Phil's Place: I Saw The Light

Across The Evening Sky

ISS from a German telescope. (Flicker)

I Watched The Space Station

I remembered to read Thursday's blog, and went outside to look WNW. The space station came flying up from the mountains as a pink glowing object that changed to a red-orange color. When it was at the proper angle, it became a silver white flying star that seemed brighter than Venus. I watched until it dimmed in the shadow of the Earths atmosphere and faded off into the eastern horizon.

Fountain Of Information

Fountain on N. Market Street. 11/28/09

I tried to buy something this black Friday weekend. It seemed like the patriotic thing to do. I even drove by Best Buy on actual Black Friday, but no amount of savings on something I probably don't need, was a great enough incentive to plunge into that stormy sea of shoppers, I saw surging in and out of the store.

I had read some comments, on line, from people in other states, that said things were slow at their local Best Buy, so I went to see if it would be easy to get a wireless router that was on sale for $19.99. I have been thinking about getting a wireless router to take with me when I visit non-wireless places. That way I wouldn't have to stay in the computer room when I use my laptop. Twenty dollars for something I would only use a few times a year seemed like a reasonable price, so I made up my mind to get one.

I went back today and, though it was still pretty crowded, I went in. Dodging determined shoppers and moving away from diseased coughing flu sufferers, I negotiated the maze of merchandise until I came to the computer accessory section. A guy in a blue Best Buy shirt led me to the routers and I asked for the $19.95 wireless router. He went off to check on it. While he was gone, another employee inquired if I had been helped. I explained that I had.

He asked,"What did he look like?"

I replied, "He was wearing a blue shirt."

We scanned the store for awhile.

Eventually, the new guy exclaimed, "We're all wearing blue shirts!"

The first blue shirt guy returned to say he could only find a Belkin router for $25.99. We went to a nearby, sales computer to look up the cheaper one. They didn't have any in stock, but they were available on line. I guess all the shopping activity must have addled my brain, because I said thanks, I guess I will go home and order it on line.

If I had been thinking, I would have bought the Belkin right then and there for $25.99. A more motivated salesperson would have seen the light and pointed out that I would be spending $6.95 for shipping when I ordered the $19.95 W-link router on line, and that I could have a Belkin router, in my hand, right then, for about the same cost.

Maybe I will go there next week, after the black Friday shopping frenzy has ceased, and see what they have got in an inexpensive wireless router that I might use 3 or 4 times a year.

Dust Speck In Space