Today was a sales tax-free day in Massachusetts, which was an excuse to go do some baby shopping we needed to do. So we, along with every single other person in the state, went out shopping. Parking lots were packed - almost as bad as a few days before Xmas! We went to Babies R Us to get a high chair, look at toddler car seats, and maybe pick up some stimulating toys.
While wandering the toy section, Elizabeth and I decided that we may be too cynical to be allowed to raise children. One of the toys we saw was a "bee" with "wings" and a "tail" that made noises when you twisted them. I picked it up, and exclaimed "Oh look! Baby's introduction to animal cruelty!"
Next we saw a Bob the Builder doll, to which Elizabeth applied the title "Baby's First Plumber's Crack!"
Finally, we saw a series of toys by Brainy Baby which were individually called "Left Brain" or "Right Brain" toys. The "Left Brain" ones had things like the alphabet and numbers. But what really made us (the left-brained engineers, mind you) laugh was the "Right Brain" toy we saw. We pushed its button, and it said "How will I feel today?" in a sappy voice. It went on to ask "Will I feel happy?! Will I feel sad?!" et cetera, et cetera. We don't believe it included "Will I feel irritated?!" which is certainly what any parent would feel after listening to the damn thing for 10 seconds.
Postscript by Elizabeth: The piece of the whole Left Brain/Right Brain thing that really stood out for me was the marketing genius. Tom, who had just been mercilessly mocking the Right Brain toys, then looked at the box of the (Left Brain) toy that we had picked out, saw that it had a recommended "companion" Right Brain toy, and immediately started searching the shelves for it!
Post-postscript by Tom: True, but I just wanted to see what sort of toy they thought was the proper "complement" to a rolling toy with buttons. I wasn't planning on buying it. Really! Honest!
Post-post-postscript by Elizabeth: Yes, dear.
Posted by Tom Nugent at August 14, 2004 10:37 PM>>
This will be good practice for the day when Dorothy turns seven or so and screams out "I want a Penelope's Talking Pink Pony!!!"....and Tom must then push, shove, scratch, and fight his way through other parents to the shelf where the last Penelope's Talking Pink Pony is located.....
While "Penelope's Talking Pink Pony" is strictly a hypothetical toy....I predict whatever it is will say "Will I feel irritated?" when you pull the string.
Are finger paints right brain or left brain?......maybe I will send some to Dorothy and you three can have fun finding out.
Posted by: Tom at August 14, 2004 11:13 PMYou have sales tax-free days? We are so jealous. Can you buy a car on those days?
Posted by: brettdl at August 26, 2004 04:39 PMI think there was a limit of $2,500 per item. And you had to sign a form for anything over $1,000 stating that it was not for business purposes.
I don't know if the tax-holiday thing is a yearly event, or just a one-time "let's apologize to all the businesses for screwing up their lives with the Democratic Convention closing down Boston" type thing.
Posted by: Tom Nugent at August 26, 2004 04:53 PM