Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Can you say "Fromage"?

Sometimes I'm absolutely brilliant. Sometimes I surprise myself. Sometimes I'm disappointed in others. Sometimes I get depressed. But never all at the same time. Thank god for that.

When I packed up to move back to Qatar, I had a brilliant idea. Luggage goes thru hell -- the old Samsonite luggage and gorilla commercial comes to mind -- especially on international flights. I was packing up and spied my camera as I was packing my socks. LIGHTBULB MOMENT! What better padding for my camera than safely nestled inside a rolled up pair of socks. And so ... now even 8 months later... I still have yet to find that pair of socks and the camera safely tucked inside. Brilliant, yes I am.

In February I came across an opportunity to be a contributor to a photo journal. An online journal of daily photos from a commuity of 40 or so women. I'm not much of a grand communicator, but a picture is worth a thousand words and I thought my contribution especially from this quasi-exotic location could add flavor to this experience. So -- again I searched all my goods for the MIA camera without success. And I convinced myself that maybe this would be a good time to shop for a new one. Shopping! Does any woman really ever need a 'reason' to shop? It just comes naturally. And just like the rainshower that comes right after I wash the car, I know that the missing CyberShot would reappear magically just as soon as the new camera arrived.

So I did some research and window shopping and found the Sony Outlet website with a near top-of-the-line newer -- a refurbish, but newer to me -- next generation CyberShot. And I even made the conscious decision to break away from only purchasing 'neutral' colored items and wincing as I hit the confirm button on checkout, purchased a pink -- PINK -- Sony CyberShot. Ain't it purdy?

On checkout I was notified that Sony couldn't ship to APO addresses, so I contacted my Best Friend Who Shall Remain Nameless (BFWSRN?) and she agreed that if I sent it to her she'd relabel and send it on to me. And I still would receive it in time for the March 1st start date for that Photo Journal. Woo hoo! I love when a plan comes together!!

My BFWSRN got the parcel and sent me an email offering to pad the package with other stuff. Oh, I'm always open to care packages! Of course! And the camera and goodies would be on their way with a short delay. But still, on the way.

Ok, so a month passes. Um. No package; no camera. I go to mailcall religiously knowing that any day...ANY DAY... I would get a parcel. No, not today. No, not the next day. Nor the week after that. So now I have a quandry. Knowing my BFWSRN as I do, how do I tactfully inquire status? I had expected Priority Mail -- which takes about 10-12 days. Maybe it was sent parcel post? That can take anywhere from 30-45 days. But surely she wouldn't have sent a moderately high-priced item thru parcel post. It's hard to rationalize getting pissed as I was increasingly day-after-day at a friend who was doing me a favor. But still... no camera.

So in a routine chatty email I dropped a line about maybe the package was put in Fleet mail and was out somewhere in the Pacific. Ha ha. ...... Only to get BFWSRN's reply that she still hasn't mailed it!! STILL. HAVE. NOT. MAILED. IT! But now, promise, promise, promise(?) it will definitely be in the mail next week. Uh, yeah, I'm holding my breath. Pfft!

Disappointed much? Humph!

So, a full TWO MONTHS after I purchased a lovely pink camera, a full ONE MONTH AFTER THE LIMITED WARRANTY is EXPIRED... I still have no camera.

And the old one hasn't shown either.

FARK! FARK, FARK, FARK, FARK, FARKITY FARK, FARK!

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