A Day of Giving, Taking, and lots and lots of Waiting

My last post was not exactly related to the media, it involved more venting about society than relating society to the media. So this will be my post. Hopefully I can find something equally entertaining to discuss.

I've got it.

BLACK FRIDAY!!!!!

For those of you who have never worked in retail, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. The day, at least for workers, from HELL!

It is a day, for some consumers, that is anticipated all year long. A day when products are sold well below cost to draw consumers in to meet revenue budgets and find a new consumer base for the holiday shopping season.

For retailers, it is a day that never ends. A day that marks the beginning of the end. It means no more vacations, no more slow days, no more relaxing during the slow season of retail. It also means more customers, more problems, more returns, more rude customers, and more people looking to get a "deal."



Now, I work in retail, I haven't always, but I did once before and I remember Black Friday well. To me, it means long lines, a long day, and a whole bunch of paperwork (my next post will probably be about weekly ads from an advertisers perspective...I have the idea now, we'll see if I remember it for next time).

Am I prepared for it this year, not at all. Am I looking forward to it, hell yes. I will miss having slow days where all we do is watch football all day long (Sunday's in an electronic store are great). But the fun that comes along with long shifts that go by quickly is exciting and something that I look forward too. Yes, I know, I am a dork, and probably one of a kind, but I don't care. I am okay with it.

I look forward to Black Friday, because it brings back memories. I remember when I was younger, going shopping with my mother first thing in the morning, sleeping in the line until my mom woke me up because the line was moving. However, now, with school and work, waiting in line for a sale seems silly.



Black Friday has become something like a holiday in the United States. People camp out at all the hottest stores waiting for the doors to open. Running like a stampede to get the latest and greatest for the lowest price anyone has ever seen.


Families get together on Thanksgiving to enjoy a wonderful turkey dinner and afterwards, at least in my family, we look at the ads. Not because we plan on shopping in the morning, we just want to see what's out there. We got tired of being one of the crazy people getting up at 3am just to go shopping. It doesn't seem worth it anymore.

Being a full-time student and working full-time has definitely made me appreciate my sleep. Not that I could shop if I wanted to, I work at 4:30 in the morning, but even still, would I if I could. Probably not. But it sure is fun just thinking about the day. And even though I know I can't shop, and knowing that I work all day long, I still look forward to seeing the ads, as I am sure millions of other people do too. Are you one of those people?



Each year, Black Friday is getting more and more dangerous. If y ou are one of the people going shopping that day, or even if you are working, be careful. Watch your feet, protect your belongings, and hang on to your kids--or better yet, leave the unnecessary items at home, that includes kids. Put the credit cards, cell phones, and keys in your pockets and leave everything else at home, its the safest place to be on Black Friday.

Look out, the closer it gets to Christmas, the more advertisers attack.

As for me, I like danger, bring it on!!!