As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

John F. Kennedy

I grew up in an era where cartoons contained a small amount of funny violence, and it was funny. The Coyote running off of cliffs and falling into a cloud of dust was good for a giggle, and Sylvester being mauled by dogs was a hoot.

So it’s no wonder that I’m enjoying Rayman and the Rabbid Rabbits game on the Wii. This game consists of some really ugly and gross rabbits who have captured a duck-like hero, Rayman. And Rayman must battle the bunnies by shooting them with plungers. It’s a whole lot of fun.

Did I mention you also have to fling cows in this game? The cows don’t seem to be particularly bright, but they’re pretty funny as they go flying through the air.

What can I say? I’m a product of my childhood.

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.

Jim Rohn

I love Halloween. It is by far my favorite holiday, and I add to our “effect” every year. But sometimes things go wrong. Here are some lessons I have learned:

People Don’t Heed Warnings

Two years ago I added a sound-activated ghost to the decorations. It can be very startling, particularly if you don’t see it before it starts moving and moaning. It isn’t particularly sensitive, but responds to the louder-than-conversation voices people adopt in the dark. I would warn people bringing small children up to be quiet and not disturb the ghost. Few listened, and there were many tears (kids) and screams (adults). Lesson learned: some people have to learn the hard way.

An Extra In The Candy

I few years ago I dressed up as a witch to hand out candy. A last minute addition of 3-inch black fake nails completed my costume. But midway through the night I realized some of my nails weren’t there. Apparently some of the children got a bonus at my house. Lesson learned: skip the nails unless you glue them on.

Green? Sick?

Another year I went for subtle. I turned my skin green with the aid of some eyeshadow mixed with face powder. What I didn’t realize is that color fades at twilight. Instead of looking scary, I was told a few times I looked pale and sick. Lesson learned: skip the makeup when outside.

Spider Webs

Soon after we moved into our house, I put fake spider webs all over the bushes in front. We had a rainy October and the webs ended up looking like soggy lint. And it was a total mess to clean up; we had to pick it out of the branches bit by bit. Lesson learned: put webs where they won’t get wet.

All in all, the lessons stick. This year we’re adding a fog machine, and I have to wonder what the lessons from that will be. I’ve already learned not to hang the fake spiders right in front of the door. They tangle in curly hair horribly.

Photo by Niklas Hellerstedt

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.

Will Rogers

I have a fondness for cinnamon donuts. Given all the choices at the local donut store, I will choose the plain old cinnamon over any other flavor every time. And it’s all rooted in a childhood memory.

I was very young, but I still remember my visits to my great-grandmother’s apartment. I’m not sure when her husband died (she died when I was four, so it must have been before that), but my step-great-grandfather was a cheerful man. He let me play with his hearing aid box, and sit on his knee, and best of all, dip bits of Trenary Toast into his coffee. These pieces of hardened bread are coated with cinnamon and sugar. They are wonderful.

Grandpa H gave me that memory, and a piece of copper he dug from the mines. I still have both today, and I think of him and the UP whenever I have a cinnamon donut.

Photo by Salim Virji

It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey.

Wendell Berry

I embarked on a new adventure recently: Brownie Leader. For the first meeting I helped with, we were doing wearable art. The book suggested face painting, but since finances are limited, we couldn’t bring in a real artist. Also unwilling to let the girls start pushing at each other’s faces with sticks, the co-leader and I decided that I would do the face painting.

This felt uncomfortable, because I have little artistic ability and have trouble drawing a straight line with a ruler. But I thought I could manage what the girls would ask for. After all, they’re little girls, right? I envisioned hearts, butterflies and stars.

And it turned out I was right. Everyone wanted hearts and stars and butterflies. Until the last little girl. What did she want?

A spitting cobra.

In vain I protested I couldn’t draw a snake. It fell on deaf ears. So I picked up the brush.

It was a black squiggle with one blob at the top. And a red line coming out of the blob. It looked like a snake in a impressionistic-squinty-tilt-your-head-to-the-side sort of way.

The little girl ran to the bathroom and came back thrilled. “See? You can draw a cobra!”

So I surprised myself. I guess I can draw a spitting cobra.

And I was very thankful all the girls have great imaginations.

Photo by redcherryhill

People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.

W. Somerset Maugham

I’m always surprised at home many people don’t know about Kiva. Kiva is a non-profit that partners with organization around the world to disperse and manage microloans.

Microloans are a way to help life people out of poverty by giving them a chance to be entrepreneurs. This money is not a handout: partner organization take the applications, vet the business ideas and monitor progress and repayment.

A microloan is a small (by US standards) amount of loan money. Usually under $1000, it can mean the ability to start or expand a business.

Kiva makes microlending possible for the average person. By lending $25, each person has a chance to be part of a bigger loan. Kiva assembles the money with other donors’ $25 to make the requested amount. An easy-to-use web interface, along with Paypal for payment of the $25, make it simple and safe.

In my time lending with Kiva, about 2 years, I have made 14 loans with my initial $50 investment. None of these borrowers have defaulted, and each of these were businesses I felt I could support. Most of the loans I help fund are to women, struggling to support families.

I urge you to check out Kiva and make a real difference to people working their way to better lives. For $25.00, you can make a real difference in the fight on poverty.

Photo by liewcf