A dress...

A place...

A garden...

Someone...

This past few weeks I am falling in love again with the simple things...

The things we normally take for granted.

Seeing the sunset after a tough day of work -harder to see it when you live in NYC, :)

Enjoying a good book as you ride the train home...

Seeing the trees embrace Fall

Life is about this little things.

Anyways...I believe that a wedding is a celebration of the small things that connect you as a couple.

So it should reflect this connection and not become a party with no identity.

I see Beauty....EVERYWHERE!!

To those who appreciate life's little things.

Thank you!

According to a recent article in Time Magazine, YouTube is fast becoming a hotspot for transporting religious information into the Global market. It is being used by diverse sectors of religion, including pastors, rabbis, pious laypeople and Roman Catholics, to celebrate and explain their beliefs. The online climate allows increased exposure of values and beliefs which may otherwise fall below the radar of the majority. As religious values in many societies are waning, this new form of ‘advertising’ could revolutionize religion, putting it back on the map.

The video above is part of a 1971 television program, featuring Alan Watts, who popularised Asian philosophies for a Western audience. The video was posted by Alan's son Mark. It appears courtesy of alanwatts.com.

Related articles:

Teaching & Learning Guide for: The Social Ethic of Religiously Unaffiliated Spirituality
By Siobhan Chandler, Wilfrid Laurier University
Religion Compass, March 2008

Some of us may be planning to go on a getaway trip, some may be planning to use the time to study and cram for midterm, some may want to just laze around, some may still have to work.

What is Canadian Thanksgiving Day that is much celebrated by us anyways? Here's some interesting facts taken from proudcanadiankids.ca:

First of all, the story of the Pilgrims, who came to Massachusetts aboard their ship, 'The Mayflower', is an American legend. It is a lovely story, but it has nothing to do with Thanksgiving in Canada.

Secondly, Martin Frobisher never set foot on the shores of Newfoundland!  Robert Ruby, an editor of the Baltimore Sun and the author of "The Unknown Shore" a book about the voyages of Frobisher states:

"Martin Frobisher never set foot in Newfoundland, and the minister who travelled with the fleet in 1578 was the Rev. Robert Woolfall (not Wolf). He led prayers aboard the "Judith" when a storm in July separated the ship from the rest of Frobisher's fleet. And he did indeed lead a prayer when the surviving parts of the expedition reached Countess of Warwick Island, in August. According to the various logs and diaries, it was not accompanied by a special meal. Was it a first thanksgiving? Well, it was the first English prayer service in North America. And we can characterize it however we want."

Thirdly, the Order of Good Cheer existed, but it likely had little, if anything, to do with Thanksgiving in Canada according to Peter Stevens of York University who wrote a fine paper on the origins of the holiday*, the gist of which appears below the next paragraph.

The truth of the matter is that Thanksgiving in Canada can be traced back to Ontario in the mid 1880s.  Protestant church leaders decided to 'borrow' the American tradition of Thanksgiving, but they wished to turn Thanksgiving into a nationalistic, religious event which excluded Catholics, the poor, and many minority groups. This approach eventually failed:

They did not simply duplicate the American Thanksgiving festival. Church leaders, particularly after Confederation, felt it their moral and historical duty to shape the Canadian identity in the Christian mould and saw the adoption of the Thanksgiving holiday as a way to do this. They created the Canadian Thanksgiving as an exclusively religious event that was white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant, pro-British and often anti-American in nationalist intent.

The Protestant clergy successfully lobbied the Canadian government to create Canada's first, national Thanksgiving in 1859. But it was only proclaimed sporadically in the ensuing years, as church, state and commerce each wrestled for control of the holiday. By the 1870s, American holiday traditions, such as family gatherings for turkey dinner and stories of the pilgrims, took hold in Canada, creating both   commercial opportunities for businesses, and a way for Catholics to celebrate the day as a non-religious event. With this, the Protestant clergy lost exclusive control of Thanksgiving Day. They lost all influence over the holiday in 1908, when the government appointed Thanksgiving for a Monday rather than a Thursday. Transportation companies had asked for the change, feeling that a long weekend would increase holiday travel. Churches opposed the move, fearing that it would hurt church attendance, as it did. In 1957, Parliament passed legislation to make Thanksgiving an annual holiday celebrated on the second Monday of October, eliminating the need for annual proclamations.

To Protestant clergymen, the early history of Thanksgiving is, perhaps, a tragedy, since they lost control over the holiday. From another perspective, it is a story of triumph. Catholics, workers, ethnic minorities and other groups excluded from the clergy's notions of Thanksgiving and Canadian identity democratized the holiday and adopted their own holiday practices, asserting that they, too, had something to contribute to Canadian society and culture.

Sources:
http://www.proudcanadiankids.ca/Canadian%20Thanksgiving%20Truth.htm
http://www.yorku.ca/mediar/archive/Release.asp?Release=705

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." — 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." — Ephesians 1:15-16

The author wrote of how some of his friends were complaining how tiring Hari Raya was.  Some said they hardly had any rest entertaining guests that came to visit until the wee hours.  Another complained of how the “green packets” (packets with a sum of money to be given to children) diminished very quickly or rather not sufficient due to overwhelming number of children that came over their house.

I must say I emphasized with those who complained because they are not the only one facing such issues.

Besides highlighting the complaints, the author had also written some suggestions of how perhaps we, the Muslim community in Singapore can take a look at other cultures from countries such as Indonesia, Turkey etc. and perhaps adopt one that will make our celebration less tiring, less of time wasting and help to save money.

I concur with the idea that we do need to change some aspects of our celebrating culture but I am not so sure that as a whole this idea can be change just by adopting other cultures or that it can be implemented soon.

But we can start small for instance as a start, our community can start with instead of going to each relatives or friends houses, we can instead plan to have the gathering at only one house each year.  Each relatives or friends can take turn to host the gathering.  It will be fair and at the same time,

1) save time because we only need to go to fewer houses than the practice now yet all of us can meet one another to strengthen our ties and seek forgiveness from one another.   

2) save money because we spent less in preparing food for our visitors and spent less on transportations.

3) More fun as such planning will usually brings more people together and the “ukhwah” or ties among siblings, relatives and friends increase thru this effort.

Of course, it may sound easy but planning wise may not be so at first.  This I am very much aware because in every family, we have two sides that we have to consider, ours and our husbands or our father or mother’s sides.  But I am sure it can still be done. 

Even with friends, we all have different cliques or groups right?

Can still be done … insya’Allah.  At the very most, the number of houses to go visiting can be cut down to 50%.

All in all, the article was a good read. It really set me to think that cultures can be change for the better.

Insya’Allah!

The world of sports has always been full of rivalries. With such competition, there is no room for errors. But sometimes, even after a big play, egos get in the way and the would-be celebration goes wrong.

Such is the case with Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, who cost his team a touchdown this season when he flicked the ball backward in celebration one yard shy of the end zone.

Initially the play was ruled a touchdown, but the call was reversed after a Cowboys challenge. Dallas went on to win the game 41-37.

This is not Jackson's first blunder in the realm of premature celebration. In a high school all-star game in 2005, Jackson attempted a front flip into the end zone from the 5-yard line but landed a yard short and fumbled the football like a greased watermelon in the process.

Sports celebrations going in awkward directions happens more than one might think:

* Real Salt Lake forward Fabian Espindola celebrated a goal on Sept. 6 by doing a round-off back flip and inadvertently sprained his ankle. To add insult to injury, an offside call reversed the goal by Espindola, who is out for four to eight weeks.

* Jamaican Olympic runner, Usain Bolt, is infamous for his early celebrating during a 100-meter final. Bolt started slowing down somewhere between the 85- and 90-meter marks, throwing his arms out and beating his chest. He was able to beat the world record in 9.69 seconds, but his coach Glen Mills said he could have run a 9.52 in perfect conditions.

* In a 1997 game against New York, Redskins quarterback Gus Frerotte head-butted the padded wall around the field after a one-yard touchdown, giving himself a concussion and a sprained neck.

* Moments after the final round of the Canadian Open golf tournament on July 27, Jim Weathers, a physical therapist for clients that include Phil Mickelson, was attempting to spray a bottle of champagne on rookie winner and client Chez Reavie, who had just won, when he was wrestled to the ground by a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Weathers began spitting blood from the violent chokehold and may now need surgery.

* After nailing a 42-yard field goal in 2001 against the Giants, Cardinal kicker Bill Gramatica jumped up and down in celebration, tearing his ACL. Gramatica missed the rest of the season because of his injury.

* In a 2002 game against Seattle, San Francisco wide receiver Terrell Owens pulled out a Sharpie marker from his sock after catching a touchdown pass. He then proceeded to autograph the ball and hand it to his financial adviser sitting in an end zone luxury suite rented by Shawn Springs, the cornerback he had just beaten on the play. Owens was fined thousands of dollars.

* Recently, Washington's Jake Locker was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing the ball over his head after scoring in the last minute against BYU. The touchdown was counted, but the Huskies were given a 15-yard penalty. The ensuing extra-point attempt, which would have tied the game with two seconds left, was blocked and BYU won by one point.

* In Super Bowl XXVII, Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Leon Lett famously slowed down to celebrate his almost touchdown during a return of a fumble recovery. Buffalo's Don Beebe knocked the ball away at the last moment, less than five yards from the end zone, stealing the sure touchdown opportunity from Lett.

* During overtime in a 2003 game, Alabama defenders were flagged for excessive celebration after an interception by Crimson Tide safety Charles Jones. Alabama was given a 15-yard penalty and subsequently missed a 38-yard field-goal attempt that would have won the game. Instead, Arkansas kicked the winning field goal in the second overtime.

* A 1982 game between the University of California and Stanford is infamously known as "The Play." After Stanford had taken a 20-19 lead on a field goal with four seconds left in the game, members of the Stanford Band prematurely rushed the field midway through the return by the Golden Bears. Cal used five lateral passes on the ensuing kickoff return to score the winning touchdown and earn a 25-20 victory despite Stanford's confusion.

While the blunders many athletes make are hilarious and sometimes unimaginable, the consequences aren't always as funny.

And for about 5 minutes, I threw myself a pity party. I let that inner critic tell me that there was no point in getting up, that I'd accomplished pretty much nothing in the past year since I started doing this full time. And what with that economic crisis crashing over our heads, the voice told me that I should just break down, give up, and get a damned real job.

And then I gave myself a shake, and sat down and listed all of the things that I've accomplished in the past year.

• Planned and held my first solo exhibition at 19.
• Sold two paintings at said exhibition
• Had commissions coming out of my ears for Christmas last year
• Was accepted into the Pelham Art Association's Juried Show
• Was accepted into the Pelham Art Festival, as (I'm fairly certain) their youngest member ever
• Was accepted into my first gallery (and sold a piece!)
• Was chosen as one of 4 artists to show at the local business chamber awards ceremony at the end of October
• Have had media coverage on 3 separate occasions
• Met, learned from and may end up collaborating with an artist whom I slightly hero worship (he's an amazing artist, and as it turns out, an awesome guy too)
• Learned about marketing from some of the best small business/guerrilla marketers out there (Holly, Leslie, I love you guys!)

Its been a pretty exciting year. Lots of stuff has happened, and I've grown a lot as an artist and a person. And I'm learning that its important to celebrate your accomplishments, because otherwise you just get caught up in day to day life, and you never give yourself the pat on the back that you so deserve. Go buy yourself a cupcake. Light a candle. Sing a happy song. Celebrate your wins.

And lets all kick that crabby, inner critic to the curb. It has no place here.

So this morning I tried again with the video experiment and this time I did a Quick Capture through You Tube - seems to have straightened out the lips synchronizing with the words!!

My desire today was to clean my office space and the day just didn't turn out quite like I originally planned - I did get some of the clean up done - my "main" desk - the one with the computer on it is clear "HOORAY - SUCCESS!" but the desk behind me is still kind of a mess.  I did enjoy my morning Honey Party - check out the video and let me know what you think - the honey came from my friend YO MISH who is such a doll - she's a Leo and she sent me this message this morning:

Amethyst,

I just had to share this....my horoscope

Leo: (July 23-Aug. 22): Life is expanding so fast you can’t worry about how you’re going to keep up. Relax and surrender to whatever you’re being called to do. The contacts you’ve formed lately have a much bigger role to play than you ever imagined. In a month you’ll know how deep all of this will go. Between now and then make sure your priorities are clear and realize that your purpose here goes way beyond whatever you’ve allowed your self to be up till now. You’re stepping out of the old mold. Don’t be afraid to be powerful.

Holy cow! 

Thank you GOD!

Love you.  Looking forward to seeing you for an extended work/visit.

Hope life continues to shower you with blessings and God winks!

Michele

Wow what a yummy horoscope to get hm?  I really felt like it spoke to me too - does it speak to you???

Keep thinking positive!  When things start to fall apart maybe it's just the yucky stuff getting out of the way so you can see the GOLD!! Celebrate your sweet successes right now - did you complete something - anything- today??  Did you get out of bed?? Well you completed getting up in the morning!! Hooray YOU ARE A SUCCESS!!

If you feel like you'd like a little extra boost to help you move through old patterns of behavior, old ways of thinking or old emotional traumas then perhaps you'd like to schedule a session.  Clarity Coaching, Sound Healing, Shamanic Medicine Work or some combination of all three might be just in order for you.  Tell you what - book a session for your self within the next 30 days and I'll give you an extra 1/2 hour for free!!! 

I had a  Thai Yoga Massage session myself today from my young friend Ian Hyman - whoa let me tell you HIGH MAN is what this gentle being is for sure - at 19 Ian has more presence than 99% of the peeps on the planet.  He's an Ascended Master who has descended to this plane to work wonders in the world I'm QUITE sure!! The work was sublime - LET YOURSELF RECEIVE!!  Check out Ian at his Facebook Page .  Letting yourself receive is probably the most effective way of de-stressing and coming back home to the truth of who you are - detach from the collective frenzy of the outside world and take an inner journey to your true nature.  It will be well WORTH it when you demonstrate your self worth to the Universe!!

Enjoy the journey....

As if those aren't enough to scare kids at Halloween, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) advised parents yesterday (Oct. 9, 2008) to worry about the potential for dogs biting their youngsters.

Some dogs understand that costumes and excited children are part of the spooky holiday fun, the AVMA said, but it cautioned that many dogs fear common Halloween activities. Some will bark in alarm or show signs of aggression, and a fearful dog may be a biting dog, the veterinarians warned.

Owners of dogs who may be "apprehensive in these situations ... need to be sensitive to that, and make preparations before Halloween to keep all the little neighborhood ghosts and goblins safe," said AVMA President Dr. James O. Cook. Parents also should accompany kids to the doors of homes while they trick-or-treat, so they can offer protection if needed.

Looking for safe ways to observe Halloween in and around Sanatoga? Try these:

Sunday, Oct. 19

The Pottsgrove High School Falcons' Marching Band is scheduled to perform Oct. 19 in Stowe, West Pottsgrove (PA) Township, as it kicks off the Halloween season earlier than most, with a parade.

Friday, Oct. 24

"Mummy Mania" is the theme for the 18th annual Halloween Safehouse at the Pottstown YMCA, 724 N. Adams St., Pottstown PA, to be held Friday from 6-8 p.m. The safehouse provides a secure trick-or-treat environment for children age 12 and younger and their families. Admission per person is just a can of food, which the Y collects to serve area families in need. Area businesses and civic groups help sponsor the event. New to the safehouse this year is a Mummy-Making Contest, in which the "best dressed" mummy wins prizes; contest entries are due by Oct. 15. For more information on the safehouse or its sponsorship, call Jane Alan at the Y, 610-323-7300 Ext. 10, or e-mail her.

Saturday, Oct. 25

A costume party, music, dancing, contests, prizes for best-dressed participants and more are included in the Halloween Ball at Sunnybrook Ballroom on Saturday beginning at 7 p.m. in the ballroom, 50 Sunnybrook Road, Sanatoga. Advance tickets are available online at $20 from Sunnybrook's website; tickets at the door cost $22.

Sunday, Oct. 26

Hay rides, a children's concert, a costume contest and more are part of Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township's annual Halloween Festival, to be held Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. in Sanatoga Park, South Sanatoga Road, Sanatoga. Attendance is free. Children participating in the costume contest must pre-register at the park on Sunday afternoon. The township Parks and Recreation Board sponsors the event. See photos from previous festivals here.

Register no later than Sunday for Pottstown Memorial Medical Center's (PMMC) Halloween Candy Exchange, co-sponsored by Boscov's Department Stores. The candy exchange is intended for children with diabetes, who can go trick-or-treating with their families and then later exchange what is unedible (to them) for a gift certificate redeemable at Boscov's in Coventry Mall, North Coventry (PA) Township. Registration forms are available through school nurses (including Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School in Sanatoga), at the Boscov's Customer Service Department in Coventry Mall, or by calling PMMC's Community Education office at 610-327-7662. The candy exchange itself is schedule for Nov. 1-7 at Boscov's, Coventry Mall.

The relief that I felt reflected some personal insecurities for sure, but it was also based on the fact that we've had so many changes in our team in the past year (shrinking from 8 to 3 and now finally back up to 7; and  ...add to that mix 4 different managers).  One of the results of these shifts is that the people who have long-term close working relationships with me and who would have planned a fabulous send-off are gone and the people who have taken on the organizing of this event are less closely tied to my work ... or me.  Of course I support an option that won't be too much work for anybody else and I appreciate any efforts that are made to make my leave-taking special.

I was asked for a list of people to invite.  There's the general mailbox at work; that goes out to all of the other Ministry employees.  Who else should be on that list; who should be enticed to drop whatever it is that they're doing on October 23rd and come sit in a pub, raise a flaggon, and cheer my departure?   Close family who'd want to be there, and who could do it with ease, were of course top of the list.  Then it was another walk down memory lane, with my address book charting the path.  It's a long alphabet!  I started with the As and as I looked at each name it was an opportunity for another of those culling procedures:  pause and think about this person; remember the things we did/accomplished/didn't do together; give myself time to conjure up images from days gone by; and then decide.  Invite them?  Keep them in the address book?  Delete them?  Now there's a phrase!  In education we used the term "declared redundant" for a long time and I always had a little shiver when I thought about what that meant.  To be declared superfluous, no longer needed or wanted.  Pales in the light of what to be deleted would mean.  Okay - back to the tale.  By the time I finished this exercise I'd added another 20 or so names to the list.  These were people who I'd once worked closely with, who I'd shared living with, but hadn't seen for a while.   I had also begun the process of up-dating the address book so that it would only include the people from the past that I want to keep as part of the future.  This is in no way a statement about anyone's value; just a reflection of whether or not the relationship is one that will be sustained when I move on to a new phase of life.  Another interesting experience for sure.

And then something shifted.  Last night, talking with a previous colleague and friend for life (I hope), I was caught by surprise when she said that she'd received the invitation to the pub party and was really disappointed by it.  "After all", she said, "you've been there a long time and you've made significant contributions ... there just isn't very much honouring in this".  I hadn't really thought of that.  She went on to talk about how her school board celebrates the retirement of educators who have given years of their lives and invested their energy and hearts in teaching.  "I don't want a party in a cafeteria" she said, "I remember when people were really honoured with gracious events that reflected their contributions and an appreciation for what they had accomplished.  No cafeteria party for me - I am planning my own celebration!"  She then went on to share quite detailed planning she'd already done for the kind of event that she would like to have to, as she put it, celebrate herself.  She wasn't sure of the date of the party yet, but knew just what it would be.

Celebrate myself!  That's an interesting idea for sure.  My first response in our conversation about this was that it was a great idea, I'd never had a party that celebrated me.  Oops - that isn't quite true.  When I turned 39 my daughter (with some help from her brothers I hope) organized a most amazing birthday party for me.  For many years I have, from time to time, hosted a "kumzitz"; that's the yiddish term for a party where people literally "come and sit" and they do so with guitars, banjos and percussion instruments in hand and voices ready to join in harmony and delight.  Conjures up images of a hootenanny.  Nili - who was 14 at the time - invited a lot ... really a lot ... of my friends to a backyard BBQ kumzitz; she told people what food to bring , organized it all without my involvement, and threw this magnificent birthday party.  We sat outside on blankets on the lawn singing until the wee hours of the beautiful, summer night.  It doesn't get much better than that.  The funny thing about this party is that I do believe we had it when I turned 39; so anxious about the idea of turning 40 that I mixed up the years.

And of course there are the two weddings that I've planned.  I've actually had three, but my parents planned the first one and it somehow felt like it was more about them than about me (Mom, if you're reading this, don't get me wrong ... it was a lovely wedding).  The other two weddings I got to plan - and cook for - myself.  Wonder if there's something deeper lurking here; do I need to reinforce my sense of value by throwing myself a party every "x" years?  I might want to have a conversation with David about this so that we can bypass the need to end our wonderful marriage so that I can have another party.  Those wedding parties were in a way celebrations of me; they included a toast to the bride which was truly an honouring and blessing. 

A little background contextualizing.  I'm the second of four daughters born in my family.  I'm not the oldest or the youngest.  I'm the one born after the holocaust; the one born into a family struggling to make sense of the world and rebuild trust in people.  One of the results of the accident of birth order for me is that I've pretty much always been the overlooked one in the family (please understand that I am not complaining about this, criticizing the parenting I received, laying any sort of blame at all); the one who had no bat-mitzvah celebration, no sweet 16.  Indeed, the first event that was really a focus on my achievement was the day that I got my Bachelor of Education degree.  Let me tell you about that - it's a good story.

I didn't go to my high school graduation - being a hippy it was just a representation of a repressive world I didn't value.  When I got my B.A. I was living in California and didn't have the money to fly back to Canada for a graduation event.  I got my B.Ed. when I was back to living in London, Ont (for a few years) and it struck me that I'd never given my parents the opportunity to - as we say - kvell over my accomplishments.  So, I decided I should go to this one.  In those days, there was a room near the graduation hall in which the flowers - beautiful bouquets of roses (usually) which were sent by proud family members - were held until the end of the ceremony.  I had no plan to visit that room; my parents, being immigrants, weren't too apprised of these Canadian traditions.  Much to my surprise friends started coming to me and telling me that there was, indeed, something in the flower room for me.  I should have known from the giggles in their voices and the twinkle in their eyes that there was more to this than just going in to find my bouquet of roses.  And indeed, there was, because what was waiting for me was a large, potted plant.  I guess my parents thought that flowers would just wilt and die and that a plant was a longer-lasting, and therefore more fitting, tribute.  So, the rest of the afternoon celebration involved me lugging this heavy, potted plant around as I shared congratulations with peers and friends.  The only photos of that graduation show two legs sticking out beneath a black gown, and two hands circling a large pot anchoring some lovely green foliage - there were no digital pictures taken then (actually, because I was the subject of the photos and not the photographer there were likely no photos taken at all) so here's the best I can do to give you a sense of my afternoon at graduation.   Ah - such is my life.

Back to the issue of planning my own party - at least as a fantasy.  It would be held either in my home or in a lovely setting that has some real meaning in my life.  There would be fabulous food and good wine.  I'd invite all of my family and friends and they'd be there because they were happy for me.  I would have a chance to tell them all how much they mean to me, how important they are to me, how much I've appreciated the many, many ways they have offered their love and support to me and encouraged me when I felt that I was getting nowhere or contributing nothing.  I would be able to let them know that I'm absolutely aware of the fact that without them my live would be less; less fulfilling, less purposeful, less productive.  It would be a celebration of me - and all of the people that I love that are, in fact, a part of "me".

When I've planned other parties I've often asked others how they did similar celebrations, asked them to share their ideas based on the parties they've thrown and the ones they've been to that really stood out in their memories.  If you could help me with your ideas, your experiences, your "best retirement parties" or  even just "best party" memories that would be great.  Between your ideas and mine I'll be able to plan just what I want.  Of course, you'll all be invited!

The Supplies
Large paper bag (such as from a supermarket)
Colored construction paper
Black marker
Pencil
Scissors
Glue
Miscellaneous decorations (depending on the theme of mask)

The Process
Step 1
The first step is to make sure that the Halloween masks fit the faces of the people who are going to wear them. If you are creating one for your child, start by gently pulling the paper bag over your child's face and press it against his features. Make note of where his eyes, nose, and mouth are by lightly marking their outline on the bag in pencil.

Step 2
The next step for making Halloween masks is to use scissors to cut out the areas where the eyes, nose, and mouth should be, as per the markings you made earlier. If necessary, fold the paper to help you create symmetrical shapes when cutting. Don't press down too firmly though as you will create a noticeable crease on the mask.

Step 3
Pick a design. Does your child want to be a specific character? An animal? A goblin? Use the black marker and miscellaneous decorations to add the appropriate details. Create contrasting color patterns and other features using the colored construction paper.

Step 4
If you use glue to attach any materials, leave the mask in a place to dry where it will not be disturbed. After all your hard work you want to make sure the mask is in good shape for the main event.

Step 5
Come October 31, put on your Halloween masks and go trick-or-treating!

You can turn any home into a haunted house for Halloween by adding the right Halloween decorations. Here are simple do-it-yourself suggestions for Halloween decorations that you, your family, and the neighbors will enjoy this fall.

Welcoming Mr.Wallace Junior.

Born on 8 October 2008  (morning)

Birth weight: 3.66kg (8.1 lbs)

Length: 51cm

Head Circumference: 34cm

Labour: Normal

Though my semester break starts on 15th of november'08 to the 8th of december'08 I am going home on the 21st of this month because i have smartly reserved my semester break for an internship with PRINGOO...Its really really far and getting up early every morning just to travel 12-13 kms by the PMC bus is giving me creeps...boo hoo!!!!

Well, i can;t blame this folly of mine on anyone as I was the one who was hell-bent on doing the internship even though MOM gave it a stiff opposition. Dad supported me and i got through with it and now I am kinda repenting.

Well, anyway...at the moment I am looking at the brighter side of it...Going home to see all that mom n dad have shopped for me from Thailand, meeting my bro, shopping, diwali which I don't really like celebrating because all the crackers scare me like crazie, going hush hush with all the things as going home means giving away a bit of your precious time to every relative cause they are apparently longing to see you and lastly because pocket money is saved as once you go back home you are living it up on Home Account.

Smiles! smiles! smiles!

The husband is away till the later part of this week, so I decided to pack my bags and do the sleepover thang at my parents' place in Teban. This works out well for both sides of the family- it gives mine the chance to catch up on lost time with their beloved Sarah (and ME of course hehehe) and for Ramli's side- a much needed break.

Of course everytime I do a sleepover I lug with me almost everything I and the baby possess. And still, I would find some things missing, which means return trips to my house almost daily. So much for all the 'lists' that I prepared, I left the most important thing, that is, my handphone. :P

It is such a TIRING WEEK. Thanks to the weekend that was just over.

I am SO not looking to the weekends... the raya visiting is really wearing me out. But then again, I learnt a (painful) lesson last Sunday, after having nearly 30 people gatecrash my place without prior warning. Oh correction. They were told NOT to come but they just aren't the sort of people who would heed such simple commands.

We were just about ready to leave for Ramli's aunt's place, when his mom received a call from someone that they're 'on the way'. This after being told that we are leaving. Nice.

She thought there would be about 8 people coming but she was oh-so-wrong. She was actually hospitable enough to put out a plate of fried noodles, a big bowl of beef curry and bread for the uninvited guests. But when we saw the hordes of people streaming through our door, we decided to pull out the fried noodles because it just wouldn't look nice that we didn't have enough.

Nevermind that. We did anticipate that there would be kids coming, but we didn't know we should have kept away Ooyah's toy cars. This particular brood of kids just decided to treat the toys as if it's theirs. They crashed into everything, fought over everything, and basically, it was mayhem. I had to stifle my 'angry-teacher' scream, wishing I could smack their crummy faces.

Of course not one of the adults did anything. Oh correction again. There was ONE mother who just spoke to her kids LOUDLY from a distance in a semblance of English. "Don't like that". "I said no right?" "Stop sekarang." "Jangan naughty eh listen to me."

*rolls eyes*

And it doesn't help that she had that stuck-up face as well, checking me up and down and not even smiling. Yeah, like you SOOO high class with your pungent B.O and all. Hrrmpph.

Akak oiii jangan nak step slang mat salleh ahhh kat sini kak... please lah kak eh... gua takleh angkat ah... lu punya anak ada bersepah tunggang-langgang macam pelesit kat rumah gua, lu jangan nak action Jo Frost kat sini k.

Boy I was visualizing myself spanking that rude boy nice and good. And his mom. Spank spank SPANK.

Instantly, I felt a horrid migraine seep through my veins up my neck. After taking out ALL THE GLASSES THAT WE OWN (that's how many people there were) and pouring out all but three of the fizzy drinks that we had, I couldn't take it. I shooed some kids away from lurking around the rooms, and sought refuge in the comfort of my room.

Ooyah came running after me clinging at my baju and feebly muttered, "Kara takut".

Yes, Ooyah, me too.

Soon after, Ramli too couldn't take it and ran into the room. We popped a few panadols and watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, praying hard inside that the guerillas wouldn't wreck our study room and good books. Gulp.

Ooyah looked at me, held my hand, and said, "Kara tanak abang gitu". (I don't want such a brother- referring to the devil's spawn boy outside who was wrecking her car and other toys.)

Outside, it was a chaos of screams and howls and shrieks (there were about 5 kids who were under 5, and 1 baby who was crying her lungs out non-stop).

They stayed for an hour (!!!!) and the mess they created was phenomenal. Of course NONE of them thought it would be necessary to help clear up (at least their plates and glasses!)

I have no qualms about having lots of people over to my place- in fact I do enjoy it (when it is PLANNED WELL of course!) but when huge 'rombongan naik lori'  like this 'attack' your place, AND you don't even KNOW THEM, it is really quite a pain in the ass.

So, let us all be reminded of raya-visiting ettiquette (since it is only the SECOND raya weekend this Saturday, it's not too late for this):

1) DO call before you come. The reply 'No, because we're going out' means 'CANNOT COME WHETHER YOU THINK WE ARE LYING OR NOT!'
2) DO NOT visit past 11pm, unless the host begs you to come anyway.
3) DO NOT act hostile/ step eksyen/ stare up and down/ jeling/ sulk/ show fook-face at the hosts because- the relative's home is NOT Giordano; they are NOT providing a service to you ok.
4) DO watch your kids; playing is fine but destroying someone's home is not in any culture or civilization.
5) DO NOT lurk around the host's house. The host's house is NOT a HDB showflat. If anything at all goes missing, even a sock, we'll just have to blame YOU for it for the rest of our lives and label your family 'panjang tangan'.
6) DO offer to clear up the mess. Even though the host will probably tell you to 'just leave the mess there', they usually don't mean it- any help is appreciated.
7) REFRAIN from going around visiting in groups of TWENTY AND ABOVE, especially if the host only knows ONE person out of the thirty. It's really really fun for you but not the host. REALLY really.
8) REFRAIN from staying over and hour at a relative's place (unless it's someone really close to you like, say, YOUR MOM). And for groups above TWENTY, DO NOT stay for more than 30 minutes lest you want to risk the host not giving your fifteen kids ANY MONEY AT ALL. Too bad.

.....................................

This is Ooyah, still traumatised by the unruly visitors. 

Oh boy oh boy. Is it THE WEEKEND ALREADY? *bangs head on wall*

Brandywine High School is celebrating it's 50th Anniversary this year!

In honor of this milestone, there will be a 50th Anniversary Celebration
on Saturday, October 25, 2008-HOMECOMING 2008!

This is a wonderful opportunity to participate in Brandywine High School 's tradition of excellence, reflect on our remarkable accomplishments over the past 50 years and reunite with friends from BHS!

Join us on Saturday, October 25 th for a celebratory reunion filled with
FUN, FOOD and FOOTBALL!
9:00 a.m.- Staff/ Faculty Breakfast
(This is for current and former staff, faculty and administration ONLY. This will be held in the BHS cafeteria)

10:00 a.m.- Ribbon-cutting Ceremony for the new brick-scape
(Sponsored by the Brandywine High School Alumni Association, t his will be held in the main circle in the front of the school, near the flagpole.

10:00-12:00- School Tours available (by BHS Student Council)

10:20- Stone City (alumni band) will perform (until 11:45), at the Anniversary area.

11:00 a.m.- Homecoming Parade

12:00- Football Game vs. Hodgson Vo-Tech

Halftime-
Welcome; Recognition of alumni classes; recognition of accomplished alumni; recognition of special guests, sponsors and contributors; presentation of 2008 Homecoming Court; crowning of 2008 Homecoming King and Queen

For more information e-mail Brandywine50th@yahoo.com.

Actually all of my wedding cake toppers have been sold out in my shop (I can't believe that this is the truth!!).  Thank you for all your sweet and warm comments and saying that how much you love your cake toppers!!

I have remembered the first topper I made was just for fun and I am not expected the doggies could bring me more business and now they became the signature item in my shop (www.mykonos.etsy.com)!!  Thank you for all your support of my wedding cake toppers!!  Thank you little doggies!! 

p.s.  I am now in the process of making one doggie cake topper and it will be ready in my shop early next week.

Tulang One Year Ago

Ako ay may kaibigan,
at 'Jorcs' ang kanyang pangalan
Hindi maka-basag pinggan,
'pagkat 'to'y inaalagaan

S'ya'y lubhang napakagaling
sa kahit anu pang sining,
kaya't huwag mong hamunin
'pagkat 'di kayang talunin!

Ngayong kanyang kaarawan,
nagdiwang ang sambayanan.
Napuno ang kanilang tiyan
ng pagkaing mala-suman

Happy birthday, Sef! :D

do not mourn for me
the day i eventually die
instead mourn for you
because you continue to suffer, not i

I was watching Spongebob Square Pants before going to work and I just realized that Patrick is a starfish! Hahaha!

Too bad! I don't have "proof" of my birthday at Jesette's place --- long story... :'(

But I have pictures of Honee's surprise celebration. It really wasn't a surprise because we were the ones who were surprised that it was Honee's birthday.

Christal wasn't here! We thought she left early because it was her finals in school and she logged out early...
[caption id="attachment_490" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="United Colors of Benetton"][/caption]

Ateneo beats La Salle! 5 Ateneo Krispy Kreme donuts VS 1 La Salle donut. Haha!
[caption id="attachment_499" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="Happy Birthday Honee! *wink!"][/caption]

Later did we know that Christal slept at the 12th floor quiet room instead of reviewing her two subjects. She thought that she had informed me and I didn't wake her up. Hahaha!
[caption id="attachment_519" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="Look at Christal! Hehehe..."][/caption]

I'm going to upload the pictures Honee took when we were at the Fort, at another time. I feel so sleepy... Yawn! =O