Tag Archives: postaweek2011

Gratitude List as 2011 Flies Toward the Sunset 29

Gratitude • Tags: ,

The year was difficult at times, yet looking back I find I am grateful for lessons learned, for people met, for relationships established, for friendships maintained, for faith, questioned at times but never lost, and for you, my dear supporters. I could not have made it this far without you. This is my final post-a-week for 2011 and while I will continue to blog, I am not committing to a post-a-week in 2012.

I have gotten to know many wonderful people during the year, some through Twitter, Linked-In, my blogs, and even a few on Facebook. I hope you will click on their names to learn more about them.

Mahalo to: Michele Borba, Annie Fox, Sara Winter, Laura Nagle, Susan Marks, Leah Kelley, Elise Stokes, Stephanie Crist, Eric B. Thamasma, Grace Hodgin, Eri Nelson, The Redhead Riter, Lydia, Sharon and Phil Dzialo and their son, Adam, Danette M. Schott, Tiffani Lawton, Lori Lite, Lisa Quinones-Fontanez, Lorna d’Entremont, Bobbi Sheahan, AspieSide, Chi Yon, Lisa, Fi, Leigh Merryday, Alicia, A. K. Butler, Floortime Lite Mama, Mama Fog, Solodialogue, Spectummy Mummy, Elise Ronan, Mommy Lebron, Heather McCracken, Trish, Sharon da Vanport, and I could go on and on, but I am going to stop here. Others are some of those I tweet about, I post about, I mention on Facebook, or the authors of the blogs I list in Special Peeps. You see there are too many to link.

Please also look at my Helpful Info section. Helpful Info is located at the bottom of my blog if you are viewing the full version instead of the mobile view. There you will find others that I am grateful to have gotten to know including Tony Attwood, whom I actually met in 2010.

Wishing all of you Hauoli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year!)

With Aloha,

Sue

Intriguing Last Minute Gift for the Booklover

Book Reviews, Books, Sensory Sensitivity • Tags: , , ,

Are you looking for a last-minute gift for the adventure lover, one that will arrive on time? How about an e-book?

I recently read Elise Stokes’ captivating YA novel, Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula and fell in love with her family friendly characters. Think of Cassidy as a reserved, awkward, fourteen year old girl who is still trying to decide who she is and where she fits in the universe, while her outspoken friend, Miriam confronts bullies head-on causing Cassidy to fear for their lives.

When Cassidy tags along with her journalist father to interview a brilliant scientist, an accident gives Cassidy superpowers her comic fan, five-year-old brother would love, along with strength and speed her twin brother would admire. Yet, she finds herself unable to tell even her mom for fear of placing her family in danger after she learns that said scientist has vanished.

The story is only beginning as Cassidy soon figures out that she must learn to trust the scientist’s handsome, genius, teenage son and rely on him to help her find his mother so they can return her to normal. Oh, she also has to pretend nothing has changed while they conduct their investigation!

When I finished this short novel, I found I wanted to read more and luckily for me, Stokes completed her second novel in the series just in time for Christmas. Guess what I am giving myself for Christmas?

One last thing, those of you with children with sensory sensitivities will appreciate some of Cassidy’s superpowers like sensitive hearing, high pain tolerance, and an acute sense of smell.

Yes Virginia It Is Okay to Say Happy Holidays! 11

Celebrations, Gratitude, Tolerence • Tags: , ,

Dear Readers,

Generally I avoid discussions about religion. I am a Christian, but I believe in tolerance in all forms, and I am grateful for those who understand the need for tolerance of differences, so yes Happy Holidays is correct. I know some of my Christian friends are going to disagree with me on this one. I only hope you will hear me out before you attack.

I watched Have a Little Faith, the movie inspired by Mitch Albom’s book by the same name, earlier this week and I fell in love with two deceased men, Rabbi Albert L. Lewis and Pastor Henry Covington. When Albom asked Rabbi Lewis why he supports others of different faiths he replied, “Why Tree’s….Why not one prefect tree for the whole earth?” He went on to explain there are oaks and elms, etc. Then he said, “Many trees, the branches all leading to God.” He explained that hate is wrongly engaged in the name of religion for all religions teach, “Honor thy neighbor!” Did I say I love this man?

Yes, Christ is in Christmas and he should remain there; however, even some Christians celebrate more than just Christmas during December. For instance, December sixth is Saint Nicholas Day. In German culture: Europeans celebrate St. Nicholas Day activities (pictures) – National Germany Headlines | Examiner.com.

December eighth is Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org.

Another Feast Day – Our Lady of Guadalupe | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org starts on December twelfth. Yes Christmas is the basis for these, but they are not technically Christmas.

Then, we have other religions that are practiced in the United States and around the world that should also be honored. December fifth was The Day of ‘Ashura, a religious observance marked every year by Muslims. The word ‘Ashura literally means “10th,” as it is on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islāmic year.

The Buddhist community celebrates Bodhi Day on December eighth. You can read about it at: How To Celebrate Bodhi Day | DoItYourself.com.

The Jewish community celebrates Hanukkah from December twenty-first through December twenty-eighth. Read about it: Rabbi Barry A. Kenter: Hanukkah: Not Quite the Jewish Christmas.

Then there is the religion I know the least about, BBC – Religions – Zoroastrian: At a Glance. They celebrate Zarathosht Diso on December twenty-sixth.

December twenty-second is The Winter Solstice Wicca and Pagan Festival: Wiccans Celebrate Shortest Day at the Celtic Festival of Yule | Suite101.com.

You might notice I left the Hindu and Taoist religions out. They do not have celebrations in December although they do in other months.

I wish all of my readers around the world Happy Holidays!

Redux: Did You See Santa Bully Rudolph? 4

Bullying, Differences • Tags: , , , ,

I originally posted this last December after someone started me thinking differently about Rudolph. This week political correctness run amuck has multiple sites talking about a segment on Fox News:

War On Christmas | Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Ban | Mediaite.

Rudolph has always been one of my favorite Christmas shows, but we were too busy to watch it when it was on a week ago, so my family and I watched last night. Thanks to my fellow bloggers, I watched it with a fresh set of eyes.

Now obviously everyone knows Rudolph and his buddies were not treated very well. That I got! What I didn’t get initially is how the whole show is about being cruel to those who are different. When you look at it that way it makes you think.

My thoughts are that at the time Rudolph was made, it probably was meant to teach tolerance, but given today’s climate, it really does seem cruel. I can certainly see why there are people who do not like it, so I have some questions for you.

Do you think Rudolph should have let Santa and others off so easily? Remember I’m all about forgiveness, but even I can understand why many think he shouldn’t have. Still, I think Rudolph did the right thing.  It would have been nice if Santa and everyone else had really changed, but that isn’t really clear in the story.

Should the classic be remade to make it politically correct? I love Burl Ives and I love “There’s Always Tomorrow,” so I would be sad if the original Rudolph was no longer a Christmas classic. I think it might be more important for parents to use it to talk about bullying and how wrong it is like my parents did instead.

For those watching Charlie Brown, what about Lucy? Is she a “mean girl?” Many are also talking about the Disney classics. Let me know if you think of others?