the traps of online shopping

i tried to order my textbooks from school yesterday from the online bookstore. they gave the options of buying new or used books. since used were about half the price , i of course chose used. then, in tiny writing, they had two more options: a.) "if 'used' is not available, replace my selection with 'new'. this may change the total of my order." may change the total of my order? um, duh! so yeah, i chose the next option. b.) do NOT replace my selection with 'new' if 'used' is not available. if used is not available, my order will be cancelled."

fine.

so today, i get a call from the bookstore, from a really snotty woman, who sounded put out that she even had to call me. speaking to me as though i were a child and didn't know anything, she explained to me that they couldn't process my order because i had chosen not to have my books replaced with new if used were not available; and they didn't have any used books. in fact, those particular books that i orderd were not even available as "used".

"okay," i told her, because i already knew that my order would be cancelled if used books were not available. "that's fine", i said, indicating that i was okay with this.

"okay," she says brightly, "i'll go ahead and process your order then!"

"no," i tell her. "it's fine if you cancel the order. if used is not available, i'll buy the books somewhere else, its not a problem."

"ooo-KAY," she says, in a tone of voice that indicated i was seriously making a mistake and doing something very stupid, like bungee jumping 100 ft with a 150 ft cord.

yeah, right. do they really think i'm going to pay $130 for a book if i don't have to? and it rather irritated me that they would offer a used price if they didn't sell the used book. i guess that's just their clever little trap; that way you think you are choosing used, but might say, oh yes, i'll buy new if used isn't available, not realizing that used never was, in fact, available.

so, anyway, i went to amazon.com and was was pleasantly surprised to discover the books i needed (used) for a cheaper price than the bookstore had offered them. sweeet.

so the bookstore lost a sale. serves them right for trying to rip me off.

okay, yes, i'm a dork. i get excited about buying textbooks. or rather, i get excited about saving money, even if its not that much.

proof that my husband is now a hick

nick came home the other day with some new playstation games. one of them was nascar racing. yes, you read that right. nascar.

so we play it, and my car crashes into the wall a few times (okay, alot of times), and catches on fire.

heres' a lesson in life: when you're going 180 mph, you can't make sharp turns.

then again, in real life, you're not driving with a joystick. so in real life, i might be able to drive 180 mph, but i'm not about to try it.

even if i survived the experience, i probably wouldn't escape without a ticket... and probably worse. no cop in his right mind would not arrest someone who was going that fast.

yeah, what excuse are you gonna give the officer. "well, i just say that movie about ricky bobby, and wanted to see what it was like!"

right. i'll stick to the game.

and the game has smart-alecky comments when you do this, like "you're not makin' friends with the body shop, boy!" in a very southern accent.

so i say something rude back, which nick thinks is funny. yeah, it is funny. i'm insulting a computer. great. you know you're crazy when...

but even though i am horrible at it, it's actually pretty fun. and what can be more enjoyable than seeing the person who was laughing at you get up to 8th place, only to be knocked off the track by another driver and ending up at the back again.

life is sweet. so is irony.

(by the way, nick just read this over my shoulder and was quick to point out that he actaully did win a race.)

anyway, i think i'll go play it again. perhaps this time, i can manage not to set my car on fire and maybe get higher than 18th place.

stuff

well, i've been busy. i haven't written lately, but my time has been well spent. i've been writing my book. However, I'm not very far, because i decided the plot sucked, and had to go back and change a few things. anyway, i've finally made the plot work, so can get back to writing again. it's a good thing i'm not a professional writer; i'd have been fired ages ago, the way i procrastinate about my writing.

but then again, if i was being paid to write... i would have more time to write.

at any rate, i've started again, and i'm probably driving people crazy, pecking away at the computer during my free time (which, at the moment, isn't much).

Clay is growing like a weed. we took him to a waterpark the other day, and he went on his first slide, and played in the fountains. he had a great time. that kid could stay in the water all day; he just loves it. i will post pics.

i've also been busy gardening. call me a nerd, but i have a real green thumb and love working outside with the plants. nick says its a hobby for old people, so i guess he thinks i'm an old fart. oh well...

there's a certain amount of satisfaction from eating fresh food from your own garden, and not having to worry about pesticides or sprays and knowing it is all 100% natural. not to mention, fresh always tastes better.

and, i made jam for the first time! yay! i actually didn't destroy anything in the process, and it tastes good, too. wow! that means that i can have a bigger garden next year and can more things, since i can actaully do it.

so, i've been having rather quiet adventures. or maybe unadventures, rather. but its a good life, and i wouldnt' trade it at the moment.

i'm very happy with my little family.

splish splash

here we are at the pool. clay is having the time of his life in his little inner tube. he absolutely loves the water. :) i think he might be part fish.

having fun

here's clay at nine months -- he's just finished feeding himself. he had more on him than in his belly, i think.



















he went straight in the bath afterwards!










he sure is getting big. we're going swimming at the pool today and going to the fair later on, so hopefully we'll get some more pics to post. :)