Well, the week was interesting. Here’s the Cliff Notes version:

1. I have an eyelid infection. Don’t ask me how I got it – I just woke up Tuesday morning with a big puffy lower eyelid that was red and irritated. A visit to the ophthalmologist gave me a diagnosis of “eyelid infection” and now I have to put this ointment on my lid “up to the lashline.” The problem is that this ointment gets into my eye (which is OK) and clouds my vision in the one eye. this makes working on the computer tough. However, the ointment is working on the infection, so that’s good I suppose. Why can’t I get normal illnesses like normal people? (don’t answer that).

2. Got my Federal taxes refund today! However, it all got applied to my one remaining credit card. I’ll have it paid off by summer. Then, the only debt I’ll have is the car loan and the mortgage. Not too shabby.

Speaking of debt, we’re putting off a vacation until next year just so we can eradicate the little bit of debt left on our plates and sock some money away for the future. Also on the horizon is replacing my Mac Mini – there’s rumors of new ones coming out in the next few months – and re-purposing my current, PowerPC Mini as a media center for the bedroom. Also on the horizon is we’re going “off the grid” as far as cable goes. Between Netflix streaming on the XBox 360 and physical DVD’s and various other free sources to watch TV (like Hulu), we’re not going to pay for satellite or cable anymore.

What prompted this change? Well, Dish pissed me off. I’ve been on auto pay since I got the service and in January, I had to update my debit card with its new expiration date. Wednesday, I got a letter in the mail saying that I was “overdue” and “could lose service” if I didn’t pay up. There was also a $5 fee for “non-payment” and this infuriated me.

After calling and finding out that it wasn’t MY fault, but Dish’s “new” billing system not “communicating” with my bank caused a “bounce back” of the auto bill. Do you think Dish notified me of this error? Hell no! So I yelled at the CS guy asking why, since the fault wasn’t mine but theirs, am I being penalized for non-payment when 1) the communication error was their fault and 2) nobody bothered to notify me via email or phone of this error. This guy’s day went to shit when he got me in his queue.

After offering a bunch of crap as a way to “make up for the inconvenience”, I told him that no, I didn’t want any of it. Then I informed him that I was “reconsidering staying a customer” just to let him sweat and when the call was ended, he asked if things were handled to my satisfaction and I said no. Suck on that review, Dish.

I guess it also answers the question “will Carolyn get irate over being unfairly charged $5?” Yes, yes she will.

So, by April (which is what I’m paid through now), they can take their shit back. If I really want to watch “What Not To Wear”, I’ll watch it online and save myself $50 a month. It’s not like I need it to watch cycling because the package that has Versus on Dish is only in their highest package at $100+ a month. No thank you.

It’ll be weird to not have Food Network on call when I want it, but saving $50+ a month is worth it for me.

Cable free, FTW!