Winning is for Losers
Posted on December 9, 2004 6 Comments
I won a DVD-VHS player at an industry holiday party this week; I was the sole winner of the night. At first, my win seemed like the greatest thing that happened to me all year. Maybe it was the alcohol, but when that announcer mispronounced my name, I froze – free bagel chips and pita stuffed in my mouth – and focused on swallowing, eventually mouthing a “SHUT UP!” to my table. All my co-workers were clapping, cheering my big win in slow motion, maybe doing the wave, while all the other jealous companies stared down our obvious group cohesiveness. I felt like a rock star.
But immediately after I accepted the prize, my token for three years stuck working in a cube no bigger than my apartment’s bathroom, I began to feel the guilt. I started explaining to myself why I really deserved the prize – I’ve been working hard; I’ve made a lot of holiday donations to the needy this year, it’s Karma! – to no avail. My head kept shouting back at me, “Nothing in life comes free, you idiot! Don’t take the prize!”
But I took it home. Of course I knew the vendors would be calling to set up a meeting, “Well, Nicole, you DID win our prize. Now you can think of us every time you watch a movie!” Aye, there’s the rub. Now the player is sitting on my couch, unopened, staring at me, reminding me that somewhere out there is a vendor who I don’t use, a company who spent its dough on ME! I feel like a jerk just looking at it.
I wonder; are there people out there who can just win a free prize, chalk it up to luck and begin enjoying it? Who are these people? I suppose you think someone sticking to a budget would just jump out of their shoes for free gifts. Sadly, that’s not what happens.
I’m hoping to set up the player this weekend, and finally return my mother’s to its rightful place in my parents’ family room. Let’s pray I can bring myself to do it!
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6 Responses to “Winning is for Losers”
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December 10th, 2004 @ 6:51 pm
Nicole, I’m reading your blog. I had to respond. Someday I’ll start my own…
I witnessed the prize winning…it was joyous. These so-called marketing people did not market the prize/drawing well as they kept saying, “put your card in to win a DVD player,” but this was not just some old DVD player, this was a DVD-VCR COMBO – the gift that keeps on giving. Everyone has a DVD player now, few have the combo to still be able to watch those home camcorder videos from 1985.
Nicole, you failed to mention that you won using someone else’s business card – your info written on the back. Classy move that should make the win that much sweeter.
I felt like I’d won my own prize by being the only guy at a table with like 8 female co-workers. Can I say that or am I going to get in trouble now?
March 14th, 2005 @ 2:38 am
My company does not allow accepting gifts from vendors >$25. Most people frown if the value is >$5.
September 15th, 2005 @ 11:07 am
Exquisite information on student loan consolidation. I have a student loan consolidation secrets blog if you want to see some cool stuff.
January 19th, 2012 @ 11:14 pm
[...] introduce myself to anyone new. I’ve had some good experiences; I once won a combination VHS-DVD player. Another time I attending a women in business workshop that was technically not networking but [...]
January 21st, 2012 @ 10:14 am
I’m totally capable of winning a prize and enjoying it! The best prize I ever won was the box set of the entire Sex and the City series. I entered a contest for that prize 347 times!
January 21st, 2012 @ 1:14 pm
Ha, ken’s reply here just made me laugh all over again. Katie, good for you! Maybe I’m just neurotic. …that is the more likely case!