Double Journey

Like any good obsession, I’m watching very closely where my TV currently is. Unfortunately for me, my TV started all the way on the other side of the country in Harrisburg, PA. It is slowly (very slowly) making its way across the country to me. It currently resides in Columbus, Ohio, where it is resting before continuing its journey westward to L.A.

TV is “estimated to arrive” on June 11th, which gives it another week to make the rest of the journey. This is most definitely one of the reasons to buy your TV in a brick and mortar star, instant gratification. I’ve already paid for the TV, I would like to be enjoying it right about now, but I wait. Considering I got it for almost $1000 off MSRP, I suppose its worth the week+ wait, but it isn’t easy.

I decided to pull the trigger on my big screen TV purchase and have discovered one of the better under-publicized features of Amazon, their 30 day price guarantee. One of the anxieties of buying any big ticket electronic is that prices are always dropping and you just know it is going to drop the minute after you make your purchase. There wasn’t a more perfect example of this than this. More on that in a minute.

On Friday, Amazon showed that it had my TV in stock. Funny enough, they delayed the “In Stock” date yet again the day after my original post about Amazon teasing me. So I had to wait another day before I felt comfortable ordering it. I got in on Friday morning to see that they were showing the item in stock, so I decided to go through with the purchase and just order it. I wanted to get the TV as soon as possible since the NBA finals will be starting on Thursday, and the Lakers are in it. It is going to be a classic match up between Los Angeles and Boston so I wanted to catch as much of it as I could on the new TV.

I ordered the TV at about 10:00 a.m. PST. The price of the TV when I ordered it was $2368.86. I felt fairly comfortable with the price and truth be told I would have been happy to pay that amount. But wouldn’t you know it. I obsessively checked the status of my order at noon and noticed that the price had dropped more than $50 to $2313.96. I could only laugh as I found the whole thing pretty amusing. You expect the price to drop sometime after you buy it, and that’s just life. There is no point in always holding out for a lower price because you will never get what you want. But dropping by $50 just two hours after you have bought it? Now that’s just irony.

Now I have read that Amazon has some pretty sophisticated albeit strange pricing algorithms. It could very well be that my purchasing of the TV actually caused the price of the item to go down. As the margins on these TVs are pretty good, and I’m sure they don’t sell them in as much quantity as say a DVD, it is very likely that my actions had an affect on the price, and therefore the price dropped. Of course this would fly in the face of traditional supply-and-demand principles, but who am I to tell them not to give consumers a better deal?

However, Amazon has a 30 day price guarantee that is good until 30 days after the item is shipped (my item hasn’t even shipped yet so I think I’m getting an even longer window). All you have to do is go to the customer service screen which should list all your recent orders. You should be able to click on a button to e-mail customer service. If you e-mail them with the price that you saw listed on Amazon, they will refund you the difference with a credit to your credit card.

But it gets better. You can do this as often as you like in your 30 day window. Quite literally, another 3 hours later, the price dropped yet again to $2286.86, a total of $82 less than my original purchase price. I e-mailed them again to get the new price difference and yet again they credited me the money.

Wait, it still gets better. There is absolutely no hassle about it. It really couldn’t be any easier or faster. Each time I got a pretty standard response saying they looked at it, and they agreed they had it at a lower price, and they would credit my credit card the amount. And they did this all within a few hours after my inquiry (even though today is a Saturday).

So far, so good. Now all I need is for the TV to show up …

I’m pretty much decided on the TV I want. I’m going to get the 50″ Panasonic. Now if I could only order the stupid thing.

I want to order from Amazon for numerous reasons. First off, they offer the TV at a great price. Second, I don’t have to pay tax or shipping. Finally, they have a pretty liberal return policy if for some reason I don’t like the TV. So that being said, I’ve waited patiently for them to have the TV in stock. They recently put up an “in stock” date of May 28. Well staring two days ago, they have moved the date one day later each of the last two days.

It reminds me of a problem I’m dealing with at work. We for some reason have an issue with hitting dates. We will set a date for some deliverable, not meet that date, set the date again, and still not hit that date. That is a big problem (and one I’m working to address). Here is the thing. When it comes to deadlines, if you have to slip, you slip only once. The next time you set a date, you better be damn sure you can hit the date or don’t provide a date at all.

So here I am, sitting and waiting for them to get the TV in stock. The current release date is “May 30″ but I know tomorrow they are going to move it to “May 31″.

I used to buy cheap furniture. I was young, and didn’t have much money, and didn’t really think nice furniture was all that important. However, I recently turned the corner. Not sure if it has more to do with age or with my income. Probably both.

I bought a media console pictured similar to above. I bought it to match the TV that I will eventually get. In times past, I would have just found a nice cheap piece of furniture that would have sufficed to do its job of holding my TV. However, I figured I was about to spend a fair amount of money on my TV and figured it needed an equally nice stand. It’s made of real wood, a far cry from the Ikea furniture I’m used to.
The odd thing is that I have always believed in buying quality items. Growing up, my family bought the best we could afford despite the fact we didn’t have much money. My mother would always tell me that in the long run, buying something of quality would save you money because you wouldn’t have to replace it.

I’ve done the same strategy with stocks. I’ve only bought a few dozen stocks in my life. For the most part, I’ve bought companies which are considered high quality, companies with long histories of strong earnings. Since they are of higher quality, I don’t replace them often. Almost all the stocks in my current portfolio I have owned for over two years. It is especially good in times like this when the markets are shaky.

I’ve debated a long time over what type of TV to get. As I said in an earlier post about my which HDTV I want to get, I’ve gone back and forth. For a long time, I was sold on a Sony SXRD television. It has great picture quality and is more affordable than the flat panels at the very large screen sizes. As I never plan on hanging my TV, it was a logical choice.

But because Sony decided to move away from that technology I looked elsewhere. The obvious choice was LCD. LCDs are much more popular than Plasma TVs. I’ll be the first to say the probably look better in the store because they are much brighter than your general plasmas and thus a person’s eye is drawn to them. They also tend to be lighter (and thus easier to hang) and use less energy. But I tend to think those are secondary considerations for most people. For a long time, they were the only choice under 42″. Most people would buy those as most people are not in the market for a TV bigger than that.

For me, it came down to a few things. The most important thing by far was how good the picture looked to me. Like most, I was drawn to those big bright screens at my local Best Buy. But after watching a few LCDs in dark rooms, I realized there is such a thing as too bright. So I went back to try and understand what makes a good picture. I like deep saturated colors and great detail. In my opinion, LCDs win in the sharpness department, but Plasmas win in the color and detail department. In the end it came down to two things for me.

• Black Levels - By the very nature of LCD technology, they can’t get as deep a black as Plasmas. This is by far the most important thing when it comes to picture quality. Think of it as the canvas by which all other colors must be painted. You want to have as clean of a canvas as you possibly can get. Most LCDs are a dark gray when the screen is completely black and it really bothers me. New LCDs are getting very close, and it is one reason I have seriously considered getting one, but they still don’t beat the best of the plasmas.
• Motion - This one too is getting close, but its not quite close enough. The main thing I watch is sports and I can see the motion blur that is inherent in LCD technology. Not everyone is sensitive to it, but I am, and it distracts me when I’m trying to watch the Lakers.

There were some other things that favored one over the other. Price was somewhat of a consideration, but only a small one. LCDs are slightly more expensive at this size. But I’m considering two TVs, the Panasonic 50PZ800U I discussed before and the Samsung LN52A650. The price is a wash between the two TVs so it doesn’t really factor.

I still haven’t bought the TV yet, so it isn’t certain that I will go with the plasma. However, I did finally see the Panasonic 50PZ800U first hand in the store today. More on that later …

I am obsessed with my imminent HDTV purchase. I find myself constantly looking for information on the TV I think I will buy, the new Panasonic 50PZ800U. It’s been a long road. I’ve been thinking about getting an HDTV for over five years, and it has never happened.

But now I’m pretty certain. The big problem is that there were just too many choices. Normally, choice is a good thing. But most people only want the illusion of choice. They really want three or four choices, anything more than that and people face decision paralysis.

So how did I come to the decision on the TV I want to buy? Here was my thought process

DLP, LCD, or Plasma? - I originally was going to buy the 60″ Sony SXRD but Sony decided to stop making them, so I started looking around for another solution. So the choice came down to an LCD or Plasma. I could go on, and I think I will in another post, about why I chose Plasma. But in the end I thought it was the best choice for me given the type of watching I do which is mainly sports.

Which brand to Buy? - There are so many to choose from. Vizio, Samsung, Panasonic, and Pioneer to name a few. Pioneer supposedly has amazing TVs in their Kuro line, but they are just too expensive for too small of a difference. Vizio is too low on the other side of the scale. So it comes down to Samsung or Panasonic. Panasonic is a little bit better reputation wise, but the Samsung Plasmas, PN50A550 and PN50A650, look to be strong competition. I may eventually swing over to the Samsung side before I buy.

How Much to Spend? - I’ll be honest, this wasn’t that important. I just wanted the best TV for the best value. I wanted something I would be happy with for ten years. Whatever price point that was was going to be how much I spent.

Which Model to Buy ? - A couple of problems here. Panasonic was coming out with new 2008 models as I was making my decision. Did I wait or buy the older models which were going on sale. In the end, I decided to wait. Might as well get the latest and greatest technology considering my criteria for keeping it for ten years. Next, I had to choose between the 85 model and the 800. I’m still out on this one. The 800 supposedly is a better picture, better sound, but I’m not so sure it is worth the extra $500. I’ve been waiting to see, but haven’t been able to find one yet.

So I find myself constantly looking for information about this set and trying to find places which have a good deal. In the end, I’m sure it won’t make that much of a difference, but just given my personality, I just want to make sure I’m very happy with my choice.

How about you? Do you have an HDTV? If so what type and you happy with it? Any advice for a first time buyer?

I was reading an article in a Money magazine and someone asked a question of when they should tell their significant other that they are wealthy.  The questioner was divorced and had a relationship after her marriage where her new boyfriend “used her” for her money and “made her” buy him expensive things.  The writer wanted to know if she should hide her wealth from someone she was getting serious with.

Now, full disclosure time, I was pretty up front with my girlfriend about my finances.  It couldn’t have been more than a few weeks before I told her what I made.  I’m not sure I told her how much I have in total for a while, but I certainly didn’t hide the fact that I had a lot of money, and I make a good amount.

But that’s not the point of this post.  I actually don’t really care how or if people tell their significant others about their finances.  I tend to think it is a good idea to because finances are so important (the #1 reason get divorced is because of a financial problem or differences)

What bothered me more than anything was the victim mentality.  How do you “let” someone use all your money?  Nobody can make you spend money on them.  They can’t reach into your pocket and force you to buy them nice things.  They may trick you into thinking they like you for some other reason than your money, but only you can actually let them spend your money.  If you think it’s going to be an issue, draw boundaries.  I only buy things for my girlfriend that I’m totally willing to give.  I wouldn’t be angry after the fact no matter what happens, because I choose to give what I want in that moment.

What do you think?  Would you feel bad if you spent lots of money on someone and then found out they were only with you for your money?

I went back to Seattle this past weekend, and one of the places I stopped was good, old, cheap Sushi Land. Actually, I went twice. Considering I only had four meals there, taking half of them at Sushi Land should tell you how much I miss the place. My two meals there came to a total of about $20 each. For that price, I was able to eat until both me and my girlfriend were quite full. Since I normally focus on nigiri rather than rolls or noodles, I’m able to eat quite cheaply. Most of the nigiri is $1.50. The one general exception is pictured to the left, the sockeye salmon.

Sitting here in bright, warm, Southern California and thinking about the sushi almost makes me want to move back. OK, maybe not.

It seems like I’ve been without Internet forever, when in reality it has only been a few days.  Even when I was on the cusp of getting it, wouldn’t you know it almost didn’t happen.  I was explaining to my friend Sandy one time how nothing ever comes easy for me.  I’m not sure why that is the case, but it’s true.  So when the cable guy came to install everything, he couldn’t find the closet where he needed to make the connection.  After much searching, and finally asking a neighbor, we found it.  But wouldn’t you know it, it was locked.  As the cable guy came late (which was annoying in itself) there was nobody in the office to actually let him in to turn the cable on.  Lucky for me, there happened to be one maintenance guy still around after hours because he was putting together some new gym equipment.  He was kind enough to let us in.

So I thought we were finally close, he would find the right cable, plug it in, and we would be on our way.  Of course, like I said, nothing comes easy.  He goes back and forth trying to get a signal, but just can’t find one.  After many attempts, we discover a cable that is not plugged in on the patio.  So we go through the whole exercise again.  Still nothing.  So we take the cover off the wall, and discover a mess of other cables.  So we try a few of those.  Finally a signal!  Two hours later, and I’m back online.  Have a lot to say, but at this point I’m tired, and going to call it a night.  I’ll resume my regular posting schedule shortly.

I love eating sushi. I didn’t always. I didn’t take my first bite of sushi until I was 24. But somewhere along the way I grew to love it. The problem with Sushi is that it is very expensive. Almost anywhere you go, sushi is going to run you about $5-$8 for two sushi pieces. This makes it prohibitive to eat very much of it very often.

I went to eat sushi for lunch today. I spent $23 for three orders of sushi (Tuna, Yellowtail, and Salmon) and a roll. This is probably pretty standard. However there is a place in Seattle called Sushi Land. I miss it. I traditionally go to the one in Redmond, and it is great. The service isn’t always the best, and they tend to be pretty inefficient when it comes to cleaning tables and seating people, but you can’t beat the overall experience.

For the exact same meal I just got at this other restaurant, I would have spent $6.50. That’s about 70% cheaper! Each of the sushi pieces would have cost me $1.50. The roll would have also cost me $1.50 (I would have had to get two roll orders at Sushi Land to equal the one I got at today’s restaurant). And here is the kicker. The sushi at Sushi Land would have actually been better. It isn’t the best sushi I have ever had, but it is definitely better than average. And for the price you can’t beat it. I can get a meal there cheaper than I can at most fast food restaurants.

Add the fact that because it is a conveyor belt system, and you can just pick your sushi off the belt without having to ask for it, and you have a great situation. You can come in and eat in a matter of about 5 minutes or less. So it’s better, cheaper, and faster than you can get at almost any other dining experience. I’ve introduced a few of my friends to this place and before I left, we use to go all the time. Rick is one of those individuals. If you really want to pay him back for developing Paint.NET, just buy him a couple of plates of the spicy tuna roll. Then again, he probably would be happier if you just donated the money.

If I could use the money for this experiment to buy a franchise, and I was at all interested in running a restaurant, I would. Then again, I might eat away all my profits