We're Lit !

In the mode of Toys 'r Us, wouldn't "We're Lit" be a great name for a bookstore. Fortunately,  I already like our name so we're sticking with Walk a Crooked Mile Books. Instead, the title is an indication that we are fantastically decorated and lit as protection against the dark days of December and in celebration of all the ways we humans celebrate LIGHT and the Divine. So Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Delightful Saturnalia, etc. Again this year, our Devon St. neighbors turned out and whimsically decorated our windows, lit our gutters, greened our poles. and bowed our trees and it looks FANTASTIC. Drive by and see.

     Better yet, come this Friday evening, starting at dark, to the first of our Late Friday nights between now and December 17. We will have libations and goodies, hopefully a bonfire to keep those who want to hang out in the fresh air warm, and we may even be showing movies on the side of my white van, as we did last year. One of my coffee hour regulars asked me yesterday if the party was themed. I considered and said "yes, buy lots of books." We both chuckled but then I thought about it and decided that the acronym BLOB, would be pretty good. Today, we decided that a great movie to show would be . . . The Blob. Maybe we can get that together. But do stop by any of the next three Fridays after work. We'll be here till at least 9 and longer if the party is cooking.

    On this Sunday, Dec. 5 we will be co-hosting, with Antje Mattheus and David Kairys, a book signing, at their house at 425 Roumfort Road, from 3-4:30. by their friend, George Lakey, a well known international activist and trainer of pro-democratic groups. He's pictured here - he's the one with the recorder - at a "Jungle University" in Burma (now Myanmar) in 1990, where he taught sociology of social movements to pro-democracy students/soldiers. He will be talking of his adventures and his new book, Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for Success with Diverse Adult Learners. The public is welcome and I'll have a table with some of my books, particularly leftist and educational material.

   Final note on this lengthy missive. The Book Drive for teenagers in court ordered placements is going swimmingly. We already have almost two boxes and will continue to accept books for teens till Saturday December 11. As promised in my last blog, I'd like to promote another group that I do some work for, as a place where you could make holiday contributions in honor of some of the people you'd normally give gifts to. They are the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. They provide schools, hospitals, etc. and strive to be a ray of hope for Muslims, Jews and Christians who yearn for peace in the Middle East. Two Sundays ago, I had the treat of dressing up as Saint Nicholas, their patron, who was born wealthy in Myra, Turkey some 17 centuries ago and spent his life giving away his wealth to those in need. In spite of his protestations, he was made bishop but continued his simple ways, living in a cave. Such a nice model, vis a vis Santa Claus who seems more connected to over consumption. To find out more, please visit their website, www.americanfriends-jerusalem.org/