with is wegotbetterdeals.com. Back in early January I bought a Hoover Floormate from them. Granted, I should’ve been more diligent in checking out an unknown web seller, but I was rabid to get my hands on a Floormate! Rabid, I say! When I saw their PayPal cart melt down with code errors, I was worried, but it was too late to undo the transaction. :/

The Floormate arrived in a busted box, with missing parts and the wrong brush assembly. No confirmation emails from WGBD, nothing. It just showed up, in pieces. I wrote them an email asking to return the item and get a refund.

They were rude and nasty from the get-go and the emails were NEVER signed. A sure sign of SKEEVY. Example:

So from your emails is this our fault or UPS’s fault? From what we can tell this looks to be UPS’s fault and a damage claim will have to be issued in order to have this item sent back.

They keep calling it “your claim” when it’s THEIR claim with UPS. SENDERS file damage claims, not receivers. They give an oh-so-generous 3 day claim window, so I was under pressure to get a response from them by their own rules! They got snippy about that, too:

For future reference for future orders please be patience with the seller as you have not been here. We are trying to work with you but you are not working with us.

Sounds like Engrish is their second language. Big surprise. And by “not working with them”, I assume that means that I’m demanding a response to get in by their three day window? Well, don’t have such a shitty service rule and I won’t be pressuring you, assholes.

Since they showed such shitty service skills, I thought it might behoove me to get the BBB Online and PayPal disputes going, since these people were obviously not interested in anything but taking my money. So I did. That really pissed them off! Here’s their response to the BBB complaint:

Yes you are right. 100,000 + positive feedback and approx 30 bad reviews. All from buyers like you. Please remember we have all of your emails with the lies and accusations. As stated in our last email. Once the item is received back and the serial #’s verified with the unit sent a refund will be issued.

Their response has been to not process the refund w/ PayPal. These people are rude, nasty and determined to get your money. They use the classic scam technique of being offended that you’d DARE accuse them of scamming and then NOT refunding you in the hopes that you’ll go away. CLASSIC.

The Floormate was returned to them and signed for by the asshole “TIM” who was the one bitching on the BBB site. I assume he is the head asshole. It was returned on 1/25/11. Hmm, and that’s been what? Two weeks? They have no intention of refunding me, they are going to let PayPal take the heat. Typical.

I will get the refund from PayPal, I’m sure, but take my advice and don’t bother with wegotbetterdeals.com. They may have “better deals” but good luck getting what you pay for. They SUCK.

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Why DC and Marvel are Soap Operas

I’ve never been much on superhero comics. I like the movies well enough, but not the actual comics. I’ve always been put off by the convoluted universes and myriad characters that DC and Marvel churn out.

That being said, I must point out that my very first comic I ever bought was Angela, which was a Spawn offshoot that I just recently realised was created by Neil Gaiman. (I could also do a post about the whole McFarlane and Gaiman lawsuit, but I’ll just say that McFarlane is a dick and leave it at that.) Spawn is published by Image Comics which is a big company right up there with Marvel and DC. So I have read some superhero (villain?) stuff before, but rarely. My very first comic that I liked was Courtney Crumrin that I got at Free Comic Book Day years ago. Totally indie!

Anyway, the point of this post is to share a realisation I had the other day about WHY I don’t like superhero stuff very much. And it has to do with soap operas.

I used to watch the soaps with my mother and grandmother when I was a kid. I even watched General Hospital during the Luke and Laura days. But as I got older, the genre started grating on my nerves with all the convoluted stories, people dying and coming back repeatedly, changed backstories to suit the current writers…

Sound familiar? Yah, I thought so. Marvel and DC are soap operas for comic book nerds. They have convoluted stories, multiple universes, characters being killed off and then magically coming back, changed backstories to suit the writer at the time… It’s the same. Exactly the same. No wonder I don’t go for superheroes!

I watched soap operas in my early years and I’d still watch them if I didn’t mind this nonsensical writing style. Well, I do mind. I know it’s all fantasy, but when you need large books just to keep the stories and characters straight, it’s just too much work for me, man.

So I’ll keep reading my indie comics from Oni, SLG and self published artists. I do my part for the big guys by also reading from Image, Vertigo and the occasional superhero story. But I tell you, I’m just not going for the whole soap opera vibe of traditional superhero story arcs. I can barely keep track of which heroes are with which company!

I encourage all comics readers to explore self published and web based comics. There are tons of us out there who work hard to produce comics every week and could use your support! So, go clicky-click and check out some of our indie and/or web based friends! Buy something! Help us become full time comics nerds! Did I mention BUY SOMETHING!!!

Think Weasel!
Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin, Polly and the Pirates, Princess Ugg)
Little Vampires
Steam Crow
Last Res0rt

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Chantal Cookware

UPDATE October 2012: And almost 2 years later, the Martha Stewart cast iron enameled dutch oven is still in perfect condition. You get what you pay for.

Man, just when you think you’ve had the worst customer service, along comes some jackwagon to remind you that, NO, it can ALWAYS be worse!

So, I bought a $60 6 qt enamel on cast iron dutch oven from Marshalls in December. It was from a company I’ve never heard of, Chantal, but I figured, it’s a pot! How hard can it be?

Apparently, VERY hard. After three uses, the enamel starts to pop off the inside of the pot. NOT good. So, I took a moment to look up the corporate site and send in an email advising them about the pot.

It all started off nicely enough, with the first email, unsigned (but from Bob Galvan’s email addy):

We apologize for the inconvenience and will be happy to replace the pot for you.
The 2 colors we have available are red and garden green.
Please forward your address for replacement.
Thank you.

But then, a couple of hours later, this email shows up (from our hero, Bob Galvan):

Hi Ms. Pratt!
We will be happy to replace your cast iron for you.
However I was just asked if you could return yours to Chantal. We need to show it to our representative when he arrives for a meeting on Wednesday morning so I will need it by Tuesday, January 11th.

What I need for you to do is take it to a UPS station to ship 2nday to Chantal, but has to be done today. You will need to use Chantal’s UPS account number authorized by Randy Tickle.

[edited: address, blah blah blah]

Thank you!
Bobby Galvan
Chantal Cookware Corp.

Continue reading “Chantal Cookware”

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Adventures in Gynecology: Mirena

Since several of my girl posse have enquired, I shall regale you with the goings-on today. Menfolk, you should just go elsewhere.

Ok, so most of you know about my bad relationship with my lady parts. I hate the vile organ, it hates me, I want it gone more than anything but can’t afford it. Meh. My gyno pops up at my last exam and says “Well, why don’t you get a Mirena? It should totally clear up your issues for 5 years!” And of course my reply, “Have you been holding out on me? Of course I’ll do it!” Even though an IUD is a bit scary to me, it’s worth a shot at feeling better, yanno?

Mirena, btw, can be used by anyone, breeder or not. They’ve used IUDs in Europe for years to alleviate the kind of shit I’ve put up with forever (heavy periods, endometriosis, etc.), but of course the US has just “apporoved” it for use. Fuckers. As we say at my gyno:

If men had periods, you would be able to get a hysterectomy for free. At Kroger. In a kiosk. Painlessly.

Mirena is an IUD with hormones in it, so they are applied directly to the offending organ and therefore very effective at relieving nasty, heavy, hurty periods and even endometriosis. First you go get the vagcam (aka sonogram) to determine if you’re the right size (I kid you not) and do not have anything going on like cysts (which would be very bad w/ something shoved in there). I checked out fine and the vagcam was NO big deal. Apparently there are a couple of different kinds of vagcam and this is the non hurty one. If you’re all good, then you order the Mirena thingy from CVS/Caremark and arrange payment. I did the $38/mo thing rather than one lump sum (about $850 to CVS, plus prelim sonogram $195 and install $135 by the Dr).

Ok, then you wait for your next period and you go get it installed about midway through, unless you’re me and the damn holiday got in the way. I had to take some stuff (misoprostal, most likely) to “soften the cervix” and it made me feel a little nauseous right after the procedure and wonky for about 5 hours after that. >:-(

So, you take the stuff (or not) and then they do the usual with the speculum and proceed to measure you again. BUT. This time they use a “sound” (we all agreed it’s a dumb name no doubt made up by a MAN) to get a physical measurement of the vile organ. Yup, it’s just what you’d expect: a freaking dipstick. IN THERE. GAH! NOT FUN. That was more painful than the actual IUD install. No likey. Good news: it’s pretty quick. [Update: After hearing a couple of horror stories about the painful install of this IUD, I’ve come to the conclusion that the cervix drug should be used as a standard practice. My experience is no doubt easier because of it. My gyno RAWKS!]

They get the exact measurement and then insert the IUD. Kinda scary, but not a big deal, really. It felt like a weird pressure. Then they trim the strings and you’re done with that part. But of course, there’s more. There’s always more fun at the gyno, isn’t there? Yep. After all this, then they have to use the vagcam again to make sure the damn thing is in the right place and the arms have extended. But, hell, after the previous 10 minutes, the vagcam is NOTHING.

That’s it. The actual procedure takes about 20 minutes. My visit was over an hour because I had to take that cervix stuff and wait 40 mins for it to work.

Now that I’m feeling pretty normal again, I’d say it’s not too bad all round. I’m bleeding more than I’d like, but with naproxen, the cramps have been minimal. I’m just really tired. It’s 9:30 now and I’m probably going to go lay in the bed and read. I really think that between the drug and my anxiety fueled adrenaline overload, that’s what made me feel so crappy. I have to go back for a check up in 5 wks to make sure the thing is where it’s supposed to be, etc. I highly recommend my gyno, btw, if anyone is looking for a good one: Juaquita Callaway, MD her office is Holistic Gynecology. She’s the bestest. <3

I tell you this: If this doodad ends my periods all together and/or I can live a normal life, then by the gods, it will be so totally worth it. I’ll post again in a couple of months with a progress report. :)

First Update
ALL UPDATES UP TO CURRENT TIME