I went shopping tonight at REI in Reading and got all outfitted for a cross-country ski trip in Weston. Among other things, I bought a good fleece and a shell to keep the wind out.

My mom and grandmother would be proud, as I made out like a bandit on the shell – marked down from $189 to $64.83. My initial reaction was not, however, “Wow, great deal!” It was instead, “Do they put gold in the pockets to make it worth $189 in the first place?” The one I got had no gold in the pockets. Bummer.