Halloween? What does it mean?!

Halloween, Halloween, oh what does it mean?  Lots and lots of tales and stories.  Stories of monsters, vampires, werewolves, demons, and signs of woe, black raves and black cats.  People tell stories from years ago before anyone called it Halloween.  People decorate their houses with evil and dark things, zombies, big black spiders, webs and graves.  Spooky orange lights.  Children and candy, trick or treating.  What does it mean, Bugzy, what does it mean?!  I'm so confused,  you say!  B is here to help!

What is the true meaning of Halloween that I promised you?    I'll ask  Chip.  He's younger than me, but he reads lots of books, like me.   He told me he knew.

Bugzy:  Hey, Chip, come over here please.
Chip:  Yes, Bugzy, what is it?
Bugzy:  What is the true meaning of Halloween?  I've so many stories of some people called Druids, black cats, bats, vampires and such.  What does it mean?
Chip:  It probably started out as a simple feast of the harvest, in the fall when the crops were in and the weather was turning cold.  People probably danced and had fun.

Halloween is a day of role-reversal, according to some books I have read.  It's simple.  What do kids do?  They dress up in masks.  They never do that.  They go to strangers houses.  They never ever do that.  Kids ask strangers for candy, then they eat it.  They never EVER do that.  Adults tell children stories of bad things to scare them. Children play "tricks" on adults who don't give them what they want.   They never do that.  It's a day of role-reversal.  Simple.

Bugzy:  That is very interesting.   Kids taking candy from strangers and such.

Chip:  I have read books about Halloween.  It's history is very complicated.  It seems we've taken parts from various European and Catholic cultures, as well as popular culture in America.  But it's still role reversal.

Bugzy:  When did you get so smart, little brother?!

Chip:  Reading every day.  Everything I can.

Bugzy:  I KNOW HOW,  you love to read like I do.  I mean "when."

Chip:  OK, my bad.  I love to sit in a quiet place outdoors and read, in the car, or somewhere when I have to wait, at night before bed.  That's a great time to read about Halloween!

Bugzy:  Enough of that, LET'S GO GET SOME CANDY!  AND SCARE MOM!!

Chip:  How can we scare her a good one?  Vampire masks?

Bugzy:  Not good enough.  Let's go tell her how much money it'll take to send us to college.  That should do it!!

Chip:  Naahhh, too mean.

Bugzy:  OK vampire masks it is.

Happy Halloween!

Bugzy

What are YOU going to be for Halloween?

Greetings everyone!  Bugzy here again.  I was just wondering what everyone what going to dress up as for Halloween this year?  Moms, Dad, kids, teens, everyone!  You probably saw my costume!

Me in my Halloween Costume

Here are a few good links on the history of Halloween:

http://www.halloweenhistory.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/halloween/a/History-Of-Halloween.htm

My friends at the library have told me that people spending money on Halloween costumes only started recently; when they were kids, everyone made their own costumes or just bought a mask.  Sometimes people spend over $100 on a costume.  How times have changed!  Even someone as young as me knows that!

According to many websites, there is no clear history of Halloween; how it got started, who started it, why it started, when it was first celebrated.  You can read up on it and decide what you think with my links!  

Do you know what the real meaning of Halloween is?  One thing you won't find on any website?  Want me to tell you?  The answer next time.  The clue is children.  I see it all the time here but you probably never think of it. Until next time,

Bugzy

Famous brothers (like us!)

Greetings everyone and good day.  Hope all is well with you and your families.

Since you know now that I have a little brother (Chip), you know I'm not an only child and there are more like me at home.  If you are an only child, that's ok too, because everyone is different.  And there is no right or wrong answer for how big a family should be.  And sometimes, brothers and sisters don't get along too well.  I talk to my little brother all the time, I hope you do too.  It takes some effort to get along with him, but it's worth it.  He's always on my side.  (And then he'll make some jokes about me being heavier than him, but that's part of the effort).  Like Kermit and Fozzie Bear.  No, they were not brothers, but friends, and Fozzie drove Kermit crazy sometimes, didn't he?!

Have you thought about famous brothers?  How many famous brothers have there been in history or recently?  Do you remember some from school?  How about these brothers:

Earp Brothers

• Ben and Casey Affleck  (actors)
• Duane and Greg Allman (musicians)
• John and Jim Belushi  (actors)
• Jeff and Beau Bridges (actors)
• George and Jeb Bush (US President and Governor)
• Joel and Ethan Cohen (screen writers)
• Jermone (Dizzy) and Paul Dean (baseball pitchers)
• Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp (old west lawman)
• Don and Phil Everly (musicians)
• Marc and Pau Gasol (NBA players)
• Ralph and Joseph Fiennes (actors)
• Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm (writers)
• John and Jim Harbaugh (football coaches)
• Frank and Jesse James (outlaw criminals)
• Henry and William James (writers)
• John F and Robert Kennedy (politicans)
• Payton and Eli Manning (football quarterbacks)
• Tom and Ray Magliozzi (radio talk show hosts)
• Groucho, Chico, Gummo and Zepo Marx (actors)
• Randy and Dennis Quaid (actors)
• Charles and John Ringling (circus owners)
• Charlie and Emilio Estevez (Sheen) (actors)
• Richard and Robert Sherman (songwriters)
• Dick and Tom Smothers (comedy duo)
• BJ and Justin Upton (baseball players)
• Owen and Luke Wilson (actors)
• Orville and Wilbur Wright (inventors of the airplane)

Eli and Payton Manning

Orville and Wilbur Wright

That's just some real life brothers.  Want to hear about some fictional brothers you probably recognize:

• Frazier and Niles Crane
• Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes
• Michael, Sonny and Fredo Corolene
• Faramir and Boromir
• Tyrell and Orel Sackett
• Romulus and Rhemus

So if you have a brother, be proud of him!  Give him a call or text right now!  Put down the computer and go call him...

Bugzy

More questions and answers with Chip

INTERVIEW WITH CHIP PART 2

B:  So Chip, everyone knows now I have a little brother.  How does it feel to have such a famous big brother?

C:  Words can’t describe my feelings at the moment.

B:  I’m sure you’re so excited, you can hardly contain yourself.

C:  Slightly bored with be more like it.

B:  Ok I’ll give you a serious question:  what is your favorite children’s book

C:  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.  It introduced me to a whole knew world of fantasy and adventure, which I like.  And some great characters that I grew to know and love, and some villains I really didn’t like.

B:  Good answer Chipper. 

C:  Thanks B.  You see, I’m deeper than you think I am.  I like skateboarding and the outdoors, but I still enjoy reading.

B:  Yes that’s true.  People of all ages and types should enjoy to read.  It’s a  lifelong skill than can help you in many things.

C:  I also enjoy hot air balloon rides.  It’s something we both enjoy doing.  Even you who like it.

B:  Yes I do.  It’s fun and relaxing and thrilling at the same time.  If you really want to see something, like you’ve never seen before, try going to the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque New Mexico.  http://www.balloonfiesta.com/

There is over 750 balloons from all over the world.  It’s incredible.  

C:  You want to go outside and go on a little adventure, brother?

B:  Yes, let’s go.

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween Everyone!!  Check out my costume for this year that Beth and Barb from North Dearborn made for me!!  It's so cool and it fits me well.  And I have my bag for trick or treating.
What are YOU going to be for Halloween this year?!   Have you made up your mind?  Only three weeks left until the day.

Happy Halloween from Bugzy

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Check out the HAUNTED BOOKMOBILE!!  BOB will be "haunted"  on October 24 at the Lawrenceburg Fire House, from 6-8pm.  The great teens with Teen Advisory Group  have devoted their time to make this possible, and will be there that night.  Also Sheila from Youth Services will be there as well as Jim, our Outreach Coordinator, BOB driver and all around swell guy. 

There will also be other events for HALLOWEEN SENSATION sponsored by RSVP.  

 Hope to see you there!

Bugzy

Meet my little brother part 1

Greetings everyone and good day!

I'll bet you didn't know that I had a little brother, did you?  He's a fine young man with lots of great qualities.  And never once have I told anyone that's he is not my brother. (OK, maybe once or twice, but since we look so much alike, it's pointless to try to deny it.)

My brother Chip

His real name is Octavius Byron.  He wants us to call him "Lord Byron" but that's not going to happen.  You probably want to know did he get his nickname.  You see, one day he was running through the house after he was told not to.  (That's so him!).  Our mother was working on a very expensive painting for someone, and he knocked it over off her painter's easel and onto the floor.  It chipped a big corner off the frame.  I just looked at him and said "Nice going ,Chip" and he's been that ever since.   He likes to say sometimes it's because he looks just like these guys:

"CHiPS"

 Now most of you probably don't know them either, but that's not where he got his name.  How does the story end?  Our mother did not mention it for a week straight.  Never brought up the frame.  Finally, Chip was going crazy waiting for his  punishment, so he begged her to let him do extra chores around the house.  Mr. Guilty conscience just walked in here.

  Bugzy:  Hey Chipper!  Lord Byron!
  Chip:    Hey big brother.  And I do mean 'big.'
  Bugzy:  Don't start!  I want to talk to you today about my blog, and let people get to know you a little                       better.  Why, I don't know, but it sounded like a good idea yesterday.
 Chip:    Now don't you start!
  Bugzy:  OK Sorry.  Tell my readers more about yourself.
 Chip:    Well, I am younger than you by only three short years.  I enjoy skateboarding very much. I like the                 outdoors more than you do brother.  Mountain biking, skateboarding, rock climbing, flying down a               zip line. Very fun stuff to do.   Why won't you trying doing a zip line sometime?
 Bugzy:   I have a phobia.  A great fear.
 Chip:     Of what?  Are you afraid of heights?
 Bugzy:   No, of hitting the ground.
 Chip:     I do love the Muppets like you.  Everyone in our family does.
 Bugzy:  Yes they do.  I believe you like Gonzo the best, and someone called "Baskerville The Hound."
 Chip:     Yes, very good!
 Bugzy:  HA!  Smarter I am than think you do.
 Chip:    Huh?
 Bugzy:  Forget it.  You've always enjoyed "risk taking" more than I do with your hobbies.
Chip:    Yes I do, but we have one big thing we have in common we both love to do!
 Bugzy:  What, beat mom at Scrabble?!  Or Chess?
 Chip:    You know what I mean.
 Bugzy:   YES, READING!  We both love to read.
Chip:      Yes we do.  We still have 3 months left to go in our reading challenge.
 Bugzy:   Yes, and I'm still ahead 13-11.  I'm getting pretty tired brother. You want to talk some more thing                  tomorrow morning?
Chip:     Sure thing brother.

Family news!

Do you know that I have a little brother?  Details coming soon.  Here's a recent photo.

My Little Brother