Yesterday I bought a video camera, in my continued efforts to empty my bank account with the acquisition of multimedia gear that becomes an obsessively used part of my life. It's becoming a serious problem that I have absolutely zero interest in solving, so I've decided to just roll with hit for a while and see where it takes me. I've had my eye on a camera for a while, and yesterday I finally decided to go and get it. Just go and get it. It's so difficult for things to be so easy sometimes. I had a last-minute plan to tape the first moments of my sister's in-laws meeting the rest of my family later that evening. Stuff like that should be remembered, just for its sheer hilarity (and this is a reflection on my family entirely, not the nice new people who actually didn't seem too alarmed by the time the night was over. And that was after my treatise on the Halloween votive candle holders. That was classy.)
My plans were smashed, however, because it turned out once I got home that I didn't have the right memory card for the camera. The girl who sold it to me wasn't very informed about the equipment herself, which isn't at all surprising in this day and age of employees who often seem offended by the presumption that they may be called upon to answer questions about what they're selling. She was nice enough - just unclear. And I got confused, thinking that the cards I already had for my digital camera would work in this new one. Both are Canons, I thought - that should do it, forgetting that Canon also makes huge ass copy machines and printers too, and probably farm equipment for all I know, so why would I assume that all of the ancillary products would be the same? Why? Because I didn't really feel like shelling out an extra 60 bucks for a memory card, and sheer hope led me to believe that I already had what I needed at home. Dumb. Never assume that. ALWAYS assume that you'll need to shell out 60 more bucks in Best Buy - and pretty much any other store. At least 60.
So today I went back to get the correct memory card, so I can start taping my dog, and my mother's repetitive questions, and oh...maybe even myself if I get the nerve? I doubt that, but we'll see. I picked up the card I needed (2 GB!!! 2!!!! I am Sofia Coppola's older, less emaciated sister!!! Watch out!) and went to the cashier line. There I found a life coach.
Me: There's a 20 dollar rebate. Is there information in the package about it?
Her: It'll print out with your receipt.
Me: Oh, good. Now I just have to remember to send it in.
Her: Listen, now. You do it RIGHT AWAY. You go home, and you put it on the coffee table. And you fill it out. And you mail it in.
Me: Right. Immediately.
Her: Seriously. You put the STAMP ON THE ENVELOPE before you forget. And TAKE IT to the post office tomorrow. Mail it before you forget! Because it's twenty dollars, and you're going to get a CHECK, that you can spend on ANYTHING IN THE WORLD!!!!
Me: You are so very absolutely right. And I thank you.
Her: No problem. Just don't forget to mail it.
She was very young, but obviously does not mess around. Sometimes the easy things are just easy.
I'm the worst at that. I let those things sit for so long, that they tend to expire. So, follow her advice--send it in RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT. NOW. Do it!
Posted by: marit | October 30, 2006 at 11:24 PM