Colleen Houck's Blog, page 50
November 6, 2013
Falling for Apple Pie-*bonus, Halloween Costumes!
Falling for Apple Pie
November is here and that means Thanksgiving is right at our doorstep, so I thought it would be fun to share some of my personal favorite pie recipes with you. After all, there is no dessert that says “home” or “holiday” like a pie.
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Here’s a holiday rhyme to start things off,
When all the leaves are off the boughs,
And nuts and apples gathered in,
And cornstalks waiting for the cows,
And pumpkins safe in barn and bin,
The Mother says, “My children dear,
The fields are brown, and autumn flies;
Thanksgiving Day is very near,
And we must make Thanksgiving pies!”
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*Check out the end of this blog for what I was for Halloween
Fortunately, I not only have the recipe but a step by step guide with pictures. My husband’s birthday falls on October 22nd and when I asked what special dessert he’d like, he asked me to bake a pie.
Starting from scratch we will make a buttery, flaky pie crust.
Pie Dough
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*Makes enough dough for one double or two single crust pies.
~2 ½ Cups flour
~1 Tablespoon sugar
~1 Teaspoon salt
~2 sticks (1 Cup) unsalted butter, very cold
~1 Cup water (drop a few ice cubes in and set it aside)
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Directions:
1. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in large bowl.
2. Dice butter into ½ inch pieces.
3. Sprinkle butter cubes over the flour and begin working them in with a pastry blender (you can also use a large fork). When all of the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas (this won’t take long), stop. Yes, even if it looks uneven; you’ll thank me later.
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4. “Glue it together”. Start by drizzling ½ cup of the ice-cold water (but not the cubes) over the butter and flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gather the dough together. You’ll probably need an additional ¼ Cup of cold water to bring it together, but be careful to add 1 Tablespoon at a time. Once you’re pulling large clumps with the spatula, take it out and get your hands in there. Gather the damp clumps together into one mound, kneading them gently together.
5. Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, but preferably at least two, before rolling it out.
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*You can prepare this dough in advance and it will keep in fridge for about a week, and in the freezer longer.
Lattice Apple Pie
~ ½ Cup unsalted butter
~ 2 Tablespoons flour
~ ½ Cup white sugar
~ ½ Cup brown sugar (packed)
~ ¼ Cup water
~6-8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
~Cinnamon
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Directions:
1. Peel and slice Granny Smith apples (thicker slices for crunchier pie, thinner for softer bite)
2. Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit (220 C)
3. In a bowl, toss the sliced apples with enough cinnamon to coat them lightly
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4. Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar, and water; then bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer 5 additional minutes.
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5. Take pie dough and roll into circular shape about ¼ inches thick. *Can you see specks of butter? This is perfect because it will make the crust flaky and buttery! Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, and use lattice method for top crust. (You do not need to bake the crust before filling). *Notice that the pie filling is still sitting in a saucepan while you made a lattice top pie crust? This is very important.
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6. Now gently pour the pie filling mixture over the top of the crust, being careful not to spill over the edges. First try to fill the gaps in the crust, and then feel free to cover the pie entirely.
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7. Bake at 425 (220 C) for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 F (175 C) for another 35-45 minutes. Watch for the crust to be a light golden, bubbly state.
*Because the sauce is on top of the crust, it not only forms a nice presentation with an amazing top crust, but the bottom crust does not get wet, so is able to quickly cook and set in the first 15 minutes of baking. After that, the sauce moves down, blends with the juices and sugars from the apples, and results in what I consider the best apple pie ever.
Enjoy!! Stay tuned for the pumpkin pie recipe coming soon! If you’re looking for a great recipe for Turkey Day send me a request and I’ll try to give you some options.
Thanksgiving Feasting
When the Halloween pumpkins are gone,
And the leaves have all fallen to ground,
When the air has turned windy and cold,
Then Thanksgiving will soon be around.
Thoughts of loved ones all feasting together,
Pleasant pictures from past times appear
To dwell in each heart and each mind-
Then Thanksgiving is finally here!
The kitchen has scrumptious aromas,
The dining room looks oh, so fine,
Decorations with pilgrims and turkeys,
And now we are ready to dine!
First the napkins are placed on our laps;
Now the prayer for the meal to be blessed,
Then we stuff the good food in our tummies,
And we hope for it all to digest!
By Joanna Fuchs
OK, so as promised earlier, I would share a picture of what I was for Halloween, so, here you go, may I present. . .
Mary Poppins and my Bert!
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And, I just have to share one of Colleen Houck's fans who dressed up as the white tiger, Ren. Here is Holly from Holly's Reading Hollow,
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She will be getting a special prize from Houck for her awesome costume!!!
~ “Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
Wushu
Today was a lesson on the effects of failing in your exercise routine. Like I have mentioned before, I typically workout 5 days a week. I recently gave myself permission to add a second rest day because my body was feeling overrun and tired. I can't wait to take out that rest day again but for now, it's an easy cardio (leisurely bike ride or swimming with my daughter, for example) or nothing at all. This last week was just a whole bunch of craziness and I completely expect this week to be the same. But then.... then some of the craziness will die down and I'll be left primarily with what I foist upon myself.
The good news is that Aman is on vacation next week so I'll have an extra week to practice before having another lesson. The interesting news is that because Aman is gone and I've paid for that lesson, I'll likely be having two lessons in one week. Head, don't explode..... please.
So last week I stretched maybe three times, practiced wushu for 30 minutes, and I think I ran once somewhere in there. FYI, I can tell. I can tell after just one week that I didn't do what is normal for me. It kills me to know that I'll have another week of not normal.
My lesson didn't go too terribly although I got tired quicker. Breaks are also not very long nowadays since I am adjusting (Aman says "getting a wushu body") so that probably had something to do with it too.
I learned..... already can't remember what it's called... Power Hammer, perhaps. It involves stomping and slapping your fist into your palm. It kinda hurts. Kinda turns the back of your hand red. And I pretty much have to pretend I am someone else entirely so that I can achieve anything that resembles powerful movement. And of course we combined it with other previously learned movements.
I have all the moves in the first form down really well but now I have to work on giving each movement power AND flowing between them. There's a slight difference between what I'm currently doing and what I need to do. I'm not sure how to get from A to B but at least I am mindful of where I need to be.
Getting closer to aerials! I'm not sure if I am excited for that or not... I've been jumping and now I'm jumping and kicking. And jump spins. And cartwheels.
"Can you do cartwheels?"
"Yes!" I was excited. I could actually start something not-terribly.
"This is one of those one-sided only things."
"Then I probably am terrible at it."
"Left foot in front?"
"Yes!!! I won't be terrible!!"
And I'm not. I do need to be more straight and ending in a line. And, well, it's hard to explain but my typical cartwheel has me facing front but turning sideways on the way down. I just learned as a kid so it's not like I've had instruction. For wushu, at least, I bend at the waist straight down and then turn sideways right at the very end. It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it but it should help with my legs going straight up and over instead of falling out of my vertical plane.
31 October 2013
I'm finding that in practice, I remember the individual movements but not always the combinations that we do them in since we go through so many different things. Sometimes I keep a few notes on my phone but I think bringing in a notebook would be a little quicker. Although.... Jared helps. He'll recognize what I'm trying to figure out and let me know if I'm on the right track or not.
November 4, 2013
Living with Thanksgiving
Living with Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a season of saying thanks, sharing and giving, serving and connecting with friends and family. It is the season when we turn our thoughts to all of our “haves” pushing out thoughts of “have nots”. It is the season of forgiveness, kindness and positive change. Yet, all too often we get caught up in the holiday rush with the Black Friday shopping, the mad dash to the airport, the hurried family photos and the stress of checking our growing holiday lists off, and in this madness of good intentions, forget to slow down and enjoy our bountiful blessings during the holiday season.
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So, to kick off the holidays this year, let’s crank up the fun and minimize the stress! The three tips I’d like to share with you are,
#1- Remember, less is more
#2- Plan ahead and prepare now
#3- Before adding to that list of things to do ask yourself, is it going to add to or detract from the holiday spirit?
If you stop and reflect on some of your favorite holiday memories, I bet they would be centered on time spent with family and friends and not so much about how amazing your table centerpiece was or how elegant your lattice pie turned out or what gifts you bought for your loved ones. My challenge is to stop and take time to say thanks to the one bagging your groceries after you’ve stood in that long line, smile to the employee who hands you your take out, help a stranger in need, offer a compliment to someone to brighten their day, focus on others' strengths and forget about their weaknesses, stop and look at your loved ones, capture the little joys in your day (because you DO have them), tell your family that you love them. Life is just too short to get caught up in all the fluff. Not that the fluff isn’t wonderful because it is, but that’s it, it’s just fluff.
I’d like to share three true stories to start this month of Thanksgiving right,
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Give time to our family
By Stephen on October 14, 2008
After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, “I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.”
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. “What’s wrong, are you well?” she asked.
My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. “I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,” I responded. “Just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment, and then said, “I would like that very much.”
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s. “I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, “she said, as she got into the car. “They can’t wait to hear about our meeting.”
We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. “It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,” she said. “Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor,” I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation – nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.
“How was your dinner date?” asked my wife when I got home. “Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,” I answered.
A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her. Sometime later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates – one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.”
At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: “I LOVE YOU” and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till “some other time.”
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The important things in life
By Stephen on September 13, 2008
A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the remaining open areas of the jar.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”
“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter – like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff.”
“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party, or fix the disposal.”
“Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
Author Unknown
The last cab ride
By Stephen on November 20, 2009
Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. One time I arrived in the middle of the night for a pick up at a building that was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.
Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked.
“Just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice.
I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80′s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase.
The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.
“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.
“It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”
“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.”
I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.
“I don’t have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to take?” I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching into her purse.
“Nothing,” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered.
“There are other passengers.”
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.
“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you.”
I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware—beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.
A true story by Kent Nerburn
Thanksgiving is a time to ponder over the things we are grateful for. So, why not take a moment now, here's a couple images to get you started,
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So now that November is here, I encourage you to follow the three tips shared along with my challenge and see what difference your actions can make this Thanksgiving season!
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For fun, click here to listen to a BEAUTIFUL rendition of the song Amazing Grace. This song really puts me in the right mood for Thanksgiving!
To help make things easier for you, I’ll be posting my favorite apple pie and pumpkin pie recipes this week so you can have the option of enjoying them as I will be this Thanksgiving holiday!
‘Till next time~
Linda Louise Lotti
October 31, 2013
"Bubble Bubble Toil and Trouble"- A Closer look at Witches!
Bubble Bubble Toil and Trouble-A Closer Look at Witches!
“Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork, and blind-worms sting, Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.” - William Shakespeare
The witch, the sorceress, the devil’s consort, the enchantress flying across the moonlight, what do we know of their mysterious origins? Who is the woman behind the myth of the witch with extraordinary supernatural powers? Why were they tortured and burned at stakes and how did the belief start that witches could fly? Let us discover the forbidden secrets, the enduring power, the myths and the magic of the Witch
A witch is a powerful being of fairy tale and myth who has haunted the human consciousness for thousands of years. She has been seen as the dark side of herself, the shadow who's become a monster.
Beginnings
There are many different beliefs as to the origins of the witch. It is believed by some that they came from early Goddess colts. These were the women who served the Goddess. These Goddess figures, some dating back 20,000 years, were revered for their magical ability to increase fertility and nourish the land. For thousands of years, the Creation Goddess was worshipped. She goes by many names; in ancient Mesopotamia she was called Inanna, the “queen of heaven”, in Egypt, she was called Isis, in the land of Canaan, she was Asherah. All of them held power over the forces of life and death. There were those women who would worship these Goddesses and dedicated their time to serving those in need. They were holy priestesses and over time, they were known as the Wise Women. They made house calls to care for the sick, removed impurities, took off sorcery, cured babies, helped with infertility, to name a few. From earlier spiritual ceremonies stemmed the beginnings of witchcraft. During these times, the Wise Women were looked to for help and council. They were seen in a positive light in their communities. Later came the rise of Christianity and the use of “magical healers” was no longer necessary. Religious persons became tremendously suspicious of their methods and were soon seen as heretics, minions of Satan. According to these religious fanatics, these Wise Women did not rely on God and practiced “black magic”. They labeled them as witches, .
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Inanna, Goddess of ancient Mesopotamia
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Isis, Goddess of Egypt
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Asherah, Goddess of Canaan
Witch Hunts
The familiar witch we know of today in popular folklore and superstition is a combination of numerous influences. The characterization of the witch as an evil magic user developed over time. Witch hunts appeared in southern France and Switzerland during the 14th and 15th centuries and spread in the 15th century to parts of Germany. During this time, the supernatural was a part of everyday life. Witchcraft was used by peasants, who invoked particular charms for farming and agriculture. Over time, the idea of "white magic" changed to "dark magic" and became associated with evil spirits and the Devil.
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Men and women believed that all the misfortunes were attributed to the work of the Devil so when things like crop failures, infant death, contention between neighbors, etc. occurred, it was the supernatural to be blamed.
In the early 1600's, Springfield, Massachusetts experienced America's first accusations of witchcraft. The first recorded witch trial was when a husband and wife, Hugh and Mary Parsons, accused each other of witchcraft. He was found innocent and she was sentenced to be hanged for the death of her child. She died in prison before the hanging. Then there were the Salem Witch trials in the year 1692 and 1693. In Salem, Massachusetts (and surrounding towns) there was a series of hearings before local magistrates followed by court trials prosecuting persons accused of witchcraft. Over 150 people were arrested and imprisoned (not including those who were not formally pursued by authorities) and 55 were convicted of witchcraft. Many were hanged to death while others died while in prison. It was recorded that one of the men convicted refused to enter a plea and was crushed to death under heavy stones in an attempt to force him to do so.
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Other accusations of witchcraft and wizardry led to another prosecution in Tennessee as recently as 1833.
Flying on Broomsticks
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There seems to be different theories on this one so I’ll give you the two that seemed most credible to me.
Theory A:
The first known reference to witches using broomsticks to fly dates back to 1453. A witch named Guillaume Edelin confessed to using a “flying ointment” that was used for flight on the broomstick. Shortly after this time period, witches began to be associated with their broomsticks in recorded history around 1456.
So, what is this “flying ointment” you ask? First of all, it is important to note that many supernatural beliefs and stories throughout history were fueled by the use of drugs. And, what better way to make you think you can fly than to be high on some hallucinogenic? Drug use among these witches was part of their rituals and was indeed quite common. Many hallucinogenic compounds were made from a number of plants and were also used during the middle ages to make “brews”, “ointments”, or “witches salves”.
Theory B:
The origin of witches riding brooms comes from a Pagan ritual known as the Harvest Fertility Rite. The Pagans would “ride” brooms through the fields and jump as high as they could, signifying how high they wanted the crops to grow. As the Christian religions came into the picture, this ritual was somehow later connected with witches and exaggerated to say that witches could really fly.
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Green skin, warts, pointy chins and long noses, ugly old widows
Throughout history, witches were depicted as regular looking women although typically plain, older, and widowed. It seems as though the iconic witch with green skin, a long nose and pointy chin is the imaginings of the wicked witch of the west from the film The Wizard of Oz in 1939. Prior to that film, the Wicked Witch of the West was described by the author as short, squat, one-eyed had a bib bulbous nose, and an extremely long pointy cap.
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The changing image of the witch over time
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An old woman with warts and a long pointy nose
The Wicked Witch of the West from the film Wizard of Oz
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The cauldron
The use of cauldrons in association with witches was popularized by Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. There is a Celtic legend that tells of the cauldron being used to bring dead warriors back to life, although speechless and soulless. Cauldrons symbolize the Creation Goddess and represent the womb (due to the fact that it holds something). If it is being used on an altar, it represents earth. If you were to go shopping for a cauldron sold in “metaphysical” stores they may have various symbols of power inscribed on them.
Shhhh, did you hear that? I think I hear voices. They are chanting, no, they are singing…
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork and bling-worms sting,
Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.
I believe I heard the Song of the Witches by Macbeth. Did you hear it too?
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The black cat
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The black cat is a strong stereo-type associated with witches but in most modern witch stories and films, there is seldom a black cat. Throughout history, a real witches’ familiar can be any kind and color of animal. In Asian witchcraft, there are two types of witches associated with either the fox or the snake. It is believed these witches make a bond through an agreement to take care of the animal in exchange for the animal’s loyalty and magical powers. There are many cultures with superstitions about black cats, often ascribing good or bad luck to them. Folk magic tells that the black color is a strong antecedent for magical properties. Black cats have played a major role in folklore and mythology. In the middle ages they were believed to be the witches’ incarnate. Cats are primarily nocturnal and roam at night, they were believed to be supernatural servants of witches, or even witches themselves. One story tells that if a black cats are witches in disguise, or witches reborn. When these witches were caught and burned at the stake, it was common for their familiars to be killed along with them. Still today, there are many people who maintain these superstitions about the black cat.
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So now we see just how these ancient beginnings molded and shaped the spooky image of the witch we know today. The potions, the sorcery, the cauldron, the broomstick, the black cat, the creepy features and the pointy hat,
all associated with the Halloween image of the Witch.
Let’s look at some of the witches over history,
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The three witches from the film Clash of the Titans (old) **These witches CREEPED me out when I first watched the film.
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One of the three witches from the newer film remake of Clash of the Titans (I haven't seen t his one but this witch is definitely creepy!)
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There are stories of both the bad witch and the good witch, as found in Wizard of Oz
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The modern goth witch
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And let's not forget how society puts a "pretty" spin on the image of the witch
Well, we all know what time it is, that’s right, it’s HALLOWEEN! I want to wish you all the happiest, safest Halloween! I’ll post my costume picture soon, it’s a surprise! Feel free to share what you are going to be for Halloween this year by leaving a comment.
Happy Halloween!
It’s late and we are sleepy,
The air is cold and still.
Our jack-o-lantern grins at us
Upon the window sill.
We’re stuffed with cake and candy
And we’ve had a lot of fun,
But now it’s time to go to bed
And dream of all we’ve done.
We’ll dream of ghosts and goblins
And of witches that we’ve seen,
And we’ll dream of trick-or-treating
On this happy Halloween.
-author unknown
~ Till next time, Linda Louise Lotti
October 30, 2013
Dodge it. Or Else. {Wushu}
I'm tired today. I was tired yesterday too. I'm fighting a cold that hasn't fully manifested itself yet. I hoped my wushu lesson today wouldn't be too bad. Sometimes it's hard to tell if exercising will give you more energy or just drag you down a bit more. In this case, I mostly remained status quo. Still tired but I wasn't lacking in energy really so it was okay that I didn't have more energy by the end of the lesson.
Today's lesson began with kicks. I'm liking my front stretch kicks lately. They're looking better. I can kick higher than my shoulders now and am getting better at focusing on kicking my imaginary opponent so each kick is happening with more quickness. I like feeling there is improvement beyond learning something new. It's always exciting to learn new things, putting the basics into different combinations. It is harder sometimes to see the improvement within one wushu movement. If I were working on pull ups (oh wait, I am), I can see the improvement by being able to do one pull up. And then two. And so on. With something like kicks or punches, well, improvement isn't measured by the number of reps. You have to focus on form, hitting your target, having as much force where you want it and when you want it, increasing strength for solidarity, more flexibility for height or squatting. You can learn push up form easily and then just have to build strength. Wushu is so much more than just strength. It doesn't feel like strength training at all. It isn't a strength workout although I'll build strength from it. I don't know what to categorize it besides "martial arts". It can be a bit like cardio and a bit like strength. It's building athleticism. It feels cool. I've never been an athlete before.
I learned a new front kick called Front Slap Kicks. It involves slapping. Twice. (TWICE.) For how apprehensive I felt, I didn't do too badly. That's a good sign for me. I'm not tightening up as much. I'm not overanalyzing (um all the time anyway). I've got to work on feeling my whole body at once because when I focused on my arms, my stretch kick (with a pointed toe which tripped me up since regular front stretch kicks are flexed) suffered and vice versa.
Aman started me on wheeling arms. You use these a lot in future movements, I guess. Yep, wheeling arms. I'm going to guess that it will get easier after a bit of a break for my brain to compartmentalize it, stop thinking, and then just do it.
And just so I don't forget again, stance work: Horse, Drop, Bow, Empty, Rest. A new set of arms this week though. As far as moving from one stance to the next, anything into drop stance is hard. Going from a squat (horse stance) into something lower (or even the same height as horse) but moving one foot away from my body is hard. It's like the trouble I'm having with back sweeps. Gotta increase core strength, decrease thigh tightness, and increase outer thigh strength. Minor things, you know. HA.
Near the end, we worked on five stance again. This is when I felt tired the most since we've been doing so much. It was harder to have a strong singular focus. I was glad for corrections though. When it comes to working out, I assume I'm doing it wrong until I'm told it's right whether by doing enough reading or talking with a trainer or something like that. I know what the end result should look like but I don't necessarily know how to get myself there or what I should focus on first until it is muscle memorized.
24 October 2013
Kaelyn is adorable attempting the wheeling arms! I only had half an hour to practice today between homeschooling, sewing Kaelyn's Halloween costume, and heading off for some Halloween fun with her cousins. Apparently stretch kicks by themselves don't look very wushu-like. But the front slap kicks and any stance + arms grants me "Come on, Suki! Like a boss!" or "you're doing it, Mommy!" or "show me that".
27 October 2013
Well, phooey. I just didn't get much exercising done this last week and that includes practicing wushu. My mental capacity is stretched thin right now! Wushu is a day early this week too. But then I'll have two full weeks until the next lesson so I'll have plenty of time to make up for it. It was probably better that I didn't work out as much. I've been more tired than usual and still have a bit of a cold. My body probably needed a break.
I just have to remember what happened yesterday though. As Jared was cooking up some pork and leek dumplings, I had Kimmi dodge my punching. In my kitchen. Sometimes even I don't know how we decide to do what we randomly do. I punch, she dodges. It was too hilarious to not immortalize on film.
Kimmi would like me to claim she was tired. But.... :-)
At least I wasn't this bad when I first started.
Soon Kimmi will be gone and out of my house and I'll be punching and dodging air. And uh actually focusing during most of my wushu practices....
October 25, 2013
"BRAINS!" - A Closer look at Zombies
Have you ever wondered why zombies? Who came up with that idea? Well, for the next 6 days, I will be featuring gruesome Halloween creatures and sharing their dark history with you! So, grab some popcorn and red vines, sit back and just try to relax while I take you on a little stroll down zombie lane.
Let’s take a closer look at Zombies
What is a zombie?
A zombie is raised by a disease and it has a single biological imperative, which is to spread the virus by biting human beings. The Zombie is spread just like a plague. History has shown us the apocalyptic effects of plagues before. In the fourteenth century, there was a bacterium which spread from Asia to Europe killing almost a third of its population. They called it the Black Death, known later as the Bubonic Plague. 
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The human flea responsible for the plague (infected from the rat flea). Did you just get the heebie-jeebies?
Without a scientific explanation, these people had no understanding of why so many were dying. If you want to look at what a zombie apocalypse would look like, a great starting point would be to look at the Black Plague. One of the most disturbing elements to this plague was not only that this virus would kill you but that it unhinged everything human about you. Later, in 1918 an even more devastating event occurred, the Spanish Flu, killing nearly fifteen million people. This was the first time the H1N1 virus was the recorded on this magnitude. It was the number one source of death for the soldiers during World War 1, more so than the fighting itself. This virus devastated the populations as it attacked many young children as well. They were frightened at the thought of extinction.
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Where did the idea of zombies come from?
The origin of zombies stems from Haitian Voodoo practices. The word “zombi” in Haitian means “spirit of the dead”. In Voodoo folklore, the Voodoo priests were said to practice the arts of black magic. It was believed these priests possessed the power to resurrect the dead by administering a powder orally called coup padre-coup padre. The main ingredient in this powder was tetrodoxin, a deadly substance found in the poisonous “porcupine fish”. According to legend, an individual who no longer wished another person to live would hire a Bokur, or Voodoo priest, to turn the desired person into a “zombi”.
The coup padre-coup padre powder would then be given to the individual, producing dead like symptoms as it would slow their heart rate to a near stop, change their breathing pattern and their body temperature would drop. The living would believe the person to be dead and would be buried, essentially alive. The Bokur would later exhume the body, still alive, with their memories erased and would be transformed into mindless drones. The Bokur would use them as his personal slave.
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Bokur, Voodoo Priest
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Haitian "Zombi"
Who was the first zombie we know of?
In the year 1816, Mary Chelly wrote her own cautionary tale about the destructive potential of technology. She created the most famous zombie in history, the monster of Dr. Frankenstein. A story about what happens when humans try to play God.
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What fears helped create the zombie?
At the time Mary wrote her story, there were a lot of scientific discoveries. She felt that these scientific studies would do more harm than good. In 1968, the movie The Night of the Living Dead fed on these same fears that terrible things could happen when humans tamper with nature.
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Today, biological weapons have become our Frankenstein. In 2001, there was the Anthrax scare where this deadly biological weapon was delivered to targeted Americans. There has been a lot of discussion whether it’s possible to have a real zombie apocalypse. The answer is, in some ways, yes. There are a lot of different pathogens and parasites that can infect the humans with a zombie like plague, minus the desire for eating brains of course (at least for now that is).
There are some existing neurotropic viruses that are the stuff nightmares are made of. For example, the rabies virus. This virus is typically transferred through biting from an animal. This virus travels straight to the brain and literally makes you go crazy to the point of biting other people. According to National Geographic there are about 55,000 deaths from the rabies virus each year, mostly in Africa and Asia. 
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Rabies patient
Then there's the Ebola virus which causes high fever, intense migraines, nausea, organ damage, and widespread hemorrhaging.
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Here's a diagram of what happens on the cellular level. Every time I see this image the hairs on my scalp stand on end!! For sake of nastiness, I have omitted any real pictures of individuals with this disease. And yes, you're welcome.
If these two viruses were to combine and form a hybrid virus, we could be looking at a zombie type disease (though they are not the living dead of course). There is a book, later turned movie that played with these ideas. Inspired by the 2006 novel titled World War Z, the new World War Z movie starring Brad Pitt explored the very notion of a zombie apocalypse transmitted by a virus.
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Of course, another way this could happen would be if a virus were to mutate. Let's hope that never happens right!
But, don't panic because most viruses aren't interested in humans. They attack single celled microbes. Another reason not to panic is that many viruses actually help us but I won't go into that right now.
What are we doing about these fears?
Did you know that the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has a section of their emergency preparedness site dedicated to preparing for a zombie like disaster and lists several suggestions for how to prepare for such an apocalypse? Now, we will probably never see the day when the dead rise from their graves only to feast on flesh, but it doesn’t hurt to take precautions right? The CDC urges each home to keep an emergency kit with a map and evacuation plan. Really it’s meant for any viral outbreak but if the shoe fits right?
How did we create the modern day zombie?
The modern zombie we know today stems from the ideas of William Seabrook in his novel, ‘The Magic Island’. The book details Seabrook’s visit to Haiti, studying the native culture’s voodoo traditions. This led to the discovery of the resurrecting of the dead, a term he coined as “zombie”. This novel then gave inspiration for the film “White Zombie” that came out in 1932.
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Since that time, several novels and films have come and gone with scarier faces and better special effects. We’ve seen zombies that talk (“Brains”), zombies that rise from the grave (Michael Jackson's Thriller), zombies that can think, some that can’t, zombies that are slow, some that are fast (what?), some that can be cured, others not, and even some that fall in love (I've even just learned of some New Adult books that feature love interests with zombies. Um....can I say vomit!!!!) 
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I’m a sucker for the Walking Dead and the film Warm Bodies (hilarious right?). What are some of your favorite zombie books or shows? What would your zombie be like if you could create your own version? Leave a comment and share your thoughts! We'd love to hear!
Till next time~
Linda
October 23, 2013
Wushu's Five Stance Form
Lesson 5. I know how to execute all the little things that make up the fancy cool stuff. I'm probably exaggerating by saying ALL but, you know, gotta take the confidence where you can, right? Anyway. I know how to execute them even if I don't do them very well yet. I still have to fix my thumbs during a punch and work on getting my wrist flexibility increased to name a few. But I know how to do them so now it's fun to put them together. It actually is kind of fun. My learning style is really quite apparent particularly when I'm out of my league. I want to learn wushu and I don't hate it. But I come to each lesson feeling significant apprehension because nothing is very natural to me yet. Particularly the moves that need power, snap, and flair. Which is, oh, let's just estimate about ALL OF IT. I'm able to focus better in each lesson. Stress less, focus more. The apprehension is still there simply because things are new. The individual moves aren't new but the combinations are. During the week, I mull things over in my head and practice. I try to encourage muscle memory. I don't know that I'll ever lose the apprehension during lessons. It's hard to imagine myself without something that I've always been with. It's like seeing Linus without his blanket. Or Reese without her spoon. Or Ren without Kelsey. Or Mr. Kadam without his books. Or Kishan without.... his shirt.
Trying to do back sweeps has highlighted a problem spot. I find it really difficult to lift my legs sideways. It all of a sudden feels like I have no leg strength. It seems a little ridiculous to me. I'm no stranger to exercise or squats or what not but doing things like leg lifts while squatting kills me within the first five. Or maybe the first two. Relating this back to back sweeps.... I need to be down on one leg and able to lift the other off the ground while keeping my torso upright. But if my torso is upright, I can't lift my leg. If I lift my leg, my torso falls forward which is a killer for momentum. Aman suggested looking over my right shoulder to keep my torso upright. That caused me to not crouch down all the way (but my leg came off the ground). I've come to a few different possible solutions: FOAM ROLL. FOAM ROLL FOAM ROLL. That's three suggestions right there. Also, I need to do some outer thigh-specific exercises. And then foam roll again. Everyone needs to have a foam roller. For a good cry session, roll your IT band (outer thigh between the knee and hip). Both of mine are terribly tight (my last trainer said that most people's are).
I learned the first form in its entirety! Aman videoed it. Good news! I can only get better from there....
Okay, so maybe not that terrible for just learning it all but it could use a whole lotta polishing. Wax on, wax off.
Oh! Oh! Diary, we worked on inside kicks too. I've been struggling with those even with practice on my own. I haven't gotten it to feel like it was right. It wasn't clicking and I couldn't figure out why. I felt like I was turning too much but I didn't know why since I wasn't consciously trying to turn. My focus was primarily on the kicking leg. Aman's third explanation is when I got it. "You're just doing a stretch kick while facing an angle. And then at the top of your kick, you swing in front of you." I guess my kicks were trying to turn while still kicking which was causing me to turn too much. After a few tries, something shifted and the kick felt totally different. It felt easier and more controlled. Finally, it felt right! And I got a "that's it!" from Aman.
16 October 2013
After my run today, I laid on my side and did some single leg lifts as part of Project Outer Thigh. That was pathetic. Of course I foam rolled. I also cried. Don't laugh, diary. The IT band hurts.
My hips are feeling sore and my hamstrings are tight. Otherwise, I'm doing well!
I completely forgot some good news yesterday, Diary. My daily protein shake is working! I'm pretty sure I didn't change anything else except that and my weigh in was better than the last several weeks. Meaning, body fat percentage went down instead of up. Wa to the hoo! Not but a huge amount but that's okay. I just want to not be frustrated at it going up unnecessarily. The protein shake gives me nutrients and calories without feeling heavy so I'm able to still eat full meals the rest of the day.
21 October 2013
Dear Diary,
We were having a family evening out. The library and then ice cream afterwards. We got a Gotta Love It from Cold Stone shared between 5 people. Cookie Doughn't You Want Some (or something like that) but with peanut butter ice cream instead of French vanilla. Taaaasty! Anyway, four of us were there at Cold Stone waiting for my brother to arrive. His portion of the ice cream was more like cream soup by the time he got there but I'm sure it still tasted yum. Despite Kimmi and I in jeans and Jared in office clothes, Kimmi begged for me to show her the five stance form again.
Which I did.
And then she complained at all my corrections.
If you want to do the form without doing the stance work... what do you expect?
It turned into a fun time despite all the cars going by. We turned heads and maybe not in a good way. Except for Kaelyn. She is just plain adorable (of course I'm biased). Kimmi and I worked on the form which is getting to be not too terrible. It is flowing better at least. Jared started getting involved too. Up to this point since I began learning wushu, he's asked a few questions and answered mine but hasn't been physically involved. I don't want to push him... I want him to want to do it and he knows that. There is a fine line between encouraging and pushing. I was ecstatic when he asked if I had started tornado kicks. No, I haven't. And I even knew what they were. They look really cool when you get good at them and whip around in the air. So he started showing us. Kaelyn got in on the action too with her hands up above her head to the right and then spinning to the left. Jared got his knees up but didn't extend his legs but still. I'm super proud that he did that much a few times at least before feeling the difficulty of not using his muscles like that in so long.
THIS is why I wanted to learn wushu. Something to do together. Something to bond over. A way to be active together. Something Kaelyn can be included in but also doesn't have to be around for. I loved it.
LOVED.
He also showed how to get into a butterfly kick (I know he really enjoyed doing those) even though he isn't currently able to complete it. And he showed me a long fist form that he knew. It is similar to the five stance form I know.
My hip has started to hurt more even though I haven't been doing much with it. I try to warm it up well before attempting any outside kicks or whatever will twist that leg into a hurting position and I stretch and foam roll it daily. It frustrates me but I know I need to be patient so it can heal and that could take a while. I'll just keep taking it easy. And buy a tennis ball to really get into that hip joint. A can of food works but not as nicely as a ball will.
Featuring the award winning author, Tera Lynn Childs
For today’s blog, Colleen would like to feature the talented author, creative genius and personal friend, TERA LYNN CHILDS
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Tera Lynn's Bio: Tera Lynn Childs is the award-winning author of the mythology-based Oh. My. Gods. and Goddess Boot Camp, the mermaid tales Forgive My Fins, Fins Are Forever and Just For Fins, and a new trilogy about monster-hunting descendants of Medusa that includes Sweet Venom, Sweet Shadows, and Sweet Legacy. She has two new e-novellas coming soon, Goddess In Time and Pretty In Pearls, and has e-published two fun chick lit romances, Eye Candy and Straight Stalk. Tera lives nowhere in particular and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages.
Now I have known Tera Lynn a long time. We first met at the Romantic Times Convention in Los Angeles back in 2011 if I remember correctly.
The book I am showcasing is an Oh. My. Gods. novella entitled
Goddess in Time
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Pre-order now! Available on November 5th!
Now I have read several of Tera Lynn's books but I haven't started this series yet so I'm very excited! Here is some info about Goddess in Time,
As a descendant of Greek gods, Nicole has attended the Academy alongside other students with
magical powers on a Greek island. Life is pretty perfect—except for the fact that she was sentenced to stay there because of a childhood prank that also resulted in her parents’ banishment. When Nicole discovers a book that teaches the forbidden magic of time travel, she knows she must take a chance to right her wrong. With the help of her friends Troy and Phoebe, Nicole sets off on a quest that will take her from the heights of Mt. Olympus to the ocean depths of Poseidon’s home and to the bowels of Hades. Can she mend her mistakes? And is changing the past what she really wants? The past and future combine in thrilling, unpredictable ways—especially when Greek gods are involved!
I thought it would be fun for us to get to know the author a little better so I’ve included a personal interview with Tera for your pleasure.
Me: When is your birthday?
Tera: September 10
Me: What's your sign?
Tera: Virgo to the core
Me: What is your natural hair color and eye color?
Tera: brownish and hazel
Me: What is your favorite color?
Tera: turquoise
Me: What is your favorite food?
Tera: vegan cupcakes
Me: What is your favorite smell?
Tera: apple cider
Me: What is your all-time favorite book?
Tera: Pride and Prejudice
Me: What is your favorite movie?
Tera: The Usual Suspects
Me: What is your favorite TV show?
Tera: Firefly (all-time) and Supernatural (current)
Me: What one item would you never travel without?
Tera: earbuds
Me: Who was your first kiss? Details!
Tera: *zips lips*
Me: Who is your current secret actor crush?
Tera: Jensen Ackles
Me: Describe your perfect date.
Tera: Something surprising and fun.
Me: What qualities do you look for in the “perfect guy”?
Tera: loyalty, strength, fairness, intelligence
Me: What is your favorite holiday?
Tera: Halloween, but probably because it’s next—I like almost all of them
Me: What talent would you say you possess? Aside from the fact we all love your talent for writing!
Tera: logistics, I’m great with planning
Me: Who's your favorite band?
Tera: Pickwick
Me: What is your favorite cereal?
Tera: honeycombs
Me: What is your favorite dessert?
Tera: tiramisu
Me: What books occupy your nightstand?
Tera: A towering TBR pile (currently includes Scorched by Mari Mancusi and the Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols).
Me: What is your favorite mythical creature?
Tera: mermaids
Me: What is your favorite flower?
Tera: calla lilies
Me: What is your favorite superhero?
Tera: Wonder Woman
Me: What inspired/motivated you to write?
Tera: reading romance novels and my graduate thesis adviser
Me: What do you love about writing?
Tera: the brainstorming phase, building characters and worlds
Me: What do you struggle with or dislike about writing?
Tera: actually writing, sitting down and putting words on the page
Me: What drives you?
Tera: madness and love for my characters, I want to tell their stories
Me: Of all the character’s you’ve written, who are you most like?
Tera: Grace from the Sweet Venom books
Me: What was your favorite book to write and why?
Tera: always the next one, the book after whichever one I’m currently slogging through
Me: Who’s your favorite character from your stories and why?
Tera: Thane from the Sweet Venom books because he’s silent and mysterious, he has a secret past, but he’ll do anything to protect the ones he loves!
If you think this series is just what you've been looking for, you can buy your copy on Amazon.
I am putting the first two books in the series here too in case you are interested in starting at the beginning. For more details on this series or to peruse Tera Lynn's other books, check out her website at teralynnchilds.com.
Oh. My. Gods. Series:
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Here's a glimpse of her other series:
Sweet Venom Series:
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Forgive my Fins Series:
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Till next time~ Linda
October 21, 2013
Something Wicked This Way Comes, a History of Halloween
Something wicked this way comes- A history of Halloween
Have you ever asked yourself, “where does Halloween come from, why do we wear costumes, when did trick-or-treating begin, and why do we carve pumpkins into Jack-o-lanterns?” If so, you aren’t the first person to wonder how Halloween became the traditional holiday that it is today.
Discovering how it all began, we must go back thousands of years to the ancient Celtic tribes in Europe. So lock your doors, dim the lights and prepare yourself as we dig up the real story of Halloween!
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Origin of Halloween
Approximately 2,000 years ago, the Old Celtic Calendar marked the celebration of the New Year on October 31st, called Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts in the area now known as Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, marked this day as the end of summer and harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter. To commemorate the event, hey built huge sacred bon-fires where they people gathered offerings of animals and crops as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. If they had a bad harvest, it was an omen for death and suffering. Many Celts believed time and space at night became permeable and spirits of the dead could wander in and out of our reality. They believed the veil was thinnest at this time of year. Stories of people getting trapped on the other side circulated while spirits of the dead would haunt the living.
The Roman Empire conquered the Celtic territory and continued the Samhain celebration and added to it a day called Feralia, late in October to commemorate the passing of the dead.
A few hundred years later, the Pope dedicated a day, May 13th, to honor all Christian martyrs, known as “All Saints Day”. The Christian church later moved the day to November 1st to drain the life out of the Samhain holiday. This is when the Samhain name changed to “All Hallow’s Eve”, the day before All Saints Day. The church didn’t think one day was enough so they added another day, November 2nd, to honor the souls stuck in purgatory, known as “All Soul’s Day”.
In the middle ages, Priests would ask saints to pray for dammed souls in purgatory and it was believed that if enough prayers were offered up, the soul could fly up to heaven.
This led to a custom that bears a remarkable resemblance to modern day trick-or-treating.
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Celtic Warrior
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Samhain Festival
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Celtic tradition to wear animal masks for Samhain Festival
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Ghosts were seen because they believed the
veil was thinnest on night of October 31st.
Origin of Trick-or-Treating
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Children would go door to door begging for “souling”, which is to ask for soul cakes (spiced cakes with raisins) and in exchange, these children would offer up prayers for the trapped souls.
Years later, some of these celebrations and traditions reached the shores of America as many Europeans immigrated.
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Origin of Masks
Masks were worn frequently when drinking alcohol and acting wild by both beggars as well as those in high society to hide their identity. They also wore them to protect their image in society when they made political stands or arguments.
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Origin of Tombstones and Coffins
During the time of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, many believed not only in God and angels but in the Devil and demons. They believed ghosts haunted the living. To appease these demons, the priests would pour milk and offer little cakes on the ground before the tombstones.
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Origin of Bats
Before electricity there was oil lamps and fire. During this time of year, many large bon-fires were made and gathered around. It became common to discuss the ghosts that visited/haunted and this turned into what is now known as ghost stories around the camp fire. Not only did the fires attract fear or ghosts, but of bugs. And, what eats bugs at night? Bats. Before long, bats became associated with these celebrations.
Origin of Witches
In the 16th century there was a witch panic. Witches were seen as a wicked person in league with Satan. Witches were healers and religious persons became quickly suspicious. It didn’t take long before the odd kitchen tools used for making their remedies became acquainted as the model Halloween icons. Think of the broom, the cauldron, the pointed hat, and the cat.
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Bats, graveyards, witches and ghosts. . . The spooky elements were taking shape for what would soon become Halloween.
Origin of the Jack-o-Lantern
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The Civil War happened and devastated so many Americans. There was so much death and unexplained mysteries and missing persons. This led to fear and ghost stories became commonplace. After the war, the Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their All Hallow’s Eve traditions with them, one being the Jack-o-Lantern.
There once was a man named Stingy Jack who was a trickster and big trouble maker. In fact, he was so bad that when he died he wasn’t allowed into heaven or hell. The devil couldn’t keep him but took pity on him and offered up a piece of ember from the fires of Hell and gave it to Jack. Jack put that ember in a hollowed out turnip to light his eternities in darkness. Ever since, Jack has roamed the earth with nothing but a glowing lantern to light his way. People then carved pumpkins and lighted it to ward off Jack or other evil spirits.
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Origins of our Modern Halloween
The term All Hallow’s Eve changed to Halloween over the years and by the 20th century; Halloween became a day of fear, and mischief. Adolescent boys used this day as an excuse to pull pranks on the town by throwing stones in windows, or eggs at the doors, disassembling farm equipment or unlocking the farm gates. What started out as harmless pranks became dangerous and hurt people. Some would set fire to stores or put bars of soap on railing, causing cars to come off the tracks. Something had to be done. The communities needed the focus to change. They thought of having costumes and parades during the day and a party at night. Someone came up with the idea of “buying” the neighborhood pranksters off with treats. They adults quickly discovered their houses were left alone when they did this and the homemade popcorn balls and candy apples soon became wrapped candy bars and sweets. The coined phrase, “trick-or-treat” was born and to this day, still triggers cascades of candy into plastic pumpkins and pillowcases.
Artists established the look of Halloween. Ghosts were in white sheets, Devils wore horns, and Witches had pointed hats and warts.
Here’s a little look at how Halloween's creepy creatures have evolved over the years:
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Then. . . .
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Now...
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Now...
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Then. . .First zombie movie in "White Zombie"
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Now. . . Zombie from the tv hit series, "The Walking Dead"
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Then. . . First vampire film, "The Vampire" in 1913
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Then. . . Bela Lugosi in film "Dracula"
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Then. . . Bram Stoker's Dracula
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Now. . . Brad Pitt in "Interview with a Vampire" film in 1994
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Now. . . Robert Pattinson as Edward in "Twilight"
There you have it, a showcase of everything that scares the human race the most, but on October 31st, we turn our fears into fun!
So, beware of haunted houses and creaking doors, ghosts in billowing sheets and zombies from the grave. Watch out for full moons and black cats and don’t be surprised if a smiling Jack-o-Lantern wishes you a Happy Halloween!!
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Till next time~
Linda Louise
October 17, 2013
Wushu Improvement
I'm beaming, Diary. Aman said I did goooood today! I took a well bandaged ankle and my new shoes. And my other shoes just in case I really needed to. Which I never did but it never hurts to be prepared once you've already screwed up.
Jared said that it seems like I'm learning a lot of new stuff every week. I thought that was kind of the point. He remembers working on kicks for a whole class period. I consider this a benefit of a one-on-one lesson. Wushu tailored to my level of learning instead of a whole class. And also a different style of teaching from Shaowen Yu, Jared's wushu master. Old Chinese man... young Indian man... In a class setting, you don't always get instruction or help on an individual basis from the teacher. The students would help each other more frequently though. I mean, if Aman says "watch your arms", well, there's only one person he could be telling that too. If Shaowen gives correction, it is to the class at large which I think would make me second guess myself and my mind go further into overdrive. "Is he saying that because of me? I thought I was doing okay. Crud. What were my arms doing? Oh shoot, now I know that one wasn't right but I don't think that's what I was doing before. Maybe it's to someone else. Or maybe not. Argh!"
This week didn't feel like I was learning a lot of new stuff. Just refining what I knew and putting it all together. I don't know what new things we didn't do because we didn't want to aggravate my left hip (which was feeling better today, yay!) but that's okay. I actually think this was my favorite lesson so far. I'm beginning to feel like I'm not quite so far out of my world. It has only four weeks but these are some of the good things I have observed:
My flexibility has gotten better! Not so very long ago, my sitting stretch looked like I wasn't doing anything. Now, I can put my hands on my feet.
Improved Downward Dog! Okay, so this should go under better flexibility but I like lots of bullet points when I'm patting myself on the back. My heels have always been in the air for Downward Dog. But not anymore! I discovered this quite by accident while stretching a few days ago. MY HEELS TOUCH THE FLOOR!!!
Other way I see improvement (Kimmi and Aman both commented on this) is my front stretch kicks are looking better and have more snap (ahem, intention).
I don't feel like my head is whirling around trying to wrap around extending when I'm uncomfortably out of my bubble. My focus is better and I think it shows in my movement.
Kaelyn thinks I'm awesome. Well, maybe not. But she does love practicing wushu with me and asks me to help her with the more difficult things (which is nearly everything to a three year old). It's adorable.
Daily stretching has not only been helping my flexibility but has improved the tightness in my hips.
I get more movement in my day. I'm a fairly active person already. I exercise 5-6 days a week and don't have a desk job. I find myself randomly punching or kicking while walking across a room though.
Aman taught me the last of the first five stances. I do assume there are way more than five stances. Learning the first five stances means I can learn the first form. Google tells me it is called Wu Bu Quan. In English, Five Stance Form. When Kelsey learned the stances, she said that Rest Stance was the hardest on her legs. Rest Stance has gotten much easier for me but Drop Stance and Empty Stance, today's new stance, still prove difficult for different reasons. Since I now know these five stances (Horse, Bow, Drop, Rest, and Empty), I began the form. And again, Aman told me the practical application. Blocking and punching. I figured out that you're fighting multiple attackers with this stance. Or you're fighting one person who can monkey over top you to get to the other side of you. I still need to work on hitting each movement with sharpness. Less flowy, more IN YOUR FACE.
Speaking of in your face, the last ten minutes was spent with boxing gloves on. Yes, on me. The last two weeks I dodged the gloves when he wore them. Today, Aman said I needed to punch. I don't know if that was his intention going into the lesson but learning that I am dealing with frustrations without an outlet certainly led to it. And so I punched the hand pads. Punch, punch, punch, POP. The pop sound means I punched well. It's loud. It feels good.
I can't believe I'm admitting that. Even if it's only to you, Diary. But punching did feel good. It was such a relief. I've always felt like I needed a punching bag for when I got angry, frustrated, upset, was holding in too much negativity. I've never tried it before. I liked it. I liked the stress release. I liked the focus. I liked punching. This is not like me but it feels good.
Punching like this isn't wushu. But "in martial arts, you need to know what it feels like to hit something". But... in lesson 4? I'm okay with it now. It felt good.
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Side note: this second picture was actually taken at my next lesson but I wanted to show a bit of improvement. My toes are still pointed outwards (they should point straight in Horse Stance) but they are getting better without me thinking about it. My wrists need way more flexibility. My torso is more upright while maintaining a deep stance. And if you look reeeeeeeeeally closely, you can see Aman in the mirror.
9 October 2013
Dear Diary,
Yay! The major soreness of beginning something new has passed! My thighs are a bit tight and I'll have to spend some extra time foam rolling them and my IT band but overall, I can't say that I'm all that sore!
One problem I talked to a trainer about yesterday was my frustration with my weigh ins not being where I want them to be. I exercise and eat well. I eat when I'm hungry and eat until I'm full. Sometimes past full. I still eat dessert at least once a week but they are usually little things like a no bake cookie or a Reese's peanut butter cup. Non-wheat either way. And I do detest tracking calories because, well, I just don't have time. But occasionally, I track for a day or two just to see how I'm doing. Um, can we say UNDER calories? See my frustration, diary? I think I'm not eating enough so my body is just holding on to what it gets which makes my weigh ins not where I want them to be. She suggested a protein powder (which I have but don't use daily) with milk in the afternoon. It's light enough so it won't feel big like a meal but gives me calories that aren't carbs which will just turn into fat. Perhaps a few other ideas are in order but I don't have any. High protein, low carb, not heavy snacks.
Anyway, my legs aren't sore but they have started feeling tired easily. It is probably related to my lack of calories so hopefully adding in this protein shake will help my legs feel not so tired. (And give me better weigh ins. I won't complain.)
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Side note: Once again, this second picture was taken at my next lesson. I see my torso is more upright while maintaining a deep stance. My front thumb is in a better fist grip than the first picture!
12 October 2013
Dear Diary,
I haven't been able to get in as much practice time as I wanted to this week. It's one of those times again when I have this fear of being overwhelmed with... well, life, I guess, and I have immense trouble focusing on anything. I really hate to be one of those people who says "the future will be better" but.... well, the future will be better! There are some points in life that you just have to close your eyes and hang on for the ride.
My blister-turned-raw-skin is healing up nicely! I've taken it easy with my new shoes (I can learn....) lately and have kept it well padded when necessary.
I think the extra protein shake is helping. I'll have to wait until weigh in to find out numbers but I have been feeling better which is better than numbers on a scale. But I still want to know the numbers.
Also, it's pretty adorable to watch Kaelyn practice with me.
Just sayin'.
