mAterial ePistle

Famous First Words: There was a boy... C S Lewis The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Black Friday: Because only in America people trample others for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have. $$$ Materialism: Spending money you don't have on crap you don't want or need to impress people that don't matter.

..........never knew what I was missin'..........John Mayall & the bluesbreakers …..All Your Love

Materialism has never been so ominous as now in North America, as management takes over. --Arthur Erickson

It is a chilly (20°F) Friday morning. The sky is a clear pale blue and a white frost covers much of the yard. Puck's breath makes dragon smoke as he goes about his morning business and I run back to my room to put on stockings because my toes are cold. There is no wind, the chimes outside my window are still and quiet; trees and shrubs and plants are still and brown and offer no warmth to the scene. Now Puck is at my feet, watching the hallway as if he's expecting trouble to rush down and attack us. I have no idea what trouble it could be but I am not worried. Mary and Martha have just awakened and come down the hall but they are not trouble and Puck does not seem concerned about them. I sip my half-caf and stare out the window. The rising sun has stirred up a breeze and the pendulum of the windchimes has begun to sway gently still without sound. A one small leaf on the dried hydrangea plant is fluttering rapidly while the browned flowers do no fluttering at all. A car drives by. It is the first one I've seen all morning. No panic buying nor crowds rushing nor bargains purchased here. It's just a quiet, cold morning in Lawrence, KS.

Have a priceless weekend, ePistiers

First Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: 80% of the ocean has not been explored. There could be a Disney Park down there.

Christmas: Make-Your-Kids-Into-Greedy-Little-Materialistic-Consumption-Addicts Day. $$$ Capitalism: Behind every great fortune is a crime.

..........Wake up in the morning..........John Mayall & the bluesbreakers …..The Stumble

Trivia Questions: It's Square Dancing Day. How many calls do you remember or know?

• ^ Allemande Left
• ^^ Do-Si-Do
• ^^^ Promenade
• ^^^^ Swing
• ^^^^^ Sashay

Big Hello: Dorood - Persian https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/hello.htm

Second Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: We believe in the separation of Church and Hate. --Submitted by cc of ks

Image of the Week: Jo's Christmas Cactus blooming for Thanksgiving.

Library Humor of the Week: Abridged Classics: Beowulf – Hero kills monster. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Dragon kills hero.https://www.facebook.com/groups/laughinglibrarian/

Psychiatrist to patient: I'm supposed to tell this, the true secret to happiness is having more stuff than everyone else. $$$ Capitalism: An economic system preferred by rich people.

..........Everybody got a trouble..........John Mayall & the bluesbreakers …..Lonely Years

Moonbeam: I want to do something splendid. --Louisa May Alcott

Blasphemy of the Week: Sex is the mysticism of materialism and the only possible religion in a materialistic society. --Malcolm Muggeridge

Puzzle of the Week: From listener Michael Schwartz, of Florence, OR. Think of a classic American author, whose first and last names are each one syllable. The last name, when said aloud, sounds like part of the body. Insert the letters AS into the first name, and you'll get the location of this body part. Who is the author? NPR Sunday Puzzle 11/24/24

Next Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: I'm not in a bad mood, I'm just smart. --Calvin & Hobbes

I hate materialism. But I hate not having stuff even more. $$$ Capitalism? More like Crapitalism, right ladies.

..........When you think you got good buddies..........John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers …..Double Crossing Time

^ Allemande Left: Dancers face their corner, join left hands, and walk around each other.

Almanac: It is Friday, November 29, 2024. The moon will be new on Sunday (12/1) and is in Sagittarius. Today is Pins and Needles Day, Electronic Greetings Day, Flossing Day, International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Maze Day, National Day of Listening, National Native American Heritage Day, Random Acts of Kindness Friday, Sinkie Day or Dine Over Your Kitchen Sink Day, Square Dancing Day, Black Friday, Buy Nothing Day, and Caterine's Day aka Catterntide. Since it is the first weekend after Thanksgiving it is also National Field Hockey Days.

Among those born on this day were Christian Doppler (1803), Wendell Phillips (1811), Louisa May Alcott (1832), Ambrose Fleming (1849), C.S. Lewis (1898), Merle Travis (1907), Herb Shriner (1918), Diane Ladd (1932), and John Mayall (1933).

On November twenty-ninth the monarchy was abolished in Yugoslavia (1945) and Kilauea erupted (1975).

Night Sky 11/29: Sirius in Canis Major. This is the brightest star in the sky and should stand out well, even as it sits just 10° above the horizon at this time. Moving clockwise from this star, next is Procyon in Canis Minor, then Castor and Pollux (the two stars serving as one point) in Gemini. The “top” of the Hexagon is Capella in Auriga; then there’s Aldebaran in Taurus and Rigel in Orion. Finally, you can close the loop back at Sirius. https://www.astronomy.com/observing/the-sky-this-week-from-november-22-to-29-2024/

Fraternal Picture of the Week: Bus Stop Blues

This Week: Saturday, November 30 – Cities For Life Day & National Mason Jar Day & Native Women's Equal Pay Day

Sunday, December 1 – Antarctica Day & Basketball Day & Rosa Parks Day

Night Sky, : New Moon 6:21 pm and the Phoenicids Meteor Shower

Monday, December 2 – National Mutt Day & Special Education Day & World Day of Futures

Tuesday, December 3 – Be A Blessing Day & Giving Tuesday & International Baboon Day

Wednesday, December 4 – International Cheetah Day & National Cookie Day & World Wildlife Conservation Day

Night Sky, 12/4: At dusk take note of Venus sitting about 3 degrees directly above a lovely waxing crescent Moon, providing a picture perfect evening for skywatchers. The dazzling evening star soars in the southwest at nightfall during the course of December. You will see this bright planet higher in the southwestern sky. https://www.farmersalmanac.com/december-night-sky-guide-december-2024

Thursday, December 5 – AFL-CIO Day & Bathtub Party Day & World Soil Day

My mother made me too materialistic. Every time she tickled me she said, “Gucci, Gucci, Gucci”. $$$ Capitalism is a pyramid scheme. , at least

..........Splinter right through my heart..........John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers …..Sittin' in the Rain

^^ Do-Si-Do: Partners face each other and circle around each other without touching

Preantepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: My shrink told me to write letters to the people I hate, then bury them in the backyard. She didn't tell me what to do with the letters.

Moonbeam: All you need to be a fisherman is patience and a worm. --Herb Shriner

Fun Facts of the Week: Flossing Day! If you don't floss, 30% of the surface of your teeth go uncleaned. There is bacon flavored floss. (There's also mint, cinnamon, and bubblegum – at least)

Video of the Week: 73^rd Annual Square Dance Finals 6/28/24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYBsdmPb7zM (7:38)

For greed, the entire world is too little. --Seneca

Elon Musk is getting out of his Lamborghini when another vehicle zooms by and tears the door off at the hinges. A cop sees the whole thing and comes over, “Are you alright, Mr Musk?” Elon responds, “Of course I'm not okay. Did you see what that guy did to my car? The cop just shakes his head, “You rich guys are so materialistic. Did you even notice that your arm is missing?” Elon looks down at his arm and screams, “My Rolex!” $$$ I have a joke about Trickle Down Economics; but 99% would never get it.

..........Tides have been turning..........John Mayall & the bluesbreakers …..Bare Wires

^^^ Promenade: Couples hold hands and walk counterclockwise around the square.

Antepenultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as important to the caterpillar as it is to the child. -Submitted by ff of ks

Weird Word of the Week: Usufructuary – things held under use and enjoyment but owned by someone else, like the slave owner. For the slave, even the clothes on her back were usufructuary. --http://www.worldwidewords.org/ww-usu1.html

Dragon of the Week:

Wacky Uses for Common Products: Prevent splatters and smears when painting a room. Before painting, rub ChapStick on hinges, doorknobs, and around the edges of the glass next to the trim. Paint smears will wipe off easily with a cloth. https://www.wackyuses.com/wacky/chapstick.html

I bought a book about materialism. It wasn't worth it. $$$ I was inspired because I saw that Jeff Bezos donated $25 million to help the homeless. Which I guess sounds generous, but I did the math. It turns out that $25 million is .028 percent of his net worth. Let me tell you something: donating .028 percent of my net worth is like if I went up to a homeless guy and stole a dollar. --Gianmarco Soresi

...........my life is just a slow train..........John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers …..Crawling Up Hill

^^^^ Swing: Partners hold each other and spin around.

Penultimate Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: There are 21 million penguins in Antarctica and the population of Ireland is 6.6 million. So if all the penguins in Antarctica decided to invade Ireland, each person would have to fight off over 3 million penguins. --Submitted by Neil DeGrass Tyson

Science Fiction Convention of the Week: Chicago TARDIS 2024 (29/1, Lombard, IL) ...Midwest's largest Doctor Who event...https://www.chicagotardis.com/

Actual Science Conference of the Week: ICITAS (International Conference on Information Technology and Science (29, Columbus, OH) ...is a great way to build networking by engaging in discussion relating to Engineering Topics... https://conferenceinusa.com/event_detail/2602228

Answer to Puzzle of the Week: Bret Harte → Breast, Heart

An Amish man, a hippie, and Jesus walk into a bar. An old man at the bar turns to them and surprised, he asks: “Why is it that three men that are so different from each other are travelling together?” The Hippie says “I want to learn the ways of the Amish to be freed from materialism.” The Amish man says: “I’ve lost faith in my people, I want to learn the traditional ways of the Christ.” And Jesus says: “I go where I’m needed.” The old man nods: “Okay that makes sense but how did you come to meet?" The Hippie says: “I was walking along this stretch of road because my van broke down.” The Amish man says: “This was the only road to follow when I left my community.” And Jesus replies: “I go where I’m needed.” The old man nods again and asks: “Well why did you decide to come into this bar?” The Hippie says: “I go where the Amish man goes.” The Amish man says: “I follow Jesus.” And Jesus says “I go where I’m needed.” The old man, still confused, looks to Jesus and asks: “Well why are you needed here?” Jesus sighs: “My shift starts at 5.” $$$ What do ethical capitalism and my boyfriend have in common? Neither of them exist.

..........Gonna teach you love at the midnight hour..........John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers …..I'm Your Witchdoctor

^^^^^ Sashay: Dancers slide-step or glide sideways from one position to the next, without turning to change directions. It could involve individuals or couples.

Conspiracy Theory of the Week: Both Trump fans and Harris supporters baselessly claimed large-scale voter fraud in 2024 election, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9j8r8gg0do

Quote of the Week: My cooking is so bad my kids thought Thanksgiving was to commemorate Pearl Harbor. --Phyllis Diller

Final Funniest Thing I Read of the Week: While we were studying the rats, they were studying us. And, unlike ours, their study got published. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554895146439

Today's Peace of History: November 29, 1967. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara announced his resignation during the Vietnam War.

Dad, what's capitalism?" "Here, take this £5 note and go and get me a BLT with a large coca cola." The boy left his house and took the only possible route, up a huge hill. He got to the counter and made the order. "That'll be £7.34," said the assistant. "I only have £5, mister," said the boy. The assistant shrugged his shoulders and the boy left. The boy barged in through the front door and shouted, "Dad, I just went all that way for you and you didn't give me enough money." The dad looked him in the eye and said, "Son, that's capitalism." $$$ Don't let Black Friday turn into black and blue Saturday.

..........My rocket's gonna hit the ground..........John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers …..Stand Back Baby

Masthead of the Week: Friday ePistle, November 29, 2024, mAterial ePistle. Online at: http://fridayepistle.blogspot.com/ Exclusive editor: Christine Smith. Lawrence, KS.

Moonbeam: The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts. --C S Lewis

Cost of War:

• As of 11/28/24 State Department Costs: $251,750,073,184
• As of 11/21/24 State Department Costs: $251,168,479,809
• As of 11/28/24 Homeland Security: $1,185,170,478,148
• As of 11/21/24 Homeland Security: $1,184,527,864,812
• As of 11/28/24 Interest on War Debt: $1,262,296,229,523
• As of 11/21/24 Interest on War Debt: $1,260,643,158,397
• As of 11/28/24 Military Costs: $3,118,095,347,154
• As of 11/21/24 Military Costs: $3,116,840,227,467
• As of 11/28/24 Veterans Care: $3,993,789,935,762
• As of 11/21/24 Veterans Care: $3,981,259,082,936
• As of 11/28/24 Total Cost of Wars: $9,811,114,775,010
• As of 11/21/24 Total Cost of Wars: $9,794,439,992,728

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

The best things in life aren't things. --Art Buchwald

Famous Last Words: I'm sorry that I can't go on. --Cary Grant died of a stroke on 11/29/1986.

..........Don't let the rooster crow..........John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton …..Please Don't Tell

Sorry if you were the person I shoved out of the way to get your gift on Black Friday. $$$ If I had a dollar for everything wrong with capitalism...then I probably wouldn't be complaining about capitalism.

May Peace fill your mind
And Joy pack your heart
prairie mama
christine

Last Laugh:

Alexa! Say grace!