Companies I am Loving

Since I gave a list of companies that I am very dissatisfied with, I thought I'd share the names of a few businesses that have done an outstanding job lately. If you happen to need any of the following services and are in the Grand Rapids area, you should consider using them.

The Tile Guy, LLC - We wanted granite countertops in the new place, but due to weight and price issues, we went with granite tile. Greg did the install for us and it looks fantastic. It is not possible for us to be happier with the work Greg did from start to finish. We would use him again for any tile needs.

Complete Auto Repair - Honest mechanics?? Yes, it's true. I thought I had a problem with the starter on my car, and these guys did a free diagnostic. When they couldn't find anything wrong, they just handed me the keys and sent me on my way. They didn't try to snowball me and make up a problem or sell me unneeded services. Just straight-forward honesty and customer service.

Mr Rooter - Ah, the joys of home ownership. We have a tree growing over the main drain pipe for the house, which means roots. Lots and lots of roots. Well, the time came when we needed a pro to fix the problem. Mr Rooter sent out Wes, and he did a fantastic job. Considerate, professional, clean, and he took the time to explain the issue and gave us options. No high pressure, no excuses, no return trips, or any of the other nightmares generally associated with plumbers. Just fast service.

A word to Michigan voters

Now that the presidental race is well underway, I'd like to remind my fellow Michiganders of an important point that seems to have slipped through the cracks. This last primary, Michigan decided to move up our vote so our voice would matter a little more in the nomination process. Both parties punished us for this presumptive move because of long-standing agreements to give preference to New Hampshire and Iowa (what, exactly, these two states did to warrant special treatment, I'll never know). The Republicans cut our delegate count in half, and the Democrats refused to recognize any of our delegates. Even thought the Dems negated our vote, Hillary and some others still campaigned in Michigan. They thought our voice mattered even if we couldn't help them get nominated. Barack Obama, on the other hand, sided with the party and took his name off the ballot. Barak decided that our voice didn't matter. Now that he has secured the nomination he wants our support. I don't see that he deserves it. He has already demonstrated that we only matter insofar as we can help him acheive his goals. I don't think that bodes well for our future if he is elected president. If we didn't matter to him in January, why do we think we will matter to him in the future? In my opinion, Barack forfeited any support from Michigan when he refused to support us in our bid for electoral equality.

Businesses I will never use again - part 1

Sometimes the Better Business Bureau just can't help, and some of the Internet sites available to disgruntled consumers are of dubious legality, so in an attempt to vent publicly about some of the worst possible experiences and perhaps spare others the frustration we have experienced, here's a list of businesses we will never use again. Stay tuned for additions.

Byron Bank - I know buying a house is a long, difficult process, but it is much, MUCH worse if your bank is as thoroughly incompetent as the mortgage team at Byron Bank turned out to be. Frankly, I shouldn't have to explain things like the difference between homestead and non-homestead and how to read a credit report to mortgage processors, and I don't think it's too much to ask for the underwriter to actually read the purchase agreement before preparing the closing docs. But from start to finish, if it could be screwed up, it was - closing costs, documents, prorations. What a nightmare.

Richard Bareke (dentist) - again, never a pleasant experience, but Bareke's team provided elective services without prior consent, overbilled the insurance company, and then demanded a hefty payment from us without ever supplying a detailed bill.

AceHardwareOutlet.com - we encountered this company through Amazon. We love Amazon, but AceHardwareOutlet committed Internet fraud - the old bait and switch - and left us in a lurch.

Trico Animal Damage Control - I thought it was a simple request. We have snakes in our yard and I want them removed. I hired Trico to take care of it. But when we found and cornered a snake, it turned out to be an inconvenient time for Trico. Apparently, they only trap snakes on sunny days. Even worse, they insisted that we couldn't possibly have cornered a snake because it was cool and rainy. I'm pretty sure we know what a snake looks like. So not only did they refuse to do the job we hired them for, they also insulted us along the way. Best $65 I ever spent!

Hole-a! My Llama's name is Jon

Welcome to my first foray into blogging. First, let me say that if you don't get the joke for the tag "The Smartness," please understand that it is a joke and not (necessarily) a statment about my obvious mental prowess. My hope is to make a site that is worth visiting - entertaining, thought-provoking, aromatic. Enjoy your visit and I hope to see you back here soon.