And To All, A Happy New Year!

A very wise man once said:

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.  - Einstein

As we start our countdown to celebrating the dawn of 2012, I can't help but smile when I think about the thousand and one "meanings" we attribute to a new year.

For some people I know, it means a whole night of drinking in total abandon and spending the first day of the year in a drunken stupor or with a massive hangover.

For several, it means a little more sedate, like revisiting a tattered list of resolutions made in the past year, only to re-write them again, on a new page, under a different chapter, but pretty much the same list, albeit with minor editions.

For others, it means rekindling old friendships and building new ones. Or trashing old ones and choosing a totally different route. Moving on from past mistakes, making a vow never to take the same route ever. 

All of these, remains to be seen, remains to be lived. We don't know really, there are no guarantees in this life, new year or otherwise.

I take a more simplistic approach to a new year. Something I can wrap my fingers around. Something I can completely and honestly relate with. Here's a quote that sums up, roughly right, my new year dictum; from Anthony Robbins, a motivational speaker in the 21st century:

"Live life fully while you're here. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect: just be an excellent example of being human."

Sounds simple enough, but tougher than you think. Being human, characterized by compassion and kindness is fundamentally tough and a stretch for most of us. For me, in particular. I reckon I start from somewhere based on birthright, year on year. And I continue to be a work in progress. The Dalai Lama is right, absolutely everyone in the universe, regardless of race or faith, can not survive without human affection.

If only for a day, or a week, or a month in 2012, people can see and act on an opportunity for kindness for other human beings and other forms of life, then who cares if the Mayans are right? The sun can explode on a universe of mankind that shines brightly in a sea of compassion.

So my dear friends, here's to making an end, a new beginning! My wish for you and yours, a wonderful New Year ahead! Cheers y'all!

The Legend of the Sleepy Hallow's Eve

Uhmmm ... not really, I have no intentions to talk about Ichabod Crane and his investigative assignment. That stuff is for your English Literature class. I am just making a countdown to one of the most celebrated events throughout the world adapted from the mystical Celts, Hallow's Eve! (more popularly known as Halloween).

In other countries, this is aptly called the "Dia de los Muertos" or the Day of the Dead. Fancy that. Full 24 hours just for the dead.

If I am roughly right, it is a Pagan ritual. I know it is Celtic but the Irish would have their own claim to fame for this tradition. It signifies the end of summer, or so I was told; "Samhain" in Gaelic signifies the end of harvest. It's probably the oldest holiday and one of the most popularly celebrated. I reckon people celebrate it without even thinking of paganism or anything nearly occult. Perhaps some do, hmmm ...

I personally don't understand the feverish hoopla and excitement that surrounds the preparation for celebrating a surreal and tragic cause such as the people who have passed and gone to another dimension. Nor the dizziness of having to choose the creepiest "look" to fit the occasion.

Have you ever stopped and wondered what is the story behind good ol' Jack? (Not Daniels because I can devote an entire series of posts for that one);  Jack O Lantern. Yup,  the dude in the Irish folklore who conned the devil? Well you better read up before you slay another squash! Boo!

My take is that we love to celebrate this holiday to remind ourselves that we are still alive. How else do you logically explain the festivities, food binges and booze? The costumes are mainly donned to create a theatrical effect of miming the most dreadfully spooky evil spirits and elements our imaginations can create.

Then there's Trick or Treat. 

Why do kids these days actually believe they deserve the treats without doing a Trick? You have to be ready to do a triple cartwheel or perform your infamous fire-eating trick before I even give you a chocolate bar! Just because you are dressed up like Snow White with the 7 fugly Dwarfs does not make you entitled to any treat! I want to see Snow White eat the apple without using her hands. Yeah, seriously. It's not about costumes and make up. It's about "living out" the Zombie Apocalypse in my doorstep. And how dare these little creatures call me a cheapskate when I swing my chainsaw at them asking for a Trick. "Come on my little Georgie ... thrill me!"

Honestly I find the whole concept more like a successful marketing campaign. Half wit kids will goad their parents to buy them the most fashionable and trendy Halloween look. Of course, the pushover parents will spend their hard earned dollars to pay for costumes that are priced too exorbitantly for a one-off use. Absolutely ridiculous! The amount of investment is not justified by the rate of return. I dare say, Halloween is one of Capitalism's finest moments.

Imagine, you spend on costumes and treats, some families even prepare a Halloween dinner buffet with flowing drinks for silly house guests in masks, for one whole freaky day in a year that is absolutely insignificant to you, unless of course, you're a ghoul, a vampire or an undead. Now, if you happen to live in a farm and you celebrate the end of harvest season, then it makes sense if you slay a pumpkin and a turkey. But in the city? Don't you think you have just been gypped? Darn, I just think the whole Halloween Holiday is foolish, irreverent and downright absurd!

End of editorial.

I truly prefer my Halloween celebration sticking to the basics. A masquerade. A totally acceptable excuse to live out for just one day an "image" I probably wouldn't be caught in on any other ordinary day. Last year I was Pennywise, but I managed to spook even myself.

This year I am thinking of coming in as a chilling Zorro! The Antonio Banderas' Zorro, not the Zeta Jones type. I could try to get my Palomino brought into the city, except that it could be a little overboard, you think? I reckon it would be a riot to come in with the full gear; mask, hat, sword, a whip and of course, riding a horse! Damn! I could feel myself turning into a masked bandido right this moment. 

Really, if you can't beat 'em at being the creepiest fool then I may as well be the most sinister looking and intimidating character! Happy Halloween y'all!