PICK OF THE WEEK: For those of us who like action movies, "Deepwater Horizon" was a flashy adventure starring Mark Wahlberg. But for Mike Williams, it was a horror story: a vivid reminder of a 2010 oil rig explosion that killed 11 of his friends. Williams, who was played by Wahlberg in the movie, was one of the last people to leave the rig, insisting on staying to help injured co-workers get into lifeboats. By the time all of them had been removed, there were no lifeboats left. So he said a prayer "asking God to tell my wife and little girl that Daddy did everything he could." And then he jumped off the rig into the ocean, a fall the equivalent of 10 stories. Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park is hosting "An Evening With Mike Williams" at 7 p.m. Thursday. Tax-deductible tickets (proceeds go to help the families of Minnesota National Guard members on duty in Egypt) start at $36; $18 for active or retired military.

Cheat sheet: This is Cyber Monday, the internet's follow-up shopping extravaganza to Black Friday. Here are some things to ponder while waiting for pages to reload.

• Although the term was coined by the trade association Shop.org in 2005, the one-day bump in online sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving dates to the mid-'90s.

• More money is spent online today than any other day of the year, but the number of people shopping online actually peaks on the second Monday of December, which has been nicknamed Green Monday by eBay.

• People do more than just shop while they're logged on. Facebook reports a jump in activity, too.

Day by day: Looks like this is going to be a wasted week at work. Not only will people while away today shopping online, Wednesday is national Stay Home Because You're Well Day.

Mark Wahlberg portrayed oil rigger Mike Williams in “Deepwater Horizon.”

LIFE HACK: Close the shower curtain after your shower. A bunched-up curtain traps the water on it, increasing the chance of mold.

recommended reading: Don't overstay your welcome. Check out Wednesday's Variety for tips on how to be a good guest.

JEFF STRICKLER • jeff.strickler@startribune.com