Blog, I

Archive for November, 2010

With recent temperatures around the northern hemisphere having hit below freezing in some parts, it’s time to break out an electric blanket. Just be careful when using them, like remembering how dangerous it is to drink hot chocolate while snuggled under one.

One thing I recommend to anyone choosing to give charitably during cold weather is always think wool or felt.  Ones that are ‘wash and usable’.  Many times more than not I’ve seen sheltered families receiving rather beautiful blankets and comforters, only having them fall apart or easily soiled.

Blankets that are resistant to oil, not requiring delicate wash care, and can take heavy heat drying are great.  People living in shelters deal with needing to sometimes use as hot a setting when outbreaks of different pests occur, which can be often.

Living through unemployment isn’t easy. Many people are having to juggle the varying costs of living, myself included.

One thing I’m seeing is improvement in service delivery on the part of JEA, the Jacksonville Electric Authority. Years ago it was extremely difficult in dealing with their customer service representatives, but my experience is that in the last two years they’ve treated me better than before.

Originally in early October I was able to make my electric payment for the prior month, the current one having to be carried over. Seeing my income schedule planned for the next month, I knew I’d either have to give something up or ask for an payment extension.

I took advantage of JEA’s online service for doing just that, they also offer it to callers in their automated tree without having to discuss matters with a representative. The system checks your history and either approves or denies the request.

I was really surprised when I was given over a month to make payment, a week beyond what I normally would. However, there was a question when my bill was generated three weeks later. It reflected the amount from earlier October as well as the new amount…along with a ‘Pay by or get cut off notice’.

The date was earlier than my extension.

I didn’t rush since I had an email verification mailed to me, which is a binding agreement. The call the next day to JEA found that their billing department isn’t hooked up to the database that includes the modifications to required payment dates…which is what JEA goes by when doing actual service interruptions.

This is understandable, I found years ago I wasn’t getting physical bills in the mail after I changed my address, due to their system having three different databases it’s stored in. Editing by a representative in one doesn’t affect the others…so a person can live at one place and the bill keeps going to the old address, as was the case for me until I confronted them. I never did ask them if they had a third party company handle their online printing services, since they use a third party for online payments with credit cards.

While JEA isn’t perfect and hasn’t managed to provide me free electricity; I can only dream; they are making improvements internally that in fact DO help people in hard times get through it a little easier.

…now if I can only figure out how many gerbils to put on treadmills so JEA can start paying me for electricity I’ll be all set!