Good Evening TXK
As November unrolls its carpet of burnt orange and crispy leaves, it also brings forth the season of togetherness, reflection, and Thanksgiving. This month let’s slice through the pumpkin pie of our digital lives and savor the authenticity that often gets overshadowed by the whipped cream of egos and likes.
With the advent of smartphones and tablets, it seems we’ve all been handed tickets to a digital feast where the main course is carefully curated profiles, and dessert is full of sweet, addictive validation. As a writer and social media manager, I have a double-edged relationship with these platforms. I have stumbled through a maze of tweets, stories, and posts, finding myself sometimes chuckling and sometimes cringing along the way.
When my tween self first dipped my toes into the bubbling stream of social media, I could never have envisioned I’d one day be running a business’s social media page. Fast-forward a few short years, and now, not only do I weave through the algorithms for laughs and connections, but I’m also thoughtfully (and hopefully creatively) steering the social media ship of an incredible local business.
Just like a grand Thanksgiving dinner, social media promised a table full of connections and laughter. Remember the first bite of Facebook? It tasted like rekindled friendships and family updates. But somewhere between the selfie appetizers and hashtag casseroles, the recipe didn’t quite turn out the way we had hoped. It’s turned into an over-eating frenzy that often feels more like a competition than a community gathering.
This shift in social media has burned many of us out and inspired us into a digital detox. Several times through the years, I have temporarily pushed all my social media to the back burner, and each time it was liberating, like unbuttoning your pants after the third serving of turkey. Each break allowed me to rediscover the quiet joy in moments unlived through a lens, and the irreplaceable warmth that comes from conversations without character limits.
For social media to reclaim its seat of honor at the table of connection, we must collectively decide to ditch the pretense and sprinkle a bit more authenticity onto our profiles. It’s high time we peel away the fantasy of perfection and reveal the truth of who we are, hidden behind filters and fake smiles.
As we gear up for our grand November feast, let’s also rethink our social media engagement. How about swapping the ego-boosting likes for genuine conversations, and trading the envy-inducing highlights for wholesome, unfiltered snapshots of life? It might not be as glittery, but it sure is heartier, healthier, and more nourishing. Here’s to a Thanksgiving—and a digital sphere—that is brimming with authenticity, laughter, and a generous serving of connection.
LOCAL EVENTS
November 2
Festival of Trees Painting for Preemies with ColorHype TXK
Regional Arts Center
6 pm
November 3
Festival of Trees Cookies with Mrs. Claus
Regional Arts Center
4:30 pm
November 4
Bark at the Park
Kylee Sullivan Dog Park
9 am-12 pm
November 4
Festival of Trees Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus
Regional Arts Center
10 am
November 4
Universal Vibe Fest
400 Front St. Texarkana, AR
Noon-10 pm
November 4
Candy Cane Corral Christmas Bazaar
Four States Fairgrounds
November 4
Festival of Trees Gala & Auction
Cabe Hall at TRAHC
7 pm
November 7
30th Annual Taste of Texarkana
Four States Fairgrounds
5-8 pm
November 9-11
JLT Mistletoe Market
Texarkana Arkansas Convention Center
November 10
JLT Mistletoe & Mimosas
Texarkana Arkansas Convention Center
9-11 am
November 10 & 11
H&N Holiday Open House
H&N Floral, Gifts, & Garden
9 am-5 pm
November 11
Veterans Day Parade
East Broad and Hazel Streets
11 am
November 10
Downtown Live
The Gallery at 1894
6-9 pm
November 16
MerchantHouse Design Center Holiday Party
Merchant House
6-8:30 pm
November 16-19
Texoma Junior Rodeo Finals
Four States Entertainment Center
November 16
9th Annual Uncork Your Support for United Way
Studio 71 locking in the 1894 Building
6 pm
November 16
Launch Party for Georgiana Coleman Fine Jewelry
Gables Gifts & Gratitudes
10 am-6 pm
November 17-December 27
Season of Lights Open
275 PR 98002
New Boston, TX
November 18
Holiday Market
Gateway Farmers Market
10 am-2 pm
November 19
Tough Kookie Foundation Cancer Support Group Meeting
Oak Street Church
4-6 pm
November 23
10th Annual Turkey Trot 5K
Spring Lake Park
7:30 am
November 25
Small Business Saturday
Shop Local
LIVE MUSIC
November 3
Priscilla Block with Jesse Jenkins & Lil Skinny
Front Street Festival Plaza
5 pm
November 4
TSO Masterworks II—Jupiter featuring Amit Peled
Perot Theatre
7 pm
November 4
Sunset Strip Dallas 80’s Rock
Fat Jacks Oyster and Sports Bar
8 pm
November 10
Lee Greenwood—The American Spirit Tour
Perot Theatre
8 pm
November 12
Newsboys
Sullivan Performing Arts Center
6 pm
November 18
TSO Home Alone Live in Concert
Perot Theatre
7 pm
November 24
Jed Harrelson
Crossties
8 pm
November 24
Sara Evans Christmas Tour
Perot Theatre
8 pm
November 25
Heather Lynn and the Deacons
Redbone Magic Brewing
