It is dark out, very dark...
Stacks of paper are continuously jostled about, rearranged, handed left, then right, only to come back again to the pile after a brief flight. Steam is rising from the pair of mismatched coffee cups sitting nervously to the side. Crumbs from day-old blueberry muffins dot the scene as if they were miniature tumbleweeds that sense their belonging to the purpose at hand.
Indeed, these are the Road Warriors, "Shoppers With An Attitude" getting ready to head out well before sunrise to engage in competitive gift buying with others just as dedicated and serious. But just who will get to grab one of the 4 laptops in stock? Ah, that is where this pre-dawn pre-planning plays off.
Competition is cut-throat, and there is no substitute for getting every single duckling in a row before hitting the hardtop. Who drops whom at which entrance, and do they circle twice or do they park, will one take care of the electronics list while the other rushes to the video section, or will one beeline for each while the other surreptitiously gets in the quickly growing line to save a place...true survivors know they must plan for every option available to maximize those savings at those magical hours. May the best plastic-swiper win...
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I was almost one of those...I have self-imposed orders to be on the lookout for some of the larger ticket items and buy when the time is 'right'...and just when I thought I would be heading out with the most serious of shopping endeavors, I got to doing a little math.
No doubt the sales prices were excellent for the limited Friday morning time frame...but in researching the internet as well as the copious paper ads, I discovered that if you take the time to check out all the angles, the 'best' deal may not be the 'best' deal, at all. I found the prices I wanted from a very reputable national chain, here in town, that did not charge for shipping or sales tax if you ordered on-line...that alone catapulted me financially well ahead of the mental luxury of picking it up in person at other local stores.
By being willing to wait 7 days to get my paws on something shipped in from another state, I saved a bunch of money...like supposedly switching to that lizard-laden insurance company. It pays to be observant and inquisitive, that's all I know. Make Life work for you.
Too, I am slated for the mid-day shift for the Carolinas Friday...never even attempted to pull out Raleigh forecast files before, but I will assume if Matt Morano and Matthew East could do it so could I. And I can thank my lucky stars the weather is VERY user-friendly...no matter where you go in the Carolinas the next few days, you have superior traveling weather.
Too bad I don't have time to train an African Grey Parrot to sit on my shoulder and give the forecast for me: "Sunny and milder, Sunny and milder, ccrrrrok"
"Lots of traffic, Lots of traffic, ccrrrok"
"Baroclinic zone to the west, strong subsidence in the south, ccrrrok"...
These birds know their stuff.
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