Data, Endlessly Fascinating Data

I got my monthly e-mail from Amazon, to say that I made a little money as an "Associate," but not enough for them to actually give it to me. (Such is life, eh? I don't think anyone is getting rich off being an Amazon Associate, but I'd probably link there for context even if I wasn't getting a little bitty cut.)

Since data fascinates me, I took a closer look at the things that people have bought through Antick Musings since I signed up with Amazon about a year ago. (In case anyone is wondering, it doesn't tell me who bought what -- just what was purchased.)

There are forty-nine books, ranging from things I recommended (Extraordinary Circumstances by Cynthia Cooper) to things I suggested avoiding (The Contemporary Dictionary of Sexual Euphemisms) to books I haven't thought of in years (Ben and Me), and then some. You folks, collectively, have eclectic tastes, and I appreciate that in a readership.

Someone bought a Zune armband, several other people bought various bits of small electronics -- which included some really fancy, expensive printing paper, as well -- and one person bought Apple's OS 10.5.

There was only one Kindle e-book, despite the hype -- it was the Dann/Dozois Wizards anthology.

There were four bits of music sold -- one MP3 download of "Linus And Lucy" to a person of obviously impeccable taste, and three CDs, including The Very Best of Supertramp. There was one HeroScape game sold. And someone bought a 1959 movie called The Quest for King Solomon's Mines on VHS...but then sent it back.

Three "Dr. Who" episodes from 1984 -- the three parts of The Caves of Androzani -- were downloaded, presumably by the same person. Truly, you people like what you like, and there's no shifting you.

And the most unlikely item is the Tantus Flirt Dildo -- "dildo" here being a euphemism, actually. I do want to encourage more of that -- when you're shopping for brightly-colored sex toys or other deeply personal items, I want you to go to some blog you enjoy, click on the Amazon link, and add a blush to that blogger's reports next month. It doesn't have to be me, but surprise someone and make Amazon reports a little less boring than they have been previously.