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The Demise of Black Friday?

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  "Whatcha doin' strappin' on them shootin' irons, Jake?" "Come on, Luke, ya know it's Black Friday. A guy wants to get a deal, and crowds get mighty ornery." A scene from no Western show ever. That's because insane shopping the day after Thanksgiving is a relatively new invention. Sure, there have been various events in history with the moniker of Black Friday, but the version we know today apparently did not begin until the 1980s . Now it's a "tradition" tacked onto Thanksgiving. That Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and others are considered launches for the Christmas retail season, so insane shopping the Friday after Thanksgiving (where people seem to have forgotten being thankful and their greed kicks in). Shopping seasons and Black Friday went together. Mostly made at  Custom Tombstone Maker Years ago, I worked in a retail store that was giving away some silly thing to the first hundred customers. Peopl

Being Professional in the Workplace

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen Yeah, I know. People who work for a living are told to act professional-like, and are constantly reminded of it. Here is an example that shows professionalism — or the lack thereof — in action. Just a few days ago, I was in town with Roland Meadows, the fiancĂ© of my prospector friend Stormie Waters. Since Roland wanted to get Stormie a gift, we then headed for a bigger town that has one of those big box stores with a passel of stuff. Clothing for sale, Pexels / Marcus Winkler While he was browsing for a gift, I was also wandering. I saw an employee putting things back on the shelf (people ransack these places), and someone came up to him. "Do you know that person working the counter over there?" "I don't —" the employee began to reply. "Well, I asked a question and was told it was stupid and was laughed at! I've had a hard life..." He went on for a few more seconds with a profane tirade, apologized to the employee for cursing