And so I had an unexpected day-trip to Chicago come up. But it's not really a day-trip when it takes a day to get there and a day to get back. And, when you have to start your day at 3:30am after staying up past midnight, it feels very much like a four-day trip.
So yes, it sucks... and yes, I feel like death... and yes, I know I promised myself I'd stay home the month of January... but we don't always get what we want, do we?
But there was something to look forward to. New stamps to add to my Gowalla Passport!
Or so I thought.
Between the weak GPS in my iPhone and the shitty state of wireless service from AT&T, using Gowalla is more a frustration than a fun scavenger hunt...
Yes, I can't get a 3G signal IN THE MIDDLE OF FUCKING CHICAGO!
And even though I get EDGE with full bars, there's NO data connection! AT&T FAIL!
And it seems like just yesterday that I was bragging that I had only had one bad experience with AT&T's wireless. It was when I was in Las Vegas calling Jenny. And now I'm in Chicago, and it's WORSE. Coverage SUCKS! My iPhone gears down from 3G to EDGE so often that you'd think Chicago didn't even have 3G. And even when you DO manage to get online, you've got a very real chance of not getting any data linkage AT ALL.
So this is what everybody has been bitching about!
Though, I am now thinking that it's not AT&T's fault. Because Jenny lives in Chicago. And the last time I had problems in Las Vegas, Jenny was in Las Vegas. And since I haven't had problems anywhere else on earth, I'm thinking that clearly the problem here... is Jenny!
Though that doesn't explain the myriad of problems I've had with my iPhone GPS lately. Like trying to check in at a Chicago Landmark, The Bean, only to find the GPS has me outside of check-in range...
When clearly I am there. What do I have to do, sit on top of it? I mean, I understand that sometimes tall buildings and trees can obstruct GPS signal... BUT I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF OPEN SPACE!! WTF?!? It leaves me standing in Milennium Park wanting to scream NO! I'M HERE YOU MORON!!
Oh well. Tomorrow after work Jenny and I are going to go see Avatar in 3D IMAX over at Navy Pier. It's apparently so good that people are becoming depressed when they wake up the next day and find out that the world is not a beautiful as the fictional world of "Pandora" in the movie...
Heaven only knows I need more depression in my life!
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Well, once you go whall….uh.
I will no longer say “Dammit AT&T” and instead replace it with “Dammit Jenny” for when i don’t get service on my iPhone.
Kind of like my cousin’s science teacher…he says “Dammit, Bill!” Whenever his Microsoft products fail him. So, that occurs pretty often. He never has to yell at Steve, though.
Love the snow on top of The Bean.
Picture this:
Driving to wedding in middle of nowhere. Not a tree for at least 1.5 miles. Nothing but corn. Driving down road. iPhone GPS says we are AT LEAST 3 ACRES OUT INTO THE CORN FIELD! THANKS, DUDE! And the stupidest thing is, when I looked up satellite records, there was the rare 5 satellite overhead situation at that time in the area. And, to add insult to injury, the GPS doen’t say “GET BACK ON THE ROAD, YOU MORON!” It says “keep going straight.”
I guess there’s something to be said for living in the Chicago suburbs – my 3G is great and very rarely have I had connection problems.
I don’t recall having problems near the cloud gate when I was there, though. Oh well.
Hope you enjoyed your stay!
I tried to check in at Gate A8 at SeaTac and could never get it to work….I was always at least 250 meters away….but I was able to check into concourses I wasn’t even at. Go figure.
At least part of the problem has to do with Gowalla itself. If I put myself two blocks away from The Bean when I commissioned that location to Gowalla… everyone needs to be in proximity of where it was commissioned, not actually where it is.
My comment got too long, I think I’ll just make a blog entry about it haha…
http://bit.ly/6TLEbU (it’s still being written as of 01/14 @09:35 CST)
Obviously, if someone puts a spot in the wrong place, that’s less than idea. Gladly, we’ve got a lot of great folks helping us tidy-up after people accidentally (or otherwise) make spots in locations they’re not at. It’s working pretty great so far, but we can always use more help!
“What do I have to do, sit on top of it?”
I hate this problem with Gowalla! But that cracked me up. 🙂