T Minus 38: Phone Hell

If you know me well, you know I despise talking on the phone. I probably picked up that trait from The Hubby who really loathes talking on the phone, so much so I think it might be a phobia that needs treated. Despite not wanting to, and because nobody else was going to do it, I started my day making phone calls.

First came the auto insurance battle. Due to quirky asinine idiotic downright [d]ucking stupid state laws, we find ourselves with a need to have overlapping auto insurance policies. We need to maintain auto insurance for Nevada for a few weeks but we also need Hawaii No-Fault insurance for those same few weeks. The Hubby says, "Should be easy. They can just add a rider or something."

Easy, he says. I talked to three different people at our insurance company before concluding that no way in hell were they going to allow us to have 2 different policies with them at the same time. I decided to take a different approach. Unfortunately, that meant calling the - cue foreboding music again - DMV.

Have you ever tried getting a live human on the phone at the Nevada DMV? I maintain that it is impossible to do so. I gave up after the third attempt. Getting a live person on the phone at the Hawaii DMV proved easy enough, but she told me she was unable to offer any help. Something she said sparked an idea, though.

I called a different insurance company and asked if they could write a one-month policy for us for the state of Hawaii. "Of course," the lady said over the phone. Over two hours, and no less than seven phone I never wanted to make in the first place, later, I solved our insurance problem. I might have started dancing at that point but I needed to solve a couple other problems first which meant...more phone calls.

I reluctantly dialed the number for NV Energy. After paying our final Vegas electric bill with them, they kindly provided a letter of good standing so that I could wave the million dollar exorbitant deposit requested by Maui Electric. Maui Electric rejected my offer of the good standing letter because my name is not Judith! The geniuses at NV Energy addressed the letter using the wrong name so Maui Electric refuses to accept it. Thus, I must do battle with minimum-wage employees who likely don't give a damn whether or not I get my deposit waved.

Maui Electric unhelpfully graciously gave me through the end of this week to produce a letter or pay a sum almost equal to a months rent on this island condo. I failed to connect with a live human at NV Energy, though, and I shall be forced to wake up tomorrow and start this dance over.

Finished making phone calls, I needed to run some errands locally. The Hubby needs proof of address, proof he lives here in Lahaina at this address. Tall order since he's never even seen the condo, let alone lived here. He suggested our local bank might be able to help by providing some type of statement and/or letter with both his name and our address on it. That made the bank my first stop of the day.

Unfortunately, the bank still showed our address as the P O Box I rented when I first arrived on the island. I felt my blood pressure rising as I talked to the banker. Not only had I requested an address change over a month ago, The Hubby had requested an address change on the bank's web site once a week since I first gave him the condo address. I demanded they make the change immediately.

While I watched the banker type in the new address, I glanced at my watch. I felt like The Hubby. It wasn't even noon and I needed a beer!

Finished updating the bank's records, the banker then informed me that she would request a letter of confirmation but I wouldn't be able to pick it up until tomorrow. Further, they charged a $10 fee for that service. I nearly screamed. Instead, I just informed them that I would be back tomorrow and I left.

After stopping at the post office to mail a few things - an errand that required no phone calls and went as smoothly as could be - I decided it was time for lunch. I opted to experiment and check out a locals favorite called No. 1 BBQ. I ordered the orange chicken. When I opened the lid on the styrofoam container, I noticed nothing remarkable. The portions seemed excessive but that is true of every plate lunch I've had on the island. I see The Hubby and me splitting a lot of plate lunches in the future!

I snapped a photo for The Hubby and, swapping camera for fork, I took a bite. I immediately knew why this place lays claim to being a locals favorite. I grabbed the phone and texted The Hubby "If you never liked orange chicken you will now!" Everything tasted so good, down to the mac salad and rice. This joint puts places like Panda Express to shame. I ate half and tucked the leftovers away in the bottom of one of my shopping bags. Lunch tomorrow...or maybe dinner tonight!

After lunch, I stopped off at Ace Hardware, mostly to window shop and price a few things I would likely then order off Amazon. I did pick up a few things like some super cheap paint brushes I can use with the gesso and a plastic palette knife set, but not much. After that, I walked home. The afternoon sun blazed down, making my walk extremely warm. Just as I arrived home, overheated, The Hubby texted to tell me he was shivering in Indiana's cool 60-degree night air and had just put on pants and a jacket. Freeze baby!

While light still filled the apartment, I worked on some baseball card sized collages, a size of art referred to as ATCs (Artist Trading Cards). They seem like the best way for me to try my hand at collage work.

Once the sun set and I found myself with no light to work by, I watched a few instructional videos until I grew tired of that.

Tonight will be an episode or two of Supernatural. I work my first commission shift in the Lahaina gallery tomorrow. I'm excited, but nervous. I'm sure it will be fine. Hopefully tomorrow I can tell you about the huge amounts of art I sold during my shift.

Aloha!