An old golf club as a push rod.
One thanksgiving or Christmas, I don't remember, I had a unplanned retro run of a piece of cat5 from distribution in the mechanical area of the basement to a point halfway across the finished side of the basement and up to a single gang plate in the first floor office wall. I use the golf club as an impromptu push/pull rod to get the wire across the ceiling w/out taking out too many panels while guests were arriving. I used the ubiquitous coat hanger to pull through the hole I made inside the wall cavity.
It's a matter of pride that you would never allow your parent's home to have wire tucked along the baseboard and then down through a hole in the floor next to the tackstrip, especially in a single story ranch with drop ceiling in the basement!!
Some phone co. guys need to be shot. (cable and sat guys too)