Black Friday

I must confess to something I felt tempted to do on Thursday night.  Upon learning that some stores, including Target, would be open at midnight, I felt tempted just to drive by Target to see how full the parking lot would get as result of this.  I did not work on Friday morning so I could have stayed up to do such a thing.  Unfortunately, after getting home around 7PM after the movies and dinner, I watched "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,"  and took a nap shortly after that show as over.  I thought if I was going to even drive past the parking lot I would need to rest just a little.  But when I woke up, I was just too tired to even think of getting out so late.  I seriously don't think I missed anything.  I watched the news at 11PM that night  and saw coverage of Black Friday Eve (I guess we can call it that?)  The Outlets in Gilroy were open at 9PM. Kmart in my town was open all day on Thanksgiving.  My place of work, Home Goods (I was off Friday),  opened at 7AM.  Sadly our same store in San Carlos, CA, is in the same strip as Best Buy, meaning they had to open at midnight or whenever their Best Buy opened for Black Friday.  Speaking of Best Buy, there were tents outside the Gilroy, CA branch of the popular electronics store.  I spotted these while at lunch at work on Wednesday, having gone to eat at the Subway near Best Buy.

I just could not handle going to shop so late at night.  Having to be on morning mode for work (though I'm barely a morning person) I easily fall asleep (though not completely) around 7PM, except on nights when I don't work the following day.  Since Friday is normally a  workday for me, my body automatically went into early sleep mode on Thursday night, even though I woke up around 9PM and went back to bed, deciding not to try to see how crowded the Target parking lot would be.

On Friday, I did not get into town till around noon making trips to Safeway to get a cell phone card and to Ace Hardware to get a light bulb for the front porch light, then to lunch at McDonald's.  I then began my laundry which I finished today, then headed off to see "The Muppets."   I left the house about half an hour before the movie began, so  I stooped at Target before going to the cinema.  It was somewhat crowded, but I was able to get  a parking space, get into the bathroom and walk briefly through the store without literally bumping into anyone (no colloquially "bumping into anyone" either). No pushing or shoving occurred. After the movie was over,  I headed over to Kmart and saw only a small crowd of customers.  Again, no pushing or shoving and no bumping  into anyone(in either sense).  I did not buy anything yesterday other than the light bulb and the phone card.

Today I went to these stores again and still have not bought anything, except some food today at Safeway while finishing my laundry.   Tonight I got out my fiber-optic Christmas tree (that I got 10 years ago) and strung my Christmas lights over the kitchen window.  I wanted my decorations up before December 1 (next Thursday) so I decided tonight was the night to do it.  Monday I'll be back at work, so I have to be in bed early tomorrow night.  Today was extremely busy with finishing the  laundry, taking out the recyclables, and getting groceries, so I'm amazed I still had energy to get out the Christmas stuff, but I was determined.  Now I just have to endure four weeks at work dealing with the holiday rush and the all-day stream of Christmas music over the intercom (so far it's only been intermittent Christmas music).  But I will get my shopping done, since I have very little to do.  Just not on a day when everyone is rushing and staying outside overnight.