Hijinks

I recently found a deal from Dell on an XBOX that I couldn't pass up. I had been avoiding the next generation for awhile, but prices are finally to a point that it made sense. In the deal, Dell included a game called "Tom Clancy's Endwar." I had heard good things about Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six games, so I was excited to try it. But before I opened it, I looked online for reviews. It received pretty good marks, but I was discouraged to discover that it was a real time strategy game (like Command and Conquer or Starcraft). I have no time for games like that anymore. I don't want to mine for ore, so I can build up an army, then attack with that army only get destroyed and have to start all over. I have maybe 1.5 hours of free time a day, I want instant gratification in that time. Turn on and tune out as they say.

I decided to try and take that game back and exchange for something I wanted, figuring in this day and age, without a receipt it would be tough. I knew there was no chance at Target. They've tightened their returns belt so much lately, that I would be lucky to exchange with a receipt. So I went to Walmart, figuring as a company they have their collective heads so far up their ass, no problem. I bought it to the counter. The Walmart employee called back to the electronics desk and no go. No receipt, they wouldn't even exchange it.

So, like a guy frantically scanning the bar at 2AM for any warm body, I strolled into Kmart. There were 8 cars in the parking lot. I counted. I walked up to the Customer Service counter and said "I'd like to exchange this." She asked me if I had a receipt. I shook my head no and said it was a gift. I actually almost said it was a gift from my great aunt Muriel (reading HP right now) but I didn't want to push it. She nodded and informed me to find the item I wanted to exchange it for. Elated that my ruse might work, I almost ran back to the electronics section, having no idea if Kmart even still had an electronics section. Lucky enough they did. I found the game I wanted.

Unfortunately, I had to have the electronics guy bring the game I picked out up to the customer service counter. Walking with him to the front of the store, I felt like a 7 year old who had convinced his parents to buy him an R rated movie. Worried that the gig would be up once the electronics guy got wind of the current "exchanging without receipt" situation, I did my best to distract him with a question about the future weather. But no matter, he just flirted with the customer service person a bit, dropped the game on the counter and walked away. After completing the exchange, I snickered as I walked out.

I'm a 33 years old father with a career, BTW. Conning stores to get the video games I want should be behind me, but I guess not.

A Common Experience

Most parents will tell you they go through the following scenario in their child's first couple of years:

1. Child gets sick, throwing up or diarrhea.
2. Parent feels awful for child and does all in their power to make them comfortable and help them get better.
3. Some point worry about child's health and calls the nurse line.
4. Nurse on the other end calmly says it's nothing to get too worried about and recommends to give child "Pedialyte" to keep child hydrated.
5. Parent runs to Walgreens at 11:30PM, grabs Pedialyte and buys it. Barely registers that they just paid $6.00 for 48 ounces of fluid. Child's health holds no cost barriers.
6. Pedialyte is offered to child, but they want no part of it. With much crying, some is forced into child.
7. Step 6 is repeated an hour later, then parent gives up and gives child water, which they happily gulp down.
8. Pedialyte is put in fridge for future use.
9. Parent is cleaning fridge out a couple of days later grabs the Pedialyte and notices warning on bottle that says "Use within 24 hours of opening."
10. Parent grumbles as they pour Pedialyte down drain and realize that they paid $6 for a teaspoon of low sugar Gatorade.
11. Repeat process next time child get sick.


I'm calling for a full scale investigation of Abbot Laboratories, maker of Pedialyte. It must have at least an 80% share of the Kid's sick drink category, sharing space only with Private Label. It has completely infiltrated the medical system where it's recommended BY NAME by most nurses and doctors. Because of this, its price is astronomical compared to it's ingredients. How can Gatorade sell a similar product, water with electrolytes, (ie: salt and sugar) for $1 for 32oz vs. $6 for 48oz for Pedialyte?

And it's a crappy product that most kids refuse.

What is in Pedialyte that will spoil 24 hours after opening?

Shame on a company for preying on the loose wallets of worried parents.
I want answers. I think this is ripe for an indie documentary.

Yeah vs. Yay

I think we need to establish in email/sms/IM communication on the use of yeah vs. yay. I see much confusion out there.

Here's how I see it:

When expressing joy or celebration and you want to use the word that rhymes with "Hay", "Yay!" should be used. As in, "Yay!, I won the lottery."

When expressing agreement and you want to use the word that rhymes with "wah" (as in baby crying), "Yeah" should be used. As in, "Yeah, I heard that about chuck!"

Am I wrong here?

Hay

I discovered the musician Colin Hay through the actor/writer Zach Braff. I was watching an episode of the show "Scrubs" and Zach's character was constantly followed by a man playing a guitar and singing. I don't really remember why this was happening, only that for some reason the song kind of hit a chord with me. So I looked it up and after some digging found out it was a guy named Colin Hay, former lead singer of the band "Men at Work" from Australia, famous for their 80's hits "Who could it be now" and "Down Under." Zach seems to have a liking for the guy, as he also included a song of his in his movie "Garden State."

I downloaded the song "Overkill" which was on the episode of Scrubs and it became my favorite tune for a good month. As someone who deals with anxiety issues it resonated with me tremendously.

Some of the lyrics:

I can't get to sleep
I think about the implications
Of diving in too deep
And possibly the complications

Especially at night
I worry over situations
I know I'll be alright
Perhaps it's just imagination

Day after day it reappears
Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
Ghosts appear and fade away

Alone between the sheets
Only brings exasperation
It's time to walk the streets
Smell the desperation

At least there's pretty lights
And though there's little variation
It nullifies the night from overkill... etc."

Colin delivers these strong words in such a matter of fact way that I appreciated. No woe is me, it's just a fact. It became a meaningful song for me. One that I really connected with in a way that I rarely do with music.

I visited Chuck E Cheese last night with my parents, family, and nephews. First time I've been there in quite a while. While taking Riley's coat off, something caught my ear. In amazement, I looked up and saw the animatronic Chuck E Cheese singing a familiar tune. Yes,"Overkill." Not only was I shocked that my personal little indie song was commercialized, I was flabbergasted that it was commercialized in such a venue. Go back and read those lyrics. How did anyone think that that song would be good for a cuddly mouse to sing to 9 year olds? It'd be like showing "Ghost in the Shell" on the TVs there. Sure, it's a cartoon, but not exactly kid stuff.

Chuck E Cheese is a weird place.