Abracadabra

Magic Day

I’m feeling cynical today…

so I’m admitting I’ve never been

especially impressed by magic.

That coin that suddenly appears

when someone reaches behind your ear.

 Yeah, sure…

I wouldn’t have felt a coin

sitting behind my ear!

What I most dislike about magic…

is the frustration!

I want to know how the tricks are done!

 I want to know the trick!

 But, my mind

is not a trick-learning mind

and I struggle to understand,

or even see, the trick!

I hate not knowing something!

I hate it even more

when people around me all get it

and I am still left wondering,

puzzled and increasingly frustrated

 and annoyed.

How could I possibly enjoy magic

with these negative vibes all around me?

 If you like magic –

today is your day…

pull flowers from your sleeve,

pull rabbits from hats

and collect coins from people’s ears!

(I do like trick where the ladies

change clothes

behind a flowing sheet of fabric…

but, again…

the frustration!

How??!)

 

How Would you Like Your Funeral?

Create A Great Funeral Day

I guess you should plan

your own funeral today…

It’s Halloween tomorrow

and that’s when the earth opens up

 and all of the scary creatures escape…

 if you don’t dress up

and look scary too,

they will most likely kill you.

 Good to be prepared with a good funeral!

Righto…

I want a sunny day.

If that’s not possible,

I want a rippin’ good storm.

Thunder booming and

lightning tearing across the sky…

 Rain pelting down

and turning the ground to mud.

I’m going for cremation…

and then, scattering.

(while this may be illegal,

I still want to be scattered,

so this may have to be done

on another stormy night,

so no one sees! –

Nope, It’s ok.

 I just checked with the

NSW Health Department’s site a

nd they said it’s ok to scatter ashes

 because all micro-organisms

are killed off in the 750–900 degrees fire…

 though, you need permission

from councils to dump ashes

in their parks, etc.

So… back to dark clothes

and stormy nights,

so you avoid the pages of paperwork!)

I’m not really a fan of funerals…

I’m not too concerned about my own.

 I expect a few tears will be shed

 and someone will say a few nice words…

and then someone will talk about

my weird habits and strange behaviour

and everyone will enjoy a little chuckle.

I like the Thai style

of having a party for a few days…

 streets are closed to traffic,

music blares until all hours

and my life could be celebrated.

It might be fun to have me laid out

 on the dining room table l

ike in the “old’ days!

Then, everyone would cover their mirrors…

(You know I’m coming back

to play tricks on you!

Covered mirrors won’t stop me!)

Music? – I don’t really care.

I like most music anyway.

Food? I won't be eating it!

Clothes for the bereaved… colourful.

Flowers?

Whatever is in season and plentiful.

If you can get them from the

side of the road

(again – dark clothes and

under cover of night!)

go for it!

And the coffin – cheap and nasty is fine –

 it’s being burned at 750-900 degrees anyway!!

Clothes… something comfy –

though, they will be burned, too…

so who cares!

My organs – take them out…

give them to anyone who wants them!

Respectful mourning time…

give me a couple of days,

at least

and then you can sell of my stuff

and move on with your life.

So, in conclusion…

If you can burn me in a bonfire –

go for it.

Otherwise, do whatever you need to do…

but know I’ll be watching!

 

 

Away

Hermit Day

Can’t post…

embracing Hermit Day.

Vaseline Works!

 

For some reason,

I don’t have a special

or a crazy day to celebrate today.

Shock!

Horror!

Incredible as it may seem…

it’s the truth.

So, I could just let the day

sneak quietly past, h

oping no one notices…

But, no. 

I decided I’d check back in

with the Bali Boys

and see whether the mountains

of Vaseline jars are actually

making a difference

to the lives of the boys.

 

 

You might remember,

not long ago,

I posted about Komang and Gede

 – village boys who have to suffer,

each day,

from an uncomfortable skin condition.

The claim was that Vaseline

would be the amazing cure

the boys needed…

only, Vaseline is not sold

in Indonesia!

So, a request was made –

for travellers to bring Vaseline

for the boys…

and soon enough,

truck loads of Vaseline

were being delivered.

 (Way to go!)

The kids are receiving the Vaseline,

 which their mothers apply…

and they are looking much better.

 It’s amazing,

what the kindness of strangers

can achieve – and the difference

it can make in people’s lives!

All reports confirm the lives

of the boys have improved considerably.

They are more alert…

Komang’s eyesight has improved

and the boys are happier…

because of Vaseline!

 

Photos from the

Bali Vaseline Drive facebook page

– here and here.

 

Make a Difference

Make A Difference Day

In 1990, this day was set up

as a way to recognise

the millions of people who volunteer…

people who help others…

people who make the lives

of other people much easier,

often by doing little things.

It doesn’t matter what you do today,

 so long as you do something

 to help someone out.

If you are a little lost for ideas…

I have a few:

wash my car (or someone else’s!)

weed my garden (or someone else’s!)

plant my next season’s seedlings

(or someone else’s!)

climb on my roof

and remove the sticks and leaves

 and fix the gutter guard

(or do this for someone else!)

write my hundreds of report comments

(or help someone else do theirs!)

clean my house (or someone else’s!).

You might have bigger plans -

cook a dinner for someone

who won’t expect it,

paint someone’s house

or fix a broken gate…

Just make a difference…

and you’ll feel great

for having helped someone out!

 

 

 

Let It All Out

Howl At The Moon Day

Sometimes, you just need a reason

 to get a little crazy!

Climb onto the roof

of your house tonight

and howl yourself silly!

picture

Pasgetti

 

Sourest Day

Had this day been yesterday,

I may have found myself venting

some sour thoughts!

Luckily, it’s today, not yesterday…

and I am much calmer.

So, instead…

World Pasta Day.

 

I lived in rural Thailand for a year.

I ate rice every day.

Breakfast…

Lunch…

Dinner…

Desserts…

snacks…

Sometimes, for a little twist

 in my diet – a little fun…

I’d have noodles!

While I loved the rice –

enjoyed the many styles of rice…

those noodle treats

were very memorable!

Now, I eat less rice…

but, I still love pasta.

I love it so much;

I will often sneak a string

of pasta from a freshly boiled pot!

(I’m such a rebel!)

It doesn’t even need sauce

on it for me to love it.

But what about those carbs??

The pasta people think its ok

 to eat pasta –

they say pasta is incredibly

healthy and beneficial.

(Of course they do!)

They suggest it’s the sauces we add

we need to be careful about.

I’m listening to them…

they are the pasta people,

after all!

I will no longer feel guilty

eating a huge bowl of pasta!

Happy Pasta Day!

(World Pasta Day was established

in Rome, Italy

on October 25^th 1995.)

picture

 

For The Kids

United Nations Day

Tomorrow, we’ll be dressing

in our bluest blue clothes

and donating a coin or two

to support the kids around the world

 who will not go to school.

While this may seem like

a dream come true to many people,

(not going to school)

is no dream life.

So many kids

cannot afford to go to school.

 Their parents cannot afford

to let them go to school –

as the kids usually

spend their days earning money.

Some kids live in such remote areas,

that schooling is not impossible.

Luckier kids get to school.

They may not have eaten that day…

and they may not be wearing shoes

 (which they cannot afford),

they may have to travel

a couple of hours

before reaching their classroom.

They may not have books,

pencils or shoes.

Their teacher may not be qualified.

I remember being in a school

in remote Thailand,

where some generous business people

had donated computers to the school.

This was an incredibly generous gift,

though the computers could not be used…

 the school had no electricity!

We’ll be raising some money

for some kids who have

far less opportunites

to obtain an education…

an education which may provide

more hopeful and positive futures.

 

With around 7 billion and 75 million

 people on the earth,

we need to be united!

Check this page to

watch the population

as it continues to grow.

(It’s a little staggering to watch, really.)