July is the month where all the stars line up, collide, whatever ... there are just so many freaky coincidences.
First of all, I've booked a train trip to Vienna for a holiday from 14th to 16th July. Out of a sudden, however, I had to rush back to Melbourne, Australia. With my non-refundable, non-changeable special train ticket, I had no option but to forgo the holiday.
Having spent that effort flying back, I wanted to catch up with my former colleagues in one of my two free days. One of my former colleagues forewarned me that her whole lab might be going to the new Australian Synchrotron to do experiments for the day. Their visit to the synchrotron did eventuate, so I'll leave the catching up to the next time.
Back in Germany, there're more troubles to deal with. The latest one has to do with my internet connection, which has been playing up since Friday the 20th. I went to one of the shops of the telecom company the next day to ask for help, and one of the staff 'promised' that the internet would be fixed by Monday (the 23rd). Of course that turned out to be an empty promise. I phoned up the hotline of the company on the evening of the 23rd, and I was told, 'Who said that the internet would be fixed yesterday? We've arranged a technician to come to your house tomorrow between 3 and 6 p.m., and if he needs to come into your flat, he'll give you a call. It's better if you stay at home tomorrow.' Why oh why does the company have to choose the day when I'm scheduled to use the electron microscope at work? If I miss my scheduled day at the microscope, my progress will be put off for at least another week. I didn't want to give up my day so easily but couldn't swap with my colleagues. At the same time, I was worried that another time couldn't be arranged so easily if I declined this booking. I really couldn't figure out the best course of action. The next morning, the internet appeared to work fine again, and I thought that the technician wouldn't need to come into my flat for his visit. I was so wrong: he came on time at 3 p.m. and was probably quite angry with me. Of course, I only found out afterwards when I checked my SMS messages. He told me to arrange another time with the telecom company, and I was re-scheduled for Thursday between 1 and 4 p.m. I stayed home throughout that whole time, but then it was him who missed the visit. Once again, I booked myself another time, Monday the 30th between 3 and 6 p.m. Let's hope this 'game' of hide-and-seek won't last any longer.
I wonder if all this is a plot of a film unbeknownst to me ...
大事不妙
一切湊巧又湊巧的事，彷彿都堆在七月發生！
本來訂了火車票，7月14至16日往維也納玩幾天，怎料有急事要趕回澳洲墨爾本，我的特價車票也不能改期或退款，唯有作罷。
老遠跑回墨爾本，有兩天空閒，本想跟舊同事找一天敘敘舊，其中一人預告那天全體可能會到新開幕的同步輻射中心（英文網頁）做實驗，結果真是成行，敘舊還是留待下次好了。
回到德國，得應付兩樁麻煩事。最近的一樁，就是我的網絡連線自20日（星期五）起有點問題，時有時無，翌日便到電話公司的門市找職員協助，職員信誓旦旦說星期一（23日）晚會回復正常，當然祇是空話，23日晚致電電話公司熱線，接線員說：「那有今日便回復正常那回事，我們安排了技工明天下午3點到6點到你住所檢查，如有需要他還要進你的房子，他到時會通知你，你留在家等待好了。」怎麼偏偏是輪到我用電子顯微鏡那天就派人來？錯過了那一天，我的實驗工作又要耽誤個多星期了，找同事對調時間又找不着，又不想平白丟了那一天，我也擔心推卻這次檢查，下次再約時間也不易，我也不知如何是好。星期二早，但見網絡再次正常，心想就算檢查也不用進我的房子吧，便放心整天用電子顯微鏡，結果那個技工準時3點到來，撲了個空——當然這是我後來翻看手機短訊才知道。他着我再跟電話公司約時間，我約了星期四（26日）下午1點到4點，這次我乖乖在家守候，結果輪到我等個空！我即刻再約了下星期一下午3點到6點，畢竟我和電話公司「鬥氣」已第三回，真不想事情再拖下去。
人生如戲，這個七月，真像好些電影橋段……
First of all, I've booked a train trip to Vienna for a holiday from 14th to 16th July. Out of a sudden, however, I had to rush back to Melbourne, Australia. With my non-refundable, non-changeable special train ticket, I had no option but to forgo the holiday.
Having spent that effort flying back, I wanted to catch up with my former colleagues in one of my two free days. One of my former colleagues forewarned me that her whole lab might be going to the new Australian Synchrotron to do experiments for the day. Their visit to the synchrotron did eventuate, so I'll leave the catching up to the next time.
Back in Germany, there're more troubles to deal with. The latest one has to do with my internet connection, which has been playing up since Friday the 20th. I went to one of the shops of the telecom company the next day to ask for help, and one of the staff 'promised' that the internet would be fixed by Monday (the 23rd). Of course that turned out to be an empty promise. I phoned up the hotline of the company on the evening of the 23rd, and I was told, 'Who said that the internet would be fixed yesterday? We've arranged a technician to come to your house tomorrow between 3 and 6 p.m., and if he needs to come into your flat, he'll give you a call. It's better if you stay at home tomorrow.' Why oh why does the company have to choose the day when I'm scheduled to use the electron microscope at work? If I miss my scheduled day at the microscope, my progress will be put off for at least another week. I didn't want to give up my day so easily but couldn't swap with my colleagues. At the same time, I was worried that another time couldn't be arranged so easily if I declined this booking. I really couldn't figure out the best course of action. The next morning, the internet appeared to work fine again, and I thought that the technician wouldn't need to come into my flat for his visit. I was so wrong: he came on time at 3 p.m. and was probably quite angry with me. Of course, I only found out afterwards when I checked my SMS messages. He told me to arrange another time with the telecom company, and I was re-scheduled for Thursday between 1 and 4 p.m. I stayed home throughout that whole time, but then it was him who missed the visit. Once again, I booked myself another time, Monday the 30th between 3 and 6 p.m. Let's hope this 'game' of hide-and-seek won't last any longer.
I wonder if all this is a plot of a film unbeknownst to me ...
大事不妙
「咦，這麼巧，我正是在那天上工的！」
From 出處：www.lansingcartoons.com/images/coincidence.jpg
一切湊巧又湊巧的事，彷彿都堆在七月發生！
本來訂了火車票，7月14至16日往維也納玩幾天，怎料有急事要趕回澳洲墨爾本，我的特價車票也不能改期或退款，唯有作罷。
老遠跑回墨爾本，有兩天空閒，本想跟舊同事找一天敘敘舊，其中一人預告那天全體可能會到新開幕的同步輻射中心（英文網頁）做實驗，結果真是成行，敘舊還是留待下次好了。
回到德國，得應付兩樁麻煩事。最近的一樁，就是我的網絡連線自20日（星期五）起有點問題，時有時無，翌日便到電話公司的門市找職員協助，職員信誓旦旦說星期一（23日）晚會回復正常，當然祇是空話，23日晚致電電話公司熱線，接線員說：「那有今日便回復正常那回事，我們安排了技工明天下午3點到6點到你住所檢查，如有需要他還要進你的房子，他到時會通知你，你留在家等待好了。」怎麼偏偏是輪到我用電子顯微鏡那天就派人來？錯過了那一天，我的實驗工作又要耽誤個多星期了，找同事對調時間又找不着，又不想平白丟了那一天，我也擔心推卻這次檢查，下次再約時間也不易，我也不知如何是好。星期二早，但見網絡再次正常，心想就算檢查也不用進我的房子吧，便放心整天用電子顯微鏡，結果那個技工準時3點到來，撲了個空——當然這是我後來翻看手機短訊才知道。他着我再跟電話公司約時間，我約了星期四（26日）下午1點到4點，這次我乖乖在家守候，結果輪到我等個空！我即刻再約了下星期一下午3點到6點，畢竟我和電話公司「鬥氣」已第三回，真不想事情再拖下去。
人生如戲，這個七月，真像好些電影橋段……
Comments
我也是最怕要約上門的事
因為就是怕無了期的等
浪費一天時間
But the going will get smooth again!
Cheers!!!!
今日終於有人上門，替我為modem安裝新driver，應何解決問題，半小時上門，driver另計，盛惠90歐元——差不多是兩個月的電話公司費！