This is a collection of true felt stories, poems, news, ramblings and musings from Marinduquenos all over the world and other miscellaneous topics close to my heart.
Welcome and Mabuhay
If you love Marinduque and want to contribute articles to this site, please do so. My contact information is in my profile. The above photo was taken from the balcony of The Chateau Du Mer Beach House, Boac, Marindque, Philippines. I love sunsets. How about you? Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on infringing your copyrights. Thank you and Cheers!
My Last posting was on my favorite TV singing competition. Today, It will be my favorite dancing competition.
There are several dancing TV shows that I have watched during the last 10 years. I have enjoyed watching So You Think you Can Dance and the World of Dance. However, my favorite is Dancing with Stars, currently on its 30th Season. Its on ABC.
There are controversies surrounding this Season 30. It included COVID-19 infections, the first-ever same-sex pairing, and judges and producers being accused of bias and prejudice.
On week two, competitor Cody Rigsby revealed he tested positive
for COVID-19. Accommodations were made for Rigsby and partner Cheryl
Burke. Contrary to how previous contestants were treated when facing
physical and health problems, the pair were not asked to withdraw and,
for the first time in the history of the show, were allowed to stay in
the competition while dancing from their homes. To facilitate dancing
from two different locations, instead of the originally assigned
cha-cha-cha, they were given a Jazz number.
Contestant JoJo Siwa
made history on the show as the first contestant to compete with a
partner of the same sex, which caused controversy when it was noted that
there had been several gay males competing throughout the show's run
who were paired with the opposite sex.
Kenya Moore's performances on the show were well-received by the critics and garnered positive reviews and praise from the fans.
However, she did not receive any points above 7. The scoring and number
of the announced votes sparked backlash with the viewers accusing the
panel of showing favoritism toward the less talented acts and underscoring Moore who excelled at dancing. The treatment was perceived as a double standard and bias.
Meanwhile enjoy this video of the top 10 Dances as compiled by ABC.
The Masked Singer from Fox currently on its 6th Seasons
Singing
Competitions TV shows had been popular for decades. I have watched them
all from American Idol, The Voice, Song Land, The Masked Singer and the
most recent one from Fox, Alter Ego. Currently my three favorites are:
The Voice, The Masked Singer and Alter Ego. In case you have not been
watching these shows here are brief summaries of the three shows from
Wikipedia.
1. "The Voice" started in 2011, and the 21st season premiered on September 21, 2021. It is a broadcast from NBC.
The Voice is an international reality television singing competition franchise. It is based on the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland, which was originally created by Dutch television producer John de Mol and singer Roel van Velzen. Many other countries have adapted the format and begun airing their own versions since 2010. It has become a rival to the Idols franchise, Rising Star and The X Factor. As of 2020, the franchise is owned by ITV Studios.
2. The Masked Singer (abbreviated as TMS is an American reality singing competition television series that premiered on Fox on January2, 2019. It is part of the Masked Singer
franchise which began in South Korea and features celebrities singing
songs while wearing head-to-toe costumes and face masks concealing their
identities. Hosted by Nick Cannon,
the program employs panelists who guess the celebrities' identities by
interpreting clues provided to them throughout each season. Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke
appear in each episode and vote alongside an audience for their
favorite singer after all perform. The least popular is eliminated,
taking off their mask to reveal their identity.
The winners of the first five seasons were T-Pain as "Monster", Wayne Brady as "Fox", Kandi Burruss as "Night Angel", LeAnn Rimes as "Sun", and Nick Lachey
as "Piglet", respectively. To prevent their identities from being
revealed before each prerecorded episode is broadcast, the program makes
extensive use of code names, disguises, non-disclosure agreements, and a team of security guards. While considering it more positive than other reality television shows, television critics
have had mixed reviews for the series and particularly negative
opinions of its panelists. The costumes, however, have attracted praise.
Inspired by haute couture, they are designed by Marina Toybina
and custom-built by a team ensuring the celebrities can sing clearly
while wearing them. In recognition of the costume design, Toybina won a Costume Designers Guild Award and a Creative Arts Emmy Award. Other production staff have won or been nominated for various labor union awards, and the show received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Competition Program.
The series has received the highest Nielsen ratings for a non-sports program in the adults 18–49 key demographic each television season it has aired. Two spin-offs—an aftershow and a dance version, The Masked Dancer—have followed as a result. The growth of the Masked Singer
franchise has been credited to the show's success, as has an interest
in adapting similar South Korean reality television series and other television formats centered on costumes. In May 2021, Fox renewed the show for a sixth season which premiered on September22 and 23, 2021.
The premise of the show is that the contestants sing backstage while motion capture technology creates digital avatars that appear in their place.
On May 17, 2021, it was announced that Fox had ordered the series, with Matilda Zoltowski as executive producer. On July 16, Rocsi Diaz was announced as host of the show, with Alanis Morissette, Nick Lachey, Grimes and will.i.am serving as judges. On July 26, it was announced that Alter Ego would premiere on September 22, following the sixth season premiere of The Masked Singer and a sneak peek episode that aired on September 12. On September 10, the contestants were announced.
Currently,
I am enjoying all the three shows. If you enjoy motion capture
technology and digital avatars, Alter Ego is a must watched show.
For the top 10 best singing competition show visit this site:
The David Jamili Katague Family, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines, 1956
I
just finished 4 Episodes of Season 1 of the TV remake of the 1997
classic movie, "I Know What You Did Last Summer". In this show, the two
main characters are twin sisters who hated each other, because one of
the them was the Dad's favorite. Thus it reminded me of the dangers and
pitfalls of Parental Favoritism.
If you are a parent and has more
than one child, it is normal sometimes to have a favorite child. But if
this favoritism persist, it is both harmful to the not favored as well
as to the favored child. When our 4 kids were growing, my motto was
never compared our children, since each of them have different
personalities, talents or disposition. Macrine ( RIP) and I tried to
treat them fairly and equally. However, there were moments and events
during their growing years that Macrine and I showed our favoritism to
one child. For these I apologize. Your Mom and I did our very best to
love and raise each of you as different individuals.
The
latest photo of my 4D's at Rocklin, CA during my oldest grandson
wedding, November 6, 2021. Here's the link-In information of my 4 D's.
In general, parents favored either the oldest or youngest child.
In my case, I am the oldest of 7. I felt or perceived that I( oldest)
and my youngest sister were the favored off springs( I could be wrong)
but our parents tried their very best to treat the 7 of us equally and
fairly. Do you feel the favored child or black sheep in your family? Let
me know what you think and feel whether you are the favored or not
favored child. Your feelings maybe real or just a perception.
The
following article is an excellent write up and advice to parents as
well as the children who are victims of permanent parental favoritism
behavior. I suggest you read it even if you felt you were the favored
child.
If you are a parent observing preferential treatment to one of your
children from a grandparent or other relative, you should do what you
can to put a stop to it. This may mean limiting contact between your
children and this other relative. If you don't address the favoritism,
both your favored and not favored children may think that you agree with
the relative's behavior, or even support it.
Source: unsplash.com
As a favored or not favored child, you will need to recognize that your
parents have abdicated some of their responsibility toward you. There
are some things that you will need to take care of yourself.
As a favored child, you may need to take on extra responsibility in
growing as your own person. Learn to detach yourself from the positive
effects of favoritism so that you can be free from the anxiety or
oppression of maintaining the relationship. It may be impossible for you
to mend your relationships with your siblings on your own without extra
support, such as a friend or therapist. You can, however, be open to
their expressions of anger and resentment. You do not need to take their
emotions on yourself, but you can recognize their validity.
As a not favored child, find as many resources as you can to help
yourself deal with the emotional and social effects of what has been
lacking in your life. Learn to recognize your own worth and focus on
those areas of your life where you have exhibited strength and
capability. An in-person or online therapist who specializes in adult
sibling relationships can be very helpful as you begin to recognize the
parts of you that have been affected by favoritism and heal them.
In my previous posting about a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I started watching again, the TV series Game of Thrones on HBO Max. Today I finished the 8 Seasons and it solidified my opinion and agreed with most of the critics that GOT is the best TV series of all Time.
It has everything entertaining( murder, sex, violence, treason, epic
battles, dragons and nudity ) and the several minor story lines( besides
the 3 major story lines) that are complex, intriguing with a lot of
dramatic twists and an ending most viewers did not expect or like.
I also mentioned the new Netflix TV Series- Squid Game
from Korea- the most popular and widely viewed series on Netflix
currently. I enjoyed very much both series and both series have
unpopular endings. Because I love both Series, I searched for TV series
similar to GOT and Squid Game. Today, I learned that Season 2 of Squid
Game have been approved.
Here's a summary of TV Shows similar to Game of Thrones.
In
this list I have watched all the shows on Netflix, Hulu, Showtime and
HBO Max. I have not seen the Series on Apple TV+ and Starz ( except
Outlander).
What if Game of Thrones... but in space? That's kind of what Apple TV+'s Foundation
is going for, with its bottomless budget and the incredibly rich
universes it inhabits. The sci-fi series follows an autocratic regime
that decides a mathematician's warning that the empire is about to fall
and send mankind into a period of dark ages is scientific nonsense, so
it's ignored by banishing the mathematician and his believers to the
outer reaches of the universe. With a variety of biomes, intricate
politics, and fantastic fashion, Foundation will remind you a lot of your favorite fantasy show. [Watch onApple TV+]
Depending on who you ask, Outlander
is either the sexiest show on TV, or it's a historical drama with a
touch of sci-fi. Or maybe it's both! Based on the book series by Diana
Gabaldon, Outlander revolves around Claire (Caitriona Balfe), a married World War II nurse who, after mysteriously time traveling back to 1743, falls in love with Jamie (Sam Heughan), a young Scottish warrior. You should know upfront that it definitely lacks the near-constant thrill that Game of Thrones
brought (there are way less expensive battle scenes, is what I'm
saying), but if you're looking for something that will give you an
occasionally accurate history lesson and get you invested in a sweeping
romance that spans centuries, Outlander is the show for you. [Watch onNetflix] Black Sails
Black Sails
Starz
Black Sails is about pirates, but not the fun, rum-drinking Pirates of the Caribbean kind: These are gritty pirates. A prequel to Treasure Island, Black Sails is set in the early 1700s and revolves around Captain Flint's (Toby Stephens) debaucherous life as the leader of a band of swashbucklers. He brings on Long John Silver (Luke Arnold) as a member of his crew, and together, they engage in a sprawling battle for New Providence Island. Black Sails has often been compared to Game of Thrones,
and even though it's not a fantasy, there are plenty of elements about
this show that fans will recognize and enjoy: its period setting, its
excellent characters, its engaging storytelling and world-building, and
some beautifully shot battle scenes. (And some gratuitous nudity.) Also,
if it helps, the ending wasn't anywhere near as divisive. [Watch on Starz] Spartacus
Andy Whitfield, Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Starz
If what you're really looking for in your post-Game of Thrones watching life is just people battling each other, look no further than Spartacus.
This show, set in the 72 B.C. era Roman Empire, is about gladiators,
which means it has blood and violence to spare. It has everything you're
probably looking for: brutal fighting, betrayal, sex and nudity
(seriously, when the characters on this show aren't trying to maim each
other, there's a good chance it's because they're too busy having sex),
and gore that's as exciting to look at as it is absolutely disgusting. [Watch on Starz]
For anyone whose favorite part of Game of Thrones was the twisted family dynamics, meet The Borgias.
The show, set in Renaissance-era Italy, follows the ruthless and
scandalous Borgia family who are willing to do just about anything to
maintain their power. When the show begins, Rodrigo (Jeremy Irons)
has just become Pope Alexander VI by using nefarious tactics, which is
probably the least insane thing that happens throughout its three
seasons. This show has a healthy amount of blood and violence, but the
things that makes this show most compelling are the characters and the
ways they interact with each other. The Borgias is not at all afraid to shy away from incest, so Game of Thrones fans should feel right at home. [Watch on Netflix]
It's hard to remember a time before Game of Thrones, but I promise it once existed. In fact, back in 2005, HBO made Rome,
a highly underrated drama set amid ancient Rome's transition from
republic to empire. It's a short watch (only two seasons!) that has
basically everything you're probably looking for: rival families trapped
in power struggles with each other, well-choreographed fight scenes,
intriguing characters, and more. Plenty of shows wish they could be the
next Game of Thrones, but Rome was Game of Thrones before Game of Thrones even existed. [Watch on HBO Max] The Witcher
Henry Cavill, The Witcher
Katalin Vermes/Netflix
The Witcher, which is based on Andrzej Sapkowski's book series, stars Henry Cavill as monster hunter Geralt of Rivia, a witcher whose destiny becomes bound to the sorceress Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) and the powerful princess Ciri (Freya Allan).
In case it wasn't already clear, this is a fantasy show, dealing with
magic, knights, and terrifying monsters. There's been a lot of debate
about whether or not The Witcher is trying to come up in Game of Thrones'
image, and the comparisons are obvious, but this show isn't Netflix's
attempt at a carbon copy. It's much more fantastical and centers around a
smaller group of characters, leaning more into the "fulfilling your
destiny" of it all. You will definitely walk away with the "Toss a Coin
to Your Witcher" song stuck in your head. [Watch on Netflix]
Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Natalie Dormer, The Tudors
Showtime
The real draw here is Natalie Dormer, who, a few years before donning Margaery Tyrell's curly wig, played Anne Boleyn on The Tudors. Showtime's historical drama is set during King Henry VIII's (played here by Jonathan Rhys Meyers)
tenure, touching on everything from his political struggles to his many
wives, which is arguably what he's most famous for. If you already know
the story of King Henry, there's not much here that will surprise you,
but it's still a great drama with a strong cast that's a must-watch for
anyone who loved the royal family stuff in Game of Thrones. [Watch on Showtime]
Set in 866, The Last Kingdom tells the story of Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon),
a Saxon warrior raised from childhood as a Viking after Vikings invaded
his home. The show is a great mix of politics, family, and war, and
it's adrenaline-pumping in all the right ways. If you were disappointed
by Daenerys' messy descent into Game of Thrones' designated villain, The Last Kingdom kind of makes up for that with Brida's (Emily Cox) own dark journey, which feels more warranted thanks to the way the show fleshes it out over several seasons. [Watch onNetflix]
Speaking of Vikings, have you checked out Vikings? Originally following the story of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel),
a Viking farmer who went on to become one of the most infamous Vikings
in history, the drama is based on actual events and later transitions to
focus more on his sons, including Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh) and Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig). Like Game of Thrones, Vikings is
an epic that spans many years, and delights in exploring power
struggles, how leaders fall, and family politics. It's the historical
drama you've been looking for. Especially if you like a massive,
big-budget battle once or twice a season. [Watch onHulu, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video]
A couple of years ago, there were several articles of what to do to
slow down the aging process. But a recent study ( June, 2021 reported by
the Guardian) suggests that stopping or even reversing the aging process is impossible.
In a collaborative effort from scientists worldwide, including experts
from the University of Oxford, it was concluded that aging is inevitable
due to biological constraints.
With this mind I agree with the above statement that Aging is just Another word for Living. If you are a Senior, I hope you are aging gracefully.
My
87th Birthday( next month) is getting near; I am reminded of the
articles I have posted in my blogs about aging. My favorites quotes are
in block.
Today, I am posting some of my favorite quotes on aging. These are all positive quotes from the famous both living and dead!
“The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.” ~ Frank Lloyd Wright
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the
creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When
you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”
~Sophia Loren
“In the central place of every heart there is a recording
chamber. So long as it receives a message of beauty, hope, cheer, and
courage – so long are you young. When the wires are all down and our
heart is covered with the snow of pessimism and the ice of cynicism,
then, and only then, are you grown old.” ~Douglas MacArthur
“For the unlearned, old age is winter; for the learned, it is the season of the harvest.” ~Hasidic saying
“Every year should teach you something valuable; whether you get the
lesson is up to you. Every year brings you closer to expressing your
whole and healed self.” ~Oprah Winfrey
“One of the reasons people get old—lose their aliveness—is that they get weighed down by all of their stuff.” ~Richard Leider
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” ~Mark Twain
“I suppose real old age begins when one looks backward rather than forward.” ~ Mary Sarton
“Of all the self-fulfilling prophecies in our culture the assumption
that aging means decline and poor health is probably the deadliest.” ~
Marilyn Ferguson
“Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind.” ~Jackie Joyner-Kersee
“Your 40s are good. Your 50s are great. Your 60s are fab. And 70 is f*@king awesome!” ~Helen Mirren
“Know that you are the perfect age. Each year is special and
precious, for you shall only live it once. Be comfortable with growing
older.” ~Louise Hay
“Oh, the worst of all tragedies is not to die young, but to live
until I am seventy-five and yet not ever truly to have lived.” ~ Martin
Luther King Jr.
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” ~George Bernard Shaw
“I believe the second half of one’s life is meant to be better than
the first half. The first half is finding out how you do it. And the
second half is enjoying it.” ~Frances Lear
“We are not victims of aging, sickness, and death. These are part of
scenery, not the seer, who is immune to any form of change. This seer
is the spirit, the expression of eternal being.” ~Deepak Chopra
“Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” ~Franz Kafka
“To find joy in work is to discover the fountain of youth.” ~Pearl S. Buck
“The trouble is, when a number—your age—becomes your identity,
you’ve given away your power to choose your future.” ~Richard J. Leider
“It annoys me when people say, ‘Even if you’re old, you can be young
at heart!’ Hiding inside this well-meaning phrase is a deep cultural
assumption that old is bad and young is good. What’s wrong with being
old at heart, I’d like to know? Wouldn’t you like to be loved by people
whose hearts have practiced loving for a long time?” ~Susan Moon
“I’ve always said that I will never let an old person into my body.
That is, I don’t believe in ‘thinking’ old. Don’t program yourself to
break down as you age with thoughts that decline is inevitable.” ~Wayne
Dyer
“Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young.” ~Ben Franklin
“Old age is an excellent time for outrage. My goal is to say or do at least one outrageous thing every week.” ~Maggie Kuhn
“A human being would certainly not grow to be 70 or 80 years old if
this longevity had no meaning for the species to which he belongs. The
afternoon of human life must also have a significance of its own and
cannot be merely a pitiful appendage to life’s morning.” ~Carl Jung
“The belief that youth is the happiest time of life is founded on a
fallacy. The happiest person is the person who thinks the most
interesting thoughts and we grow happier as we grow older.” ~William
Lyon Phelps
“Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better!” ~Ingrid Bergman
“If you associate enough with older people who do enjoy their lives,
who are not stored away in any golden ghettos, you will gain a sense of
continuity and of the possibility for a full life.” ~ Margaret Mead
“When it comes to staying young, a mind-lift beats a face-lift any day.” ~Marty Buccella
“My physical body may be less efficient and less beautiful in old
age. But God has given me an enormous compensation: my mind is richer my
Soul is broader and my wisdom is at a peak. I am so happy with the
riches of my advanced peak age that, contrary to Faust, I would not wish
to return to youth.” ~Robert Muller
“None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” ~Henry David Thoreau
“Elderly people are like plants. Whereas some go to seed, or to
pot, others blossom in the most wonderful ways. I believe beauty
competitions should be held only for people over seventy years of
age. When we are young, we have the face and figure God gave us. We
did nothing to earn our good looks. But as we get older, character
becomes etched on our face. Beautiful old people are works of art. Like
a white candle in a holy place, so it the beauty of an aged face.”
~James Simpson
“I’m baffled that anyone might not think women get more beautiful as
they get older. Confidence comes with age, and looking beautiful comes
from the confidence someone has in themselves.” ~Kate Winslet
“The wiser mind mourns less for what age takes away than what it leaves behind.” ~ William Wordsworth
“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.” ~Robert Browning
“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” ~Betty Friedan
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.
Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to
keep your mind young.” ~Henry Ford
“You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” ~ George Burns
“Here’s what I know: I’m a better person at fifty than I was at
forty-eight … and better at fifty-two than I was at fifty. I’m calmer,
easier to live with. All this stuff is in my soul forever. Just don’t
get lazy. Work at your relationships all the time. Take care of
friendships, hold people you love close to you, take advantage of
birthdays to celebrate fiercely. It’s the worrying — not the years
themselves — that will make you less of a woman.” ~Patti LaBelle,
“Relish love in our old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes
more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and
more intoxicating.” ~Leo Buscaglia
“Getting old is a fascination thing. The older you get, the older you want to get.” ~Keith Richards
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” ~Abraham Lincoln
“There is also this pressure in Hollywood to be ageless. I think
what I have been witness to is seeing women trying to stay ageless with
what they are doing to themselves. I am grateful to learn from their
mistakes, because I am not injecting shit into my face. I see them and
my heart breaks. I think, ‘Oh, God, if you only knew how much older you
look.’ They’re trying to stop the clock, and all you can see is an
insecure person who won’t let themselves just age.” ~Jennifer Aniston
“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears. ~John Lennon
“I am appalled that the term we use to talk about aging is ‘anti.’
Aging is as natural as a baby’s softness and scent. Aging is human
evolution in its pure form.”~ Jamie Lee Curtis
“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand
like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born.”
~Albert Einstein
“Aging isn’t about getting old it’s about LIVING… Learning that you
can age well, will actually help you to age better… let’s start
celebrating and living an engaged life, and stop punishing ourselves for
not looking a certain way, and instead holding ourselves accountable
for actually taking care of ourselves inside first, knowing the results
on the exterior will be a shining side effect.” ~ Cameron Diaz
“In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can
remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is
unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in
big things, and happy in small ways.” ~Edith Wharton
“I have absolutely no objection to growing older. I am a stroke
survivor so I am extremely grateful to be aging – I have nothing but
gratitude for the passing years. I am aging – lucky, lucky me!” ~ Sharon
Stone
“It’s like you trade the virility of the body for the agility of the spirit.” – Elizabeth Lesser
“I love living. I love that I’m alive to love my age. There are many
people who went to bed just as I did yesterday evening and didn’t wake
this morning. I love and feel very blessed that I did.” ~Maya Angelou
“Aging happy and well, instead of sad and sick, is at least under
some personal control. We have considerable control over our weight, our
exercise, our education, and our abuse of cigarettes and alcohol. With
hard work and/or therapy, our relationships with our spouses and our
coping styles can be changed for the better. A successful old age may
lie not so much in our stars and genes as in ourselves.” ~George E.
Vaillant
“I don’t believe in aging. I believe in forever altering one’s aspect to the sun.” ~ Virginia Woolf
“With age comes the inner, the higher life. Who would be forever young, to dwell always in externals?” ~Elizabeth Cady Stanton
“The great thing about getting older is that you become more mellow.
Things aren’t as black and white, and you become much more tolerant.
You can see the good in things much more easily rather than getting
enraged as you used to do when you were young.” ~Maeve Binchy
“We don’t grow older, we grow riper.” ~Pablo Picasso
Do you have a favorite? I will be happy to hear from you!
The 4D's -Ditas, Dodie, David and Dinah-in front of the Chapel
The 3D's( Ditas, Dodie and David E) and Me before the Wedding Ceremony
Yesterday
was Ian and Sara's wedding day. Ian is my oldest grandson. He is the
son of my oldest daughter Dinah. The wedding was held in Rocklin, CA at a
small Victorian Chapel. The theme of the wedding is about cowboys. It
is another stage of my aging years and looking forward for a great grand
child soon. Here are some photos of the occasion.
Alex and Elaine Chalfin with two Kids-Samantha and Wesley in front of the Chapel
The Old St Mary's Chapel, 5251 Front Street, Rocklin, CA 95677
Our Table at the Wedding Reception in Loomis, California
Ian and Sara Invitation for November 6, 2021-The Wedding Day
Indoor Plants in My Bedroom-Christmas Cactus starting to Bloom
Winter is Coming-Famous
sentence from the Best TV series of all Time-Game of Thrones. Last week
and the next couple of weeks I am binging on the TV Series Games of
Thrones. There are 8 seasons and currently I am only in Season 4. I am
indeed enjoying it as I have forgotten a lot of minor dramatic scenes
that makes the series the best TV series of all time.
Today most of my cacti and succulent plant collections are going indoors for Winter is Coming!
The
other day, I transferred most of my cacti and succulent collections
inside the house along with my other indoor plants. Cacti and succulents
hate a lot of water. The recent torrential rains damaged some of my
cactus that I forgot outside. Here are some photos of my current indoor
plants and their location in the house.
My Picture Window in the Living Room
In the Family Room
My Kitchen Picture Window Overlooking the Empty Swimming Pool
My Indoor Plants in My Master Bedroom Bathroom Window
My Outdoor Potted Cacti and Succulents in Our Covered Patio-will be left Outside
Pineapple with Fruit, and Succulents in Front Patio Protected from the Winds
My Lemons are not very Productive This Year
My Potted Avocado Plant Outside
My Pyracanta Shrub with Berries adding Fall Colors in My Side Yard
My Potted Ampalaya on its last Breathe of Growing-until next Spring
Speaking of houseplants, Do you know that its popularity had increased during the Pandemic?
In a recent survey of 990 people who had purchased houseplants since March 2020, 12% were first-time plant buyers.
People had various reasons for buying greenery since the pandemic. Some
people did it because now they had more time on their hands; others
said garden stores were some of the few places open.Sep 10, 2020
With everybody being at home more than usual this year, houseplants have really been seeing an increase in popularity.
... Houseplants have also been shown to clean the air in your home, and
if you needed more benefits, they are a great option to freshen up the
design of an outdated room.
My Christmas Cactus in the Bedroom Sliding Door Blooming Early
For
some reasons I can not explained , I wanted and had an urging to watch
Games of Thrones again this week. I have enjoyed all the eight seasons
of this TV series on HBO two years ago.
HOWEVER,
watching Season 1 this week was just as enjoyable if not more as the
first time. I have forgotten a lot of the dramatic details ( side
stories) of this series, so watching this show again was more fun and
entertaining as the first time.
Many critics and
publications have named the show as one of the best television series of
all time. In case you have not heard of this TV series here's a brief
summary from Wikipedia.
Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, Game of Thrones has a large ensemble cast and follows several story arcs throughout the course of the show. The first major arc concerns the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms
of Westeros through a web of political conflicts among the noble
families either vying to claim the throne or fighting for independence
from whoever sits on it.
A second focuses on the last descendant of the
realm's deposed ruling dynasty, who has been exiled to Essos and is
plotting to return and reclaim the throne.
The third follows the Night's
Watch, a military order defending the realm against threats from beyond
Westeros's northern border.
Game of Thrones attracted a record viewership on HBO and
has a broad, active, and international fan base. Critics have praised
the series for its acting, complex characters, story, scope, and
production values, although its frequent use of nudity and violence
(including sexual violence) has been subject to criticism.
Game of Thrones has won numerous awards throughout its run, including 59 Emmy Awards, eight Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Peabody Award. It holds the record for total Emmy Award wins for a scripted television series (surpassing the record of 37 wins held by Frasier since 2004) and for most Emmy nominations for a drama series, with 161.
In 2019, the show's final season established a new record for most Emmy
nominations received in a year with 32, breaking the 25-year-long
record of 26 nominations established by NYPD Blue in 1994.
In 2013 the Writers Guild of America listed Game of Thrones as the 40th best written series in television history. In 2015 The Hollywood Reporter placed it at number four on their best TV shows ever list, while in 2016 the series was placed seventh on Empire's "The 50 best TV shows ever". The same year Rolling Stone named it the twelfth "greatest TV Show of all time".
Merchandise and exhibition
HBO has licensed a variety of merchandise based on Game of Thrones, including games, replica weapons and armor, jewelry, bobblehead dolls by Funko, beer by Ommegang and apparel. High-end merchandise includes a $10,500 Ulysse Nardin wristwatch and a $30,000 resin replica of the Iron Throne.
In 2013 and 2014, a traveling exhibition of costumes, props, armor and
weapons from the series visited major cities in Europe and the Americas. Starting 2018, Diageo released several Game of Thrones themed whiskies.
Macrine's
(RIP) favorite snacks and habit: Brie with Crackers, M & M
candies(peanut butter) and Pistachio Nuts and Cigarettes
I
was surprised today when I went outside. In our patio table was a
placed setting with food and snacks and cigarettes and a candle, but no
utensils. Since I did not do it, I concluded it must David III, my son
who lives with me. After a few seconds I realized that the snacks were
his Mom's (RIP) favorite snacks and of course the cigarette. The photo
above I took for posterity. Its is David's way of remembering his Mom,
and I respect it. I left the plates and the snacks, but later covered
it, before the squirrels in our backyard discovered the food and snacks.
Macrine, my Beloved, May your soul Rest in Peace, Amen.
Meanwhile do you know the difference of these 3 consecutive days?(October 31, November 1 and November 2.
What is the difference between All Saints Day, All Souls Day and Halloween?
Ghosts,
symbolic of human souls roaming the earth, are an important part of
Halloween tradition. The Christian concept of the importance of the
human soul and its existence beyond death is at the heart of centuries
of cultural traditions behind Halloween.
Everybody
knows the secular holiday of Halloween. But not everybody knows it
derives from a holy day, All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1, which is followed by
All Souls’ day on Nov. 2.
The
root word of Halloween - ‘’hallow’' - means ‘’holy.’’ The suffix “een”
is an abbreviation of “evening.” It refers to the Eve of All Hallows,
the night before the Christian holy day that honors saintly people of
the past.
“All
Saints is a celebration of the communion of saints, those people we
believe are in heaven,” said the Rev. Richard Donohoe, pastor of Our
Lady Queen of the Universe Catholic Church in Birmingham.
All
Souls’ Day is a day to pray for all souls. Among Catholics, prayers are
offered for those in purgatory, waiting to get into heaven. On All
Souls’ Day, Catholic churches have a Book of the Dead, in which
parishioners have an opportunity to write the names of relatives to be
remembered.
Here's how Filipinos celebrate All Saints and All Souls Days.
The Philippines was a Spanish colony
from the time of explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the 1500s up until the
Philippine Revolution in 1898. While the Philippines is now under its
own sovereign control, the ideas, customs, and traditions of the Spanish
and the Roman Catholic church have been fully incorporated into
Filipino society. One such tradition is the celebration of All Saints’
Day.
All Saints’ Day began in the Roman
Catholic church as a way for people to honor their dead. In the Catholic
tradition, recognized saints have their own memorial days such as St.
Patrick’s Day and St. Valentine’s Day. However, regular people who died
and were not canonized had no day for an observance. To provide a day
where all saints could be recognized, remembered, and celebrated —
including deceased family members that were not canonized — the Roman
Catholic Church established All Saints’ Day.
Today, in each country where Roman
Catholicism is established, there are two days dedicated to celebrating
deceased family members — November 1, known as All Saints’ Day, and
November 2, All Souls’ Day.
Originally, November 1 was a somber
day meant for church attendance and participating in prayer for loved
ones. Prayer is especially important for family members believed to be
in purgatory and are waiting to enter heaven. November 2 was
traditionally the day for celebration. Today, Undas in the Philippines
mixes both somber and celebratory traditions into both November 1 and 2.
Since the Philippines was originally a Spanish colony, the holiday is
celebrated similarly to the ways Mexico celebrates All Saints’ Day.- Dias de los Muertos.
