Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!

It came, it really worked!

Several months ago, I took a survey from - I think it was Elsevier, the scientific publisher? It was a fairly involved survey, and they said we would receive a "gift certificate" to somewhere in return for our efforts.

Well, first off they said they were going to give me a $75 Hallmark certificate - which is nice enough, I suppose, but as I buy maybe six cards in a year it would take me forever to use it up.

Then they changed the terms - would a $75 Amazon certificate be OK?

Would it be OK? Obviously they have not seen my wishlist on there. Of course it's OK!

So they said, "Expect it in 4 to 6 weeks."

And you know? I didn't quite believe it. I thought, yeah, they can claim that, but it won't actually happen. Something will come up, the offer will expire, it will turn out the fine print will say it was actually a DRAWING and I didn't win.

But mirabile dictu, it came last night.

I could not believe it. For someone who doesn't buy scratch off tickets, this is seriously as close as I come to winning the lottery.

I thought for a moment (but just a moment) and then went and used it up - so it wouldn't expire or get lost or anything.

What did I buy? Something off my wishlist, and something nicer than something I already had on my list.

From the wishlist: The first season of Campion. Because I love the Campion stories, and I love, love, love Peter Davison. (I still want the second series, but maybe I'll save my pennies and get that at a later date). I look forward to spending some cozy January evenings at home, knitting and watching Campion.

The other thing: a 5-CD box set of all of Django Reinhart's early work Something I've been missing and wanting in my collection.

(And yes, I realize: I got a gift certificate to "the world's biggest bookstore" and neither item I bought was a book. Well, I asked for a lot of books for Christmas...)

AND because I have the "Prime" option, they should be here Monday or Tuesday at no shipping charge.

So, I got two very very nice things that I had been wanting for nothing, all for doing an online survey. I really do feel a bit like I won the lottery.

(I love Amazon so much. It makes my life so much better, living in a town without a real bookstore or a video store with a large selection. And the Amazon Prime option is totally worth it to me. I have saved myself the cost in time and gas of having to drive to Sherman to look for something I needed (or even merely wanted) many a time thanks to it.)