Why NOT?

My daughter is taking a Japanese class with four other kids. My wife pulled the whole thing together, finding a teacher and opening our home for the classes. Anne deserves more credit than she gives herself. Kick-off gathering took place on Monday, the meeting of teacher, students, and their parents.

For days earlier, we scrubbed and cleaned, trying to get the house in order. The getting in order involved a Sunday trip to IKEA College Park, where I found this cool but cheap floor lamp. Seven bucks. I bought four. 

But I roared at the lamp’s name, NOT. There’s something anti-marketing about calling a lamp NOT. I mean, not this lamp. Don’t buy this one. Maybe the name had something to do with the 50-percent discount.

Strange coincidence, last night I went into Washington for a TV interview at the CTV offices. Inside the studio, there were two of these NOT lamps. Not here, too? I’ve often said I’m more Canadian than American. And why NOT?