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7| The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,D ecem ber 21,2017 theifp.ca OK, we're now down to the final stretch of this race, closing in on Christ- mas. Traditionally, by the time we're this close to Christmas, The Sidekick is a psychological mess, her sleep interrupted by night- mares, preoccupied when I speak to her - in short, she's a bundle of nerves. It's an annual thing, and is always brought on by Christmas shopping. However, this year has been different. She's calm, she sleeps at night. Geez even her wine consumption has dropped noticeably. It started back two weeks ago, when we went Christmas shopping in Guelph for a change. We found a few items on the grandkids' Christmas lists, and made ourselves feel like we'd accom- plished a bit. Then we placed the items on the living room floor to take inventory. It didn't look like much after two or three hours of traipsing through a mall. As The Sidekick pulled out one of the kids' Christ- mas lists, she decided to look at an item online, since my grandsons are quite specific in their lists, right down to the order number, website, etc. "You know," she said when she found the web- site, "It's available right here online. I could order it right now, since there's free shipping until mid- night today. It will be here in two days!" "Geez, I don't know," I replied. "I don't order much online ..." "But your daughters or- der stuff online all the time," she replied. "Why not us?" I considered countering with "if my daughters jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?" but I recon- sidered. I'd run out of rea- sons why she shouldn't and not only fuelled by my daughters' online shop- ping, The Sidekick's co- workers are also serious online shoppers. I figure online shopping is for acquiring things that you can't get anywhere else - you know, American muscle parts for the car . really urgent stuff. Before I knew it, The Sidekick was logged in, and had three items or- dered, ready to be deliv- ered to her office in two days. She did a tally while sitting at the kitchen table with a coffee. "We're more than half- done shopping," she said to me. "Sure, you're half done 'shopping' but are they here yet?" That was Saturday night, she texted me from her office Monday after- noon, saying "There's a package from Amazon here ." The Sidekick is now a card-carrying, Amazon junkie monster. For her, Christmas shopping has become something similar to big game hunting. She search- es down her quarry, takes careful aim and hits the "send" button to kick the gears in action, and bring home that gift. I think it kinda excites her a bit. So I've become OK with her being hooked on Ama- zon. And as I ponder the exercise of ordering on- line, it occurred to me that the concept isn't really that unique. Remember back when we were little kids in the 1950s and '60s? We had two marvellous tools available. One was called the Sears Wish Book, the other was Ea- ton's Christmas catalogue. And between those two magical publications, any kid could find THE most marvellous toy to ever oc- cupy space in Santa's sack (complete with the price and ability to be ordered at the catalogue stores in town). So we've gone full cir- cle, and as the Sidekick sits down at her tablet to "go shopping" for a last-min- ute item - well, there's cer- tainly a relaxed glow about her. And yes, she's an Ama- zon junkie - but I suspect she's used that tool to pick up her gift to me - so I'll just sit back and enjoy watch- ing her relaxed demea- nour - and not have to en- dure parking lots and crowded malls. The Sidekick and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a most pro- ductive and blessed New Year's. - Ted Brown can be reached at tedbit@hotmail.com. OPINION Ted Brown prefers the olds days shopping from a catalogue TED BROWN Column The Sidekick is now a card-carrying Amazon junkie monster THE WAY WE WERE Georgetown's downtown business district has been an important part of the community for almost 150 years. While it's always a special place, the downtown is transformed during the holiday season to an even more scenic and magical setting with the shops, services and restaurants decked out for this festive time of year. In this 1965 photo, Tom Slater is pictured hanging Christmas decorations on a downtown light standard. Esquesing Historical Society COMMUNITY To the editor: Greetings to my sisters all beautiful wom- en. I have to speak about sexual harassment. Bare minimum clothing in videos and ad- vertisements, shirts barely fitting, short- short uniforms, sexual images always adver- tised. Is that sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is bullying or coer- cion of a sexual nature - the unwelcome or in- appropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favours. In most modern legal con- texts, sexual harassment is illegal. Do we as women have any voice? Are we as women this ignorant? We can say no. Wake up. Stand up. Enough is enough. Women are strong, let's stand together. We don't have to put up with this, let's squash it with our heels! We have value, we are beauti- ful. We women will not tolerate sexual or sen- sual advertisements, clothing, including uni- forms. Sisters stand up. Zero tolerance for this exploitation because we are beautiful women. There are so many sexually seductive im- ages of women and young teens. Is it all for money? Women let's start teaching ourselves and our next generation, we as females have value. We should not be treated like pieces of meat. We have a voice and should not be afraid of losing our jobs. We are beautiful and valued. We are not someone's pawn. My sis- ters, stand up and say no. We need to stop sex- ual advertisements. Exposing and exploita- tion of our young sisters. We are not for sale for men's sexual pleasure; we are not going to be harassed. Melinda Crawford Whitby OPINION Sexual harassment, women wake up! Furnace Air Conditioning Gaslines Boilers Water Heaters Radiant Heating 905-877-3100 proud local dealer of Canadian made products .ca • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 Wehandleall insurance work. We handle all insurance work. • your window & door professionals • 11 Mountainview Rd., N. Georgetown, ON L7G 4T3 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca • awarded readers choice 27 times • Visit our showroom