So Julie and I went to Sears grand today to get a circular saw. We are working to clean out the garage, and I have a bunch of wood I was waiting to use till I could get a saw. We had a bunch of stuff to get from Wal-Mart, but seeing a Sears Grand, we decided to check it out (it is like a Sears Super Wal-Mart).
The fact that they were taking a Wal-Mart, big box type approach frightened me. Have you ever tried to get a question answered in WallyWorld? Yeh, it's fun. And that is there angle, low prices at the expense of service. This is okay with me. I like low prices, so I shop there. I want service, I go somewhere else. This is not the approach that I want at Sears. Everyone knows that Craftsman tools are overpriced (at least to some extent). How many people have actually needed to take back a socket wrench, or a straight wrench (me, but only once, and after playing with it for hours till it broke). Their lifetime warranty makes me FEEL like I am getting a great deal. Good tools, a bit overpriced, but a lifetime warranty. The salespeople in tools are always helpful, and fun to talk to, and I enjoy shopping there. I DO NOT WANT IT TO TURN INTO WAL-MART!
I go to buy my saw (on sale, marked down $10). I brought it to the register, and it rings up $20 more than I thought it would. Checked price, different saw than the one that is on sale (14 instead of 13 amps). Julie and I walked away, not wanting to argue (we were up front, not realizing that we could check out in tools). Went back to tools, and I had them check for the one I wanted. 5 in the back. Problem was, there were none in the back. After 20 minute, and polite service from the merchandise pickup guy, I was told that I could order it, back in tools. That's cool, I have a plan. I will go to tools and ask them about the original saw that I picked up ($20 more). If they sell it to me at the same price, they have a deal (I didn't want to wait till next week to get one).
Tool guy says her doubts it, but he will check. SUCESS! I get the "better" saw, and for the same price. We do some paperwork, and I am out the door with my new saw!
What is the moral of the story?
1. Tools rule.
2. Do I need the more powerful saw? I doubt it. I am not even an amateur woodworker. I am excited because I got a good deal. Everyone wins in this scenario. The manager that approves it gets the sale, still making a sizable profit on the saw. The employee gets to be the hero, getting me a cooler saw. Sears (and the team) created a good customer service experience, alleviating my fears of their new business model.
So all and all I am excited about Sears Grand. It seems like it could getting its foot in the door to competing with Target and Wal-Mart. I still anticipate it being more akin to Target than Wal-Mart in the long run, sacrificing being the low cost leader for at least attempting to have some employees that know something about the store. Check it out for yourself...come on, you know you want a miter saw with that gallon of milk!!!
Wow...I have a blog....who knew!
Well I haven't posted in a while; I really need to practice typing. I am slow enough to where I really gotta want to post in order to get it done.
Well here is a rundown of what is going on in the Knouse House.
1. I just finished "travel season." (This is the time in the admissions world when there are about 6 weeks of college fairs and HS visits...fun, but long). I am glad to be back in my own bed, in town with my wife, etc.
2. I have been to 2 high school football games in the past month or so...more on this later.
3. Julie is doing really well in her Masters program. She has received some high praise from a couple of professors (2 or 2 classes :), and is doing some interesting research on Dyslexia. It is neat to see others recognize her talent and intellect!
4. I sold my XBOX (Yeah I know this is a shocker, but there is more). I am trying to save up for a 360. Sold the box for 125, got a gift card from AMEX for 50 (from LaQuinta!)...now I just need to raise about 200 more to justify it to myself. It is not that we are going to go to the poorhouse for buying a new box; I just feel better knowing that I did not spend Julie and I's money on it. She tutors for shopping money, so I should mow lawns for the XBOX.... (Being a grownup stinks :)
5. I discovered audible.com!!!!! Traveling so much (I put over 4000 miles on my rental car) audio books are fabulous. I have listened to...
Jarhead by Anthony Swafford
Split Second and Hour Game by David Baldacci
The Testament by John Grisham
State of Fear by Michael Crighton
Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Dark Harbor by David Hosp
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
I think that is all of them...WOW...that is a big list (most of these were unabridged). Let me know if you want a recommendation on any of these. Nothing makes you feel old like being ecstatic over a new audio book (super dorky).
I am so thankful that the wife got me an ipod before travel season, or else I would not have listened to all of these. What a great creation! Apple rules!
6. Julie and I planted some trees in the backyard. We planted an apple tree (apparently the only type that will bear fruit in this HOT climate) and a live oak (which will take a billion years to get big). It wasn't hard at all, and hopefully they will grow and live well beyond the time we have in this house (or the time that we are on earth...for the live oak).
7. We have an enclosed backyard! We wanted to wait on this till the new year for tax purposes (crazy church workers), but the back neighbors were going to pay for the back, so we talked to our side neighbor, Judy, and she agreed to split the cost of the side. I really like the fence they put up (much better than the builder's fence). It is cedar, and really well built.
8. No more cable (satellite) around here. Just too hard to justify the expense when all you really watch is ER and Lost (THE BEST SHOW ON TV). I will miss seeing the Stros on Fox sports next year, and I will have to go somewhere to see some of the TAMU games (don't get me started), but overall it will be good. That $50 is better spent in a college fund (don't ever look at the 20 year projections for private and public schools....I'm never going to have kids...WAY to expensive :) or on a XBOX 360!
9. We got a new employee in my office. Jami is our new full time office manager, and she is great. She will end up processing over 1000 applications all by herself this year, and helps me to keep my kiddos straight (what goes to who when).
10. I want to train for a half marathon, but really fell off the wagon this fall. It is really hard to keep fit on the road. I am going to get back it and shoot for a half in the spring (in the meantime Race for the Cure is coming up, and should be a lot of fun, and for a great cause). Let me know if you want more info on the Austin Race for the Cure, and how you can help/ be apart of the team!
That is about all that I have energy for right now. No one read this whole post anyways...its HUGE!
So...the two games that Julie and I went to...
Westwood at Leander, and Wimberley at Liberty Hill.
Both were a lot of fun, but for different reasons.
----------------Westwood------------------------------
Westwood was fun because one of our DEEPys plays football for WWood (Sean), and others are in the band (Ben, John, KW, JoJoD). It was enjoyable to sit with KDub and a good friend of hers, see their halftime show, etc. KDub and Katlin were funny together, dancing around and getting in trouble for sitting with Julie and me. The game did not go so well, Leander is really good, and WWood got smoked. It was played at Leander, not at RRocks $22 million stadium (Jumbotron, turf, crazy-nice bleachers), so not quite as cool a setting as it could be.
(Incidentally, I didn't think about calling a student we know that is a trainer for Leander, and man did I get in trouble for that one)
----------------Liberty Hill------------------------------
The Liberty Hill game was fun for a number of other reasons.
1. We went to see Chelsea Urban, who is drum major there (is that the right term...she waved her hands around a lot). She won Band sweetheart at the game, and it was fun to see an all star like Chelsea be recognized for being excellent! We talked to her a bit after halftime...it was fun. I yelled for her a couple of times, never wanting to miss an opportunity to embarrass her (or Paige, but more on that below).
2. We sat with Chelsea's family (mom and Paige, dad was working the concessions). I have known Paigywaigy for a couple of years now, and let me tell you....she is insane! If you ever want to hear an opinion on ANYTHING, she is your gal. If you ever want to see someone's finger catch fire for text messaging, she is your gal. If you ever want to see someone mortified of embarrassment after yelling her (or her sister's) name, she is your gal. It was a riot sitting with Paigy, and I am still laughing about the experience.
3. 3AAA football is great! We got a bit of a biased view of it, since LH and Wimberley are big rivals, but it is crazy. Everyone knows everyone, everyone seems to be really into it, everyone is there, etc. I highly recommend it. If you have a chance to come out to a game, do it. Beat 5A hands down.
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That's about all I have on the subject, Texas high school football really is wild. A great format for a number of kiddos to showcase their talents.