Sunday, December 30, 2007

Santa, Bogie, Tweeners and Beer

Random weekend thoughts . . .

Santa Claus
We took down our Christmas decorations this afternoon (during that @$^%^%&$^~!!!!! Cowboys fiasco); and for the first time ever, we counted our Santa Clauses. Never meant for them to become a collection; but during Christmas, we spread Santa Clauses out to every corner, shelf, table and anything else in the house that doesn't move. We're up to 94!

My 13-year-old nephew has a similar snowman collection (maybe half dozen by now); he just doesn't know it. He just thinks his crazy ol' Aunt Kim (my wife) has forgotten that she sent him a snowman last year (and the year before and the year before . . .).

Casablanca
Watched Casablanca again last night . . . is there a better movie? I NEED to be Humphrey Bogart. And my wife should know now that if it's ever 1942 again, Ingrid Bergman and I WILL be an item.

I was a little distracted though, having watched The Blues Brothers one afternoon last week, wondering how Jake and Ellwood ('I hate Illinois Nazis') would fare in Casablanca.

Customer Service
Yesterday afternoon, I was contemplating a 'my life is a hell-hole' posting to describe my anticipated shopping trip to Old Navy / Justice (the 'tweener' section). I'd even written the first sentence in the Old Navy parking lot after the check-out girl hit me in the face with my bag of fortunately soft SALE merchandise.

But, believe it or not, Justice proved to be refreshing; so at the end of a shopping season when customer service REALLY sucks, I have my top three BEST customer service experiences:
  1. Justice
  2. Limited 2
  3. Sears
I was so impressed/shocked at Sears that I went online to e-mail the Customer Service Department. Justice and Limited 2 appear to be run by 16-year-olds; and we couldn't have asked for warmer greetings, more helpful clerks or cleaner stores. Whoever trains for those stores deserves a medal.

I'm going to give Honorable Mentions to the local Target store and James Avery for expedited check-out systems that NASA would envy.

People are Good
Also took the 'fam' (as daughter #1 describes us) to Outback Steakhouse last night (courtesy of my generous brother-in-law).

While we're waiting on a table, I step over to the corner of the bar for a couple of beers. I accidentally bump one guy, so I apologize, telling him that I'm trying to see what's on tap. Without me asking, he begins to read off the brands he can read and apologizes for not being able to catch the last two brands. So the person next to him and the person on the other side of me chime in and start reading off brands.

People are good (okay . . . one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind; let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me, etc.)

1 comment:

Laurie said...

What a nice post! So many people use their blogs to complain that I always enjoy it when someone takes the time to talk about their good experiences.