Happy New Year!

It's 2009 and it would be the best time to start everything with something different, something new. The New Year should usher in fresh hopes and renewed faith in the beauty of life and of living. Let us celebrate life and goodness! May you all have a more prosperous year!

guide to hosting a debutante's party

When you are tasked to host a debut ball, it means that the one who invited you believes that you have some hosting skills which not everybody has. In trying to write out a script ahead of time, always bear in mind that everything should depend on the theme of the party, on what the debutante wants and on the circumstances that will arise during the party. As host you should be ready to say the right things in order to maintain the fun part of the party. The host is expected to give a short introduction, usually at the start of the party. In this intro the host can mention the significance of the occasion, what turning 18 means and how the debutante will start facing a new life with new responsibilities ahead of her, blah, blah, blah. There are no hard and fast rules actually. Just say what is right for the occasion, then it's all a matter of calling out each segment in the most interesting way, connecting each segment with lively comments in order to make the occasion a happy one.

it's not everyday that we're getting wed or turning 18

It is okay to fumble and make some small lapses in weddings and debutante's balls because it is something that we get to experience only once in our lifetime. To expect perfection on these occasions would be courting frustration. Nothing can ever be perfect. Any party said to be very perfect is still imperfect because I can imagine a "very perfect party" to be boring---dry, dull, and so ho-hum. A "perfect" party is one with a few imperfections that the party-goers get to laugh at these lapses. So, never aim for a perfect party for you will only be aiming for a boring one.

Merry, merry X'mas!

Holiday greetings to you all and may you have a safe and prosperous New Year! The year 2009 is the year of the Ox. There are a lot of grim predictions about what's going to happen in 2009. Inspite of all the bad things we hear, let us not lose our hope. There are always two sides to an issue. If negative things happen, always remember that there are always the upside of things. Let us hope that more good things will happen than bad. Let us work together to have a better year for all of us by sharing with others whatever gifts or blessings we have. This is the only way we can combat the harsh realities ahead of us.

Pink

A six-year-old girl used to insist on wearing only pink clothes. Most of her clothes are pink. Surprisingly for her X'mas party, she agreed to wear something purple to match the boots given to her by an aunt. She had on a purple blouse which she matched with a cream-colored skirt that had purple trimmings on it. She was happy to announce that she was the only one wearing something different because all her girl classmates were wearing pink clothes. Hmmmm....