New Year's Trivia and Fun Facts

Okay, we did holiday trivia last week, so let's ring in the New Year with some more fun!

• The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago.
• According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, more vehicles are stolen on New Year's Day than on any other holiday throughout the year.
• It is thought that the first visitors you see after ringing in the New Year would bring you good or bad luck, depending on who you keep as friends and enemies. Keep your friends close and your enemies far away!
• Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune.
• Celebrating New Year on January 1 is purely arbitrary, as neither it has agricultural significance nor astronomical. Many countries still celebrate it in spring, the season of rebirth of new crops.
• The Time Square New Year's Eve Ball came about as a result of a ban on fireworks. The first ball, in 1907, was an illuminated 700-pound iron and wood ball adorned with one hundred 25-watt light bulbs.  Today, the round ball designed by Waterford Crystal, weighs 11,875-pounds, is 12 feet in diameter and is bedazzled with 2,668 Waterford crystals.
• January has been named after God Janus (Latin word for door), in the Roman calendar. Janus is the God with two faces, one looking backwards and one forward, at the same time and marks the ‘spirit of the opening’
• Due to wartime restrictions, the New Year's Eve ball was not lowered in 1942 and 1943.
• Throughout the year, visitors to Times Square in New York City write their New Year's wishes on pieces of official Times Square New Year's Eve confetti. At the end of the year, the wishes are collected and added to the one ton of confetti that showers the crowd gathered in Times Square in celebration of the New Year.
• The top three destinations in the United States to ring in the New Year are Las Vegas, Disney World and New York City.
• Eating black-eyed peas, ham or cabbage are thought to bring prosperity. However, stay away from bad luck foods like lobsters, because they move backwards, and chicken, because they scratch in reverse. It is believed that eating these on New Year's day might cause a reversal of fortune.
• In Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico families stuff a life-size male doll called Mr. Old Year with memories of the outgoing year and dress him in old clothes from each family member. At midnight he is set on fire - thus burning away the bad memories of the year. 
• The tradition of making New Year resolution dates back to the early Babylonians.
• According to statistics 40 to 45 percent of American adults make one or more resolutions each year. The top New Year's resolutions include weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking and better money management. By the second week of January, 25 percent of people have abandoned their resolutions.
• In Italy and Mexico, people wear red underwear on New Year's Day as a symbol of good luck for the upcoming year.
• The Spanish ritual on New Year's eve is to eat twelve grapes at midnight. The tradition is meant to secure twelve happy months in the coming year.
• Noisemaking and fireworks on New Year's Eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck.
• According to the Mayan calendar, the end of the world will occur on on December 21, 2012 at 11:11(UTC) or 6:11 AM (EST). I guess Prince got it wrong. We shouldn't have partied like it was 1999. We should party like it's 2012! 

Holiday Triva Fun!

I am a huge trivia buff! So in my last post before Christmas, I wanted to leave you with some fun Christmas facts.  Yet, I can’t forget that Hanukah is underway and Kwanzaa begins on Monday. So I’ve included trivia and fun facts for all three celebrations! Feel free to share them over dinner with the family!

Christmas Facts

The word Christmas is Old English, a contraction of Christ's Mass.

Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.

Germany made the first artificial Christmas trees. They were made of goose feathers and dyed green.

Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.

"It's a Wonderful Life" appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.

Rudolph was actually created by Montgomery Ward in the late 1930's for a holiday promotion. The rest is history.

The Nutcracker" is the most famous Christmas ballet.

Jingle Bells" was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.

If you received all of the gifts in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," you would receive 364 gifts.

The poinsettia plant was brought into the United States from Mexico by Joel Poinsett in the early 1800's.

Poinsettias are very poisonous to dogs!

Popular belief holds that 3 wise men visited Bethlehem from the east bearing gifts. However there is no mention in the bible about the number of wise men who visited. The number might come from the fact that three gifts were brought - gold, frankincense and myrrh

The twelve days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (6th of January). According to tradition, the days represent the length of time it took for the wise men from the East to visit the manger of Jesus after his birth.

In 1843, "A Christmas Carol" was written by Charles Dickens in just six weeks. “Bah Humbug” was originally “Bah Christmas!”

Christmas became a national holiday in America on June, 26, 1870.

Black Friday is not the busiest shopping day of the year. Although it varies, it usually lands sometime in December, in the days immediately preceding Christmas.

In Greek, X means Christ. That is where the word "X-Mas" comes from. Not because someone took the "Christ" out of Christmas.

Traditionally, Christmas trees are taken down after Epiphany (January 6).

More diamonds are sold around Christmas than any other time of the year.

In Mexico, wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve is said to bring new love in the upcoming year.

At Christmas, it is traditional to exchange kisses beneath the mistletoe tree. In ancient Scandinavia, mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship. That may account for the custom of "kissing beneath the mistletoe".

History of the Candy Cane. It was created in a small Indiana town to symbolize the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy to symbolize the Virgin Birth. The candymaker formed the stick into a “J” to represent the name of Jesus. It can also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd.” He thought the candy was too plain so he stained it with a red stripe to symbolize the blood shed by Christ on the cross.

Hannakah Facts

Chanukah can fall anytime between the middle of November and beginning of January. The exact dates are decided according to the Jewish calendar, which is Lunar-based. The 8-day holiday starts on 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.

The candles used for lighting Hanukah Menorah are supposed to burn for at least half an hour after the stars come out.

Placing the menorah in a window, to share the miracle and the celebration with passers bys, is considered to be a very important tradition of the festival.

The festival of Hanukkah has become more commercial with the giving of gifts, due to its proximity to Christmas. Earlier giving gifts was not a part of its tradition.

The nine-branched candelabrum used on a Chanukah is a misnomer; it is actually called a chanukiah. The menorah is actually a seven-branched candelabrum.

Chanukah begins four days before the new moon, which is the darkest night of the Kislev month. The month is close to the winter solstice, which is the longest and darkest month of the year. Like many other faiths, the Jewish holiday of Chanukah brings light in the darkest time of the year.

For most of its history, Hanukkah was a minor holiday. It gained popularity in the late 1800s, eventually becoming one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays in the calendar.

It takes 44 candles all together to observe all the eight nights of the Chanukah festival.

Kwanzaa Facts

Kwanzaa is celebrated daily from December 26 to January 1.

Kwanzaa (Swahili for "fresh fruits") is based on an African harvest festival.

The Karamu, or feast, is held on December 31 and one of the high points of Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa was created by Maulana Karenga, a professor of black studies at California State University at Long Beach, in 1966. It is a nonreligious celebration of family and social values for African American families.

Gifts are given mainly to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol. The book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt, and the heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history.

The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green as noted above and can be utilized in decorations for Kwanzaa. Also decorations should include traditional African items, i.e., African baskets, cloth patterns, art objects, harvest symbols, etc.

The seven principles of Kwanzaa are: Umoja (Unity),  Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), Imani (Faith).

Favorite Funny Quotes

One week from know, we'll be celebrating the Thanksgiving (and a really long weekend, if you were lucky enough to get it off), I thought I’d leave you with some of my favorite funny quotes. If you didn't get the holiday off, Happy Thursday!

• "The meek will inherit the earth – if that’s okay with everyone else." – Author Unknown
• "The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you." ~ Rita Mae Brown
• "Forgiving without forgetting is like taking poison and hoping the other guy will die." – Floyd Wickham (sales expert)
• "The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off due to budget constraints." – Elaine Ambrose (humor expert)
• "Boys will be boys, and so will a lot of middle-aged men." - Kin Hubbard
• "Pro and con are opposites, that fact is clearly seen. If progress means to move forward, then what does Congress mean?" - Nipsey Russell
• "I must be wishing on someone else's star because it seems someone else is always getting what I wished for." ~ Unknown
• "A word to the wise isn't necessary; it is the stupid ones who need all the advice." - Bill Cosby
• "There are two different kinds of people in this world: those who finish what they start, and" – Brad Ramsey
• "Always proof-read carefully to see if you any words out." ~ Unknown
• "I've never been married, but I tell people I'm divorced so they won't think something is wrong with me." ~ Elayne Boosler
• "If crime doesn't pay... does that mean my job is a crime?" ~ Unknown

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Lucky you, if you are reading this from sunny California or Arizona! Most of us back East have at least another 6 weeks of winter (being from Cleveland, I always thought the Groundhog was optimistic to limit his prediction to just 6 more weeks of winter).

Days are short. Nights are long. And for many of us, it's freezing! Most of us will spend our time running from home to the car and then from the car to work and back again. It's too cold to even think about taking a walk or enjoying some real time outside.

So what do you do when you are cooped up in the house.

Here are a few things I do.

TV: It's a guilty pleasure to be sure and I've been chastised by many who feel television is beneath them. But I enjoy TV and movies. I enjoy them so much that I have a whole other blog devoted to them (It's a shameless plug, I know, but if you want to check that blog out it's at http://www.divasoulsista.blogspot.com/).

Puzzle Books: If you go to the magazine section in any drugstore, grocery store or Wal-Mart or Target, you will find puzzle books loaded with a variety of puzzles. I think they are a lot of fun. Plus, keeping your mind busy with word searches, fill-in, sudukos or crosswords helps keep your mind agile and alert as you get older!

Coloring: Yes, I color. I keep a coloring book and a pack of 64 crayons by my favorite chair in the living room. I find coloring to be soothing and relaxing.

Journaling: I guess it's no surprise that I would journal. I find journaling is a great way to get my thoughts out and help me work through the things I have on my mind.

Computer Time: In addition to watching silly videos on YouTube, I enjoy blogging and emailing old friends. I've said it before and I'll say it again, a single personal email from an old friend means a lot more than 100 emails that are forwarded to everyone on your mailing list!

Gabbing: I also call old friends when I don't feel like writing and just catch up. There is no better way to pass the time than to find out what an old friend or relative has been up to.

So what do you plan on doing to weather the rest of this winter weather?

Myth-Busters: Multi-Tasking

“There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once, but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.” - Lord Chesterfield

Obviously, Lord Chesterfield didn’t live in the 21st Century! Americans love to multi-task. We have to because we are busy, busy, busy! We drive while putting on make-up and talking on the phone. At work, we reply to emails while on conference calls. We return phone calls while walking on the treadmill. With the aid of a little technology, we can do it all! But can we? Consider the following.

* A study by the University of London Institute of Psychiatry found “Workers distracted by e-mail and phone calls suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in marijuana smokers.”

* Researchers at the University of California at Irvine monitored interruptions in the workplace and found workers took an average of twenty-five minutes to recover from interruptions such as phone calls or answering e-mail and return to their original task.

* And we’ve all encountered the multi-tasking driver who’s either wrapped up in his/her cell phone conversation or texting.

Times may have changed but our brains have not. The problem is the more you multitask the more difficult it is for your brain to switch between tasks. It takes time for your brain to make the switch … the same time you think you are saving. Your memory is also negatively affected by multitasking.

So what’s a busy person to do?

Do It Anyway: Multi-tasking works best when you are working when at least one of the tasks is inconsequential and doesn’t require too much thought. Checking voicemail or returning a call while walking the dog. You can write your to-do list while you are on the train. You should be able to use the treadmill while chatting on the cell phone. However, if the task is important or requires effort or attention, then it requires your focus…

Find Your Focus: Take small amounts of time to focus on a single task. Spend 10 minutes reading and returning emails. Devote 20 minutes to writing the proposal. You will be surprised that a dedicated focus will actually improve your productivity.

Tame the Technology Tiger: It is okay to temporarily turn your ringer off. Believe it or not, most calls aren’t urgent. Also close your email application so those annoying notifications don’t pop up every time you get an email. Instead, make a commitment to check your email at the top (and maybe bottom) of every hour or maybe after you finish each focused time period.

Go Karyn! It's Your Birthday!

You know that song September by Earth Wind and Fire. The first line is “Do you remember the 21st night of September?” Well, I do! Okay, I don’t remember the exact night in 19-ahem when I came into the world, but I’ve made a point in remembering that day ever since! Today is my birthday!

I know people who don’t make a big deal about their birthdays. They like them to pass without any fanfare or even any major announcements or acknowledgement. Not me – I’m sure many will blame the only child in me but I absolutely love my birthday. I don’t need expensive gifts or big parties but I do like to celebrate my day! Major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and The Fourth of July belong to everyone but my birthday is my special day (okay, I share it with Ricki Lake, funny guy Bill Murray, cutie pie Luke Wilson, and country singer Faith Hill).

Here is a list of reasons why people should make at least a little deal out of their birthdays.

10. Some places let you eat for free on your birthday (and a free meal is always a good thing).
9. You’ve made it though another year and a lot of folks weren’t that lucky.
8. You are officially a year older but you don’t look any older than you did yesterday.
7. If the hubs/wife or significant other forgets, you can milk a few more free meals out of it (I’ll say it again, a free meal is always a good thing).
6. Name another occasion where you can get people to sing to you.
5. Cake
4. It’s like your own personal New Year’s Day! Make new resolutions. Set some goals.
3. You could score some nice gifts, or at least a few gift cards or funny e-cards.
2. You can act as silly as you want and use your birthday as an excuse.
1. No birthday? Consider the alternative.

One thing I never do on my birthday is work. As you read this I’m either:

Sleeping in.
Eating strawberry covered pancakes.
Dancing to my special birthday mix CD.
Somewhere watching a funny movie.
Getting taken out to dinner - which makes free meal # 2 ;)
Digging into my birthday cake
Singing in the car on my way home.

It’s my birthday! Do something ridiculous!!!

Laugh More

Adulthood is very serious business. There are jobs to go to, careers to navigate, bills to pay, retirements to fund, insurances to purchase, marriages and relationships to maintain, kids to raise, yards and homes to keep straight, and cars to service. A 4-year old laughs and smiles an average of 400 times a day. An adult laughs and smiles just 14 times a day.

We can learn a lot from toddlers. They see wonder and fun in everything. Of course, they don’t have the challenge of finding humor in a tax audit or a micromanaging boss either. Yet, that doesn’t mean that we can’t find a few ways to lighten up.

Think about all the things we take seriously, and actually get upset and annoyed by? Long lines at the grocery store, traffic, gossiping co-workers, finding something to fix for dinner and it goes on. But a lot of these things are things we can’t change, so let’s work on accepting them and not letting them get to us so much. I don’t think we’ll ever come close to 400 laughs and smiles a day but we can manage to at least double the 14.

At Wal-Mart, I have learned to accept that I will probably be in line longer than it took me to shop. I used to get extremely annoyed as I paced back in forth in front of the checkout lines, estimating the wait time of each in my head. Now, I find a line and treat myself to a little tabloid time. I can usually thumb through an Enquirer and sometimes even a Star while I wait.

I also get a lot of simple enjoyment by playing with Marty. He’s always ready to play but a lot of times I get so busy that the only time he gets with me is walk time. Now I try to make a point of playing with him just 5 minutes a day. Talk about a stress reliever!

I think a lot of the time, parents do something similar with the kids. Getting so caught up in school, running them to practices and play dates, and the obligatory feeding and washing, that they forget to have fun with the kids and just take time to enjoy them. A few minutes of fun with the kids can double that 14 laugh statistics in just a couple of minutes.

There are enough things we have to take seriously without having to add to that list. Thinking about your life, what can you stop taking so seriously?

Tomorrow is Friday!

TGIF!!!
Time to Get Into some Fun!

Hopefully, where you are it will be nice and warm and sunny but even if it’s raining, do something for the sole enjoyment of it.

• Go to the beach.
• Walk at a park.
• Play paintball.
• Run through the sprinklers with the kids.
• Run through the sprinklers if you don’t have kids!
• Invite some friends over.
• Take in that movie you’ve been wanting to see.
• Play with the dog.
• Take a dip in the pool.
• Pop in your favorite CD or turn up your IPod and dance around the house like a fool.
• Better yet, dance outside like a fool and entertain your neighbors.
• Karaoke.
• Read a trashy novel.
• Eat a big, gooey hot fudge sundae.
• Drive up to the mountains.
• Take a relaxing drive – anywhere.
• Barbeque.
• Go to the farmers market.
• Find a shady tree and fall asleep under it.
• Wear a funky hat.
• Catch some fire flies.
• Have a water balloon fight.
• Put on something sexy and wash your car.
• Find a drive in movie theatre, go with your S.O and get frisky in the car.
• Have lunch outside with your BFFs.
• Have a romantic picnic .
• Buy some cool new sunglasses.
• Get a department store makeover.
• Give yourself a makeover.
• Enjoy a cool fruity drink.
• Dance outside under the stars.
• Sing loudly with the car radio.

Whatever you do, do it! And do it with Wild Abandon!!! Have FUN!!!!!

Take the Challenge!

I love Daylight Savings Time! It’s time for lots of fun in the sun days. So my question to you is what do you plan on doing with all the daylight that we are saving?

Will you:

• Take the dog out for longer walks
• Play outside more with the kids
• Take up swimming, golf or tennis lessons
• Spend more time at the beach
• Go on a great vacation
• Indulge in a few weekend getaways
• Start hiking
• Date more
• Visit friends more often
• Dust off the grill and barbecue
• Ride a bike
• Pull out the camera

Participate in my Daylight Savings Challenge with me and pledge to do something fun with all this extra Daylight. You can hibernate next winter!

Stealing Your Joy

Things are going well. Work is going fine, maybe you just got promoted. Your relationship is on solid ground. The kids are alright. Life is good. You’re appreciating and enjoying this smooth patch because at some point, things could change. Right now, though, you’re good; but not for long, if some people can help it.

Sadly, there are people who won’t share your happiness. Even worse, there are some people who will actively try to sabotage it. The saying misery loves company is tragically true. They will try to replace certainty with doubt, planting nasty little bugs in your ear: Are you sure he’s working late? They say feigning concern about your marriage.

They grit their teeth when you talk with pride about your child’s latest achievement. The offer you cake and fried chicken when you are losing weight or complain that you are too thin when you reach your goal.

Maybe they don’t talk to you at all. Maybe they talk about you to other people, complaining, nagging, gossiping about you to anyone who will listen.

Trying to change them is useless; so why try? The best way to defend yourself against these killjoys is to maintain a safe distance and create a buffer zone around you by surrounding yourself with those who want to share your joy and not steal it.

The holiday season is upon us and unfortunately, some of these killjoys might also be kin! If you can, still create that buffer zone. Another thing you can do is make it a game. Killjoys love to push your buttons, so when they start pushing, you start smiling. See how many times you can deflect their negative arrows. Heck, it might even be fun.

Help Me With My Positive Playlist

I read the book The Secret over a year ago. I've been doing vision boards ever since. And, I have to say, I've seen some of those visions come to pass. I had money on my board. Several months later, I auditioned for Millionaire and two months later, I had taped my episode. I had a vision of a new car. I got that too. I just moved into a new house that was also featured on my vision board.

Now, I'm working on what the book referred to as a Secret Shifter - something that can shift your mood when it's less than productive. I have a few songs, but I can use some help selecting a few more.

Here's what I have so far ... and why.

Magic (Robin Thicke) - This song is about the power of your thoughts and how we all have the ability to create our own 'magic.' All I got is concrete all around me, but I can see the countryside. You can be rich when you’re poor. Poor when you’re rich. It can be raining and I can make the sun shine.

Be Optismistic (Sounds of Blackness): The title says it all. As long as you keep your head to the sky. Be Optimistic!

Gotta Get Up (Jill Scott): If ever there was a Monday morning song, this is it! She wants to stay in bed but she's gotta get up. I'd rather chill at home. I'd rather lay alone. It's true, but I got to work. I don't wanna go. I wanna play today. But what can I say. Bills to pay. I just can't get comfortable doing nothing! That last line is my favorite :)

Make It Happen (Mariah Carey): This is one of her earlier songs and it tells the story of her determination as she tried to make it in the business. Still I had to keep on going, never knowing. If I could take it, if I could make it thorugh the night. I held on to my faith. I struggled and I prayed. And now I've found my way. If you believe in yourself enough and know what you want, you're gonna make it happen.

You Can't Get What You Want (Joe Jackson): Back in the 80's, I was addicted to MTV. Joe Jackson was a cool British singer and sang the truth with this one. You can't get what you want ... til you know what you want.

You Gotta Be (Des'ree): This song is full of good advice. Listen as your day unfolds. Challenge what the future holds. Try and keep your head up to the sky. Lovers, they may cause you

What other songs should I include? I'm open to almost every style of music!

Boundaries

"Hello. My name is Karyn and I'm a people-pleaser."

Well, I'm a recovering people-pleaser and conflict-avoider. From childhood through most of my 20's, it was really important for everyone to like me. I bit my tongue a lot. I often gave in just to keep the peace. I held on to people that I needed to let go of because being liked and not having tensions and hurt feelings was so important.

But making everyone happy was exhausting. I was stretched too thin and stressed to my limit. That's when I realized that many of the people I was so intent on pleasing were not concerned with pleasing me. While I was busy trying to meet, and even exceed their needs, it wasn't being reciprocated. My needs were not being met. And I didn't even like some of these yahoos!

I finally asked myself : "What if everyone didn't like me?" Would my world fall apart? Would I suffer? Would I be alone and friendless? Would I become a modern-day Eleanor Rigby? What if I said, "No, I can't do that right now?" What if I said, "Sorry. I can't. I have some other things I have to take care of?" How bad could it be?

So I started saying no. I started setting boundaries. I decided what was acceptable for me and what was not. And you know what, it wasn't so bad. It wasn't bad at all. Truth be told, it felt good.

I'm not saying that I just walk around randomly saying no just to say no and to be difficult but if what's being asked of me is too expensive, too time-consuming, too difficult for me to manage or will put too much on my plate then I say no. I don't mind pleasing others as long as I'm pleasing myself as well.

Sure I can loan you $50 if I have it but if all I have until payday is $55, then the answer is no. Sure, I can babysit your kids at the last minute, but not if it involves changing plans I made months ago and am looking forward to.

I also started speaking up for myself. Since I still am not a big fan of conflict, I learned how to do it in a way that was tactful and respectful and not full of hostility and emotion. "No, it is not okay for you to raise your voice at me." "No, I don't appreciate you cancelling out on me at the last minute." Or in the case of my chronically late friends, "I don't like waiting over an hour and a half for you to get ready!" (and if you are reading this blog, you know who you are!)

The best part was that I didn't lose any of the people that I wanted in my life and the ones I did lose needed to get lost anyway.