My First Black Friday

My First Black Friday

There once was a time when I thought that those who ventured out on the wee hours of the morning on that Friday after Thanksgiving were insane. Why did they go out while most of us were still sleeping out our turkey comas? Was anything really worth waiting in line for those doors to be unlocked?

Well Thursday morning, I woke up and went downstairs. The paper was massive, all those catalogs beckoning shoppers to doorbuster deals that looked so enticing.

I pulled out the three that caught my eye. JC Penny had a great luggage set on sell for $39.00 (original price valued at $200). Bealls had a pair of gloves that are sensor touch so I can use my phone without taking my gloves off. And then there were some books on sell at Books-a-Million that I wanted to look at (even though I have a kindle).

My Plan:

1. Get some sleep and go when ever I wake up.

2. Hit JC Penny first, they opened the earliest and I knew I had to get there fast if I wanted the luggage.

3. Bealls would be next, because it was also at the mall.

4. Then hit BAM, if I was still in the mood.

So I was set, I went to sleep late because I was watching a movie. However, I woke up at 5:00. I got up and got dressed. Penny's had only been open for an hour, I had a chance. I got in my car and headed over. I luckily got a great parking spot as someone else (one of those aforementioned insane people) was just leaving.

I asked a sales person where the luggage was, showing a picture from that catalog. He walked me right to them, and they not only still had it, but I had my choice of colors. I was so excited.

That meant it was time for Bealls. As a drove around to the other side of the mall ( as the mall doesn't open until 9) I noticed a line formed outside. When I pulled out the catalog, I noticed they didn't open until 6 and I had like 5 min, so I got in line. Guess that make me one of the insane. When the doors opened I knew exactly where to go. I got the gloves and went to get in line. That is when the best Black Friday experience comes. I was in line at the cashier and I was the one who made the line start to curve. As I was standing there, ladies started joining behind me. That is when I noticed a woman had gotten on the other side of the line and intended to cut in line. I didn't mind, I was only getting the gloves. But the older lady behind me did mind and she says something about it. And then this other woman (a large black woman) starts getting an attitude back at her and it almost went to blows. I was almost in the middle of one of those things that would have made the morning news. But I did get the gloves.

On my way to BAM, I stopped into Sears, just to look at the electronics. I met a former classmate from college, and we got to talking. I told him I wanted to look at the tvs. So he showed them to me. And I got one (not on my list, but a major want). He told me about some that were on sale, but not out on the floor. Thank goodness for old friends.

I never made it to BAM, but I had a very great morning and was home before 7.

Call me Insane.

The "Joy" of Being Sick

As with every change of the weather here in Texas, those nasty little bugs are starting to go around. Working with kids, it is just bound to happen that one of those bugs will find me. In past years, if I got sick I was able to just stay at home and not worry about going to work or even getting out of bed for that matter. But now that I am an official teacher and with that only a limited number of days a year to miss school, I have to fight through what I am feeling and try to make it one day at a time.

On Tuesday night I started feeling it. By Wednesday, my cold was full blown and getting worse. However, since this week was the last in this grading period, I had to go to school. Each day it was a struggle to stay on top of my kids to get all their work finished and corrected. But i made it. At 5:00 on Friday I was going home, grades finalized and no planning needed to be done.

That is when the worst hit. Last night I was up every two hours, coughing up a lung and not being able to swallow anything. I was miserable. And because I couldn't sleep, I started to read. I rarely get to read anymore because of school and it was a pleasure to get to do that this morning. I fell asleep reading and had one of the best dreams I had head in a while.

Maybe it was the book, or maybe the medicine that I am taking, but I have had a Joy being sick!