I’ve Lost My Phone… We’ll Just Send You a Text Message to Verify That, Sir

And it’s the EC conference this weekend.

I’ve Lost My Phone… We’ll Just Send You a Text Message to Verify That, Sir

We went to La Rochelle in France this weekend. Unfortunately, my phone decided it wanted to go to Spain. Er, yes… let me elaborate.

Lings (the team I play squash for), were in a bi-annual squash tournament in La Rochelle with two other teams from France. We won it before you ask.

As is customary with these things, we went out to celebrate afterward, and in all the excitement of beer and talking utter nonsense, I left my phone at one of the best bars in La Rochelle. They are the best because they return phones for no extra charge. But that’s later in this story. Bear with.

"Why Barcelona?", I hear you frown over your latte.

Because when I went to pick my phone up from said bar the next day, it was shut. So I called Valerie, the manager, who had already told me she had my phone and said: “Oh yes, you’ll need to come and collect it on Tuesday, we’re all in Barcelona!” And when she said all, she meant all. Bar staff, management, security, cleaners, random potential key holders… the cat… ALL. A three-day jolly to celebrate the ‘end of summer season’.

Now I trust these guys. We spent a lot of time (and probably too many Euros) with them, but I’m not going to risk them losing my phone at a Spanish drinking establishment and having this whole conversation over again with someone called Manuel.

So I borrowed a teammate's mobile and started the cancellation process of bank cards and phones. Fortunately, I had my iPad with me for backup, but that didn’t stop the next bit. Apart from one app, (again, fortunately), LastPass… everything (and I mean everything) requires text message verification these days.

This is quite difficult when you’re trying to order a new phone for delivery upon return, and they need to verify it is you by sending you a text message!

Even when I was in the bank, sitting in front of the clerk giving me my new bank card, she said: “We’ll just need to activate that with a text message… Oh… yes…. Sorry… I’ll bypass the system, sir”.

I am back on the grid, and the lovely Valerie is sending my old phone and cards back intact from La Rochelle. No charge. Great bar.

So if you’re going to the EC Conference this weekend, come up and mention Barcelona... because Dr. Susie and I will see you there… Yup... Dr. Susie is over the Pond and ready to say "Howdy" to y'all!

Plus, she's got 3 incredible HIIT-NOSIS Productivity Audios to give to anyone who comes and says Howdy back.

Scan the QR code on her lanyard, and you’ll get: Productivity, Self-Confidence and Overcoming Procrastination Hypnosis on steroids. You’re welcome. We look forward to seeing you there. (Okay, okay. You can also click here to access it.)

"Hasta luego".... I mean "Au revoir!