Finding my way back onto the interweb

I'm back online now that Verizon high speed internet has been hooked up. I have of course set up a wireless network, which so far has worked flawlessly. From previous experience I knew to avoid combination modem/routers supplied by broadband provider, and Belkin products. I picked up a D-link router from Target, followed the step-by-step instruction and was surfing in 10 minutes.

Organizing Verizon was a bit of a nightmare. At first we thought we were getting a good deal on their 'FiOS' fiber-optic package. Then the deal expired. Then in transpired that FiOS was not available on our street, so we got regular broadband. We were told the DirecTV came with the package, which we didn't really want, so we'll be getting satellite TV from the Dish Network, because their DVR is cheap. I bundled my cell phone into the Verizon deal to try to make it sweeter, but ultimately we still end up paying through the nose for a home phone that we don't want but have to have. Verizon set up their recorded help-lines so that you can't get anywhere without entering a home phone number. So annoying.