Shop for Children
Diane Girard Writes: Survival Against the Odds; The Hardy Charm of The Independent Book Store
What makes the store a charming and hardy survivor? Mostly, it’s the people who own it and who work in it. They truly care about books and they know books and writers. They make recommendations based on what a customer likes to read and if a book is not in stock, they can order it, swiftly. They connect frequently with their customers through an email newsletter. They sponsor six book clubs. They have held readings by both famous writers and local writers. And, they care about and support local community organizations and have done so for many years. I suggest that when you buy books, you purchase them from your local independent book store. Then, you can relish the good-citizen feeling of supporting a local business and delight in opening the fresh pages of a new book. more »
Kristin Nord Writes: When Skating Away WAS the Way
Kristin Nord: How I loved my white skates with the turquoise pompoms, and in later years as an adult, the black skates with the Matisse-inspired orange rubber guards for my sharpened blades. There is in my mind’s eye, even now, maybe nothing so nice as tightening up my laces, and setting off for a spin on fresh ice on a pond or a lake. I thought of this recently, listening to Sierra Eagleton’s heartbreaking rendering of the Joni Mitchell classic. I wonder how many of us now, when faced with what we’re expected to believe is a season of good cheer, would, in our heart of hearts, like to skate away? more »
The Morgan's Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol: Christmas is nothing more than “a time for finding yourself a year older and not an hour richer”said Scrooge
Beginning a few years ago, the Morgan started advancing the Christmas Carol manuscript by one page each season. This year the manuscript is open to Scrooge’s vituperative remarks about Christmas, which, he believes, is nothing more than “a time for finding yourself a year older and not an hour richer.” For the obstinate Scrooge, “every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should! Scrooge’s nephew Fred counters with a spirited vindication of the holiday, “though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in [his] pocket” “[it is] the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts, freely". more »
Black Friday, Holiday Shopping and Beyond: Protect Your Identity Even Through the Means of Thwarting Dumpster Divers!
From Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA: Black Friday is one of the most lucrative shopping days of the year for retailers in brick-and-mortar shops and online, but shoppers aren't the only ones looking for deals. Malicious people may be able to obtain personal information (such as credit card numbers, phone numbers, account numbers, and addresses) by stealing your wallet, overhearing a phone conversation, rummaging through your trash (a practice known as dumpster diving), or picking up a receipt at a restaurant that has your account number on it. If a thief has enough information, he or she may be able to impersonate you to purchase items, open new accounts, or apply for loans. more »