Someone pinch me, I can't stop giggling.

In the midst of everything else that's going on (which usually results in me crying a lot most days) yesterday brought some welcome light relief in the form of a very pleasant surprise.

The local shopping centre, Macquarie Centre, is having a 'back to school' promotion, where for two weeks in January they are giving away a $1000 gift card each day. Anyone who spends a total of $100 in one day anywhere in the centre can enter the draw to win. 

On Saturday, I did some shopping which came to just over that amount, so when I got home, I jumped online and entered the competition, and didn't think any more of it. (You can tell what's coming next, dear readers, can't you? :-)

Yesterday morning I received a phone call from Macquarie Centre Management to inform me that I had won Saturday's $1000 gift card. I was just a little bit excited (and almost squealed with excitement over the phone when they told me). My name is even on their website- I'm famous as a winner!

Later in the day, I had calmed myself enough to head into the Centre Management office, and collect my prize... and then off to SPEND!!!

For a long time I have resisted the temptation to acquire an iPad, but recently I have been seriously considering getting one, especially since a conversation I had after church last Sunday. So, with $1000 burning a hole in my pocket, I thought that an iPad would be a good purchase with my prize (and something substantial that I would be able to look back on and say, "I bought THAT with my prize!")

So into JB HiFi I wandered, and hovered around the iPads for a while. Should I get a regular size or a mini? A wifi only model or one with 3G? What storage size (16, 32 or 64GB)? The latest 'retina display' model, or a slightly older iPad2? And then, there would be the cover to protect it... Decisions, decisions...

So, putting on my best, "I would like to be helped" expression, and standing in the middle of the sales floor looking hopeful, I managed to attract the attention of a sales assistant called Daniel. Daniel was very pleasant, and explained and demonstrated to me in detail the difference between the iPad2 and latest retina display model. After a bit of discussion about the pros and cons of different features, he looked at me knowingly and said, "I think I have something you might be interested in". He then unlocked the cupboard under the iPad display and brought out a box. Inside the box was an iPad2 32GB with 3G capacity, marked down quite significantly, as it was an item that had been bought and returned (but certified by management that everything was in order, and the packaging had just been opened, so it couldn't be sold for full price as 'new'... and anyway, the iPad2 is no longer made in the 32GB capacity, only 16GB since the introduction of the newer model).

After a bit of further discussion, I decided to buy this bargain (and Daniel then knocked a further $20 off the price for me), and then I asked him about a case. "This is your lucky day," he chortled. "We have some cases reduced to clear, for only $8. They're out the back, so wait here, and I'll bring some in for you to choose from." He returned with a handful of different styles and colours, but I was drawn to one that was faux leather in a lovely purple colour. Daniel nodded at my purple T-shirt and  commented with a grin, "I thought you might have liked that one."

So for a total of $518, I walked away with an iPad2 worth over $700 and a case reduced to $8 from $50. It had also been a pleasant experience to deal with a sales assistant who obviously knew his technical stuff, and was able to not only respond to my questions, but also make suggestions, and kick around ideas with me (ie showing respect for me and my own technical knowledge, and knowledge of what I wanted). So if you happen to be shopping at JB HiFi at Macquarie Centre, Daniel is your man.

So yesterday was a fun day (as was today, when I got to play with my new toy and install some cool apps on it), and I am exceedingly grateful for such surprising and exciting windfalls.