So I found myself shipping my 360 back for repairs to combat the dreaded three red rings, which was a relatively painless procedure as I had already purchased a backup console for just such an occasion (which itself is worthy of a completely seperate blog post). Shipped it via FedEx last Thursday, no harm, no foul.

Suprisingly, I start getting notices from FedEx of delivery attempts on Tuesday. Coolio. Quite the quick turnaround to get a refurb. Unfortunately, me being a hard-working pack mule, I miss the delivery attempts (which is fine, I have no problem heading to the FedEx building to pick up the package). No big deal.

Then I get a call from UPS today, informing me that they too were attempting to deliver a package that needed to be signed for. From Microsoft. Now, at this point, I'm reasonably sure that the package at FedEx has to be my 360. It was shipped FedEx, and it should return as such. There was no logic of FedEx handing the parcel off to a competitor, so this mystery UPS package comes up unaccounted for.

For a brief moment, I get excited at the prospect of Micorsoft accidently sending me two 360's, thereby allowing me to "stick it to the man" for my troubles.

I check the tracking information on UPS's website, and see that the package is indeed being delivered from Mesquit, TX ("home" of the refurb department, as we all know), but it's only one pound.

lol, wut? Maybe I'm getting a game.. right? Maybe in their infinite wisdom, Microsoft realized how much a pain in the ass the red rings were, and were offering me a complimentary game for our troubles. That's fine by me. Even if it's Kameo or Viva Pinata, I'm not one to punch a gift horse in the face.

Still, curiousity gets the better of me, so I decide to give microsoft a call. Of course, this leads to twenty minutes of me sitting with my cell phone to my ear listening to staticy techno beats. I finally get in touch with "Jay", who immediately begins to annoy me as he uses the word "anyway" like a comma (as in, "So it says here that you're address is 123 Fake Street anyway I'll also need your phone number. Okay, I see it anyway what is the name associated with the account?"). After ten minutes of explaining the situation (twice), Jay informs me that my mystery package problem should be handled by the systems department (anyway). Jay is in the accounts department (nevermind that the mystery package has nothing to do with my actual 360 system, I'm just curious if I'm being sent a box of nails or anthrax or something).

Another ten minutes of being on hold, and I'm finally dropped into the lap of Christina. I go through the shpiel again, and finally get the info that I need.

Yes, the FedEx package is my console.

The UPS package is my power supply. Which was shipped seperately.

For those of you playing at home, I could have received the console on Tuesday, but wouldn't have even been able to plug the damn thing in. I didn't even start to get delivery notices from UPS until today.

Seriously, Microsoft?

Has anyone else had this sort of thing happen before? I mean, I know that there's room for human error, but the damn power supply cord is included with the 360 when you send it in for repairs. IN THE SAME BOX.

BLARGH.