Spread the Joy: Advent 2025: Day 25

We made it to another Christmas. I'm rather sad to see this one come. It seemed to have happened way too fast this year and I am just not ready to let it go. 

To me, Christmas is about the birth of a child. It's meant to honor the birth of Jesus Christ. Yes, I know that he probably was born during the summer. Yes, I also know that various churches adapted secular holidays and traditions to fit with the narrative of the nativity. But it doesn't stop me from believing. 

For my final charity spotlight, I am going local, and possibly a bit controversial. Pregnancy Support Services (PSS) in the Chapel Hill/Durham area offers free, confidential support including pregnancy testing, limited ultrasounds, and material assistance like baby supplies, alongside parenting education and emotional support for those facing unplanned pregnancies. They provide a safe, judgment-free environment with medical and emotional support, and connect clients with local resources for housing, food, and employment. PSS is a Christian nonprofit that also offers post-abortion care and services for men. 

They do a special fundraiser called a Baby Bottle Blessings. In it, supporters raise money by filling a baby bottle with loose change. My family have supported this cause for many years. Even before I met my wife and this is our 27th Christmas together. 

PSS has been around since 1982. A group of believing doctors and nurses felt that there was a need for an alternative to Planned Parenthood and that no woman should have to face pregnancy alone and without support. I've never felt that they condemn their potential patients. Instead, they offer struggling mothers-to-be and their families hope for bringing in the next generation of children into a fallen world. With Christmas being about the birth of a child, how else best to celebrate this by ending this year's Advent supporting a charity built around the birth of children in a way practiced with care and compassion by that very child who's birth made this holiday at all possible over 2 millennia ago. 

If you have felt led to support PSS, please donate here!

Spread the Joy: Advent 2025 Day 15

Today I want to talk about one of my favorite stores. It's one of my bride's favorite too. Its called Bull City Fair Trade. Based in Durham, NC, Bull City Fair Trade offers an amazing selection of clothes, books, treats, jewelry and much, much more. It's a fantastic, no, make that magical place, during the holidays with their beautiful inventory of ornaments, nativity scenes and Christmasy treats. 

Now you might be asking yourself 'Why in the middle of an Advent about charitable giving are you advertising for a small business in the middle of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill triangle?' The answer: it is because every item sold in the store either supports fair trade and fair wages for the craftsmen who manufacturer these beautiful items or the items are produced by charitable organizations trying to empower the disenfranchised, incarcerated and formerly enslaved.

For example, one company trains women who were once sold in sex trafficking to become seamstresses. They make these awesome purses out of used rice sacks. Another company works with former convicts on parole to become skilled in trades and agriculture, while paying them a wage that is much more fair than what they are forced to earn in prisons. It's a little known fact that some prisons around the world get lucrative contracts outsourced from major American companies and they force the prisoners to make shoes, clothes and more for little to no income. It is all slave labor!

Bull City Fair Trade also carries local products made by Durham area charities that employ those who are homeless, food insecure or with disabilities. My family makes it a point to visit Bull City annually and take care of a large chunk of our Christmas shopping there. In fact, it's almost time for another trip.

In the previous days of this Advent, I have shared links where you can make donations. Today, I am sharing the link to BCFT's online store. Please check it out. Read about some of the charitable organizations that create these incredible items. Then make it a Merry Christmas for all by getting someone or EVERYONE off of your holiday shopping list!

ToteMan: You Are Not Alone (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

ToteMan is the creation of Durham, NC area copier repairman turned comic book writer John McLaren. McLaren was diagnosed with epilepsy as a teen, though his family now suspects that John had a mild form of the condition all his life. Seeking a way to explain his brain disorder to his son, McLaren wrote a comic book script. 

In the story of ToteMan, the superhero battled bank robbing androids while in costume and rush hour traffic in his civilian secret identity. In between, ToteMan was ever vigilante to help kids who suffered an unexpected seizure brought on by epilepsy!

John McLaren created the character back in 2002. After writing the script on his honeymoon, where he ended up having 2 seizures, John tested the script out with some positive reviews from readers who either had epilepsy or personally knew someone with the disorder. 

Up next was to find the right illustrator for the job, the graphic artist and musician, Rickman.  After a lot of begging and a cleared up schedule, McLaren and Rickman got to work on at least 1 comic, ToteMan: You Are Not Alone.

ToteMan first saw print in 2009. Later teaming with the National Walk for Epilepsy and the Epilepsy Foundation, a Special Collector's Edition was published. For a few years, John McLaren was a staple of the Central North Carolina Triangle area (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) with ToteMan appearing at a number of Free Comic Book day events. A second comic was in the works and a GoFundMe type project was set to be pitched. And then COVID hit. Though there is tons of evidence of new character designs for the second book on Facebook. No further project posts have been made since 2021. 

It's anybody's guess if ToteMan will return to fight crime and end the stigma against epilepsy some day.

This edition includes a list of steps to take if someone has a seizure, myths debunked about epilepsy, a set of trading cards and a list of famous people who are epileptics. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #10 ( About Health/Wellness) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge. 

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 93

The iconic Lucky Strike smoke stack
and Lucky Strike tower, Summer 1977.

   

  Today I start teaching for the Sprint Quarter at the Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham. It's where I went to culinary and I just love teaching. This branch is located at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC.

   Folks if I have to pick a favorite place in the world- it's the ATC. I have such fond memories from my time working for the Durham Bulls and going to Ai. Now I continue to make those memories as I work there.

Ads such as this 1977 Benson & Hedges one
were crafted at the American Tobacco Campus.

   

 So I thought for today's post I would take a brief look at American Tobacco circa the year of my birth- good ole 1977. I know it's fudging the rules a little bit. But hey, it's my journey as I turn 40...

Until tomorrow...

Durham Comics Fest 2016: How a Local Library is Using Comics to Create the Next Generation of Readers

   Earlier today, I attended my first ever comic book swap. Sponsored by the Shannon Road Branch of the Durham County (NC) Public Library, the event was just a part of a week long event called Durham Comics Fest 2016. The Shannon Road Library has been putting on comic book themed events with local bookstores and comics shops in hopes of turning fans of superheroes into readers. Every month, the library puts on comics themed events as well as host a graphic novel club. Thanks to the success of those activities, the library began an annual festival open to anyone, even those without a library card! This is the 3rd or 4th straight year of the Durham Comics Fest and my only regret is that I didn't find o

Simple Rules For Fun!

ut about this sooner.
     Events earlier in the week included art workshops, meet and greets, and a collaborative off-site event sponsored by the Durham Comics Project. But today's festivities were the meat and potatoes of the event. Throughout the day local artists including award winning creator of Th(ink) Keith Knight and Olympians series creator George O'Connor would be leading workshops and lectures for aspiring comic artists and writers of all ages. Plus, there were giveaways, cool stuff for sale, and (my favorite) free comic books. 
     I had a couple hundred comics that were either doubles or things I didn't want. Being such a fan of comic book grab bags, you'd be surprised how much extra accumulates. So I was gung-ho to join up with the Comics Fest's first activity of the day- the Comics Swap.

CHC is a great family centered LCS!

    The rules of the swap were simple. 1) Have Fun and 2) No Pressure. You didn't have to donate books to the swap but it helped. The freebies were assembled throughout the room and readers of all-ages got to collect some new reads for absolutely free! For a veteran collector like myself, I was able to unload some titles taking up much needed space while racking up on some things on my wish list for no money! Oh, how awesome is the bartering system!
    The Durham Comics Fest wraps up tomorrow with a screening of Dear Mr. Watterson, a documentary on the impact of Bill Watterson's epic strip Calvin and Hobbes has had on the comics industry. The event will begin at 3:00pm.

Cartoonist Keith Knight's Wares For Sale

     For more info about the screening and to find out about further comic themed events Check out the Shannon Rd. Branches website. Maybe you can even get some ideas from the great gang at this location for putting on a comic book swap and fest at the library in your community!
   Happy Reading...

   

Cow Boy Hallow’s (2012 Halloween ComicFest Exclusive (Family Comic Friday)

I give this 2012 ComicFest offering an E for Effort. The cover is a cool Halloween themed pic of our hero, Cow Boy. I think this story appeals to those who remember dressing up as a cowboy for Halloween or those today who still do dress the part. This story takes place in a small town in the Old West during Halloween but aside from some establishing shots of towns folk in costume for trick-or-treating, that’s about it for All Hallow’s Eve in this comic.

The story itself in set in a saloon where a friend of Billy the Kid is loudly claiming that nobody can out best his friend the Kid. The noisy rumblings wake up Cow Boy, a child bounty hunter, from his slumber upstairs. Now its dead shot vs. outlaw but does ether party really want to end the witching hour with a gunfight?

Cow Boy was a cute story about a child bounty hunter trying to make amends for his family’s robbing ways. I know that my library has the graphic novel that this story is inspired from. While I wasn’t terribly enthralled by the comic, it does garner enough interest that I wouldn’t mind checking it out. The dialogue was very clever with unique voices for all of the characters. The art is very cartoony but it works since this is a kids comic book.

This leads to my plug for Halloween ComicFest 2014. It’s tomorrow. Comic Book stores nationwide will be giving out free comics for the event. Kids will even get a chance to dress up early for Halloween as many stores will be hosting costume contests. You can even go to the ComicFest website and submit pics for a chance to win a gift card. Stores usually offer up some mighty fine sales and there is usually other chances for people to win prizes at the store for coloring contests, trivia, and lots of other cool activities.

Another thing to consider is buying a mini pack or two, or three of comics to hand out for trick-or-treating instead of candy. Like the packages say, comics last longer than candy and they can make meaningful strides in getting kids excited about comics and reading. (Homeroom parents- imagine how happy your child’s teacher will be when you hand out comic book instead of sugary treats for this year’s Halloween party!) The sets are $4.99 for a pack of 20. There are at least 12 different titles available for this year. Some stores will be selling the packs tomorrow. If you live in Durham, NC, check out my friends at Atomic Empire tomorrow. It’s where I picked up my packs!

Also, as a special treat, Family Comic Friday will be invading the whole week as I review a handful of the titles available for trick-or-treating. Check with me starting Sunday for this 5 day event.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.