Jay Kersting's Blog

So today is what is known as Black Friday.  This year, I am proud to be able to, for the most part, opt out.

I am not saying that I will avoid ALL trips to the store.  I would rather say that I do not HAVE to take part.  Going back to my early adulthood, I worked in retail.  I got lucky during the three years I was in retail.  The first year, I was transferring from Brookfield, Wisconsin, to Las Vegas, Nevada, and I didn't have to work because I was flying out to Vegas to start the build process for the store opening the following Monday. 

The second year, I was only working part-time and happened to be in the middle of rehabbing my knee from surgery earlier in the fall. So, I was scheduled off.

The third year, a friend, a very good friend, a very, very good friend (Adrian Narvaez) was doing the schedule for some reason and gave me the weekend off so that I could take my fiance to meet the extended family.  I guess the fact that Adrian introduced us led to this nice scheduling.  Or he was trying to do Kathy a favor by exposing her to a reason run away.  Didn't happen....I still don't know why.

Anyhow, back to Black Friday.  So, I dodged the bullet when I was in retail.  But, the luck ran out once I got into radio.  

I was the traffic reporter for three different radio stations during my tenure in Knoxville.  So, Black Friday meant that I had to start earlier than normal.  And instead of talking about the interstates, or wrecks, I was talking about parking lots and lines outside...sometimes INSIDE..the stores. 

The first year of doing this was kind of fun.  The second, third and fourth years were tedious.  How many times and in how many ways can you say that the parking lots are full, jammed, packed before it gets redundant? And it is hard for me to not make opinions known as I view this insanity.  I am not afraid to throw insults when they are deserved, but I understand that a lot of the people out there are ONLY out there because they are off of work AND it is the ONLY time they have to go shopping before Christmas.

But those who pitch a tent on the sidewalk in front of a store are not among those people.  These are the hardcore shoppers.  And I would rather not get in their way.  That is just me.  

So, since I was not traveling for Thanksgiving itself, I have no problem being at work.  It helps that, unlike 75% of the population, I really like my job.  And like 95% of the population, I really don't need the temptation of spending all that money today.  But I am pretty sure that I will be taking part BIG time again this holiday season.

One piece of advice...shop on-line and save some of your gas money.  (You might find worthwhile options on this website if you scroll up....or you might not....I like eBay too.) 

That is like about 97% of the population.

Comments are always welcome.  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!