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Good morning all, and welcome to Radio Free Monday! My day is a little insane for reasons that will be elucidated later, so I'm posting this a bit earlier than usual.

A special call out this week for information:

aidenfire asked me about holiday shopping that benefits good causes: fair trade websites, products that support those in need or charitable organizations, that kind of thing. I think it's a great idea and I'd love to have links from everyone that I can turn around and reshare.

And remember that, for the right person (especially for someone who has everything) giving a donation in someone's name can be a great present -- like the Knitter's Gift Basket from Heifer Project or a Sponsored Polar Bear from World Wildlife Fund.

Ways To Give:

Anon linked me to an Indiegogo fundraiser to buy copies of "Speaking Out", a book for queer teens, for high school libraries across America.

lyssa_adelia, who has contributed links to RFM before, is in a financial bind and is asking for donations to help her and her mother from being evicted.

starspiritgate told me about the Can Town Project (sorry the background makes it a bit hard to read). The idea is simple: Whenever there's a con or meetup, people bring nonperishable food, do a silly photo shoot with it, and then take the food to a local food bank. I encourage people signed up for cons to contact the ConCom about organizing a Can Town event or publicising one that attendees have organized.

hydroskufl linked to Native Languages of the Americas, a website dedicated to preserving Native American language. One way to support is to follow the Amazon shopping link from their homepage, which hydroskufl recommended. I can't in good conscience recommend it because I don't support shopping at Amazon, but for people who do shop there it's good to know it exists.

lovessong alerted me to the fact that Chicago is planning to cut library hours and jobs in the Chicago Public Library system. Aside from the reduced access this provides the public, this will lay off at least 24 librarians, 112 clerks, and all CPL pages. I encourage everyone, Chicago resident or otherwise, to sign the petition here to let our mayor and city council know that we support keeping libraries open, and funding library jobs.

I've linked this before, but I think it can always use a boost -- idancewithlife let me know that A Liter of Light has a mini-documentary out about their efforts to bring electricity-free light to disprivileged communities in the Philippines. If you'd like information on how to help A Liter Of Light, you can find it here.

Fans Helping Fans:

mysid let me know that gaedhal is doing a survey of Sherlock Holmes Fandoms. I know we have some fans here, so go lend a hand for a conference paper!

Hey, remember when I linked to the anthology of Lesbian Steampunk Stories? It's now for sale -- preorder for hardcopy, released as an ebook! At least one member of the Cafe is in it, I think two. Go, buy, read, enjoy!

News To Know:

mamculuna wants to remind folks that November 5th is Bank Transfer Day. if you don't want to support big banks or have been treated badly at one, Credit Unions are your friends! Though I would imagine that banks are going to be a little antsy on the fifth, so I'd go in quietly and do it on the fourth if I were you.

Lorena alerted me to the fact that TSA is expanding its reach from airport terminals to bus and train travelers. Because nothing says "I feel safe!" like children being patted down as they leave a train, right?

Knitter? I Barely Know 'Er:

Last week I put out a call for knitters who wanted to make warm clothing for Occupy folks, and lots of links came in. From gannet: Ravelry's Occupy Wall Street Knitters and her own Occupy Hat pattern.

From gypsylady there's also Stitch For Occupy and Occupy Ravelry.

gypsylady also linked me to an article on Craftzine Blog about how the penguins don't need sweaters anymore, but plenty of other places do. Hats, scarves, toys, blankets, and other knitted goods are all needed: for children on reservations, survivors of sexual assault, and wounded animals, among others.

Events In Chicago:

On November 11th, Music Box Cinema is hosting Found Vs. Found, the Found Footage festival that has teamed up with Found Magazine. It looks like it's going to be frankly awesome. Music Box will also have Raiders Of The Lost Ark up on the big screen the following weekend!

tzikeh linked me to awesome news about Chicago Book Expo, going on in uptown the weekend of the 19th-20th. If you're in Chicago you should check out the post, there's tons of info there about what looks like a fantastic event.

This week is your last week to catch the Golden Spider-Silk Textile before it leaves the Art Institute!

Just For Fun:

Happy Halloween! snaxcident shared NINETY CORGIS IN COSTUME.

And spiderine linked me to THE STEAMPUNKIN. (Link goes to a PDF.)

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The upshot of my weekend as it relates to my working week is that on Saturday I found out that my Tuesday training was all day, meaning I couldn't run the work-related errands I was going to run on Tuesday when I thought training was only a half day. Then, at MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT, I found out I have half-day training today, too. So I'm running the errands this morning, which is surprising a lot of people who were expecting me tomorrow. And then this afternoon and all day tomorrow I am being "taught" by a woman who could not find her ass with both hands even if it showed up on Google Maps.

But I also have different training -- to become a digital time-card approver, a hellish task if ever there was one because of our ridiculously complicated time-card program -- on Wednesday, meaning that this week I am out of my office from Monday morning through Wednesday afternoon.

I miss Nero.

I'm taking solace from touring ( A Cheaper World. )

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So, training happened. We spent part of it going over where it is appropriate to put a comma when entering an address into the database.

I feel trained. In much the same way a lab chimp does, I imagine.

Luckily enough, we have a different trainer tomorrow. Which is good because I think I'm about to get a crash course in SQL, and programming languages are not my strong suit. This is just one of many reasons my livejournal layout has not changed significantly in eight years.

I wish I could say my day was more interesting than that, but the only real thing of note that happened is that I slipped in wet leaves and did not fall over. Sometimes the little, personal triumphs get you through the day.