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down

A while back I made my first order from Victo*ria's Sec*ret - a nightgown, a sweater, and a free tank top that I knew I'd never wear. In two separate shipments, I eventually got the tank top and nightgown, but it took two months and two discussions with customer service to get the sweater. The sweater was terrible quality, and I decided never to order from them again (though that hasn't dissuaded them from sending me about a million catalogs - and does anyone know a good VC alternative?). The problem? They were re-organizing their shipping. They'd gone to some kind of new shipping center and totally didn't have their act together.

JC*rew recently re-organized their website. The mass e-mail they sent out apologizing to everyone for the fact that it was broken on and off for weeks made news in major newspapers. Their site still doesn't work in Goo*gle Chrome, and is only at about 95% on Internet Explo*rer. My Dad happens to love the lambswool V-neck sweaters that JC*rew sells, and I've been checking their website regularly waiting for them to go down another $10. A moment ago, their website was down! Completely! On Black Monday or whatever it is they call today! I can't believe it. What better way to go out of business than to be a catalog retailer and have your website down on the busiest shopping day of the year? If I were them, I would have sacked every single person involved with the reorg of their website months ago and started again from scratch. I used to shop fairly regularly the JC*rew sales, but I haven't bought anything from them many moons. I've basically stopped visiting their website (until now - my Dad is very picky about his sweaters, though he's probably not aware JC*rew exists). I'm sure I'm not the only one.

6:34 p.m. - Dec. 02, 2008

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name game

A colleague of mine had a child recently, and he gave the kid 5 names. I personally think that's great. I've always been a little troubled by my desire that my kids have both my last name and my imaginary husband's, but also have a fun middle name, and not hyphenate. For some reason, it never really occurred to me that three names need not be a limit. Why not have four? And so, that dilemma is resolved. (Yes, I do spend my time thinking about things like this.)

10:37 a.m. - Dec. 02, 2008