I really liked Microsoft's return procedures for the Xbox 360. This is my second return, the first being a bad disc drive and the second being, well a bad disc drive.
The refurbished one they sent me the first time had on and off problems with the disc drive. It would occasionally (1 in 10 gaming sessions) freeze up in the middle of a game and report a disc error. This happened infrequently but even with brand new games. My first 360 had problems recognizing 360 games - it was acting as if the console was a DVD player.
The worse moments was when it froze in the middle of a long gaming session far from a save point after a difficult boss battle (RPG, anyone?).
Anyways, the return process and Web site was clear. The unit was still under warranty (1 year warranty after I paid $100 for the last repair), so I sent it back. This is just as a bunch of cool games are coming out (Fallout 3 and Gears of War 2!).
They sent a fully paid return shipment box and even outlined the procedures of the return in icons on the Web site. It had a series of 5 or 6 icons, most of them grayed out, with one in full color showing what step in the process I was at. The instructions in the box were also clear and all I had to do was have it picked up by UPS ground (we have a mail room at work, so this was a breeze).
The disappointing part so far is that the icons of where my box is in the process disappeared when the replacement xbox was registered. So instead of seeing the repair status, I just see a new box registered under a 3 month (instead of a year) warranty with no updates on the repair, return, or anything else.
I'll give it a few more days, but I think everything is okay. Overall, it's much better than my experience with the baby's photographer.
A blog on content management and digital experiences
Allana Rising
With both Christy and myself blogging on the Baby Makes Three site, we've finally out-did the number of posts that I had for Disruptive Innovator (129 vs 74)!
I think we have way more readers on that blog versus this one. If I can estimate two readers here, then we're talking about a factor of 10 or more!
My Mantra - Variety, Moderation, and Consistency
The Simple Dollar had a great post about moderation that reminded me about a mantra I've developed years ago. At some point in my teens or possibly early college, I found three core ideas that really helped focus my life:
By having variety in my life, I figured I wouldn't be bored. Moderation would keep all my various activities in check, while consistency could help ensure that I progressed and derived returns and satisfaction from my efforts. I didn't follow it perfectly, but "Variety. Moderation. Consistency." helped frame my life and activities ever since. It could almost be a recipe for happiness, or at least contentment.
Back when I danced more, I would use the three-word mantra to remember to try more than just one type of dance (or even activity). I'd be sure to try to not overdo it. On the other hand, it was good to be consistent about practice, both to get better at my chosen hobby as well as maintain a positive relationship with fellow dancers and my teacher.
Variety. Moderation. Consistency.
The mantra was also helpful when I felt something in my life was out-of-balance. By recalling it and gauging if some aspect of my life matched it accordingly, I could tell what needed to be fixed. Was I getting bored with not enough variety? Was I ignoring the importance of moderation by doing too much? Was I consistently working towards my goals or showing up to the things I've committed to?
It's a great feeling when your life feels balanced. Not necessarily "maximally optimized," or perfect, but "just right" across a variety of domains. I've found that having these three words helps me do quick checks on whether I'm in the right direction. It's also comforting to be able to name what's making me feel content in life.
Right now, I think I have a good balance of all three.
- Variety
- Moderation
- Consistency
By having variety in my life, I figured I wouldn't be bored. Moderation would keep all my various activities in check, while consistency could help ensure that I progressed and derived returns and satisfaction from my efforts. I didn't follow it perfectly, but "Variety. Moderation. Consistency." helped frame my life and activities ever since. It could almost be a recipe for happiness, or at least contentment.
Back when I danced more, I would use the three-word mantra to remember to try more than just one type of dance (or even activity). I'd be sure to try to not overdo it. On the other hand, it was good to be consistent about practice, both to get better at my chosen hobby as well as maintain a positive relationship with fellow dancers and my teacher.
Variety. Moderation. Consistency.
The mantra was also helpful when I felt something in my life was out-of-balance. By recalling it and gauging if some aspect of my life matched it accordingly, I could tell what needed to be fixed. Was I getting bored with not enough variety? Was I ignoring the importance of moderation by doing too much? Was I consistently working towards my goals or showing up to the things I've committed to?
It's a great feeling when your life feels balanced. Not necessarily "maximally optimized," or perfect, but "just right" across a variety of domains. I've found that having these three words helps me do quick checks on whether I'm in the right direction. It's also comforting to be able to name what's making me feel content in life.
Right now, I think I have a good balance of all three.
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