Thanksgiving is the quiet time before the madness as far as I’m concerned. For those of you that don’t live in the US, the day after Thanksgiving is widely known as “Black Friday”. Not to commemorate the stock market crash of 1869 or the stock market crash of 1929 or the stock market crash of 2008, but rather it’s because this is the one magical day when retailers hope to “get into the black” and hopefully become profitable. So, like all good Capitalists, they drop some blood in the water in the form of cheap-ass electronics no one needs at deep, deep discounts and let the consumer sharks feast on each other.
In past years, Black Friday has been responsible for a number deaths by trampling and at least one person waving a gun around in WalMart because she really, really wanted that XBox. It’s also the day I stay as far away from stores as possible. Partially because I don’t really like crowds and hate being trampled, but also because it’s all just a bunch more crap I really don’t need. So, I largely eschew buying a bunch of presents and focus on being happy that I’ve got my wife and son around.
Samantha Baines, a children’s book author, took things one step further and pledged to send a gift-wrapped copy of her own book to anyone who asked for it so no one will have to wake up Xmas morning without a gift under the tree. You can read her story here.
But, you know what? That kind of got me thinking. I don’t have a bunch of copies of my own books lying around, but I have plenty of digital copies. So, if you want one of them or all of them, drop me a line and tell me what format you want and I’ll be happy to email you copies.
Our lovely and talented hosts this month are: Sylvia Stein and yours truly.
~~~GUIDELINES~~~
1. Keep your post to below 500 words, as much as possible. (Wow, I totally missed that mark this time around).
2. All we ask is you link to a human news story on your blog on the last Friday of each month, one that shows love, humanity and brotherhood.
3. Join us on the last Friday of each month in sharing news that warms the cockles of our heart. No story is too big or small, as long as it goes beyond religion and politics, into the core of humanity.
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5. We’ll read and comment on each others’ posts, get to know each other better, and hopefully, make or renew some friendships with everyone who signs on as participants in the coming months.
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And now, your moment of Zen.
Eric Lahti 