As I mentioned a few posts ago , I am disturbed by all the commercialism that is the holiday season. Since I vowed to abide by at least 6 of the 7 virtues (chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility) I had better get cracking. For my first act I will be investing in humanity, not Wall Street, by donating to Kiva.org (see the ad in my side bar). Essentially, you loan $25 or more to an individual or organization to start or grow a business. Once that loan is repaid you can reinvest the money in someone else. It's the gift of giving that keeps on giving! I also plan to give a $25 gift certificate to my 6 year old niece for Christmas and help her choose someone to help. She can follow their story via journal entries and track their progress. How cool is that?