NO POWER & CENTERPOINT'S AI CUSTOMER SERVICE

July began yesterday with the thermometer on our garage hitting 100° F. I think there was also 100% humidity.

This was the week that the power company began replacing underground power lines in our section of town. What fun this has been!

Since Monday, the power goes off at unexpected times. Usually this happens when I'm frantically typing away, trying to get the words done before I lose the thought.

When does the power return? I guess whenever the heck Centerpoint decides it's time. We're on the text message list for Centerpoint. When they first starting this text alert system, they would actually send texts saying, "We see that the power is off at or near your address." Another text would follow saying why it was off, i.e. "damage to the lines is being repaired."

A while after that, we'd get a text saying, "Power is estimated to be restore by 4:00PM today."

AI OLIVIA

Now, we get no text alerts when the power goes out. We call Centerpoint and get OLIVIA, the AI in charge of customer service who asks why we're calling and gives a list of reasons. 

We select Power Outage. Olivia thinks and then tells us she sees that the power is out at our address. Then she asks if we are on their text alert system.

We answer yes. Then she asks if we received a text alert. We answer no. Then the all-knowing Olivia tells us we should manage our text alert settings at Centerpoint dot blah blah blah—which we've done countless times only to discover each time that the proper settings are still in place.

No explanation of why the power is out. No information, estimate, or guess about when power will be restored. Nothing but generic drivel by an AI named Olivia.

The first day the power was off almost 8 hours. We had an electrician working here on our construction. Of course, no power means no power tools. 

I went outside to report what I'd learned from Centerpoint aka AI OLIVIA. 

As an electrician, I'm sure he has had more interaction with Olivia than I have because he said, "I hate that AI BITCH."

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Laughing, I agreed. I hate that AI BITCH too.

Do you love to read? I do. Reading a book is saving my sanity during all this construction. I'm happy to invite you to sign up for my free newsletter, I LOVE READING. You'll receive exclusive content, news about book bargains, and new release notices. SIGN UP TODAY.

Review - Voicemails For Isabellle - Netflix

What can I say about VOICEMAILS FOR ISABELLE, now streaming on Netflix? Well, grab a box of Kleenex before you sit down to watch the film.

(I apologize for the typo in the Post Title.)

This 2026 American movie, billed as a romantic comedy drama, is sweet and heartwarming with a touch of heat, but there are scenes that will make you weep.

Written and directed by Leah McKendrick, the movie stars Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson, Harry Shum Jr., Lukas Gage, and Nick Offerman.

BLURBING THE FLICK

Jill copes with the tragic death of her sister Isabelle by leaving voicemails on Isabelle's phone number. The only problem is that  Isabelle's phone number was reassigned to Wes, an upwardly mobile young man who finds Jill's voicemails hilarious. As time passes, Wes begins to fall in love with Jill.

Truly, the movie is delightful. It was funny and poignant and romantic. What more can you ask for in a contemporary romantic comedy, or dramedy, if you prefer?

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

The ending of the movie is exactly what the viewer wants. Definitely watch this film if you're a Netflix subscriber.

None of my books have been made into movies, but they are exciting and full of passion and romance. Sign up for my free newsletter, I LOVE READING, and receive exclusive content, news about book bargains, and new release information. SIGN UP TODAY.

Monday Magic - Identify Fonts

Have you ever seen a font on a book cover or in an advertisement and wondered what it was?

Now you can find out easily with What Font. It's a free website app that's easy to use.

At the search box, simply post the URL of the image or upload an image showing the font used in words. 

You can even drag and drop a text element onto the page. The app will give you the results which you can click on.

The app works online with your computer and also on iOS and Android too.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Using What Font is that easy. Try it. You'll like it.

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How I'm Spending My Summer

Maybe you knew, but I didn't realize that the last post I made on SlingWords was 11 days ago.

How did this happen? Because we're in Phase 1 of home renovation and also building a workshop as an extension on the garage.

At the same time, we completed our landscaping project in the front yard.

Oh, and we now have a second home. We call it—Home Depot. Not a day goes by that we don't visit our second home at least once. Some days, we're there 2 or 3 times.

WHAT'S FUNNY ABOUT HOME REMODELING?

Absolutely nothing. Then again, every joke you ever heard about home renovation and contractors is true. You'll just groan as you laugh.

You pay contractors bundles of money, and wonder why. They start work, and then disappear. 

To be fair, I do understand their process. They bid a job, schedule a team to show up, and they do. You're thrilled that soon your project will be completed.

Then, two days later, one or more takes off early. The project manager disappears, and you don't see him again. 

He's delegated the project to his main man who works with the crew but more or less oversees the project.

A few days later, no one shows up. You start calling to see when someone will arrive to continue work. After that, it's always a surprise when significant progress gets made.

Why? Because the project manager you hired only bids projects. He has to keep new projects in the pipeline in order to have a secure income stream.

The men who do the actual work also bid projects so they'll have something lined up when they finish your job.

MY TIME

Unfortunately, my time is not my own. That book I'm trying to finish? It's not happening. Eeach day, I head to my office. 

About 15 minutes later, Darling Hubby dashes into the house to ask me where I want a light fixture positioned or will I go to Home Depot and pick up some screws with "star" heads to attach OSB to studs.

Eventually, I get back to the office, but the rest of the day is much the same. I've just given up doing anything that requires a dedicated block of time longer than 15 minutes. 

Eventually the workshop will be finished—by mid-July I hope—and Phase 1 of reno will be completed too. 

We'll breathe a sigh of relief, and I'll get back to my daily routine and get this darn book written. 

Time will pass, and we'll forget all the disccomfort and frustration we endured.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

  Time will pass, and we'll  begin to talk about Phase 2 of our home renovation. I can only hope someone talks us out of it!

Do you love to read? I do. Reading a book has saved my sanity during this reno. I'm happy to invite you to sign up for my free newsletter, I LOVE READING. You'll receive exclusive content, news about book bargains, and new release notices. SIGN UP TODAY.

Review - NOPE - Netflix

 If you're looking for something completely different in the science fiction genre, you must watch NOPE, a 2022 American film that was written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele.

This movie, an interesting mix of science fiction and horror, stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yaun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, and Keith David.

Now streaming on Netflix, this film will keep you guessing until you realize what's happening. It's almost like a detective story with bits and pieces of clues that end up giving a picture of what's going on.

Set in the modern west, siblings Otis—OJ Junior— (Kaluuya) and Emerald (Palmer) are horse wranglers trying to carry on their father’s tradition of training and handling horses for film productions.

But there’s something strange going on at their dry-as-a- bone California ranch.

Honestly, I don't want to say too much because the film is mesmerizing as OJ and Emerald, struggling to stay afloat, realize something way out of the ordinary is stalking their ranch.

When their father is struck dead by a small object falling from the sky, everything takes a turn for the worse.

Throw in some secondary characters with their own life crises, an electronics store camera installer, and a documentary film maker, and you have the kind of movie where you know everyone is going to end up dead.

The movie is—I don't want to say slow-paced. I'll say methodical, like when Sherlock Holmes is gathering all the evidence. 

It’s subtle, but it will grab you and make you keep watching to find out what the heck is going on. You have to pay attention to understand what’s actually happening.

NOPE was Peele’s 3rd directorial film. When asked, he said his inspirations were King Kong, 1993; Wizard of Oz, 1939; Jaws, 1975; Close Encountrs of the Third Kind, 1975; Jurassic Park, 1977; and Signs, 2002.

If you think about all of those movies, you'll realize they're all characterized by a sense of wonder and an element of dread.

Released in July 2022, NOPE was a box office succes, capturing $171.1M after a $68M budget. It has been named one of the top 10 films of 2022 by the American Film Institute and has been included in lists of the best science fiction films of the 21st century.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Watch NOPE and come back to this post to leave a comment with your thoughts about the movie.

None of my books have been made into movies yet, but they're exciting stories full of passion and romance. Sign up for my free newsletter, I LOVE READING. and learn more about my books. You'll receive exclusive content, news about book bargains, and new release notices. SIGN UP TODAY.

QUICK QUIZ - ARE YOU OVERSCHEDULED?

Summer is here—I love summer! Yet, I feel tired and frazzled because I can't spend the day outside in my garden.

Why? I asked myself that question. I answered the question too. I'm overscheduled.

If you feel frazzled and frustrated, maybe you're overscheduled too. Here's a quick quiz to help you.

If you can answer YES to 5 of these questions, you need to take a step back and change something in your life or your daily schedule.

(1) Do you frequently forget to do something you said you'd do?

(2) When you wake in the morning, do you dread getting out of bed because of all the tasks facing you?

(3) Do you skip breakfast because you need to tackle your projects right away?

(4) Do you feel pressed for time so you skim emails or save them for later rather reading and responding immediately?

(5) Do you eat lunch at your desk because you can't take 20-30 minutes for a real lunch because your computer may explode from the volume of email and social media posts that are stacked up?

(6) Do you want to spend time with your hobbies or just reading a book or watching a movie with the family, but you never find the time to do any of that?

(7) Do you feel discouraged as you're trying to fall asleep at night because you didn't accomplish enough even though you worked from sunrise to sunset?

WHAT TO DO

What to do if you're overscheduled? Maybe you wrongly feel that everything is your responsibility. Maybe you need to delegate tasks or eliminate some entirely. Maybe you need to learn to say NO. Maybe you need to be more assertive.

I don't have the answer to your overscheduling problem, but I bet you do. Most of us know what we should do to clear out a clutter-filled day, but we don't do it. 

Tackle the really important tasks in your world, and do the best you can. At the end of the day, leave all of that behind and enjoy your personal life.

It's easy to get caught up and feel you have to do it all, but there is something very important to remember. 

Despite all the propaganda to the contrary, no one can do it all. 

Do the best you you and make a plan to deal with the rest. More importantly, make a plan to free up enough time to have a real life.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Your personal life should be enjoyed, and your personal time should be protected. Personal relationships and fun nourish the soul and warm the heart.

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Saturday Share Recipe - Pecan Cookies

Are you enjoying your weekend? I am. So is Darling Hubby because I'm making cookies today.

The recipe I'm sharing is an old one from my Mom's collection. It's simple to make and only calls for 5 ingredients. It's a great cookie to have with a cup of coffee.

PECAN COOKIES

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/2cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain bread crumbs
• 2 cups finely chopped pecans

Instructions

Lightly grease a baking sheet or cover it with parchment paper then preheat oven to 300°F. (145°C).

In a mixing bowl, cream together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add the bread crumbs and nuts and combine well.

Drop by teaspoons onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

You'll notice there is no fat in these so the cookie is a small, crispy bit of goodness. 

 I love to cook and bake. I also love to read (and write books) too. If you love to read, you should sign up for my free newsletter, I LOVE READING. You'll receive exclusive content, news about book bargains, and new release notices. SIGN UP TODAY.