I've Got Your Sign Right Here, Buddy

Sometimes the best thing to do before sending a reply email (especially to a Visio "network diagram" without any connecting lines AT ALL) is to take a series of deep breaths and a little zone out break. What perfect timing to receive a bonus freebie email from Ticketmaster! That's right, Ticketmaster; the same evil empire that has been sucking greenbacks from our pockets since we were old enough to sneak out to a Martika concert, now wants to give me something in return. Finally! All those years of begrudgingly kowtowing to their ticket hostage holding demands is about to pay off!

Guess what I got in return for decades worth of $15 handling fees and service charges on $18 tickets?! If you guessed "a free ticket to see Tesla in Times Square" then you'd be absolutely wrong! It was a free standing room only ticket to see Tesla in Times Square!

I'm pretty sure that even in the 80's high-hair hey day I wouldn't have braved the humidity and potential grounding on a weekday, but it's always flattering to get a little "thank you" from the big, bloodletting corporations. Like when Starbucks sent me a Low Stars CD as a thank you for years of daily patronage? Now that's just good business.

Possibly the best part of the whole transaction is that I not only forwarded the Ticketbastardmaster thank you offer to some friends in NY (not to mention, I linked to it in the title for all you lucky ducks who are willing to shell out $1.50 in service charges to see a free show -- enter code SIGNS into special offers box), but when I proceeded to enjoy my zone out break by filing in the ticket request form, I got the most apropos word verification since Scott's blog demanded I submit the letters "drgQwe3n".