My Telus Lesson: You Can Negotiate Anything

The last couple of days have been a bit nutty:

I lost Tyrone's (Calgary) library book -- which is also a book I'm reading for English class -- and then recovered it on Tuesday, when I called the Aquatic Centre on the outside chance somebody might have turned it in, which is exactly what happened!

After the joy of getting the library book back (Gertrude Stein: The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas), I received my Telus Mobility bill, which was a whopping $787. I was in shock! Then I phoned Telus and managed to get out of all the roaming charges for the week I was in New York ($530.55), plus all the long distance on that entire bill ($134 or so). I was in shock again! Certainly a lesson in negotiation.

Then on Wednesday, in the space of about half an hour, a woman in my building offered to be my part-time roommate (and pay half my rent) so she can socialize outside of the two-bedroom (23rd floor) she currently shares with a partner she has just separated from, but who is still best friends with. She's in limbo while she closes a business deal (she self-employed and works from home), and will know in the next couple of months whether she is moving to San Diego or not. It just might work out, but she'll find out once her deal is finalized. I told her if her ex- moves out, and she moves to San Diego, I'd be interested in taking her apartment... the views are amazing up there, plus I would have more space to work!

While showing her my apartment, I picked up a parcel pickup notice from the post office ... Christa's package of cheese, chocolate, and meat had finally arrived, after a full month in transit! Needless to say, I had to bin the meat, but 95% of the cheese is OK, and the chocolate is still very edible!