Once In A Blue Moon

Tonight is the 13th full moon this year - blue moon, and New Years Eve, it's also the end of a decade.  It is so cold here tonight and there are no stars in the sky, but the blue moon is glowing through a thin overcast of low laying cloud, just enough cover to give it an ominous glow. I was just out on my deck to take a few photographs of the moon. The cold was so biting, I had hurry back inside, closing the door quickly behind me. There was a "whoooosh" of cold air that followed behind me and blew out my candles that were lit on the table. The weatherman is telling us there is another nor'easter headed our way tomorrow evening - a messy start to the new year.

This past week flew by so quickly, as we gathered with family and friends to celebrate the holiday season. We ate (way too much), sang, and shared laughter and some tears over stories of holidays past. I feel so blessed to have this time, this family, these friends, this life.

This New Years Eve we have decided to stay at home, order in Chinese, curl up by the fire relaxing and watching a movie or maybe turn on the tv and watch other celebrations around the world.  Looking foward to the a fresh start in 2010.

From our house to yours; wishing you all a Happy New Year!!

Cherish the past. Enjoy the present. Welcome the future.

Wish all of you a splendid 2010!

Building a New Tomorrow

Are you ready to play KOKOLOGY?

What is Kokology?

Tips: 
• Say the first thing that pops into your head 
• Don’t try to predict answers 
• Be honest with yourself 
• Be prepared 
• Keep an open mind
  

{Book 1, Pg. 31}  The clock struck twelve, the ball dropped in Times Square, and the sound of champagne corks popping was heard around the globe. And after all the buildup, hoopla, and hype, after the apocalyptic anxieties about global warming, and eager anticipation, the world somehow managed to find its way safely into another new year.

1. You are working for an urban planning corporation and have been assigned to the community development team for a major new millennium project. You have been asked to come up with an inspirational theme for the city. What theme do you propose?

2. The project team has a number of members, each with a certain set of experiences and skills. Why do you think you were selected to participate in this project? (Give as many reasons as you like.)

3. What kind of person is the project manager? Describe his or her personality and qualities as a leader.

You can leave a comment with your answers or keep them to yourself  - it's up to you.

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Key to "Building a New Tomorrow"

Towns and cities are natural symbols of social life. Most of the cities we are familiar with sprang up unplanned and spread outward and upward in a seemingly random fashion. But the scenario asks you to deliberately plan a city for the future, giving your mind the chance to express its vision of an ideal setting for human interaction. Your answers reveal your approach and feelings about the social world around you.

1. The theme you selected for the new city is something you feel is absolutely essential to your own happiness as a member of society. And for most people that means the very thing they sense is most sorely lacking in their environment at present.

Was your theme something ideal, like "harmony," "peace," or "Mother Nature"? We all feel the need for more of those these days. Or did you pick something along the lines of a cartoon fantasy world where everyone smiles all the time and the sun is always shining? That may actually be an easier goal to achieve, but you're facing some strong competition in Orlando, Anaheim, and Tokyo.

2. The reasons you gave for being picked for the team are the strengths you see in yourself that no one else recognizes. That may be because those "strengths" are not quite as strong as you might like to think. The people around you are the most objective judges of your potential. Don't be afraid to listen to what others have to say about your abilities--their evaluation can steer you away from the dead-end streets of overconfidence and self-deception.

3. The team manager reveals your own image of yourself in the future. Do you see yourself developing into a supportive, motivated, and inspirational leader, or a harsh and unreasonable slave driver? If it's the latter, you may want to start reconsidering the particular path to personal development you're currently heading down. Even Scrooge got the chance to repent.

Note: I have decided to give Kokology a rest in the new year. Today, Thursday December 31st will be the last Kokology post on Slightly Off-Center. Thank you all so much for your perticipation... I have had a really great time playing Kokology will you all, it's been fun!

Drink Responsibly Adds

These three advertisements from the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission have been on TV this holiday season, they are causing quite a controversy here in Nova Scotia. What to you think? In poor taste or clever public service announcement?

This time is precious

There is a hush over the land that comes just before a heavy snowfall. Can you hear it? The trees stand motionless, holding their breath in anticipation for Nor'easter that's headed our way. The night sky is starless and thick with snow clouds. As I walked along the edge of our property tonight, the treeline was barely visible in a the the veil of mist that hung heavy in air. The smell of woodsmoke that billows from the neighboring chimneys speak of winter; the northern wind brushes big fluffy snowflakes against my cheeks confirm this too. There's a quiet stillness in my spirit tonight. I have this calm feeling of being at peace with who I am and where I'm at in my life. I feel as if change is near, that I must prepare to change with tides in the new year. There will be a few feet of snow down before this night is done -- lots of shoveling tomorrow. I turned my face up to the snowy sky, stretched my arms out to the side and make believe I'm weightless, adrift up, up, towards the heavens.

My dear friends, thank you all for taking the time to stop by Slightly Off-Center from time to share my life here -- I treasure each one of you. May you be blessed in this new year and prosper in all that you do. Take a few moments during the holiday rush to try and remember to appreciate the small things in life. It’s in between the small, unexpected moments where you can see the real beauty that is all around us.

Friday Fill-Ins #155

Click the link above to join in the fun!
And...here we go!

1. No, we will NOT let the hustle and bustle of the season get us in a funk.
2. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, the deck of cards, and let's gather for a game of Cribbage at the old kitchen table.
3. I watched the steam rising from the hot cup of tea and thought: Sometimes when life gets busy and hectic, I don’t appreciate the small things in life -- especially around this time of year.
4. Ever had one of those days where everything seems to fall in place and you just know it's going to be okay?
5. I'll take some sugar, eggs, molasses, flour, butter, cinnamon and ginger and make us some gingerbread.
6.  "Merry Christmas (I Love You)" by Hawksley Workman is one of the BEST Christmas songs... at least from my point of view.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing a little shopping with hubby, tomorrow my plans include grocery shopping then veggin' out at home watching some movies with Baby Girl and Sunday, I want to do some holiday baking!

Merry Christmas (I Love You) 
by Hawksley Workman

Kokology - Blue Coat, Yellow Coat

Are you ready to play KOKOLOGY?

What is Kokology?

Tips: 
• Say the first thing that pops into your head 
• Don’t try to predict answers 
• Be honest with yourself 
• Be prepared 
• Keep an open mind
  

{Book 1, Pg. 38} Gathering in the town square for the lighting of the Christmas tree gives people a chance to come together as a community and celebrate the end of another year. It’s a time of nostalgia and a chance for new memories to be born. People are in the holiday spirit, strangers act like friends, and a sense of peace is all around.

The night is cold, and you have come with a group of friends and acquaintances to watch the lighting of the tree. In the group of people with youm one person is wearing a yellow coat and another person is in blue. Who are the people wearing the blue and yellow coats? (Give the names of people you know.)

You can leave a comment with your answers or keep them to yourself  - it's up to you.

Note:  Reading this in Google Reader? 

Answer the questions before you continue to scroll to reveal the key to "Blue Coat, Yellow Coat"

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Key to "Blue Coat, Yellow Coat"

In psychology, bright colors such as yellow are associated with warm and positive feelings, while cool colors like blue are linked with cold, negative emotions. It may surprise even you, but the person you named as wearing the yellow coat is someone you like or who makes you feel happy, while something about the person in the blue coat leaves you cold.

Note: I have decided to give Kokology a rest in the new year. Thursday December 31st will be the last Kokology post on Slightly Off-Center. Thank you all so much for your perticipation... it's been fun!

December Sunshowers

{Wordless Wednesday #57}

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A few of my favourite things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

The Sound of Music was always a Holiday tradition when the kids were little. The kids and myself would gather in the living room, all decked out in our comfy-est jammies, hot chocolate and cookies handy, excited to watch the movie. The kids would curl up and watch the movie while hubby and I decorated the tree. I'm not sure why The Sound of Music was classified as a "Christmas movie", but for some reason it was always on TV during the holidays and a seasonal favourite nonetheless.
I miss those days...

This year we all gathered at home to decorate the tree but "The Sound of Music" wasn't what the kids chose to watch, it was "A Hunting in Connecticut". A big -Bah-Humbug- to them!!

{Christmas 2009 Tree}

Today I was thinking about how much I miss some of the little holday tradition from when the kids were younger. So I compiled a list of my favourites from Holidays past.

1. Christmas Concerts
2. Christmas light watching
3. Kids homemade gifts
4. Letters to Santa
5. Listening for Elves or Reindeer
6. Making tree ornaments
7. Baking 10 different kinds of cookies
8. Making the gingerbread house
9. Singing Christmas carols
10. Holiday Movies ( The Grinch, Frosty, Rudolf - The Island of Misfit Toys, Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, It's A Wonderful Life, Sound of Music,  )

What are some of your favourite Holiday traditions or favourite traditions from your past?

Sick day and Friday Fill-ins

My stomach hates me and everything I put in it. My head is pounding so I'm home sick today and have time to Fill-In this week.
Soooo...here we go!

1. Good times: Man I loved that show!  Remember when Janet Jackson played Penny?
2. I need to get my butt in gear this weekend and spread some holiday cheer around my home.
3. Sleigh bells ring... but I wish they would stop - my freakin' head is pounding.
4. I'm getting it done little by little.
5. Once more I have left my shopping too long and need to scramble to finish up.
6. Is this au revoir or just the end?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the start to the weekend, tomorrow my plans include finishing up my shopping and Sunday, I want to attend a family gathering at hubby's uncles farm and cut down our Christmas tree!

What are your plans for the weekend?
Visit more Friday Fill-Ins here.

Kokology - The Big Blowup

Are you ready to play KOKOLOGY?

What is Kokology?

Tips: 
• Say the first thing that pops into your head 
• Don’t try to predict answers 
• Be honest with yourself 
• Be prepared 
• Keep an open mind
  

{Pg. 110/Book1} An erupting volcano is one of the most awesome displays of nature's fury, belching forth hot lava and poisonous smoke that can reduce the surrounding landscape to grey ash. The destruction it brings overwhelms everything in its path, and it's easy to understand how ancient civilizations could have regarded volcanoes as signs of the anger of the gods. Even today volcanoes seem to be sending us a not so subtle message about our place in the grand scheme of things.

You are standing within view of an erupting volcano. Which of the following best describes your thoughts at watching the spectacle?

1. "Maybe this is nature's way of warning us to stop destroying the earth."

2. "I guess the pressure just got too high inside there."

3. " Wow - what a sight! I'm impressed!"

4. "It's in the nature of these things to blow up. Big deal."

You can leave a comment with your answers or keep them to yourself  - it's up to you.

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Answer the questions before you continue to scroll to reveal the key to "The Big Blowup"

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Kay to The Big Blowup

The thoughts you had about the volcano are linked to the way you react to explosive power, specifically the anger of a superior. We've all run into a boss, teacher, coach, or parent who throws the occasional tantrum - this scenario shows how you deal with those blowups.

1. "Maybe this is nature's way of warning us to stop destroying the earth."

You recognize when you're responsible for other people's anger and are willing to accept the blame. That same sensitivity and adult attitude lets you clear up any problems you might have caused.

2. "I guess the pressure just got too high inside there."

You place the blame of any problems squarely on someone else's shoulders. After all, if you thought you were doing something wrong, you wouldn't have done it in the first place, right?

3. " Wow - what a sight! I'm impressed!"

You accept criticism and even outbursts in a positive way, but that's not to say you take them lightly. That sunny outlook is sure to make a favorable impression on superiors in the long run, after they've forgotten whatever it was they were yelling for.

4. "It's in the nature of these things to blow up. Big deal."

Strong words, tirades, and harsh critiques leave you unimpressed, probably because you don't listen to them. Sure, that's a low-stress way to get through a chewing-out, but you're running the risk of never learning from your own mistakes. Maybe you should start paying a little more attention to all that sound and fury; it might be signifying something after all.

Note: I have decided to give Kokology a rest in the new year. Thursday December 31st will be the last Kokology post on Slightly Off-Center. Thank you all so much for your perticipation... it's been fun!

Morning Frost

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Morning Frost

{Wordless Wednesday #56}

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Kokology - Your Name Here

Are you ready to play KOKOLOGY?

What is Kokology?

Tips: 
• Say the first thing that pops into your head 
• Don’t try to predict answers 
• Be honest with yourself 
• Be prepared 
• Keep an open mind
  

{Book 2, Pg. 59} The world is full of other people, and their number grows day by day.  For Most of us, our social worlds also expand a little each day.  Most of our contacts with others are random, chance encounters with people we may never meet a second time.  But Sometimes fate has other plans, and the stranger you met just yesterday may change your life tomorrow.  that uncertainty is one of the things that keep life interesting.  Yes, each of our circles of acquaintances is constantly expanding.  But when you take a moment to reflect, you may be surprised at how that circle is not as wide as you might have thought.

(For this exercise, you'll need a blank paper and a pencil or pen.)

1. Write your name in a box in the center of the paper.
2. Try to fill the remaining blank space on the page with the names of people you know.  take as long as you need, but try to fill in the entire page.
   
3. Draw a single horizontal line through the center of the page.  It should cut through the box with you name in it.
4. Choose a name at random in each of the two sections of the page and circle them both.

You can leave a comment with your answers or keep them to yourself  - it's up to you.

Note:  Reading this in Google Reader? 

Answer the questions before you continue to scroll to reveal the key to "Your Name Here"

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Key to "Your Name Here"

Randomness is a simple and familiar concept, but one the mind has difficulty achieving inn practice. Even a conscious and honest attempt to make a random selection is never truly free from the influences of subtle biases and unconscious preferences. The names you picked from the crowded page were determined at least in part by your own perceptions of the people named and how you position them in relation to yourself.

The name you circles in the upper half of the page belongs to someone you respect or see as standing above you. The person whose name you circled in the bottom half is someone you take for granted or look down on. You may be surprised to find that these feelings are in no way related to whether or not you like the people in question. Love and respect do not always go hand in hand.

She Idolizes The Classic Beauties: Audrey, Marilyn, Brigitte, Rita

{Wordless Wednesday #55}

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good will toward men... Am I A hypocrite? You be the judge

Yesterday I was asked why I still celebrate a christian holiday if I don't believe in God.  My answer to this person was, while I don't know if there is or isn't a God... I do believe and celebrate in the teachings of  Jesus (the man).  They didn't quite get it I guess and (in not so many words) suggested I will rot in hell for my blasphemy.  ( hehehe  I love my parents!)

I consider myself agnostic. I don't believe in religious institutions that stand between an individual and his/her beliefs. I want to say first off, that ever since I was a young child, I've been to church, to Sunday school, and even married and had my children Baptized in a Catholic Church. But I have always felt a certain air of conformity that just felt somewhat stifling to me. I consider myself a very logical person -- and their reasons that God is real did not seem very logical to me -- and further more, I can't understand why they were trying to prove the existence of a God, if the belief  is based purely on faith (which by definition:  cannot be proven by evidence or reason).

Now I'm not saying that that a God does not exist; there very well could be some sort of higher power... I just don't know.  So many people do great things in the name of God.  Then again... there are many bad things done in the name of God too.  Some believe that their God or their beliefs are only way, creating intolerance and division between groups causing all sorts of problems in the world.  I think Jesus was an admirable, great  man --but just a man -- who was a great teacher and who stood up and died for a just and worthy cause, definitely for the good.   I see him as a historic figure - one of great historical importance.  A person can doubt God's existence and still follow the teachings of  Christ... can't she/he?

I don't think Religion is bad thing.  In fact, I think there are wonderful Religions out there with various aspects  I enjoy learning about and find interesting.  Most faiths have a few common fundamental principles. Such as:  Honor your parents, Don't judge others, -- and my personal favourite -- You are forgiven!

Peace on Earth, good will toward men.
KJV Bible, Luke Chapter 2 verses 7-14