May 11
In honor of Mother's Day, an encore homage to the woman who birthed the love of my life and nurtured him into the man he has become. She is also known as my Mother-in-Law, the Butcher of Milwaukee.
And, she is going to kill me for telling this MTM-inspired story.
Have you ever seen a sign, Dear Reader? One of those harbingers of 'something' that makes your hair stand on end, your chest rattle, your index finger point in rude fashion at some thing in the distance?
It was driving her crazy that I wouldn't open her box. She had wrapped it more simply than usual, as if its minimalism would entice me to set aside my usual reserved nature and rip it open to behold her gift.
But I wouldn't succumb.
MTM has been a little under the weather the past couple of days. Nothing serious. And, he's a good patient. Almost chipper. Never makes ridiculous, needy requests. Doesn't moan and act pathetic, wallowing in his favorite chair like his world has ended. He actually smiles when I walk into the room.
What's weird about his behavior is this: I don't understand why he isn't taking the opportunity to slam me with a big, honking dose of payback.
Nov 23
A nod to church architecture with Uspenski Cathedral Helsinki
When it comes to consuming, I am guiltier than most. I almost never saw a pair of shoes I didn’t want, followed closely by the perfect dress or sweater or handbag.
In recent years, experiences have been my addictive downfall. Is the longing to do rather than to have just as materialistic, equally excessive?
I’m sure it is, and right now, I’m steeped in it. I suppose I have lots of Black Fridays in my life, fueled by the need to go, to see, to experience, to sample, to taste, to try.
I’m among the worst of the craven consumers.
Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two shopping events that usher in the holiday shopping season, Americans spent close to $53 billion last year. That’s $53,000,000,000.
Imagine what a fraction of those funds could have given to those in need.
This year, #GivingTuesday.org would like to change that trajectory with an annual movement to set aside a day and give. On November 27, the folks at Giving Tuesday have organized a whole day to be about giving, not buying.
If you know of an organization that could benefit from the money spent on just one thing you might buy over this long weekend, why not set that cash aside and donate it to a worthy cause next Tuesday? Wouldn’t it be something if we could band together and produce more than $53 billion for worthy causes in a single day?
Please share this post with your networks. Encourage your friends to use the hashtag #givingtuesday when promoting this effort. Click +1 and Like whenever and wherever you see it. Pick your cause and get ready.
To give.
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