Technology isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. About two months ago, it dawned on me that since my Internet access fees are charged on my credit card each month, I’m also paying interest on them. I decided to change the billing and have the charges appear on my phone bill, which is paid each month. This sounded so simple, I should have been suspicious.

To prepare for making this change, I made a cup of tea, cleared my table and called the toll free line where, as is routine, the female phone robot gave me a choice of Spanish or English. I chose English. After following all the voiced suggestions, pushing buttons and waiting through upbeat music selections, it was discovered that none of the choices offered me were correct, so I was told that I would be transferred to a “service representative who could help me.”

Sure enough, a cheerful live voice came on the line. Although my cup was running low on tea, I decided not to put her on hold, and explained what I wanted in simple terms: I’d like to change the billing on my AOL account from my credit card to my phone bill.

I was told I’d have to have a new account number so I went through the trauma of picking a new name. I couldn’t use KaySoldier anymore. No, it had to be something new. How about Akicita (the Sioux word for soldier)? No, that was already taken. And so a new name was picked. Already my mind was spinning with the thought of notifying everyone in all of my “groups” of the new address.

We went through all of the instructions on what I had to do to effect this change, which would take place, I was told, within a week or so. I wouldn’t be billed for two months because, guess what? I was just in time to take advantage of two free months of service for starting a new account!

I asked if they’d be notifying the credit card company of this change and I was told of course they would – in fact, I didn’t need to do anything and could enjoy two months of Internet access, free of charge.

Of course I got the pitch about all the various methods and improvements, etc., but what I have works just fine and the conversation ended. The first email I got was a survey about the kind of service I received from the robot and entire crew at AOL. I completed it and sent it over the air waves.

I haven’t seen any charges show up on the phone bill, but you can bet that the technology gurus slipped a little in their Internet corridors, as I am still getting billed on the credit card.

I’ve managed to notify everyone of my new address and things are going pretty smoothly. The only hitch is that my old account has not been canceled – YET!

Now that I’m in the middle of preparing a book on Windham history and trying to tighten up the house in preparation for winter – I have to carve out an afternoon to make that toll free call again. What choice is there? I’ve never seen an actual address for AOL.

So I’ll make my tea, prepare my mind and perhaps this time I’ll try it in Spanish.