Once in a while, something drifting along the river of social media information leaps out and grabs me. Today, it was this status: It wasn’t the concept itself — the idea that charity begins at home is centuries old — but the way Yukari framed it by relating to the flight safety announcement really was an aHa! for me. The funny thing is, I know lots of people who argue with the common sense Continue Reading →
What do you give the person who needs nothing? Whether gift-buying for a one-percenter or someone who has simplified to the point that they need no new gadgets or media and may not want consumables, there are other options: Give your time. While a book of “Love Coupons” may not be the answer, many people will happily accept gifts of time and labour — raking leaves, running errands, or maybe an evening of card games. Continue Reading →
I really want to give massive kudos to my daughter. A few years ago, she started to feel really overwhelmed at Christmas — as an only child, she was getting a little spoiled and even though she’s not an only grandchild, she gets a lot from grandparents and extended family too. As a remedy, she started looking for other ways to get around getting Stuff under the tree. What she came up with, in discussion Continue Reading →
Right now there are some bundles of digital things out there worth buying for a good cause: 1. Humble Bundle #3 — you get 5 games (that work on almost any platform), you get to set the price you pay, and you get to choose how the money is distributed between the developers, the EFF, Child’s Play and Humble Bundle itself. Retail value of these games is over $50. 2. Bards & Sages Operation Backpack Continue Reading →