Wednesday night was a wonderful, gluttonous candy grabbing bonanza that capped off more than a week of Halloween parties, birthday parties with Halloween themes, and even one baby shower that was a sugar coma inducing heaven for two adorable kids I know.
Thursday was…Christmas time?
Last night I arrived 20 minutes early for a meeting that was taking place at the South Fire Station. For a reporter, that was perfect. I could chat with some of the key players on their way into the meeting and pave the way to get their reactions after. But then it was getting awfully close to meeting time and I was still the only one standing in an otherwise empty room.
After a quick call to some people that might be able to help me find actual meeting location, I hopped into the car and headed toward the center of town. Surely any meeting that was happening would be somewhere in the center of town. Another reporter, actually, the one who unintentionally sent me in the wrong direction to begin with, called to tell me that she’d found the meeting. I was headed for the police station.
That’s when IT happened. I nearly dropped the phone. Could I really be seeing a full display of CHRISTMAS LIGHTS at the local nursery? Surely they are just taking advantage of the good weather to set up their displays, but no, there was no one else around.
I remember when it was a big deal that Santa arrived for a visit at malls on the day after Thanksgiving and that kicked off the holiday season. Sometimes he arrived by sleigh, car, helicopter, and where I grew up he even arrived in an antique truck! Nothing was lit until that magical day when Santa arrived.
Now, the ‘powers that be’ have decided that people will spend less money this year on the holiday shopping, so they are going to get people to spend earlier and longer and ugh, again it is all become about commercialism. Don’t even get me going on that topic, as it certainly isn’t a new one.
But on the day when my kids are rushing home to have a real dive into their candy bags (because the night before it was a limited dive before bed)…. let them have their joy in Halloween before rushing on to Christmas and visions of Sugar Plums – no, it’s probably visions of presents - running through their heads.
And then let us all savor Thanksgiving, which has long been one of my favorite holidays because it is so – un-commercial- and all about family, friends and sharing a meal or a day together. Thanksgiving was always the calm before the storm, but this year it might be a port in the middle of the storm instead.
Then, on the day after Thanksgiving, bring on the holiday music and light those trees and lawn decorations and enjoy a month of lights and music and food and friends and families and shopping and last minute errands, holiday cards, and catching up with old acquaintances. After Thanksgiving, bring it on!
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All Rights Reserved.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Zen and Dove Chocolate, Part 1
“Make Someday Today.”
All my life I’ve looked for reasons to justify eating chocolate. Finally, I’ve found one. Eating Dove® Chocolates will be great – not only for the happiness that dark chocolate induces in me – but also for my first attempt at blog writing in a series.
Every time I eat a Dove® chocolate I’ve noticed they are like fortune cookies with little life-altering messages on the inside of the wrapper. For example, today’s divine chocolate message told me to “Make someday today.”
Now I don’t reach for chocolate very often, but when I do, these squares always seem to have some kind of inspirational message inside the wrapper that usually hits home with regard to whatever is going on with my life.
Are there things that you have been putting off until ‘someday’? More often than not, ‘someday’ will never happen unless you start taking the actions today that will put the wheels in motion to achieve your goal.
In my most recent example, I knew only two things about creating a blog. First, I knew that I would need to do a lot of writing, and second, I knew that fear of learning to set one up held me back for a long time. Finally, I decided the other day that I needed to just DO IT, and so I did.
Being realistic about goals and dreams, obviously I’m not going to jet off to Australia tomorrow as I would like to, but I can take small steps now that start me on a path to getting there when we’re ready. The key is steady progress toward a goal. Australia is a huge goal because it is an expensive and time consuming kind of trip if I go the way I’d like to…but if I start saving now with that goal in mind…I will get there.
Find what dreams, career changes, new hobbies or experiences you’ve been putting off and decide that today is the day to make a change. “Make someday today.” Just do it.
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Watch here for my adventures into the personal growth topics I may find inside of my chocolate wrappers. Man, I love eating chocolate in the name of writing blog entries!
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All Rights Reserved
All my life I’ve looked for reasons to justify eating chocolate. Finally, I’ve found one. Eating Dove® Chocolates will be great – not only for the happiness that dark chocolate induces in me – but also for my first attempt at blog writing in a series.
Every time I eat a Dove® chocolate I’ve noticed they are like fortune cookies with little life-altering messages on the inside of the wrapper. For example, today’s divine chocolate message told me to “Make someday today.”
Now I don’t reach for chocolate very often, but when I do, these squares always seem to have some kind of inspirational message inside the wrapper that usually hits home with regard to whatever is going on with my life.
Are there things that you have been putting off until ‘someday’? More often than not, ‘someday’ will never happen unless you start taking the actions today that will put the wheels in motion to achieve your goal.
In my most recent example, I knew only two things about creating a blog. First, I knew that I would need to do a lot of writing, and second, I knew that fear of learning to set one up held me back for a long time. Finally, I decided the other day that I needed to just DO IT, and so I did.
Being realistic about goals and dreams, obviously I’m not going to jet off to Australia tomorrow as I would like to, but I can take small steps now that start me on a path to getting there when we’re ready. The key is steady progress toward a goal. Australia is a huge goal because it is an expensive and time consuming kind of trip if I go the way I’d like to…but if I start saving now with that goal in mind…I will get there.
Find what dreams, career changes, new hobbies or experiences you’ve been putting off and decide that today is the day to make a change. “Make someday today.” Just do it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Watch here for my adventures into the personal growth topics I may find inside of my chocolate wrappers. Man, I love eating chocolate in the name of writing blog entries!
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All Rights Reserved
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Nurturing New Habits
I remember reading somewhere that it it takes 21 days of repetition for something to become a habit. For example, if I want to remember to make my bed every morning, then I need to focus on it for the first 21 days and by then it should become a habit that I don't even really have to think about anymore. The same could be applied to writing here. I now see how easy it is to put it off...it had been so long since my last post that I had to completely start over again, and I was aiming to write at least every couple of days. It is so easy to say "oh, I'm tired, busy, etc...I'll do it tomorrow. " But then the next day comes and we say the same thing again and soon the habit is more about NOT writing than it is writing.
So I have a new goal. I will write every day for 15 minutes. Make no mistake though, that does not mean that I will post everyday! I do have to let go of some perfectionist ideas (or things will never get posted) but I also realize that I don't have to rush to put out an entry that is not yet what I'd hoped it would be. Some days might be spent in research or making lists of ideas to write about in the future. Several times each week I do plan to post my thoughts, however long winded or very brief they may be.
In theory, if I give myself one month, by November 25th my daily writing will have become a habit, but if I miss a day, I'll jump back in where I am. No guilt, regrets or punishments...just keep moving along until my habit sets in.
Anyone care to join me in creating a new habit in the month of November?
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All Rights Reserved.
So I have a new goal. I will write every day for 15 minutes. Make no mistake though, that does not mean that I will post everyday! I do have to let go of some perfectionist ideas (or things will never get posted) but I also realize that I don't have to rush to put out an entry that is not yet what I'd hoped it would be. Some days might be spent in research or making lists of ideas to write about in the future. Several times each week I do plan to post my thoughts, however long winded or very brief they may be.
In theory, if I give myself one month, by November 25th my daily writing will have become a habit, but if I miss a day, I'll jump back in where I am. No guilt, regrets or punishments...just keep moving along until my habit sets in.
Anyone care to join me in creating a new habit in the month of November?
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All Rights Reserved.
Halloween For Hunger
WILMINGTON - Few of us can say that we have spent half of our lives working on an annual food drive to support a local food pantry that assists families that might otherwise not have enough to eat. However, little Joshua White, who will soon turn four years old, is the exception to that statement. He enjoys collecting food for the Wilmington Food Pantry, and this is his second annual Halloween for Hunger food drive.
“I like to help hungry people,” said Joshua. Is it fun? “Yeah,” he replied happily.
Joshua and his mother, Amy White, are working on a variation of an annual campaign that was started by Joshua’s uncle, Dr. Jonathan White, a Doctor of Sociology and a professor at Bridgewater State when his community service oriented travels aren’t taking him around the world.
The Halloween for Hunger campaign addresses poverty on a local level by having children trick or treating for non-perishable food items on Halloween night. Joshua and his mom do a modified version of this and have put donation boxes at Joshua’s pre-school, The Wonder Years Learning Center, and also at Quick Chiropractic and Silver Cloud. After Halloween they will collect the goods and Joshua will deliver them to the Wilmington Food Pantry.
Karen Wurst, Director of The Wonder Years Learning Center explained that the school is a great place to implement things of this nature because “we’re very community-minded here and these two organizations (Free The Children and Halloween for Hunger) embody everything that we believe in here.
Dr. Leslie Quick, of Quick Chiropractic and Assoc. in Wilmington, encourages residents to come by and leave non-perishable goods in the box outside of her office. “The cans in there are going for a great local charity (Wilmington Food Pantry) that is near and dear to our hearts,” said Dr. Quick.
The third drop off location is the Silver Cloud on Main Street near Market Basket. Owner George Moutsoulis is hopeful that if people see that others are putting food in the box that is outside of his store they may decide to contribute too. We’re “trying to fill this box up,” he said.
Halloween for Hunger is an annual campaign whose goal is to help alleviate hunger while raising awareness of global poverty. Adopted by the Free The Children organization in October of 2000, the campaign pushes people to think globally but act locally.
Amy White stated, “It has to start in our community to make a global difference. It has to start now.” She continues, “There are so many people who fear that there is so much that needs to be done out there that they are paralyzed by it and do nothing.”
White, who was a Special Education teacher for 14 years before leaving to be at home with Joshua, firmly believes that each individual can make a difference. She reminds us of the old story about the child who was throwing starfish back into the ocean after finding hundreds of them washed up on the beach following a storm. An adult came along and questioned, “Why bother? There are so many and you’ll never save them all. It won’t make a difference.” But the child felt quite differently and replied… “It made a difference to that one” and threw another one back into the ocean.
White hopes that the kinds of lessons that Joshua is learning now about making a difference in the world will carry him through his lifetime. She hopes that he will follow in his uncle’s footsteps in the battle to make the world better place by eliminating hunger and poverty and the educating children of the world.
Poverty exists all around us. Halloween for Hunger and Free The Children believe that poverty and hunger are universal challenges that need to be met head-on by youth, community groups and governments alike.Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education. Through their unique youth-driven approach, more than one million children have been involved in helping others through programs in more than 45 countries.
Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free the Children has established a track record of success with 3 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.
From their website, http://www.freethechildren.org/, “The primary goal of the organization is to not only free children from poverty and exploitation, but also to free young people from the notion that they are powerless to affect positive change in the world and to improve the lives of their peers. More information about Halloween for Hunger can also be found on the Free The Children website.
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All rights reserved.
“I like to help hungry people,” said Joshua. Is it fun? “Yeah,” he replied happily.
Joshua and his mother, Amy White, are working on a variation of an annual campaign that was started by Joshua’s uncle, Dr. Jonathan White, a Doctor of Sociology and a professor at Bridgewater State when his community service oriented travels aren’t taking him around the world.
The Halloween for Hunger campaign addresses poverty on a local level by having children trick or treating for non-perishable food items on Halloween night. Joshua and his mom do a modified version of this and have put donation boxes at Joshua’s pre-school, The Wonder Years Learning Center, and also at Quick Chiropractic and Silver Cloud. After Halloween they will collect the goods and Joshua will deliver them to the Wilmington Food Pantry.
Karen Wurst, Director of The Wonder Years Learning Center explained that the school is a great place to implement things of this nature because “we’re very community-minded here and these two organizations (Free The Children and Halloween for Hunger) embody everything that we believe in here.
Dr. Leslie Quick, of Quick Chiropractic and Assoc. in Wilmington, encourages residents to come by and leave non-perishable goods in the box outside of her office. “The cans in there are going for a great local charity (Wilmington Food Pantry) that is near and dear to our hearts,” said Dr. Quick.
The third drop off location is the Silver Cloud on Main Street near Market Basket. Owner George Moutsoulis is hopeful that if people see that others are putting food in the box that is outside of his store they may decide to contribute too. We’re “trying to fill this box up,” he said.
Halloween for Hunger is an annual campaign whose goal is to help alleviate hunger while raising awareness of global poverty. Adopted by the Free The Children organization in October of 2000, the campaign pushes people to think globally but act locally.
Amy White stated, “It has to start in our community to make a global difference. It has to start now.” She continues, “There are so many people who fear that there is so much that needs to be done out there that they are paralyzed by it and do nothing.”
White, who was a Special Education teacher for 14 years before leaving to be at home with Joshua, firmly believes that each individual can make a difference. She reminds us of the old story about the child who was throwing starfish back into the ocean after finding hundreds of them washed up on the beach following a storm. An adult came along and questioned, “Why bother? There are so many and you’ll never save them all. It won’t make a difference.” But the child felt quite differently and replied… “It made a difference to that one” and threw another one back into the ocean.
White hopes that the kinds of lessons that Joshua is learning now about making a difference in the world will carry him through his lifetime. She hopes that he will follow in his uncle’s footsteps in the battle to make the world better place by eliminating hunger and poverty and the educating children of the world.
Poverty exists all around us. Halloween for Hunger and Free The Children believe that poverty and hunger are universal challenges that need to be met head-on by youth, community groups and governments alike.Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education. Through their unique youth-driven approach, more than one million children have been involved in helping others through programs in more than 45 countries.
Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free the Children has established a track record of success with 3 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.
From their website, http://www.freethechildren.org/, “The primary goal of the organization is to not only free children from poverty and exploitation, but also to free young people from the notion that they are powerless to affect positive change in the world and to improve the lives of their peers. More information about Halloween for Hunger can also be found on the Free The Children website.
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All rights reserved.
Get A 'Clue'
GET A ‘CLUE’
Drama Club Brings Board Game to Life
TEWKSBURY - Was it Professor Plum with a pipe wrench, Miss Scarlet with a rope, or Colonel Mustard with a gun in the study? Or was it one of other numerous combinations of numerous characters and weapons? There are ten “invited guests,” a staff including a butler, maid, and a gardener and a variety of other characters, and one dead body in the comical whodunit being brought to life on the stage at Tewksbury Memorial High School this week.
This stage production is loosely based on the movie “Clue” which was based upon the game of the same name.” Drama Coach Lauren Sprague, who is also directing the play, wrote the screenplay for the students. She added five extra characters to the cast to allow for more students to participate.
Sophomore Jason Levesque said that what makes this production unique is “the fact that it was a board game that I played all the time as a kid.” This show not only plays on that kind of nostalgia, but also adds some new twists and turns of its own.
More than 40 students auditioned for the cast of 31 roles. Another 20 students serve as the crew, building sets and doing all of the behind-the-scenes work that makes a production happen. Sprague said, “It’s a really great group of kids, and it’s a really huge group this year.” She also emphasized how hard they have been working. Many students have been rehearsing everyday since the beginning of September and there is also a group of about 15 students that come every day to work on sets.
On Monday afternoon they were all working through a dress rehearsal that also served to put the finishing touches on lighting and sound effects and the sets. The vibrant costumes spoke volumes about the characters and the cast was full of life with quick comedic timing and hilarious pratfalls and jokes. They seemed to be having a great time while presenting a fun show that audiences will enjoy.
Senior April Farmer has been working on drama productions since her freshman year. She is enjoying this show because she really likes the characterization and the fact that while portraying Miss Peacock, she “gets to be a bird personified.” She explained that this production differed from others she has participated in because the settings don’t change as much as in some production so it relies upon character interaction.
Other production members are new to Drama or at least new to the roles they are taking on this year. Freshman Alex Farmer is learning to do lighting after years of being the ‘younger sibling’ who baked for the fundraiser that helps fund the productions. She said, “I am enjoying doing the lights, then added, “I’m a fast learner.
Junior Marina Villeneuve is also learning on the job in her role as this season’s Assistant Director. Sprague said that Villeneuve has been very helpful because she is very organized. “She’s the best,” said Sprague.
It is a real team effort and they have all worked very hard to make this show happen. Thanks go out to the parents who helped build and design the set, to technical director Dave Moffat, and to everyone who put in time and effort for this production.
Join all your favorite Clue characters as they utilize comedy and a battle of wits to solve a mysterious murder. Watch mayhem ensue as accusations and theories fly and see if you can solve the mystery from your seats while the cast works it out on stage.
Tickets are still available. Performances are scheduled for Thursday and Friday nights at 7:00 and Saturday at 2:00 and 7:00pm in the High School Auditorium. Tickets are $8.00 each and are available by calling the High School office.
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All rights reserved.
Drama Club Brings Board Game to Life
TEWKSBURY - Was it Professor Plum with a pipe wrench, Miss Scarlet with a rope, or Colonel Mustard with a gun in the study? Or was it one of other numerous combinations of numerous characters and weapons? There are ten “invited guests,” a staff including a butler, maid, and a gardener and a variety of other characters, and one dead body in the comical whodunit being brought to life on the stage at Tewksbury Memorial High School this week.
This stage production is loosely based on the movie “Clue” which was based upon the game of the same name.” Drama Coach Lauren Sprague, who is also directing the play, wrote the screenplay for the students. She added five extra characters to the cast to allow for more students to participate.
Sophomore Jason Levesque said that what makes this production unique is “the fact that it was a board game that I played all the time as a kid.” This show not only plays on that kind of nostalgia, but also adds some new twists and turns of its own.
More than 40 students auditioned for the cast of 31 roles. Another 20 students serve as the crew, building sets and doing all of the behind-the-scenes work that makes a production happen. Sprague said, “It’s a really great group of kids, and it’s a really huge group this year.” She also emphasized how hard they have been working. Many students have been rehearsing everyday since the beginning of September and there is also a group of about 15 students that come every day to work on sets.
On Monday afternoon they were all working through a dress rehearsal that also served to put the finishing touches on lighting and sound effects and the sets. The vibrant costumes spoke volumes about the characters and the cast was full of life with quick comedic timing and hilarious pratfalls and jokes. They seemed to be having a great time while presenting a fun show that audiences will enjoy.
Senior April Farmer has been working on drama productions since her freshman year. She is enjoying this show because she really likes the characterization and the fact that while portraying Miss Peacock, she “gets to be a bird personified.” She explained that this production differed from others she has participated in because the settings don’t change as much as in some production so it relies upon character interaction.
Other production members are new to Drama or at least new to the roles they are taking on this year. Freshman Alex Farmer is learning to do lighting after years of being the ‘younger sibling’ who baked for the fundraiser that helps fund the productions. She said, “I am enjoying doing the lights, then added, “I’m a fast learner.
Junior Marina Villeneuve is also learning on the job in her role as this season’s Assistant Director. Sprague said that Villeneuve has been very helpful because she is very organized. “She’s the best,” said Sprague.
It is a real team effort and they have all worked very hard to make this show happen. Thanks go out to the parents who helped build and design the set, to technical director Dave Moffat, and to everyone who put in time and effort for this production.
Join all your favorite Clue characters as they utilize comedy and a battle of wits to solve a mysterious murder. Watch mayhem ensue as accusations and theories fly and see if you can solve the mystery from your seats while the cast works it out on stage.
Tickets are still available. Performances are scheduled for Thursday and Friday nights at 7:00 and Saturday at 2:00 and 7:00pm in the High School Auditorium. Tickets are $8.00 each and are available by calling the High School office.
Copyright 2007 CBLEGVOLD. All rights reserved.
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