you'd better watch out...

This has definitely got to be
one of the weirdest things I've seen in a long time.

 

What ever happened to the good old days,

 when all a boy wanted for Christmas was a Red Ryder BB gun?

You'll shoot your eye out, kid.

Naughty or nice? You decide.

i'm not buying it

It's  a crazy, crazy time we're living in...a time where people all over the world are rising up and protesting corporate greed and manipulation in large numbers - risking arrest and personal injury to send a message that it is MOST. DEFINITELY. NOT. okay for corporations to make huge profits at the expense of  the very people who buy their products.

On the other hand - many, many Americans will be abandoning their family tables tomorrow evening to shop until they drop, instead of spending time enjoying a holiday in which we are supposed to be giving thanks for all that we have.

Many retailers will be open for business on Thanksgiving this year. This is not new. For years, most supermarket and drugstore chains have had at least limited hours on Thanksgiving, but this has historically been more about getting last minute items like whipping cream or pepto bismol  than deep discounts on flat screen TVs or the latest must-have video games.

A Macy's spokeswoman said “There are many associates who would prefer to work this time as they appreciate the flexibility it affords their schedules for the holiday weekend." And a spokesman for Target said, "...we've heard from our guests that they are excited." 
Target evidently didn't bother to ask their employees how they felt about working on Thanksgiving. One of them started this petition.
At least Brian Dunn, the CEO of Best Buy said, "I feel terrible", about having to open on Thanksgiving.
Huh.
I for one, am not buying it.

I'll be hanging out, enjoying the holiday with my good friends and family, for whom I am incredibly thankful. And I won't even be anywhere near a Walmart or Target or Best Buy or Macy's.

Here's wishing you all a happy, healthy and all around wonderful Thanksgiving.

sleeping in haiku

cold autumn morning,
layered flannel, blanket, quilt:
perfect for dreaming.

eleveneleveneleven

11/11/11. An auspicious day, according to my sources. A day positively chockablock full of holidays. Firstly, it's Veteran's Day, a national day to appreciate and celebrate those brave souls who have fought wars both just and unjust.

photo borrowed from this site

This date also marks Corduroy Appreciation Day,  earnestly celebrated by The Corduroy Appreciation Club, on the date that most resembles corduroy's very linear characteristics... Corduroy aficionados around the globe will be hosting gala events on 11/11/2011, perhaps the most important date for these devotees of the wale since, well, since  11/11/1911.

According to this article in the Daily News,  the club has also found a child born on November 11, 2000, who turned 11 on this most propitious day, and who may very well be the "Messiah of Corduroy".

photo by Jeff Bachner/News

(this is NOT the Messiah, but he could possibly be her father...)

But perhaps the most interesting holiday that falls on 11/11/11 is World Hoop Day:

The goal is to raise consciousness on the benefits of "hooping", and the organization's ambassadors have distributed thousands of hula hoops to needy children around the world. 

My friend Ann brought several of her hula hoops to work today and dazzled us with her moves...

and her enthusiasm was contagious!

For more 11/11 holiday facts, click here to check out Aunt Snow's post on Doves Today.

Happy holidays!

11111

(photo borrowed from this site)

All Saints Day is a holy day in many Christian religions, commemorating all saints, both known and unknown.
I was raised a Catholic, though as an adult I've adopted a veritable potpourri of spiritual and philosophical beliefs gathered from the tenets of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam and Science Fiction. I guess you could consider me a kind of "spiritual freethinker."

I still like the saints, though. My favorite is probably St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of both animals and nature. He took a vow of extreme poverty after being raised in relative affluence and tried for the rest of his life to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, promoting peace and love in his every encounter. Francis loved all creatures of the earth and took it upon himself to take care of those less fortunate than himself.  He was known to have preached to hundreds of birds to be thankful to God for their wonderful clothes, for their independence, and for God's care.
He was also a pacifist. During the Fifth Crusade, Francis decided to go to Syria to try and convert the Moslems himself. In the middle of a battle, he decided the simplest thing to do would be to go directly to the sultan to make peace and argue his case. After an apparently persuasive conversation, the sultan told him, "I would convert to your religion--which is a beautiful one--but we would both be murdered." 

I think St. Francis was the original hippie. Maybe that's why I feel so drawn to him.

The Catholic church recognizes many other patron saints-- individuals who are assigned as special protectors or advocates for occupations, situations, or places.  I kind of like the idea that there's a special saint you can ask for help with specific problems...I remember reciting this prayer to St. Anthony of Padua (Patron of Lost Items) when I'd misplaced something as a kid:
"Tony, Tony, please look around; {something} is lost and must be found!"
Invariably, after repeating this prayer over and over, the item would miraculously turn up.

So in the spirit of All Saints Day, and the Catholic tradition, here is a short list of Patron Saints for your edification:
Saint Anxieté  Patron of Impossible Deadlines & Foamy Coffee
Saint Bernardine     Patron of Advertising
Saint Concepta     Patron of Brainstorming and Procrastination
Saint Jude     Patron of Lost Causes and Desperate Situations
Saint Martin de Porres Patron of Hairdressers & Social Justice
Saint Clare of Assisi      Patron of Television
Saint Rita        Patron of the Impossible
Saint Honoré  Patron of Bakers, Florists & Pastry Chefs

Click here for more fascinating information on cool patron saints.