Rhobin Lee Courtright's Blog, page 17
February 21, 2014
My Kind of Hero
Another Round-Robin (#rndrbn214) topic.
Until I started writing this post, I thought I knew what I liked in heroes: strong, silent types, intelligent men who appreciate a woman and allow her the freedom to shine and be herself. Great lovers who kept their emotions tightly bound in public. Their faults usually consisted of being overly judgmental and frequently unforgiving because of disastrous prior love affairs. Circumstances the heroine must overcome and change or discover the inner-man through her own tribulations. Sometimes these heros cannot respond to the heroine because of some secret they must keep, or some business they must complete. That seems to be the style of most male counterparts I write for my heroines because, quite frankly, most of my stories center on the female lead. So, do I need to like all aspects of my heroes?
After some thought, I decided my preferences seem to be very limited and perhaps gender biased. Men don't have to be all valor and strength, enduring dire circumstances for the woman they believe they love— self-sacrificing and honorable.
Most men do not fit that profile, not that they don't have the wherewithal to be so. They're human. They can be noisy, talkative, bragging jokers; irritating individuals who are sometimes thoughtless, rambunctious, attention seeking, or manipulative finaglers. While these adjectives sound pejorative to my now sensitive ears, new insight say these characteristics might not define the character. They could show a very different type of hero, but a hero nevertheless. Something for me to think about: maybe I need to put more human frailty into my heroes.
Please go on to Fiona McGeir's blog on this topic. Listed below are other participating authors. If you miss a link while making the round, come back and try it again.
Geeta Kakade
Diane Bator
Marci Baun
Lynn Crain
Beverley Bateman
Ginger Simpson
Connie Vines
A.J. Maguire
Until I started writing this post, I thought I knew what I liked in heroes: strong, silent types, intelligent men who appreciate a woman and allow her the freedom to shine and be herself. Great lovers who kept their emotions tightly bound in public. Their faults usually consisted of being overly judgmental and frequently unforgiving because of disastrous prior love affairs. Circumstances the heroine must overcome and change or discover the inner-man through her own tribulations. Sometimes these heros cannot respond to the heroine because of some secret they must keep, or some business they must complete. That seems to be the style of most male counterparts I write for my heroines because, quite frankly, most of my stories center on the female lead. So, do I need to like all aspects of my heroes?
After some thought, I decided my preferences seem to be very limited and perhaps gender biased. Men don't have to be all valor and strength, enduring dire circumstances for the woman they believe they love— self-sacrificing and honorable.
Most men do not fit that profile, not that they don't have the wherewithal to be so. They're human. They can be noisy, talkative, bragging jokers; irritating individuals who are sometimes thoughtless, rambunctious, attention seeking, or manipulative finaglers. While these adjectives sound pejorative to my now sensitive ears, new insight say these characteristics might not define the character. They could show a very different type of hero, but a hero nevertheless. Something for me to think about: maybe I need to put more human frailty into my heroes.
Please go on to Fiona McGeir's blog on this topic. Listed below are other participating authors. If you miss a link while making the round, come back and try it again.
Geeta Kakade
Diane Bator
Marci Baun
Lynn Crain
Beverley Bateman
Ginger Simpson
Connie Vines
A.J. Maguire
February 13, 2014
Saving the Great Lakes
I joined a large audience to hear Jerry Dennis, author of
The Living Great Lakes
, today at West Shore Community College's Main Stage Theater. He spoke on many of the threats to the Great Lakes. It was a long list including invasive species (170 other species, although Asian Carp still remains only a threat not an actuality), pollution like molecular plastics, water shortages, Nestle and bottled water, general human apathy, and why change seems to take so long.
What I took away is that man is the greatest threat to the Great Lakes. Our uses of it, the economic realities, loopholes in regulations, slow acting governments and agencies, irresponsible uses both in the past and the present. Mr. Dennis has strong hope for the lakes, their great strength and resistance. Considering the ever increasing human population consuming finite resources, I'm not sure.
What I took away is that man is the greatest threat to the Great Lakes. Our uses of it, the economic realities, loopholes in regulations, slow acting governments and agencies, irresponsible uses both in the past and the present. Mr. Dennis has strong hope for the lakes, their great strength and resistance. Considering the ever increasing human population consuming finite resources, I'm not sure.
February 12, 2014
The Year of Water at WSCC
West Shore Community College, where I teach, has a cross curriculum topic: The Year of Water. The website devoted to this topic features some outstanding photograph of Lake Michigan. Take a Look!
February 8, 2014
Man's Greatest Technology... The Beginning
Have you ever wondered when writing started, when man first began making marks on surfaces? If making marks was the beginning, then surely writing even in the guise of art is man's oldest, most valuable technology. More importantly, writing led to all of our other technologies.
About twenty thousand years ago, Paleolithic people began descending into an extensive complex of caverns in Southern France to carve and paint on the cave's walls depictions of animals, people, and symbols. What drove these men, and hopefully women, into what I image would be a very dark and scary place? How long had they practiced this ritual? As a former art teacher, I can tell you these are not ill thought out childish works, but wonderful and imaginative art.
A teenage boy found the caves in 1940. Opened after World War II, visitors flocked to see the caves, but France closed access only eighteen years later in 1963. For more information on the discovery of the caves and the attempt to preserve them click on Finding Lascaux.
Have you ever visited a cave with Paleolithic paintings and symbols painted on the walls? In most instances, you cannot anymore. They caves are closed to the public, closed to most scientists and researchers too. You have to have special permission to visit. Otherwise, we would destroy these relics of our past, certainly by those trying to cart off a piece for their own, or by someone destroying a piece for the pleasure received, or by the fact visitors keep breathing. In the years the caves were open, the keepers found the carbon dioxide in our breath damaged the paintings, not to mention all the damage done by bacteria and fungus humans tracked in did.
Now however, you can take a virtual tour. Go to Lascaux Caves and click on the 'visite de la grotto' for a tour. It is utterly amazing. Does it make you wonder why? What drove these people? These are not small paintings as some are over thirty feet in length. These mark makers ignited or expressed something inherent in humans: the desire to leave information for others, evidence they lived and thought. Those privileged the art of leaving marks have been doing so ever since.
Reprinted from my 1/21/2014 post on Writer's Vineyard. Images from Wikipedia Commons and public domain.
About twenty thousand years ago, Paleolithic people began descending into an extensive complex of caverns in Southern France to carve and paint on the cave's walls depictions of animals, people, and symbols. What drove these men, and hopefully women, into what I image would be a very dark and scary place? How long had they practiced this ritual? As a former art teacher, I can tell you these are not ill thought out childish works, but wonderful and imaginative art.
A teenage boy found the caves in 1940. Opened after World War II, visitors flocked to see the caves, but France closed access only eighteen years later in 1963. For more information on the discovery of the caves and the attempt to preserve them click on Finding Lascaux. Have you ever visited a cave with Paleolithic paintings and symbols painted on the walls? In most instances, you cannot anymore. They caves are closed to the public, closed to most scientists and researchers too. You have to have special permission to visit. Otherwise, we would destroy these relics of our past, certainly by those trying to cart off a piece for their own, or by someone destroying a piece for the pleasure received, or by the fact visitors keep breathing. In the years the caves were open, the keepers found the carbon dioxide in our breath damaged the paintings, not to mention all the damage done by bacteria and fungus humans tracked in did.
Now however, you can take a virtual tour. Go to Lascaux Caves and click on the 'visite de la grotto' for a tour. It is utterly amazing. Does it make you wonder why? What drove these people? These are not small paintings as some are over thirty feet in length. These mark makers ignited or expressed something inherent in humans: the desire to leave information for others, evidence they lived and thought. Those privileged the art of leaving marks have been doing so ever since.
Reprinted from my 1/21/2014 post on Writer's Vineyard. Images from Wikipedia Commons and public domain.
January 24, 2014
My Kind of Heroine
This is another round-robin tour, so please take some time to enjoy several different views on what type heroine makes you grab a book and read.
I’ve been reading for a long time, and have found it is the characters that attract me to a story first, specifically, the heroine and the hero and their personal qualities. This said, the way the heroine or hero are depicted on the cover always catches me, too, so maybe my choice is also a visual thing. Lately many covers leave off the face, I suppose so readers can identify with the characters even if they look different from the reader. Cover art certainly has changed through time. Oops, digressing.
As a child and before horses took over my best character in a book, I loved Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I think because the girls had an important part in the story, the children helped each other survive. Before that, my reading had been about all the princess type girls in all fairytales I read. Princesses are often portrayed as spunky, but ultimately the prince saves them. East of the Sun, West of the Moon was different. The girl settled her own future even though initially abducted by her prince.
I started working in a drug store at fifteen back in the sixties, and because I was working, had money. The bookstand drew me. I bought a copy of Emilie Loring’s Trail of Conflict written in 1922 about the post WWI arranged marriage between the socialite daughter of a rich businessman and the man with upper crust ‘family ties’ fallen on hard times. Not her best, but interesting for a teenager, and like me the heroine was searching for love. Geraldine was a spunky but sometimes clueless heroine who was courageous, but as most women of the times, put up with a lot of expectations from their man. (Not that Stephen is an evil, obnoxious abuser, just used to giving orders.) Still, the heroine dye was set for me as a reader for a while: Men protected naive, powerless women.
It got worse with Barbara Cartland’s romantic Regency novels. Georgette Heyer’s heroines were interesting, but still, the man ended up protecting his ‘princess’ no matter what her social standing. Most books of the time presented spunky, stubborn heroines who for the most part capitulated to their man. I also found I liked Betty Neel’s heroines who usually were average looking, quiet ladies whose qualities only one discerning handsome, rich Dutch doctor could appreciate. (Pretty strange, huh?) I wonder if this image is what women were really like or just sold to romance readers? I also wonder what I was thinking. Luckily, life taught me remaining naive and powerless had costs, too, and to be wary of preconceived, prepackaged ideas.
In my late teens, my taste in heroines began to change. In fantasy, Andre Norton’s women in her Witch World series attracted me, and then the Lisa in the Dragons of Pern. Sure, I liked the old ‘princess’ heroines, but a new image began to emerge. I began to like bold women who took charge when necessary, who often became the protector and worked with their mates in equal partnerships while fighting for their futures. This often happened in science fiction and fantasy, although the character of Philippa in Dorothy Dunnett’s Renaissance based historical The Lymond Chronicles, fell into this pattern even though she did not become a major character until the later volumes; yet she always made her presence known and was a true surprise.
Today's message seems to be teaching women about being strong and powerful. This also has costs, yet this might just be another prepackaged formula. Having studied Vladimir Propp and Joseph Campbell, I have a new viewpoint. These heroines and my choices are part of my psyche that need exploring.
I read across a wide variety of genres: fantasy, scifi, romance, mysteries, suspense, chick-flick, contemporary, and I find many more heroines whose stories suite me. I like those working against horrible odds and disadvantages and living up to the challenge even if their happily ever after isn’t perfect or they fail their challenge in some fashion. I dislike heroines who start out with possibilities they never live up to, or fall back into the old “I need a man to take care of me” pattern. These are the books I close and do not reopen.
Other authors are talking about their type of heroine. Next on the list is Marci Baun. Take a look. At any time a link might be lost, they are all listed below.Marci Baun
Lynn Crain Kay Sisk
Ginger Simpson
Connie Vines
Geeta Kakade A.J. Maguire
Beverley Bateman Diane Bator
Fiona McGier
My Kind of Heronine
This is another round-robin tour, so please take some time to enjoy several different views on what type heroine makes you grab a book and read.I’ve been reading for a long time, and have found it is the characters that attract me to a story first, specifically, the heroine and the hero and their personal qualities. This said, the way the heroine or hero are depicted on the cover always catches me, too, so maybe my choice is also a visual thing. Lately many covers leave off the face, I suppose so readers can identify with the characters even if they look different from the reader. Cover art certainly has changed through time. Oops, digressing.
As a child and before horses took over my best character in a book, I loved Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I think because the girls had an important part in the story, the children helped each other survive. Before that, my reading had been about all the princess type girls in all fairytales I read. Princesses are often portrayed as spunky, but ultimately the prince saves them. East of the Sun, West of the Moon was different. The girl settled her own future even though initially abducted by her prince.
I started working in a drug store at fifteen back in the sixties, and because I was working, had money. The bookstand drew me. I bought a copy of Emilie Loring’s Trail of Conflict written in 1922 about the post WWI arranged marriage between the socialite daughter of a rich businessman and the man with upper crust ‘family ties’ fallen on hard times. Not her best, but interesting for a teenager, and like me the heroine was searching for love. Geraldine was a spunky but sometimes clueless heroine who was courageous, but as most women of the times, put up with a lot of expectations from their man. (Not that Stephen is an evil, obnoxious abuser, just used to giving orders.) Still, the heroine dye was set for me as a reader for a while: Men protected naive, powerless women.
It got worse with Barbara Cartland’s romantic Regency novels. Georgette Heyer’s heroines were interesting, but still, the man ended up protecting his ‘princess’ no matter what her social standing. Most books of the time presented spunky, stubborn heroines who for the most part capitulated to their man. I also found I liked Betty Neel’s heroines who usually were average looking, quiet ladies whose qualities only one discerning handsome, rich Dutch doctor could appreciate. (Pretty strange, huh?) I wonder if this image is what women were really like or just sold to romance readers? I also wonder what I was thinking. Luckily, life taught me remaining naive and powerless had costs, too, and to be wary of preconceived, prepackaged ideas.
In my late teens, my taste in heroines began to change. In fantasy, Andre Norton’s women in her Witch World series attracted me, and then the Lisa in the Dragons of Pern. Sure, I liked the old ‘princess’ heroines, but a new image began to emerge. I began to like bold women who took charge when necessary, who often became the protector and worked with their mates in equal partnerships while fighting for their futures. This often happened in science fiction and fantasy, although the character of Philippa in Dorothy Dunnett’s Renaissance based historical The Lymond Chronicles, fell into this pattern even though she did not become a major character until the later volumes; yet she always made her presence known and was a true surprise.
Today's message seems to be teaching women about being strong and powerful. This also has costs, yet this might just be another prepackaged formula. Having studied Vladimir Propp and Joseph Campbell, I have a new viewpoint. These heroines and my choices are part of my psyche that need exploring.
I read across a wide variety of genres: fantasy, scifi, romance, mysteries, suspense, chick-flick, contemporary, and I find many more heroines whose stories suite me. I like those working against horrible odds and disadvantages and living up to the challenge even if their happily ever after isn’t perfect or they fail their challenge in some fashion. I dislike heroines who start out with possibilities they never live up to, or fall back into the old “I need a man to take care of me” pattern. These are the books I close and do not reopen.
Other authors are talking about their type of heroine. Next on the list is Marci Baun. Take a look. At any time a link might be lost, they are all listed below.
Marci Baun
Lynn Crain Kay Sisk
Ginger Simpson
Connie Vines
Geeta Kakade A.J. Maguire
Beverley Bateman Diane Bator
Fiona McGier
January 5, 2014
A Music and Reading Relationship
Reading is so important to education, employment and entertainment. So I'm always concerned when I hear statistics of children who cannot read at grade level, particularly in depressed and poverty stricken neighborhoods in our big cities. If you haven't heard of the Harmony Project, follow the link attached to the quote from a PBS Newshour program below. Learning music helps children learn to read. How amazing is that. Josh Aronson did the interview with Margaret Martin who started the program and with Dr. Nina Kraus who studies the remarkable results.
"JOSH ARONSON: Margaret Martin was convinced of that because of the graduation rate of kids who have gone through her program. This year, she says, 93 percent of them finished high school in four years and went to college. But Martin acknowledges she does not have the formal training to prove that music helps kids grasp language better and become more proficient readers. So she enlisted the help of this woman. Her name is Dr. Nina Kraus. She is a neurobiologist at NorthwesternUniversity and for 25 years she has studied how the brain processes information – the neurobiology of auditory learning."
"JOSH ARONSON: Margaret Martin was convinced of that because of the graduation rate of kids who have gone through her program. This year, she says, 93 percent of them finished high school in four years and went to college. But Martin acknowledges she does not have the formal training to prove that music helps kids grasp language better and become more proficient readers. So she enlisted the help of this woman. Her name is Dr. Nina Kraus. She is a neurobiologist at NorthwesternUniversity and for 25 years she has studied how the brain processes information – the neurobiology of auditory learning."
January 4, 2014
Crewkin on Sale!
Until January 10th you can purchase my scifi story Crewkin on sale at MuseItUp Publishing for $1.99 (regularly $5.95). It is also available at this price through B&N, Amazon, Bookstrand, and Omnilit.Excerpt — A tense moment between AI and main character:
…intruders held in forward compartment…all live…initiated crew life-support parameters of programming…
“Release them. This is their ship.”
…input incorrect…intruders dangerous to security of rabican engine and markham3…
“No. I am correct.”
She jabbed the information request pad. The console remained solid beneath her touch, and the ship’s registry appeared on the screen. Can it see and read? No. Would it understand the code delivered via the circuit? Yes. Display modules all used universal code.
“Check the ship’s registry. The governing seals remain intact. The Terran family owns this ship. You are the intruder. You are the only danger on the Vagrant Spirit. You are a killer.”
The constant low hum of the computer filled the silence. Renna reached up and turned on an overhead. Ambient light flooded the area, killing the stark illumination from the LEDs. She punched the pad controlling the forward shutters, shutting out the disturbing display outside the ship. The flood of sensation bombarding her mind and body eased.
…orders executed…ship records sealed…current ship code unknown…rabican protocol prevents breach of sealed records…first trial insufficient power for transfer…cs9m3 and rabican engine knocked off-line…second attempt auxiliary engine assist trial successfully completed…any crew injury unintentional…
“This was not a trial. The CS9M3 and the Rabican engine were destined for reclamation after the destruction of the Markham3. This was a cargo run for the Vagrant Spirit. You are the cargo. Where have you taken us?”
…orders followed…system not purged for dereliction…why sub speaker renna markham3 recover cs9m3…
“I didn’t save you. You reactivated.”
…renna markham3 not sent to reclamation for dereliction and death of markham3 crew…
“No. I’m guilty of many things, but not killing my kin. I just couldn’t make them want to live. My crime is not dying with them.”
…life dies…termination of cs9m3 attempt aborted…
“Everything dies. The CS9M3 was turned off.”
…renna markham3 not terminated…
“I know. I wanted to live more. Where are we?”
…specified…ship travels to the assigned coordinates programmed in rabican…mission successfully initiated…
“This ship is the Vagrant Spirit. There were no specified coordinates. The insertion location differed. You have the Vagrant Spirit’s crew locked in the fore compartment. They hired me as crew. Our mission was to take cargo to the Zorah Reclamation Center. The Rabican engine is our cargo.” She was tired of repeating facts in a useless endeavor. She couldn’t change the CS9M3’s programming.
After a brief pause, the engine’s artificial intelligence responded. …explain presence of sub speaker renna markham3…
“Coincidence. Mischance. Fate. You killed my kin.”
…accident…duty to protect assigned crew…sub speaker renna markham3 and cs9m3 rabican kin…
“Markham3 kin died. We failed our ship. Why are you hijacking this ship?”
…complete mission…
“Where are you going?”
…expulsion point changes with insertion point…cs9m3 and rabican moved…exit unknown…sub speaker renna markham3 changed specified insertion location without update to cs9m3 rabican…
“We are not on Markham3. That happened over a year ago. Can you return?” The low hum continued unchanging for several minutes.
…unknown…name crew…
Renna named the Vagrant Spirit’s crew.
…cs9m3 assigned vagrant spirit…designation change cs9vs1…
“You are cargo laded to the Vagrant Spirit for Zorah Reclamation. May I join the Vagrant Spirit’s crew?”
…vagrant spirit crew or terran crew…clarification needed…command crew necessary
in compartment…communication, navigation and ship log codes sealed…need access…
She heard the hatch locks release. Feeling strength return to her shaky limbs Renna rose and left the compartment. As she walked lights came on, turning off as she passed. Once she took a step and found herself outside the ship. After a shocked second she took a breath, closed her eyes and threw her head back. Focus. You are in the gangway headed toward the fore compartment. When she opened her eyes, the partitions had reformed around her. Every few steps another aberration occurred. Solids transformed, blurred, dissolved. With any step a foot might sink through the deck or hit resistance above the deck. After each anomaly she reiterated her focus mantra. When she reached the forward compartment, she heard the automatic locks disengage. The hatch swung open. She entered. The six members of the Vagrant Spirit stared back at her. Lights, grav, and life-support functioned. The monitors lining one partition displayed the command module. With a smooth swish, the hatch closed behind her.
December 27, 2013
Writing's Gifts
Since beginning writing, I've learned so much. It took me a long time to write my first book. First, I had to refresh my grammar skills, and then learn how to tell a story — very difficult! After all the grammar I learned in public schools, I thought I knew it. Ha! I was fooling myself. However, everyone believes if you practice anything consistently you expect to become better with experience, and I know I did. Pacing, use of show or tell, character development, world building, and judging the best method to use for a particular story are tools I continue to develop. I cringe at the mistakes in my early stories, but writing has become easier and faster. Happily, it is an on-going process, but along with my grammar, my word usage is better, and I recognize my mistakes.
Writing forces the mind to work at both critical and creative thinking. The problem is the mind works so much faster than fingers type, and ideas often strike when in locations that leaves the writer unprepared to jot them down. I've so many notes scribbled on random sheets of paper that it often becomes confusing. The critical thinking comes into play again when appraising and analyzing writing. It teaches the writer to know what to keep and what to cut. Another problem in developing writing skills is getting the imagination and mind to stop working or at least slow down.
While not a best-selling author, writing has served me well in other ways, especially in knowing that I've touched some readers. Receiving an email from a pleased reader is a treasure. In addition, I think I am more logical, more organized, and methodical, and publication has led to several other jobs.
The New Year always makes me more reflective, which it is supposed to do. I'm glad I drove myself to write, and will continue to do so. Using current problems and issues and letting them play out in a future or fantasy world defies emotional description. I've plans for many more scifi and fantasy stories, and I'm finally reaching the end of a historical novel. My future looks filled with stories.
For more about what other authors have learned from writing, go to Diane Bator 's blog.
Please visit all the authors participating in this round-robin:
Ginger Simpson
A.J. Maguire
Connie Vines
Beveryly Bateman
Marci Baun
Writing forces the mind to work at both critical and creative thinking. The problem is the mind works so much faster than fingers type, and ideas often strike when in locations that leaves the writer unprepared to jot them down. I've so many notes scribbled on random sheets of paper that it often becomes confusing. The critical thinking comes into play again when appraising and analyzing writing. It teaches the writer to know what to keep and what to cut. Another problem in developing writing skills is getting the imagination and mind to stop working or at least slow down.
While not a best-selling author, writing has served me well in other ways, especially in knowing that I've touched some readers. Receiving an email from a pleased reader is a treasure. In addition, I think I am more logical, more organized, and methodical, and publication has led to several other jobs.
The New Year always makes me more reflective, which it is supposed to do. I'm glad I drove myself to write, and will continue to do so. Using current problems and issues and letting them play out in a future or fantasy world defies emotional description. I've plans for many more scifi and fantasy stories, and I'm finally reaching the end of a historical novel. My future looks filled with stories.
For more about what other authors have learned from writing, go to Diane Bator 's blog.
Please visit all the authors participating in this round-robin:
Ginger Simpson
A.J. Maguire
Connie Vines
Beveryly Bateman
Marci Baun
December 1, 2013
Thanksgiving, Black Friday and the Shopping Frenzy
When did Thanksgiving stop being about family, friends, and togetherness and become a dinner's done, thank the lord, now I can shop day? Was I snoozing over a very full stomach that I missed the transition? (Yes, I know it supposedly started as a peace gesture between current land owners and immigrants which went murderously awry.) Who developed the racing through the store's doors, running shopping carts down aisles like NASCAR drivers, and tearing through product displays combat game where arguing, fighting, and giving the worst attitude wins more points? (Sort'a like we did to Native Americans after the first feast, isn't it?) Was this change made to please those dear family members you rushed from the Thanksgiving table so you could buy the best present possible at the cheapest discount? Maybe we as a people need to rethink 'best' present, and the meaning of 'thankful.'
And don't tell me about Black Friday being the day retailers finally reach black in their accounting books, and we been doing it for decades. I know. Is the 'black' for the store's bottom line, or for shareholder earnings and the CEO’s bonus? Big difference. I've worked a lot of retail, and I don't buy it. It's hype. It's another sale. It's about getting shoppers in the store and dollars into the registers. I know many retail stores fail; it's a tough business, but to not break even until the end of November? No way, no how. Is it greed or desperation causing the big retailers to encourage Christmas shoppers into their stores not only before Halloween but also to open on Thanksgiving Day?
Okay, so if you don't like the trend, then don't participate; maybe it will fade away. However, all of you convenience store, gas station, and mini-market owners--please stay open on Thanksgiving Day! Either I or a family member is always on the road and we always seem to have to pick up some forgotten item like whipped cream! You’re laughing and accusing me of hypocrisy. I admit it. While so many people are on the roads traveling, it is important to have certain retail services available, but to turn Thanksgiving into a retail thanks for shopping quest somehow seems wrong. The gas station we stopped at Thursday said they were swapped. Good, at least it was worth the effort.
Yes, Thanksgiving has changed over time. No matter how it supposedly started with the Pilgrims and the Indians, or when Lincoln created the National holiday in 1863 during a terrible and bloody war, it has evolved into a day of shared traditions. One day a year to remember what you and I are most thankful for seems needed, which is hopefully not just possessions; plus, whether religion is involved or not, it is often for some families the one meal a year shared over the same table. Can we have it without a side of commercialism?
And don't tell me about Black Friday being the day retailers finally reach black in their accounting books, and we been doing it for decades. I know. Is the 'black' for the store's bottom line, or for shareholder earnings and the CEO’s bonus? Big difference. I've worked a lot of retail, and I don't buy it. It's hype. It's another sale. It's about getting shoppers in the store and dollars into the registers. I know many retail stores fail; it's a tough business, but to not break even until the end of November? No way, no how. Is it greed or desperation causing the big retailers to encourage Christmas shoppers into their stores not only before Halloween but also to open on Thanksgiving Day?
Okay, so if you don't like the trend, then don't participate; maybe it will fade away. However, all of you convenience store, gas station, and mini-market owners--please stay open on Thanksgiving Day! Either I or a family member is always on the road and we always seem to have to pick up some forgotten item like whipped cream! You’re laughing and accusing me of hypocrisy. I admit it. While so many people are on the roads traveling, it is important to have certain retail services available, but to turn Thanksgiving into a retail thanks for shopping quest somehow seems wrong. The gas station we stopped at Thursday said they were swapped. Good, at least it was worth the effort.
Yes, Thanksgiving has changed over time. No matter how it supposedly started with the Pilgrims and the Indians, or when Lincoln created the National holiday in 1863 during a terrible and bloody war, it has evolved into a day of shared traditions. One day a year to remember what you and I are most thankful for seems needed, which is hopefully not just possessions; plus, whether religion is involved or not, it is often for some families the one meal a year shared over the same table. Can we have it without a side of commercialism?
