Every day is a new day and with that, a new opportunity.
EVERYONE is welcome and please join us each morning at 7:30 AM PACIFIC
to tell us what you're working on, share your show & tell, vent, whatever you want...
...this is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.
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Good morning kogs and kossacks in Dailykosland! Merry Monday and welcome to the working week—another short working week for most of us.
Since tomorrow is New Year's Eve, the most important thing I have to do today is get some black eyed peas and collard greens.
I have no time to soak and cook beans the slow way, so I'll probably just run to the store and get a can of Sylvia's. Yes, this is the same Sylvia whose restaurant mystified Bill-O when he ate there in 2007. They will taste the closest to the way my mother used to make them.
As for the collard greens, I probably won't cook those. I'll just get a few raw leaves and fold them up and put them in my wallet. I'll get a bag of uncooked peas too, put a few in my wallet and the rest in the cupboard.
Many of you have no idea what I am talking about. But others who have a cultural connection to certain parts of the South are thinking, yeah, I better make sure I have some collard greens and black eyed peas too!
These two foods are a good luck superstition related to the New Year, one of two my mom always insisted upon. Eating black eyed peas and collard greens at midnight is supposed to ensure that you will have money in the coming year. The uncooked leaves and peas in the wallet, coin purse or billfold mean the same thing. The greens represent folding money, and the peas represent coins.
My mom did this faithfully every year. It never made her rich, but she continued to believe in it until her very last New Year celebration with me a few weeks before she died. I continue to do it every year even though I am still barely scraping by. Or maybe it does work, since I have never been completely broke!
The other superstition is a little bit weirder, and for decades I never knew anyone outside my family who did it or had even heard of it: I have to find a dark haired man to be the first (non-relative) across my threshold in the new year to bring good luck. I have no idea where that one comes from or what it signifies, but it meant so much to my mom that I had to recruit a neighbor to do it every year she lived with me. "Look, I know this is weird, but would you just come in my apartment and say hello to my mother and take off your cap so she can see you have dark hair? Thanks!"
While writing this diary I found a list of other superstitions, some of which I had never heard of before:
♦ DO eat round or spherical foods to symbolize the turning of the circle of life
♦ DON'T wash clothes (or dishes, or hair!) on New Year's Day
♦ DO open windows to let the old year out
♦ DON'T spend money or let anything else leave the house (not even trash) on New Year's Day
♦ DO a small amount of work you love on New Year's Day to ensure career advancement in the coming year (but do not do a lot of work or start a new big project on January 1)
And there are all kinds of other superstitions that apply to specific cultures.
In the Philippines: wearing polka dots as the new year comes symbolizes money in the new year.
In Spain: eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes 12, one with each bell strike.
In South America: wear red underwear to bring money in the new year, wear yellow underwear to be lucky in love.
In Japan: eat long soba/buckwheat noodles to symbolize long life. Make sure not to bite or break the noodles—slurp them up whole!
In Greece: throw a pomegranate at your front door on New Year's and if a lot of seeds fly out that means good luck for the year.
Have you ever done any of these before? Are you familiar with others? Is there even such a thing as "good luck" and "bad luck"?
Do you observe any New Year's Superstitions?
Start up soundtrack for December 30
Gone at Last by Paul Simon on Grooveshark
Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Below the New Day sunrise cloud
:: COMMUNITY BUILDING UPDATES ::
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Let's build communities!
Every region needs a meatspace community like SFKossacks.
We take care of each other in real life.
I urge YOU to take the lead and organize one in your region.
Please tell us about it if you do and we're here for advice.
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THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
>>>Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
NEW GROUPS IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZING:
Send a Kosmail to the organizers and ask for an invitation to the group.
• Northern Indiana Area: Kosmail Tim Delaney
• Long Island: Kosmail grannycarol
• Northern Michigan: Kosmail JillS
• Nebraska: Kosmail Nebraska68847Dem
• Westburbia Chicago Kossacks: Kosmail Majordomo
• Caprock Kossacks (Panhandle/Caprock/Lubbock/Amarillo area) : Kosmail shesaid
• West Texas Kossacks (including Big Bend Region and El Paso) : Kosmail Yo Bubba
• Las Vegas Kossacks: Kosmail miracle11
• Vermont Kossacks: Kosmail 4Freedom
Note to the above new leaders: Feel free to leave a comment any day reminding readers about your new group. Also, tell us about your progress in gathering members. Kosmail me when you've chosen a good name for your group and have created a the group. Then I'll move you to the NEW GROUPS LIST. When you've planned a date for your first event I'll make a banner for you to highlight your event in our diaries and your diaries.
These are the groups that have started since * NEW DAY * began. Please Kosmail navajo if you have started a group before that.
NEW GROUPS LIST:
• California Central Valley Kossacks - Formed: Jul 29, 2012, Organizer: tgypsy
• New England Kossacks - Formed: Aug 6, 2012, Organizers:
Clytemnestra for Lower New England (Conneticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island)
nhox42 for Upper New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont)
• Houston Area Kossacks - Formed: Aug 7, 2012, Organizer: Chrislove
• Kossacks in India - Formed: Aug 14, 2012, Organizer: chandu
• CenTex Kossacks - Formed: Sep 9, 2012, Organizer: papa monzano
• Central Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Sep 26, 2012, Organizer: VetGrl
• Kansas City Kossacks - Formed Oct 15, 2012, Organizer: [Founder stepped down]
• Phoenix Kossacks - Formed Oct 16, 2012, Organizer: arizonablue
• Chicago Kossacks - Formed: Oct 31, 2012, Organizer: figbash
• Koscadia the Pacific Northwest coast from Northern California to Alaska
- Formed Oct 17, 2012, Oganizer: Horace Boothroyd III based in Portland, OR
• Boston Kossacks - Formed: Nov 7, 2012, Organizer: GreyHawk
• Motor City Kossacks South East Michigan (Detroit) Area - Formed: Nov 10, 2012, Organizer: peregrine kate
• Pittsburgh Area Kossacks - Formed: Nov 12, 2012, Organizer: dweb8231
• Salt Lake City Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: War on Error
• Twin Cities Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: imonlylurking
• Dallas Kossacks North Texas - Formed: Nov 21, 2012, Admins: Catte Nappe and dalfireplug. Please contact them to join the group. An Event Organizer needed.
• The Southern California Inland Empire Kossacks - Formed: Dec 3, 2012, Organizer: SoCaliana
• Los Angeles Kossacks - Formed: Dec 17, 2012, Organizer: Dave in Northridge
• Northeast Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Jan 16, 2013, Organizer: GenXangster
• Kansas & Missouri Kossacks - Formed: Jan 17, 2013, Organizer: tmservo433
• I-77 Carolina Kossacks who live from Columbia, SC to north of Winston-Salem, NC. - Formed: Jan 30, 2013, Organizers: gulfgal98 and eeff
• Indianapolis Kossacks - Formed: Feb 6, 2013, Organizer: CityLightsLover
• Southwest Ohio Kossacks - Formed: May 10, 2013, Organizer: Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN
• Northern Arizona Kossacks - Formed: Jul 5, 2013, Organizer: Sam Sara
• Mexican Kossacks - Formed: Apr 14, 2013, Organizer: roberb7
• New York Hudson Valley Kossacks - Formed: Oct 27, 2012, Organizer: boran2
• North Carolina Triangle Kosmopolitans - Formed: Aug 2, 2013, Organizer: highacidity
• Silicon Valley Kossacks - Formed: Oct 31, 2013, Organizer: Glen The Plumber
• Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks - Formed: Dec 17, 2013, Organizer: EagleOfFreedom
ESTABLISHED GROUPS LIST: (List will grow as we discover them)
• SFKossacks Founded by navajo, Formed: May 2, 2005
• Maryland Kos Founded by timmyc, Formed: Feb 23, 2011. Contact: JamieG from Md for a group invite.
• New York City Founded by Eddie C - Contact the group organizer for meet-up events: sidnora
• Baja Arizona Kossacks, Event Organizer: Azazello
• Three Star Kossacks Tennessee, Founded by maryKK, Formed: Apr 8, 2011
• Nashville KosKats, Founded by ZenTrainer Formed: Jan 30, 2012
• Virginia Kos Founded by JamieG from Md, Formed: May 3, 2011
• Kos Georgia Founded by pat208, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• Colorado COmmunity Founded by Leftcandid, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• New Mexico Kossaks Founded by claude
• Philly Kos Founded by mconvente Formed: Aug 29, 2011
• DKos Florida Founded by ThirstyGator, Formed: Feb 14, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail Vetwife to be included in next event.
• Oklahoma Roundup Founded by BigOkie, Formed: Feb 13, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail peacearena to be included.
• DKos Asheville Founded by davehouck, Formed: Feb 13, 2011 - Organizing Assist by: randallt
• San Diego Kossacks Founded by La Gitane, Formed: Nov 18, 2011
• Massachusetts Kosmopolitans Founded by mem from somerville, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
:: Events Currently on the Books for Kossacks ::
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Saturday, January 4th
Motor City Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Sweetwater Tavern
400 East Congress Street • Detroit
ORGANIZER: Send peregrine kate a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. peregrine kate
2. Brainwrap
3. BFSkinner
4. sydneyluv
5.
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Maybees:
mideedah
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Latest diary: Motor City Kossacks! TWO Meetups Planned: Sa 1/4, lunch, Detroit; Th 1/9, dinner, Ann Arbor
Thursday, January 9th
Motor City Kossacks Meet with NN14 Staff: Raven Brooks, Mary Rickles and Nolan Treadway
TIME: 6:30 PM
LOCATION: TBD
[Address] • Detroit
ORGANIZER: Send peregrine kate a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. peregrine kate
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Motor City Kossacks! TWO Meetups Planned: Sa 1/4, lunch, Detroit; Th 1/9, dinner, Ann Arbor
Saturday, January 11th
Houston Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Barry's Pizza
6003 Richmond Avenue • Houston
ORGANIZER: Send Chrislove a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Chrislove
2. nomandates
3. Bree Davis
4. cosette
5. mister mustardhead
6. TDDVandy
7. Mary
8. Alan
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Maybees:
Mr. cosette
Libby Shaw
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Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Sunday, January 12th
NYC Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Spitzer's Corner
101 Rivington Street (Ludlow) • NYC
Meet in the back room. This venue is wheelchair accessible.
ORGANIZER: Send sidnora a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. sidnora
2. blue jersey mom
3. rubyr
4. kathny
5. joanbrooker
6. oxfdblue
7. mattc129
8. Bethesda1921
9. No Exit
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Maybees:
mconvente
Ian Reifowitz
gchaucer2
Laura Clawson
Rosalie907
andgarden
wader
isabelle hayes
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Latest diary: Coming In From The Cold: January 12, A NYC Meetup!
Saturday, January 25th
Asheville Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: The Cantina
10 Biltmore Plaza • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Gordon20024
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Sunday, January 26th
SFKossacks Welcome matching mole to San Francisco!
TIME: TBD, daytime car trip to the Delta for birding with lineatus
LOCATION: Grizzly Island Wildlife Area
2548 Grizzly Island Road • Suisun City
lineatus will have a spotting scope and a few spare pairs of binoculars, so novices can have something to use.
ORGANIZER: Send lineatus a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. lineatus
2. matching mole
3. navajo
4. tgypsy
5. kimoconnor
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Maybees: |
TIME: TBD, evening event for city folk and to celebrate dharmasyd's and kimoconnor's birthdays!
LOCATION: TBD
[Address] • [City]
ORGANIZER: Send lineatus a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. lineatus
2. matching mole
3. navajo
4. dharmasyd
5. side pocket
6. norm
7. kimoconnor
8. Glen The Plumber
9. remembrance
10. TLO
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Dawn Chorus: Preview of Coming Attractions
Date Moving to January 2014
Connecticut Kossacks Meet-up!
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: The Shamrock Pub & Grill
210 Meadow St. • Waterbury
The Shamrock is a short walk from the MTA Metro North Station. If anyone wants to take Amtrak, thankgodforairamerica can pick you up in Meriden and drive you to the event.
ORGANIZER: Send thankgodforairamerica a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. thankgodforairamerica
2. gchaucer2
3.
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Maybees:
annieli
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Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Send navajo a kosmail if you post a diary about an event so we can update our round-up.
Okay. Floor's open.
Tell us what you are doing on this NEW DAY?