Servicing the Customer

I have a Canon camera. It came with nice software including one that stitches shots together into a panoramic picture. Since my Canon camera has a pano setting, I like to take a series of pictures that result in a panoramic digital file.

I have installed Mac’s new OS, Snow Leopard, which has been out several months now. Lo and behold, Canon’s PhotoStitch software does not work in Snow Leopard. Naturally, I went to the Canon website to find an update that did. Nope. Not there. And not even something telling me that they just don’t have it yet … or ever.

I sent an email to their customer service department. I got the following response:

“Thank you for writing to us.  We value you as a Canon customer and appreciate the opportunity to assist you. Unfortunately, the latest version, PhotoStitch 3.2.1 Updater for Mac, is only compatible with OS X 10.3-10.5.

“We regret any inconvenience this causes. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.”

I responded that indeed they could be of further assistance by letting me know when such an update would be available. I received the following reply:

“We appreciate your continued correspondence regarding PhotoStitch.

“At this time we do not have additional information regarding a newer version of PhotoStitch.  Canon has yet to release information pertaining to a new version of this software.  We are happy to put in a suggestion to Canon USA though through our Customer Feedback process.  This process allows us to capture important feedback from our valued customers.  As we constantly strive to improve our products and services, your comments are vital to our continued success.

“For important product updates, including available drivers and product notifications, please visit Canon's Web site at www.powershot.com.

“We hope this information is helpful to you.  Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance with PhotoStitch.”

So, as a customer, I have been serviced.

P.S., I received the following response after complaining that they had really not given me any useful information so far:

“We appreciate your continued correspondence regarding Photostitch. We are aware that Apple customers typically do wait a little longer for update patches and new versions. For this we very much apologize. I can assure you that engineers in Japan are hard at work developing current and new versions of our software for various platforms. Our only regret is that we don't at the current time have software that meets your specifications.”

To which, I replied: Yes, but ... Snow Leopard was introduced publicly in August 2009. Certainly there were specification out there for software designers before then. It's now the end of March, some seven months after it was introduced. And, no, Mac users don't typically wait longer in any material amount for updates that work when Mac puts out a newer version of its OS.

Eighteen Dollars and Seventy-Two Cents

That’s what I just received from a distribution from the WorldCom settlement fund. You remember Worldcom, right? Great investment if you can just look beyond what ended up in fraud, jail, and nothing back on what you put in. Well, almost nothing. Guess less than a tenth of one percent is something.

Wonder what the lawyers got …

2010 Florida 6

March 7, 2010: Just hung around the condo all AM. Went out for lunch at The Dock in Old Naples. It’s an annual event for us – especially the shrimp nachos. Afterward, we drove over to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and took an hour-long guided boat tour of the Gordon River and Golden Gate Canal with a terrific captain, Tom Marvel (you may remember him from the comics), who gave us the history of the area and pointed out the plants and trees and birds. Quite lovely.

We thought we’d spend an hour on the beach, but when we got out of the car, it was too cold to do so – stiff wind blowing in from the gulf. So, back to the condo.

Dinner at the Shears was a wonderful homemade tomato soup followed by stone crab claws. The soup, terrific. The crab claws, only okay. They were mediums (and I’m spoiled by usually having the largest size) and the meat stuck to the shells (as we had been warned by a guy at the farmers market who said that happens when it’s as cold as it has been). But it was fun and a treat anyway.

The rest of the evening was taken up with watching the Oscars. Then to bed.

March 8, 2010: Jeff went to play 18 holes and Toby had a meeting to attend. So we spent the morning getting ready to leave tomorrow. There is the last load of clothes to wash, things to gather into bags, etc. And it’s always nice to look at what you brought to wear that you never had on your body. I can’t speak for the woman who has over a dozen pairs of shoes with her and some more she got here, but for me, I was only in khakis twice here (not even once in Sarasota). Other than the time I was in khakis, I never used any of my polo shirts, short-sleeved or long. With the cold weather, I really lived in the two sweatshirts I had with me.

My cold is better, although still lingering. Need some heat, some sun. Guess I’ll have to go home to get it. Went out for lunch. Then to the beach. A very cold wind enveloped us and we left.

2010 Florida 5

March 5, 2010: Another nice, sunny day that was chilly whenever the wind blew, which was often. Jeff was out early to play 18 holes. Toby, Marian, and I left about 10:30 and didn’t return until around 3:30. First stop was a shoe store where, finally, I found a place that carries Trask shoes and bought a pair. My transaction took about 5 minutes; the girls poked and lifted and tried on stuff (not buying anything) for another 20.

Our main destination was Venetian Village, an upscale shopping area with some good restaurants. We wandered into and out of stores there. We lunched in the sun overlooking the water. I will mention one particular food item, since I have left all food to be viewed rather than described. They had a lobster, shrimp, and calamari pizza which was one of the best pizzas I’ve had. Big pieces of lobster, very large shrimp (our favorite oxymoron), and lots of squiggly calamari. Tasty!

We returned to our usual pursuits back at the condo. I’m making significant headway with my Cormac McCarthy novel.

Around 6:30, we headed out south for ribs and BBQ at Michelbob’s. Good stuff. Then, as if we hadn’t gorged enough, stopped by for ice cream at a “chain” we had never heard of before: Emack & Bolio’s. Very nice flavors, some unique.

So, another lazy day. The four of us fit well, I think. We fall into familiar habits and conversations easily. And it’s so nice just not being in St. Louis, regardless of the cold weather here.

March 6, 2010: Today is the day to go to Costco to see about getting stone crabs as our Oscars night dinner tomorrow. Well, no stone crabs at Costco. After wandering around and getting other stuff, we headed over to Total Wine, a usual stop for us down here. Got a mixed case of wines, mostly stuff we like but cannot find at home. Publix became our source of stone crab claws. They’re only mediums. Seems like the cold weather has really hit the stone crab business with finding them few and far between. Back home to unload and eat lunch from supplies hunted and gathered this AM.

It got a bit warmer, high 60s. We drove down to Barefoot Beach (mind you, dressed in long pants and with jackets and big towels). It was really nice for about an hour. Then a steady cold wind came in from the gulf. Even covered with an extra bath towel, wearing a windbreaker, I was chilled.

We went to Buffalo Chips for some wings. Liquor license there had been suspended since they raided it a few nights ago and arrested some kitchen staff that were dealing drugs. But the wings were really good and we called our children to tell them they could see us on the webcam there.

Back home, I finished “The Orchard Keeper.” An interesting slice of east Tennessee life in the mountains prior to WWII. Fascinating to read McCarthy’s first novel and to know where his later ones led him. If you’re a McCarthy fan, it’s fun to start at the beginning.

Went over to the house of some transplanted St. Louis folks, Susie and Rick Sokolik, had wine and some goodies, and then the six of us went to Sea Salt downtown for dinner. Very nice restaurant, although a bit loud for us older guys and gals. Very nice evening.

2010 Florida 4

March 3, 2010: I have a cold in the nose! Bummer. Came over me night before last. Taking all sorts of things for it, but really would like a warm, sunny day to bake it out of me. Not today. High in the low 60s, cloudy. Supposed to get better later in the week. Let’s hope. My only excitement today has been a trip to CVS to get cold supplies. Woo hoo!

Lazy day. Went to farmers market to get fruits, veggies, and shrimp. Then went to a nice place for lunch, Teri’s Café. Next stop was a new costume jewelry store, Ooh La La. Afterwards, we drove downtown and walked/shopped along 5th Ave. Sometimes it was sunny and warm, other times it was windy and chilly. Of course, given how cold it was, we stopped for ice cream at Kilwin’s. Brief stop on way home to get milk and wine.

We fixed a wonderful dinner of grilled shrimp and roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots. Key lime pie for dessert. Yum. Didn’t really do much, but we’re all tired.

March 4, 2010: Everyone, except me, slept in late. It’s in the mid 50s so far today and our plan is to go to Sanibel and walk on the beach. Hmmm. Well, we did leave for Sanibel around 10:30 taking with use sweaters and coats. Took the beach route north through Naples, Ft. Meyers Beach, and then to Sanibel over the new bridge. Brings back lots and lots of memories, especially since this week is the 10th anniversary of Carla’s death.

We inched along the main drag (and I mean inched along) until the Captiva turnoff. Then is was smooth sailing all the way out to the Mucky Duck … and a 45-minute wait for lunch. Windy and chilly on the beach, but we took some pictures and then retreated inside. Very nice lunch. Nice staff there. We’ve been blessed with some wonderful staff at almost all the restaurants we’ve eaten in down here. Did some brief shopping along street where MD is, got into the car, drove by the Bubble Room, one of our favorites, and then out to the end of Captiva to the beach we’d all go to for the sunset. Next, all the way to the other end of the island (with a brief shopping stop) to the Lighthouse beach and by the condo where we all stayed so many years. Lots and lots of memories. Lots and lots and lots.

We left Sanibel and crawled through traffic into Ft. Meyers near the airport to a stellar chocolate place, Norman Love. Besides artistic and scrumptious chocolate candy, they had dark black chocolate up to 74%. I had a 74% dark hot sipping chocolate (skim milk!) and was immediately in a chocolate high, coma, and crash later.

Drove back to our neighborhood and stopped at Fresh Market for some food to eat at home tonight. Long day. Fun. Long drive. Fun. Chocolate. Yikes!

2010 Florida 3

March 1, 2010: Up early, but both of our hosts had already left for golf and meetings. I had my normal breakfast (no, there are not pictures posted). Fooled around with pix on the computer until Marian got up. We both went out onto the lanai and read. I am into Cormac McCarthy’s first novel, “The Orchard Keeper.” It’s strange and violent (duh), has a Byzantine plot line setting things up (duh again), and has such beautiful language that I read shaking my head in wonderment about how he constructs each sentence. This is a 1968 book, well before his most popular ones (“All the Pretty Little Horses,” “No Country for Old Men”), but you can see the same roots and passion in this early work.

When T&J returned we all went to the Fish House for lunch. Sat outside in lovely weather, high 60s, sunny. Then we went to Target to get some craft supplies for something Toby is doing for the country club here. Onward to Coconut Point for a walk around “shopping,” although nobody bought anything. Then home for some snacks and wine and computer time.

Dinner around 7:00.We tried to get into Buffalo Chips for wings, but the line was around the block and there was nowhere to park either. Went to the Dixie Moon Diner and had larger portions of reasonably good food and our fourth bread pudding of the trip. Back for the usual stuff before sleep.

March 2, 2010: It rained all morning. Early on, some men came in to fix the Shears’ bed. Lots of commotion. Compressors running. Up and down the stairs. Marian slept through it all. That’s a talent to be admired. About 10:30, a cleaning crew came and all by Toby vacated. We drove to Waterside, a really upscale shopping area. Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpel, Tiffany, etc. We wandered in and out of various stores, not buying anything. It was sunny this part of the day, but got cloudy later.

We then all met at Sushi-Thai for lunch. Toby and Marian went off to shop. Jeff and I returned home and took a long walk. Relaxed the rest of the afternoon. Snacked around 5:00. Tickets tonight (reserved seats!) for “Crazy Heart” and then out for dinner. Movie was wonderful. Theatre was neat with huge, cushy leather chairs. We ate at Bravo, Brio’s other restaurant. Was good and waitress was a hoot.

2010 Florida 2

February 27, 2010: Cold and rainy. Had strange short dreams last night. Took sleeping pill about 2 AM and slept until around 8:00. Breakfast in the dining room with Howard, Carolyn, and the NYT.

I have somehow misplaced the tube of 45 sunscreen that I brought in from the car yesterday. It’s not a matter of wanting to use it today. It’s a matter of where I put it since I hope I’ll need it soon. Which brings me to the stories of the earrings and the socks. On the way down here, Marian searched her car high and low for a pair of earrings that she swore were somewhere in it. She finally found them in the back of the console compartment only when she looked from the passenger’s seat. She then put them somewhere. Yes, somewhere. It took another search to find where she had stuck them this time. Finally, she placed them in her purse and told me to remind her where they were. And the socks. At the motel in Macon, Marian swore she had brought in socks to wear the next day. We scoured the room, shook out the sheets, looked inside pillow cases to no avail. No socks. When we were loading the car, we saw them sitting nicely on the ground in front of the car. Ah, another mystery solved. Losing things and then finding them should be an Olympic sport and Marian would get a gold medal. Oh, Howard spotted my sunscreen sitting on Carolyn’s desk where I must have placed it.

Spent the morning inside wed to our computers. Columbia for lunch – hadn’t had my fix of black bean soup yet. Drove to Columbia given how cold, rainy it was. We had black bean soup and 1905 salads. Carolyn gets in right away, and you can guess how. Then the sun came out, so Marian and walked around the Circle and in and out of stores not buying much.

Walked back to the house, downloaded pix, of course, and got them onto the web. Marian took a walk to the beach and I worked with Carolyn on apps and other things for her iPhone. Unfortunately, the sun went away and the sky is gray. I had hoped to go and see sunset, but don’t think that’s going to happen.

Dinner was at Ceviche, a tapas restaurant. You’ll have to look at the pictures to see the eight different things we ate along with a huge pitcher of sangria. Very lovely food. Nice new tastes. And and and we had bread pudding for the third night in a row!

February 28, 2010: Breakfast with Carolyn and Howard in the dining room. Still too cold to eat it outside. Loaded up the car, hugs and kisses goodbye from a terrific visit, and into the car.

We drove down to the marina (bet we’re one of the few who know who “Jack” is from “Marina Jack” and how he was related to our old company, World Color Press) to see the sculptures on loan that are arranged all along the waterfront (I think it’s called “Seasons of Sculpture”). We had seen the “Unconditional Surrender” huge sculpture down here for a few years, but it just dawned on us (given the Chesterfield Arts exhibit of all the Seward Johnson pieces this past year) that it must be a Johnson work of art. Sure enough, it is. And they are buying one to keep here permanently. As we walked along the trail looking at different pieces, we saw that all were on loan from The Sculpture Foundation (Johnson’s foundation) and that we’d seen some of them at the foundation’s Grounds for Sculpture a couple of years ago.

Around 10:30 we headed south on I-75 to Bonita Springs and arrived at Toby and Jeff’s about Noon. As always, we’re so glad to see them and be with them. We miss not being able to see them on a regular basis. We lunched at Pincher’s, one of our favorites. Love them fried oysters! Went back to their condo and took a nice walk with them. Maybe burned off one oyster.

Spent the afternoon on iPhones, knitting, talking. About 5:30, we left for Ft. Meyers. We saw “Jersey Boys” at a nice theatre on the campus of Edison College there. Early show. 6:30 PM. We guessed the median age of the audience was about 68 and that no one under 40 was there at all. It was a wonderful show and the audience was excellent as well. Loved it altogether. Had dinner at Big Al’s (a converted Smoky Bones). It was one of the few places open after 9:00 on a Sunday night. Stopped at a CVS so I could get some orange juice and cereal. Then back home to collapse into bed. Great to be here!