Procrastination

So, there's this guy who's basically the tech lead on my project. I've realized that a lot of times when I ask him how to do something, he has this tendency (which bugs me) to say "we'll worry about that later."

I can procrastinate with the best of them. But I also know that if we wait until later, we'll either forget about it completely, or just forget why it wasn't done in the first place.

So today he comes over to my cubicle and says that he got past some of the errors in our project, to find out that now it's failing because my code is not sending the total amount. Now I asked him weeks ago how to calculate the total amount. I was looking at some other code that is pretty similar to what I'm doing, but it calculates its total using values that we don't have in our database. "So how do I calculate it?" I asked. "Just put in a default value for now and we'll worry about it later." But today, I am the idiot for not calculating the total, but instead sending a blank value. So I kindly reminded him that I has asked him about this weeks ago, (nevermind that I put a comment in the code that said "we need to figure out how to calculate this amount"), and that he told me to worry about it later, and well I guess now IS "later". I reminded him that the program that I was looking at calculated it a different way (although today I don't remember what that way was. If we had handled this a few weeks ago, I would have known a lot more of those details off the top of my head. But now, I dont' remember, that was a few weeks ago). Ok, he says, he'll figure out how to do that calculation and get back to me.

Great. Thanks. You do that, now that we're down to the wire and may not get done in time for the next release.

Lowe's vs. Home Depot (#2)

PREVIOUS SCORE:
Home Depot = 2
Lowe's = 3

A few weeks ago I got my rebate check from Home Depot - or so I thought. I don't make it to the bank that often to deposit checks, so I put the check in my purse and have been carrying it around. I finally opened the check, you know one of those things you get with the perforated edges, only to find out it wasn't a check at all. It was a letter saying:

"We appreciate your purchase, but unfortunately your submission for the Behr paint rebate offer was invalid for the following reason(s):
* Based on information provided on your cash register receipt, our records indicate that your paint was not purchased within the promotion dates."

Um, I really thought it was? That's why I bought the paint when I did.

So I double-checked my receipt and the copy of the rebate form that I'm glad I made a copy of. The promotion was July 4th weekend, and my receipt is dated on July 4, 2006. I would assume that if the promotion is June something through July 4th, that those dates are INCLUSIVE. i.e. the promotion is through the end of the day on July 4th... it doesn't end the morning of July 4th. So as far as I'm concerned, my paint WAS purchased within the promotion dates.

I re-read the fine print on the rebate form. It says "Purchase gallon and/or five gallon-sized cans of BEHR Interior and Exterior Paints ... between July 29, 2006 and July 4, 2006."

Really? Between JULY 29 and July 4?

Ok, let me read the version written in Spanish:
"... entre el 29 de junio y el 4 de julio de 2006." Junio=June. Julio=July. So in Spanish it says between JUNE 29 and JULY 4 2006. Good thing I know a little Spanish huh?

Ok, the English and Spanish version say different things. Great. (Idiots).

I'm pretty sure they really meant June 29, given that the promotion was called "July 4th weekend promotion" or something like that. Either way, I bought my paint ON July 4th. So I should be covered even if it was July 4 - July 29.


So maybe they just have a computer program to determine this, that wouldn't work given wrong dates:
if purchaseDate less_than_or_equal_to endDate
and purchaseDate greater_than_or_equal_to beginDate
then valid
otherwise invalid

USING THE CORRECT DATES:
purchaseDate=7/4/06
beginDate=6/29/06
endDate=7/4/06

if 7/4/06 less_than_or_equal_to 7/4/06 (ok here)
and 7/4/06 greater_than_or_equal_to 6/29/06 (ok here too)
then valid


USING THE INCORRECT DATES:
purchaseDate=7/4/06
beginDate=7/29/06
endDate=7/4/06

if 7/4/06 less_than_or_equal_to 7/4/06 (ok here)
if 7/4/06 greater_than_or_equal_to 7/29/06 (nope!!!!!)

Hmm... could this be the problem? That stinks. Which means I guess I need to call them. What a pain!!!

Home Depot -1

CURRENT SCORE:
Home Depot = 1
Lowe's = 3


Update: I managed to get the nerve to call their 1800 number to complain. The guy asked for my name and address and looked up my rebate in their computer. He asked for the date on my receipt, and I said July 4, 2006. He said "we show here that your purchase date was July 5th". I said, well I'm looking at my receipt and it definitely says July 4th". So he told me to just mail a copy of the receipt with the letter they sent me back to them again. So I have to mail it in again! It's the same receipt I copied before, and it CLEARLY says July 4th. He just responded "well sometimes those things get mixed up." Um yeah. If I had been thinking (which I often don't do when I'm calling customer service lines) I would have asked if they could just take another look at the papers I sent them in the first place. Of course they may not still have them I guess. Whatever information was fat-fingered into the computer is gospel after all, right? Sheesh.

The only way that they wouldn't have lost another point for this was if they were to send me my rebate without any further action on my part once I made that phone call. So, -1 more for Home Depot. And possibly more to come depending on how it plays out.

CURRENT SCORE:
Home Depot = 0
Lowe's = 3

Update 12/14/06: I finally got my Home Depot rebate check for the paint this week. Let's see, I originally sent the form in on July 17. Got what I thought was the check at the beginning of September. Called to complain mid-September once I realized it wasn't a check but a form saying that the submission was invalid (even thought it wasn't). Resubmitted my stuff in September. Got my check Mid December, about 13 weeks later. They said "allow 11-13 more weeks for processing." They weren't kidding huh. 5 months for a lousy 5 bucks.

New Fall TV shows 2006 - Happy Hour

And now for something on a much lighter note.... I wanted to say how much I'm digging the new Fox show "Happy Hour"

It is a 1/2 hour comedy show where this guy Henry starts off a really bad day of getting dumped by his girlfriend Heather, loses his job, and his apartment. By the end of the day, Henry's new roommate Larry tells him:

"This is going to be a great, great time in your life. Right here, right now. This is 'happy hour!' It's that time after something bad: work, Heather; before something good: dinner, a new life. Enjoy it!"

That's a great quote, huh? The show has cool jazzy music, and some very funny characters.

Here is a quick 4-1/2 minute recap of the pilot for those who want to check it out.