It’s Frenzy Time…Again
It’s the fourth quarter. It’s the holiday shopping season. It’s raking in the profits while beginning to think of the new year. It’s looking back and looking ahead. Many find time to look at their investment portfolio. How is the stock market doing, the S&P, the NASDAQ, the Dow Jones?
November has not arrived, but already, batches of catalogs get loaded into my mailbox. There is a large variety too: cookie catalogs, fruit catalogs, decorating catalogs, kitchen catalogs, high-priced gadget and gizmo catalogs, and plethora of clothing catalogs. And more come each and every day.
I went out to do some shopping for myself on a Saturday evening. I simply wanted to buy a new sweatshirt and some long sleeved T-shirts. The mall was packed, I could not believe it. This is not Black Friday, it isn’t even the last week of November. And we’re in a pandemic crisis. I am not holiday shopping, I only want to replace some old t-shirts and buy a sweatshirt for working in the yard. Shoppers were frantic. It was if the merchandise would be gone by Monday. I overheard customers asking for a credit line increase on their charge card, arguing that they paid their bill and that the card should still be good, and applying for additional cards. Virtually everyone is hurried, hassled, huffish, and haggard. Based upon my shopping experience, there are no apparent concerns of consumers regarding the economy. Robust looks as if it is the correct word to use to describe what I experienced.
Meanwhile, the stock market continues to show life after the March freefall. But Friday stocks rallied and all is well again. The commodities, without making this short article a financial news piece, rallied well since last March. Grains, metals, energies, and livestock futures show gains.
People voted. A new president elected, and the incumbent refuses to concede. Now we wait to see how all rolls out, what happens and how citizens of the United States react to new leadership. But people do not wait when it comes time to shop for the holidays.
The shopping, the markets, the election, the actions of people, the personalities of individuals, and business plans and goals, humans goals and aspirations (or the the lack thereof) fascinates me. I’ll be candid, as much I try to understand, I have no idea what is coming of this activity. I’m baffled and surely not about to offer and prognistations.
There is a lesson to be learned from all of this activity. What exactly, I do not know. But I for one, am going to be vigilant of the economy and my surroundings. One thing I am sure of however, I am not a part of the frenzy; I got trapped momentarily, but I am out. I have no intentions of joining in the fray.
I was glad to be back home to relax, go to my home office and sit in front of my computer. It is hear that I write, read, study, research, and shop. Yes, shop. Shopping online beats the madness of the crowds. It is quiet, relaxed, and besides I can enjoy shopping while sipping on my personal recipe of a classic Old Fashioned.
