So after the exclamations on Twitter yesterday, everyone in the South East of the UK was exclaiming “It’s Snowing!” and “Snow, that’ll be the trains f**ked!” or words to those effects, it made me realise that I would soon see the white stuff myself.

I’ve always liked snow, it takes me back to the rare times of my youth when the snow fell and actually stayed.  What I don’t like about the snow is the way everything grinds to a halt because of it.

This morning the future Mrs Scotsdreamer woke me exclaiming “Il neige!” but it was light and melting immediately.  she then said slightly disappointedly that it wouldn’t stay.

20 minutes later and looking out the window there was the definate beginnings of stretches of white…

So as readers may be aware I hate Parisian public transport, but today it was amazing.  The Metro was crammed, not even enough room to play sardines.  The bus was busy and full. and I left the house late and got to work on time!

This has to be a first, I remember a time in Birmingham there was a little snow and ice and a 45 minute bus journey took 4 hours (admittedly it was uphill), in the South East when it snows traffic stops and trains can’t go on the tracks as it’s the wrong sort of snow (or some other lame excuse).

It appears that the mindset of the Parisians havent even thought about the american term “Snow Day”

Bliss!

I am just a little disappointed that I am going to have to spend the day inside though… but in 5 days I’ll be out of the office, so maybe, just maybe I’ll get the chance to make a snowman…

…but fruit flies like a banana!

I’ve just noticed that it has been almost a month since I last wrote a post…

Shame on me…

Well, apart from starting to panic about the wedding preparations, things have been quiet on the Scotsdreamer front.

Since I am now looking for a new job, I have had the pleasure of revising my CV so that it fits into the French market.  From what used to be a well written robust 2 page CV I have had to do some severe truncating (and font size reduction) so that it fits onto one page.  I will not however include a photo!

So hopefully with my new CV I will start getting some nibbles and shouldn’t be out of a job for too long.  Either way I intend to take some French lessons during the evening from January and my greatest concern is not being able to speak during an interview…

Speaking of which I have one tonight which I hope will go ok.  I believe it will concentrate on my particular specialisations – professional not personal, so should go quite well.

I’ve also been getting ready for the time of year where you are expected to spend money on presents that nobody, even yourself, would want at any other time of the year.  I have so far spent a whopping €0.00 on presents! but I do have 3 gifts left to get. one for Belle Mamman, My mother and the Future Mrs Scotsdreamer…

Perhaps they will be happy with some of my origami?!?

Anyway this is just really a placefiller and I will be looking to post something more detailed later this week…

One thing that has really started to annoy me now I am living in France is that fact that I have started, nay, had to start downloading some of the Programmes broadcast in the UK.

I genuinely dislike the thought of piracy [even though I am glad that now I am downloading copies of TV programmes, I am not going to be affected by the Draconian Mandelson measures] and when in the past I have downloaded a movie I have either went to the Cinema to experience it in it’s full glory or bought the DVD AND watched it again when it is on TV.  However I only download TV programmes which I’ll likely watch again when they are finally broadcast in my country.

STV however has let me watch some of their programmes, which is a bit of a relief but I am still refusing to watch River City, and with the possible demise of Taggart will there be anything worth watching on STV

Living in the European Union you would expect that the nature of the union would be allow the open borders of information.  I can read the BBC website, but I cannot view [some] BBC programmes.  I understand this as it’s funded by the TV licence which I always paid.  However when it comes to the commercial programming because I am outside the UK, I cannot watch UK programmes without having to defraud a certain slightly racist satellite broadcaster and say I am living in Paris, Surrey…

So, why have I had to do it?  Well plainly, I am getting too many links on twitter that say that programmes are on and I really want to see them, but it will be a while before they are shown in France.  They are only just showing Torchwood season 3 now (without the VO).  This means I have had to download the must see Waters of Mars, and Jamies America, and it looks like I will be doing it again at Christmas for the Tennant Finale.

Where programmes are shown in France and have VO, I am happy because if I struggle with the French I can switch it to english, especially in shows like Bones, [Dr] House and, the future Mrs Scotsdreamers favourite, Medium (which I secretly like as much as her).

The good side however is I don’t have to endure countless hours of the Katie Price Show (aka I’m a celeb) so when my mum calls I can happily say I don’t know whats she’s talking about.

However, with the whole European Community/Council/Union thing I would have at least hoped to have been able to see a greater breadth of International programming within the EU as a standard.

Weren’t the original goals of the EEC/EU  to remove measures restricting free competition & to develop the economies of the member states into a single common market, this sort of censorship surely negates that to some extent.

So how are you able to get hold of some of your native broadcasting without the need of a satellite dish?

Is there some sort of expat registration so we can get British or any other EU TV programmes that we know and love so dearly…

Well about time I wrote another entry about French Customer Services, this time it’s not public transport, it’s against the company with the highest suicide rate in France – France Telecom, well, actually it’s about one of their other companies Orange

As far as I recall in the UK orange provided nothing but exceptional customer services, so this was even more annoying when I get this level of experience in France.

I have a iPhone 3GS and when I bought it I specifically said it would be for international calls and text messages.  Thus I was sold the all inclusive Origami First for iPhone.  3 months down the line and after making a relatively lengthy call to the states I get a message saying I am over my contract by €90+ and that I should pay it off. 

I do just that.  2 days later my credit card is lighter of €90 and my amount over my contract is now in excess of €100 and my phone is blocked.  I can only call the number 700 which is free, only until it is connected to an agent.  So not only do I get bas service I have to pay for it as well!

It turns out that the payment was not correctly indicated on my account and the agent said they would now unblock my phone.

Erm…

I also asked where my free SMS messages were, the ones that are included in my contract and is clearly written in black and white (well Orange and white) on the site…

Ummm…

I asked how my contract amount is more than I have been billed for – my calls should come out of my monthly tariff before going over…

(cough!)

I also asked why they say I am over €100 over my contract but when you add all the numbers on the online statement it comes to €47…

Ahem…

Starting to see where I am going with this yet?

So after making the poor girl cry on the other end of the phone and saying that I was fraudulently sold the phone as the shop promised services on the contract which, were in fact a bunch of porkie pies.  I get a €15 discount on my next bill, and my phone unblocked, no inclusive SMS and no preferential international calls…

Apparently these included options were not included with the “Old” Origami First for iPhone tariff, but is with the “New” Origami First for iPhone tariffs…

Over an hour after my phone was to be unblocked, I am still waiting to have the 3G facilities and cannot call, text or even do any of the free stuff available on my contract.

We end up phoning again, to be told “It’s fine on our system, there must have been a technical issue”…

Where have I heard that before?

When we ask when it will be fixed were told that the technical team leaves at 20:00 and wont be back in the office until 08:00.

There is only one word I can think to answer this.  Bullshit, pure and utter bullshit!

I have a history of angst against mobile phone companies, especially with 3 who sell your data and then say someone hacked their database of customer data, but this takes the fucking biscuit! 

I am half tempted to post a Suicide for Dummies book to the company but, I will probably end up opting to go to SFR and see if they can do something to help me burst my contract… 

As we say in Scotland, I hope their next shits a hedgehog!