"Devils Advocate"
"Ah, fuck that... She's an arsehole when it comes to the SAAS reports. She's a patronising hoor, honestly." [:: Background story: I am classed as a disabled student, and as such get allowances for equipment as well as help such as scribes, &cetera. ::]
The equipment may well have been the largest hassle I have ever had in my life. Obviously, as a hearing-impaired student, I am going to need hearing aids. I was planning on going with the same company as my brothers, as they have both gotten good quality ones, for not bad a price - £950 each, or two for £1450. *
*remember this.
Now, the woman in question referred me to an Edinburgh-based company who would apparently give me a one-month free trial, after which I could more easily argue my case that "These hearing aids made a massive difference, and I'd like you to help me with my funding for them, so that I can have better quality of learning for the next four or five years." Another item of equipment I need is a laptop. This is because if I cannot hear the lecturer, I can have the notes e-mailed directly to me, meaning I definitely don't miss out on anything important. The reason I'd asked for a laptop is because I know full well that I am entitled to a computer, a laptop is more portable than a PC, and it means I don't have to wait until the computer labs open in the morning to get notes I missed that day. It makes. Life. Easier.
"You want a laptop? What for?"
"Because it's easier to get notes, there's no hoping there's a free computer in the labs, and it means I'm in constant contact with lecturers and other staff, in case I need them."
"Yeah, but... what do you need it for?"
"In case I miss notes."
"But you have a note-taker for that."
"I'm aware I have a scribe, but what if he/she falls ill and can't do it? My brother's scribe was off ill for the majority of a semester, and he ended up having to re-sit a year due to it."
"Yeah, but... Go to the lecturer and ask for them."
"It's easier to e-mail, and it'd mean I have my notes where I want them, when I want them."
"I know I'm playing Devil's Avocate here, but these are the questions they'll pose."
"Uh-huh. But I'm gonna need the laptop, it's more practical, and it's a massive help."
"How long's your course?"
"Five years."
"Do you think you can make a laptop last five years?"
"Yes."
*scoff*
"I had a computer in my bedroom that was 8 years old, never crashed, and didn't suffer any viruses. I'm quite handy with computers and laptops. It'll last."
"And what if the monitor breaks? You'd have to send the whole unit away, whereas with a PC, you'd just replace the monitor."
"IF, the monitor broke, I'd offer a quick-fix of hooking it up to a TV. Simple."
"But then you'd have two seperate components, just like a PC."
"Temporarily, I said quick-fix."
By the end of this conversation, I was thoroughly unimpressed with her belittling, patronising attitude towards me, and was actually quite pissed off. Then she mentioned cost, saying I only get "a certain allowance toward equipment", and the hearing aids were going to be "quite expensive, too."
Then she plugged the place for hearing-aids again, before I asked what the cost would be from there.
"£1500 each."
"So you're telling me to spend £3000 on hearing aids from a company I've never heard of [excuse the pun], rather than go with a company I know, where I'll get them for £1450?"
"What's the difference? SAAS is paying for it!" [big mistake.]
"If SAAS is paying for it, why the quibbles about the laptop? Surely I'd be better getting the hearing-aids from the place I know, cheaper, and then definitely getting a laptop, right?"
"Oh... Erm..."
"I mean, why are you saying to forget about the laptop? I thought there was only a certain allowance toward equipment?"
"Well, Yes... But..."
"But what? But you're getting comission? Nah, I think I'll get the hearing-aids AND the laptop, thank you. :) "
I Win.
And no matter how many times she claimed she was "playing Devil's Advocate", which must've literally been six or seven times in 20 minutes, she was just a nit-picking busybody with absolutely no necessary training or any fucking clue what my needs are. Wanker.
The equipment may well have been the largest hassle I have ever had in my life. Obviously, as a hearing-impaired student, I am going to need hearing aids. I was planning on going with the same company as my brothers, as they have both gotten good quality ones, for not bad a price - £950 each, or two for £1450. *
*remember this.
Now, the woman in question referred me to an Edinburgh-based company who would apparently give me a one-month free trial, after which I could more easily argue my case that "These hearing aids made a massive difference, and I'd like you to help me with my funding for them, so that I can have better quality of learning for the next four or five years." Another item of equipment I need is a laptop. This is because if I cannot hear the lecturer, I can have the notes e-mailed directly to me, meaning I definitely don't miss out on anything important. The reason I'd asked for a laptop is because I know full well that I am entitled to a computer, a laptop is more portable than a PC, and it means I don't have to wait until the computer labs open in the morning to get notes I missed that day. It makes. Life. Easier.
"You want a laptop? What for?"
"Because it's easier to get notes, there's no hoping there's a free computer in the labs, and it means I'm in constant contact with lecturers and other staff, in case I need them."
"Yeah, but... what do you need it for?"
"In case I miss notes."
"But you have a note-taker for that."
"I'm aware I have a scribe, but what if he/she falls ill and can't do it? My brother's scribe was off ill for the majority of a semester, and he ended up having to re-sit a year due to it."
"Yeah, but... Go to the lecturer and ask for them."
"It's easier to e-mail, and it'd mean I have my notes where I want them, when I want them."
"I know I'm playing Devil's Avocate here, but these are the questions they'll pose."
"Uh-huh. But I'm gonna need the laptop, it's more practical, and it's a massive help."
"How long's your course?"
"Five years."
"Do you think you can make a laptop last five years?"
"Yes."
*scoff*
"I had a computer in my bedroom that was 8 years old, never crashed, and didn't suffer any viruses. I'm quite handy with computers and laptops. It'll last."
"And what if the monitor breaks? You'd have to send the whole unit away, whereas with a PC, you'd just replace the monitor."
"IF, the monitor broke, I'd offer a quick-fix of hooking it up to a TV. Simple."
"But then you'd have two seperate components, just like a PC."
"Temporarily, I said quick-fix."
By the end of this conversation, I was thoroughly unimpressed with her belittling, patronising attitude towards me, and was actually quite pissed off. Then she mentioned cost, saying I only get "a certain allowance toward equipment", and the hearing aids were going to be "quite expensive, too."
Then she plugged the place for hearing-aids again, before I asked what the cost would be from there.
"£1500 each."
"So you're telling me to spend £3000 on hearing aids from a company I've never heard of [excuse the pun], rather than go with a company I know, where I'll get them for £1450?"
"What's the difference? SAAS is paying for it!" [big mistake.]
"If SAAS is paying for it, why the quibbles about the laptop? Surely I'd be better getting the hearing-aids from the place I know, cheaper, and then definitely getting a laptop, right?"
"Oh... Erm..."
"I mean, why are you saying to forget about the laptop? I thought there was only a certain allowance toward equipment?"
"Well, Yes... But..."
"But what? But you're getting comission? Nah, I think I'll get the hearing-aids AND the laptop, thank you. :) "
I Win.
And no matter how many times she claimed she was "playing Devil's Advocate", which must've literally been six or seven times in 20 minutes, she was just a nit-picking busybody with absolutely no necessary training or any fucking clue what my needs are. Wanker.
Labels: assessment, cunt, disabled, laptop, report, SAAS, student
posted by SuperRoo at 19:35
2 Comments:
i fail to have sympathy for the man getting a free laptop.
HUMPF.
(she does sound like a twat)
xx
Who the fuck do you think you are anyway allowing yourself to form your own opinion? Get back in line prisoner.
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