If you're shopping on Thanksgiving...

[Playinghardball]

[Agschmid]

1. I went to Starbucks...

I got coffee for my family and left a $20 tip. Sorry about that.

[loli phabay]

2. i will hit 711 a couple of times tonight for coffee.

[Agschmid]

4. They are always open, so is Dunkins.

Mass. seems to have laws about non-food retail establishments.

[loli phabay]

5. thankfully so, especially during bad weather, the coffee and snacks are a god send.

[dballance]

6. I think the reference from the OP probably meant big-box retailers.

I'm glad you saw fit to leave a nice, large tip for the workers at Starbucks.

It's hard to say, in some cases, whether people volunteer or are forced to work on holidays. I'm absolutely certain that "volunteer" in many, many places is not really all the voluntary.

I know that when I first moved to Portland, OR I knew no one and really didn't have a place to go on the holidays (T-Day or Xmas) so I volunteered to take the on-call schedule for my department at a power utility so people with families didn't have to - a real 24/7/365 operation. Yes, I have spent time at the utility on Christmas day doing something as simple as re-setting a password because some of the systems are not accessible online or with dial-up. That would be a security issue for the power grid. The command an control systems are isolated from the internet and usually have dedicated fiber or satellite for access these days.

I believe most of the people I've met here on DU would do the same if they had the opportunity.

[lightcameron]

3. Well, just stay home and tell yourself that you're part of the solution.

Problem solved.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. If the "problem" is having to work on a holiday, even a disputed one...

Doesn't someone have to man the servers through which these posts travel? Who's making the electricity? Are those telephone lines carrying all this digital traffic?

Tell me again who's part of the problem?

[Cleita]

8. Not I. I made sure I shopped for everything I might need

yesterday and if I didn't have some four footed clients to feed while family are gone for the long weekend, I wouldn't even drive so as not to consume gas today.

[bhikkhu]

9. I picked up a last few things for the big dinner

there weren't very many people shopping or working at the usually very busy store. They're closing at noon. I don't think it was a big problem for anyone - the few people working were all smiles, and lots of "Happy Thanksgiving!"s passed around.

[LionsTigersRedWings]

10. So if I stay home will I be helping the problem?

[Egalitarian Thug]

11. What do willful ignorance and a pronounced mean streak indicate?

A: The mark of a "good American".

[cascadiance]

12. I may have to, as I'm scheduled to move tomorrow...

I had to move this week or I'd lose pay as I only have 3 PTO days accrued on the new job I have. I went to Starbucks last night (and they are normally open until midnight at this location), and asked if many are working today and if they were getting paid extra for holiday pay. He said yes, and that they were going to close early around 5 PM today...

I might NEED a bit of coffee later in the evening if I'm pulling an all nighter to get packed for tomorrow. I guess I'll have to try and make do with instant coffee, as my cookware, etc. will likely all be packed then as well. I'm barely having time enough to microwave some turkey, etc. I picked up from the grocery yesterday now...

I guess my Thanksgiving will be on Saturday instead, both literally and in terms of the other celebratory parts of it, where hopefully I'll be thankful of having a big move behind me and not having problems associated with it.

And if our economy didn't suck like it did, it wouldn't be filled with opportunist mortgage brokers masquerading as property managers who are more interested in flipping houses where renters live than in taking care of the units and making sure they are happy, which is what I'm trying to escape from now before the winter weather arrives.

[OKNancy]

13. I'm shopping. all over the internet

We don't go to our family dinner until 6 this evening.
I'm shopping bargains online. Mostly on myhabit.com

[gaspee]

14. I'm thankful today

that my state does not allow most stores to be open today. Hold the line, Rhode Island!

[uppityperson]

15. When did Thanksgiving become Labor Day? How does my buying a loaf of bread today make me

part of "the problem"? And wtf is "the problem"? Wages are too low? Is that "the problem"? That is indeed "A" big problem for too many but I fail to see how my buying that loaf of bread today since I worked all night last night makes me responsible for low wages.