About post-Christmas shopping

Even when I had a lot less funds than I do now, I love to shop post-Christmas.
Not that I hate to shop pre-Christmas, but there is a certain pressure: to find the perfect, or at least a fitting, gift; to get it all done by December 25; to have it wrapped; and to oh please God don't let me lose that receipt so it can be returned for whatever reason.
Post-Christmas, it's all about saving money.
And, I love to save money!
So I set some aside to replenish my supply of the holiday necessities--wrapping paper, gift bags, lights to replace those which have died. Gift tags. Some ornaments I couldn't resist. Christmas stationary for those riveting Christmas letters people wait all year for me to send. Oh, and that understated Christmas top for half-price was not to be resisted. Only $2.50 at Target! Oh, and that Ghirardelli peppermint bark was not to be denied to me. Again: half-price (sense a theme?).
Now, the downside to post-Christmas shopping: worse crowds than I ever, ever, see pre-Christmas.
Today at Target, we could not get in the front door because of the line for returns. I had to push two or three old ladies out of the way.
Oh, only kidding!
It was actually just one middle-aged lady, and I knew I could take her if she resisted.
The dollar aisle was so packed I could hardly reach for that $1.00 Spanish for Dummies book, or the 10-Minute Workout for Dummies, or all that Dilbert stuff (and how happy must Scott Adams be that I could stock up on Dilbert magnets, list pads, and post-its?)?
And the marked-down, 50% off Christmas aisle? Packed with two things--people AND stuff! I could not believe how much Christmas stuff Target had left! It seemed at pre-Christmas levels!
And am I succumbing to marketers when I feel an uncontrollable urge to organize at this time year ... right when they put all the storage containers and stuff on sale? So much so I had to buy six containers, in three different sizes?
Call me impressionable.
So we walked out of Target with quite a potpourri of stuff in the cart--from the Dilbert to the organizational, to the groceries I forgot to get yesterday, to the wine gift bags that were too good to pass up. Hey, I need one for a dinner party tomorrow!
Yea, I probably spent too much money. But I celebrate a year coming to an end where I had a little shopping money, and will put everything to good use. Don't I get kudos for buying NO makeup, especially NO lip gloss (yea, I'm a little embarrassed by how much lip gloss I own).
I'll be home putting stuff in those containers. How about you? What are you organizing?

About the most wonderful time of the year

Oh yes, the Christmas season, almost everyone's most favorite time of the year. Carolers singing, bells ringing, snow falling, lights glowing. Cookies baked, candies made, drinks consumed.
But the best of all:
That pile of stuff I ordered that I spy out the window by the door. Woo-hoo!
And real mail in the mailbox!
Who doesn't like getting mail--good mail, I mean. Not stupid grown-up mail, like bills and junk. But mail like invitations, letters, and stuff like that? And Christmas brings some of that! You might get an invitation to a Christmas party! And even if Christmas letters are lame, hey, it's a real letter! And sometimes Christmas cards have really nice personal notes and news and pictures.
And that pile of stuff...well, real confessions: Most of it was for me. Hey, I had to use that Sephora coupon for my FREE birthday-gift shea body butter, didn't I? And I had a Kohl's gift certificate for my birthday that HAD to be used online and HAD to be use RIGHT NOW, period!
The result being, a small pile of packages out the window that said, open me!
Now we're waiting for another package, a little more utilitarian but fun nonetheless: new phones. I think they'll be here tomorrow. Maybe I'll call you with my skin softened by body butter and my new earrings on!
Oh I'll get in the spirit--I'll be ordering stuff online for loved ones any day now, and it will be piles of stuff for other people.
Well, gotta go write out some real Christmas cards. How about you? Are you expecting any packages?

About preparing for battle

How to enjoy shopping on Black Friday:
Don't participate in any 4:30 a.m. sales.
Don't expect too much.
If you've looked through the ads and seen something you're interested in, don't expect the store to still have it when you get there. Ask about rainchecks if you can find somebody.
If you can't find a parking space at a store, leave and come back another day.
If you go into a store and there is no end to the check out lines, leave.
Dress comfortably. High heels have no place on Black Friday shopping.
Dress in layers. Some stores are hot.
Take breaks. There are Starbucks on every corner and in Target for a reason. That reason is for you to get a latte, a piece of gingerbread, and sit down a minute.
Go with fun people. Do not shop with anyone who annoys you, pisses you off, drags you down, criticizes you (or your purchases), or is negative.
Do shop with people who crack you up, admire what you buy, have positive energy, and give good fashion advice.
Taking men and/or small children with you is probably not a good idea.
Have fun eating lunch somewhere.
Know what your budget is, and make at least a feeble attempt to adhere to it. If you must break the budget, have a good rationale ready for anyone you might have to account to.
Oh, if you see something you just really, really must have for yourself...well, be your own "secret Santa"! Wrap it up and give to yourself! Let everything think Santa really brought it.
Sometimes it's easier to use Black Friday to get yourself in the mood, start enjoying the decorations, and just reconnoiter for gifts you'll get on a more serious shopping trip.
Go home, put your feet up, order in pizza, and have a glass of wine!
How about you? Where are you shoppin'?

About my life spent on hold with Kohl's

Like last night. I had a birthday gift certificate, good for online shopping only, at Kohl's. Plus, I had a 15% off coupon I could use in tandem. These shopping discounts were burnin' a hole in my cyber-pocket, so I spent some time surfing the aisles at Kohls.com. (Editor's site review: Their site is terrible. At first glance, it's okay. But try to find something.... They have too much stuff, and it's not well organized. Products appear in several, seemingly unrelated, places. I had to dig and dig to find a pair of earrings that had been featured on the jewelry page just last week.)

I finally found the object of my desire, and added a little sumpin', and proceeded to checkout.

Filled out all the name address blah blah, Kohl's credit card, then added the gift certificate info and the coupon in what seemed to be a very nicely organized fashion.

Except when I hit "order," and was able to review my order, while the 15% off coupon was clearly applied, I would see no where that the $20 gift certificate had been deducted. Bummer!

Stymied, I called the toll-free number, only to be told right off by my new electronic friend that "waits are longer than you may be used to at Kohls.com and you might want to call back later."

Well no I didn't want to call back later, so I pressed all the right buttons (as my new friend instructed me) and finally got to the Musak place.

Where I stayed for fifteen or twenty minutes. Thank God for Firefox and tabbed browsing! I could keep my Kohl's checkout screen up and amuse myself at the same time.

FINALLY, a real human announced herself. After selling her my firstborn child to prove my identity (sorry, Ang, we'll miss you, but I know you love Kohl's) she was able to look at my order and discern that, indeed, yes, that gift certificate had been applied, my Kohl's card had been charged the correct amount, and it was all good.

Okay, bye then. Can I have Angela back?

I run a web site, so I know we're still figuring out this internet thing. But, knowing a little about how ecommerce works, I'm stumped as to why the screen I was looking at was not jiving with what she was looking at.

Well, I won't get that 15 or 20 minutes back, but I did learn that Kevin Federline is taking Brit back to court for something or other. And, I am gonna get those earrings. And that other sumpin'.

How about you? Had any lengthly online shopping experiences lately?

About buying stuff on eBay

Because it's addictive, and you can get really good deals, and there's just so much stuff there, and if you lose once you just try again, and SOMEBODY MAKE ME STOP.
My latest, best buy: A Pioneer Inno XM radio/MP3 player. The long hours at work are so hard to fill with good entertainment as I stare at my screens. This Inno will let me record up to 50 hours of XM radio recordings...and listen all week at work. I may have just cured my workday ennui!
These little babies retail for $300 or $400, depending on which model you get. I paid...$95. For a used-once box full of musical possibilities.
Now I'm bidding on a car kit, which retail for about $70. I'm hoping to snag one for $40. Keep your fingers crossed.
What else have I bought? Oh, cheap Italian charms...handbags...a PCTV tuner...my bluetooth earpiece...a new cell phone battery...picture printer cartridges.
What I need to do is SELL on eBay. But that enterprise seems fraught with stress. The receipts, the postage, the shipping, the shipping materials, the feedback. I sold a used book once--ONCE--on Amazon, and the lady got mad because it was sent third class book rate, and she lived on the West Coast, and the book took forever to get there, and she sent me a nasty email, and I was very freaked about it, and never tried it again.
I guess I am a buyer, not a seller.
Well, how about you? Are you buyin', or sellin'?

About our disenchantment with the opening of yet another Wal-mart

Stunning to think that we would actually be less than pleased over the building of a new shopping facility, yet it is so.
Because a new Wal-mart is being built just five minutes from Angela's house, and none of us care. Because we already have plenty of Wal-marts to shop at, all a reasonable driving distance away, PLUS a Sam's Club, and because we had hoped it was going to be a Target going in there. Our hopes were sadly dashed.
I have seen a very few Wal-marts in rather more upscale areas (say, Naples, Florida) that are architecturally more interesting than the usual gray/tan/blue box, but early indications of construction hint that this will not be one of them. It's going to be just another big-box discount store plopped in a former field, with too much parking lot.
Shopping at Wal-mart is like being sucked into a yawning maw of merchandise and fluorescent lights, noise and movement, a maze of aisles with little chance of early escape. It's just really hard to "run into Wal-mart and get a gallon of milk."
Don't the workers always look happy in the Wal-mart commercials? Sometimes they even break into song! I've yet to find a Wal-mart with equally happy folks, and the only singing I hear is the Muzak. Although I have encountered some pretty chipper greeters, now that I think of it.
And where's that bouncy little smiley-face guy? The one with no body? I've never seen him flying around, like the snitch in a Quidditch match. I bet he's in the break room, smoking. Somebody has to hold the cigarette for him because he's got no hands.
Want a little taste of what it's like to work at Wal-mart? Try this blog»
Well, what are you thinkin' about shopping? Are you longin' for the K-mart days? Or does Target get your business?