does this lady actually think?
that I am that god damn stupid? Here is the story…
I read books by a fantasy novelist called Mercedes Lackey. There is a company in Oregon that specializes in books, music and other creative things based on books by Mercedes and other fantasy/scifi writers. They are called Firebird Arts & Music. When I was a teenager, I nearly foamed at the mouth to be able to have my parents order from this company. I loved getting clothes with Companions(the horse like creature). We ordered from this company several times with success, shipping was always good, customer service was always good.. then one year.. I do believe it was for to be around Christmas of my 16th year.. my father had preordered works in progress.. a music CD based on the Last Herald Mage series(that fey looking man on the horse in the previous picture aka Vanyl), and the Valdemar Companion(which had then a release date of Dec1994).. which ironically that last picture was of the Valdemar Companion and which was JUST released late 2002. Needless to say, the works in progess were pushed back more and more, and then finally I forgot about them, my dad forgot about them WAY before I did.. they never showed up, I never asked for anything from Firebird again.
Recently, I recieved a mailing card from Firebird Arts promoting Mercedes new book Exile’s Honor. Now, keep in mind I have not heard or seen any kind of catalogue from these people since 1994. So my dad asks me about if there is anything I would want from there for Christmas.. I remind him of the previous shopping experience from there.. but he goes ahead and orders 4 cds and Exile’s Honor for me.
Now.. This order was placed on December 16th.. the order was processed on December 17th. In all reality, the LATEST this order would have been shipped should have been December 18th… Now I realize that it takes a little while for things to come from the States to Canada.. but this is the deal.. From approximate mailing on the 18th till today January 8th.. there were 15 possible shipping days. This is figuring in Sundays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Years Day here in Canada. My mother, can ship a box to me on a Monday, and I would recieve it the following Tuesday or Wednesday.. That’s a total of 7-8 shipping days.. crossing the border, etc.. etc.. BY NORMAL SNAIL MAIL… We can order from businesses in the States online or by phone, and it gets to us within 7 shipping days with no problems.. Victoria’s Secret, amazon.com.. the list goes on..
As of right now.. we have NO idea where this near $100 order from Firebird Arts is. So I emailed the lady that runs it, and explained the situation.. and I asked her HOW it was shipped so I could follow up on that end and see where it might be.. and all she responded to my email was this:
[i]Mail to Canada has been awful this year.
Between the paranoia, new postal regulations, and having to run every
package that crosses the border through x-ray machines and bomb sniffing
dogs, everything has been delayed. I’ll check on the order in the morning.
[/i]
I’m sorry what? *L* I don’t fucking think so lady. If you follow the new postal regulations (which to my knowledge are cleaner packaging, precise addressing, and customs ID forms), things ship smoothly and on time. They don’t have to be sniffed out for bombs by dogs*L* The most they will do is randomly Xray packages.. and as for paranoia? That’s mostly Stateside, due to the media. So.. I sit here patiently waiting to hear back about the status of my father’s order.. more than 98% sure he’s been screwed by this company AGAIN.
January 9th, 2003 at 3:55 am
Hey, Kid… I went to Firebird’s website. As I’m sure you are obviously aware, they only have a PO Box listed and not a street address which makes me think it’s a small home based business. Since this is a local call for me, would you like to see if I could follow up on this for you? Or do a drive-by… or… or… toilet paper that house?
January 9th, 2003 at 4:37 am
they’ve been in business for AGES(to my knowledge LEAST 11 years.. i started reading M.Lackey when I was about 13) which obviously they have to be doing enough buisness to stay IN business… also.. i can guarentee MOST of the authors and FILK artists on that site, wouldn’t let their names and products be associated in a poor business.. especially Mercedes Lackey.. she’s a tough old bird about her media. I still haven’t heard back from the lady who runs it.. who if i remember correctly is also a well known FILK artist and editor.. I’m not exactly sure if they have some sort of warehouse or if it truely is run out of Teri’s basement or not.. I’m emailing her again in the morning for an update she was supposed to give me today.. If I get fucked on this again, I will make it known to many people who run in those circles of what a shoddy job is being done.