Women's Basketball! Let's Go!

Hi everybody! Wellcome back to the IEI! 

I've got lots of things to blog about, but first of all, I have an announcement about BASKETBALL! 

In Indiana, basketball is a really big thing. It's so big, in fact, that if you want to experience your local culture, you really need to experience BASKETBALL!

Here is your first opportunity:

You are invited to join us this Thursday night at the BSU vs. Miami Women's Basketball Game. We will meet at Gate #1 at 6:45 P.M. Let's kick off the session and the new year by showing our IEI spirit!

Come on out and enjoy some HOOSIER spirit!

Muncie gets ready for the holiday season!

Have you seen Downtown Muncie lately?? 

Well, the FUN-see city is getting ready for Christmas!

Image Source 

Here are some of the holiday events you can take a part in this season. Check 'em out!

Holiday Bazaar (Benefit)
Time: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Location: Bruner's Family Restaurant

Holiday Bazaar Bruner's Family Restaurant 2200 W. Kilgore Ave. Muncie, IN 

Saturday Dec. 1, 2012from 5pm to 8pm 

Refreshments and Door Prizes 

Grab your girlfriends and come do some Christmas Shopping. 

Kiwanis Christmas Tree Sale - Muncie (Sale)
Time: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Location: Next to Muncie  Fieldhouse at the corner of Wysor and High St.

Help support local children and youth by purchasing a fresh cut Christmas tree from the Kiwanis Club of Muncie, located next to the Fieldhouse on the corner of Wysor and High St. Trees ready for purchase include Scotch pine, White pine, Douglas fir and Fraser fir ranging in size from table-top to 15 feet. Come out and enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday season daily starting Nov. 23 from 10am – 8pm. All proceed from the trees go back to community based projects for children.

Winter Wonderland (Family Fun)
Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Location: Muncie Children's Museum

Santa has lost his sleigh and needs our help. MCM is recruiting elves to help with the search which begins in MCM's Winter Wonderland. Families will take a fun-filled adventure through fifteen rooms and hallways that depict various holiday stories and themes. Come share the magic of the season and help us find Santa's sleigh. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays 1pm to 5pm. Admission is $5 for non-members and $4 for MCM members.

Minnetrista Enchanted Luminary Walk

The Enchanted Luminaria Walk is a 

"Must-do" event 

here in the Fun-See Muncie 

city! 

The word "Luminaria" refers to a lamp that is displayed during festivals. And the word "enchanted" means to have a magical quality or essence.

Traditionally these lanterns were made of paper bags filled about 1/4 full of sand in the bottom with a candle placed in the sand. However, that is a dangerous design, so with the arrival of plastic, today's luminarias tend to be made from old milk cartons.

At the Minnetrista festival, these lanterns line the walks all through the grounds creating an "enchanted" atmosphere that warms the heart with nostalgic feelings. That is the perfect setting for experiencing an old-fashioned American Christmas. The Ball Family homes are open during this event and they are all dressed up with Christmas decorations. It is quite an impressive sight! Visitors can stroll along the grounds, ride a horse-drawn carriage, tour the homes, and visit the shops.

Picture Source

There will also be live music, outdoor fires and kettle corn! (Kettle corn is old-fashioned popcorn. It has a unique flavor and is somewhat sweeter than regular popcorn.)

Picture Source

This year's Enchanted Luminary Walk will take place on Friday November 30 and Saturday December 1 from 6-9 pm. And it is free!

I highly recommend this event - it is indeed enchanting, and it is a beautiful night that perfectly sets your heart ready for the good feelings and good memories of the Christmas season. In addition, this is a great time to see inside the Ball Family homes and get a glimpse of how life used to be right here in Muncie Indiana at another time in history.

NOTE: Be sure to dress warmly because you will be outside in the cold and wind!

Some Nights

Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights, I call it a draw
Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off



But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for oh
What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore...
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh

This is it, boys, this is war - what are we waiting for?
Why don't we break the rules already?
I was never one to believe the hype - save that for the black and white
I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked, but here they come again to jack my style

And that's alright; I found a martyr in my bed tonight
She stops my bones from wondering just who I am, who I am, who I am
Oh, who am I? mmm... mmm...

Well, some nights, I wish that this all would end
Cause I could use some friends for a change
And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again
Some nights, I always win, I always win...

But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh
What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know... (come on)

So this is it? I sold my soul for this?
Washed my hands of that for this?
I miss my mom and dad for this?

(Come on)

No. When I see stars, when I see, when I see stars, that's all they are
When I hear songs, they sound like this one, so come on
Oh, come on. Oh, come on, OH COME ON!



Well, that is it guys, that is all - five minutes in and I'm bored again
Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands
This one is not for the folks at home; Sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?

My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she call "love"
When I look into my nephew's eyes...
Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that can come from...
Some terrible {lies|nights}...ahhh...

Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh

The other night, you wouldn't believe the dream I just had about you and me
I called you up, but we'd both agree
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance... oh...
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance... oh...

Black Friday!!

With bellies full of Turkey and Dressing, 

pies and cakes, 

we now turn our attention to 

BLACK FRIDAY!

Black Friday is the kick-off starting point for the Holiday Shopping Season. Why did I write that in capitol letters? Because the Holiday Shopping Season is kind of a big deal - and it is kind of its own entity, so I feel it deserves the respect of a proper noun.

The holiday season includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, with Christmas as the biggest gift-giving holiday, especially when you add in other holidays around this same time such as Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

The term "Black Friday" refers to the idea that retails make a profit from all their sales, so their accounting records should be "in the black", meaning that they make a profit. The opposite of being "in the black" is to be "in the red", meaning that the business took a loss in sales. On Black Friday, the sales are so irresistible that people buy and buy and buy, thus resulting in happy retailers recording their sales IN THE BLACK!

OK - so that's the background. More specifically, Black Friday is a crazy time of shopping in the US. Nearly every store or business that sells literally anything has wild sales to attract customers. And the sales are very specific. For example, the first 50 or 100 (or whatever number a retailer chooses) to get in the doors after they open will receive special offers. Another example is that you can only get a super cheap price until a specified time - (usually before noon on Friday). And part of the craze is simply being a part of all the excitement.

Mob Mentality, if you will. People just love to be a part of all the commotion and excitement!

In fact, it is only 7pm as I write this, and as I drove home from my family Thanksgiving gathering, I passed Best Buy where people are lined up around the building waiting for them to open.

Best Buy's special Black Friday hours, by the way, begin at midnight tonight. People who go out this early to get the best deals often make a party out of the whole thing - they play music, dance, eat snacks, talk with each other, etc. Its fun just to go out and see this other part of American culture.

I personally don't like the bully ways of some of the people or all the crowds, but I do like to watch them, so for me, it isn't so much about the cheap prices, but more about getting a kick out of seeing people get loony!

Muncie Mall also opens at midnight tonight and some places will be open all night long. If you opt to sleep tonight, you can still get in on some of the fun if you get up early - like 6am or so. I highly recommend everyone to experience Black Friday at least once in their lifetime.

Check it out and then let me know about your experience!

Have fun and be careful!

Thanksgiving: Family Traditions

In the USA, people celebrate the Thanksgiving in many different ways, but the overwhelming theme of these celebrations is family. Families get together on this day and spend time eating, playing games, watching TV, hiking, napping, telling stories, etc. In this post I'm going to share with you some typical traditions and tell

Travel - Lots of people travel on this holiday - they drive or fly to visit extended family members far away

Feast - Eating is a big part of Thanksgiving, and some foods are known as the "Thanksgiving meal". The Turkey is the most famous, but many families may also eat fried chicken and/or ham. Common foods include mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, stuffing (a bread-based mixture that is baked inside the turkey), corn casserole, salads, bread and rolls, various appetizers, and lots of deserts including apple pie, pumpkin pie, and spice cakes.

Watch TV - Football games and the traditional Macy's Day Parade run in the background of most Thanksgiving celebrations. People lounge around the TV and often end up taking naps to sleep off the effects of overeating.

Break the Wishbone - The Y-shaped bone of the turkey's breast is shared between two people who each take one side in their hands and then, on the count of three, they pull it apart. The person who get's the larger piece is said to have his/her wishes come true on that day.

Verbalize Thanks - As the family gathers around the table, people may take turns speaking out loud a list of things for which they are grateful.

Get Ready for Christmas - Many families choose not to buy many gifts at Christmas time, but instead buy only one gift for one person. To make it even and fair, family members will exchange names to decide who each one will buy a gift for. So Thanksgiving day is the time to draw names and make this choice. Another thing people often do either on Thanksgiving day or the next day, is to decorate the house for Christmas. Doing it together as a family makes the big job more fun.

Serve a Thanksgiving Meal - Instead of cooking and eating at home, some families will go to a local homeless shelter or food center and work to cook and serve food to people who are in need.

Make Crafts - Tables are filled with crafting supplies and people may spend the afternoon making crafts that can then be used as Christmas decorations. They might also work on a puzzle or play board games.

Prepare for BLACK FRIDAY - Check back tomorrow for information about this crazy part of the American Thanksgiving!

What is Thanksgiving?

Hello Readers! 

This is the week of Thanksgiving!

Most of you probably know that Thanksgiving is an American holiday - and that it is a time for families to get together and eat a big meal and think about all the things they are thankful for in their lives. You are right!

But there is more. So in this post, I'd like to tell you a little more about Thanksgiving - when, where, and how it started, and what many Americans do to celebrate this holiday.

Today's post will be the background and history of Thanksgiving. 

Tomorrow will be information about today's Thanksgiving celebrations. 

Then be sure to check back on the day of Thanksgiving to find out about BLACK FRIDAY!

OK - Here is the beginning:

1620 - The first ship, named the Mayflower, arrived in America from England. It was full of people who left their homeland because they were not free there to worship their God the way they believed they should. The were called "Separatists" because they wanted to separate from the Church of England. The name we know best for them, however, is Pilgrim.

Image Source: Pilgrim Hall Museum  

The Pilgrims struggled their first winter in North America because they were not familiar with the land and the kinds of crops they could grow and because the winter was so cold. Many of them died.

Image Source: The Pilgrims

The following spring, the nearby Wampanoag Indians helped the Pilgrims to plant crops that would they could harvest and eat the next winter. The Indians also helped them prepare for the winter by teaching them how to use the resources of the land such as animals for food and warmth.

Image Source: Props to the Pilgrims

This offer of knowledge and skills from the Wampanoag Indians to the Pilgrims was greatly appreciated. The next fall when the Pilgrims harvested their crops, they invited the Indians to share in their feast. During this now famous "First Thanksgiving", the Pilgrims thanked their neighbors and new friends for their generosity and they thanked their God for freedom, health, family, and friends.













Image Source: Smithsonian 

This idea of expressing Thanks for friends and family and sharing our blessings with others is at the heart of the American Thanksgiving Holiday.