I have totally lost all track of time. I've entered into the Twilight Zone of too many days off and not enough to do.

Our computer upgrade is complete, no thanks to the idoits at Best Buy. Why don't they just call that place Sucky Service But Lower Prices Because We Don't Pay Our Employees Shit Which Is Why They Suck. (Too long?) Back to this later...

The sale ads this week listed both the printer I wanted and a lovely flat screen monitor at reasonable prices. Again, I'm not really a geek but I play one at work so I'm sure I've overpaid for every damned thing but I got to take it home the same day!!! I'm Instant Gratification Girl to the nth degree.

As it turned out, Office Max, where Big Boy happens to be employed (because he couldn't be rude enough for the people at Best Buy to hire him, ahem...) had the HP 1215 on sale for $299.99. It is the very one I wanted. It is the printer of my dreams. I bought it and the money-sucking extended warranty so Big Boy would get the commission. (I'm that kind of stepmom!)

Then we went to Best Buy, where they told us the ad prices didn't start till tomorrow (today) and they didn't have any in stock but expected a "big truckload" in tonight. Then walked away without even considering that I might want something else.

I'm okay at this point. The store is within walking distance of my house, so I can be back tomorrow, no problem.

Meanwhile, I hook up the bad devil little printer, take a picture with my lovely digital camera (for which I now have rechargable batteries and a 32MB more memory on a ScanDisk thanks to my cool stepkid), and print that puppy out. Right then and there I have something in my hand that looks as good as anything coming from that machine at Rite Aid.

Am I excited? Damn straight.

Only now there's the dilemma of where to put everything on our tiny built-in desk. I need the flat screen monitor now! It's a necessity.

So this morning I get up early (relatively) and make myself all squeaky clean and go to Best Buy, with ad in hand, at the very time they open. I am, unfortunately, forced to deal with the same rude individual I had spoken to the night before, but I expected that.

I also fully expected to not be able to purchase the item. I was ready.

And yet, when the Blue Shirt said, "Let me check and see if we got any of those in." I was hopeful. Were they going to be reasonable? It is the Season of Miracles after all.

Nope, they didn't have it. The closest store that might have a couple was a good 20 miles of heavily twisted and traveled backroads away. They for sure had them at two other stores - both at least an hour away.

He could not sell me the display model because he new they were getting some in - he just couldn't tell me when.

He could not have another store send it to this store because that would take more than a week and by then the SALE WOULD BE OVER!!!!!

I know from previous experience they will not let you do charge purchases over the phone.

And his supervisor backed him up on every word. (Probably afraid of him.)

So, I did a little shopping around and came out of Sam's Club not 40 minutes later with a comparable flat screen monitor, for $130 less. AND a copy of The Sims for only two bucks more than Best Buy had it on SALE for.

I know I've said this before, but this time I really mean it: If this friggin' computer blows up tomorrow, I will never go back to Best Buy. I'm cutting up my credit card.

And I filed a complaint with the State's Attorney General's office.

Later that day...

Needless to say, but I will anyway, my desk chair has the perfect imprint of my ass in it because all I've done all day is dork around with the computer.

I did manage to get all of the really important stuff off my old hard drive and onto my new one. I immediately burned a CD of all my pictures for safekeeping. (Cause I can do that now! And I have both types of blanks: data and music!)

We then packed up the old computer, monitor, printer, keyboard and mouse (but the new speakers cause the old ones are better) and Hubband hauled it over to Nana's house and dumped it on her kitchen table.

We're going to see if she can figure out how to put it together herself before we go bail her out on New Year's Day. (You have to learn somewhere!)

I should get to bed soon or I'll be unable to even straighten up!