The Squeaky Wheel

I have been attending the New York Gift Show for the past 28 years. (Scary, but true!) Until a year or two ago, you registered once, then every show - which is two shows a year - they mailed you your badge and you just walked right into the show. Then - modernity struck. Suddenly, you had to register each and every time, and you received a bar code via email, which you had to print out, bring, and wait for their computer to process. Less expensive for them - much more time consuming for you. (of course, presented as "going green" - or - code for "saving money while trying to make it appear that we are helping the environment.") Somehow this fall, I neglected to register, and today when I showed up and confessed - they wanted me to pay $50. They evidently had no way of verifying that I have attended every single NY gift Show for the last 28 years - this despite having about a thousand computers there on site. I just balked. It seemed like a last straw of sorts that their supposedly modern new system could not verify that I was a bonafide attendee. Instead of meekly paying, I decided to leave my polite Presbyterian upbringing behind and make a little ruckus. So I found the right person and squeaked. Loudly. And guess what? They found a way to waive that fee. So, a small victory for me - but, it really annoys me that the system become so buyer unfriendly. However - there is good news too - once I got into the show I found all kinds of fun new items to buy!