Let's be honest, who doesn't love the thrill of a giveaway, especially when the prize involves taking your crafting equipment to the next level? As a laser engraving enthusiast stuck in diode laser purgatory, the chance to win OmTech's newest CO2 Hybrid laser in their ThanksGiveaway had me hitting that "enter" button faster than you can say "engraving upgrade."

This wasn't your run-of-the-mill social media contest, though. It was like an engraver's obstacle course: Like, Follow, Comment, Share, Repeat (and don't forget the plot twist of two brand ambassadors!). But the promise of the OMTech Pro 3655 Hybrid, a 150W laser engraver with a working area the size of a small planet (well, maybe not a planet, but definitely bigger than my current setup), was enough to fuel my determination.

Think you've ever refreshed a webpage maniacally? You ain't seen refreshing until you've witnessed my phone contortions on December 4th at 5 p.m. (give or take a memory lapse). Every three seconds, that screen got a good once-over, fueled by the nervous energy of a thousand bottles of Pepsi.

Then, it happened! On the 40th refresh (because apparently, I refresh in multiples of ten when stressed) revealed the holy grail - an OmTech Notification tagging ME! I practically levitated. This was it! The ProLine Hybrid was about to revolutionize my Business, my Life, my EVERYTHING!

Except... well, let's just say the following eight seconds felt like an eternity. And as the post finally loaded, the truth hit me: I was third place. Don't get me wrong, third place is fantastic! But for those glorious 30 seconds, I swear I could practically smell the new laser.

Hey, at least I made some new engraver friends out of the deal (congrats to the winner and shoutout to my new laser buddy, the 2nd place winner!). The thrill of the win (almost-win?) was so contagious that I even convinced my followers to embark on an unboxing adventure with me - a first for this laser rookie!

So, if you're ever considering an engraver upgrade and a good laugh, keep an eye out for OmTech's next Giveaway. You might just snag a prize (and a hilarious story) in the process. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an unboxing video to upload to Facebook! But don't worry ~ you can find it on my Brand New YouTube Page!  Did I set it up just because I had an unboxing video... Maybe!