Driving, driving, driving

So, this past weekend, I drove home and back.  The drive only takes around 3 hours, which honestly isn't that bad.  It's MUCH more tolerable if you have good music or a book on tape (b-o-t) to listen to.  I had intended to check a b-o-t out from the library last week, but I completely forgot and I left my ipod in Pittsburgh, so I was stuck with the static of the radio between the Pittsburgh and Columbus stations.  This left me some serious time to think about my drive.  Here are my thoughts:

1.  When the department of transportation workers make the exit signs that tells what's available at each stop, they're really really liberal with the word "attraction."  For example, is the Southeastern Pennsylvannia Trolley Museum really attracting a significant number of guests?  Are there people in the world who see that listed under the attractions section of a road sign and think, "MAN! I NEED to get off at that exit!"?

2.  Whoever decides when to do road construction in the state of West Virginia should really consider a different career.  Right before I got to Wheeling, I was forced to get off of I-70 and onto I-470 for a stretch of about 10 miles.  Apparently, I-70 is under construction and is limited to local traffic only.  Well, that's totally fine, BUT when I switched to I-470, it was shut down to one lane due to construction.  To me, if you make one highway a detour for another highway, you should promptly start construction on both.  If I'm going to sit in construction at all, why the heck did I change highways to do it?

3. "Pittsburgh highways must have been designed by a kid with Roller Coaster Tycoon" - my father.  Truer words were never spoken.

Additionally, I have internet at my apartment!  For those of you wondering "Gee Brittany, if you didn't have internet, how have you been posting at night?" I would like to plead the fifth.  It was a huge ordeal to get it set up though.  I opted, based partially on price and terrible reviews of Comcast, to go with Verizon as my internet provider.  They send you everything you need to set up the internet, and then you do it yourself (meaning no $100 installation fee!)  I got the box in the mail, and then waited until my installation day (July 19th) arrived.  The set-up seemed really easy.  It was along the lines of 1) plug in modem 2) connect modem to phone line 3) connect computer to modem.  Once that was completed, the green "internet" was supposed to flash on the modem, meaning everything was correct.  My green light did nothing.  I tried multiple power outlets and phone line jacks.  Still nothing.  Frustrated, I called the number provided for tech support on my instructions.  As a part of their calling prompts, I was asked to give the phone number of my account, so I keyed in my cell number.  All of a sudden, this recording came on that says "As of July 1st, Verizon is no longer the internet provider of your service.  Your provider is now Fronteir, and their number is 1-888-blah-blah." Then, the call was ended.  The recording left me confused, but I figured I might as well try the other number.  I got ahold of someone at Fronteir, and he asked which state I am in.  I replie, "Pennsylvania."  He answered, "We don't actually service your state through this call center, but I can transfer you."  At this point, I was really getting angry, but I kept my cool during the transfer.  Again, I was prompted to key in my phone number, and again I got the "you're-now-with-Fronteir-call-this-number" message, and the call ended.  I called the Frontier number again, and explained what to operator number 2.  He finally pieces everything together.  Frontier did buy out Verizon internet in Ohio, which matches the area code of the phone number I was keying in.  They did not but out Verizon in Pennsylvania.  Right as he was going through this explanation, my green internet came on, all of its own free will.  Not kidding.

Tonight I plan to craft and watch Casablanca - should be a good time :-)

Britt