I'm back for a day! Filling in for Missa this morning, I thought I'd pull out one of my favorite blog posts from the past. Happy Tuesday!

Writing has always been my safe haven. When I would get in trouble with my parents as a child, I'd always write them a note to apologize and I've carried that form of self-reflection into adulthood. Yes, spoken words generally mean more, but there's something incredible about the ways that you can carefully craft a song, a poem or a heartfelt letter from just a pen and a blank piece of paper.

Here, you can choose your words carefully - you can edit, erase and begin again if it doesn't come out right the first time. The 26 letters of the alphabet are the only tools you need to craft something that could win a Nobel Peace Prize or a Pulitzer, express your deepest love to someone who might not know it, or apologize to your parents for not cleaning your room. 

Alone, those 26 letters aren't much more than a catchy jingle you learn in Kindergarten. But together, the opportunities are truly endless. When it comes down to it, words are really the only thing that can change the world - for better or for worse. With letters as your tools, the pen and pencil are your sword - representative of human progression and the evolution of one of the oldest writing instruments known to humanity. Each has a history of inspiring the greatest minds the world has ever known, creating something extraordinary from nothing.

In a time where iPhones, iPads and computers are the preeminent forms of communication, don't forget the oldest and greatest form of written communication we have. There's no email or text message that can ever take the place of handwritten prose.

The holidays are quickly approaching and one of the biggest online shopping days of the year is here, Cyber Monday! The term Cyber Monday made its debut over a decade ago, in 2005. Since then it has changed the way of shopping for the holidays. Hope everyone finds that perfect gift for that special someone (cough, SlideBelt, cough cough) haha. But I also just wanted to remind everyone that it’s not what’s under the Christmas tree, but who’s around it. Enjoy the family time and memories made this season. :)

Why is it called Black Friday?

The unofficial start of the holiday shopping season is often referred to as the busiest shopping day of the year. But where did this tradition start and just how big is it?

The term "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia. In the 1960's, police in Philadelphia griped about the congested streets, clogged with motorists and pedestrians, calling it “Black Friday.” In a non-retail sense, it also describes a financial crisis of 1869: a stock market catastrophe set off by gold spectators who tried and failed to corner the gold market, causing the market to collapse and stocks to plummet. “Black” refers to stores moving from the “red” to the “black,” back when accounting records were kept by hand, and red ink indicated a loss, and black a profit. Ever since the start of the modern Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the Friday after Thanksgiving has been known as the unofficial start to a bustling holiday shopping season.

Why did Black Friday become so popular?

As retailers began to realize they could draw big crowds by discounting prices, Black Friday became the day to shop, even better than those last-minute Christmas sales. Some retailers put their items up for sale on the morning of Thanksgiving, or email online specials to consumers days or weeks before the actual event. The most shopped for items are electronics and popular toys, as these may be the most drastically discounted. However, prices are slashed on everything from home furnishings to apparel.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!