So I had my birthday last week. I turned 40. The big four-oh. I tell you this not so that I can have birthday wishes, but to ask a burning question. Why do people ask what you want for your birthday if they have no plans to get you what you ask for? Do any of you have this problem?
As long as a month ago, my family was asking what I wanted for my birthday. Now, my brother and sister and I long ago made a decision not to buy gifts for each other any more except for "big" birthdays (those that end with 0 or 5). With all the kids running around, it just gets too expensive. No problem. So they all asked what I wanted. Everyone got the same answer. A gift certificate to Amazon. Ok, everyone but Bob. I told him I wanted a gift cert to my favorite day spa for a massage, mani and pedi. (which he gave me, BTW). I had these grand visions of being able to buy my entire wish list off Amazon...
So my birthday came. What did I get from the rest of my family? Amazon gift certificates? Nope, not a single one from all the folks who asked. My mom went so far as to tell me she really didn't think I truly wanted a gift certificate to an online book store. I'm not whining about that. Really! It's just that they asked me what I wanted. Several times, in fact. And I told them. Had they not asked, I would have been thrilled with the gifts I received, because I can definitely use them (well, most of them, anyway *g*). So I ask again... why ask what someone wants if you have no intention of getting it for them? Do any of you do this to people? Have you ever had it done to you? And do I sound really ungrateful? I don't mean to...
BTW, the one person who gave me a gift cert to Amazon? My son, who used his very own $10. Bless his heart.
OK... off to other subjects. Since I can't buy my entire wish list at Amazon, where do I get my books? NOT my local library. Which totally sucks! NOT my county library system. Which also sucks. I went online to see what I could get... The only Loretta Chase book I could get was Miss Wonderful. That was it in the entire county catalog. So of course I got it. I've reviewed it over at Don't Talk, Just Read. There is one copy of Into the Storm in the entire county catalog. I'm 13th on the waiting list. Have I said how much my library sucks? So, are there any librarians out there? How do I go about getting more books into my library? Have I mentioned that I live in the bible belt of my county?
So... no library. Where else can I get books? All of a sudden, my local Borders seems to have diddly squat. What's up with that? None of the new releases that I really want are there. I went in to get Lucy Monroe's new release, Take Me. Not there. I don't know why I was surprised... Tempt Me wasn't there when it was released either. Borders is the only book store in my town. And I'm far too busy and lazy to drive elsewhere on a regular basis.
So where does that leave me? Amazon.com. See above.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Why can't people ever give you what you ask for?... and other library problems
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10 People Gabbed:
LOL. Yep, I can relate. I was the same way, only I wanted a Border's g.c. I was asked by 3 different people, and when I responded with the g.c. idea, they all looked at me and say "oh, no, you don't want that". It wasn't a question, but a statement, like they thought I made up my answer. Yeah I do that a lot - lie about what I want. (rolling eyes).
Cool kid your son is - smart boy :)
I ask for gift certs to local B&N and Amazon. Rarely do I get them. Supposedly they tell me because I buy books all the time. Now does that even make sense? Duh, if I buy books all the time wouldn't those gift certs be handy?
Interestingly enough, my B&N never shelves new releases on release date. RARELY! It's annoying in the extreme. Our Wal-Mart which is open 24/7 you have to club people to get to the books before it looks like scavengers have been there. I have to travel about 30 minutes to a Borders...a large one and they usually have the goods. Praise be. So Borders is aces with me.
I have the exact same problem. People don't think a GC is personal enough. So, what I do now is divide my wish list up and say, either get me these books or a GC so I can get these books. That actually doesn't work either for those that want to "surprise" me. *rolling eyes*
I always ask for gift certificates to Borders or Barnes and Noble. It's a rare treat when I can buy a book new. I usually go to the UBS or the library. To date, I've never received the requested gift certificate. My family all know I'm a reader ~ that's what I do. And yes, I have a lot of books. But I have room for more.
I'm lucky because we have an awesome library here ~ we're always getting new things and it's rare when I can't find a book I'm looking for. Believe me, I know how lucky I am.
Happy Belated Birthday, Lori!! My family are well meaning but the only person who really gets me and listens to me is my husband.
My mom used to get offended by the idea of a gift certificate but I think she's finally getting that if I say I want one, I mean it. As for the rest? I'm stuck with fiberoptic musical plants with beads of water and pulsating lights (I'm not kidding)
Ii sucks that you didn't get your Bday wish-- BUT your son is a sweetie for sure! Maybe you could try swap sites like paperbackswap.com or other swap sites like that you could swap your books for books that are new to you.
HTH and Happy birthday!
That's so sad Lori. The step-kids really like to give gifts so I list books on my Amazon wishlist. They've been wonderful about getting all of them. Bill never deviates from what I want, sometimes just lets me pick out what I want, then says OK that's for your birthday. *grin* My parents, bless their hearts, have given up on presents which is just as well since I can't buy for them either. LOL However, it has taken me 55 years to get to this point. Have faith.
I think it must be a generational thing with our parents not wanting to get the gift certificates. I get that. I still don't get why my siblings bother asking me whatI want. And God forbid you don't get TB whatever she has asked for... there is always hell to pay LOL...
Thanks for the BD wishes everyone. I appreciate them, even if that wasn't the intent of the post :)
I guess I'm the lucky one here. For my birthday this year MM bought me my entire Amazon wishlist, my dad got me a $25.00 gift cert to B&N, my grandparents got me a $30 gift cert to Borders and my brother and sister both bought me books. Even my kids used their money to get me a book I really wanted.
Of course, this year was the exception to the rule. Every other holiday/b-day I just get whatever they feel like buying me. But I was so over the moon about my bday gifts I think they'll continue on that way (I even got teary eyed when my dad gave me the GC to B&N..hmm, or it could have been the "Love you, babycakes" he wrote on the card...LOL).
Before I go on...HAPPY BELATED BDAY LORI! I would have gotten you a gift cert if I had known. See, this is why you shouldn't keep your bday a secret in blogland. *snickers*
As for where you should buy your books....
Ebay, darlin. It's all about Ebay. You can get HUGE lots of books cheap. I bought Judith McNaught's entire backlist (15 books) for about $12.00. And I find other deals on there all the time.
You can also try half.com and Amazon.com marketplace. That's where they sell their used books. Cheapo for sure. And if you have an Amazon prime account (Which I highly recommend if you use them often) you get free 2-day shipping no matter what the item is. *g*
Hmm, where else? You could check out booksfree.com. It's a fairly new service that works like Netflix for books. They take a while to ship out the books you request (I think in some cases up to 4 weeks), but the shipping is free both ways and they have a huge list of books to offer.
Does that help at all?
Hugs!
Holls
Thanks Holly! I do believe I already told you how very jealous I was when MM gave you your entire wishlist. That was just so darn cool! He;'s such a keeper. I'd move to Alaska with him for that move, forget Montana.
Thanks for all the tips on where to buy. I'm pretty sure I've got all those places lined up, I just wanted someone else to pay for it all!!! LMAO!!! (or as my son would say "are you snorting?")
(total side note because I now have a 2nd opportunity: you'd think that blogger would have learned by now that it needs to give me the really BIG verification letters. I always have to get a 2nd round because the first one was too small and really squished together. My flippin' 40 year old eyes just can't handle it!)
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