Black Friday Addendum

I feel it necessary to comment on my original Black Friday post. I thought the Black Friday consumeristic phenomenon was funny up until today when I heard the two terrible news death stories from yesterday's shopping frenzy.


Walmart employee stampeded to death during Black Friday shopping mayhem. The NYT describes:

Suddenly, witnesses and the police said, the doors shattered, and the shrieking mob surged through in a blind rush for holiday bargains. One worker, Jdimytai Damour, 34, was thrown back onto the black linoleum tiles and trampled in the stampede that streamed over and around him.

Two die in Toys R US shooting. The AP reports:

Two men pulled guns and shot each other to death in a crowded toy store Friday after the women with them erupted into a bloody brawl, witnesses said.

What is wrong with people? Are we really this greedy in America? People in other nations fight for food and peace and political representation. We fight for Furbies, Tickle-Me Elmos, Webkinz, and Guitar Hero. Disgusting.

Pointless Banter captures the sentiment just right: from blood diamonds to Walmart toys, If nobody died in the procurement of my gift I don’t want it

Nothing like a little bloodshed to make our 'valuables' more valuable.

Black Friday

It's that time of year again. The day that shoppers have been waiting for since last year's day-after-Thanksgiving. The day that true bargain hunters strap on their running shoes to brave the freezing temperatures, bustling crowd, and early-set alarm clocks. It's going to be mayhem in the stores today. Everyone and their uncle has gotta hit the sales.


My mom grabbed us a newspaper yesterday so we could look through the ads inside. It appears that most stores are opening at 4 AM this year. Seriously? I always considered ourselves a serious shoppers, but not THAT serious. We'll be sleeping in at least until the sun comes up. Geez.


I have always secretly wanted to go to a store on Black Friday where crazy shopper-people are stealing merchandise from each other's cart, pushing and shoving to grab the new hottest toy, and weeping in ecstasy over the biggest deals they found. Not that I want to BE one of those people, I just want to witness it. American consumerism at its finest.

Mac or PC?

I am asking myself the question that every laptop buyer must ask themselves in the year 2008. Mac or PC? And the answer isn't as easy as deciding between the old guy in the gray suit or young skinny guy in the commercials. (Although let's be serious, I wouldn't date either).

So which do I pick?? Mac's are definitely more expensive but people say they will last longer and cost less in the long run in regard to software. PCs I already know how to use. I'm comfortable, you could say, with their operating system. Mac's are better for artsy stuff but PC's better for document-type stuff. Well, I want a computer that is good at both!

The research out there on the web seems to be passionately for one or the other, so how on earth can one make an educated decision? Oh, I don't know. What should I do?

Shopping

Went to Gettysburg today. Not to see the battlefield . To go shopping instead. We frequented the The Outlet: Shoppes at Gettysburg. I think we can conclude that collectively we bought the place out. No more merchandise left for any other customers. Gap and Old Navy especially. Sorry sad other-shoppers; should've beat us there.

Finding the perfect dress

Look what I found this morning by my car! A dead bird. Gross. I feel so bad for it. It's little feet look so...dead. I must be having some kind of bird saga going on in my front yard. Everyday it's something.

Today I went to an English major gathering at the Black Horse. That was nice.

Then I went shopping to find a graduation dress to wear under my robe tomorrow since everything I own clashes with navy blue. I tried every dress on in Kohl's and did not like a one. They were all too patterned or burlap sack-like. Grrrrr. So, I went to Target in desperation, tried on every dress in the store, and loved almost all of them. Hello? I don't think I've ever bought clothes there before. Have I been missing out? I got a cute summer-y blue shift dress.

Tyson's Corner

Yesterday, a group of friends and I went to Tyson's Corner in McLean, Virginia to shop since we didn't have any classes in celebration of Martin Luther King Day! I think that was the biggest mall I have ever been in. It is soooo huge--the biggest shopping center in the Washington DC metroplex. I can't believe I had never been there before when it is only an hour and a half drive away. The stores are nice; it is more upscale than the good ole' Chambersburg Mall. They have H&M, my fav. (even though I purchased nothing there). I showed self-restrait, yes I did.

Relax'n on the East Coast

One last post on Atlantic City. There was a parade that took up one side of the street while cars continued driving on the other side. That was something I've never seen before. We walked up and down the boardwalk even though it was chilly. We also went shopping on black Friday, as tradition goes. Didn't really find any killer deals though.

Caesar's Palace was definitely the most impressive resort/ casino in Atlantic City. the Pier Shops are pretty cool, not like I could afford to buy anything there though. And we went to see a show that was actually a lot of fun. The Duprees. The senior Miss America party was there and a lot of drunk old ladies were throwing themselves at the singers. It was hilarious. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.