Survey on your experience...

I recently bought some expensive tickets for a show through a ticketmaster-type website.  After the purchase, it said my e-tickets would be delivered to me in twenty minutes.

Three hours later, I still hadn't gotten the e-tickets.  So I sent an email to customer service.

The next morning, I still hadn't gotten tickets or a response, so I called customer service.  The rep I spoke to basically acted like I was being impatient.  She was like, "Well, you bought your tickets at 7PM on a Friday night... what did you expect?"

"I expected the tickets in twenty minutes if that's what your site said would happen."

"Yes, but it was after business hours."

"Right, but the email didn't say I would get them the next business day.  It said I'd get them in twenty minutes so it's obviously automated."

"Yes, but nobody is working on a Friday night."

"Your site says the tickets are supposed to arrive in twenty minutes. If that's not going to be the case, the site shouldn't say that."

We went back and forth like that a bit, and she was basically blaming me for being impatient.  But the show was in a few days and it was clear something had gone wrong.  Finally, she basically put in an email to.... someone. 

"And when should I expect a reply?" I asked. "Like, at what point do I need to call again?"

"I don't know," she said, sounding very exasperated.  "Look, you'll get your tickets before the show!"

I finally gave up on her.  A few hours later, I got an email from customer service, saying my ticket purchase somehow hadn't been uploaded to the system, and they fixed it, and my tickets arrived five minutes later.

In any case, after my call with that woman, I got an email asking to rate my interaction with her.  I essentially never fill these things out, but i was so steamed, I did fill it out, and mentioned how unhelpful she had been and that she blamed me for being impatient when there was actually a glitch in the system.

It just got me thinking about surveys in general.  Sadly, I'm the sort of person who only fills them out when I have only an especially great or awful experience.  That's the inherent flaw in things like Press-Ganey.  Unless everyone is required to fill them out, how can you really get an accurate assessment of care?

Weirdest winter ever

Usually by this point in the season, I've been sick at least four or five times.  Having a cold is sort of my thing.  And this winter has been really bad for everyone around me getting sick.

Yet weirdly, I haven't had one cold all season.  I have had some sinus issues, but no actual colds.

It's honestly almost a little frightening. This hasn't happened since I've had kids. I'm wondering if my body is revving up for some monsto-virus that will result in my death.

Or have I now just acquired every upper respiratory virus circulating in a 30-mile radius and have become immune?

The only other thing I can think of is that I started taking multivitamins this summer.  Could that be why I'm not getting sick??