Random Thursday: three tees, teed off, and toothsome news

Earlier this week, Lyra (of Lyrical Meanderings, in case there’s anyone here who doesn’t already follow her there) posted a great essay that had me thinking about tee shirts, once I was done thinking about how badass unicorns really were. 

 That’s not all I took from the essay, in case you were wondering, but once I had absorbed Lyra’s always thoughtful insights, commented, and followed the link to the badass unicorn tee, my instincts led me further down the retail path, as they are wont to do.

 I also realized that most of my tee shirts, which live lives of their own in the depths of my top bureau drawer like blind squat lobsters in the Mariana Trench,* predate my marriage.  This was a bit of a shock.  In high school and college, tee shirts happen—they’re the natural by-product of academia, or even walking across campus.  Hell, marching band along nets you three or four per semester, without including the ones that violate Bill Watterson’s copyrights.

 But after graduation, you apparently have to make an effort, especially if you want tees that fit, both physically and personal-statement-wise.**

 So I did, over at TopatoCo:

  

  

 

There were others, so, so many others, but with three you get free shipping, so I didn’t push it.

 oooooOOOOOooooo

 Janie would like me to post that after a year-long dry spell, she has two loose teeth.

 “Anything else?”

“Nope.  That’s it.”

oooooOOOOOooooo

Whiny Greedy Consumer Rant o’ the Week

I ordered a new netbook from Newegg this last weekend in a fit of pique because Best Buy ticked me off —or rather, their idea of customer service did. 

Huge sales on, tons of people, and all the clerks were clumped together in an aisle talking about how busy they were,  which was odd because they were completely ignoring the customers.   So, I walked up and said, “Could someone help me find the netbooks, please?”

It was like I’d flipped a switch.  Everyone glanced at me and faded away in different directions, but no one answered my question. 

So I left.  And I’m not going back.  And I mean it  this time.

Newegg offered me three-day delivery and six months of deferred payments, which is good, ‘cause I’m saving most of my ready resources for next week—parking in St. Louis is extortion and wireless service in the hotel is worse.**

But this netbook is a necessary expense because I wanted something I can carry around with me so I don’t have to worry about theft and I don’t want to schlep my laptop case everywhere and yes I could simply use paper and a pen but this is the 21st Century, darn it, and I wanted one.

So I’ve spent the past few days tracking my order and watching it circle New Jersey before heading west.  It arrived in town around 5:45 am this morning, and at 4:15pm this afternoon, the status finally said, “Delivered to a man.” 

I called my husband to make sure he was the man in question before doing the New Stuff Happy Dance. 

He was, and all is good.

oooooOOOOOooooo

And finally, my First Reader and dear friend is marrying her best friend and the love of her life this weekend. 

She shared one of the songs that they’ll be playing—knowing Lisa, the rest of the music will be just as incredible:

Please drop in at her place and wish her a Happy Wedding Week! 

 

____

*Or like creased sardines, except I don’t think sardines, ironed or otherwise, live in the Mariana Trench.  Any ichthyologists in the house?

**I’m no longer a medium nor someone who picks up the beat and flutes it all about.  I’m not heartbroken about either.

**If any Bouchercon attendees happen to land on this post,  I will gladly split or even divide the daily wireless charge, if possible.  E-mail me.

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18 thoughts on “Random Thursday: three tees, teed off, and toothsome news

  1. A hotel is charging for wireless? I thought they had all stopped doing that! And I won’t tell you that I crossed over to the dark side and bought an iPod Touch at Best Buy… (I bought it online and picked it up so I didn’t have the trying to find someone to help me problem0

    • $15.95 a day for wireless in the room or $5.95 per hour in the business center.

      When best Buy is good, it’s very good. When it’s not, it’s frustrating as hell. Lately, it hasn’t been good enough to justify the hell.

  2. Yay for lost teeth! Has a lisp accompanied the new look? I just love a good lisp.

    Please don’t get me started on my tee-shirt drawer. It’s so pathetic. Creased sardines they are not. More like crumpled paper in a wastebasket.

    • They haven’t gone yet, but she has hopes of a whistle when they do. She wants to whistle in the worst way!

      Tee shirts. Nature’s drawer liners. And who wants to iron them? Not me.

  3. Those t-shirts are fantastic. I LOVE the Ninja/Manatee one. That reminds me of John Lithgow’s children’s books. I love the one about the manatee, but thinking of your previous post about the cello, have you seen his Farkle book. I love the way instead of simplifying his word choices for kids, he goes out of his way to find the most obscure, long words and then rhyme them. They’re fantastic.

  4. Ah the manatee! It will forever hold a special place in our family archives due to a run-in The Hub nearly had with one 3 years ago in FLA. I might get him that teeshirt for Xmas.

  5. so i had this idea once to sell t-shirts with obscure song references on them. in funky letters. but it never took off. i still play with designs i want to make for myself. i like the idea of having a bunch of t-shirts with ironic comments (like duanne’s wife in texasville, right?) that i’ll wear to my author readings one day.

    just today i bought a t-shirt at my favorite independent bookstore b/c they had a box of their old shirts (the best kind, right?). you’re so right. it’s difficult finding the right tee at this stage of the game.

    and i’m glad i’m not the only one who tracks her package from lift-off to my front door.

    hope your writing is going well and your nose hasn’t hit the keyboard just yet.

  6. My youngest son, a computer/electronics guru, will not allow me to buy anything at Best Buy. He hates their customer service and their warranty policies. That said, since he left for college two years ago, I’ve broken down and shopped there anyway, out of convenience. And I also bought a cheap tablet online that’s already come back to bite me in the ass. Sigh. I need a personal shopper so bad. So how do you like the netbook?

  7. I feel like the worst kind of heel for being the last person to comment on this, but Jon and I really appreciate the shout-out, love and support. He’s always been a big supporter of you, Sarah (since you keep me from pulling my hair out at many intervals). Thank you again! You’re the best kind of friend.

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