Well Happy New Year

Happy New Year All!

Have you ever been at a seminar or some training session where you are asked to tell about a good customer service experience? I have had this type of opportunity several times and each time I think really hard, knowing that I have had some, but I struggle to name one in particular. Well, two nights ago, I was getting ready to go out to dinner with the fam for the first evening of our family Christmas/New Years party celebration extravaganza. You may recall that on that day I had no luck in obtaining a Wii system for our get-together. So I am getting ready to go to dinner when I get a phone call from an Illinois number. Hesitantly, I answer the phone.

On the other end is a gentleman calling from Family Video. He says that the company has some sort of internet tool set up that informs them when Family Video is named on the internet somewhere. So he found himself on my blog reading about my desire to bring a Wii to the family extravaganza. And so I am thinking to myself, "ok, who is pranking me now?" The gentleman says that he read back on my blog and it seemed like I was a decent guy and he wanted to help. (Now, I don't know if any of you have seen Seven Pounds, but if you did, and I tell you that I just went to see that movie the other day, you might understand why I interject that particular fact here.) He says that he wants to try to get a Wii for me for the party. "You're kidding!" I say. He tells me that he had a bit of a hard time tracking me down as I don have any contact information on this blog but through some investigation he was able to track me down. Sure enough, he has someone out buying a Wii to rent to me that night. He asks me if I'll be around for a little while because he doesn't want to promise it until he knows the system is in the store. I say I'll be around and he says he'll call back.

What organization has ever gone that far out of their way to make your day? Unreal. I am still disbelieving until he calls back on a conference call with the manager from the local Family Video. They tell me to stop in when I can and that they'll "take care of me" which, apparently, means that they will go out, but a Wii, give it to me for free for two nights along with several games (also comped) and that they won't even ask for a deposit. Unreal! So as you know, if you have seen me in the past few days, this story is about all I want to tell. I told my fam that I was absolutely taken aback that they would go out of their way to make my day, but then I also recounted the fact that I had never been to another store where they gave me a tour of the place the first time I came in. Seriously, the first time I came in to that store, I was walked around the place and told where to find the best deals, the best movies, and how to save an extra buck here and there. All around, what an impressive organization. Well, next time you are asked about an amazing customer service experience, you now have a story to tell.

So needless to say, we had a blast at the family Christmas extravaganza yesterday. I think I ate more food than any human should eat in one day.

If you have read Elizabeth's facebook status, you know that we had our doctors appointment today to see if she would be induced into labor tonight. Notice that I am sitting here blogging and not hanging out in a hospital room... she is not being induced. Yes, apparently her ASVU's are at 13 rather than the low 7.43 that we were looking at on Tuesday. That is a relief because that means no induced labor (and the C-section that would accompany it) and we are back to the waiting game. I had totally prepared myself to be in the hospital tonight and figured that by tomorrow night, I would be a daddy. I had psyched myself up and was so ready. I still am but now I am a bit more restless because it is back to anybody's guess as far as when the baby will come.

No ultrasound pictures this time though we did see the baby's nose, which looked like a pig's snout from the angle we saw! So lets just say that 'monkey' may not be that far off the mark.

Well, I should run. Gotta get some sleep. Who knows, might be a daddy soon!

Family Video...
living the dream!