READ THE FINE PRINT
YOU GOTTA HAVE A GIMMICK
Do you remember the musical "Gypsy?" One of the showstoppers that stands out in my mind was the number, "You gotta have a gimmick."

Gypsy (1962) directed by Mervyn LeRoy, music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Natalie Wood as Louise 'Gypsy Rose Lee' Hovick, Betty Bruce as Tessie Tura, Faith Dane as Mazeppa, Roxanne Arlen as Electra

"If you wanna bump it, Bump it wid a trumpet."

The three burlesque performers show the novice how to get attention, each one has something special that really fascinates the audience! And boy, did that work!!

So it is too in the retail world, you gotta have a gimmick, and if you are not careful you can be sucked in.

That's what happened to me recently.

THE FINE PRINT
I have a favorite sportswear store down here in Florida and even though I've been here for almost two months I just didn't get there until recently.

What finally got me to Bealls was an ad in Saturday's newspaper featuring a $10.00 off coupon after you spend $50.00.


Image Courtesy Bealls

I thought to myself, "I shouldn't have any trouble finding what I like at the store, they have name brands that I know will fit me. Happy day, I'll go, have fun and save $10.00!!

Well, let me tell you, it wasn't easy.

Most of the sportswear was made abroad. Size "large" was skimpy - size "x-large" was a little to large but after trying on a number of items I finally found a few things that fit properly.

Before I went to check out I totaled my items and still needed to buy a few more items to have them add up to qualify for the $10.00 discount.

By the time I got through I was exhausted and spent more than the $50.00.

After the cashier rung up my sale I questioned her because I saw she didn't take of the discounted amount!

Oh, she said, "you have to come back on Tuesday or Wednesday, make a purchase and THEN you get the "$10.00 Bealls Bucks."

Oh, Holy Cow - I wasn't going to put myself through that again.

Like I said earlier, "You gotta have a gimmick." That store sure has one!!

What I learned from that experience is, be careful, if it sounds to good to be true there must be a catch.

Be sure to read the fine print!

BONUS:

NatalieWood as Gypsy Rose Lee Gypsy










posted by Unknown @ 7:51 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 7 comments

 
My Week at the Movies
Since I have been down here in Florida I have seen four movies - the theaters are a stones throw from where I live, price of a ticket for a senior is $5.00.

There is also a nearby Temple that shows movies every Wednesday afternoon at no cost and the ones I have seen so far are films about seniors.

The capacity of the room is six hundred people and would you believe the room fills up quickly so for a movie that starts at 1:30 I plan on getting there no later than 1:00.

I think there are a number of reasons so many people attend the movies at the Temple:

The location
The subject matter
The afternoon showing
There is no charge
AND they serve beverages and cookies

I'm especially interested in seeing the films they show because they are usually about seniors, take place in foreign countries and and not the silly or cops and robber type that come out of Hollywood.

Last week I saw the film "Elsa and Fred." It was funny, sad and heart warming.

When the retired seventy-seven years old hypochondriac widower Fred moves to an apartment in Madrid, his daughter has an incident with his next door neighbor, the elder Argentinean Elsa. Later they meet each other and Elsa seduces Fred with her reckless behavior and they have a romance.

Fred is a reserved gentleman and Elsa is far from reserved. She's an attractive eighty-two year old senior, believes in enjoying life every minute and helps Fred get on with his life and he learns a thing or two from his lively neighbor!!

The Descendants
How can anything starring George Clooney be anything but good! - The story, the actors, the Hawaiian islands made for a sad/funny film which I enjoyed very much.



Even appreciated George in his Hawaiian shirts!!

My Week With Marilyn
The actors in the film were all great, especially Michelle Williams who was wonderful as Marilyn Monroe.



I felt that the content was repetitious and the movie was way too long.

I especially liked the character of the young man who played the part of an assistant and had a big crush on Marilyn.

War Horse
To put it in a nutshell the actors were great, the horse was wonderful but the war scenes were too much.



Have you seen any good movies?










posted by Unknown @ 7:21 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 10 comments

 
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SNOWBIRD
I could write about the movies, the shows, the places I have eaten, or the Mah Jongg games that I have been enjoying, but instead, I have decided to tell you about an ordinary day that I had today.

HOT AND COLD
Since I've been here in Florida, it's been an unusually warm December.

January is different!!

This morning it was cold and windy, had to put the heat on! That's why I pack turtle neck jerseys and long johns.

I needed some groceries, but didn't feel like parading through my favorite big supermarket. Instead, I elected to go to a nearby small market that carries lots of ethnic goodies.

Before I left the house I got my cold clothes together and prepared for the cold. Little did I know that at 1:00 pm the sprinklers are on and I had to dash between the water until I made it to my car!!

That's when I got my exercise for the day!

GOODIES WITH A SMILE?
To my pleasant surprise they have enlarged the store. It now carries a larger inventory of specialties that appeal to me. For example, they now carry a yogurt cultured semisoft part-skim cheese that I love and can not find that type of cheese up North. As a matter of fact I'm having it right now on some crackers and enjoying them with a gin and tonic with a slice of lime.

Yum!!

The market was very busy, you have to take number and wait your turn. It's worth the wait because there is a lot going on between the salespeople and the customers.

The gentleman before me was just finishing his order and when the clerk asked him if there was anything else he could do for him, the customer said, "I'd like a smile."

The salesperson had absolutely no response.


Store Clerk by Brian Fountain CC BY

The customer persisted and said again, "I'd like a smile."

By this time the clerk's face was turning sour just like the pickles I bought.

No way was he going to smile!!

The wagons they have in this store are the type that you can not take out of the store. It so happens that I bought a lot of goodies and needed help with getting the bundles to my car.

Well they have a "floor walker" that is not a smiler either.

As a matter of fact I would say he's a grouch. and if you need help with the groceries he will take them out to your car for you. He's not happy about it but does it.

Now that the store has more business than ever, people are buying more and need that service.

He's not a happy camper.

I'll be watching to see what happens.

Maybe he'll quit.

Maybe they will hire extra help.

Maybe they'll hire someone who knows how to smile.

Now I'm going to finish my gin and tonic, have more cheese and crackers, and get ready for an ordinary evening at home!!

posted by Unknown @ 4:47 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 5 comments