Usually when I see one of those pop-up windows or an ad online that says “Win [insert that month's most desirable gadget, or, in this case, the past several years' most desirable gadget: any form of iPod] Now!” I don’t pay much attention. I suppose usually they say something about getting one free, which usually means not free. So I don’t remember if it was the lure of an iPod that brought me in– I really think it was just a request to fill out a survey. I’d been researching continuing-ed programs, Online offerings from universities for Masters’ programs, and the like. I had the time and was interested in the subject, so was happy to fill out a survey on Continuing Adult Education. I think at the end of it there was some sort of ‘thank you’ and an ‘enter your email here to be entered in a drawing..”
So, I was lucky when a month or so later (now around Christmas) while doing my regular skim-through my junkmail folder, I caught something that mentioned continuing ed and glanced at it: Follow Up: SURVEY PRIZE…
I was pretty skeptical, but did respond. They only wanted a shipping address. Nothing shady like account numbers or anything to pay for shipping. So I gave them my work address to see what would happen.
The rest of the email went something like this:
Congratulations! Out of 13,000 people who recently responded to an online survey about Adult Continuing Education, yours was one of 5 randomly drawn to receive an iPod Nano!
It took a few weeks, being over the holidays, the office responsible was closed, but I eventually received my brand-new, straight from Amazon, 2GB iPod Nano (white– they didn’t ask and I didn’t really care–hey, it’s free!). Besides, it goes very nicely with my iBook, on which I currently write (and my gi, in which I currently sit, waiting for class).
So now you all can say you know someone who actually won one of those internet raffles(because no one who I know of reads my blog who doesn’t know me). Actually, I don’t know even if anyone reads it who does know me because no one comments.. so comment y’all! I’ll be filling in more of these 3-month late topics soon, so come back for more.