WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2010

Today is "Hump Day". Affectionately called this because it marks the middle of the week - a symbol to all that the end of the week is in sight! For employers and employees, this is like a 'second wind' to allow the best work to continue, knowing there is the reward of a weekend without the office, the commute, the meetings, the deadlines, endless phone calls, emails, conferences (face-to-face, web, or phone), and late night work to do. Weekend. It emits an unique feeling just by saying it out loud. It brings forth memories of stress-free time spent doing what is loved, needed with family and friends. Special times. Special places. Relaxation, time clearing the mind and regaining perspectives. Spring is here. Many have "spring fever" and must participate in outdoor activities, feeling the warmth of the sun, smelling the fragrances of cut grass and blooming flowers, and enjoying playing in the dirt! In the Southeast, especially the SC coast, the next five days will be fantastic - sunshine, pleasant temperatures, no rain, and not yet tourist season. Of course, there will be college kids on Spring Break and families spending Easter on the beautiful beaches; however, this makes the time here even better. Sharing in the fun, the memories being made, getting caught up with old friends and making new ones, and experiencing the joy of Easter in such a beautiful setting. So... If you can, come to the beaches of SC and make a memory. There is light at the end of the tunnel... a weekend to regroup. In addition, a celebration of Jesus' resurrection after death on the cross for our sins, giving each of us life everlasting with our Lord and Saviour! Hallelujah! Remember, "Y'all come back soon, ya' hear!"

Thursday the 13th, what does that mean?

Absolutely nothing! The number 13. Why the superstitions about a number... My least favorite resource, Wikipedia says, Unlucky 13 Main article: Triskaidekaphobia The number 13 is associated with bad luck in some countries, and even has a specifically recognized phobia, Triskaidekaphobia, a word which was coined in 1911. Friday the 13th has been considered an unlucky day since the 1800s, as a combination between an unlucky day, Friday, and the number 13. Lucky 13 In Sikhism, the number 13 is considered a special number since 13 is tera in Punjabi, which also means "yours" (as in, "I am yours, O Lord"). The legend goes that when Guru Nanak Dev was taking stock of items as part of his employment with a village merchant, he counted from 1 to 13 (in Punjabi) as one does normally; and thereafter he would just repeat "tera", since all items were God's creation. The merchant confronted Guru Nanak about this, but found everything to be in order after the inventory was checked. April 13 also usually turns out to be Vaisakhi every year, which is the Sikh New Year and the major Sikh Holiday. Several successful sports figures have worn the number 13. Ozzie Guillén, manager of the 2005 World Series Champion Chicago White Sox, has worn the number throughout his baseball career. Alex Rodriguez began wearing it upon joining the New York Yankees (three, the number he had previously worn, is retired by the Bronx Bombers to honor Babe Ruth). Dan Marino, an American football player known for passing the 2nd most yards in NFL history, wore the number 13, although pundits in the sport have often cited him as the greatest quarterback never to win an NFL championship. Basketball great Wilt Chamberlain wore the number 13 on his jersey throughout his NBA career. Also, FIBA rules require a player to wear the number in international competitions (only numbers from 4 to 15 could be worn, and as there are 12 players, one must wear 13); Chris Mullin, who wore #20 in college and #17 in the NBA, wore #13 for both (1984 and 1992) of his Olympic appearances. Shaquille O'Neal wore #13 in 1996, Tim Duncan wore #13 in 2004, Steve Nash is currently wearing it for the Phoenix Suns, Yao Ming wore it in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and Mats Sundin and Bill Guerin wear 13 in the NHL. One of Iceland's all time best handball players, Sigurður Sveinsson, wore the number 13 when he played for the national team. In association football, both Gerd Müller and Michael Ballack have favoured the number 13, among others. In Italy, 13 is also considered to be a lucky number, although in Campania the expression 'tredici' (meaning 13) is said when one considers their luck to have turned for the worse. Colgate University also considers 13 to be a lucky number. They were founded in 1819 by 13 men with 13 dollars, 13 prayers, and 13 articles. (To this day, members of the Colgate community consider the number 13 a good omen.) In fact, the campus address is 13 Oak Drive in Hamilton, NY and the all men a cappella group is called the Colgate 13.

And if you like to read about mystery and folklore, you might enjoy this book,

BOOK of the week

The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman ages 8 and older

Have you ever noticed that buildings, even really tall buildings, usually don't have a 13th floor? That's because so many people think 13 is an unlucky number. Put Buddy Stebbins, the main character in this slightly scary, very fun ghost story, in that group. When Buddy gets off on the 13th floor of a rickety old building, he finds himself on a leaky pirate ship off the coast of New England in the late 17th century. He meets up with one of his ancestors, an adventurous girl named Abigail. While Buddy and Abigail encounter witches, ghosts, pirates and treasure, Buddy must also figure out how to get back to the 13th floor and back to his home.

Although Wikipedia is not an acceptable resource for most instructors, it is a starting point for basic information. Always check the information you find there for accuracy, as anyone can edit, add to, or delete information. Now that I have given the site some free word of mouth advertising, how funny is that? Any how, it was a little background on the number 13.

I hope your Thursday has been a fun day and that you have made plans for a restful weekend!

Until next time ... Smile, God love you! Me, too!

BLOG ACTION POST DAY 2008

It's here! Blog Action Post Day 2008! The topic this year is POVERTY. Wow, this is a tough one ... especially with the problems in our economy over the last several weeks. It has hit most, if not, ALL Americans where it hurts the most - being able to take care of their families by providing shelter, food, clothing and the necessities for living, the basics. Jobs have been lost, homes have been foreclosed and families displaced, pension depleted, and people are scared! Poverty falls across the board and shows no mercy to race, gender, religion, politics or economics. Persons with a lot of money have "lost it all" and have been placed in the Welfare system of the Federal Government. Some are able to get jobs and pull themselves up and out of "the system". The people in poverty that pull at my heart the most are those that have been in this "hell" for three generations and longer ... whole families - father, mother, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. It some areas the entire family is sharing a bathroom and sleeping in 1 or 2 bedrooms or on the floor, if they are blessed to have a house to live in. Others, are in shelters with their belongings in trash bags, carried from shelter to shelter - no privacy at all. Yet, they manage to get through the day, only to face the same situation when they awake the next day. And then we find poverty in the lowest form and the hardest to help or understand, those living on the streets of ALL towns and cities across our country. Some (a few) choose this life, I think, because it is all they have ever known. Others have been removed from mental health institutions and prisons and left without any means of taking care of themselves - if they even know how! This section will grow as our economy continues to stagnate. Whose responsibility is it to change the conditions of people in our society that fall into this awful category of poverty? EVERYONE ... that is the only way to help to eliminate poverty - the buddy system - every adult becomes the buddy of an adult in poverty. The BUDDY helps in this way ... when shopping for groceries purchase TWO of what they buy, bagged separately and taken to their buddy. Food is the first need to fill. If a person is not hungry, the chances increase that strength and health improve allowing the search for work each day until a job is found. Each BUDDY will check on their buddy each week, offering transportation to health care appointments, job interviews and church. Our country was founded by very strong Christian men and women. Prayer was a daily part of their lives. Church is where you could find them on the Sabbath. What we have forgotten is this is what made us strong as a nation and what kept us strong. Now we have removed prayer from schools, we try to separate church and state, and we ridicule the beliefs held dear by Christians. This MUST be changed, freedom of religion needs to return. No one should be forced to pray, believe, attend, or practice something that is not what they want to do. However, my personal opinion, is one that feels in some cases poverty can be helped by having the strength of prayer and a home church to help person(s) and families. Will we end poverty in a short amount of time? NO! Can we make a difference? YES! Let's start today.