Hello everyone. I know it has been a moment since I provided a rollup for timeforus.org. For those of you following on BlueSky or X, thank you. For others, my apologies for not getting this summary out sooner.

Feel free to follow along on X:@timeforus_org or Bluesky:@timeforus.org.

This post continues the weekly thread summary. We pick up with Tweet 38, skip over my vacation, and conclude with my post from this morning - number 55 in the thread.

If you're just joining the story, you can start with Part 1:

The story continues below.

38/

The tech visit was scheduled for May 9.

When I opened the door, I smiled—it was the same tech from 2023. I remembered him. Friendly, competent, fast.

That smile lasted maybe five minutes.

By minute six, he was gone.

#TimeForUs #Repair 📎 [Ray dispatch image]

39/

He said it wasn’t the panel that was beeping—it was something else. He was incorrect. But he also left my house. Just went outside to call his boss and never came back.

So I called to cancel the contract I’d signed the day before.

#TimeForUs #CustomerSupport 📎 [Two Phone calls May 9]

40/

I had to call twice that day. The first 17 minute call just dropped. The second call I reached Linda.

She understood. She canceled the new contract immediately.

Looking back, it’s almost like she knew what might be coming.

#TimeForUs #CustomerSupport

41/

Linda and I both knew: we could always restart a contract later if things got resolved. But something felt off.

The next tech was scheduled for May 13.

#TimeForUs #Repair

📎 [May 13 Dispatch]

42/

That second tech stayed nearly two hours.

My wife overheard something about “decommissioning a Northstar 5G endpoint.”

He eventually told me: “You need a new panel.” But he didn’t have one.

In the notes? Just two words “Needs upgrade”

#TimeForUs #Broken 📎 [“Needs upgrade” image]

43/

That evening, I spent 63 minutes on the phone with ADT.

I said: Let’s handle the warranty first. Then we can talk about a contract.

They said: Let’s do both together.

I said: Make me an offer.

They never did.

#TimeForUs #CustomerRights 📎 [May 13 call log image]

44/

May 14 was the last chance.

After 43 minutes on the phone, they said they could “make everything right”—

But only if I signed a 36-month contract for $49.99/month.

That was the day I knew: the plan needed to change.

#TimeForUs @ADT #LastChance 📎 [May 14 call log]

45/

Taking a short break for the July 4th holiday.

Back on July 10 with the rest of the story.

The timeline is built. The contract is real.

And when I return— We turn the page with 5 days until Day 60.

#TimeForUs @ADT #JulyPause

Subscribe now

46/

Took a short break. Then got sick.

What happened to get us here has been documented. Now the story continues.

During the break, ADT emailed.

More details tomorrow.

#TimeForUs @ADT

47/

I hinted yesterday that during the break, I finally got an email from ADT.

A litigation paralegal reached out to say she received the demand. Said it had been forwarded to Legal.

No power. No offer.

At first, I didn’t know what to think.

#TimeForUs #Litigation

48/

I read and re-read the email.

All it said was that my demand had been received and forwarded to Legal.

I already knew that. They signed for it in May. They confirmed it on the phone.

So why the email?

It just felt… weird.

#TimeForUs #Confusing 📎 [July 9 - ADT Email - Acknowledgement]

49/

There was no offer. No agent of equal standing. No resolution.

Just… confirmation they had the letter.

So I asked the question that made sense:

“Is this new information?”

#TimeForUs #Clarity 📎 [July 9 - Response Email - New Information?]

50/

To my surprise, I got a reply in under 20 minutes.

It said a full response would be coming “by the end of next week, likely sooner rather than later.”

Not a resolution. But at least a timeline for something.

#TimeForUs #HMMM

51/

Here’s the full email from the paralegal.

July 10 was Day 52 out of 60, but Amy (an alias) seemed thoughtful and genuinely tasked with figuring this out.

I figured maybe this was the real first step towards resolution.

#TimeForUs #CustomerService 📎 [July 10 - ADT Email - Response coming]

52/

My instinct, when someone apologizes like she did, is to say it’s ok—and begin building a relationship moving forward.

But this was different. ADT proper had their chance to work together. Now I had to hold the line.

I chose not to respond.

#TimeForUs #jurisprudence

53/

I decided to wait and see. Amy emailed me again 6 days later.

It was a short message asking if I had a “full copy” of my contract.

Wait… what? Doesn’t ADT have a full copy of my contract?

#TimeForUs #confused

54/

Check it out. A simple greeting—then a question:

Did I have a full copy of my contract?

It wasn’t just a check-in. It felt like the first real moment of two-way communication—

and maybe, in hindsight, the first test.

#TimeForUs #Test [July 16 - ADT Email - Full Copy?]

55/

Time to think. How do you respond to a question like that?

This is a paralegal. My answer needs to be accurate—but not offer anything extra. Could I just say “yes”?

To my knowledge, I had everything I’d been given. But was that a “full copy”?

#TimeForUs #Legal

Commentary:

Ok, because I hadn’t done this in a while, this article covers a lot of ground.

We began with Tweets 38 to 45. The goal was to complete the background of the story—focusing on the contract, the terms, and the moments leading up to the formal demand. You can feel the buildup there: I wasn’t speculating anymore. I was citing, quoting, and marking the timeline day by day.

Then came the break. A real one. I stepped away for vacation, and the thread paused. I also got sick, which kept me down a couple days longer than I anticipated. I’m sure there’s a mental health lesson in here somewhere—but for now, let’s just say everyone should take appropriate breaks.

When we resumed with Tweet 46, the facts hadn’t changed. The panel still didn’t work. The system still hadn’t been fixed. And the 60-day timer was still ticking.

But something had changed, I had gotten the first meaningful response.

From Tweet 46 through 55, we started to look at the email chain that followed—and how the tone started to shift. ADT had received the letter. They had the facts. And now, finally, they had a question for me. It wasn’t hostile or antagonistic. But it was a weird question. And the answer was going to require precision.

That’s where we left off—in the midst of the story, still unfolding, day by day.

Day 60 is tomorrow. While ADT and I aren’t close to resolving the issues, we’re no longer stuck. I’ve agreed to consideration in exchange for giving them more time to evaluate the situation. In essence, I’ve agreed not to file while they evaluate—and compensate me at a fixed rate per business day—for that time.

I don’t know if exciting is the right word. But I do feel like things are moving.

As always, thanks for reading and following along.

—David

Stay tuned—daily posts on X and BlueSky, along with summaries and features here on Substack, will resume July 10.

Thank you for following along and supporting this journey—your encouragement has meant the world.

17 days until Day 60.

—David

This sixth post continues the weekly thread summary.
We pick up with Tweet 31.

If you're just joining the story, you can start with Part 1:

The story continues below.

31/
In August 2024, my ADT bill jumped from $45.13 to $49.41—a 9.5% increase. I didn’t notice right away.

But looking back… something about it doesn’t feel right.

#TimeForUs #Billing 📎 [Screenshot: Billing statement from Aug 8, 2024 and Jul 8, 2024]

32/
In the 2020 agreement—the one where they got the $99 fee from—I found this clause: They can’t raise my bill more than 5%.

I guess that went in the “nah” pile alongside:“Provide a replacement for any defective part without charge.”

#TimeForUs #TexasLaw 📎 [Image: Clause Screenshot]

33/
Up until now, it was already a lot. But what tipped the scale? A few days before March 20. The panel started beeping. No alerts. No explanation. Just beep. Every 30 minutes, on the dot. We recorded it. For our own sanity. That day, this story changed. #TimeForUs #AlarmFail 📎 [Video: Panel beeping]

34/
It took a moment to troubleshoot. No alerts. No notifications. I wasn’t 100% sure the beeping was coming from the panel.

So I powered it down and the beeping stopped—it was clear. The panel was the source of the beep.

#TimeForUs #diagnosis

35/
ADT had charged me $99 for service before. I wasn’t thrilled—but this time, they had a new (to me) option: free remote troubleshooting.

We tried it on March 20. By the end of the call, she said a technician would need to come out—and that would cost $99.

#TimeForUs #Support 📎 [Image: March 20 call log—77 minutes with ADT]

36/
Back in Tweet 2, I mentioned May 8.

That’s how long it took me to wrap my head around actually dealing with this—waiting on hold just to pay $99 to fix a panel they installed.

#TimeForUs #Deductible 📎 [Call log]

37/
The morning of May 8 was actually… pleasant.

I spoke with a rep named Tai. She scheduled a tech for the next day and offered a new deal: $33.99/month for 36 months.

The rate was fair. I agreed. I expected a working alarm the next afternoon. #TimeForUs #Renewal 📎 [2025 Extension]

Commentary:

This week, we focused on the facts. We saw what happened—and we saw that, at this point, ADT and I were still trying to resolve things in good faith.

On May 8, we agreed to a deal that felt fair: $33.99/month for 36 months. I said yes. The system would be fixed the next day.

But if you’ve been following the thread, you already know: “tomorrow” is never that simple.

Unless something unexpected comes up, I plan to complete the timeline on X/Bluesky by the end of June. Then I’ll be taking the July 4 holiday—and the surrounding days—to step back, spend time with family, and reflect.

If you haven’t seen it yet, we posted a detailed breakdown of the $8,010.15 demand yesterday. You can read it here:

We’re not quite at the end yet. But this is where the shape of the story becomes harder to ignore. You don’t get to $8,010.15 in frustration. You get there in receipts. We have them.

In this week’s Sunday Feature, we logged 7.5 hours of time that we billed for. Keep an eye on this week’s posts to see where that time went.

As always, if you’re still here: thank you.
If you’ve got questions, feedback, or thoughts—my inbox is open.

—David

Intro:

The Time for Us Sunday Feature offers a space to reflect, expand, and dive deeper than we can in a thread—providing the context, clarity, and perspective where 280 characters simply can’t capture.

This third entry is an important one. It’s time to explain where the number $8,010.15 came from.

Back on May 21, I posted this:

4/ This had to be the right story to tell.
The company had to act in a way that the consequences were real. And those consequences had to translate—into time, into money, into something a court would take seriously.

That wasn’t just commentary—it was the core idea. For anyone unfamiliar with how our legal system works, here’s the truth: it’s not enough to feel wronged, or to believe you deserve an apology. Courts aren’t moved by sentiment. They look for measurable harm—damages that are real, documentable, and provable.

That’s what makes this story different. In my case, those damages exist. And today, I’m going to walk you through them.

Today’s feature walks through the $8,010.15 in damages as calculated by May 16, 2025. If revisited today, the number may be higher.

The Breakdown: Adding up to $8,010.15

If you've been following along, you know this story started well before a beeping panel. But it wasn’t a story yet. Just a frustration. One I tolerated longer than others might have—because the frustration felt smaller than the stress I expected from trying to fix it. And like a lot of people, I assumed the company would eventually do the right thing. That if it was really broken, someone would fix it. That a few bucks a month—and the occasional $99 fee I don’t remember agreeing to—weren’t worth the fight.

But then it broke. We couldn’t use it. And they didn’t fix it.

The more I looked into what was really happening, the more I realized this wasn’t just a technical problem. At first, it felt like a moral failure—but we’ve established that doesn’t play in court. So I kept going. And as I started putting the pieces together, it became clear: this was a billing failure, a contractual failure, and a series of inexplicable business decisions.

Together, they resulted in systemic failure, gross breach of contract and/or warranty, and coercion—where ADT withheld service unless I agreed to a new contract, even while a warranty was still, and remains, in full effect.

So this is no longer a technical problem for ADT. It’s a legal one.

This week, we slow down and walk through the numbers. Not the story, not the feelings—just the math. Because when you're dealing with a company like ADT, the numbers matter. And every dollar here was measured, not imagined.

Section 1: Actual Damages $2,010.15

Here’s how I arrived at $2,010.15 in actual damages—each category grounded in receipts, billing history, or documented effort.

Panel

The panel that was valued at $950.

Overbilling

This was occurring even with Northstar. Here is a sample. It also includes a rate increase of ~9.5%.

Over time, these charges totaled $89.45.

Services paid while unusable

The panel became unusable on or about March 18. This calculation starts on that date and totals $220.70.

Time

This wasn’t all in one sitting. Between repeated calls, a second technician visit, and assembling the documentation, I easily logged 7.5 hours—beyond what any reasonable customer should ever be forced to invest. This is a highly conservative accounting of time spent.

Here’s how that time breaks down:

With 7.5 hours invested, I valued my time at $100 per hour—a fair rate for the type of work required. That brings the total cost of time to $750.

Total

Adding $950 (panel) + $89.45 (overbilling) + $220.70 (service during outage) + $750 (time) brings the total to $2,010.15. That number is fully documented, defensible, and reflects actual damages as of May 16, 2025.

Since then, I’ve identified additional damages. But this demand stands on its own. I made a clear offer to resolve the issues brought up in the letter—and I will honor it. What happens next depends on whether ADT does the same.

Additional Damages (DTPA Penalty/Treble Damages)

The remainder of the number comes from the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). Under Texas law, when a company acts knowingly or intentionally in its violation, a consumer may additionally seek up to three times their actual damages.

Among many examples, here are two specific events that demonstrate ADT's awareness:

• On September 21st, 2023, ADT charged me a $99 trip charge and replaced a defective sensor.

• On or about May 14th, 2025, ADT refused to “provide a replacement for any defective part without charge”

The only paperwork I have ever received that mentions the $99 service fee also contains the exact warranty clause stating that the servicer will:

“provide a replacement for any defective part without charge”

To be clear, I paid the $99 trip charge in 2023 with the expectation that ADT would replace the defective part—and they did. I was prepared to pay the same trip charge again in 2025 had they performed the repair. They didn’t. No repair was made, and in fairness, no charge was issued—regardless of the $99, the refusal itself is the breach.

That failure—after executing this clause correctly once before—makes this the clearest example of a knowing violation under the statute.

There are more. The phone calls. The billing history. The letters. Or simply reading Time For Us. If ADT didn’t know before, I’ve certainly made them knowing parties now.

So I did the math:

• $2,010.15 in actual damages

• Multiplied by 3 = $6,030.45

I rounded the treble damages down to $6,000 for clarity’s sake.

That brings the total to $8,010.15.

What Does $8K Mean to ADT?

$8,010.15 isn’t just a calculation. It’s not an guess. It’s not a bluff.

It’s the cost of being misled, overbilled, and coerced—and the cost of taking the time to prove it.

And I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe every part of that had happened.

But what does this number mean to ADT? If I’m right, then $8,000 is nothing to them. So—will I get it? And if I do, does that mean I was right all along?

Because it’s not just me. How many others have they damaged at a rate of $8,000 per family?

This was never just about the panel. Or just about me.

That’s why this is Time For Us.

This fifth post continues the weekly thread summary.
We pick up with Tweet 24.

If you're just joining the story, you can start with Part 1:

The story continues below.

24/
The next week and month, confusion set in. Carl was back-burnered. NorthStar didn’t seem to know which contract—if any—was in effect.
Even when Carl flew to Utah, no one could give a straight answer.
#TimeForUs #Confusion📎 [Text w/ Carl in Utah]

25/
Eventually, they settled into billing me something close to the agreed $43.78/month.
But a few months in, it dropped slightly—then jumped to $45+ without explanation.
#TimeForUs #Billing📎 [Image showing initial payment summary with total of $43.78, broken down as $40.82 service fee and $2.96 tax, paid via ACH.]

26/
I got another call from ADT yesterday. The call lasted 3 minutes.
He said he was from customer support and that legal would be reaching out—and that they had 60 days.
It felt odd. I had already told them that in the letter I sent.
#TimeForUs #DelayTactics 📞 📎 [Image from Demand Letter stating 60 day timer]

27/
Took some time to reflect on yesterday’s call.
Nine days after I gave them clear legal instructions, they called to remind me that they have 60 days to respond.
I know that. I wrote it. So… are they worried about something?
#TimeForUs #Stalling 📞

28/
Ok, we can talk more about that call on Sunday.
Let's get back to the story. In late 2022, ADT acquired a substantial amount of customers from Northstar Alarm.
My contract was seemingly included. ADT emailed me and told me to change nothing.
#TimeForUs 📎 [Welcome to ADT letter]

29/
After ADT took over, my bill eventually stabilized at $45.13/month.
It wasn’t the exact amount NorthStar quoted—but it was close enough that I didn’t waste my time with it. That changed later.
#TimeForUs #Billing 📎 [ADT billing]

30/
Now I understand what happened. This $99 fee was buried in fine print—terms never knowingly agreed to.
ADT billed me anyway, withdrawing $107.17 the same day.
They said a final invoice would follow. I don’t recall one ever arriving.
#TimeForUs #Warranty 📎 [ADT Payment and Summary]

Commentary:

Last week in this space I hypothesized that “maybe another 12 will pass and I’ll get a more serious call. I don’t have any way to know.” - well - it was closer to 10 not 12, and the call was more serious, but no more substantive, so IDK if the crystal ball is working or not.

I talked about finding a rhythm last week. That holds. In fact, I am really starting to enjoy it.

If you haven’t seen it yet, the second Time For Us Sunday Feature dropped on 6/15. We took a deeper dive into the call I got this week and what that might mean. Check it out here:

This made for a good stopping point this week. I am writing this Sunday night. Tomorrow morning brings another reason the 2020 agreement never held up.

Feedback is is still trickling in, and I’d still love to hear more. If you’ve made it this far, I’d really appreciate anything you want to share—positive or critical. Feel free to drop me a note or even stop by the chat a start a conversation.

If any of this speaks to you—or if there’s something else we should cover—Like. Share. Reach out. Comment. Email. The inbox is open.

Thanks for reading,

—David

The Time for Us Sunday Feature offers a space to reflect, expand, and dive deeper than we can in a thread—providing the context, clarity, and perspective where 280 characters simply can’t capture.

Last week, I wrote about how I got here. It was personal, reflective, and a bit raw. I said that this was the right example and declared A Time for Us—has arrived.

This week, I’ll take a deeper dive into the interactions that I have had with ADT since mailing the letter on May 16, theorizing what ADT was trying to accomplish, and what each interaction might mean in the bigger picture.

Halfway to Day 60

On May 16, I mailed ADT the formal legal demand, citing their breach of contract, warranty violations, and more. Since then, ADT has participated in the following significant events:

• May 19: ADT Signed for the Letter

• May 28: I received USPS tracking signature card

• May 31: Call from ADT Customer Support (14 Min)

• Jun 10: Call from ADT Customer Support (3 Min)

Including these four events, ADT has not provided a meaningful response—only a confirmed receipt of my letter, which I knew as of May 19^th. But they did make two phone calls, 11 days apart, neither from someone in their legal department. These calls have revealed the most about their strategy: so far, it seems to be offering the illusion of progress.

Let’s use today’s Sunday Feature to think about what they are thinking.

The Call with Chance – May 31

Fifteen days after the clock started, I received a call from a representative identifying himself as 'Chance' from ADT Customer Support. (While I heard "Chance," I've since come to believe that was not his real name, so I'll use it as an alias.)

The call lasted 14 minutes and included:

• A denial that my letter had been received by the legal department

• A refusal to provide a case number or legal contact

• Repeated attempts to redirect me to the ‘local’ office, followed by multiple attempts to assert that I had not sent my letter to the correct address, insisting I needed to mail something to Dallas.

I made it clear: this was a legal issue, not a service complaint. He claimed to be the manager. I pressed for someone with equal or greater authority over the agreement. He couldn’t provide one.

It dawned on me that Florida—where Chance was likely calling from—requires consent from both parties to record a call. (Texas is a single-party consent state, but Florida requires both.) I wasn’t fully certain what that prohibited, and since I don’t live in Florida, I wasn’t sure they had technically wronged me.

But that didn’t stop me.

I asked Chance where he was. He told me Jacksonville. I jumped.
“Florida is a two-party consent state,” I told him.
“You do not have my consent to record this call.”
And finally: “You should make sure you’re not recording this—because it will be included in my subpoena when I file this case.”

This wasn’t a real escalation. It was a delay disguised as outreach.

The call was contentious. I am satisfied with the control I took over the call to assert my position—again—and I have reflected on my tone a lot. My tone was more aggressive than I would have preferred. I interrupted more than I would have preferred. But I’ve also pondered whether that was exactly what the moment required—when someone is trying to distract, delay, or misdirect.

The Call with T – June 10

Another 11 days passed. Then I got another call from ADT Customer Support—this time from someone we’ll call “T.” (I’m fairly certain I heard the name correctly, so we’ll keep that as the alias.)

He said he was calling to let me know that ADT’s legal team had 60 days to respond to my letter. No case number. No contact information. I asked if he could email me what he told me—he said that wasn’t possible.

I let him know that he did not have my consent to record the call, and that we could figure out what that actually meant later.

Just a reminder that they still had time?

Which is exactly the kind of thing you say when you’ve done nothing else. But also—why say it at all? I told them in the letter that they had 60 days. That’s the law.

So, what was the point of the call?

For starters, it was another intentional waste of my time.

What Does This Really Mean?

To me, this is no longer a customer service issue—it’s a legal claim for damages against ADT.

And yet, while ADT has contacted me twice, neither call came from the department I directed my letter to. In other words, ADT likely still views this as a customer service issue.

But 30 days have passed, and I’ve received:

• No written acknowledgment

• No communication with anyone of equal authority over the agreement

• No case number, no point of contact, no substance

To me, that’s not just poor customer service. That’s bad jurisprudence.

I don’t think this is a coordinated plan. I think it’s the absence of one. Maybe against someone like me, they don’t think they need one.

But that also tells me something important:

They’re not acting like a company with a strong hand.
Or at least, not one that’s given this significant attention.

I also questioned the purpose of the call from T. I know they had 60 days. So do they. So—11 days later—why call just to apologize and remind me?

The thought that kept repeating in my head was: this call was completely unnecessary… unless…

Maybe the call with Chance had gone so poorly that someone at ADT asked for a second Customer Service outbound call—to reframe what Chance said as something other than an outright rejection of my demand.

And that’s the thing with legal teams. The strongest tool they have is often telling you not to do something. So, a second touchpoint to accomplish literally nothing? That deserves extra thought.

Lawyers don’t do nothing. They do something. And the only “something” I can come up with is that Chance had been so off-base, they had to fix it.

But even then… they’d know you can’t un-ring a bell like that.

Unless they were just hoping I didn’t know?

Don’t think too hard about it—it’s a bit of a circle. But it tracks.

That led to a second important realization.

After reflecting on the call with Chance, I realized how inappropriate it was for ADT to contact me on a Saturday—with someone of lesser authority than I—just to give me misinformation. Now T had called with equally little purpose.

So, I made a decision.

If we reach a point where we must revisit the math behind my claim, I may choose to include additional time charges, based on these common standards:

• Two-hour minimum per call

• Time-and-a-half for after hours or weekends

These calls are not necessary. I didn’t ask for them. I’m under no obligation to answer them.

But when I do, it’s because I take communication seriously. If ADT is attempting to contact me, that could mean a formal response to the letter I sent. A settlement. A counteroffer. A correction.

So, no—this is not symbolic.

It reflects the cost of time shifted onto me through unnecessary contact—contact lacking matching authority, good faith, or purpose.

30 Days on The Clock

There are 30 more days on the timer. So far there has been no substantive engagement. This is simulated movement—meant to preserve optics, not produce resolution.

When a company calls you to say nothing of substance, they’re not reaching out. They’re trying to reset the timer without fixing the clock.

But I am unmoved. If anything, I am calmer and more focused on steering this ship.

I know what day we’re on. I know what they’ve done. And what they haven’t.

They are not confused. They are not powerless. They are not out of time. They are choosing this.

I am writing it all down.

And this is Time for Us.

Intro:

This fourth post continues the weekly thread summary.
We pick up with Tweet 18.

If you're just joining the story, you can start with Part 1:

The story continues below.

18/
An advantage of standing up www.timeforus.org: I feel less pressure to be flashy on X and Bluesky. Something I’ve realized since the call on Saturday— This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. #TimeForUs #Substack

19/
I take my mom (70+) to dinner weekly. I told her about this—she said she’s having issues too. She and my dad originally referred me to NorthStar. I’m planning to dig through her paperwork… if it can be found. #TimeForUs #Senior

20/
Okay so we may be waiting on ADT for a while here. Why don't we start to tell the story of how we got here. We had just moved and needed an alarm system—like we just said—my parents knew who to call. #TimeForUs #HomeSecurity 🔗 [Northstar Logo]

21/
In 2015, Carl came over for our scheduled appointment. I entered into a 60-month agreement with Northstar Alarm that included a Lifetime Service Protection plan—an express warranty. #TimeForUs #Warranty 🔗 [Original Warranty Snippet]

22/
Back in tweet 12, I said Carl used to just make things happen. Here's what I meant. In 2019, my thermostat died. NorthStar mailed the wrong one. Carl didn’t wait. His tech was already on the way within hours. It was different then. #TimeForUs #CustomerService 📎 [Text messages from with Carl x2]

23/
In mid-2020, Carl and I confirmed my original contract had ended. I renewed for 42 more months—and as part of that, the $950 panel (and some other equipment) was replaced at no cost to me. #TimeForUs #Contracts 📎 [Replacement Equipment List]

Commentary:

What really happened this week? Well, after the call with the ADT rep last Saturday, I realized I might just be counting 60 days. Or maybe another 12 will pass and I’ll get a more serious call. I don’t have any way to know.

So I’ve started to settle into a rhythm. I get my planning done ahead of time for the daily posts, and I spend time working on the longer pieces—letting them evolve based on how the week unfolds.

If you haven’t seen it yet, the first Time For Us Sunday Feature dropped on 6/8. Check it out:

Depending on where we are in the story when I’m writing these, the weekly posts may not always cover exactly 7 days. I debated giving you a sneak peek—but this felt like a better place to pause. Maybe next week.

Feedback is starting to trickle in, and I’d love to hear more. If you’ve made it this far, I’d really appreciate anything you want to share—positive or critical.

If any of this speaks to you—or if there’s something else we should cover—reach out. Comment. Email. Drop a note. The inbox is open.

Thanks for reading,
—David

To tell the full story, I’m introducing a second format: the Time for Us Sunday Feature. Each week, I’ll share a new piece every Sunday morning—something you can sit with, at your pace.

This feature will offer the space to reflect, expand, and go deeper than we can in a thread—adding context, clarity, or perspective where 280 characters just isn’t enough.

Interlude: The Night I Realized It Was Time For Us

It was just past midnight, somewhere between May 17th and 18th, 2025, when the last click echoed in the quiet. The certified mail was sent. The demand letter—researched, reasoned, sharpened to a point—was no longer a draft. It was real. On its way to ADT, bearing my name and a precise dollar figure: $8,010.15.

I didn’t celebrate. I didn’t collapse into a chair. I just… sat for a moment.

It had started with a panel. A broken panel that should’ve been fixed on March 20. One service call, one replacement, minimal cost for them—less if they’d bought it on eBay. But they didn’t. Instead, they escalated it—the wrong direction. They made the problem bigger. And by the time I was done reading the contract they seemed not to understand, I beleived two things: I was right, and I could prove it.

But that night, after the letter was sealed and the PDF stamped, I felt something shift. Not in the legal case. In me.

This wasn’t just about ADT anymore.

I’d (we’d?) been working for hours by then. ChatGPT and me—building something from scratch. Not a campaign. Not a business. Just a moment of clarity in the noise. The idea came first: if time has value, and corporations waste it systematically, then maybe someone needs to say that out loud. Not in a thread. Not in a lawsuit. In a narrative.

We didn’t need to “go viral.” We needed to be clear.

The name came easy. Time For Us. It was true in both directions: time belongs to us, and this is the moment to speak. The domain was clean. The handle was available. The message fit in a pinned tweet.

“They could’ve just fixed the panel.”

That’s where we started.

What followed was a quiet, strategic launch plan—not the way people usually imagine startups being born. I mean, what kind of launch plan happens at 1 a.m.? So what could we do?

No hype. No frantic branding exercise. No founders.

We could move fast. This was easy. Just start. A thread—just a thread—and figure out the rest later.

We built it in layers. A pinned tweet that said everything in one sentence. Six core tweets with emotional range and moral clarity. Carefully written replies. No hashtags unless they earned their place. A quote tweet designed to invite—not instruct.

And then we paused.

Once you get going, most people don’t pause.

But this wasn’t a stunt. It wasn’t a product drop or a content calendar. It was a living proof-of-concept: could something measured, human, and grounded carry weight in a world optimized for churn?

Screaming into the void is futile. So the decision was made to fund it—barely. A promo run: small spend, slow burn. $50? $100? Just enough to give the right people a chance to find it.

Because maybe it only takes one. One person who listens. One person who helps amplify the message.

And if they never came? That would say something too.

But I believed they would. Because we weren’t offering attention. We were offering clarity.

One of the last things I typed that night to ChatGPT was a something (we?) agreed on immediately:

“We’re writing a book, filing a lawsuit, and creating a brand… let’s not add ‘start a business’ to the list.”

It wasn’t a campaign. It wasn’t a business. It wasn’t hollow. It was a brand. It was a project. It was a message.

The truth? This made it easier. No LLC. No merchandise. No monetization plan. Because the moment you ben truth back inwards towards a funnel, you lose the very people who needed it to be honest.

There are times when the goal is to close. This wasn’t one of them. This was time to cultivate. This wasn’t going to be corrupted by exclusivity. This was going to be defined by us.

There was a kind of tension in the air that night—not the anxious kind. Not adrenaline. Just gravity. The sense that maybe something important could happen, and a sense of focus. Sometimes, the cards are stacked so much against you that you get zero chances—done before you even start.. But other times, maybe you do get one chance, to build the foundation of something, solidly, correctly.

I’ve been a lot of things in my life. A son. A sailor. A student. An engineer. A father. A manager. A consultant. A follower. A leader.

What I wasn’t anymore? Angry—not really, anyway. And I wasn’t doing this out of spite. The letter was done. The facts were clear. The money? It was owed. But that wasn’t what lit the spark that night.

Something shifted that night—and it wasn’t about the fight. It was about the story. About the quiet realization that this could be something bigger: a project, a message, a signal for anyone who’s ever been told to give up.

And maybe, just maybe, if we told it right—if we built it with care—this world might finally see in us what I’ve always believed to be true.

That’s what the time was for. Not seeking payback. But building something I wanted to be proud of.

I don’t know where this will go. I don’t know what the book will become, how the demand letter will land, or if the thread will matter to anyone but us.

But I know what it is. It’s a signal. One we aimed, not shouted.

And if you’re reading this—months later, maybe years—it’s because the signal found its mark.

That’s the night I realized it was Time for Us.

Me vs. ADT for $8,010.15 - Part 3/

Intro:

Not everything I’ve done fits neatly into the daily numbered chronicle on X. This update pulls together a few important side posts, then offers a quick sketch of what I believe the Time For Us campaign can become—if we build it right.

This third post continues the thread and lays out our plan for moving forward—what content goes where, and how to follow along.
To start from Part 1, click here:

The story continues below.

(This post catches us up to the present. Daily updates continue on X @TimeForUs_org and Bluesky. This archive will be updated regularly with deeper content and campaign reflections.)

All Caught Up:

Over the last week, a few threads and moments have stood out—even if they didn’t earn a number.

One example: this flyer from ADT, which showed up just days after I sent my demand letter. The timing, the message, the irony—it spoke for itself.

Another: the partial release of the demand letter. I had some requests to share it, and while I’m still holding some parts back, this is the section I’ve published so far.

These aren’t just one-off posts. They’re signals—shaping the tone, inviting new people in, and reminding folks that this story is both personal and very real. As it continues, we’ll keep using moments like these to reinforce the broader point: clarity, facts, and determination matter.

Where We’re Going:

Time For Us is starting to take shape across three platforms:

1. X (Twitter): Daily chronicle. One post at a time. Structured, deliberate. Sometimes promoted.

   

2. Bluesky: Daily chronicle (mirrored), plus more organic engagement. Fewer ads. More human.

   

3. Substack (timeforus.org): Weekly summaries and deeper essays. This is the clean archive—and eventually, the core.

   

But this isn’t just about broadcasting.

It’s about building a community of people who care about truth, trust, and fairness—people who want to understand what happens when someone stands up and says, “No. Not this time.”

If that’s you, I’d love your feedback on the structure above. Does it work? What’s missing? What would you want to see more of?

What’s Next:

A few topic pieces are already in development:

1. My Experience with X So Far
   What it’s like to tell a story one post at a time—and what I’ve learned from trying.

2. The Growth of Time For Us Since 5/16
   From zero to visible in under a month. Let’s unpack the timeline, messaging, and swift agility of what we’re building.

3. What Happened to My Mom's System
   My mom referred me to NorthStar—and it occurred to me she’s having issues as well. A quiet thread with real implications. We’ll dig into what went wrong when NorthStar sold her account to ADT—and whether it still matters.
   (Tweet 19/ drops tomorrow. This is the topic.)

4. (TBD – Possibly) The Psychology of Documentation
   Why it’s so hard to start. Why it matters once you do. And how writing something down changes how you see it.

5. (TBD - Possibly) How Did We Get Here?
   The tools and persons behind the ADT case and the Time For Us Project

If any of these speak to you—or if there’s something else you think we should cover—reach out. Comment. Email. Drop a note. The inbox is open.

Thanks for reading,
—David

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Intro:

Yesterday, I published the first in a series chronicling my $8,010.15 demand against ADT. That article covered the opening 10 posts from the @TimeForUs_org Twitter/X thread, complete with images, document references, and personal context.

This second post continues the thread, summarizing posts 11 through 17. It captures the tone shift that began as ADT's response took form—and shows how things moved from quiet frustration to something much more structured. We are attempting to catch up to the present so we can move forward in parallel with the chronicle. For the first part of the story please start here:

The story continues below.

(This post covers the story through Tweet 17, posted on June 2, 2025. Daily updates continue on X @TimeForUs_org, and this archive will be updated periodically to reflect new developments.)

11/
Over the weekend I was thinking - I’ve stared at this charge a dozen times. $99.00 + tax, billed in 2023. I distinctly remember thinking that I was not aware of a $99 fee, nor that I had ever agreed to one.
#TimeForUs #TexasLaw
📎 [Image: TimeForUs_org Tweet 11 w/ original Service Bill from 2023]

12/
When I had an issue years ago, I texted Carl—and 15 minutes later, a technician showed up at my door. That’s how it used to be.
#TimeForUs #TexasLaw
📎 [Image: Technician Text]

12.1/
📝 Note: “Carl” is a pseudonym used for privacy. He was my local agent—the one who executed.

13/
The green card came back. Certified delivery was confirmed. Let’s see what happens next.
#TimeForUs #HomeSecurity
📎 [Image: TimeForUs-org Tweet w/ Proof of Delivery; Green Card Front Redacted; Gren Card Back Redacted]

14/
That VIP warranty I mentioned a couple days ago? Upon further research, It looks like a replacement. The old $35 service became $99—buried in fine print among other constraints. That’s a coverage downgrade… during a renewal?
#TimeForUs #consumerRights
📎 [Image: LifeTime Warranty Snippet; VIP Warranty mumbo jumbo]

15/
I checked ADT’s website—https://www.adt.com/help/faq/billing/on-site-assessment-fee-and their standard on-site fee is listed as $59. So where did $99 come from? The only place I’ve seen it mentioned is buried in the clause that supposedly obligates them to replace my panel.
#TimeForUs #Billing
📎 [Image: TimeForUs_org Tweet 15 w/ Screenshot of $59 Fee FAQ]

16/
ADT called me on Saturday. 14 mins.
A Florida rep said he just got my letter.
ADT had already confirmed delivery to USPS on 5/19.
He tried to push a 'local process' and said 'legal is in Dallas'.
I reiterated this is an $8K legal demand.
#TimeForUs #CustomerServiceFail
📎 [Image TimeForUs_org Tweet 16 w/ Phone Call Screenshot]

17/
I realized over the weekend that X is only one place to tell this story.
So I’ve launched a Substack to start catching up:
🕰️ www.timeforus.org

The daily chronicle will continue—
but now it has a home inside a bigger story that’s just getting started.
#TimeForUs

What’s Next

Now that we’re caught up and current here, I think we have a couple of directions we could take—and I’d love your input.

I could continue using Twitter/X (and soon Bluesky) as the home for daily chronicles, while using Substack for more in-depth commentary and reflections.
Alternatively, I could also publish the daily chronicle here as well, so readers don’t have to rely on multiple platforms.

Let me know what you prefer in the comments.

6/5/2025 - The story continues in Part 3/:

Intro:
This is the story of how a broken alarm panel, a questionable contract, and ridiculousness from ADT led me to send a formal demand letter for $8,010.15. It’s also a story about accountability—and what happens when a regular customer chooses to stand up for themselves.

I’ve been telling the story one tweet at a time on X (Twitter). But I’m building a full narrative here as a backup, archive—and eventually, maybe a book.

(This post covers the story through Tweet 10, posted on May 26, 2025. Daily updates continue on X @TimeForUs_org, and this archive will be updated periodically to reflect new developments.)

📌 Pinned Tweet
On May 16, 2025, I mailed ADT a demand letter for $8,010.15. We’re going to find out together what happens when someone holds a big company accountable.
#TimeForUs
[Image: @TimeForUs_org Pinned Tweet]

1/
If they had just fixed it back in March, I’d still be their customer—quietly paying them every month to do next to nothing. But they didn’t. And my alarm system hasn’t worked right since.
#TimeForUs

2/
Honestly? I was never supposed to be ADT’s customer. I agreed to a contract with Northstar. It was ADT’s choice to assume the terms of that contract.
#TimeForUs #CustomerRights

3/
On May 8, I agreed to extend my service for another 3 years. Less than 36 hours later, we couldn’t agree on whether my alarm system was even functioning. I exercised my cancellation rights within the permitted window.
#TimeForUs #KnowYourRights

4/
This had to be the right story to tell. The company had to act in a way where the consequences were real. And those consequences had to translate—into time, into money, into something a court would take seriously.
#TimeForUs #TimeIsValue

5/
Why $8,010.15? Here’s how we got there. Some of it is billing. Some of it is breach. Some of it is business practice. All of it is backed up by documentation and Texas law.
#TimeForUs #TexasLaw
[Image: TimeForUs_org Tweet]

6/
This is the original bill of materials. It includes my alarm panel, listed at $950. It’s the failure of this panel that led to everything else.
#TimeForUs #TexasLaw
📎
[Image: Tweet 6 w/ original BoM]

7/
Checked the mailbox. No green card. Decided to check the tracking—and there it was 🙂 USPS says the letter was delivered to ADT in Boca Raton on May 19.
#TimeForUs #TexasLaw
📎
[Image: Tweet 7 w/ USPS Delivery Confirmation]

8/
Some people said the panel wasn’t worth $950. Maybe so. But that was the value placed on it when we signed. The contract said they’d “provide a replacement for any defective part without charge.” They didn’t.
#TimeForUs #TexasLaw
📎

[Image: Warranty Clause]

9/
When I renewed in 2020, the monthly rate was $40.82. It was locked in for 42 months—and set to renew unless I opted out. No activation fee. No gotchas. Just the deal.
#TimeForUs #TexasLaw
📎 [Image: Tweet 9 w/ Monthly Rate x42]

10/
If we take this contract at face value, it locked in a fixed rate for 42 months—and renewed unless I canceled. I never did. So one could argue the same terms still apply. But after everything? I’d also ask: was any of this ever valid?
#TimeForUs #TexasLaw
📎

[Image: Renewal Clause]

What’s Next
Every day, I post a new update on X—screenshots, contract clauses, delivery proof, and more. This isn’t just about fighting a company for $8,000. It’s about what happens when someone decides to make their time matter.

My current plan is to bring this archive closer to real-time, and then use bundled posts like this to catch Substack up in stages. I may also start sharing additional reflections or behind-the-scenes context here that don’t make it to X.

Follow here—or @TimeForUs_org on X—for each chapter as it unfolds.

6/5/2025 - The story continues in Part 2/:

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