As Americans, we have every right to be proud of our culture, our nation, and our flag. So raise the flag today and every day with pride!
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Jun 14, 2007
Today is Flag day!
Mar 14, 2007
Take The Day Off - It's a Holiday!
Pi Day and Pi Approximation Day are two unofficial holidays held to celebrate the mathematical constant π (Pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in American date format); Pi Approximation Day may be observed on any of several dates, most often July 22 (22/7 - in European date format - is a popular approximation of π).
March 14 happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday, among others, and it is common to sing "Happy birthday Dear Albert". Massachusetts Institute of Technology often mails out its acceptance letters to be delivered to prospective students on Pi Day.[1]
Some also enjoy celebrating "Pi Approximation Day" which can fall on any of several dates:
March 13 the approximation for Pi: 3.13
April 26 (when the distance of the Earth's orbit divided by the distance it has traveled so far is equal to pi; on leap years the 25th July 22 (22/7 in the majority of date formats, an ancient approximation of pi)
November 10 (the 314th day of the year; on leap years the 9th)
December 21, 1:13 p.m. (the 355th day of the year (on leap years, the 20th), celebrated at 1:13 for the Chinese approximation 355/113
Works for me! Any excuse for a day off!
Dec 20, 2006
Rediscovering Your Joyfulness
Holiday Blues
The holidays can trigger the blues for a lot of people. We all have associations with the music, the decorations, and the foods that are so pervasive at this time of year. We may look back on a happy childhood and feel that our present situation doesn’t measure up. On the other hand, we may be reminded of what we wanted but didn’t get as children. Either way, our real lives are unfolding in the here and now. This is a new holiday season altogether, and we can find joy in the fact that we can make it our own and let it be new. One key way to reinvigorate your holiday is to let go of feeling obligated to engage in rituals or situations that make you feel unhappy. It is easy to get lost in the trance of tradition and lose track of who you really are and what serves you as you are now. But there is a wonderful payoff if you take the time to touch base with what you really want and give it to yourself. When you take care of yourself, your capacity to give to others expands exponentially, and so does your innate joyfulness. The first step is taking time to sort through any baggage that’s nagging you. If sad memories present themselves, know that you are not alone. It is well-documented that many people suffer from depression at this time of year. The key is to face these feelings, hear them out, and fully process them so that you can be free again. Try giving yourself the space and time to consider what will be truly healing for you this year. Perhaps you’d rather go on vacation to a tropical island with friends than go back home to a dysfunctional family. Maybe you’d prefer not to exchange gifts. Maybe you want to change-up the traditional dinner fare and make something profoundly healthy or exotic. As you infuse this holiday with new energy, you will feel your blues lightening and your joyfulness steadily on the rise. Try to make this holiday season about who you are now, not what you were in the past. Enjoy!
The holidays can trigger the blues for a lot of people. We all have associations with the music, the decorations, and the foods that are so pervasive at this time of year. We may look back on a happy childhood and feel that our present situation doesn’t measure up. On the other hand, we may be reminded of what we wanted but didn’t get as children. Either way, our real lives are unfolding in the here and now. This is a new holiday season altogether, and we can find joy in the fact that we can make it our own and let it be new. One key way to reinvigorate your holiday is to let go of feeling obligated to engage in rituals or situations that make you feel unhappy. It is easy to get lost in the trance of tradition and lose track of who you really are and what serves you as you are now. But there is a wonderful payoff if you take the time to touch base with what you really want and give it to yourself. When you take care of yourself, your capacity to give to others expands exponentially, and so does your innate joyfulness. The first step is taking time to sort through any baggage that’s nagging you. If sad memories present themselves, know that you are not alone. It is well-documented that many people suffer from depression at this time of year. The key is to face these feelings, hear them out, and fully process them so that you can be free again. Try giving yourself the space and time to consider what will be truly healing for you this year. Perhaps you’d rather go on vacation to a tropical island with friends than go back home to a dysfunctional family. Maybe you’d prefer not to exchange gifts. Maybe you want to change-up the traditional dinner fare and make something profoundly healthy or exotic. As you infuse this holiday with new energy, you will feel your blues lightening and your joyfulness steadily on the rise. Try to make this holiday season about who you are now, not what you were in the past. Enjoy!
This will really give you a HUGE! Laugh!!(Thanks Saboma!)
Sphere: Related Content
Dec 12, 2006
The holiday season abounds with superstitions.
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/superstitions.asp
Origins: Christmas is a holiday steeped in superstition and folk belief. Almost every tradition we unthinkingly observe during the festive season has its roots in long-ago times, a fact we're comfortably though vaguely aware of even though very few of us modern fellows have any idea of the whys of our symbols and rituals. We know to erect a Christmas tree, for instance, but we don't know why we're supposed to, other than it looks good in our living room and gives us a place to leave presents under!
By tradition, Christmas decorations should not be erected prior to Christmas Eve, lest this visible proof of anticipation of a festival anger capricious forces. Evergreens especially (and that includes your tree) should not be brought into the house before this time. Comfort should therefore be drawn from the knowledge that greedy merchants who put up their Christmas finery in early November daily court the malicious attentions of evil spirits.
Decking the Halls: Evergreens are symbolic of enduring and renewed life, which is why decorate our homes with them at Christmastime. The fetching in of green branches is a magical rite to ensure the return of vegetation at winter's end. Our modern day Christmas tree is the centerpiece of this belief.
Fire and Light: Tradition and rituals surrounding the Yule Log
Caroling: It is hugely unlucky to send carolers away empty-handed, no matter how badly they sing. One might be a king in disguise, after all. Offer food, a drink, or a bit of money.
Food: Christmas cakes were usually eaten on Christmas Eve in the 19th century, though it was deemed most unlucky to cut into one (or any Christmas foodstuff) before that day dawned. A portion also had to be preserved until Christmas Day itself — it wouldn't at all do to wolf the whole thing down.
Presents: Stockings are hung by the chimney in remembrance of the largesse of St. Nicholas. Out of compassion he was said to have tossed three coins down the chimney of the home of three poor sisters. Each coin fell neatly into stockings left drying by the hearth. We therefore leave our stocking out in hopes that a similar bit of good fortune will befall us.
Animals: Farm animals are said to kneel in homage to Christ at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve at which time they are momentarily blessed with the power of speech. Other versions of this belief limit the gift of gab to cats. Woe to any human who overhears their conversation though — such eavesdropping is fatal!
Born on Christmas Day: Those born on this auspicious day will never encounter a ghost, nor will they have anything to fear from spirits. They're also protected against from death by drowning or hanging, making a career of piracy on the high seas an attractive choice.
Dec 7, 2006
Holiday Fun Begins!!
http://cagle.msnbc.com/news/Handelsman/main.asp
The computer swallowed grandma. Yes, honestly its true. She pressed 'control' and 'enter' And disappeared from view. It devoured her completely, The thought just makes me squirm. She must have caught a virus Or been eaten by a worm. I've searched through the recycle bin And files of every kind; I've even used the Internet, But nothing did I find. In desperation, I asked Jeeves My searches to refine. The reply from him was negative, Not a thing was found 'online.' So, if inside your 'Inbox,' My Grandma you should see, Please 'Copy,''Scan' and 'Paste' her And send her back to me!This is a tribute to all the Grandmas who have beenfearless and learned to Use the computer........ They are the greatest!!! We do not stop playing because we grow old;We grow old because we stop playing.Never Be The First To Get Old! Dec 4, 2006
Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying,
Nor taking a stand.
Why the Politically Correct Police had taken away
The reason for Christmas, no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down,
At Lowe's the word Christmas was nowhere to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzer,
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith,
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded.
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say.
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday
This is a message that my friend Kathy posted in our Forum. I think it is apprapo and I loved the message so much I wanted to share it with you all!
Sphere: Related Content
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
