Grugger’s Way

Black Friday Bleak?

With another Thanksgiving Day behind us, we turn our attention to Black Friday.

The origin of the term “black Friday” is disputed.  One version simply derives from the idea that merchants depend upon the Christmas shopping season to make most of their profit for the year, and the traditional beginning of the “black ink” portion of the year is the day after Thanksgiving.

Another, more thoroughly documented version, connects the use of the term “black Friday” to Philidelphia, where police, taxi drivers and bus drivers refer to the day after Thanksgiving as “black” due to the high volume of traffic and resultant traffic jams, frustration, anger, and fights.  The police department of Philadelphia supposedly coined the term because of the simularity to “Black Tuesday” when the stock market crashed in 1929.

But, WHO CARES!  This day is for shoppers to hit the stores as early as possible, often lining up and waiting for hours to be the first to grab doorbuster deals, limit-quantity items, and loss-leaders.  Toys and electronics are two of the favorite categories traditionally up for grabs early Friday morning. 

This year, I think, the question on EVERY retailer’s mind is how sales will fare during this recession year.

I say, Black Friday is RECESSION-PROOF!   There is a certain amount of cash available and the time to spend it is when the best deals are available, so Black Friday will be BIG, as usual.  It will the the next three weeks after that when we will feel the pain.  Thankfully, there are credit cards and low interest rates.

Remember to save some available credit for New Years Eve.

Senior Citizens and the Internet have become inseparable.  

My seven-year-old granddaughter sends me “comments” on MySpace.  My twelve-year-old granddaughter sends me e-mail on Yahoo.  All three of us play online computer games when they visit.  I have even discovered a couple of kid-friendly sites that they didn’t know about.

Computers became “user friendly” many years ago, and opened up an entire new world of discovery for many of us.  In the past 15 years, the internet has become available to millions.   And in the past five years, (or so), senior citizens (of all ages) have joined the mainstream of the cyberWORLD, by the thousands!  With familiarity comes confidence, and seniors are exploring the iPod, the MP3, the DVD, Blue-ray, digital cameras and High Definition television.  Ever notice how COMMON the cell phone has become for seniors as well as youth?  Yes, we are back in the Mainstream!

Retirement homes, Senior Citizen Centers, and Public Libraries are all buzzing with internet users.  I know folks, including my own mother, who are in their 80’s who have totally embraced the computer and internet technology.  (She loves “greeting card software” and prints out her own designs for all the holidays. A digital camera has greatly increased her ability to capture moments at very little expense.)

Online, there are THOUSANDS of sites that cater to seniors. (Be careful though, not all have our interests at heart.)

Social sites like EONS have provided seniors with connections to others who share the same interests and concerns.  On-line, AARP is much more accessible to members and non-members alike.  There are forums for virtually every conceivable interest group.  There are online libraries like the Library of Congress, research resources for writers, dictionaries and encyclopedias.  And then there is BLOGGING! Yes, by the thousands, world-wide, the “mature” generation, and the “boomer” generation have joined the blogging world.

Seniors have discovered E-mail,  SHOPPING online, and BANKING online, all of which can greatly enhance the quality of life, particularly for those who are bedridden, confined to home, or have limited mobility.

I can recall, not many years ago, when older folks would “pooh-pooh” the computer age, and say that there was nothing of interest there for them.  Times have changed.  Indeed.  We have found a way to EXTEND our reach and stay connected. 

That is something we need and value more highly as we get older–staying connected.

When Friends Die of Cancer we feel so helpless.

As we age, and arrive here in the last third of our lives, we realize just how prevelant cancer has become.  

I dare say, not a month goes by that I am not informed of, or read about another friend, acquaintance, relative, or colleague who has either developed a cancer, or has died of it.

I don’t know what to do; I feel so helpless.

What can we do?  The medical profession is not defeating cancer.  Medicine is only prolonging the lives, and sometimes, the pain and suffering of those afflicted with cancer.  The medical profession will inform us that a five year life extension is a successful treatment.  Bah humbug.  They are not defeating cancer and virtually the only advise we get is to change our diet, exercise more, and get regular checkups.  Then, when cancer appears, choose from amongst the medical options presented to us.  It is always the same: surgery, chemo, radiation, and usually a combination of all of the above.  Then hope for the best.  How sad.

It IS sad; and we are SO helpless.  We want to help those who have such sad stories to tell, but we can’t help everybody.  “Being there” for those who are close to us and afflicted with cancer is about all we can do, and “being there” takes a toll on all of us.

I can’t offer any suggestions other than acceptance.  With acceptance and surrender, we give ourselves peace with our Creator, acknowledge that our lives have had purpose, and that we will leave behind good memories for our families to cherish.   I pray to spare my family the agony of prolonged suffering.

We Watch as the Next Generation Takes Over.

Not only do we see the next generation taking political power in the USA, but my family also is seeing the next generation taking over the burdens of life and heritage and tradition.

When we watch a son, with wife and new baby, setting up the log baby crib that we constructed together, we realize the torch has passed.

When our children live 10, 50, 450, 600, and 1000 miles away from us, we realize the torch has passed.

When we see our children assuming the duties of raising families, developing careers, maintaining yards and cars, and dealing with family sickness, injuries and emergencies, we know the torch has passed.

And finally, when we see a grandchild become high school cheerleader, and another going off to see a Carrie Underwood concert, we realize the torch has passed.

It is sad sometimes, but joyful too.  I am finally learning to appreciate and enjoy the success and happiness of my children.  It has been a long time coming.