My mind has drawn a blank. I don't use Google all that often (still hanging onto Yahoo), but I remember that the Google banner changes on occasion to depict a holiday or something significant. I don't recall how to check out what it is. Something drastically simple, I'm sure. So what brings me to post today is that I noticed that the Google banner has a pinata today.

what is it for? does anyone know? I feel like I should..?

Google adds flare to their banner for various holidays. Some have left me stumped upon initial glance leading me to figure it out one way or another. With a little bit of poking around, I determined, or at least, figured that it might be that it is the Jewish holiday, Sukkot? I was thrown off by the pinata, as that doesn't seem to have anything to do with it, but some sites have "sukkot pinatas" (help me on this)- some of literature I have read doesn't explicitly mention a pinata, it appears that people use it as part of the celebration, according to one site I found. Again, why? and..well, why not? pinatas are fun! So I gather that Sukkot begins this evening and proceeds for the next seven days? Or did it start late last night?
and again, does the banner have anything to do with it?
If not, then this post will be a provide a little education on it that you may not have otherwise known about.
(WIKIPEDIA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot)



From the University of Kansas: Valuing our Differences, Celebrating Diversity website:     

[box]Sukkot, also known as Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles, begins at sunset the day before the 15th day of Tishri in the Hebrew calendar and lasts for seven days. Only the first two days are celebrated as full holidays. The word Sukkot means 'booth' and recalls the time that Israelites wandered in the desert during their journey to the promised land and lived in the sukkots.

Sukkot is the third Pilgrimage festival mentioned in the Old Testament and is a holiday of joy and happiness. It is observed by the building of a temporary dwelling (Vayikra 23: 42-43: "In booths you are to dwell for seven days ...so that your generations will know that I caused the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I took them from the land of Egypt....") and by the gathering of four plants (Vayikra 23:40: "And you shall take for yourself on the first day the fruit of a goodly tree, branches of palm trees, the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before Hashem...for seven days."). On the seventh day, the four plants are paraded around the synagogue in a celebration called Hoshana Rabba, or Great Hosanna.

Sukkot also signifies a thanksgiving for the harvest. In keeping with this, the temporary dwellings are decorated with fruits of the land.[/box]

So now I know just a tiny bit more than I did upon waking.

but I still want to know what the banner is about!

Last night my friend/date and I went to The Maize on Niagara Falls Blvd. It was dark, hot and fun. In previous times, I had only gone as part of a "field trip" with the consumers I worked with, therefore not having the opportunity to enjoy the Maize for myself (many behavioral challenges). Also, I never went at night; the ideal time to go get lost in a maze among the cornstalks. The light of the almost full moon added to the effect.

Its open until 9pm S-Th, until 11pm Fri and Sat. Cost is $7 Bring a flashlight and a couple of hours to spare. We arrived around 7:45 and finished around 9:30.



On Sunday, we had gone out to the House of Horrors and Haunted Catacombs located on George Urban Blvd (near Dick Rd). We pretty much had the place to ourselves. I loved it!!

[box]General Admission $20
Includes Admission To All Monstrous Attractions:The House Of Horrors, Haunted Catacombs, and The all New Psycho Therapy and City Of the Dead In 3-D.

$3 Off Coupons Available at: Burger King, FYE, Mighty Taco, Best Buy, Blockbuster Video, Delta Sonic, Subway, Dunn Tire, Cold Stone Creamery, Verizon Wireless, Fantastic Sam's, and Tanning Bed Locations[/box]

This was insanely cool and not for the faint of heart. I mean you, (e:mike)! It will make you cry, lol. (e:ladycroft)- you would LOVE it. Why did we never venture out and explore all the halloween activities before? ok, it really does all add up. This one is $20 but TOTALLY worth it. I would do it all over again. Get your $3 discount at the above locations or print one out on the website.

Anyway, very sensory oriented- not for the claustrophobic! Some stinky stuff, some very unexpected things to have to do, fun actors, great props, awesome atmosphere. Honestly it was a turn on.

I can't get into it, because you just have to go an experience it and not know what to expect before hand. The hours run late-- seem to close the earliest at 10pm.. and some nights 1am. FUN!!

There are a lot more things going on-- I want to hit up as many as possible. It may seem a bit early, but some things I want to experience without a mass of people around me; which is sure to occur the closer to Halloween it gets.

On to the b-day photo dump. A LOT of pics ahead. Bonfire was fun- good food, drink and friends. Didnt keep track fully, but--I was very tickled to see (e:libertad), (e:mike), (e:paul), (e:terry), (e:jim), (e:james), (e:metalpeter), (e:zobar), (e:dragonlady7), (e:pyrcedgrrl), (e:vincent) also all my buds, Lynn, Damian, Shawn, AJ, Solomon, Shawn(girl), Rainy, Katie, Steve, (e:soma) was missed! Lishy, Barry, Rhonny, and others will get a kick in the ass!). I snagged a bunch of (e:metalpeter,41296) to add to my picture folder, so I hope not to accidentally add any of his here. Also a few pcitures from a b-day night out at Diablo are included.














































































































JIGGLY FACE montage:
this was really entertaining- it was hard for me to keep from laughing, as you will see..

damn tequila.

I vaguely recall some ass shaking.

...more when I get some quality sleep.

• was up very early this morning after going to bed just a few hours before, to get out and get things for the bonfire party on Saturday. I think all the food stuff has been figured out.

• (e:pyrcedgrrl) presented me with b-day gifts today. I LOVE them. A super awesome comfy pretty mottled pink sweater and a vibrating cow print roll pillow. I need to take a pic.

• thank you for all of the birthday wishes!

• Tomorrow (friday) I will spend time getting the yard prepared. My bonfire pit has a tree or something growing out of the middle of it. Apparently I haven't hosted a bonfire in awhile.

• TATS was crazy this evening. It pulled in one heck of a crowd, perhaps the busiest I have seen it in awhile. People were crazy for Dropkick Murphys.

• this is more than I care to get into at the moment, but the evening gave me a headache and a few "red flags". I hate miscommunication, but what can you do other than try to sort it out as easily and respectfully as possible? Crapola. Also too much contact with cigarette smoke at the square contributed to it too. yuck.

• if you are into Lolcats AND into Postsecret, there is now Lolsecretz. Its creative..

"The meeting of two of the internet's most famous memes- PostSecret and LOLcats."

• I'm sad when I miss the Colbert Report. I just realized I completely missed tonights episode. Stephen would have helped make me laugh and snicker my headache away.

• sigh*

YAY! Enjoy your Day :)





Love the September B-days!!

As you know, I always encourage people to celebrate not only the birth-day but the whole birth-week. Seems to work that way anyway- getting together with friends at various times, getting together with family at another, perhaps a little something at work too. And so, this past weekend commenced the beginning of my birthday celebrations.

Anyway, I made my way out to Diablo Friday night, for the 2nd annual RIP Continental party. I don't get out there that often and it was nice to make specific plans to meet up with a bunch of friends for celebratory debauchary. Thanks for the birthday drink, (e:soma)! Tattoo Rum and Coke is too yummy.Great to hang, its been awhile! It was also a pleasure to chill with (e:pyrcedgrrl), (e:redletterweek), (e:vincent), and our other buds- Harry, Katie, Rainy, Shawn, & Solomon.

Yesterday was dinner and a movie. A very nice evening. I finally got to see, Balls of Fury. Funny, but not as hilarious as I think it could have been. However, Christopher Walken and the sex slaves made me giggle endlessly. I need to see, Superbad. And scrumptious Clive Owen on the big screen in, 'Shoot 'em up'.

Today at some point, my mom will be over. She hasn't been feeling well, which I hate to hear. I'm not sure if its a quick visit or if there are plans for dinner or something. My step-dad called me today as well, wondering what i am up to. I think he will come over when my mom does. This actual birthday evening will most likely be free for me.

Then, the celebrations will wrap up this Saturday with my South of the Border bonfire. Come on out!
and (e:ladycroft) it feels TOO WEIRD not to have you here. OY!
I hope someone will be taking lots of pics.

I just love this picture of (e:soma) and I.


Good and Evil:






There were a lot more from that night, but I'll wait and eventually do a b-day photo purge on here; keep it all together.

So, I'm beginning to prep for the Bonfire. Weather is supposed to be perfect. As always, I will plan on having something set up in case the weather isn't so great. Set up my garage for shelter along with access to the apartment-- give people options.

Right now I am looking for inexpensive margarita glasses; preferably plastic, reusable and again, CHEAP. Does not matter what they look like. Party City was ridiculous on cup prices- because it had a little design they go for 3-5 bucks a piece. Um, no. I'll buy a bag of colorful plastic cups instead.

I found a pinata at Party City that was reasonable and that will provide a perfect medium for drunk people to be blindfolded and given a bat. While it isn't a good idea, it certainly is a fun one. :D

I saw a bunch of party decorating stuff that would be fun to have, but decided against. I think I will keep it simple. I think-- I still have till Saturday to figure it out. Anyway, an inflatable colorful sombrero that is used as a cooler by lining the outer part of the hat with ice and sticking bottles of beer in the brim. Its cute; I kinda want it, but not sure- I don't want to go crazy on stuff like that.

and I want Sombreros too, thanks to (e:janelle)'s idea.

Again, I will give myself a few more days to really think about it. The main thing is good food, drink and company. PARTAY!

Loafing can be a most excellent way to enjoy the weekend, (e:mrmike)!

After a couple of very late nights (and getting up too early), the lack of sleep muddled my brain enough to fail to take the initiative in going to spend time with a new friend. I can be such a dork.

Instead, I watched a marathon of Scrubs on Comedy Central and played a few rounds of, "Orphan Feast". I hadn't played it before now. (e:pyrcedgrrl) introduced me to it, explaining to me that "it's a game set in London in 1886, and you have to catch and bag orphans so you can eat them all the while fighting off cops and prostitutes" jeez, what is the world coming too. What about the good ole days of rape and pillage? ;)


anyway, as with all things AdultSwim, you can expect a healthy dose of perversion. Wanna play?



Going out would have been nice, but staying in faired well for my sleep deprived brain. I did run out into the evening for a long brisk walk (sleepy brained yes, but still with oodles of physical energy; as usual).

Multiple episodes of Scrubs and a few rounds of Orphan Feast; not shabby for a Saturday in.

right?

haha..

I am stumped as to what to go and do today.


What activities/events are going on this afternoon- evening?

Thursday at the Square, September 13th

I wasn't paying much attention this summer, but its the 20th anniversary of Thursday at the Square.

It was a perfect evening to venture downtown for the second to last TATS performance. Although I had not seen or heard, Charlie Hunter Trio previously, what little I did know, made me eager to know more.

I am pleased to the point of popping! I intend to buy some music very soon. I know a lot of the sounds and experience in general is lost in a venue like TATS, so acquiring a cd or going to another concert should prove to magnify the experience I had. I LOVE finding 'new' music. I'm in a perpetual search for 'good music'; yes, subjective, I know.


Anders Osborne was the other performance. I like blues, I love the Saxaphone, I deeply enjoy tuning into one instrument all the while feeling the symphony of cohesion. Anders didn't have that. It felt mechanical. Not sure if this is the norm or if anyone picked up on that, but it decreased my favorability, and instead I found my mind wandering to the going-ons of everyone else.
Hey, I saw a lady hauled off in handcuffs, escorted by two officers, one of which was carry her purse by his elbow. I saw kids (or men?) doing wheelies on bikes, one of which fell off the back when the rear tire kept going forward mid wheelie. I saw the extreme pleasure a man took in dancing his own special rhythm to Anders Osborne. I wasn't sure if he has his own music in his head, or if he was just really letting loose, if so, I kinda dig that.

I usually sit in the same spot- up near the statues, and I have noticed that this year, I have seen the same people when I go. The ever present "air guitar" player did not disappoint in contributing his participation with the bands. Please tell me someone has seen this guy? haha, he is always to the right of the stage. Also, the super funny older 'drunk guys' found their way to the bushes, as always, with their multiple cups of beer. They are super happy drunks yet I can only hope they walked or took a cab.

Next week is Dropkick Murphys. I am kinda curious about them. I think if anything, it will lend to an energetic atmosphere for as the last performance of the season. So I will try to go.
Also, Jackdaw is on.

a couple of Dropkick Murphys videos:
Walk Away


Sunshine Highway

I guess, south of the Canadian border.
well, technically, east. But anyhow..

'South of the border' is the theme. Have decided on Tex-Mex food stuffs for my upcoming bonfire, Sat 9/22. Fajitas, beans and rice, guacamole, corn bread and of course, Tequila! OOOH and a pinata! But there seems to be something missing. Like I should have another option as a side or two. Maybe a vegetable? I have no idea! Any suggestions?!!

The foodie sites haven't been that helpful to me!