(black) friday5 for November 23, 2012

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Happy Day After Turkey Day, American friends! And thank you for making Black Friday such a force-of-shopping-nature that it's made its way up here to Canada, where we're having an otherwise very normal week.
"Just a normal week at my Canadian place of employment..."

"Ahhhh! Everything is suddenly crazy on sale for no reason!!!!"

I always thought of Black Friday as the US equivalent to our Boxing Day (December 26th), but it looks like we now get to double up and share in the insanity of pre-holiday season blowout deals.

So in honour of Black Friday (and if you like your bargain shopping to be online and trample-free like I do), here are some great places to track the deals today and throughout the weekend:

1. Up here in Canada, I've heard it referred to as Red Friday, Black Frid-eh! (my personal fav) and of course, Old Navy is referring to it as Cheermageddon (because happy...end of the world?). Regardless of what you call it, we are seeing our fair share of deals north of the border and if you need to kickstart your holiday shopping, there's no better place to scope out all the deals than Canadian Daily Deals. I have no way of knowing if they've captured absolutely everything, but there's way more than enough to get you started!

2. Of course, this isn't about us Canadians (not really). It's about our dear pals to the south, who are hopefully so full of delicious turkey that sitting in front of the computer shopping their hearts out is all they can manage. My search for an American Daily Deals turned up nothing (I guess there isn't a sister site), but I did find what looks to be a pretty comprehensive list at Deals of America. Have at it, my American friends! Tis the season and all that!

3. Now that we've covered all the self-indulgent shopping options, you're probably feeling the need to give back a bit (assuming your heart isn't as black as the day itself). Better hit up Free Rice and start clicking! Bonus: improve your vocab at the same time!

4. Better yet, during this time of glutenous overkill, why not make a charitible donation to one of the following charities that are fighting to make the world a better place for everyone:
5. You've shopped, you've alleviated the guilt with a little charity--now it's time for a little R&R, right? This week's YA book rec is Elemental by Antony John.


I don't have much to say about the cover. It's kind of ho-hum. And kind of familiar. I know it's a genre thing, and I'm sure it's backed by market research, but there's nothing to write home about.

What the book does have going for it, is its plot:
Sixteen-year-old Thomas has always been an outsider. The first child born without the power of an Element—earth, water, wind or fire—he has little to offer his tiny, remote Outer Banks colony. Or so the Guardians would have him believe.

In the wake of an unforeseen storm, desperate pirates kidnap the Guardians, intent on claiming the island as their own. Caught between the plague-ridden mainland and the advancing pirates, Thomas and his friends fight for survival in the battered remains of a mysterious abandoned settlement. But the secrets they unearth will turn Thomas’ world upside-down, and bring to light not only a treacherous past but also a future more dangerous than he can possibly imagine. (Summary from Goodreads.com)
The idea of using elemental powers to drive your plot isn't a new concept, but we have a protagonist who's an outsider (which I can totally dig), forced into a dangerous situation that could determine the future of his world. And it's not just any dangerous situation, it's one that involves pirates! How can you say no to that? You simply can't, my friends. You simply can't.

Have a great weekend!