(Un)Occupy Black Friday + Shopping Guide (Part 1)

Though I think applying "Occupy" to things as a cultural trend has jumped the shark (already?  yup, already), I'm gonna use it here just this one more time.

What if you don't go shopping for the sales the day after Thanksgiving (thus the Un- prefix)?  What if you don't put more money into the accounts of the 1%?  Just a thought.

What would that look like?  Not buying electronics made overseas by people getting paid less than our hourly minimum wage for a day's work.  Not lining up for more STUFF that you probably don't need and don't have room for (see my blog on decluttering if you need to).  Not buying presents that are easily interchangeable with the next thing on the shelf.

The sale myth is a tough one.  Spend money you weren't going to spend because it's on sale.  Right.  Or you could just buy what you love or what you really need, or gift something to someone that they will truly appreciate.


Wait - you want IDEAS?


Oh, alright.


The Alternative to Corporate Black Friday Shopping Guide.

BOOKS

Okay - fair warning, I might just be associated with the following books in some manner...

THE NIGHT GOES ON ALL NIGHT - "Just released from Ain’t Got No Press is “The Night Goes On All Night”…an anthology of noir-inspired poems, edited by Rick Lupert and published in conjunction with the Los Angeles Poetry Festival’s “Night and the City” Noir Festival. " - Poetry Superhighway  P.S.  There are lots of other great books by independent authors in the PSH Bookstore!

FROSTBITTEN - Mark Walton's collection of beautifully crafted poems is insightful and affecting.

SWIMMING THROUGH AMBER - E. Amato's first collection of poetry - oh, yeah, you know already.

WHAT LANGUAGE IS - John McWhorter's latest book lets us peek into the form, function and evolution of language in ways that give us a look at ourselves and how we function in society.

BEYOND BAROQUE has a bookstore!  How amazing is that?  A 501C3 not-for-profit, BB is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting Los Angeles poetry and supporting the community.  Not only can you shop in the bookstore, but you could purchase a membership for yourself or someone else.  The benefits are fantastic!


(Some of the links are via Amazon.  That's gonna have to be okay.)

Swimming Through Amber up on Amazon!

It's official!  You can finally get SWIMMING THROUGH AMBER on Amazon!

For personalized signed copies, you can still click on the PayPal link to the right ->->->->->->->

There are also signed copies available at the store at Beyond Baroque in Venice and Down Home's home - Cafe Bolivar in Santa Monica!

Both of those are excellent places to go visit, even if you don't want a book!

Tis the season to GIVE!

 

It's a good time to give!

Micro-donations make a difference - so don't feel like you can't give!  Even donations as small as a dollar add up if you spread the word, too!

In the spirit of the season, here are a few places your donations will make a contribution to the quality of life of many people.

KCRW

Los Angeles' public radio station and one of the best radio stations in the world.  They bring culture to Los Angeles, and they tie together all the different cultural media and institutions.  At the moment I'm crushing on Edward Goldman's Art Talk, but who can live without Evan Kleiman's Good Food, or MBE w/Jason Bentley, and my always personal fave - Jeremy Sole?

DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER

Giving shelter to women who need it in times of trouble.  Think on it - this is very necessary.


BEYOND BAROQUE

Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center has been holding down poetry in Venice for DECADES.  What other poetry venue can you think of that has kept it together for so long and brought out so many voices from our local scene?  They are going through some radical transition and need dollars and members to transform into the 21st Century organization they are going to become.

United States Artists

A micro-financing site for artists of all disciplines with projects they are hoping to fund.  Just scroll through and pick a project you'd like to see come to fruition.  Imagine it was that easy to get your project going...it is!

All of these are practically one-click donatable!

Feel free to suggest your own below!