I supposed the crazies were up and out for 4 a.m. openings of shopping madness. . . For you non-territorials here in The States we have this day-after-Thanksgiving orgiastic madness started, i guess, to boost the sinking economy, to stimulate the drooling passions for acquiring STUFF at great savings of shekels and rupees. . . .in simple words to make MONEY. Even this time of day - noonish - you cannot find parking at the multi-acreage shopping centers. Many an Irish Catholic . . .of the various levels and enlightenment. . LOL. . drive around fervently muttering prayers: "Hail Mary, full of grace, help me find a parking space. ." The wording of this incantation varies as the frustration rises. . . . ahem. . .not for pious ears. LOL
That is a phenomenon which doesn't occur way out here, 30 miles out in the Atlantic from Boston, and which, perhaps, you might encounter the closer one gets to the mainland. the various Malls south of Boston, along the Int 95 corridor. I wouldn't be caught dead there in "that" . . . partly because of CapeCod sanity and real New England snobbery. Have you ever seen photos of those critters, even some who camp out the day or night before (even a week in some places. . .imagine!)? Last year they even reported people being injured, and one employee at Walmart being trampled to death by the hordes stampeding to get their grubby little hands on some bargain "totally worth dying for!" eeeeewwwwies!
You want to know why I feel this way? [ "Sure, you think to yourself, you're gonna tell us anyway" ] I HATE shopping with a greenish passion! I don't "go shopping" which means roaming the ailes of every store, looking to catch a glimpse of something at a bargain price which you could convince yourself you absolutely and cannot-live-without-need. . . . NO! NO! NO!
I figured it out: I do not shop; I purchase! There is an item I want/need/am going to buy. SO . . I go. . .find it. . .pay for it. . .leave the store. BINGO! I will drive someone to the Mall, drop them off, pick them up at an
agreed upon time. . . .then I adjust the time by 15 minutes later than agreed on. .. gives them time. . ..
I refuse to join the other devotees at the Temples of Commerce in fighting over the last 106 inch HDTVLED for this low low price. . .hahahaa. . ..I no longer have football uniform and cupped jock to protect myself from the sweet senior and younger ladies [and men!] who carry out their trophy to the waiting car. . . .. when they can find it. . . .to the tunes of Cleopatra's Triumphal Procession into Caesar's Rome.
And so be it ! hahahahaa. . . indulge my silliness, for just a moment. And, Mr Kelly, move over and share your GrumpChair. . . hahahahah
Here's a link to MEDIA report. . .http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101126/ap_on_bi_ge/us_black_friday_shopping
13 comments:
Radicaljoe
Justin, I totally agree with you, the crowds and people are not worth the time of day. It is insanity at it's best. What is Christmas All About. They never think of Jesus Christ's Birthday,
No it is Santa Claus, Trees, Drinking, and buying, and more buying. I never stops, the Marketing is unbelieveable.
Home at Christmas is the most important part of All Of US. We all need to give the most important thing around---LOVE, and more LOVE!!! Peace.
d
Hey Justin! Now that was a rant! I DO see what you are saying though. Who in their right mind would choose to go the malls today.....or any other day actually. I like what you said....you purchase, you do not shop. I'm with ya on that one.
Re your inquiry about horoscopes.....just click on Free Will Astrology on my post and you can have your own, yes, I said your own, horoscope every day. No 'shopping needed....or purchasing either.
Jim
Oh yeah, click on newsletter.....and away you go.
jim
That wasn't a bad bit of Oscar Wilding, Mr O'Shea. Must be the Irish Blarney in you.
I'm the chief shopper and cook in this household so I don't have a choice but to shop two or three times a week. I also shop for my elderly neighbor.
Once a year in this town the chamber of commerce stages "Crazy Day". They reckon it's because the prices are crazy but that's a lie. It's the shoppers. And I stay well clear of all the madness.
Well said Justin.
I too purchase. I do not shop.
Like Mr Kelly, I am the only one in this household to do all the cooking, cleaning, bill paying and....purchasing, and I avoid "holiday' shopping crowds as I would the plague.
I have grown to dislike the Christmas time of year...too many manic shoppers. I'll stay and hide in my little sweet haven of home...a place I believe to be a haven of sanity...apart from me that is...haha!
Greg in Adelaide
Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Unca Justi stole my grump chair!
ROFLMSAO.. . . hahahahahahaaaaa
Ten years ago, I left the retail buisness world that I had lived in for 12 years. I vowed never to return. Then 4 years ago, I picked up a part time gig overnight at a local well-known pharmacy. So now, I get to see all the crazies heading out. We had drunks buying beer until 2am, then it was all about the shoppers. Picking up energy drinks and heading over to the wal-mart that was open all night and the mall that opened at 3am.
I have a policy. I set a dollar amount for my time based on an hourly rate. If you want me to fight the crowds and stand in line for 2 or 3 hours, my savings had better add up to hundreds. Can't promise that? then I'm not going.
It was also funny to watch them drooling over the newspaper truck as it pulled into our parking lot.
I wish that I could burn a copy of our video survielence for that night.
There's really no reason to buy anything in a store unless it is a suit or dress jacket, hardware, sundries or food. You'll get better buys for electronics online. And never buy anything new if you can avoid it. High quality used things are a much better bargain.
These sales always remind me of the sack of Rome by the Visigoths; all sense of humanity, dignity and the worth of civilization vanishes in the stampede through the door. They pour over eachother like loose offal through a sphincter.
Eeeewwweee, saith he, with great disdain. . . LOL
The best thing that happened that night was when a drunk was having difficulty counting out $9.00 and the over-energized shopping crazed woman behind him was about to explode because she was going to miss the opening of the mall.
I smiled and told him to take his time.
Stew. . .convenient passive-aggressive? ho ho ho
...my thought, don't buy anything you can't use everyday...a practice not lived up to in the past, I have a home full of two of everything and don't use a fraction of it 'everyday'...so, once cleaned, organized, compacted and light for travel...that's what I'm goin' for. Sounds like I want to live out of a back-pack, but at least I wouldn't have to pay taxes on it! Hhehehh.
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