Saturday Is Fryday

First, off, no, I'm not going to subject anyone to anything Rebecca Black-related - though I have to admit that she and her horrible, horrible song have managed to bore a hole into my consciousness and have taken up residence there - as the title of this post relates to Philip J. Fry of Futurama.

(And if you don't know who/what Rebecca Black is, consider yourself fortunate...though really, it's only a matter of time. She is inevitable.)

I'm specifically thinking of the iPhone parody episode in which Fry, when having the limitations of the "eyephone" explained to him, tells the store employee, "Shut up and take my money!"

I've been feeling like saying that a lot lately, as it seems that most of the stores I go to have no interest in taking my money, in that they're unwilling to sell things that I want to buy.

Target, is of course, the worst, as they will initially sell something - specifically diabetic-friendly products - I'll buy it, like it, resolve to buy it again, and then go back only to find that they've discontinued it.

(It happens with a lot of things, but the sugar-free and otherwise diabetic-friendly products seem to be the most egregious examples, to the point that I actually kind of feel as though I'm being discriminated against. Not in a "The Universe is out to get me" sort of way, but as in, "Target has no interest in marketing products to diabetics.. Take your filthy, insulin-resistant money elsewhere.")

It's also been happening a lot at Best Buy, as I go there pretty regularly and walk out empty-handed because there's nothing there that I have any particular interest in buying. It's annoying, because there are a lot of things that they could be selling that I would buy, but they just don't.

For example, I've been kind of going back and forth about buying an Asus Eee Slate - a Windows-based tablet computer - to replace my current laptop. It's kind of a compelling product; thin and light, with all the functionality of a full-fledged laptop, with the added advantage that the touch screen is made by Wacom, the company that makes the Cintiq, so I would be able to enjoy the same functionality for drawing on the go - or at least in my living room - as I have at my desktop.

The problem is that most of the online retailers selling it don't seem to have it in stock, and very few brick-and-mortar retailers are selling it.

Best Buy, for example. At least, Best Buy in America; Best Buy Canada carries it.

While I've been going back and forth about placing an order from an online retailer - sometimes I think "I'm going to do it!" then decide "Well, maybe I'll wait and see." - and just waiting for it to, eventually, be restocked and shipped, if I could walk into a physical store and pick one up, I would do so without hesitation. Best Buy America: Y U No Want My Money?

Earlier today, while my main system was tied up doing something, I got online on Munin and, for the hell of it, decided to see if Micro Center was one of the retailers selling the Eee Slate.

Turns out that they are, and the one in Fairfax had it in stock.

So I got in the car, made the drive to Fairfax, found the display model, played around with it and was pleased to discover that it was even lighter and thinner than I'd expected - I've seen the specs, but that's not the same as actually handling the thing - and looked around for someone who was willing to take my money.

(It's a truism that the employees who are constantly harassing you with their offers of assistance when you're just looking are never around when you actually do need assistance.)

Finally, someone became available and I told him that I wanted him to take my money. He went to a computer to do a check to see if they had any in stock.

They didn't. In fact, they had only received the one that was on display, which wasn't actually for sale.

...

So, yeah. They got a single Eee Slate for display purposes only, just so that they could say, "Hey, look at this cool thing that we're not going to sell you!"

On the plus side, as I wandered around the store dejectedly after that, I did get a chance to see what my new computer is going to look like, as they sell the case that I selected - presumably they have more than one in stock - so it was kind of like a sneak preview. (Note: That thing is huge.)

On my way out of the store I saw this magazine that someone had apparently brought up to the register and then decided not to to buy. It was a magazine about digital art - specifically science fiction and fantasy art - and had a special focus on comic books. The cover story was a feature on Adam Hughes - the magazine caught my eye because it featured a picture of Catwoman done by AH! on the cover -engaging in a step-by-step demonstration of his artistic process.

Finally, something to spend money on!

(The magazine was an import, so it was surprisingly pricey.)

Of course, because they hadn't annoyed me enough by only having a display model Eee Slate in stock, causing me to (mostly) waste my time by driving there, they had to pull that Radio Shack nonsense of asking for my name (since I was paying with cash).

When asked for my name, I angrily responded, "What for? Why do you need my name in order to sell me a magazine and a Diet Pepsi?" but when the guy looked at me helplessly, I went with "John Smith."

However, I should have have said, "Last name Take My Money, first name Shut Up And."

****

Earlier in the day I managed to spend a little money at Staples. I've been looking to pick up this new 1080p webcam from Microsoft that I've been seeing around because...well, I'm not sure about the because. I don't have that much use for a webcam. I guess I've been looking to get it because it's shiny. Of course, the first time I saw it, and decided against buying it, it was $30 cheaper than what it was each subsequent time I looked at it.

On sale for $25 off at Staples? Check.

Jon decided to buy it? Check.

On sale for $30 off at Best Buy? Check.

Jon too lazy to return it to Staples/do a competitive price guarantee thing? Check.

*****

A Conversation With Myself

Me: We should do the laundry today when we get home rather than doing it tomorrow.

Also Me: Why?

Me: I don't know. Just to shake up the routine a little, I guess. Besides, it'll be one less thing we'll have to do tomorrow.

Also Me: Yes, but it will be one more thing we have to do today.

Me: Good point.