In an attempt to upgrade my wardrobe to something suitable for a more professional venue (rumor has it that pjs and a proper office don't mix . . . yet), LB and I went to the outlet stores at Potomac Mills. Yes, there were bargains to be had. But was it worth it to swim against the tide of obese parents, squalling children, wanna-be Goth Kids, wanna-be Mean Girls, and pushy vendors trying to squirt perfume on you? To suffer the lack of natural light, the dearth of fresh air, the overabundance of piped-in "rock" tunes for hours on end? To witness a Vietnamese manager bark orders to a testy Arab cashier to tell the confused Pakistani clerk to clean up the dressing rooms with the instructions "tell her in her own language." The jury is still out on that one.

Whoops, not it isn't; here they come.

The jury votes "no."