Meeting with Guardian

Continuing my theme of a busy week...

We met with Guardian yesterday.  The guy was very nice, and very helpful.  I wasn't expecting that, particularly since he had called earlier in the day, desperate to change the appointment because of some crises that was happening.  I had already taken time off from work and re-arranged my schedule, so it just wasn't an option to change.

BF and I spent some time earlier in the week agonizing over the stereo system.  We don't want to wall mount the tv, and we already have a really nice stereo, and really nice speakers.  But I don't want to see the speakers hanging off the wall.  I also really don't want to look at speakers in the wall.  Its a home, not a Best Buy.  It seems that we limit the set-up of the room by putting speakers in the wall now.  I don't know where things are eventually going to go, and would like to have the flexibility to move things around at will, without worrying about whether the rear speakers are actually pumping out sound to my left.

Besides, I actually really don't like surround sound.  When I'm watching a movie, and I hear a loud bang or thunder coming from behind me, it usually scares me.  And then when I hear voices from behind me, I always think its the neighbors being loud and obnoxious.  Then realize its the tiny little speaker behind my ear.  (can you tell I'm really not a movie person?)

So, we decided we didn't want any in-wall speakers or set up.  We will find a way to make the existing sound system work.  The Guardian rep was actually very helpful with this and told us that because we don't have a finished basement, wiring the family room would be very easy.  True.  He made that decision very easy.

We also don't want an alarm system.  I've never had one, and never want to be that untrusting of my fellow humans.  And, I don't want the hassle of turning it on and off, and dealing with false alarms.  And I don't want any extra monthly expenses.  Even if it was free, I think I would skip it.

So that left us with just the cable jacks.  And unlike what a lot of people have done, we are not going to pay for the 6-pack of data outlets.  The house comes with a certain number of phone/cable jacks.  We deleted the land-line, so we won't be wired for a real phone, which I haven't used in 4 years.  And we used the rest for cable jacks in 3 bedrooms and the family room.  Verizon Fios is available, so we will get everything we need out of the cable jacks.

Total additional cost for wire upgrades = $0.

I really appreciate the Guardian reps information, patience and problem solving.  He clearly realized that we wanted to reduce costs, and helped us find a way to do it, instead of pushing electronics on us that we didn't want or need.  I was quite pleased.

Now maybe I can use some of the money we were once thinking about using for in-wall speaker pre-wire for a countertop upgrade... Did anyone choose Corian instead of granite?