Comings and Goings, Comcast, and Isolationists

Susan had an early doctor's appointment and didn't walk, so following my natural bent--utter shiftlessness--I slept until almost 7:00.  Worked up a flyer for our show on December 3, along with others to hand out at the Players & Playwrights meeting on Sunday.  Called Mary-Jo, about whom I'm a bit worried, to remind her I'd pick her up tomorrow.  Think I'll bring my husband's walker, which I still have; it might be easier for her to get into Shalom House that way.
Put the flyer about the LETCO shoe up on the library bulletin board and on the one at the post office.  Went to Shop-Rite and got a few things, made an appointment to get my oil changed tomorrow, and did additional odds and ends for both shows.  Most important: There's a new nail salon in the Center Street strip mall.  I stopped in and found it's only twelve bucks for a manicure.  What a find and I'm determined to start getting my nails done on a regular basis.
As I was pulling into the garage, Frank D. came over to tell me he had found horns for the show (he's the devil).  He doesn't have enough hair to attach them to, so will put them on a baseball cap and wear that--funny!  Dennis and Bill came over to chat outside, too.  It's going to be so hard to leave them when the time comes. (I don't mean when I die, I mean when I move west.)
Well, Comcast has vindicated itself at long last.  I had them relegated to lowest of the low and today, thought they deserved it when I opened my bill and found it was $24.80 higher than last month.  Called, of course, and raised hell--but was reasonably calm and polite--and was told the "courtesy discount" had run out after 12 months.  After some back and forth too boring to record. the lovely young woman on the other end--Ashley--asked some questions ("I watch only channels 55 and 37, as a rule," I told her), she actually got me a monthly charge for thirty dollars less!  Hey, not too shabby and Comcast sweetie, all is forgiven.
Wait a minute, hold the phone: After my conversation with Ashley, I got an e-mail from Comcast, saying my fee has gone up, not down.  Now what?  Will have to call again today.
Later note:  Called Comcast again and if all kinds of run-around, succeeded in having the bill lowered to considerably less, plus tax.  But is it worth the time, effort, and aggravation for a device I watch only forty-five minutes a day?  Maybe not.
WIDER:   In today's Counterpunch, Bill Kauffman observes, “An isolationist is simply one who wishes the U.S. government to refrain from military involvement abroad. I never could figure out why this is an epithet.  Why are isolationists, who oppose killing foreigners, considered xenophobes, while those who favor killing foreigners are humanitarians?  Most Americans are instinctively isolationist.  They don’t want their kids and their taxes sent overseas to bomb or bribe people they’ll never meet.”  (Kauffman is correct about the instinct, but patriotic Americans—especially white southerners—override this instinct in response to elite-managed flag-waving.)  This excellent article "Hillary Clinton's Burden" can be read here: http://www.counterpunch.org/