Did You Venture Out to Shop at 12:01 AM on Black Friday?

I've finally caught up on my sleep after my first time in probably 10 years being part of an opening on Black Friday. I wanted a few things, which I can't say on here as they are gifts but decided to brave the line at 12:01 Friday morning at Walmart in Auburn. At about 11:15 pm on Thanksgiving I left the house, my first stop was Cumberland Farms for a hot coffee as knew I would be in the parking lot for a while waiting for the doors to open.

I get to Walmart at about 11:30, and sit in my car idling in the parking lot by the gas pumps. You could see the store but it felt like the store was a mile away. At about 11:50, I headed to the line. If I had known it was going to wrap around to the auto service bays I would have parked in Lawn & Garden but I got my place in line after a jaunt. Once it hit 12:01, the line moved quickly. What I noticed the most was, while in line, everyone was friendly, joking around, partying somewhat but once people passed through the double doors it was all business.

I'll be honest, I went just as much to get a few advertised items as I did to people watch. I didn't go for a $200 50" TV, discounted tablet or any other electronic item, but I couldn't believe the intensity. I saw one woman with five or six tablets in her cart. It did seem better organized than the last time I went, where then I did get a TV. To tell you how long it has been since my last go, we bought a 27" (box type) stereo TV for $400. On occasion Lynn will brave the chaos of the door opening Black Friday sales, but for me as I say this was my first time in a decade.

I had a hard time finding what I wanted but once I did, I got to the cashier who by the way didn't have a line. I was out of Walmart by 12:30. Then I was off to Big Lots where they opened at 1 am, so again I waited in my toasty warm car until a few minutes before the doors opened. I was in and out of that place within 10 minutes. I would have hit Kmart, Kohl's and JC Penney if I wasn't so tired.

If or when I do it again, I think I will sleep before I go. That's the key. You have to have the mental capacity to handle the madness.

Did you do any doorbusting shopping Friday morning? Do you have any interesting stories?