The Internet is home to a labyrinth of coupon and deal websites and services, and I thought I was familiar with most of the best of them. That was until I found Fab.
Fab is a unique version of the deal/coupon website, driven by good design (their mission). I came across the site by happenstance. I ordered a poster from LivingSocial (a well-known, mostly app-driven deal site) and the order was fulfilled and delivered by Fab. I didn't know that these services intermingled... Turns out that's kind of a like a bait and bait, instead of a bait and switch. There is no switch. Only more things to like...
Actually, since learning about Fab, I've paid more attention to what they're selling than what GroupOn or LivingSocial or Hautelook have because the organization of the website and app is cleaner and easier to use and the items for sale are generally more interesting to me because they're things I may not have otherwise found on my own. I like that.
For example, I bought a Goorin Brothers hat. These are fantastic, American-made, well-designed hats. I remembered liking them quite a bit when I visited their store in San Francisco two summers ago, but I didn't have the funds to splurge on a hat at the time. Fab brought the hats to me and, at a good price, I found a cloche I liked.
Another benefit in contrast to the other deal sites I mentioned above? The "flash sales" are a little longer. There's a little less pressure to "buy now!" and I can think through a purchase and how it will fit in my life. That's really great, considering Fab offers some really terrific options on modern-styled furniture that, honestly, I wouldn't want to get on an impulse buy... If you're giving me a good product, give me the time to make a good decision. Fab does, and they're expanding their market because of it.
So now comes my customer service story... I received a $10 credit (like a coupon) from Fab to use by Valentine's Day. I was excited about having a chance to get a little something special, so I took my time to peruse the shops, marked a few favorite items, and eventually decided to purchase the Aviary Table Lamp.* (Those of you who know me well will not find this to be a surprise at all... haha.) I was excited to include this lovely lantern in my office.
The lamp arrived, I assembled it, and plugged it in. No light. I tried another plug. No light. I tried another light bulb. No light. I tried more plugs and more light bulbs, and still no light.
I wrote to Fab to let them know that I was disappointed and that I wanted instructions on how to return the lamp for another one, or how to process a refund. They wrote back (within two hours) apologizing for my sad experience and promising to help me remedy it. The person signed with their name.
They wrote back again to say that I should keep the lamp and that they were going to send me a replacement, no questions asked. (!) Again, the person signed with their name. In my mind, I know that this is a large company, but because the person signed with their name, the personal touch made me feel like this person was taking charge of my problem and addressing it, making sure that it would be resolved, as though he were an extension of myself, solving the problem how I would solve it for myself. This is good customer service. This is the personalization businesses are missing in the 21st century.
I got the lamp yesterday morning, assembled it, and plugged it in. Light! A beautiful bird lantern! I was thrilled. It's in my office now, replacing a tired old glass lamp I had. The lantern's design updates the space considerably and I'm pleased with the amount and color of the light.
Fab went the extra mile to satisfy my needs. I'm pleased that I have a working lantern. I'm not sure what I'll do with the other one. (Maybe give it to my engineer boyfriend to look at.) But I have a working product. This all took place within ONE WEEK.
So thank you, Fab, for making my shopping and even problem resolution experience such a positive moment in time. Thanks for taking the time to not stress me out. Thanks for taking responsibility for the problem and fixing it.
Fab, you rock.
*Note that I bought this before I lost my job. Le sigh. My purchases are few and only of necessity these days.
Tuesday, February 26
Spring Thaw Ten Miler--my longest race to date!
Saturday the 23rd was 36º and gray as gray can be. It was even threatening to rain. (Yuck. I think cold rain is just about the worst weather in the world.) But we gathered for the Spring Thaw Ten, Fifteen, or Twenty Miler. Runners got to choose what distance they were up for; you didn't have to decide before the race started.
However, I knew that I would be running ten miles. It was on my half marathon training program. I also had never run ten miles before... Only seven to that point. So this would be a challenge. Was I up for it?
Earlier in the week I had a little issue with my shoes. My Brooks Adrenalines have about 400 miles on them and have only recently started giving me little shin splints. I ordered a pair of Saucony Guides over a month ago, but the store hadn't called me, so I went to the store to find out what the problem was. Turns out no one ordered them. The store owner felt so bad that she let me buy a pair of last year's model, the 5, so that when my 6s come in I can just swap them out. I was glad to have another pair of shoes, but I was also nervous to try them for such a long run... especially since I hadn't ever run that long before.
Thursday I ran five miles on the treadmill in these shoes. Not bad. I didn't hurt from them, so that's nice. I was still nervous about the race, so I put my SuperFeet insoles into the Guide 5s to help them have a more "worn in" feeling. That did the trick.
My first five miles in the race I ran without stopping. I slowed down for hills a little, but that's not unusual. I crossed the five mile line at exactly 1:00! Five miles an hour! I felt wonderful and was excited that I felt good enough to keep going.
I made it to seven and a half miles and I started feeling a little weird (dizzy/nauseous), so I slowed down and actually came to a complete stop at one of the aid stations. I joked with the ladies there that I felt it was very considerate of me to *not* pass out. They laughed in agreement. I had been taking the sports drink at every station and took gels when they were offered, so I'm not sure why I felt like that, but I'm glad I rested to get my wits about me.
Once I felt more like myself, I continued running. The ninth mile I mostly walked because I had a cramp in my left calf that wouldn't go away. It felt like someone stabbing me. I met another gal and started talking with her. She jogged with me to the finish line--how nice was that?! :)
I crossed the finish line at 2:08:29. I felt like my legs were gelatinous, and I definitely needed to eat something, but I was thrilled with my finish. I was so happy! I did it!
I went home and rested completely on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon. I started feeling stiff so I iced my legs. I got a little worried that I was hurt, but I decided that I would wait and see before I got worried. It's now three days later and I feel fine, so I'm delighted that I'm not hurt. I still have some minor soreness and aches, but it's nothing I haven't felt before.
I've got a PR to beat now! I also know that adding another three miles means I can meet my goal of a half marathon! It's in May, so I have more time to train and get stronger, but I'm really thrilled with how this race went since it felt like a real test of my strength and ability.
Friday, February 22
Safe Strides: Self Defense for Women Runners (by Pittsburgh Marathon)
Last night women packed into Bakery Square to hear self-defense expert Craig Douglas discuss a topic we all know about, but frequently want to ignore... because it's uncomfortable and makes us uneasy... and it's scary. Douglas talked about women being attacked while running.
Pittsburgh Marathon has held some really stellar sessions for participants over the past few weeks. I attended the injury prevention clinic in January and the nutrition clinic earlier this month. (I didn't get to blog it in a timely fashion because of life events that came up.) There is an excellent blog post over at InsideUPMC covering the main topics from the nutrition clinic.
The self-defense event launched into the tough stuff right away with a real victim and her very, very real story.
After learning her story, we couldn't help but feel.
Feel angry or sad that it happened.
Feel angry or sad that women have to worry about these things.
Feel angry or sad that every woman--mother, grandmother, sister, friend, aunt, cousin, daughter, granddaughter--could feel threatened or be attacked at some point in her life.
The good thing is that anger and sadness can motivate us. We can feel compelled to act, to do something. As long as we don't allow ourselves to feel helpless, we can learn from what has happened and, hopefully, learn how to protect ourselves.
That's what Douglas was there to help with. Awareness, he said, is a state of flux. When we're running, we're often paying attention to multiple things--our bodies, breathing, music, worries, temperature, people we might be talking to... But we need to be aware of what's going on around us.
Pittsburgh Marathon has held some really stellar sessions for participants over the past few weeks. I attended the injury prevention clinic in January and the nutrition clinic earlier this month. (I didn't get to blog it in a timely fashion because of life events that came up.) There is an excellent blog post over at InsideUPMC covering the main topics from the nutrition clinic.
The self-defense event launched into the tough stuff right away with a real victim and her very, very real story.
After learning her story, we couldn't help but feel.
Feel angry or sad that it happened.
Feel angry or sad that women have to worry about these things.
Feel angry or sad that every woman--mother, grandmother, sister, friend, aunt, cousin, daughter, granddaughter--could feel threatened or be attacked at some point in her life.
The good thing is that anger and sadness can motivate us. We can feel compelled to act, to do something. As long as we don't allow ourselves to feel helpless, we can learn from what has happened and, hopefully, learn how to protect ourselves.
That's what Douglas was there to help with. Awareness, he said, is a state of flux. When we're running, we're often paying attention to multiple things--our bodies, breathing, music, worries, temperature, people we might be talking to... But we need to be aware of what's going on around us.
Monday, February 18
Character and Uncertainty
I'm less in shock today than I was on Friday, but I'm still reeling from losing my job. It's really difficult to process. One day you're getting up at 6 o'clock and slogging along through rush hour traffic and the next you're wide awake and 6 o'clock sobbing because you're not quite sure how things are going to work out.
Today I'm looking around at my suddenly unplanned life and trying to lay tracks where they were recently dug up. I'm trying to find strength to reclaim my own fortitude because I know it's there. I do. And those of you who've told me to take heart--thank you. When facing the shock of sudden and pervasive uncertainty, it is inherently difficult to take heart in messages that appear to completely invalidate the situation, its seriousness, repercussions, and pain... however unintended the invalidation might be... it's still invalidating and, therefore, more painful.
But I'm terrible at processing uncertainty. It's probably my greatest weakness. When it comes to planning ahead, thinking things through, and organizing, I'm your gal. I can really set things in motion and lay down a path for success. In fact, I'm convinced that is what made school so easy for me. The path was laid out--different grades with classes to take, tests to pass, papers to write. All I had to do was show up, try my best, and win the day. Frequently I did just that. It was so natural.
Now that I'm not in school (finishing grad school threw me for a loop, trust me!), things are less clearly defined. There are no definitive achievements (like diplomas or degrees or year-end grades) unless you set them for yourself. There are no organized portions of the year (like semesters and breaks) unless you organize them for yourself. There are no measured or predetermined activities unless you choose them for yourself.
This is probably why running makes so much sense to me. There are achievements, seasons, and activities and I just have to choose to take part in them and *voilà!* predictability!
But the uncertainty of life on a larger scale--the grand scheme, the big "What If," which not even running can pretend to answer--is what makes me crazy.
I like plans.
I like plans so much that yesterday I made a list of projects that I can do around the house while I'm unemployed. I like plans so much that I bookmarked a bunch of job search websites and have blocked off a few hours each morning to go a-hunting. I like plans so much that I am trying to organize and reorganize my life in order to give me solace during this time of chaos.
Today the chaos really resonates with me. It was ten years ago today that my family's house burned down. I was a senior in high school, there was a two-hour delay because of a sparkling blanket of snow covering the school district, and I met up with a photographer to have my senior portraits taken. Those portraits are the last moments of "normal" or "calm" that I remember. After that, I smell smoke, I see soot and burned memories, and I feel hurt so deep it rocked my core.
That was ten years ago. Since then, my family has overcome many more tough times. Maybe none matching the magnitude of losing your home to fire, but certainly tough times attributable to personalized suffering through myriad pain. Most families have, but I tend to think that my family is tougher than most. I don't care if that's a little egotistical. We're hardy.
So I know I'll come out on top. I know I'll find some other job. I know I'll take uncertainty, whip it into my own personal mold, and eat it for breakfast one day. I know I can do it. I just might need you, my friends, to remind me once in awhile.
Today I'm looking around at my suddenly unplanned life and trying to lay tracks where they were recently dug up. I'm trying to find strength to reclaim my own fortitude because I know it's there. I do. And those of you who've told me to take heart--thank you. When facing the shock of sudden and pervasive uncertainty, it is inherently difficult to take heart in messages that appear to completely invalidate the situation, its seriousness, repercussions, and pain... however unintended the invalidation might be... it's still invalidating and, therefore, more painful.
But I'm terrible at processing uncertainty. It's probably my greatest weakness. When it comes to planning ahead, thinking things through, and organizing, I'm your gal. I can really set things in motion and lay down a path for success. In fact, I'm convinced that is what made school so easy for me. The path was laid out--different grades with classes to take, tests to pass, papers to write. All I had to do was show up, try my best, and win the day. Frequently I did just that. It was so natural.
Now that I'm not in school (finishing grad school threw me for a loop, trust me!), things are less clearly defined. There are no definitive achievements (like diplomas or degrees or year-end grades) unless you set them for yourself. There are no organized portions of the year (like semesters and breaks) unless you organize them for yourself. There are no measured or predetermined activities unless you choose them for yourself.
This is probably why running makes so much sense to me. There are achievements, seasons, and activities and I just have to choose to take part in them and *voilà!* predictability!
But the uncertainty of life on a larger scale--the grand scheme, the big "What If," which not even running can pretend to answer--is what makes me crazy.
I like plans.
I like plans so much that yesterday I made a list of projects that I can do around the house while I'm unemployed. I like plans so much that I bookmarked a bunch of job search websites and have blocked off a few hours each morning to go a-hunting. I like plans so much that I am trying to organize and reorganize my life in order to give me solace during this time of chaos.
Today the chaos really resonates with me. It was ten years ago today that my family's house burned down. I was a senior in high school, there was a two-hour delay because of a sparkling blanket of snow covering the school district, and I met up with a photographer to have my senior portraits taken. Those portraits are the last moments of "normal" or "calm" that I remember. After that, I smell smoke, I see soot and burned memories, and I feel hurt so deep it rocked my core.
That was ten years ago. Since then, my family has overcome many more tough times. Maybe none matching the magnitude of losing your home to fire, but certainly tough times attributable to personalized suffering through myriad pain. Most families have, but I tend to think that my family is tougher than most. I don't care if that's a little egotistical. We're hardy.
So I know I'll come out on top. I know I'll find some other job. I know I'll take uncertainty, whip it into my own personal mold, and eat it for breakfast one day. I know I can do it. I just might need you, my friends, to remind me once in awhile.
Friday, February 15
How to Change Your Life in Two Easy Steps
This week completely changed my life. How? you ask. Two easy steps.
- Have a sister with epilepsy who is having brain surgery.
- Lose your job.
There you go! That's it. Simple, right? Don't ask me for the details because there are none! You just have a sister with brain surgery and then show up at work to learn you're done! Easy stuff.
So my life is completely and 100% different now than it was Monday morning.
Happy Friday!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)