Yet, here I was at an American shopping mall talking to my husband, an Air Force physician, from his distant war zone. For 15 minutes, we were able to catch up a little, to hear the other's voice, to know the other was doing OK.

The big shopping holiday known as Black Friday may be over, but Monday, the big online shopping day begins. It's called Cyber Monday. It started because retailers figure you're back at work and on your computer.

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