My Problem With KingSize

Wow, after two months of not blogging I turn out 4 posts in 3 days. Sadly, I need to vent so this post is another rant - though some of you seem to really enjoy reading them... (#NoJudgement) I was actually planning on writing this post last month when the issue began, but now I am even more furious than I was originally. So here's the story:

On Black Friday I did a lot of my online shopping on Amazon. My mom told me that my dad needed some new flannels, but it's hard to find his size because, like me, he needs things in a tall size. So I happened upon these flannels shirts for $9.99 from a seller called KingSize. It was a great deal and they were offering free shipping for orders over a certain amount. I bought one and my mom bought two though all three were purchased together in one order.

The shirts arrived on time and I checked them out but didn't take a very close look at them until I was wrapping them. As you can see above, the shirt that I ordered came in a package that read "Large" on the outside but whose label and tag showed it was an XL. I immediately went to Amazon to try and exchange it, but the label I was issued said I needed to pay $7.50 to return it. I called Amazon but they told me that as it was sold through a vendor I needed to contact them about the issue.

I had a hard time finding any number to call KingSize on the Amazon site, so I emailed them using the only contact info I could find. The reply came the next morning and the woman attached a return label for me to send the shirt back... which was the exact same label that Amazon had sent me. Refusing to pay to return it when the error was not my own, I found a number on the KingSize website to place/track an order and called it.

After trying to explain to the woman why they should be paying, not me, she placed me on hold to talk to a supervisor. She returned and told me that they would mail me a label and I could expect it in 5 business days. A week later, I still had not received the label so I called again. This service rep told me that it takes 7-10 business days and the that the label wasn't sent out until the Monday after I spoke I with my first rep. she asked me to be patient and wait because their tacking showed I should have my label in a few days.

I did finally receive the label (2 weeks after my first call) and dropped the package at the post office the next morning. Initially they told me that I would have a refund 2 weeks after sending the shirt back. I thought rather than worry over when they actually refund it, I would wait until I got my credit card statement in the mail. So, it's been over a month now and still no refund.

Yesterday, I called, quite upset. The woman I spoke to told me the shirt has only just been received on the 7th and they have yet to process the refund. Now, I would think that it would be quite easy to process a return within the week. She told me that the credit would show on my card within 24 hours and I informed her that if it wasn't, I would be calling back.

I waited until well past the 24 hour mark and still no refund! Again I called, again quite upset over being lied to yet again. This time the woman I spoke to said it takes 24-48 hours to see a return on the card. Livid, I demanded to speak to a supervisor. She told me she cannot connect me to a supervisor but she can send me to an "Escalation Manager" who could then connect me to a supervisor. So she placed me on hold for 10 minutes and I waited...

When the Escalation Manager got on the phone, he didn't greet me or even make sure I was there. He rudely told me that I would have to wait 24-48 hours for a refund. I asked to speak to a supervisor and he told me, "I can connect you to someone with a title after their name, but they'll tell you the same thing." So he put me on hold, again, and I waited as patiently as possible. I was finally connected to a man who had only the broadest details of why I was calling, so I explained from the beginning what had happened. He apologized and told me that he would contact the Amazon refund department and I agreed to called him back 45 minutes later.

After a bit of phone tag, I got a call from him and he told me that he spoke to someone and she told him that the refund was made but that it would take up 3 business days to be refunded. With Monday being a holiday, he said I would see the refund no later than Tuesday. With no other options, I agreed to wait until Tuesday. Then, not even an hour later, I receive an email from an Amazon return rep telling me that my refund was made on 1/9.

So I called the supervisor again, wondering what exactly was happening. He told me there was a "one-time glitch in the system" and that's why I didn't get a refund. And he has no idea why I got the other email because no refund was issued at that date. So it begs me to question how many people out there never got the refund they were expecting because of "one-time" glitches and thought they had their money returned.

I'm expecting yet another call tomorrow because apparently the woman that sent me the email (which was sent yesterday but I didn't get until today) is out of the office. This company has the worst customer service I've ever had to deal with in my life. Do they encourage their employees to LIE to customers in order to placate them?  They offered me, for the hassle, a $15 giftcard to their site. I of course refused because I plan to never give them business again.

I complained to Amazon, but they refuse to publish my review because "it contains offense language" (which it doesn't) and "doesn't properly review the product." So here is my complaint about KingSize. I highly encourage anyone thinking about ordering from them to reconsider. I promise, you'll regret it.

"Coming Out On Top" Review

I may be a year late doing a review, but I only just discovered the game "Coming Out On Top." How I went this long without even hearing about it I'll never know, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it. This gay dating / "Choose Your Own Adventure" game from Obscurasoft has been my obsession for the past two days. (Helping to keep my mind off of certain other things - if you read the past two blogs you'll understand.)

You start the game as Mark Matthews, or whatever you choose to name yourself, a senior at the fictional Orlin University (Go Otters!).

Your first of many choices is how to come out to your two faithful roommates, Penny and Ian. Both are very accepting and cue up a chance to visit the local gay bar to celebrate and attempt to find a guy. Speaking of finding a guy, you have five options in the game - each with a special ending you can unlock if you choose the right path. Lets meet them:

This is Alex, the first guy that you'll meet. He approaches you at the gay bar and asks for your number. One small problem: you discover the next day that he's your Anatomy professor.

Next is Phil, Penny's cousin, a surly Marine. I must say that out of all of the storylines, his was the most difficult to pursue. He's a tough guy to win over.

Jed, your upstairs neighbor, is an interesting guy. When you first meet him he's naked - not that you the player can see anything (yet). And if you play your cards right he can be the first guy you get to hook-up with in the game.

Next is Brad, the hunky ginger Quarterback whom you are hired to tutor in English. His storyline is a bit tricky, too, because he'll try and bribe you to write his papers which will alter your endings with him.

Lastly, we have your "straight" roommate and best bud, Ian as an option. Of the five, his storyline was my favorite and I loved his ending the best, too. Ian is just so adorkable and sweet that he was the guy I pursued the first time I played the game before I even saw my other options.





Of course, the game isn't totally about chasing hot guys - you also need to keep your grades up by studying, earn extra cash from tutoring, and maintain peace with your roommates. All of these will effect the endings you get when you graduate and doing well can offer bonus scenes.

So why have I been so obsessed with this game? First, lets look at the art. From the screencaps above you can see that not only are the guys incredibly gorgeous, so are the backgrounds. And you have some options to change it up a bit, too. You can add a beard or chest hair to any of the guys and also add/remove the condoms from the cut-scenes. I didn't provide any screencaps from the cutscenes at the risk of spoilers, but they are gorgeous pieces of art.

But art aside, the storyline(s) for each character just suck you into it. It's funny at all the right moments and dramatic when needed. Each character has a unique voice that compliments their personality perfectly. Well, not everything is 100% perfect. There are a few moments in the game where you do feel a little trapped and wish you had other options. And some "mistakes" can lead you to unexpectedly end a relationship with no chance to repair it later.

The good news is Obscurasoft is constantly updating and adding new features - like the recently added gallery - as well as making plans for an additional storyline and "Brofinder dates" for our hero Mark. Of course, as much as I love the characters, I can't help but wonder if there will be a "Coming Out On Top 2" or another series in the future. I hope there is, I would definitely support the Kickstarter if they do!

And for no reason, shirtless Ian

For you, Ian, anytime!

My Sad Story Update

Thanks to those out there that said a little a prayer for me and my family. So far things are going well. My mom spoke with the facility director and he was incredibly sympathetic to our plight. Apparently this is not the first time something like this has happened there (what a surprise...). He told my mom to bring all of my grandmother's paperwork and he would speak with "D" and "get things straightened out."

Yesterday, mom had her appointment and she said that "D" was like a totally different person. She and told my mom that she was sorry for the miscommunication - she assumed that my mom already knew how to do everything. They completed all of the necessary paperwork to refile for the Medicare benefits and my mom just needs to get updated copies of a few other documents. Currently, the $72,000 bill is in limbo until the benefits paperwork comes back. In the meantime, classes start next Wednesday, so it looks like I'm a student again - for a bit longer anyway.

That's the good news so far. Unfortunately, Medicare will only back-pay 90 days of care. Now I'm not sure what they consider the mark to start counting the 90 days, but we may still be left having to pay between 3 and 6 months of her care. Which means we may still need to hire a lawyer so that we don't have the pay the rest of the bill - something that could cost just as much as the bill itself.

I've been reading a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of stories similar to ours about nursing homes and care facilities suing and being sued over bills like these. Most do not end well. People have lost their homes and life savings to pay off these exorbitant fees. Now I'm not saying that we should turn our backs on the elderly or turn them into Soylant Green, but there must be a better way. A lot of these laws are based on outdated Victorian mandates that no longer apply to society today.

Like most of America's younger generation, I never realized the problems the elderly deal with on a daily basis. Everyone in my generation seems to think of retirement as a vacation, which is sadly untrue. Only now after seeing the problems my father went through with his retirement and dealing with this situation do I understand how bad it is out there for them. Retirement shouldn't be a hassle. My father worked from age 18 to 64 - he deserves to spend his "golden years" worry-free. What happens to the money the government is deducting from our paychecks every week? How is it such a problem to receive benefits for care when you can no longer care for yourself?

Obviously these are questions I can't answer. Again, I just want to thank everyone out there who read my first post and said a little prayer. I'll keep you updated as I can. Until next time!

My Sad $72,000 Story

Sorry it's been so long between posts, but the holidays - and life in general - got in the way. In the end, I just sort of forgot about blogging. Until, as usual, I feel a need to share or get on my virtual soapbox. Apologies in advance for any naughty language that may pop-up.

Today was an interesting day - up to a point. I spent most of the morning doing research for a new story and then I finally got a chance to see the Veronica Mars movie - which was amazing. And then the proverbial "shit" hit the fan... My mother received a letter in the mail today saying that our family is responsible for paying over $72,000 (sadly that is not a typo) for my grandmother's care at a nursing facility.

Let me back-up and give a little of the back story first. My maternal grandmother - the only one I've ever known - fell and broke her hip. She was hospitalized for a period and was unable to return home because she would no longer be able to care for herself. Unfortunately, none of my mom's siblings (most of whom live away from the area) were able to care for her, so she was placed in a facility near my parent's house. My mom, who lives the closest, was placed in charge of handling all of her paperwork by her siblings.

Now, I love my mother, but she is neither financial nor legal-minded. She depended a lot on the admissions people at the nursing home to direct her in what she assumed was the correct way of doing things. During the admissions process, as is normal procedure, they file for Medicare benefits to see if a resident is applicable. Due to some issues, my grandmother was initially rejected for benefits. When my mom received the letter, she spoke with "D" from admissions who said that they would resubmit the application.

Meanwhile, the home had been giving my mother the runabout on not filing other paperwork correctly - again after following instructions from "D" - and told her that she would need to redo 3 months worth of paperwork. At this point I realize that "D" and her staff are incompetent.

Back to today. We receive a bill for $72,000+ for my grandmother's care because "D," or one of her underlings, never filed an appeal like they promised. Not only that they verbally blame my mother for not following their instructions and told her "this is all your fault." My mother, being the kind-hearted woman she is, assumes she is to blame. And of course, this all happens just as their offices are closing and there is no possible way for my mother to come and speak with them today.

Now we are not a rich family. My dad just retired and my mother doesn't work. Most of my aunts and uncles are close to or have retired already. Most of them are just scrapping by as is. As you know, I'm a full-time college student, unemployed so I can focus on studies, and using what dwindling funds I saved to get by. Sadly, PA is one of 30 states that has a Filial Support Law which makes family responsible for any costs incurred by elderly family members.

Currently, my mother is breaking the news to her siblings - attempting to rally the troops. How they will take things I'm not sure. Technically, my  mother and aunt signed all of the paperwork so they are the only two responsible for her. To help, I now may have to drop of out college (after nearly completing it) and get a full time job so that I can pay toward this $72,000 that the nursing home and the government seem to think we owe them all because of "D" and her lies to my mother. 

I'm not writing this asking for money, but if anyone out there happens to read this, just say a little prayer for us that everything works out well. All of our options seem to involve legal action of some sort - and I've never had much head for legalese. I've started doing some research already, but this is going to be a long and bitter battle, I can feel it.

Love It, Hate It!

This week on Love It, Hate It!...

Love It!
1. My Fantasy Life. If you're not playing this you should buy it. A bit text heavy, but it's an incredible, immersive game.

2. Homage to the gimmick arrows on Arrow. This week's episode showed the classic boxing glove arrow, though it was accidental, it was still awesome.

3. Couplescraft. YouTube super-boyfriends, Will and RJ, team-up in a new Minecraft series. My only complaint: I wish the episodes were longer than 10 minutes!

4. Justice League 3000: Yesterday Lives. Volume one compilation of the series is one of the best things to come out of the New 52. It's harsh and violent, but the characters really grow on you. And the twist at the end...

5. Grayson #4. Great art, great fun, shirtless Dick - nothing else matters.

Hate It!
1. Dumb and Dumber To trailers. I'm so sick of seeing this trailer every five minutes online and on TV.

2. The Pied Piper costume. I think Andy Mientus is adorable and the perfect choice to play Hartley Rathaway, but who designed this awful costume?

3. The Bane Chronicles. I picked it up because Magnus is one of the only good things to come out of that terrible series and I want to support of having more mainstream LGBT characters out there, but this book is historically horrific. Perhaps Clare should do her research from someplace other than Wikipedia.

4. Black Friday on Thanksgiving. As a former retail slave I speak for those poor souls now forced to work Thursday night. How about giving them ONE day to spend with their family before sending them off to battle? (When exactly did Thursday turn into Black Friday Preview Day instead of Thanksgiving?)

5. BAM. I love bookstores and I'm sad that they seem to be slowly disappearing. I traveled an hour away to the giant Books A Million store hoping to pick up 6 books that I've been wanting to read for a while now and they had none of them. Zero. Sure they could order them from their warehouse, but if I want them shipped to me, I'll get them from Amazon.

Bad Artist

If you follow me regularly, then you know that I have commissioned A LOT of art over the years. I've worked with dozens of different artists from all over the world thanks to our friend Mr. Internet. There have been a lot of amazing artists that I've had the chance to work with (and continue to work with) and some that I never want to lay eyes on again.

As a professional artist myself - and someone who has worked in the realms of the advertising world for more years than I want to say - I feel I'm totally in my rights to stand on a soapbox and make my voice heard. There are two simple rules that every artist, including myself, should have to live by:

Rule #1: NEVER PISS OFF YOUR CLIENT!!!
Rule #2: If you don't agree with your client, see Rule #1.

I've recently had the misfortune of "working" with three of the most awful artists. I'll refrain from giving their names or blogs because A) it is completely tacky to name names and B) I'd hate to give them traffic/advertising of any sort.

The first "artist," kept me and my project dangling for over three weeks. I passed on working with a few other (more talented) people because I was already contracted with someone else. So, three weeks in, no peep and I finally email him only to discover that he has "decided to pass on the project in order to work on something else." WFT?!? And when exactly was I, his current client, going to be informed of this? Apparently never. I wrote a polite, but scolding, reply to which he responded that he felt I was "guilting him into doing it."

Artist number two wasn't much better. I chatted with him several times through his Livestream and, after being closed for a period, announced that he was finally opening slots for commission pieces again. I was so excited, he agreed to do my piece and he told me to email him the details. I took care of everything that very night and sent it along. And never heard from him until I saw he was streaming again a week later. I asked if he was still interested and he told me he was so busy he hadn't checked his email in a while. Understandable. He looked things over and even started working on it in that very stream. I was so excited to see him doing it live and then he made an error with my character (minor, but important) and I asked him to please change it. His response was to delete the entire piece and then ban me from the room.

The last is perhaps the worst. Due to his popularity, I understood that I would have to patiently wait my turn. Suddenly, just after I sent him all of the specs and reference pictures, he decided that he was only having a single slot open and that people would now have to "compete" for the chance to hire him. After frantically emailing him for over a month attempting to win a slot, I finally succeeded in nabbing one. Only to get an email 15 minutes after his original telling me that I didn't respond fast enough and he passed the slot to someone else on the list! Apologies, I didn't realize that I needed to sit patiently by my computer desperately hitting refresh waiting for a reply from you.

I spent a decent hour deleting every piece that I ever reblogged or favorited from any of them on any site that I could think of. It may sound petty, but why I should I give these horrible artists any support or free publicity. I didn't even know it was possible on some of the sites, but I found a way. Why would I support artists who don't appreciate their clients or fans. I try to be understanding of every situation. I know all too well that real life gets in the way of things and plans are forced to change.

These are three very extreme (albeit recent) cases. For every bad artist, there have been a dozen great ones that I loved working with. If you're interested in working with an artist you've never worked with before, get some feedback from their former commissioners. Ask them in advance about their work ethics and communication process. Do they give you any updates or progress reports, if not, can they? What is their process from payment to completion? And if anything doesn't jive with what you want, DO NOT HIRE THEM. Often times that nagging bit of doubt is telling you not to do something for good reason.

Love It, Hate It

It's that time again.

Love It!
1. Daniel Radcliffe rapping. Old news, but this clip of Dan doing "Alphabet Aerobics" is amazing! It's like magic...

2. "I Ate All Your Halloween Candy." My professor actually showed us this clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live in class, and I still think it's hilarious watching it again today.

3. This week's Gotham. If you didn't see this week's episode, you have to watch it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire hour.

4. Diversity 2 with Stacy and Cupquake. I loved the interaction between these two as they struggled through the challenges in the original series. Now they're back for another round, and I'm hooked already.

5. Packages from Dean Draws. I posted about him before when I received my first commission pieces from him, and I was surprised again with my most recent order. Expect another post soon showing off my swag.

Hate It!
1. The "Alex from Target" buzz. I have no hate for the kid himself, but this media frenzy surrounding him is ridiculous. Leave the poor guy be, I'm tired of seeing him every time I turn on my phone or computer.

2. The Flash in reruns. Seriously, CW, the series is only five episodes in and you start replaying already?

3. The Simpson's Tapped Out. OK, not the whole game, but this final run of the "Treehouse of Horror" event. Seriously, the price (protein strands) of the prizes for this final run is ludicrous. It's an obvious ploy to get us to spend money buying donuts to get them.

4. Christmas movies the day after Halloween. It doesn't really need more elaboration...

5. Being the last to see a commissioned piece. I don't mind an artist posting a piece of art that I've commissioned on their blog or whatever, but at least send it to me before you post it for the world to see. Am I wrong in thinking that?