Dec. 31 -- Lisa's Musings on Every Day Life

Of the 365 days in a year, Dec. 31 is my least favorite.

And unfortunately, this one has been no different from the last several years.

First off, my alarm clock mysteriously sounded at 6:15 a.m. Which would have been fine, I could have gone back to sleep -- EXCEPT my dogs thought I'd actually set it, and therefore, I needed to be awake.

Ever helpful, they licked my face, tromped all over me; whatever they could do to make sure I got up.

Gee, thanks, guys. Now this day will last even longer.

First up, a trip to Saline for an editorial meeting en route to which I broke Reporter's Rule No. 2: Always, always bring your camera with you. Even if you're going to the post office or grocery store.

(If you remember, Reporter's Rule No. 1: Always have at least a 1/2 tank of gas. I broke that one on Christmas, and it almost came back to bite me.)

So there, along M-52, before the I94 exit, was a corn trailer in a ditch, one tire off its axle, bright yellow contents spilled on a resident's front yard.

It would have made a great photo, all that yellow corn on the newly fallen snow, and served as a reminder to people that even through Chelsea is called a city, it's still a small town, and the surrounding townships are still active farming communities.

Opportunity lost.

This meeting was followed by a service call from Dish Network, scheduled for between noon-5 p.m. So, I zoom back from Saline, get home by 12:05 and notice the extra tire tracks in my driveway as I turn up it.

Please, please, let it have been a UPS or FedEx delivery ... nope, nothing at the door.

Crap.

What self-respecting repair person EVER arrives before the appointed time? Apparently, the nice guy from Dish Network who called my home phone, when I specifically left my cell phone with the sales person as the primary number.

Plus, I had actually remembered to leave it on.

Grrr.

I called him back and he was able to swing by here after his next appointment.

Yippee.

He upgrades the dish on my roof "to code," whatever that means, installs the pretty black DVR, calls in all the secret codes to program it and begins to show me how it works.

Problem is, it doesn't.

Apparently, the hard drive is defective.

But, he calls a fellow tech who happens in the area and ... we're back in business.

Four-plus hours after he originally arrived, I am with DVR.

So, while you enjoy New Year's Eve with family, friends and bubbly, I'll be figuring out how to use my new DVR, my new air card and my cell phone.

Out with the old low-tech me, in with the new (semi) high-tech version.

Happy New Year, everyone.