Hair in a can

My husband has wanted to get a food saver/home vacuum packaging system for years. For the longest time, I thought this was because he was raised on a hippie commune where the children were fed granola for snacks, rather than the M&Ms I snacked on as a child. OK, maybe that is a lie. He grew up in suburb of Chicago, living in a house that had indoor plumbing and M&Ms. The granola part though, is true. He was the oldest of four boys, so the family's finances were always tight. This plus the fact that his mother was an excellent cook and liked to spend time in the kitchen, they spent a good deal of time in the summer canning jam and vegetables. When my hubby suggested we do the same, I laughed in his face. I'm sure I reminded him of the fact that I work, full time, and that I was not that kind of girl

Now that I am older and wiser, I realize this is an excellent idea. This summer, I have tried to make as many meals as possible using local foods, mainly purchased at the Clintonville farmer's market. I have gotten so used to fresh items, I am having panic attacks thinking about these food sources drying up over the winter. So, we have been discussing buying a food saver as well as a food dehydrator. The most recent discussion occurred over dinner last night. My son, Toph (nickname from birth, short for Christopher, origin unknown), who is very creative wondered aloud if it would be possible to create a food saver, dehydrator and crusher (for the homemade apple sauce he is hoping that I will make for him) all in one. Brilliant idea! This made me think of one of the most cutting edge people I have ever know, Ron Popeil. For those of you too young to remember, he is the most brilliant and prolific inventor of the twentieth century. He was responsible for the "Dial-O-Matic" which claimed to slice a tomato so thin it only had one side, the pocket fisherman (the biggest fishing invention since the hook and still only $19.95!!) and Mr. Microphone (broadcast your voice on any FM radio!). His company, Ronco also sold food dehydrators, cutlery, rotisseries, flavor injectors and so on. But, my most favorite is the GLH-9 which stands for Great Looking Hair, Formula #9. This was not a shampoo. Or a wig. This was spray on hair. Yes, I wrote spray on hair. It didn't magically cause you to grow hair. It was simply some type of spray paint, in various shades that a man or women would spray onto his or her scalp. Why didn't I think of that? And I'm not just saying that because he sold Ronco for $55 MILLION in 2005. Do you have any idea how many people's lives were changed by this single invention? I actually do not know the exact number, but I am sure there are a few out there.

Toph was shocked that someone had actually invented spray on hair. He had of course, many questions about this product. Because I foolishly never purchased a can (I have a full head of hair, but it would have been a smart back up plan for down the road), I wasn't able to answer his questions. So, I'm wondering if anyone out there has a can, has ever used a can, or knows someone who had? I'm willing to pay big bucks for this one. I think I would get the Mom of the Year award if Toph found a shiny can in his stocking come Christmas morning. Toph, being 15, has a full head of hair, just like his father and his grandfather. But, as a 15 year old who is excited about getting facial hair, the GLH-9 is his ticket to manhood. He could say goodbye to his stoner stash and hello to all of the sophomore ladies who are looking for a mature man.

What is your favorite infomercial?

USAphotonation...beware!!

My husband is turning 40 in a few weeks. Because this is the big 4-0, I wanted to make sure I had a gift for him that was suitable for this monumental birthday. My husband is very hard to buy for, not because I don't know what he wants, but because everything he wants is out of my price range. So, I decide to splurge and buy him the camera he has been drooling over for months. I went to all of the local camera shops to see where I could get the best deal. I spent hours searching on the internet as well. I finally decided that I would purchase a camera off the internet. They were willing to offer me a great price and I wouldn't have to pay sales tax.

The camera arrived yesterday. I decided to give it to my husband early, in the event that it wasn't exactly what he wanted. The company that I bought it from USAPHOTONATION has a ten day return policy, from the day received. When the camera arrived, my photo savy hubby was able to tell that it was a reconditioned camera. I was told that the camera I was buying was new. We called Canon and confirmed that this company was NOT an authorized dealer. I was also told when I bought the camera that the extended warranty I purchased would be issued by Canon. Of course the one we received was from another company. A company that is not supported by Canon.

Yikes! How could I have been so stupid? Before I made my decision to buy from this company, I read the reviews online and most were very positive. Last night my angry typing lead me to another website, the website I wish I had found before purchasing this camera. There were at least 50 others who had experienced the same thing as I had. Their stories scared me even more because many of these people have returned their fakes and have not been issued a credit yet.

So of course, now I am worried that they will not accept my return, that I will be stuck with this crappy camera, that I will be out $1500 and that they will sell my credit card number and I will be a victim of identity theft for the rest of my life.

Luckily, we always use our American Express card to make large purchases. So, I called them last night and filed a complaint. They have held the charge from our account, at least until this is settled. I will call the BBB and the FTC on Monday, adding my complaint to an already long list of complaints that exist for this vendor. I am swearing off internet purchases. FOREVER. But beware USAphotonation, I'm coming to get ya.

I'm wondering if anyone else has been through a situation like this? What did you do to resolve it? What was the outcome?