Document your wedding planning
There are a lot of things that I would change about my wedding planning, if only I could turn back time. However, there is one thing that I would not have done any differently. I would still keep the habit of chronicling my wedding planning throughout the entire process.
During my wedding planning, I experienced a lot of different emotions. I was excited, frustrated, thrilled and confused. There were so many things I needed to decide on for the wedding. I was constantly starved and tired due to trying to lose weight in order to look stunning on the big day.
Just because I was constantly thinking about my upcoming wedding did not mean that other things were not happening in my everyday life. I was in school at the time, and had plenty of exams and research papers to attend to. If that was not enough, I also had a dental emergency. I had to have my wisdom teeth taken out, and the pain medications were not working very well for me. Needless to say, I was not the most enjoyable person to be around during my wedding planning time.
A few days ago, I happened to run across my old Xanga posts. I read through the entries, and realized that this was where I had posted my ramblings in the months leading to my wedding. I never realized how much I have forgotten about that time period in my life. It brought back so many memories for me. If you are getting married soon, I would recommend that you too start jotting down your wedding planning experiences now.
Reading Pile: 10/19/12
Xoc: The Journey of A Great White HC- If you are in the mood to be utterly depressed by the vicious cycle of life and death as seen through the eyes of a Great White, then look no further. It’s a fantastically put together book and very educational without shoving a bunch of stuff down your throat. Matt Dembicki has a good handle on pacing and storytelling, and his art is clean and has a strong narrative flow. It’s a decent size for the $19.99 price tag and in a nice hardcover format. This would be a pretty good book for teens and up, and just an interesting read for all ages. A-
Night of 1000 Wolves TP-If you want to just be pleasantly surprised by a random horror/fantasy piece, this is a great short story with some beautiful artwork. My only negative complaint is the pricing of the trade as they slap $17.99 on the thing when it was only a three issue series. So logically it should be $11.99 (and this is the IDW single issue price of $3.99 which is already inflated), and while they do give you about twenty-nine pages of extra features in the back, by math it should still only cost about $15.99. It’s not a hardcover and it’s not oversized. While I believe the story content is well worth it, I think they lost an opportunity for more sales by overpricing this sucker. Still, I will recommend it and I am eagerly waiting for more projects from both creators. A-
Marvel Now! Point One: One Shot- I hate the title and the price point is too high at $5.99, but I suppose it is dense reading clocking in at forty-nine pages of story (although I’ve still seen better pricing). This is pretty much an opening salvo for more new titles launching down the line, and as an anthology it’s a pretty mixed bag of quality as you would expect. Right off the bat, I hate the entire concept of Bendis doing Guardians of the Galaxy. Just know now that I will be hating on that for years to come. Then we have Jeph Loeb on Nova, which is meh but not the worst thing ever (except we know it’s not as good as Abnette & Lanning on Nova) . The FF preview eased my dread on the upcoming Fraction run a little bit. Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie on Young Avengers is going to rock hard if this is any indication. The Cable & X-Force preview also gives me a bit of hope, and the framing Secret Avengers story didn’t suck so here’s to hoping they can salvage that title’s relaunch. This was sort of a 50/50 for me, so it really depends if you just wanna toss away six bucks. B
Japan angers neighbors again with WWII shrine visit
Every year, Japanese politicians and other important figures take a trip to one or more World War II shrines, and every year it provokes a negative reaction from their neighbors, particularly China and South Korea. This year is no different from any other as a trip by several dozen officials to the Yasukuni Shrine is causing an outcry.
Those looking in from the outside see these visits as an indicator that Japan is not looking at the truth of history when it comes to the war. To them, these shrines symbolize nationalism and the horrors that Japan committed against others during the war. They say that the visits hurt relations because that by honoring the dead, Japanese officials are denying Japan’s role as cause of the war and the countless deaths that resulted.
More moderate politicians tend to stay away from the shrines, preferring to think of international relations as opposed to the dead. Hardliners, however, often look at these visits in the exact way that they’re neighbors are claiming. They visit against the protests specifically to demonstrate that they are not going to listen to outside influences, viewing this defiance as a show of strength.
Some of those who went to Yasukuni this year claimed that they went there to reflect upon the war and think about peace for the future. Still, the question has to be asked as to whether or not going to the shrine really means all that people want it to mean. While a gesture of defiance can be aggressively symbolic, a trip to remember the dead can be much more than a political tool or a sign that Japan’s politicians are in denial about the war.
But with relations being so bad right now, mainly because of the island disputes that Japan is experiencing with both neighbors, the shrine visit just causes things to seem worse than they are. In truth, there is no real solution to this, though the impassioned reaction to the dead of a war 60 years gone does seem a bit extreme.
Review: Dexter - “Buck the System”
The newest episode of Dexter, “Buck the System” continues with Deborah trying to rehabilitate poor Dexter and cure him of his killing habit. Unfortunately for Dexter, he reacts much the way any addict would, getting nervous and twitchy. He also starts having fantasies about killing and loses his temper a bit. But all-in-all, he’s holding up pretty well.
Despite the withdrawals, Dexter manages to tie up some loose ends with Louis and pick out a target for his next hunt. He doesn’t just go and do the typical hunt-and-kill thing that he usually does, however.
Instead, he chooses to let Deb in on what’s going on, trying to show her how he could get rid of the bad guy before anyone else gets hurt. Deb resists (naturally) and Dexter ends up supporting her decision to watch the guy and have him arrested if he tries anything.
In the meanwhile, the crew continues to investigate the death of Mike, Quinn getting a more expanded role in this sub-plot. The Russians in turn, led by Isaac, make quite a bit of progress on discovering who killed their buddy, even going so far as to find Dexter’s boat tied up at the marina.
This episode shifts the pace and focus a bit, returning toward the crime-drama format. Still, it doesn’t slip back into that aspect completely. The relationship between Dexter and Deb stays primary, with emphasis on Deb gaining a deeper understanding of what makes Dexter tic and how his killer nature allows him to pick out bad guys in a crowd.
The secret that the siblings share is growing and Deb is shifting her perceptions, even if she still doesn’t agree with Dexter’s murderous nature. This has the potential to set up something interesting, whether it be conflict between the two or a more cooperative effort with Deb turning a blind eye to certain indiscretions.
Once again the writers manage to keep the background characters from becoming too involved in the story and spreading it thin while still developing some of them in one way or another. Isaac in particular is becoming a very interesting person and I’m eager to see what more they do with him and how long he’ll be around.
So far, so good with season 7. Hopefully it stays this way.
Should you bring a date home for Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is known as a family tradition. One will gather with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and parents. This may be the perfect time to introduce the family to one’s new girlfriend or boyfriend. Or is it?
Stop and think for a moment. First, consider your family. What type of family do you have? Is your family the traditional kind? Do they believe only family belongs at the Thanksgiving table? Would they consider it okay for a surprise guest to show up at the dinner? If you brought a girlfriend or boyfriend to this dinner, would it have to be one in which you were seriously involved? In this case, would serious mean that you saw a future commitment such as marriage as a possibility?
Next, consider your girlfriend or boyfriend. How would he or she handle this situation? Can he or she handle stress? Do you think he or she can handle being put on display? Yes, the person would definitely be on display for your entire family to judge. How would this make him or her feel? Could he or she act appropriately in this manner?
Now, consider why you want to bring this person to the dinner. Do you want to bring the person because you are in love and can’t bear to be apart from this person? Do you want to bring this person to introduce him or her to your family because you are proud of him or her, as well as your family? Do you want to bring him or her home to shock your family or prove something?
Consider all of these reasons and what could occur if you brought your girlfriend or boyfriend home. Then decide if you still think this is a good idea. If you do, consider not making the event a surprise one. Allow your family time to process before your arrival. Once you do arrive, arm in arm with your boyfriend or girlfriend, smile and try to have fun.
History of Halloween
Black cats. Pumpkins. Witches. These are all images of Halloween. Yet, where did Halloween originate and did these images have anything to do with those first Halloweens?
The first Halloweens are thought to have originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. During these festivals, people would light bonfires and wear costumes as a way to ward off ghosts.
During the eighth century, Pope Gregory III chose November 1 as the name to honor the saints and the martys. This day was known as “All Saints Day.” During this celebration, many of the traditions of the Celtic festivals were also included in their festivities. The evening before the event was known as “All Hallow’s Eve.” Later, it became known as “Halloween.”
As time went on, the event known as, ‘All Hallow’s Eve,’ continued to be a tradition in many parts of the world. They included many family friendly events. These events included costume wearing and judging events and giving out treats to children, which is a custom now known as trick or treating.
Today, Halloween falls right before winter. The night is longer, the air is chilly. Communities and families still enjoy some of the traditions of the past. These traditions include dressing up in costumes, giving out candy and lighting bonfires. Where do the black cats and witches come into play? They may come into play because of the superstitions that surround this holiday. As for the pumpkins, they grow during this season. They are delicious to eat and fun to decorate.
Review: Walking Dead - “Seed”
For several months I have, like many people, been eagerly awaiting the premiere of The Walking Dead season 3. After a second season that kind of dragged (despite some great developments), I was hopeful that the show would get back to form and the zombie-bashing action that makes it so fun.
Now that some of the more annoying characters have been killed off and the group brought under the iron fist of Rick, the chaos of an outside enemy should resume, right? For the most part, yes. A lot of zombies get killed in this premiere and I am happy.
The first episode opens several months after the end of the last. Laurie is about ready to pop and the group has been wandering around in circles, fleeing from zombie mobs and just trying to survive. But the road is taking its toll and they need to find a place to settle down quickly, before Laurie decides to drop the kid in mid-stride while running from a walker.
Eventually, they come across the perfect spot for their new home - a prison. It has all the defenses they could hope for, including guard towers, sturdy fences topped with barbed wire and the potential for mass amounts of unused supplies. It also happens to be infested with a population of zombies big enough to overrun a small city.
The group decides they want to take the prison regardless of the dangers, first setting up camp in an exterior field and then making the move to clear out the prison’s interior. They’re low on bullets, however, so it’s hand-to-hand all the way. Luckily, they’ve learned a lot during their time surviving and with this season we finally see them all (including little Carl) kicking major zombie butt.
In the meanwhile, Andrea has taken up with the still-mysterious, samurai sword-wielding Michonne and her zombie pets. Though they’re still setting up the character, who happens to be a fan favorite in the comic book, it won’t likely be long before these two are reunited with the main party.
The best thing about the premiere is that the characters we’ve grown to know and love are now seriously bad-ass. They dispatch zombies with precision and almost everyone is capable of handling themselves. The physical changes to the actors reflect this growth, in both their expanded capacity for survival and their slowly dwindling humanity.
After such a strong start, the rest of the season better be good, or I will seriously riot. If they go back to the “everyone sitting around doing nothing and arguing” theme, I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it another season. So far, however, I’m optimistic and heartily recommend that anyone who’s been slacking in keeping up with The Walking Dead catch up and get onboard while it’s hot.
Food consumption while menstruating
If like me, you believe PMS is real, and have experienced it, then you probably would give just about anything to get rid of all the nasty symptoms. I am not sure if you can ever fully eliminate all PMS symptoms. However, it is possible to lessen the awful PMS symptoms, but it does come at a price. You would need to say no to certain foods and drinks during that time of the month.
Being dehydrated can exacerbate menstrual cramps. Therefore, it is necessary for you to avoid caffeinated drinks in order to lessen the pain during your cycle. That means skipping the cup of Joe in the morning and saying no to the cup of tea in the afternoon. That can be hard to do if you rely on such caffeinated drinks to wake you up during your day.
Besides saying no to caffeinated drinks, it is also advisable for you to refrain from consuming chocolate, which can be hard if you are a chocoholic like me. Something else to stay away from during that time of the month is greasy food. That means staying away from most fast food places.
Personally, I always try to go by the above suggestions. That is because my menstrual cramps are horrible enough for me to be willing to give up a few things. However, I do have my weaker moments. Having my period often puts me in a foul mood, and when I feel moody I am more likely to give in to certain temptations. But most of the time, I do avoid the bad stuff whenever I am on my period.
Alberta’s Fantasyland Hotel & Resort
Fantasyland Hotel and Resort is a themed hotel located within the West Edmonton Mall, in Edmonton, Alberta. This mall also happens to be the largest entertainment and shopping combo complex in the entire world. The hotel serves two purposes - to act as a unique accommodation for visitors taking a vacation in Edmonton and to lodge the many businessmen who come through the area.
Around one-third of the more than 300 rooms in Fantasyland Hotel are themed. This adds up to about 120 rooms that are done up in 11 separate general styles. There are Hollywood themes, Old West themes, sports themes and more. A few of the room titles tell the story even better - Igloo Room,
Arabian Room and Truck Room. If you feel like a tropical vacation in cold Canada, you can get one of the Polynesian island themed rooms. The remaining two-thirds of the rooms are more traditional, so that executives don’t necessarily have to sleep in a Roman bathhouse while there on business.
Outside the hotel is the vast wonderland that is the West Edmonton Mall. Within this structure is a mini-golf course, an ice skating rink, several movie theaters, the Galaxyland Amusement Park and the Sea Life Caverns. This is in addition to the countless shops and restaurants that normally make up a mall.
And though one could easily spend an entire week enjoying everything that the hotel and resort has to offer, Edmonton itself is a culturally rich city. There’s a reason that it happens to be the number one tourist destination in Alberta, and Fantasyland is just a part of it. The main issue is that being a popular destination means the hotel is pretty pricey. Still, it’s like a city unto itself and presents a unique stay in Canada for those that desire something a little different.
Adult diapers: The latest trend in Japan
Yes, another strange cultural trend is developing in Japan, the home of the strangest of them all. This one involves women wearing adult diapers. They do not wear them because they need them, however, but as a personal choice.
The reasons that the women give for wearing adult diapers are two-fold. Some say that this is a response against men, who are seen as slovenly and unwilling to take care of themselves. This social protest is often accompanied by other “rebellious” actions by ladies, including a refusal to shave and the ignoring of common housework. Peeing their pants just happens to be part of this reaction to lazy guys
The other main reason, and one that is perhaps a bit more disturbing, is that women are wearing them out of convenience. If they don’t have to go to the bathroom it allows them to be more productive during their day. This idea has also struck the gambling population, who wear them so that they don’t have to get up and risk losing whatever machine they’ve happened to camp on that day.
The adult diaper trend has become so prevalent, in fact, that this year saw such a rise in adult diaper sales that they surpassed the sales of regular baby-sized diapers. This is, helped by the rising elderly population in Japan that actually needs the things, but no small part of it comes from women who make the choice to wear them consciously. The trend has even spread to the point where there are adult diaper fashion shows.
Normally, I’m very understanding (and even enthusiastic) about some of the interesting cultural phenomena in Japan. This one, however, sounds borderline dangerous. I don’t see stewing in a puddle of your own juices to necessarily be a healthy thing, especially when it encourages one to be lazy. Oh well, to each their own, but somehow I don’t think this fad will be spreading beyond Japan’s borders.