5 Ways to Get Ready for Pumpkin Season

Let me start with simple statement: I don't like pumpkins, sweet potatoes and turkey. So I guess the Thanksgiving dinner is not the best option for me. I tried and somehow I still not a fan of those Thanksgiving season's specialties. Maybe I'm too 'new' here in the States, and if that's a reason - then I just need more time to get use to it (and that's absolutely ok with me).
Even tho I don't like pumpkins my Facebook friend told me about some fascinating (funny, crazy?) ideas - what you can do with/to a pumpkin, here is a short list:

• Pumpkin Spice Syrup - you can use to make a (guess what!) Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Amazing Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns - "Hilarious, artistic, bizarre and remarkable pumpkins carved up for the Halloween season. (link to the video: http://youtu.be/yK8cjzOXwfw )

• Pumpkin Race - Showing some of the various the participants dress up and decorate their...pumpkins. Ohh and this also shows how fragile pumpkins are as they also sink more often than not :) (here's the link to the video: http://youtu.be/jD-l43E-Mvo )

• World Championship Punkin Chunkin - celebrating 28 years of flying pumpkins on Nov 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 2013. Yes you read it correctly - "flying pumpkins" (here is the link to the video: http://youtu.be/hu5Uk9Wuwhk ) 

• hundreds if not thousands recipes
• ohh and one more extra video on what you can do with pumpkin - this time tigers, leopards and lynx destroying pumpkins ;) (here is a link to the video: http://youtu.be/UcT4paZfflg )

 

What about you? Do you like pumpkin? What about getting ready for "Pumpkin season" ? :)

To Be or Not to Be a Volunteer

As almost every week I'm doing my overnight shift (15h) as a volunteer and it seems like I have few minutes of free time so I decided to write about volunteering. What does it mean to be a volunteer? I don't know about you but for me it means:

• being able to provide help and support to those in need
• knowing that you are doing something good - even if that 'something good' is very small for you, might be a big help for someone in need
• better organizing my life (time management) - better planning my weekly/monthly schedule. How to organize my life so not only I can do my work (so something for me) but also how to add to my schedule other activities (e.g.: volunteering work).
• understanding that I'm part of something bigger - part of the community I live in.
• 'paying forward'. Sharing something useful is...good :)
• I'm changing something - I'm changing something by providing support

'Paying Forward' - according to wiseGEEK means:

Paying it forward is a third-party beneficiary concept that involves doing something good for someone in response to a good deed done on your behalf or a gift you received. When you pay it forward, however, you don't repay the person who did something nice for you. Instead, you do something nice for someone else. For example, if someone changes your tire while you are stranded on the highway, you might shovel your elderly neighbor's walkway after a snow has fallen.

What do you do to help your community? What do you think about helping others? Are you a volunteer?

If you want to become a volunteer check your local city hall for some information. Visit VolunteerMatch where you can find a cause you are passionate about and get in touch with non-profit organizations. You might want to check Volunteering and Civic Life in America