Law Offices of Andrew H. Griffin III Law Offices of Andrew H. Griffin III

“Black” Friday Blog

I know I am supposed to be working, but I  can’t stop my mind from wandering. I think that I am a victim of all of this “Black Friday” marketing. All of the Courts in San Diego are closed today, the day after Thanksgiving.  I have no idea how this day, “Black Friday”,  has evolved into a National Holiday. Why are the Bankruptcy Courts closed? Why is everyone at the mall so early in the morning? Why am I the only attorney in the building working today? When did “Black” start to mean something good?… I have  been taught that Black Cats, Black Clouds, Black Listed, Black Hole, Black Sheep, etc. all had negative connotations. Now “Black Friday” is supposed to be something good. Maybe since I am a “Black” man I should just remain silent and accept the new movement that “Black is the new Green”!

I don’t even watch TV (except to be disappointed by my  San Diego Chargers!) but I have been influenced with so much “Black Friday” advertising that I feel that I should not be in the office.  I have been brainwashed. Maybe that’s why I’m having such a hard time working today. (So much that I have to stop what I’m doing and write this blog.)

I am sure you know that the reason why that they call it “Black Friday” is because the day is important to businesses because they need to climb out of the “Red” ink (no offense to Native Americans) and into the “Black” ink. Getting “into the Black” supposedly has no racial connotation. It is said to mean that the business is finally making a profit.

Then I started thinking even harder. How precarious is business if you have to wait until the third week of November to know if you are making a profit?  How nerve wracking it must be to work almost eleven complete months to ascertain whether your business has made a profit for the year? How many people would take that risk? Why would you take that risk? Who in their right mind would own a business?

Then I realized that I must not be in my right mind. I have worked from myself as an attorney for almost 30 years. I also own and operate a real estate firm. I am a professional mediator.  Owning these businesses gave no guarantee that I would be paid on the first and fifteenth of each month. I guess I am just as crazy as all of the rest of the  businesses who promote theses “Black Friday” sales.

This Country was built on entrepreneurs like me who don’t believe that “Failure is not an option” (the tag line for the movie, Apollo 13.) We are a country of risk takers. Without risk, we can find no success. When asked about his failures while inventing the light bulb,  Thomas Edison said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” We have to welcome and embrace failures in order to learn from our mistakes so that we do not make the same mistakes.

As an attorney whose practice concentrates on bankruptcy and insolvency matters, I have to support my fellow risktakers.  So, I’m headed to the 7-11 because their “Black Friday” special is a free cup of any sized drink if you buy a slice of pizza! (Hmmm, I’m sure there is no left over food at home after yesterday!!!)