Yesterday Amazon had been selling the 20 pound two-volume Complete Far Collection for $67, 55% of the $150 MSRP. So I put up a link. I knew one set had been bought, as BeckoningChasm posted a message to that effect, but this morning I checked my listings to see if maybe somebody else had bought one. Amazingly (for this small of a site, anyway), you guys ordered 23 different times yesterday, for what is probably our best day ever in that department.
Of course, several people undoubtedly ordered several items, or maybe one guy (or gal) orders a whole batch of things. Still, since seven different Far Side collections were ordered, presumbably a number of different people bought stuff. Unless one person bought seven sets to pass out as entirely bitching birthday and holiday presents, which I couldn’t gainsay. That Far Side collection is the bee’s knees. However, to whoever also (I’m assuming) bought the similarly fabulous The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, don’t hurt your back when your 40 pound box arrives. I’m not kidding, I have both those sets and they weigh a ton.
I don’t know why I’m surprised to see such commonality with my own tastes when I look at the ordered items, and some stuff, like music (which I’m not really into that much) doesn’t match my tastes. However, somebody ordered a copy of Superman vs. Hollywood, which has been sitting in my living room ‘to read’ stack since just a few days ago, and I also saw that somebody ordered the Fred Hembeck Omnibus, which I have on my Wish List. Now that fits my narrow niche of interests exactly. Ah, 900 (!!) pages of Fred Hembeck for $16.50. That’s the stuff.
And at the risk of seeming like a pervert, or of giving the site a reputation for attracting same, I note that somebody (I don’t know who, I hasten to add) ordered a few volumes of the DVD series Vintage Erotica, in this case for ’20s and ’60s. I laughed because (yes, I know) I myself ordered a few volumes of that myself last year. I won’t pretend I didn’t have a mild pruient interest in the items, although surely the Internet should sate most such tastes. However, I just am interested in movies and their history, even, in a minor way, porn.
Unsurprisingly, I quickly learned, hardcore porn back in the day was pretty much exactly the same as the stuff today, although women’s bodies were a bit flabbier and hairier (or more realistic, if you like). Having ascertained this from a quick scan of each disc, I put them away where they have sat collecting dust ever since.
Meanwhile, I had a good resolution to a problem with Amazon earlier this week, and it never hurts to say nice things on the Internet rather than just bitch. For some reason, my last Amazon Associate payment came in via check last Saturday, instead of through direct deposit. I was annoyed, because checks come with a $15 (!) processing fee, while DD is free. Since I earned $40 that month in such referral fees, that meant about 40% of the money went up in smoke.
Also, I’ve been on a rather strict budget as I save up money for a decent used car. Like a diet, budgets can make you a bit obsessive, although that can be useful, too. I now record every dollar I spend, which motiviates you eventually to take greater efforts to not spend a buck here or there. Given that, I was pretty annoyed at having $15 evaporate for no good reason (especially since in a way it was money you guys donated to the site, and I felt bad about that, too), and I responded with a note that was fairly nasty, at least for me.
By Monday, however, I got a response, and the deposit problem had not only been fixed already, but they will be refunding the $15 charge. I have to admit, given the sort of customer service you often get these days, this aggressive response really surprised me. So it’s all good. Amazon remains a good company in my eyes, and thus I can send people there with a clean conscience.
Thanks again, folks. And keep an eye out soon for posts about, you know, actual movies and stuff. I promise.
