The amazing thing about the Yarn Harlot is that she is totally inside my brain. Well, not the part about hating teeth, I find teeth quite incredible and intriguing and I actually made a Tooth Fairy costume for my daughter when she was 4…
But everything else.
I have just finished her book, The Amazing Thing About the Way It Goes, and it’s true, I laughed, I cried, I marveled at her talent, I laughed and cried some more… AND, she made me feel like a total piker about this blog and writing and just getting it done. So, good on ya, Stephanie! Convicted. Chastened. And at the same time, with the same words, slightly convinced that I need not write another word, because she will do it for me…
Naaaaaaah.
Because I’ve been itching to find a place to write down how I feel about Amazon and John Travolta.
John Travolta, Scientology celebrity, stood up at the Oscars the other night and absolutely butchered the name of a very talented singer. She’s not a nobody, or a newcomer, and her name isn’t that difficult to say. He managed the rest of the introduction just fine, and then said a name that bore, really, very little resemblance to Idina Menzel. “Adele Dazeem”??? C’mon!
(Luckily, Ellen was quick to mention her actual name immediately after the song).
Twitter erupted with humorous one-liners, AdeleDazeem became a Twitter ID with thousands of followers, and the media covered it the next day… But Travolta basically just said he was “beating (him)self up about it” but then decided to “Let It Go!” Oh, hahahaha.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED. What would be wrong with Travolta giving some kind of explanation?… I was too vain to wear my glasses. I was drunk. My super Scientology mind isn’t all that super. The teleprompter was wrong. SOMETHING. But no. Radio silence. No explanation.
Similarly, I pre-ordered my copy of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s new book from Amazon as soon as I knew I could. (January 2, to be exact). I was thrilled to have a new book by the Yarn Harlot coming out, as I basically worship her, and want to read every word she writes ASAP.
March 4 – Hooray! the book will be here today, or at least tomorrow, right? Well, no. “Not Yet Shipped” – ??? Why not?
Contacted Customer Service. Got some guy who put me on hold twice to “see what’s going on.” He came back and said I’d definitely have the book sometime between the 7th and the 11th, and sent me two (2) emails saying:
“I can confirm that we will your order in time to be delivered to you by March 7, 2014 -March 11, 2014 .“
I wasn’t particularly impressed or convinced by that message. (He spoke just as clearly as he typed, too.)
Then, at 4:15 a.m. the next morning, I got the email saying they were “still trying to obtain” the item I ordered on January 2.
What???
AND:
“Still want it? We’ll keep on trying. To keep your order for this item open, please click the link below. Otherwise, we’ll cancel your order on April 04, 2014, if we haven’t located it by then.”
WHAT????
What part of “pre-order” doesn’t Amazon understand? And how is it that they would offer a book on pre-order and then NOT HAVE IT when the release date arrives? And why didn’t Mr. Customer Service have any info about the book actually being unavailable?
I WANT AN EXPLANATION. Don’t I deserve something other than, “Sorry, can’t send it, maybe in a month, or maybe not”?
I went to my local Barnes and Noble, and got a copy. Huh. I’m a big fan of Amazon, before this. Not so sure anymore. Sadly, I have Amazon gift card balances to use up, and lucky for them, my copy of Rachael Herron’s new book arrived today. I’m wary, though. Very wary.
Travolta, I could take or leave before he “Let It Go.” Now, I’m just gonna let him go…
In other news – Here’s my latest scarflet, my own design, done in Sweet Fiber’s Tea Leaves. Very simple design, lovely yarn – and I’m just crazy enough to voluntarily finish it with a picot bind-off. My Instagram friend who I met because of Holden will maybe think this is funny.
I love eyelets!
Yes, that’s the yarn I was using for the Yorkshire Shawl in my last post. The hard feelings were still there when I tried to pick it up again, and I decided to just frog it and make something of my own simple design. Is this how knitting designers are made?
Finished my Swirl, and wore it to Stitches West. Was chatting with a lady at a booth where there were about 30 Swirls on a rack for several minutes before I realized I was talking to Sandra McIver!!! What a charming, warm, and wonderful person!
Sandra McIver, Swirl Genius, on the right!
See, when her next book comes out, I’m gonna want to pre-order – maybe I’ll go to B&N. Amazon, you hurt me, and your lack of explanation makes me think you’ll just do it again. It may take a while to heal…
UptownKnitting 