Home field advantage

This morning I faced down one of my greatest fears-large masses of people, single mindedly bent on the same prize as I. That's right. For the first time in my life I went Black Friday shopping. (ker-POW-ow-ow....) Usually when I get stuff for Christmas, I avoid things that most people are getting for one another, simply because my family doesn't need or want those things, and by Thanksgiving I'm usually done with the bulk of my shopping anyhow. This year was no exception on that front, but this year......this year I was after THE gift. A gift of such maximum awesomeness that those who behold it in all it's glory Christmas morning will weep from the sheer beauty of it's majesty. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what it is, because Jason is the only member of my immediate family who reads my blog. Last night I carefully set the stage, and this morning at 4:35 I was out of bed like a bullet fired from a gun. First stop, the kitchen, to flick the switch on the coffee maker, which I had set the night before. Then, leaving my pajamas on, I threw on a sweater, coat, and shoes. I filled my carafe, grabbed a book, and I was out the door before Jason got up for work at 4:45. I arrived at Target a few minutes later. The line was already pretty long and I had scoped the store Wednesday night before they closed. I knew full well they only had 20 of the item I was after. A voice in the back of my head told me to just go home, but, determined, I parked (pretty close, actually!) and walked toward the familiar red building. I took my place in line, cracked open my book, and snuggled up with my coffee. Not long after that several people began leaving the line. Apparently they thought the store opened at 5 instead of 6. Sweet. I moved up several feet. A news chopper flew overhead just before the store opened and it was then I realized that I was close to the front of a line that literally wrapped around the building! At 6 they opened the doors and we were off! Store clerks were standing just inside with an army of shopping carts. They'd throw one out and someone would catch it without even breaking stride! The mass of people headed off toward the back of the store (and I knew we were after the same item, it was all anyone could talk about!) but I knew my way around and headed off at Children's Clothing Pass, leaped a clothing rack and sprinted through the toy department until, behold, I was standing in front of my prey. There were three racks holding said object and most people were swarming the top two, so, still sprinting, I ducked down, grabbed one off the bottom shelf, and did an abrupt u-turn to the checkout counter. Another shopper was checking out at the same time as I, and with an identical object in his basket. We grinned at one another as I headed toward the exit. People were still swarming into the building as I left and they were locking and unlocking the doors to let people out so no one would try to squeeze in the exit. I walked, triumphant, back to my car. Some other would-be shoppers were standing near as I skipped through the parking lot, and one of them remarked, "Oh, she's happy, look at her!" It was only then that I realized I was literally chuckling to myself in a self-satisfied (and maybe a little smug) manner. I forced myself to be less creepy. I drove home, victorious, and went right back to sleep. During the afternoon I got all dolled up (I straightened my hair!) and Jason and I went to John and Denise's for an after Thanksgiving party. We had a good time watching TMX Elmo have a seizure on the coffee table. Have you seen that thing? It's like.....creepy entertaining! We were only able to stay for about an hour before heading off to the Westport Coffeehouse to see Tantrum and The Union. (Tantrum=improv comedy from KC, The Union=sketch comedy from Chicago) It was a stellar show, I laughed so hard. We all went to McCoy's afterward and boguarded the big room with the round tables so we could sit rather than hang out around the bar. Jason and I split a "Juicy Lucy." I'd heard of them from Jill Bernard, but never had one. It's a cheeseburger with the cheese INSIDE the burger. Oh man, it was greasy, heavenly goodness.