JohnnyLaRue

the price is dropping again in Japan (for holiday deals) so maybe another price drop soon in the USA?

I am overwhelmed by the cameras!! I would like a new one as my old one is somewhere at my old (radiated) place. I am using my HD cell phone camera which is nice but I would like a nice digital camera again. Am I better off getting one here in Japan or are the deals for BF too good to pass up? (mind you the yen is strong so it's like getting a 23% discount on the USA price)

Ok I saw on the Gamestop ad an EA Season Pass. What is that? NOt a fan of Gamestop but just curious what it is

Ah yes an old flash mob prank (4 years old?) but still funny to watch. Loved the kid in the blue polo shirt

Never have had a credit card and never wanted one. I refuse to support the credit card industry and reject the credit reporting system. Also I see no need for having one. I use cash for my purchases. I don't worry about theft as I carry small amounts and when I carry larger amounts I use a money belt. If I don't have the money to get an item than I don't get it. Emergencies? I have a separate emergency account. Online shopping? Paypal or bank transfer.

The DS is alive and well in Japan. They go for about 7000 yen or so.

I toned it down over the years and went from inline at 9pm to showing up at 7am. Still got what I wanted too Now online shop due to distance issues BF isnt a competition but should be fun

I really want an e-reader and don't want one here in Japan as it's all in Japanese! I hve no clue what ones are good and hoping to score a good deal on BF

About 90% of the BIG deals are hidden I guess. Lots of ads here have USA celebs (Boss coffee - Tommy Lee Jones) as opposed to local celebs. Even Babies R Us has non asian baby models here! http://www.toysrus.co.jp/b/index.html?mail_id=toytbru My take is non asians are unique and exotic based on personal experience

It's the busiest shopping day of the year. Almost ALL stores are closed on the 1st and 2nd and re-open on the 3rd. Nobody really waits inline before the stores open here. A few "crazy" people do though as they line up one hour before open. These people are deemed crazy and weird. You might ask what are they waiting for? So what is the big deal here? LUCKY BAGS!! Just about every store has them. You pay a certain amount of money and choose your bag (or box). Bags come in all prices (as low as 300 yen or as high as 120,000 yen) $3 to $1200 What is in a Lucky Bag? Anything the store sells and the "doorbusters" are in the bag (in the form of a ticket for most items). Clothing stores: You get a bag of clothes and most women will trade clothes outside the store after they buy the bag in hopes of getting items they want. Electronic stores: I have a pic of the bags below. Bic Camera (like a Best Buy) http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/6931/luckybagbiccamera.jpg The big "doorbusters" there were 3D Tvs and PCs. The hot selling bag was the 35,000 yen bag that could have a fancy PC in it or laptop. Or you could get 35,000 yen (or less) worth of merchandise (electric razors, hair curlers, DVD players, video games, anime DVDs..etc). The toy stores (Yes they have TRU here) have the same Lucky Bags as well. Though they were not as popular I think. TRU bags left over (about 5pm) http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9761/toysrusluckybags.jpg These bags seemed to sell out faster http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8529/moretoysrusluckybags.jpg The most popular LUCKY BOX deal was in the middle of the mall. It was 300 yen (about $3) for the box http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8049/lotsofluckyboxes.jpg You can see the prizes below http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/1403/luckyboxprizes.jpg I decided to roll the dice and got 2 boxes and managed to reach over the kids hopped up on sugar to get two. I got 2 anime keychains in the first box and some anime toy in the 2nd. Clearly I was not lucky. Also it is very LOUD as you have employees with megaphones shouting at you to come into the stores and they have the best prices! Sayings like hey sexy and hey pretty woman are often said as well. If I am still here in Japan for it this year I will take new photos and try to get some video footage.

7am Sunday Japan time?

japan time? Japan is anxiously awaiting the return of Misssta Jim!

I wonder if the USA economy will be in worse shape than last year at that time. If so will the ads reflect it or will people just stay home?

I physically bought nothing. Yes some great GDers helped me out with a few simple gifts for co-workers but other than that no gifts this year. Found out I saved a lot of cash as a result ha ha ha. I just wish/hope the packages I sent to the GDers who helped me out get there soon! No problem! I regret not actually buying it that one day I saw it. Oh sure who would want a Pokemon CD I thought. Apparently quite a few here in Japan. Who knew? Not me.

I used to go to Denny's when I was in the USA. I would tip the waitress $50 just cause I had nobody else to give a gift to in the morning and I wanted to start the day off right.

DieHard is sooo a X-mas movie!

Not much of a DVD person but the only three holiday movies I own are: 1.) DieHard 2.) National Lampoons X-mas vacation 3.) Ирония судьбы (very popular Russian holiday movie!)

Never had one when I was on my own. My roomie one year got one for free X-mas eve from a true value store. We decorated it that night and had fun.

A Mr. Jim autographed 8X10 would be a DOORBUSTER!!! The best comment I got from the class after the webcast was: - Someone should buy Mr. Jim a cowboy hat for Christmas

Mr.Jim is quite popular in Japan.

How do you chat???

75% chance I might be there too!

whew! I have been reading posts to my students from the what I got thread and they are shocked! This thread they like better.

Yea and none of the 3 I am dating are in "love"... Ether way it still does not feel like X-mas here.

LOL thanks! I found a few stores have the fake ones painted neon blue or hot pink or bright orange! I told my co-workers that seems just wrong. They said but it's cuter than a boring green one!