Girls Write Out
Wednesday, December 20, 2006

I THOUGHT I WAS ABOVE THIS

It’s enough to make a Pollyanna like me scream. Now someone with my personality believes just about any job can be accomplished. When I found out my grandson would really like a certain thing, I figured it would be a snap to find.

I started out the week with a smile and determination. Heading into the first Wal-Mart I asked for the item. The kid looked at me like I was a slug on his shoe. "We don't have any," he said like I should have known better than to ask. Okay, no problem, there are lots of stores. I went on to the next. And the next. By this time, my smile is getting pretty ragged.

I've spent the past week repeating this scenario, stopping in every Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, Best Buy, Circuit City, and any other place that might carry what I was looking for. I was actually contemplating getting my grandson something else. Me, the eternal optimist, was about to admit defeat. SAY IT ISN'T SO!! But it was.

Then yesterday I was putting the last touches on the substantive edits suggested by my freelance editor (I should get Ami's today. YAY!) when I had an impulse just to call Wal-Mart and see if they had any come in. I called, got put back to electronics and asked the question. And BINGO! A small shipment had come in. They refused to hold one for me so shrugging into my coat as I ran and still in my slippers, I raced to the van, drove like a madwoman the few blocks to Wal-Mart, ran through the store in my slippers and got back to the electronics counter. All but 3 were already gone, but SUCCESS! I grabbed up the box like it was the prize in a treasure hunt.

But what is WITH these companies who don't put out enough units for the demand they KNOW is coming? It's not like it's a smart marketing decision because those who couldn't find it for Christmas will have bought something else. I almost did.

And when my grandson opens it, it will be all worth it. LOL
Colleen Coble  
posted at 8:48 AM  
  Comments (19)
 
 
Delicious Delicious
19 Comments:
At 9:13 AM, Blogger Jenny B. Jones said...

Is this one of those new Nintendos? People are going crazy for those! Like woman in slippers crazy...
Kidding!

 
At 9:14 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It will be worth it to see his grin!!!

I almost think the marketing companies like to create some kind of frenzy about hard to get items. I wonder if the stores will all get huge shipments in January. ha.

 
At 9:24 AM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

Jennifer, it WAS a Nintendo Wii! And I emerged triumphant from the fray. LOL I'm ignoring your comment about crazy. LOL

Tina, I'm sure they WILL get huge shipments in January, but the frenzy will be over and people will have moved on. Seems crazy!

 
At 5:03 PM, Blogger allen etter said...

Actually, one of the reasons that the Wii is hard to find is because the company recalled a bunch of them to redesign the wrist strap...apparently people were becoming overly excited and the Wii was flying loose and crashing through windows, monitors and small rodents...or something.

 
At 5:13 PM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

I heard that about the straps, Allen. LOL This one just got in yesterday so I'm hoping it has the new redesigned strap on it.

 
At 5:16 PM, Blogger Jaime Wright said...

I asked for Scrabble for Christmas ... I hope they made enough!!

*wink*

 
At 5:18 PM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

Oh I love Scrabble, Jaime!

 
At 5:31 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a similar experience this week. It was a toy for my niece. I looked everywhere, except Toys R Us. I just couldn't bring myself to finght the crowds there. I was defeated by Walmart, and Target. Finally I mustered up enough courage and went to Toys R Us and there it was. There were tons of them. I grabbed it, waited in line for 20 minutes and felt triumphant.

 
At 8:34 PM, Blogger Deborah Raney said...

Believe it or not, I had the same problem trying to find ordinary wooden BUILDING BLOCKS for my one-year-old grandson!! I happened to be at Target early one morning when the toy department staff (all 12-15 of them) were gathered in an aisle having a meeting. They asked if they could help me find something and after I tried (apparently unsuccessfully) to describe these strange and mystical building blocks which take no batteries, make no noise and are seen in no commercials, they all looked at me like I had two heads and finally came to the joint conclusion that Target didn't carry them. I'd need to go to a "specialty shop." What??

My husband found them yesterday at a hobby store. I should have had him buy a dozen boxes! : )

 
At 9:40 PM, Blogger Southern-fried Fiction said...

LOL - a shameless spolier grandma! Be careful, you'll make the rest of us look like last year's fruitcake. :o[

 
At 11:40 PM, Blogger Sabrina L. Fox said...

I think she just likes saying, "for my grandson..." ;)

Enjoy this fun time being Grandma!!!

 
At 2:14 PM, Blogger eileen said...

Ewwww, visions of Cabbage Patch dolls ran through my head! I had to import them via my sister from another town in the '80s frenzy. Anyone else go nuts over those?

And being Nana...I'd go shopping w/o slippers to get whatever they wanted!

 
At 8:30 AM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

Eileen, the Cabbage Patch doll fiasco was the last time this happened to me! I well remember the frenzy to get Kara a Cabbage Patch. She loved that doll! LOL

 
At 8:47 AM, Blogger Pam Sanderlin said...

See what a good grandma you are, Colleen?! No stone unturned....and in your slippers, too! Your grandson is very fortunate to have a young grandma that has so much energy (and love) to look high and low for a Nintendo Wii!

Merry Christmas!

 
At 11:39 AM, Blogger Jaime Wright said...

better hope your grandson doesn't read your blog! :)

 
At 11:41 AM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

Jorden doesn't read it. He's a new grandson, and I don't think he even knows about it yet. LOL

 
At 11:56 AM, Blogger Jaime Wright said...

Whew! I just thought of that. I'm the classic snoop in our family, so I've been trying to be ethical this year and avoid my families' blogs that they write but seem to think I don't read! :)

 
At 11:43 PM, Blogger AngBreidenbach said...

I don't like shopping in crowds. So...I do it all on the internet:-D It all came to me on my doorstep. LOVE that. It so lessens my stress. I did shop for stocking stuffers though. And on the last day, I accidentally ran into the perfect gift for my hubby. He loves s'mores. We usually order them at the Huhot restaurant. They are sooo going to miss us, but I found a 3 in 1 s'more/choco fondue/ice cream station. I couldn't help myself. I snapped it up with glee. So it didn't fit in the stocking...he's already used it 3 times. And one of them was very creative-we grilled mini shrimp on the little 6 inch brazier!
Angie

 
At 11:49 PM, Blogger AngBreidenbach said...

One more thing, the cabbage patch dolls. I lived in Spain during this rush. We all watched from overseas in complete amazement at why anyone would buy such an ugly doll and stomp people to death over it. Living without commercialism left us in awe of the frenzy that happened. Small aside-I've always felt like the opening to Star Wars (all the blurred stars winging past me) with the commercialism since I came back from Spain.
Angie

 

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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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