Window Shopper

First of all, we are gearing up for the New Year as we speak. We needed to make a plan about what we were going to write off “The List” and what we could do without for a while. Not easy stuff here. The List is very important. It gives us a goal or several goals actually. And those goals need to be met by certain times. Not all things on The List are like that but most are.

What am I talking about? Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Then, we must get started on this things on The List which includes such things as buying a new car, a new house, laptops for us to make blogging easier to do, a tank of propane that MUST be ordered in January, a new microwave, television set. Actually, The List is larger than that but these are the most pressing things, at least some of them.

Now, as to what we will do first…that’s Phase 1 which includes the previously noted tank of propane. That has to be on top of The List because we will be running low by sometime in January. And these days, it costs a lot of money to fill such a tank. For instance, our last bill to fill it (a 250 gal. tank) was almost $300. That was when it was at about 30%. What that means is that we still had 30% of the tank full. When we buy it again, it’s going to probably cost a bunch more than that.

Phase 2 will include the taxes we have to pay, at least one of the laptops and, hopefully, a microwave. The television and several other items will be in Phase 3. The above list does not include the medical bills we still have to pay but those are not included in this plan but in the one that has me paying those bills a bit at a time each month. It also does not include the furniture we need as much as we need an assortment of other things but that will be probably in Phase 4. By the time we finish The List, if we ever do, we will have a new one to take it’s place. Isn’t life grand!!!

I confess, we have ratty chairs and the couch has gone “boing” at least a few times. That was not pleasant. Yet, we have that really lived in look in our livingroom. I know. It sounds more like a trailer park. But no, we live in an actual house with an actual foundation. What we really need is more modern furniture. Not likely to happen these days, of course. Why? The Google mess, of course.

See, Google slammed those of us who like to earn money at home working on our computers. So, now my income has dropped and we no longer can think about new furniture. Sigh. Some day soon, we will rise up again, sort of like the machines in the three Terminator movies. ROFL!!

I know if you have kids, you are aware of the trauma that goes with putting things together. If you had any sense at all, you did that the night before Christmas. If not, you found yourself putting together some thing that has the directions from the hot place. It takes this screw and puts it into that place, this nail, that hole, this bracket, that brace. Sigh. And yet, it does get done, usually after the cussing and the two or three sore fingers.

We know all about that. My Mom received a television stand for Christmas but it was not yet assembled. It was necessary to leave it until after the great opening of the seemingly endless haul of presents. Yes, we are truly blessed. My husband needed to bring his tools from the tool storage shed so that he and his brother could put the thing together. Some hot words, no cussing, and an hour or so later, the television stand was up and sporting a brand new television on it. Yes, my Mom is now ready for the advent of HD television! Hurrah!

Are you in the after Christmas blues? Maybe you got some stuff that simply is not going to work, no matter what you do. Hey, I heard about this woman who got a DVD player for Christmas. The tray wouldn’t come out. What do you do with that?? You take it back.

If Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) wasn’t good enough, now we have the day after Christmas when the stores reopen and the reverse rush begins. Sigh. Isn’t getting a tad ridiculous here? First, you have the after Thanksgiving sales. Those take care of the people who are willing to do their shopping early enough to actually get the items on their lists. Next, you have the middle shoppers. These are the ones that shop all December, getting the best deals they can find but the real sales do not start until closer to Christmas.

The next set of sales comes during the last few days before Christmas. This is the time that you really cannot find the one thing you really, truly wanted to give a person because you waited entirely too long. However, they have excellent sales on things like big screen televisions and you could get that instead. Your spouse is likely to never speak to you again but, what the heck, it’s Christmas.

The last day before Christmas is the worst. That’s when there is little that you actually wanted left in stock. However, you find quite a few sales and a number of people you know that are as ridiculous as you are..waiting to to the last minute.

Then Christmas day happens. All the paper is stacked up to be burned or picked up by the garbage guys. The presents are all opened, some to be played with until they break, some to be used sparingly because you really didn’t want it but you won’t hurt the person’s feelings. Then there are the ones that you just know you have to return at first light on the day after…after what? After Christmas, of course.

The day dawns bright and clear and you are ready to go at 8AM. You get to the store and there’s a mob scene. Everybody has something in their hands that they simply cannot use or do not want. Some of it is broken, some not the right style or size, some is just not you…like the lamp from the movie..The Christmas Story…you know, the one with the lamp shaped like a lady’s leg.

The doors open and it’s a stampede to the customer service desk. The line is already so long it’s going to take the better part of the morning to get to you. The item you brought is a DVD that is not working. You have no receipt, nothing to show it was bought here. The store clerk looks at it and wants to know what’s wrong with it. You tell her that it does not work. She scans it and…. nothing. Are you kidding me? Nope. This item does not come from this store. You groan and think of the hours you have wasted already, standing in a line you did not even need to be in for this item.

Outside, you call the person who gave the DVD to you. They claim they did not give that particular movie to you at all. They have no idea who gave it to you. This is not working well. Is this a nightmare or what???? Actually, yes. Time to wake up! There. Now wasn’t your day better than that? I thought so.

It’s really hard to get noticed in the world of music since there are so many good singers in the world. But it takes someone who is special to grab us with their music. It looks like Alisa Apps is one such person. Having grown up in difficult circumstances, rising out of the negative into the positive, she has begun to make a name for herself.

Most recently, she was seen at a top shopping mall in the country, Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, challenging people to sing with her. The song was Jingle Bells. How many people do you think actually sang with her? Would you? Here is a video of Alisa Apps and shoppers singing Jingle Bells…well, they try.

Did she really have to chase people down to sing? Come on, folks. It’s just Jingle Bells. Who doesn’t know Jingle Bells? Well, apparently a lot of folks. Hey guys, don’t quit your day jobs!! Alisa Apps, you go right ahead and sing away. Great voice!

Have you noticed that when it gets to December that Christmas shoppers get a distinctly negative attitude? Did you wonder if they went home to see Marley floating around? When did it become a trial to shop for presents for someone else? Is this the attitude most people have around this time of year?

The answers to those questions may never come. But I can tell you that where we live, the attitudes are as varied as the people. Some are so negative that you just know in your heart that if Marley does not visit, it will be because he got stuck in traffic. Once the ghost of Christmas past shows up, it’s all over but the shouting!

Other people are so merry that you wish they would go home and be surprised and merry with the ghost of Christmas present. Maybe he can help the “too merry” person to get a perspective on life. And then there are those that you know have already seen the first two ghosts and could care less. You hope that they will see the next guy but this person might actually scare the crap out of the ghost of Christmas future.

But I believe that most people are actually happy and enjoying the season whether they enjoy the shopping or not. But the shopping is going to happen, at least for the rest of today and the next 4 days. Isn’t it sort of awful that after that, it’s all over. Well, not here. We have to start planning next year’s presents. Don’t you?

Merry Christmas from the Window Shopper!!! Happy Shopping, at least for the next 4 and a half days! Ho Ho Ho!

At this time of year, it is not strange to see many Christmas displays on the houses all around where you live. I love looking at those lights and scenes. They are sometimes an inspiration for the season. Many have the Santa Claus statues and the reindeer. Others have the manger scene with the baby Jesus. Still others will have combos of both. But there is one thing that is the same with them all, they are beautiful exterior lighting displays that show the season of Christmas.

Do you have a tour of lights or displays in your area? It would be fun to take the family and just tour the displays. I know that gas is expensive so make it a gift for Christmas to the entire family. Just get out there and see the sights. This only happens at Christmas. All other displays are for other reasons and not nearly as plentiful. Don’t miss this!

If you have waited until now to buy the toys, it could be a real stretch to get them. But, the top toys this year are varied but more or less predictable. First, the Wii is on top of the games list. Everyone wants a Wii this year. Hot item. Don’t forget to add the games! Next, you will find the PS3 console and the bundles that go with it. After that, XBOX and Nintendo with PSP coming up on them. These are truly hot items in the games department.

If you are looking to surprise the boys and girls with something a bit different, the word is robots. You will simply have to look for yourself because the list is rather long and varied on that subject. I will say that the stores have stated that they are down on sales this year so it is possible to get that really great robot toy at the last minute.

Learning and educational toys are hot as well. It’s a great idea to give your children something that will teach them what the schools will not. You can start with children 3 and up with the wonderful learning toys available.

Whatever you may be looking for, now is the time to get out there and find it. There are only a very few shopping days left until Christmas. As of this writing, only 5 days are left. Boy, time sure flies when you’re having fits fun, doesn’t it.

Happy Shopping!!!

Most folks will be traveling to destinations for family reunions or some type of get together. But not all people do that. Some are interested in going to Las Vegas or other places to have a good time with just a spouse or friends. If you are one of those people, you will need to get those Hotel Reservations in right now if you expect to find accommodations available to you then.

Hotel Reservations can set you up with hotel rooms, motels, those vacation rental places like a cabin and many more options. Headed for Miami, Reno, Hawaii, New York or possibly over to Italy, France, England? They will help you with all sorts of options like going places with your family this holiday season. What an adventure it would be to head for a place and stay for a couple of weeks. You might need a condo rental instead of a hotel. They can help you with it. Plus, you will get a special internet rate on all of the services they provide.

Have you found yourself in that position? I have…many times. This year, I decided that was not going to happen to me again. After all, when you have a limited area of shopping, it is imperative that a person get on with the shopping and get it done before the last few days before Christmas. Well, those days are here. My biggest problem at the moment is really that I bought some things online and they have not yet arrived. In fact, I have one item that could, potentially, show up around the New Year’s celebration day. *groan* Then I have to mail it out to the intended person. They would get a New Year’s present, I guess.

One of the very basic rules is that if you buy online, you should not buy after a certain date, say December 10th or so. That would be about the last you could expect things that they send out by media mail, for instance. Now, priority should be better but I have seen cases when it was not. So, unless the company you are buying from actually states that they will get it to you by the 24th, then I would not buy after about the 10th. The problem I have is that I broke that rule. Sigh.

Now on eBay, it’s a little different. I would not buy after about the 5th there. Well, that is if I buy from there at all. Some years ago, I started keeping track of the sellers I particularly liked. Some have left eBay. Others have grown considerably. But, I primarily do business only with those same sellers because eBay has turned into scammers and cheats who are willing to take the hit on their reputation to get the money. For the most part, they do sell the item and send it but not always. I would avoid eBay unless you have confidence in those sellers. Always check the feedback comments! Always!

Other than that, my shopping is done. And when all things have landed at our house, we are pretty much ready for the big day! Whew! This year has been a bit frantic. People never know what they want until you hand it to them. Have you ever noticed that? That means that whatever you get them is going to be a complete surprise, sometimes good…sometimes not so good.

You can usually tell when a gift is being tolerated, right? They get this sort of frozen, “this is nice..what is it?” sort of look to them. I tend to inwardly laugh because I know that they did not want this item but they have to be extremely polite. I suspect my face has shown that very look a few times. On the other hand, if the gift is truly wanted, there is a totally different reaction. Some people jump up and down, if nowhere else..on the inside. Some simply look pleased but you know they are screaming inside. LOL! I am waiting with anticipation for the big day just for those reactions.

Happy Shopping!!