Black Friday!

So, yes, I went out today, Black Friday, the most infamous shopping day of the year. I deliberately planned our departure from home to miss the most common doorbusters. That is, we left around noon, at least an hour after the end of the craziness. We ventured into the downtown core of our not-so-fair city, visiting two bookstores, a Starbucks, a brief stop at the Gap, and a peek into the window at Nordstrom to see Santa (he waved at us).

Along the way, we encountered some environmentalists (no, I don't have "a minute for the environment today"), a sax-playing Santa, and the oddest group, well-dressed folks carrying black signs with white lettering that say "Buy More Stuff" and "Buy Stuff". They seemed cheerful, and completely serious. A gentleman in a camel overcoat handed me a card, which merely said "Buy More Stuff" and listed a url.

Now, I've heard and read about Buy Nothing Day and that makes perfect, lovely sense. I want to believe that the Buy More Stuff folks are being delightfully ironic, but if you look at the site, well, the serious tone doesn't slip. They're devilish, eh? Lots of photos on their site, here's one from my own not-so-fair city.

And, to be truthful, I'll tell you what I bought today. Two small items for holiday gifts, coffee and hot cocoas for the family, and a math workbook for my older daughter (actually, DH paid for that). I checked two books out of the library. I windowshopped. I tried on a ladies undergarment. Ooo La La!