Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Going Shopping?

Originally written two years ago, this is presented again, reworked somewhat, as a cautionary tale, or as a "heads up" to those of you who want to go into training for the crowd-beating start Thursday night.


Dozens, yea thousands, will be headed to the malls and other stores on Friday.  And that is just here in our little bailiwick.  Imagine the millions across the nation.  It staggers the mind.  But, I am not one of them. I wish no one anything but the best, but the shopping mania known as "Black Friday" has zero appeal for me. May corporate America put their books in the "black". It is sincerely to be hoped. Yet, too, to be hoped, is that you don't put yourself into the red. Yet many of you will do so. I suppose that most people have to reach a "certain age" before grasping the rudiments of balance between things and relationships. Many never reach that point, and those of us who do, I suspect, are regarded as either weird or too old to be of any use to anyone.

Well, enjoy yourselves. Enjoy your things. Enjoy the juggling of the bills and the decision-making with regard to which things will enhance what relationships. For myself, I will enjoy the comfort and warmth of my home, probably read a bit, perhaps catch a few minutes of the madness via the tube, just so that I have a visual validation of my smug attitude toward the whole thing.

8 comments:

Jim said...

Validation of smug attitude is so important to its maintenance. Why, robbing a smug attitude of validation is like robbing fire of oxygen! :-)

Shelly said...

There is no sale enticing enough anywhere to lure me into shopping for anything on Black Friday.

Vee said...

I'm with you, bro! I've yet to shop on Black Friday and have no plans to do that in the future.

Secondary Roads said...

Black Friday is to be avoided by all means possible--at least around here it is.

I'll probably check out the deals at Amazon.com and Tiger Direct. Yes, that I can handle.

Anonymous said...

I do most of my shopping from my desk chair. I've worked retail - Black Friday is NOT pretty. I was the store manager and still I couldn't give myself the day off...

vanilla said...

Jim, I like the similitude. So true.

Shelly, good for you. Have a great Thanksgiving week!

Vee, smart Lady. Have a great week.

Chuck, I won't even be shopping on-line; but that's just me.

Grace, I cannot imagine the hell it must be to work in retail on black friday. Havre a wonderful week!

Sharkbytes said...

Om really likes that day. Me... I don't like shopping any day. Have to hit the grocery in just a few minutes though. I put in X years doing Chicago malls on Black Friday with small boys in tow, so I think I've paid my dues.

vanilla said...

Shark, I can scarcely get my mind around the notion that someone likes the madness. But clearly millions do!