Shopping until you drop, or go broke

I've always found the reference to "Black" Friday a little disconcerting as the beginning of the Christmas season but in this case "Black" is a good thing for businesses I guess. Our pursuit of eking out a living has lead to a complete set of days for shopping. Today is "Small business Saturday" A day when you buy all local from locally owned, independent stores. Monday is "Ciber Monday" a day when you buy on line from all over the world. I figure with the three days there we've pretty much spread our hard earned cash all over the planet. If we are indeed in need of a specific gift item and its on sale, we ought to get it. However, we all know at least one person who is simply addicted to shopping and proceeds to overspend for things they don't need. I am acquainted with a family guy that didn't sleep Thursday night because he wanted a new 46in TV. He fought and waded his way through the crowds and even got knocked down once only to find there was only one TV per store and it was sold within 30 seconds or so. This otherwise reasonably sane guy proceeded to spend his entire two week pay check for another TV more than three times the price of the original. The money he had was supposed to go for groceries and rent but he just got caught up in the moment. Friday afternoon, as he watched TV he was on the phone with his landlord making all sorts of excuses of why he didn't have the rent money. He wound up pawning his computer. Now that's what I call a problem.

A friend of mine is a psychologist and is extremely interesting to listen to. It is his opinion that each and every one of us has at least one addiction. I found that hard to believe but he went on to give a few examples of how we develop certain routines, A.K.A. addictions to help us through life. Many are obvious and frowned upon like drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. Others are not viewed by us as addictions like a daily shower at a specific time, a coffee cup with the handle turned a certain way or wiping the dust off the counter on the way out the door, every day. If we look at ourselves honestly, he says, we will discover we have an addiction.
How do we get out of bed? How do we hold a fork? How do we put on our shoes? How do we read the paper? How often do you eat a certain food? Wait a minute, I said, I think you are describing simple procedure we develop over the years that work best for us. In a way, he said, but for the most part they are all addictions. I sort of think that he was playing a psychologists joke on me. I, for one do not have any addictions whatsoever. I actually need those three and a half cups of coffee to equalize my metabolic rate. If I put on my left shoe first the laces get tangled. If I don't let the engine run for exactly two minutes before my truck in gear it will blow up. I know what I'm doing. No one else understands me like I do. What was my point again here? Oh yeah, shopping! When I look at the prices offered on these special Black Friday sales it makes me wonder why I don't fight the crowds and get the deals. First, I don't need any of that stuff. And second, I still don't! I will say this though, addicted or not some of those shoppers certainly are enjoying themselves. Especially the ones who aren't spending their rent money.

Telemarketers

One of the most annoying things I have to deal with on any given day as a business man is telephone solicitations. Business phones aren't able to be protected by the "Do not call list" It's a pitty. Don't get me wrong here. As a fellow tax payer and working person, I am happy for them and everyone concerned that they are working and paying bills. I also believe that many businesses get some really great deals from them. But to me they are an ever increasing annoyance and major interruption to my ability to earn a living myself. And maybe it's not so much that they call be all day long but more so in the disrespectful way they talk to me. Here are a couple examples:

"Hey, this is Jack, let me talk to my old buddy Joe?" I acknowledge that I am Joe. Then he proceeds to tell me he has a real deal for me but first he attempts to tell me a dirty joke, just between us guys. I hung up without further comment. He calls back and swears at me for hanging up and then hangs up himself when I asked who he worked for.

"Hi, this is Pamella, my goodness but you have a friendly voice Joe. Are you guys as busy as you were last year when I called?" Assuming she was a customer I answered that yes we were but still had room for more. "Oh, that's good to hear Joe. I have a wonderful way for you to save hundreds of dollars on your credit card transactions." I replied that I was set and didn't want to discuss the matter. Please take me off their list and do not call again. Seemingly caught off guard she said rather pointedly, "Who do you think you are talking to me that way? You're a real jerk!" Then hung up.

"Can I talk to the person responsible for paying your gas bill? I have an issue of immediate concern regarding your monthly payment." Concerned, I say that I am the one responsible thinking there is some problem with a check or something. "You sir are paying more for your gas each month than you should. Tell me, how much do you pay a month?" What? I ask. I thought you were from the gas company. "I am from such and such cooperative and I am calling to save you hundreds of dollars by joining our co-op." I say I am not interested in discussing the matter ands would they please take me off their list. "What kind of fool doesn't want to discuss saving money?" He said. and hung up.

"Hello, this is Marcia. Are you an owner, manager or employee of the company?" Yes, I'm the owner I said. "Well sir, I can sell you triple x rated movies for pennies on the dollar." I am not at all interested in triple x movies and would they please take me off their list and not call again. "Am I correct in hearing you say you don't like pretty women sir? Are you gay? I have those movies too." Take me off your list and don't call again. "OK sir, maybe this isn't a good time for you. I'll call some other time." She never heard a word I said did she?

One of the common factors besides being annoying is none of them ever asked if I had time to listen. My time is the most valuable thing I have. Because of that I have made a vow to never, ever buy anything, for any purpose from a telemarketer. Never. Even though some of what they say is kinda funny.