Dawn

Dawn

Wednesday, April 25, 2012


A Spanish experience early this morning, with MoviStar (Telefónica as was):-

Hello. My name is Débeez. We spoke last week about an internet contract.
An internet contract? I don't remember that. What's your name again?
Débeez.
Oh, yes. I remember now.
You told me the router would be delivered within 3 days and it's now 7. And I'm leaving the country soon.
Yeah. The problem is that your ID number doesn't coincide with the number MoviStar has for you as a client. Can you tell me what the number is on your bills?
[Thinking "So, why didn't you call me?" but not wanting to waste my time asking]
I'll call you back.
OK.
___________

Hello. The number on the bill is xxxxxxxxxxxx.
No, that's not the number they've got.
Well, maybe they have my NIF, which I got in 2000.
What is it?
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
OK. I'll talk to them and call you back.
Well, perhaps you could try to do that today as, otherwise, I'm going to cancel the order.
OK. I'll try.

Overview: This is taking far more time than it should because I am an existing customer of Movistar. Not promising, is it?

Another Spanish experience mid morning:-

I tried to book a ferry passage with Brittany Ferries. The page is entirely in Spanish and doesn't offer any other language, as far as I can tell.

I get to the end of the process and have to pay. I use my Spanish credit card and get the message, in Spanish:-

The system does not accept this type of card.

So I try with my equally Spanish debit card and get the message:-

The system does not accept this type of card.

Utterly bemused and beginning to worry, I use my UK debit card. Which is accepted.

So what the hell does this mean? That, if I were Spanish in Spain, I wouldn't be able to buy a ticket? Or that BF know - from previous journeys - that I have a UK card and want to fleece me on the exchange rate? Who the hell knows.

Anyway, here's an article on Europe's Dance Macabre. Or Dance of Death.

And here's one which justifies the claim that Europeans are being hoodwinked into relinquishing their cherished democracy to a rogue band of financial pirates.

And now for something completely different . . . . . .

Some readers may have noticed that this blog didn't appear for longish periods over the last 15 months or so. A few may have wondered why not. Well, it's time to 'fess up.

During this period I've struggled with a depression which was, at times, very severe. And this is British understatement. I believe I'm out of it now. But I felt the same twice last year - most obviously through the summer - and then suffered a relapse on both occasions. No one can predict the future, of course, but, if only for the sake of my two daughters, I hope to God that this isn't going to happen again.

Against the possibility that it might, my daughters have encouraged me - another British understatement - to stay in the UK until the probabilities are favourable. Though I'll be returning to Spain from time to time. Hence my sojourn in Leeds.

So, if there've been times when you've felt this blog has been far from its best, now you know why. This will have been at times when the only positive thing happening in my mind was the posting of a blog, no matter how much below par it was.

Why am writing this? The 'negative' reason is that confession is not going to affect my material future in any way. I won't ever be looking for a job. And the 'positive' reason is that it may help others who are struggling not only to see a light at the end of a tunnel but the bloody tunnel itself.

And it may just help those who are fortunate enough never to face depression but who have to help someone who is struggling with it. If you're one of these, a word of advice - Never, ever tell a depressive to just pull his/her socks up. This is never possible, whereas taking exercise, for example, really is. My daughters, I should stress, were very much of the latter party.

One last thing - I've been trying for the last three months to think of a humorous angle on depression and haven't come up with one. Anyone with any ideas might like to post a comment. Or write to me at colindavies@terra.es

Thanks.

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