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As Thanksgiving approaches, stores are beginning to gear up for their big holiday sales and “Black Friday”—one of the biggest (if not the biggest) shopping days of the year. With the economy slowly starting to recover from the recession, retailers are hoping for a prosperous shopping season, and shoppers are looking for a great deal.

If you’re not interested in battling the throngs of shoppers that flock to the stores on Black Friday, perhaps waiting for “Cyber Monday” is more your speed. Similar to Black Friday, Cyber Monday refers to the first Monday following Thanksgiving, when many shoppers return to their offices and click online to continue their holiday shopping. Many e-tailers offer free shipping, online discounts, and other deals on this day to lure shoppers to their websites.

With just 22 days until the start of Hanukkah and 36 days ’til Christmas, the holiday shopping season is nearly here. (Looking for a Black Friday Survival Guide? Stop by Shine for a few tips on how to weather the sales!)

Do you typically go shopping on Black Friday? If so, do you make it out for the early sales or do you visit the stores later in the day? Or, do you avoid the stores altogether and wait for Cyber Monday? Tell us your holiday shopping habits by leaving a comment!

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I’m a sucker for a good disaster movie.  Films like “The Day After Tomorrow,” “Children of Men,” and “Independence Day” were all fascinating and disturbing, but ultimately safe and cathartic ways to examine our fears about the end of the world. There’s a new disaster flick to add to the list, and if the pre-opening buzz is any indication, we’re in for quite a ride with “2012.”  The new film by Roland Emmerich focuses on the interpretation of the Mayan calendar which predicts that the current life cycle will end on December 21, 2012, speculating that a worldwide apocalypse will ensue.

Let’s face it — though scary, most “end of the world” prophecies are easy to dismiss.  I mean, so many have come and gone throughout history with nothing to show. Just within the last decade, there have been a handful of predicted apocalypse scenarios.  According to Nostradamus, we weren’t supposed to make it past 1999, and even if we did, Y2K was sure to do us in.  Why should  the 2012 prediction be any different?

Well, for one thing, the Mayas were different from, and perhaps a bit more knowledgeable, than some other doomsday foretellers. The Mayan calendar is almost as advanced as our own at predicting astrological phenomena like eclipses and alignments — a pretty amazing feat considering that they didn’t have access to telescopes, satellites, and the other advanced technology that we have at our disposal.  The Mayas chose 2012’s solstice as doomsday based on astronomical observations predicting a squaring-off between the powerful forces of Pluto and Saturn — a phenomenon that, according to my understanding, will indeed occur around that time.

But, to be fair, this same cosmic occurrence has happened many times before, most recently between August 2001 and May 2002, and we came through it just fine.  Much of the hype about 2012 is actually just that: hype.  Even modern Mayas are discounting the validity of the interpretation of their ancient calendar. But no one can deny that we, as a society, love a bit of suspense.  Fueled by Internet speculation, sensationalist authors and scientists, and, of course, the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster, anxiety about 2012 is certainly on the rise and will probably continue to pervade popular culture…at least until 2013 and the next big apocalypse prediction.

Do you believe in the Mayan prophecy regarding Dec. 21, 2012?   And if you knew it were true, how would you like to spend your next (and last) 3 years on earth?

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Halloween was easier when I was a kid. All my friends wanted to do the same thing: wear our costumes, trick-or-treat, and eat our haul until we were sick. It wasn’t until high school that my friends became too “cool” to partake in youthful hijinks like playing dress-up and generally having a good time. I’ve never been hampered by the label of coolness, and I’ve always loved dressing up for Halloween, so as an adult I’ve been doing my best to be the ambassador for Halloween spirit. I dress up for work, and at home we give out full-sized candy bars to trick-or-treaters. We also throw themed Halloween parties for our friends.

Two years ago we threw a pirate-themed party, and we had a house full of buccaneers and wenches.  Last year we threw a Rock Band party — our guests had to dress like rock stars and take turns playing on the Wii. (By the way, it’s way more fun to play Rock Band when you look the part, as the neighborhood kids enviously ask if they can play instead of collecting candy.) This year, we’re hosting a “CSI”-themed murder mystery party, where our guests will dress as forensic investigators, carry flashlights to find their way around, solve a murder, and compete to see who can do the best impression of David Caruso. Despite our zealous celebration of the holiday, we don’t take anything too seriously.

We’re lucky to have friends who enjoy elaborate costumes and cosplay, so themed parties are loads of fun. We’ve already tossed around some ideas for future parties, such as the French Revolution (with a guillotine on the lawn), the Mad Scientist theme (where we serve food that resembles anatomy), and the ever-popular “Star Trek” geek-a-thon, where our guests dress up as the “Trek” character of their choice. Federation, Dominion, or Klingon; all are welcome, so long as they drink the Romulan ale.

What’s the theme of your celebration or costume?

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Chocolate is more than just delectable. It’s the confection of affection. It’s delicious (in moderation), it’s nutritious, and wow — the way it releases endorphins is unparalleled. To be honest, I’ve had chocolate that’s so good, it should be illegal. Since I am, deep in my heart, a method writer, I’m eating chocolate as I write this. I’m not a chocolate purist — my personal preference is milk chocolate. But my absolute favorite are chocolate “turtles” (caramel, cashews, and milk chocolate). Chocolate-covered marzipan comes in a very close second place. (I told you, I’m not a purist.)

Historically, chocolate has been used as currency, and when you think of the social surroundings of chocolate, the right type and timing can still buy a little forgiveness for small oversights. It’s no coincidence that chocolate — which releases endorphins — is used for apologies. (Just try staying angry while you’re eating sinfully rich chocolate. It’s nearly impossible.) In my circle of friends, I know that if I’m having a rough day, one of them is bound to have some chocolate ready to share. It’s usually the really good stuff, one of the perks of being an adult. We all have our favorites, the one that we’ve declared The One.

Finding the perfect chocolate — the type that tickles your taste buds and makes your heart sing the hallelujah chorus — is a task for those of us who are willing to suffer the arduous task of locating different brands and varieties, and slowly analyzing them for flavor, texture, and that certain je ne sais quoi that makes it a favorite. In my own search, I have tried chocolates from all over the world, including blends with tea leaves and chocolate with chili. If, like me, you lack the time and resources to travel the world in search of the ultimate chocolate, I recommend a visit to an importer like Cost Plus World Market or Trader Joe’s for a global selection, including eco-friendly and fair-trade brands.

What’s your favorite kind of chocolate? How did it become your favorite?

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Hello, everyone:

In June, we blogged about a series of events being featured on the Yahoo! Small Business Answers Center site. We invited you to ask our resident expert, Kevin Salwen, your most pressing questions about how to grow a small business in good times and bad. Participants got access to some professional advice, as well as the chance to win a $20,000 Yahoo! Search Marketing credit.

We’re happy to announce the winner of the first event: Margaret Haule. She had a question about the merits of hiring an accountant vs. using do-it-yourself accounting software. You can check out Kevin’s answer here. Congratulations, Margaret!

Be sure to keep checking the Small Business Answers Center for info on additional events, and for answers and resources to help you with your business. And don’t forget: You can always check out our Small Business category on Answers for help from the community, too.

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