Black Friday Syndrome

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I skipped writing my newsletter last week and I almost did the same today. The truth is I’m feeling antsy. I want to get outside.

But I wanted to share a photo from my newest favorite Marin photo location – Ring Mountain. I also wanted to commiserate with any of you that struggle with Black Friday.

Why so restless? You could certainly blame it on the weather – things are finally drying out and warming up after a lot of cold and wet. You could also blame it on the fact that I’ve been working really hard lately and need some fresh air.

And you would be right…but I also blame the Black Friday phenomenon. Seriously, it never fails to stress me out. Am I the only one?

I put off buying things, expecting discounts on Black Friday. I make physical lists and mental lists and end up spending way too much energy pondering my future purchases.

Then the sales start and I wonder if they will get better, so I wait. I keep refreshing websites. I have 1000 tabs open. Then it turns out that the stuff I worked so hard to decide on…well, it’s not on sale. But something similar is. Should I just buy it? I spend another hour researching. I decide I want the thing I already decided I wanted. The one that is not on sale. 

This note is starting to feel negative that’s not what I sat down to write about. I wanted to talk about what’s next, the feelings I get after I laugh at myself for, once again, getting sucked into the Black Friday vortex. 

My excitement to shed the consumerism mindset and get outside. 

To slow down with my slow (er) season and to connect with my family and my surroundings. 

To make compost piles for the garden and to learn to forage for mushrooms and to spend some quiet hours in the ocean on a surfboard. 

To refocus on the art of photography, not the business behind it. 

That’s all for today. Right now, I’m headed outside.