Saturday, November 24, 2007

Hallothanksmas

I think there's been a cultural shift, a kind of repositioning of how things are perceived. An interesting thing has been happening over the last few years concerning Thanksgiving.

We already know that Christmas is no longer seen as the birthday of Jesus, but rather a giant commercial and economic opportunity for the consumer, the retailer, and the economy. Santa has replaced the manger. Frosty is the new Wise Man. Gold, frankincense and myrrh have been replaced by presents, vacations and gift cards. Essentially, it has become an incredible opportunity for money to change hands.

But recently, the "Christmas Season" (or rather the "buying season") has gradually expanded where it doesn't begin with the day after Thanksgiving, but now it includes Thanksgiving.

Yes, stores were open on Thanksgiving Day in the hopes that consumers would begin to spend their holiday dollars sooner, thus making sure that this will be a good year for business. "Black Friday" (the Friday following Thanksgiving where retailers hope to get into the black) expanded to include Thanksgiving Day (or should we go ahead and begin to call it Black Thursday to avoid the rush?).

Some major retailers required their employees to come in and work on Thanksgiving (did they pay them time-and-a-half?) so they could gather dollars sooner. And those who didn't open on Thursday opened early on Friday (most at 5:00 am, some at 4:00 am).

So when will it end? Will the gradual transformation of the "American Holiday" continue to expand and absorb all things sacred in its path?

Is Halloween next?

Friday, November 09, 2007

New Ideas

Think about this statement: Any real change comes from new ideas, rather than rehashed versions of old ones.

I guess there are arguments on both sides of this concept. But remember, we are talking about change, and not entertainment (as in re-makes of movies).

Have you used an "old" idea lately? Have you taken someone else's idea and improved on it? (No sense re-inventing the wheel, right?) Have you re-packaged something that has been used before? I think we all have done that from time to time. But again, we are talking about change.

"Are there any new ideas out there to be had?" you may be asking. Have they all been "used up"? And if I do get an original idea, can it be used to ensure lasting change?

I think that is the key right there. Am I seeking new ideas because I want to bring about change?

What kind of a change would you like to bring about? What would you like to see different? What would you like the world to look like after you are finished with it?

So we are back to the original statement: Any real change comes from new ideas, rather than rehashed versions of old ones. Once you know what you'd like to do, start being creative and do something original. Don't push the limits, rather move beyond them.

Remember that the Creator did that very thing when He made you. He looked at everything else He made up to that point, and then created something brand new. And that changed the world forever.

Friday, November 02, 2007

Sharing Ideas

Where do you get your ideas? What do you do with them? Do you hoard them or share them?

I stumbled on a site called whynot.net, which is an idea exchange. It offered ideas from "Better Brake Lights" to "Diet Restaurants". Plus, readers can comment on ideas and offer insights, suggestions and even arguments, just like a Blog.

I have found that when ideas are discussed (exchanged) with others, it usually stimulates more creative and critical thinking. Involving other thinkers into a conversation encourages depth, understanding and inspires a greater level of imagination (again, hence Blogging). But that's what I think.

What do you think?

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