World Thinking Day
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts celebrate this day in honor of scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell and his wife Olave, both of whom were born on February 22.
The Girl Guides and Girl Scouts celebrate this day by thinking about and sharing their ideas on certain pre-determined topics. 2009's topic was 'Stop the Spread of Diseases'.
A Way To Celebrate
Each year the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts announce their topic. They are usually out and about selling cookies this time of year. Ask one of them what this year's topic is and what her thoughts on it are. I'm sure you will be pleased to find out that these girls are very intelligent, articulate and focused on what they intend to bring to the world.
Express your own ideas about the topic.
And while you two are discussing the ways of the world, break open a box of their cookies (pay for it first) and share one or two with the scout. The funds from the sale of these cookies go towards the troop's needs and respective humanitarian efforts.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
February 21
International Mother Language Day
This holiday commemorates Language Movement Day, a holiday started in Bangladesh, by a group of college students who wanted to promote their traditional language, or mother tongue. They were killed by Pakistani police and army.
To honor their memory the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) created International Language Day to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.
A Way To Celebrate
Appreciating your own language is good, but learning and appreciating someone else's is even better. We are all different, but hopefully we will one day be able to come together in peace. Learning how to communicate with one another is one step in that direction.
How To Say Peace In Different Ways
Aloha - Hawai'i
Namaste - Hindi
Salaam - Arabic
Shalom - Hebrew
This holiday commemorates Language Movement Day, a holiday started in Bangladesh, by a group of college students who wanted to promote their traditional language, or mother tongue. They were killed by Pakistani police and army.
To honor their memory the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) created International Language Day to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.
A Way To Celebrate
Appreciating your own language is good, but learning and appreciating someone else's is even better. We are all different, but hopefully we will one day be able to come together in peace. Learning how to communicate with one another is one step in that direction.
How To Say Peace In Different Ways
Aloha - Hawai'i
Namaste - Hindi
Salaam - Arabic
Shalom - Hebrew
Friday, February 20, 2009
February 20
International Pancake Day
In Liberal, KS and Olney, England Shrove Tuesday means one thing - Pancake Day. The two towns have been competing with one another for over 50 years every Lent.
In 1950, the townspeople in the small Kansas town read about women in Olney racing to the church on the Tuesday before Lent. Figuring they could do better the Liberal Jaycee President R.J. Leete contacted the vicor in Olney, Rev. Ronald Collins, and challenged the women to a race.
Since then, once a year on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Lent) a race is held in both town. The women are timed and whichever town has the fastest woman is counted as the winner for that year.
There are official rules for this race. It is said that 500 years ago in Olney a woman was still making pancakes to use up the last of the oil before Lent when she heard the church bells. She grabbed her head-scarf (church tradition) and ran to church. She was in such a hurry that she arrived still wearing her apron, and worse, with skillet and pancake in hand!
To honor this tradition the race requires head-scarfs and contestants must flip a pancake in their skillet at the beginning and end of the race, thus proving that they have not lost the pancake.
A Way To Celebrate
Although the day before Lent changes every year, it is possible to incorporate the tradition into our lives even if we do not celebrate it as part of our religious traditions.
Lent is considered a time of sacrifice, emulating Jesus' fasting before going to the cross. It is a time of self-reflection and giving up habits which we know are bad. Several Christian traditions use up all the fat within the home before Lent, so that none is used during the season. Pancakes are a traditional food of choice because they use fat in and of the recipie, as well as to fry them in.
The practice of Lent, and subsequently Pancake Day, is amoung many churches a matter of choice. Some chose to give up a favorite food, or bad habit as a way of clensing their soul. If you choose, giving up a bad habit today, and for the next few weeks would be one way to celebrate Lent.
However, my favorite way is to grab the flour and oil and make up a big batch of buttermilk pancakes. Sometimes for supper I add savory ingrdients to make Taco Pancakes.
Taco Pancakes
2 cups biscuit mix
2 tsp taco seasoning
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup pepper jack
½ cup chopped olives
½ cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup chopped g. pepper
1 cup taco sauce or salsa
Combine biscuit mix & taco seasoning
Combine eggs and milk.
Stir wet into dry until just moist.
Add remaining ingredients (except salsa)
Pour by ¼ cupfuls onto lightly greased griddle.
Turn when bubbles appear.
Serve w/ salsa.
14 pancakes
In Liberal, KS and Olney, England Shrove Tuesday means one thing - Pancake Day. The two towns have been competing with one another for over 50 years every Lent.
In 1950, the townspeople in the small Kansas town read about women in Olney racing to the church on the Tuesday before Lent. Figuring they could do better the Liberal Jaycee President R.J. Leete contacted the vicor in Olney, Rev. Ronald Collins, and challenged the women to a race.
Since then, once a year on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Lent) a race is held in both town. The women are timed and whichever town has the fastest woman is counted as the winner for that year.
There are official rules for this race. It is said that 500 years ago in Olney a woman was still making pancakes to use up the last of the oil before Lent when she heard the church bells. She grabbed her head-scarf (church tradition) and ran to church. She was in such a hurry that she arrived still wearing her apron, and worse, with skillet and pancake in hand!
To honor this tradition the race requires head-scarfs and contestants must flip a pancake in their skillet at the beginning and end of the race, thus proving that they have not lost the pancake.
A Way To Celebrate
Although the day before Lent changes every year, it is possible to incorporate the tradition into our lives even if we do not celebrate it as part of our religious traditions.
Lent is considered a time of sacrifice, emulating Jesus' fasting before going to the cross. It is a time of self-reflection and giving up habits which we know are bad. Several Christian traditions use up all the fat within the home before Lent, so that none is used during the season. Pancakes are a traditional food of choice because they use fat in and of the recipie, as well as to fry them in.
The practice of Lent, and subsequently Pancake Day, is amoung many churches a matter of choice. Some chose to give up a favorite food, or bad habit as a way of clensing their soul. If you choose, giving up a bad habit today, and for the next few weeks would be one way to celebrate Lent.
However, my favorite way is to grab the flour and oil and make up a big batch of buttermilk pancakes. Sometimes for supper I add savory ingrdients to make Taco Pancakes.
Taco Pancakes
2 cups biscuit mix
2 tsp taco seasoning
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup pepper jack
½ cup chopped olives
½ cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup chopped g. pepper
1 cup taco sauce or salsa
Combine biscuit mix & taco seasoning
Combine eggs and milk.
Stir wet into dry until just moist.
Add remaining ingredients (except salsa)
Pour by ¼ cupfuls onto lightly greased griddle.
Turn when bubbles appear.
Serve w/ salsa.
14 pancakes
Thursday, February 19, 2009
February 19
Mr. Rogers' Neighbourhood
Mr. Rogers' Neighbourhood premiered in 1968 and is remembered to this day by many people born between 1960 and 2001. The children's program ran until 2003 on PBS networks across the country.
Mr. Rogers' is most commonly known for his opening sequence where he enters his home singing and removes his coat, puts on a cardigan and then removes his dress shoes, to put on sneakers.
Though the show broke new ground discussing topics such as war, divorce and competition, it is most remembered for Rogers' discussion of anger and how to peacefully deal with anger in children's lives.
A Way To Celebrate
Though almost all of my peers (born in the 1980s) remember Mr. Roger's many of us truly disliked the show. It was often slow-paced, and as many put it - boring. It is only after growing up and watching the show with our own children or those we are caring for, did we realize how important the lessons were that Mr. Rogers' taught us.
Anger was a big issue in the show. Mr. Rogers was adamant about teaching the new generation how to live a peaceful life. It is due to educators such as Rogers that our generation has been taught ways to deal with difficult issues in a positive way.
Take time today to note how you are dealing with anger. Are you pleased with the way you are dealing with it? If not, resolve to change and make small changes in a positive direction. A good example in us will prove to help the next generation be even better at dealing with such difficulties.
Mr. Rogers' Neighbourhood premiered in 1968 and is remembered to this day by many people born between 1960 and 2001. The children's program ran until 2003 on PBS networks across the country.
Mr. Rogers' is most commonly known for his opening sequence where he enters his home singing and removes his coat, puts on a cardigan and then removes his dress shoes, to put on sneakers.
Though the show broke new ground discussing topics such as war, divorce and competition, it is most remembered for Rogers' discussion of anger and how to peacefully deal with anger in children's lives.
A Way To Celebrate
Though almost all of my peers (born in the 1980s) remember Mr. Roger's many of us truly disliked the show. It was often slow-paced, and as many put it - boring. It is only after growing up and watching the show with our own children or those we are caring for, did we realize how important the lessons were that Mr. Rogers' taught us.
Anger was a big issue in the show. Mr. Rogers was adamant about teaching the new generation how to live a peaceful life. It is due to educators such as Rogers that our generation has been taught ways to deal with difficult issues in a positive way.
Take time today to note how you are dealing with anger. Are you pleased with the way you are dealing with it? If not, resolve to change and make small changes in a positive direction. A good example in us will prove to help the next generation be even better at dealing with such difficulties.
February 18
Pluto Discovered
In 1930, a small object was noted on several slides by scientist Clyde Tombaugh. After careful observation it was determined that this object was indeed a separate orbit from the planet Neptune. Therefore, it was labeled as a planet.
After much urging it was decided that the planet must be named. Names poured in from around the world, and Pluto was picked after being suggested by an 11-year-old girl from England named Venetia Burney.
In 2006 a definition of a planet was finally published by the International Astronomical Union. Officially, Pluto did not match this description based on many factors and is not considered at planet any longer. It's inclusion as a planet is still in debate among several scientists.
A Way To Celebrate
It is considerable to note that this celestial object was named by an 11-year-old. Far from scientific America, she was enamoured with Greek and Roman mythology. She mentioned the name of the dark god of the underworld, because she felt it matched the planet that was so cold and barren, to her grandfather. He passed the information on to a friend of his, and it eventually crossed the ocean and made it to the panel of scientists debating the name of the new object.
Reader, what have you done lately that came back to surprise you? Have you ever done something small and had someone's gratitude for it be much more than you thought?
Today, let us all do small acts of kindness. Perhaps they will grow, like Venetia's idea for a name, and take on a Path of their own.
In 1930, a small object was noted on several slides by scientist Clyde Tombaugh. After careful observation it was determined that this object was indeed a separate orbit from the planet Neptune. Therefore, it was labeled as a planet.
After much urging it was decided that the planet must be named. Names poured in from around the world, and Pluto was picked after being suggested by an 11-year-old girl from England named Venetia Burney.
In 2006 a definition of a planet was finally published by the International Astronomical Union. Officially, Pluto did not match this description based on many factors and is not considered at planet any longer. It's inclusion as a planet is still in debate among several scientists.
A Way To Celebrate
It is considerable to note that this celestial object was named by an 11-year-old. Far from scientific America, she was enamoured with Greek and Roman mythology. She mentioned the name of the dark god of the underworld, because she felt it matched the planet that was so cold and barren, to her grandfather. He passed the information on to a friend of his, and it eventually crossed the ocean and made it to the panel of scientists debating the name of the new object.
Reader, what have you done lately that came back to surprise you? Have you ever done something small and had someone's gratitude for it be much more than you thought?
Today, let us all do small acts of kindness. Perhaps they will grow, like Venetia's idea for a name, and take on a Path of their own.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
February 17
Quirinalia
This was an ancient Roman celebration dedicated to the god Quirinus. He was a god of war, but unlike the god of active war, Mars, Quirinus was the god of a more peaceful war. In modern terms, he is a Cold War god.
Little is known about this god, mostly because he was worshiped before the rise of Rome. He was absorbed into the pantheon early on and aspects of him are incorporated into Mars and Romulus. The only definate proof of his existance is the hill in Rome named after him, Quirinalis.
It is known that his sacred plant was the myrtle and that he was depicted wearing both priestly clothes and military ones, again emphasising his peaceful-warlike nature.
A Way To Celebrate
As with many ancient holidays, there is little known about how the people traditionally celebrated Quirinalia. We can celebrate it in the modern world by focusing on the positive aspects of war.
Oftentimes we view war as only negative. True, it is mostly a negative state. However there are still positive sides to the military life. I have several family members overseas in the armed forces. Today is my day to contact them and make sure they are doing well. The military provides for them and their families in many ways. They are able to see the world, give back to their community and their country, as well as pay their bills and get an education.
Today, spend some time thinking about the positive aspects of war and military life. What can you do to aid our 'boys in blue' and their counterparts?
This was an ancient Roman celebration dedicated to the god Quirinus. He was a god of war, but unlike the god of active war, Mars, Quirinus was the god of a more peaceful war. In modern terms, he is a Cold War god.
Little is known about this god, mostly because he was worshiped before the rise of Rome. He was absorbed into the pantheon early on and aspects of him are incorporated into Mars and Romulus. The only definate proof of his existance is the hill in Rome named after him, Quirinalis.
It is known that his sacred plant was the myrtle and that he was depicted wearing both priestly clothes and military ones, again emphasising his peaceful-warlike nature.
A Way To Celebrate
As with many ancient holidays, there is little known about how the people traditionally celebrated Quirinalia. We can celebrate it in the modern world by focusing on the positive aspects of war.
Oftentimes we view war as only negative. True, it is mostly a negative state. However there are still positive sides to the military life. I have several family members overseas in the armed forces. Today is my day to contact them and make sure they are doing well. The military provides for them and their families in many ways. They are able to see the world, give back to their community and their country, as well as pay their bills and get an education.
Today, spend some time thinking about the positive aspects of war and military life. What can you do to aid our 'boys in blue' and their counterparts?
Monday, February 16, 2009
February 16
President's Day
info about. talk a little about each pres. this day combined. talk about all the pres. what it means to be pres.
A Way To Celebrate
many schools and gov. offices have the day off. if you do go do something patriotic.
info about. talk a little about each pres. this day combined. talk about all the pres. what it means to be pres.
A Way To Celebrate
many schools and gov. offices have the day off. if you do go do something patriotic.
February 15
Single's Awareness Day
don't forget those who did not have a lover to celebrate val day with yesterday. make them know how much you care.
A Way to Celebrate
treat yourself right. buy yourself something. show love to yourself. show love to your friends.
don't forget those who did not have a lover to celebrate val day with yesterday. make them know how much you care.
A Way to Celebrate
treat yourself right. buy yourself something. show love to yourself. show love to your friends.
February 14
Valentine's Day
st. val. how it came. pagan holiday - Lupercalia. spring ritual.
A Way To Celebrate
buy youself something. show how much you love yourself as well as others.
st. val. how it came. pagan holiday - Lupercalia. spring ritual.
A Way To Celebrate
buy youself something. show how much you love yourself as well as others.
February 13
Fist Public School in America 1635
where?
A Way To Celebrate
why schools are important. why we should never stop learning. take a class at an adult education school. get a self help or how to book. learn something. duh.
where?
A Way To Celebrate
why schools are important. why we should never stop learning. take a class at an adult education school. get a self help or how to book. learn something. duh.
February 12
Abe Lincon's Birthday
info about his life. freeing the slaves. assasination.
A Way To Celebrate
info about his life. freeing the slaves. assasination.
A Way To Celebrate
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
February 11
Thomas Edison b. 1847
talk about his life and inventions.
A Way To Celebrate
why inventing is good.
talk about his life and inventions.
A Way To Celebrate
why inventing is good.
February 10
Freelance Writer's Apprishiation Day
A Way to Celebrate
by a book, magazine. send me money. etc.
A Way to Celebrate
by a book, magazine. send me money. etc.
February 9
Beatles Appear on Ed Sulivan Show 1964
second beatles post. explain why they are so important to world culture. explain lennon's peace stuff.
A Way To Celebrate
second beatles post. explain why they are so important to world culture. explain lennon's peace stuff.
A Way To Celebrate
February 7
Laura Ingalls Wilder b. 1887
wrote children's books about growing up on the frontier. how it was hard for them. how we can use it today. why she's important not just to me.
A Way To Celebrate
wrote children's books about growing up on the frontier. how it was hard for them. how we can use it today. why she's important not just to me.
A Way To Celebrate
February 6
Monopoly Introduced 1935
the game by parker bros. intruduced and invented during great depression.
A Way To Celebrate
the game by parker bros. intruduced and invented during great depression.
A Way To Celebrate
February 1
Imbolc
Imbolc is celerated today as the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. It is traditionally a time of weather predictions and the celebration of the first signs of spring. It is also the traditional time for initiations within the Wiccan tradition.
A Way to Celebrate
Imbolc is celerated today as the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. It is traditionally a time of weather predictions and the celebration of the first signs of spring. It is also the traditional time for initiations within the Wiccan tradition.
A Way to Celebrate
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