[Hunter S. Magellan]

So my girlfriend decided that she did want to come with me to
Minneapolis to see the Oils show there.  I say 'great!' and march off to
get her a ticket.  My internet connection was down, so I thought I'd be
old-fashioned and use the telephone.

Of course I talk to a machine, and listen to 30 seconds of commercials
before I'm allowed to push 1 to purchase tickets.  Then I'm asked to,
after the tone, say the name of the event and the venue.  So I wait for
the tone and say "Midnight Oil, The Quest".  I listen to elevator music
for 15 seconds, and it comes back with "Midnight Oil, The Fillmore, San
Francisco".  I push 3 to try again, and repeat myself "Midnight Oil, THE
QUEST".  More elevator music, then "Midnight Oil, Clutch Cargo's,
Pontiac Michigan".  I try again, and this time the machine gives up on
me and transfers me to a real person.

After being on hold for 20 minutes, the lady asks me who and where.  I
say "Midnight Oil in Minneapolis".  
She asks "Where is that?"  
I say, "Minnesota."
"Oh, where is that?"
"It's another state, I promise.  It's in your computer."
"Not in Utah or Colorado?"
"Nope."
"What's the abbreviation for that?  MO?"
"No, that's Missouri. It's MN."
"Oh..."

So this is when I finally find out my $21 ticket will actually cost $31,
at which point I get pissed and hang up - which I shouldn't have done
becuase of course I had to do the whole thing over today.  But anyway,
another reason to hate Ticketmaster.  (The 'no shipping charge' option
for normal post delivery translates into a $3.50 'shipping fee' at final
checkout, too.)

alex