Very Important Opinions

There's an Italian restaurant near my library where everything costs 20% more than it should and the chairs are wobbly. I still go a few times a year because their smoked-then-toasted ravioli can make the most frustrating morning give way to an afternoon full of promise and cheer. I ate there today, alone. And not just alone because I had no companion but alone because there were no other customers. Occasionally my waiter, Jesus, or the busboy, Mohammed, would mosey over to deliver another coke or whisk away the bread basket but mostly they were out of sight.

So I didn't think it was rude to take a phone call while I was eating. It was a market research company that sometimes checks to see if I want to participate in a focus group. Of course, I always want to do it (bukko bucks just to talk about teeth whiteners for an hour!) but rarely qualify. There's inevitably some question that, if I answer it honestly, gets me passed over.

This time, though, I was determined to make it into the study. On offer was $150 to share my opinion about women's magazines. W00t! When the survey woman asked in her sweet, robotic voice whether I knew anyone in the publishing or journalism field, I knew to say no. When she asked what my favorite magazine was, I knew to say Glamour. When she asked if I bought more than 8 magazines a month, I knew to say hah! try twice that many. When she asked if I ever went shopping without a specific item or need in mind, I knew to say but of course. One of my responses was actually true, so I didn't feel like a complete shyster.

Comments

[claire]

I get calls from focus group people all the time! I've started ignoring them because i NEVER qualify. I should probably just tell them to take me off the list.

[Molly]

You seem like a shyster to me.

haha

I like to think that when I don't have anything to say, I don't say anything for the most part, but I'm having trouble not having something to say to every one of your posts. For instance, check this out: I was apart of a focus group once. $100 cash on the spot for listening to silly m.effers talk about laptop designs, it felt great.