Happy New Year

Tonight we are having what is called a blue moon, which is the second full moon in a month and doesn’t actually have anything to do with the colour. The original definition of a blue moon was when there occurs a fourth full moon within a single season. For some reason it was changed and stuck.

I was discussing the stars in a previous post and decided to do some research on the star Sirius. It turns out that it is actually two stars. Sirius A is the bright star that we can see which is about three times the mass of our sun and ten times brighter. It has a twin, Sirius B, which is a “white dwarf” which has the same mass as our sun but only four times the diameter of our earth, which makes it very dense. Sirius B was only discovered by modern astronomers in 1862 but the Ancient Egyptians knew about it thousands of years ago and would mark the heliacal rising (the first visible rising of the star after previously being unseen because of the sun) of Sirius as the first day of their calendar. Unknown to most people, our calendar begins at the time when Sirius is at the mid-way point in our sky, when the earth’s orbit around the sun places us closest to the star. The time between the rising of Sirius to the next time it rises is called a Sothic year and is almost exactly 365.25 days, which is the same as our Julian calendar.

This is so interesting to me and I will be digging deeper into the subject, bringing you new information when I discover it. Until then, Happy New Year! (or maybe, Happy New Sothic Year!)

Christmas '09

Christmas at our house was wonderful! None of us had to work which was very nice. Kyle and Laura decorated the tree earlier in the week, and hung the stockings on the wall. We also hung the wreath that Laura made a few years ago on the front door.

The big day started out with the customary opening of the stockings which was so much fun as always. Then we moved on to presents. We went with a bedroom theme for the kids, giving them each lamps, pillows and sheets etc. Everyone was very happy with everything they received. Susan and I were smart this year and did most of our wrapping a couple of nights before so we could relax on Christmas Eve.

After the gifts were finished, Susan made a wonderful brunch! French toast, bacon, hash browns and waffles. Everything tasted great.

We spent a relaxing afternoon at home until it was time to go to Susan’s parents for dinner. We had a turkey dinner and I ate too much, but it was worth it. We had a nice visit with everyone who showed up.

Boxing day was a lazy day in the morning. We put a turkey in the oven at about 1:00 p.m. and then got busy cleaning. Mom and Dad came down in the afternoon and had turkey dinner with us. We had a nice visit and opened presents with them.

Over all, it was a very good weekend. We got time to spend with our families and our kids, what more could we ask for.

Writing Application

I found a website which takes applications from freelance writers to post regularly on their site. I decided to take a swing at it, submitting my application last week. I wrote two articles and a personal profile which was what they asked for. The articles had to be written in the third-person and be factual, not opinionated. I did my best, writing and polishing the pieces, then submitted them with high hopes. A little over an hour after I sent them in, I received my rejection letter. They are apparently looking for people who are experts in the field they are writing in. Since I am neither a doctor, nor a professional dog trainer, I had no business writing about the subjects I chose.

Not wanting to let the articles I wrote go to my trash bin, I decided to post them on my blog, which is what my last two posts have been. At least now I can concentrate on writing my novel, which by the way, is going much better than my first attempt. I am writing full character sketches and making a detailed outline before I even sit down to write the body. I am excited and am feeling good about the process.

Getting A Dog For The Health Of It

Thinking about an exercise routine, but finding it hard to get started? Maybe getting a dog is the answer you.

Many people are thinking about their health these days, but with busy schedules and less free time it can be hard to start and stick with an exercise program. Exercise takes commitment and unless one is very motivated, usually goes by the way-side. One consideration is getting a dog. Although this takes a different kind of commitment, it is one that some may be more inclined to apply.

A dog needs to be walked every day.

No matter what the weather brings, a dog needs exercise. This is something which a dog owner cannot get away from, unless they want to come home to a piece of chewed furniture or worse. If a dog does not have an outlet for energy, it will find one. Walking every day will spend that energy and keep belongings intact. The health benefit to the owner is that a brisk walk is good exercise.

Letting a dog run in the dog park is cheating yourself.

Dog parks are very popular and are more of a social gathering for owners. Owners let their dogs run around and play while they stand and visit. While this may be great fun for the dog, it does the owner no good with their exercise routine. The dog park can be a treat once in a while, but if it becomes a habit the dog owner is really cheating themselves.

Owning a dog is a life-long commitment.

Committed dog owners know that the relationship they have with their dog is something which cannot be pushed aside for any length of time. Once one owns a dog, they are his keeper for the rest of it's life. It is not always easy and may at times be frustrating, but in the long run it will all be worth it. It is a lifetime relationship with no back door.

Caring for a dog is a huge responsibility.

Dogs are entirely dependant on their owners. They need exercise and training, they need to be fed every day, they need love and compassion. One should consider all options and do plenty of research before committing to buying a dog. Dogs are a lot of work but there are rewards as well. A person who is seriously considering getting a dog should weigh everything in their life which will be affected by the new addition. A sad fact is that adult dogs which end up in the pound are most likely to be euthanized.

Studies claim that pet owners live longer.

Many studies around the world claim that owning a pet will prolong a person's life. Not only will the dog owner be healthier as a result of exercise, but they have a good chance of living longer because of their canine companion. What an excellent trade off, give a dog a happy home and he gives back longevity.

A dog will change a person's life, but the rewards are worth it.

After getting a dog, a person's life will never be the same. People adjust to their situation and find time for things which are important. Health is important to many people and a relationship with a dog will increase their greater well-being, get them into shape and possibly enjoy a longer life with a loyal companion at their side.

Stay Healthy During Cold & Flu Season

There are many things one can do to avoid getting sick. The following are a few you may have heard before but also a couple you might not have thought of.

Benjamin Franklin said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is so true when it comes to one's health and well-being. No one wants to get sick but sometimes it happens. If people choose to use the ounce of prevention, they could possibly avoid most viruses altogether.

Wash and sanitize your hands.

Something everyone has heard repeatedly these days, especially with the spread of H1N1, is “wash your hands”. People are washing their hands and using sanitizer more frequently, which is good for impeding the spread of germs and viruses. Awareness goes a long way. People need to take this one step further for it to be most effective, which is to avoid touching their nose and mouth. As soon as a person touches a contaminated object, whatever was on that object is now on their hands. If they touch their nose or mouth, they have a good chance of contracting the virus.

Eat properly, exercise and get enough rest.

These three ingredients are important for a healthy lifestyle. People who are looking to prevent illness need to have energy for the battle. If a person does not get one or more of these, they can get run down and end up being more susceptible to viruses. They invite the viruses in, by being good and easy hosts.

Meditate daily.

Meditation is very good for the spirit and soul, something that directly affects a person's physical self. Healthy spirituality goes hand in hand with a healthy physicality. Meditation is not something that everyone does on a regular basis, even if they know how to and know how good it is for them.

There is no great secret to meditation and there are numerous classes and workshops in any community, if someone is interested in learning. Another option is to simply look on the internet for meditation methods until they find something compatible.

Tap into your mind.

The subconscious is a very powerful tool that people rarely employ, or even know how to use. What a person has to do is simply tell themselves that they are not getting sick, and more importantly, never saying out loud that they are getting sick. When a person says something like, “I don't feel well” they are reenforcing the fact that they are infected and proclaiming to anyone within earshot that they have in fact given in to the virus.

If a person gets a tickle in their throat and they repeatedly tell themselves that they are not getting sick, they can overcome it before it really sets in. This is especially effective if they can put up reminders to themselves, little notes telling them that they are not getting sick. Another effective method is if a person stands in front of a mirror, look themselves in the eye and repeat that they are not getting sick.

These suggestions are just that, some things may work for one person but not for another. Do what you feel comfortable with and if you are unsure, consult your physician before trying anything new.

Night Sky

For the last two nights, the sky has been very clear, at least in the South, which is where some of my favourite stars are located. The Orion constellation is probably one of the most recognizable systems in our night sky. When I was young I thought it looked like a circus horse, with a pointy hat and a fancy belt.

If you follow the line of Orion’s belt down, you can see the brightest star in the sky which is called Sirius and is part of the Canis Major constellation. Sirius has another quality which is unique and that is that it twinkles in different colours. I love to sit and watch as it cycles through the spectrum. The reason that it appears to change colour is that it is closer to the horizon and has more atmosphere to travel through. If it were a dimmer star, it could not be seen.

I take in these stars every chance I can because they are only visible during the Autumn and Winter months. During the Summer they are under the horizon or in the sky when the sun is out which makes them un-viewable.

Another surprise I found the other night was the red planet, Mars, which is located in the South East and is very red at the moment.

I've taken a picture from my astronomy program, showing Orion and Sirius.

Zat You?

One of my favourite Christmas songs is Zat You Santa Claus?, sung by Louis Armstrong. Every time I hear it, I'm reminded of when Laura was five or six years old. We'd got it on a Christmas CD and every time it came on, Laura would sing "Zat You" in her best Louis Armstrong voice; so cute!

Happy Birthday Mr Deuce!

One year ago today we picked up our new dog from the CRD pound. We've had to make a lot of changes in our lives but it's all been worth it because Mr Deuce is a happy dog. He gets a lot of exercise and play time, much better than the life he started with. I get a lot of exercise too, which is good for my health.

We had originally named him Deuce but have since added a "Mr" which sort of just happened. It suits him.

We are having a birthday dinner for him tonight with his favourite food: BEEF! One of his rules when we are eating is that he lies down and leaves everyone alone until we are finished. If he does that then he gets a treat. He's always extra good when he smells beef cooking because he knows he'll get some. It's a good thing that we're big beef eaters.

His favourite game is playing catch with his squeaky bone and he's very good at it. I don't throw it until he's lying down, I just have to snap my fingers and he's ready. He catches it almost every time.

He still has issues which we are dealing with but it is such a good experience and the trials are worth it with each barrier he breaks through. He has worked his way into all of our hearts and we will never be the same again. It's amazing, that's all I can say

Happy birthday Mr Deuce!

Advent Calendar

Here it is once more and I'm on time this year. There is a new Advent Calendar for the countdown to Christmas. Just click on the link and it will take you there. Happy Holidays!