A Day For Everything

            There is a day to celebrate anything and everything. There are websites that track and follow the list of commemorations. October 12^th is International Moment of Frustration Scream Day. Sure, there’s Peanut Butter Day and Beer Day, but I bet you didn’t realize there was a day for screaming out of frustration. That makes today a great day to go outside during your lunch break and take a deep breath and scream.

            As you look ahead at your calendar, there are some other notable celebrations. October 14^th is Be Bald and Free Day. October 17^th is Gaudy Day. October 21^st is Babbling Day. October 31^st is Increase Your Psychic Powers Day.

Fall Favorites

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             Autumn is my favorite season and October is my favorite month of the year. As the days get cooler I am overwhelmed with a happy warm feeling, and I feel it is a great time to enumerate just why this time of the year is so great.

First on my list of my favorite things about the season is the change in the leaves. The colors are at peak in many parts of the country right now and I am fortunate enough to witness this. The brilliant reds and blazing oranges are breathtaking. Walking through piles of leaves reminds me of road trips with my family in my younger years. We went so we could see all of the vivid colors and take in all of fall’s delights.

Second is my joy as the hot, long summer days have faded into cool autumn days and nights. It is perfect sweater weather, and great for cuddling up by a fire. I have always been a cold weather person. In cold weather you can always put on more clothes, but when it is hot you can’t always take more off. Fall temperatures are perfect because you can wear a sweater and add a fun scarf for that extra bit of warmth against the breeze. The season cannot pass without at least one bonfire. When I was young I used to try to get so close to the fire I would have to pull my feet in to keep them from burning up. There’s something about the chill in the air and the heat radiating from the fire. The charred smell of the fire sticks in your clothes and hair, but it’s worth it. Besides, washing machines are made to be used. You can wash away the smell, but the memory will last.

Fall is a time of new beginnings. That’s when students typically go back to school, begin a new season of sports or activities, or start a new endeavor. I can’t help feeling a lot of nostalgia when it comes to the latter part of the year. I enjoyed school and everything that went along with the new school year, including and especially the dances and meeting new people. Another seasonal favorite is football. Not just the games themselves, but the crisp weather and blowing leaves that combine with the game to remind me of the greatness of the later part of the year. Football itself is a joy, but I believe it has such a place in my heart because of the season.

One great fall activity is named after my favorite month, Oktoberfest. How great to have festivals across the entire country that celebrate drinking and enjoying beer. Not just any beer, but the more hearty, spicy beers that I am growing fonder of. Cold weather food is also exciting. It can by comforting, savory, and rich all at the same time. Stews are commonplace during autumn, as are using squash in those stews. I like to get creative and see what I can come up with. Summer is good for grill outs and autumn is good for warm dining room table gatherings. 

There are a lot of great celebrations in the month of October. In my list of friends and acquaintances there has always been a glut of October birthdays. Blame it on being a child of the north and the fall falling roughly one gestational period after Valentines Day. This makes celebrating the month even more fun. There are birthdays all around. The bashes continue right on through my birthday and to Halloween, which is one of my favorite holidays. I love the excitement of planning a costume and decorations and then spending time with friends at parties or gatherings. The food and treats are great, too. It is a great time to get creative.

There is more autumn fun when October is over. We’re just getting heated up. For many, their favorite holidays are Thanksgiving and Christmas. Both are great times to spend with friends and family, whether you’re eating, watching football, shopping, cooking, or decorating. Autumn is a time to be with loved ones and be thankful for what you have.

Wading in the Karma Pool

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            Is it possible to use up all of your good karma? I never used to think of karma as a measurable commodity. I thought of it as a pool of energy, good or bad, that you created for yourself based on your actions toward others. However, I have had an incredibly unlucky couple of years and I now wonder if that’s because I do not have any good luck in extra supply.

I treat others people as I would want to be treated and give back to the community in many ways; I like to think of myself as a good, kind person. The past two years have not been terrible. I like to think of myself as a fortunate person. After all, there are many people who are dealing with more serious and troubling issues in their lives. I haven’t suffered cancer, been the victim of a crime, or suffered in a natural disaster. However, I have suffered great personal losses and gone through major life changes that are not quite ironed out yet. I believe it will all work out for the best and I will come out as a stronger person, but I have to wonder when my luck will change.

I may have used up all of my good luck in my roaring 20’s. My first few years out of college were exciting. Things were great and just kept getting better. I don’t want to think that because I had such a great and prosperous time in my younger years that I am paying the price for it now. I am not a fan of the idea of communism when it comes to wellbeing and happiness, but it seems like life is trying to even itself out. Perhaps I am right and philosophical idea of karma is not a measurable good, but instead we all have to have our share of bad times. I have to take the good with the bad, but I am ready for my bad luck to be over.

Dancing with the Stars: Week 3

 A double elimination this week on Dancing with the Stars proves you have to vote to make sure your favorite contestant stays on the show. Drew Lachey and Helio Castrneves have hung up their dancing shoes, despite getting better use out of them than some of the remaining contestants. Show producers gave creative control to the celebrities this week and that means they got to call the shots. Drew and Anna did a nice cha cha routine. The dance concept was a rock concert and it was well done, but after seeing all of the other performers it seems as though Drew’s dance was a bit weak and lacked a standout quality. I would have likely forgotten about it if I hadn’t written it down. Helio and Chelsea had a pinstripe concept for their performance and it went well except when the racecar driver got caught in Chelsea’s dress. There just weren’t enough viewer votes to pull either of the two through to the next week.

Kirstie Alley is on my list of celebrity dancers that should have gone home instead. Her routine was high in entertainment value. Kirstie consistently brings that quality to her dances. However, while there were no technical mess-ups with the footwork it still feels labored. It is like her legs and feet move much slower than they should, which is hard to watch when the song is upbeat. It leaves me wanting more.

            Bristol Palin is at the bottom of the leaderboard again, however her routine was cleaner this week and the creative aspect that she put into it was nicely executed. In my eyes, Bristol managed to lift herself out of the bottom spot on my list this week. You can tell she is trying hard.

            This week my list of favorites contains my regulars. Shawn Johnson and Derek Hough have been on this list every week so far, and for good reason. They keep bringing the innovation, energy, and optimism. Each week they’ve pushed their routines further and further to tackle more complicated moves and incorporate elements that have never been tried before. This week their quickstep routine was high flying, with the help of trampolines, and tricky. Gilles and Peta delivered a strong and sexy tango to “Sweet Dreams.” Gilles developed an excellently conceptualized theme that fit right along with the name of the song. In the beginning, Gilles was lifted off the bed and transported across the air above the stage by a harness and rigging. All pieces of the routine, from the costume to the set, fit perfectly with the dream theme. Apollo and Karina performed a smooth and sensual tango to “Fever.” Apollo’s concept of a statue being brought to life for one dance was original and was executed well. Each of my three favorites brings something different to the dance floor and at this time it would be hard for me to pick just one favorite.

Veggie Burgers All Around

 Three cheers for Culvers! This week, I tried their new veggie burger for the first time. I had no clue the fast food chain sold veggie burgers and I wonder if the vegetarian option is new at all restaurants or just on a trial basis at some. I am visiting Wisconsin and my veggie burger trial happened at a Culvers in Beloit. I have never seen veggie burgers on the menu at the Indianapolis Culvers restaurants. This meat-free burger was nothing stellar or unique, it was no doubt a mass produced frozen patty. Still, I applaud the effort because it gives me more options and shows that the suits in charge are thinking about people like me in their effort to expand sales.

It is disconcerting that some restaurants seem to only advertise to those who like big and meaty meals. Furthermore, many of these advertisements appear to target men, which seems narrow minded to me. Women eat too, and anyone who has done any type of market analysis knows that women often control the purse strings for the family. They make the decisions. In that case, I do not think trying to sell a barbecue sauced burger by showing two scantily clad women feeding each other will work to the extent that advertisers hoped. However, it is possible that the advertisers are trying to appeal to the men because they know they have to sometimes fend for themselves when it comes to mealtime and they’re hoping the men will make the simple, fast food choice and go for the sexy burger. 

On a side note, next time you are at a Culvers make sure you try their seasonal Pumpkin Pie custard flavor. Delicious! It tastes like they used a real can of pumpkin filling and pie crust pieces in the dessert.

Learning About Bullying Prevention

October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month and it highlights a life or death issue. There have been cases in the past where kids who were bullied were driven to suicide. There was Tyler Clementi of Rutgers University who jumped to his death. Phoebe Prince was an Irish immigrant who was taunted until she killed herself. Stories like this brought mainstream attention to the problem. As a result, cases of bullying are more easily spotted and reported, but that doesn’t make them any less detrimental to the victims.

Bullying has been going on for all of history, however technology has made the problem worse. No longer is it just whispering in the halls or taunting in the lunchroom, there’s cyber bullying where rumors spread and multiply at lightning speed. Teens can very quickly get carried away and the comments and actions of one or two bullies can reach an entire community with the click of a button. Instead of a kid being afraid of going to fourth period gym they fear their entire day because the Internet has made the threat of bullying constant. After all, you never know when someone is going to write another mean comment about you on Facebook.

Bullying went on when I was in school and I often wonder if any of my classmates thought I was a bully. By today’s standards, the actions of my friends and I might be considered bullying. The difference is in the magnitude of our actions. I might have teased someone and when they were noticeably uncomfortable or said to stop I did. Nowadays, the teasing goes on online and once someone puts something out there there’s no way to take it back, even if someone’s feelings were hurt. I think in most cases people don’t realize they are bullying someone, which is why I believe Bullying Prevention Awareness Month is so important.

Shells Guide: Campus Decorum

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             What happened to campus decorum? I know students think they are just going to class and that action seems insignificant with all the work and social functions they have to attend, but really? I always operated under the mentality that you dress for the job you want or for the station in life you want. Therefore, unless you want to be a bum don’t dress like a bum.

            On a recent visit to my college campus I spotted a ragtag undergrad that looked like she had just rolled out of the dirty clothes pile. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt, baggy sweatpants with elastic at the bottom, and a pair of tattered brown fringe moccasin boots. Nothing matched. She capped off her ratty collegiate look with a sagging backpack and a dopey, sleepy look. Unfortunately, this level of disregard for personal appearance is becoming more common. I may be far removed from undergraduate, campus life but I would think people would want to dress to impress. Not only are you going to be seen by your fellow students around campus, but also the professor that sees you looking so disheveled may one day be needed to write a recommendation or to hire you for work on a project for special credit. Having such disregard for your dress sends a message that you also disregard your future. In addition it shows that no one should take you seriously because you don’t take yourself seriously.