After a long winter filled with a mix of very mild and very cold weather, spring has finally arrived. And, along with it, I have gotten my first cold in about six months. I’m trying to fight it off with the magical Cold-FX, but I fear that nature may be winning. Apparently, though, getting sick is actually good for you. (HA!) A new book, Survival of the Sickest, claims that getting sick provides positive evolutionary advantages.* (Double Ha!)

So, as I suffer with a running nose and a body that just wants to sleep, I will take some comfort in the fact that I am building up some tolerance that I can pass on to my future (hypothetical) offspring. Do you think that they will be more likely to let me have a few sick days off at work if I tell them I am helping to make the future a better place by sleeping all afternoon?

* Apparently the book focuses more on hereditary diseases, rather then on things like the common cold. I haven’t read it yet myself, so I’m making generalized comments based on the buzz that I have read regarding the book. And I still think having a cold sucks.

The Wii made it home Tuesday night, much to my delight. I received a replacement Wii, which had all of my saved games, Miis, and other info installed. I was exceptionally pleased, although I was a little concerned with how it was packaged for shipping: a cardboard box inside a Purolator envelope. Hardly the way to protect an expensive electronic device, and all the more distressing because the package didn’t look like it had been treated well at all during its cross-country trip. Thankfully, though the Wii worked just fine, at first…

After about ten minutes of play, the screen would jump between displaying the game and a black screen—my AV cables were defective. I called Nintendo again right away, and was told that they probably didn’t check the cables I sent in with my repair. So, there is a good chance there was never anything wrong with the Wii itself, it probably always was the cables. Gritting my teeth with frustration Dealing well with the annoyance of it all, I was able to get a new set of AV cables sent out to me via Canada Post’s fast shipping method (i.e. they will arrive in two days, clearly we use door sleds up here or something).

So, I needlessly sent my Wii away for a two week vacation, but it looks like everything will work out in the end. And soon I will be able to enjoy my housecleaning game without any interruptions.

My Wii repair is not going as smoothly as I had originally thought.

First, I paid to ship the Wii in for repair. I was supposed to have received instructions on setting up the shipment with Purolator for free, but I didn’t. So, now I have to send my receipt in to Nintendo and hope that they reimburse me somehow, hopefully with Wii Points.

Now that my Wii is shipping back to me, after a week at Nintendo, I am without a tracking number. I called Nintendo this afternoon and they said to call back for it in two days because they need to get the information from Nintendo of Canada. I did find out, however, that it is being shipped by ground service, so it will likely take a week to reach me.

I’ve also had a heck of a time tracking my shipment because the website and phone numbers given in the emails from Nintendo of Canada are for Nintendo of America. And, surprisingly, Nintendo of America doesn’t track Nintendo of Canada repairs. In other words, all the contact information I am getting sent is wrong. And when I called Nintendo of America this afternoon, I got stuck in an endless loop trying to track my repair. First the system asked for my repair number, which it said it couldn’t find. It then offered me the chance to speak to a representative, and then asked for my repair number again. On and on it would have went if I hadn’t hung up and just hit zero instead of trying the menu.

Nintendo, if you are going to keep Canadian repair orders separate, then provide a Canadian number for customer service. And when your representatives tell a customer that they will receive a tracking number, make sure they do.

Hopefully I will soon be reunited with my Wii, likely three weeks after it left its snug home next to my TV. And hopefully I will never have to send anything in for repair again.

It’s not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.
~ Charles Darwin

Darwin may have been talking about evolution when he wrote that sentence, but it is applicable to everyday life too. Unfortunately, although I may be intelligent, I am certainly not responsive to change. Everything, from co-workers leaving, to moving, to a change in the schedule of my favourite TV show throws me off. And, oddly enough, no one every consults me before making these changes. So, I have to deal with the change whether or not I want to, and I rarely deal well. Depending on the magnitude, there can be tears, anger, frustration, or a general feeling of unease. If the change is something that is generally considered bad (someone getting sick, laid off, etc.) I spend a lot of time wishing I could make things different.

There has been a change fair sized change in my life this week; actually, in my parent’s life, but it effects me, of course. And, with quanta and I looking for a condo to buy (our first home that will be all ours and not a rental!) another big change is coming. Hopefully, as I deal with more and more significant changes, things will get easier.

I’m Wii-less. Notice the lack a Wii in the picture to the left. (Also notice my poor photography skills… Sorry about the flash.)

After having a wonderful three week long fling with Nintendo’s newest console, I’ve had to send it in for repairs. Sadly, when using all but one of the myriad of input jacks scattered across our TV and stereo receiver, the Wii will only display a picture for about 10 minutes and then the screen goes black. I managed to totally stump the phone tech support guy, who told me the only option is to send it in for repairs. So, yesterday afternoon I set out (in the wet falling snow) to the post office to send off my newest baby. And $20 later, it was on its way to Richmond, B.C. for repairs. (Thank goodness they have a Canadian repair facility!)

This, of course, happened on the day that the game I have been waiting (im)patiently for was release on the Virtual Console–Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I guess I wait patiently… and take the next couple of weeks to secure a copy of the Legend of Zelda collectors disc from eBay… and Chibi Robo…

As an aside, Nintendo tech support was great. The guy was concerned with making sure that neither the TV nor the receiver were damaged by what was happened. And he also made sure to remind me to back up my games, etc. (Of course, I forgot to back up my Miis.) He also didn’t treat me like I was a dummy; no stupid questions like “Are you sure it’s plugged in?” or “Do you have the TV on the right input?” It was a very pleasant experience… assuming I get my Wii back quickly.

Gosh, I’m going to miss out on so many Everybody Votes channel votes! So sad! 🙁