Yesterday, I didn't think much about surfing to look for Cyber Monday deals, although I had heard a lot about how websites and online stores were gearing up for sales. I'd seen promotions when I opened my browser, and that was all. Apart from picking up a few things like bath oil, a book, a handheld vacuum cleaner, and medicines, I had not got into the habit of habitually buying things on the Internet.
Evening, when my Equal Half returned home, something happened. He was all gushing about Cyber Monday deals, and also about someone who bought a laptop on Black Friday standing in line since 4 in the morning. This guy got a real great deal on a laptop. Never mind if he was one who could easily afford its full price and did not have to do that hard work of queueing up so early. He picked up his booty, went back home with it, and then hit the bed and fell asleep. Someone like me should learn such clever strategies to accumulate more things.
My Equal Half had been talking about deals on computers and plasma television for a few days now, as he scanned the flyers which came with the newspaper. I had been dissuading him from getting one more computer, or one more TV screen. But yesterday, when he wanted to get his favourite sweaters from http://www.nautica.com/, I couldn't say anything.
HE had been searching for his favourite style of sweater in many nautica stores. We had also checked out the outlet stores in Ventura, and many others in town, but there were none to his liking. The only option left was to go to the Internet. And yesterday was an opportunity he did not want to pass by. His sweaters were on sale, and he was elated. The order of a sweater and two full-sleeve shirts were closed after he spent a long time checking the colours and the styles.
I'm glad that he would be soon getting what he always wanted. Now it is upto the mailman to deliver in time, and the undamaged goods to us.
Showing posts with label Black Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black Friday. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Black Friday
Even before I got up from bed, since last night, and much much before that, more than the talk of Thanksgiving was the talk of Black Friday. Not only amongst people, but in the media. The newspapers, television, and the Internet has been painted red and green and black with news about deals that are the lowest.
The talk of competition among retailers in slashing prices made the rounds for a few days. The Internet pulled all stops to talk about Cyber Monday too. One after the other, it is all about buying, shopping, acquiring things, materials, goods, filling up the house.
Last year, the whole day, both my Equal Half and I were out of the house, shop hopping. Thhe number of things we bought last year were so many, that this time I was still exhausted, even after one whole year, to go out and repeat the cycle once more.
I might be exhausted, but not him. Much of his Thanksgiving passed browsing the newspapers for the best deals. Especially the Best Buy pages, electronics - which is his weakest spot. Whether it is cell phones, computer/netbook/notebook, or plasma screen television, I think all men have this weakness. They don't generally go after cosmetics or handbags, like the women do. In clothing, men do not have as many visible choices to make, unlike women. And the market has been doing its best to lure the men into buying the things they covet most.
My Equal Half started cribbing in bed early on for not being out browing Black Friday deals. 'Not to buy, just to browse,' he kept repeating. 'Let's go out for Black Fridaying.'
If I've not been this firm about sticking to our budget, or not accumulating things that we don't need, we'd have been out the entire day, just the way we were last year. We'd have exhausted out wallets, credit cards, and bank balances, just to crowd our house some more and become a lot poorer for all of it.
The talk of competition among retailers in slashing prices made the rounds for a few days. The Internet pulled all stops to talk about Cyber Monday too. One after the other, it is all about buying, shopping, acquiring things, materials, goods, filling up the house.
Last year, the whole day, both my Equal Half and I were out of the house, shop hopping. Thhe number of things we bought last year were so many, that this time I was still exhausted, even after one whole year, to go out and repeat the cycle once more.
I might be exhausted, but not him. Much of his Thanksgiving passed browsing the newspapers for the best deals. Especially the Best Buy pages, electronics - which is his weakest spot. Whether it is cell phones, computer/netbook/notebook, or plasma screen television, I think all men have this weakness. They don't generally go after cosmetics or handbags, like the women do. In clothing, men do not have as many visible choices to make, unlike women. And the market has been doing its best to lure the men into buying the things they covet most.
My Equal Half started cribbing in bed early on for not being out browing Black Friday deals. 'Not to buy, just to browse,' he kept repeating. 'Let's go out for Black Fridaying.'
If I've not been this firm about sticking to our budget, or not accumulating things that we don't need, we'd have been out the entire day, just the way we were last year. We'd have exhausted out wallets, credit cards, and bank balances, just to crowd our house some more and become a lot poorer for all of it.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Quietness on Thanksgiving Day
Last year I was in US during Thanksgiving, but the only things I remember about it was the turkey leftover I got to eat from a friend, and the Black Friday sale post Thanksgiving, when my Equal Half and I went shopping from one store to the other and we landed up spending much much more than we intended to.
This year has been so much different than what it was last year. Not only have I lived here more than a year by now, I've done enough shopping for the house and myself. Now I am in less need of more household appliances or new clothing for a new wardrobe.
So, this year my focus has shifted from the Black Friday deal flyers that came with the newspaper in the morning. In fact, too much shopping has started to get on my nerves, because I've done so much shopping all these months to arrange the house where I've started living newly.
Today was more about how to utilize the holiday. Should it be resting in bed and catching up with lost sleep, or watching a Netflix DVD, or cooking a Thanksgiving lunch. We'd cancelled a trip to Universal Studios with a family as we wanted to rest and catch up with personal things.
But, in the end, Thanksgiving is for food and we could not escape it. While we were out in the soft warm sun on State Street, we began looking for food for lunch. Only a few restaurants were open. Although I wanted something non-Indian, since we eat Indian food at home, we had to accept what was available. The Indian restaurant was full to capacity, as it wasn't closed like the others.
During daytime, when the restaurants here offer buffet, it is a hard time to choose something away from the buffet dishes laid out near the door. A buffet seems to good a deal, with all the array of food offered, compared to a la carte orders. Although we'd gone into the restaurant with a determination not to go for the buffet (so we would eat less and keep our weights under control), finally, after a prolonged perusal of the leather covered menu, we decided the easier way was to take the buffet and get over with the lunch time ordeal of making a choice from all those listed on the menu.
Hence for one more day, we overate. Buffets are designed for overeating, I have no doubt about it. and post-meal, it's time to regret what was eaten. Now I'm about to go to bed, my stomach still churning the luncheon meat and chicken, six hours after. But one thing was good about it. I got to eat someone else's food than eating mine from my kitchen, day after day. That gets somewhat boring. Another hand brings variety in taste. And variety is the spice of life, anyone would agree.
This year has been so much different than what it was last year. Not only have I lived here more than a year by now, I've done enough shopping for the house and myself. Now I am in less need of more household appliances or new clothing for a new wardrobe.
So, this year my focus has shifted from the Black Friday deal flyers that came with the newspaper in the morning. In fact, too much shopping has started to get on my nerves, because I've done so much shopping all these months to arrange the house where I've started living newly.
Today was more about how to utilize the holiday. Should it be resting in bed and catching up with lost sleep, or watching a Netflix DVD, or cooking a Thanksgiving lunch. We'd cancelled a trip to Universal Studios with a family as we wanted to rest and catch up with personal things.
But, in the end, Thanksgiving is for food and we could not escape it. While we were out in the soft warm sun on State Street, we began looking for food for lunch. Only a few restaurants were open. Although I wanted something non-Indian, since we eat Indian food at home, we had to accept what was available. The Indian restaurant was full to capacity, as it wasn't closed like the others.
During daytime, when the restaurants here offer buffet, it is a hard time to choose something away from the buffet dishes laid out near the door. A buffet seems to good a deal, with all the array of food offered, compared to a la carte orders. Although we'd gone into the restaurant with a determination not to go for the buffet (so we would eat less and keep our weights under control), finally, after a prolonged perusal of the leather covered menu, we decided the easier way was to take the buffet and get over with the lunch time ordeal of making a choice from all those listed on the menu.
Hence for one more day, we overate. Buffets are designed for overeating, I have no doubt about it. and post-meal, it's time to regret what was eaten. Now I'm about to go to bed, my stomach still churning the luncheon meat and chicken, six hours after. But one thing was good about it. I got to eat someone else's food than eating mine from my kitchen, day after day. That gets somewhat boring. Another hand brings variety in taste. And variety is the spice of life, anyone would agree.
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