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~ {G o I n G N u T s} ~
A Humorous Look at Life in NJ

The glass is not half full or half empty
...it's just a GLASS! OK? (And make sure you wash well before you put it in the rack!)

Some people go through life looking at it through rose-colored glasses believing everything is for a reason.  Losing one's job is seen as a new opportunity, not as a sudden loss of the means to provide for your basic living. They always embrace change as  good…I am not one of them. 

I prefer to look at life and plan on the worst outcome…If it happens I reason I will be prepared to deal with the fallout.  If it doesn’t, I am happily surprised and delighted that things worked out despite themselves.  It sounds good on paper, but rarely life is never like that.   Bad things depress us…previous layoffs have lead to better jobs at different employers, but the transition can be rough at times. 

My husband and I prove the old saying that "opposites attract", He is brutally optimistic in his outlook of life.  Raised in suburban Morris County as a kid he is truly a Jersey Boy.  I grew up in an inner city area of Buffalo NY, so I have a more pessimistic outlook…snow only looks pretty if someone else is shoveling it! Our Life together isn’t always picturesque, but it is an adventurous one that we manage by using a bit of sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek humor. 

So I suppose it’s that awful streak of sarcastic humor that has gotten me here: writing a column about Life in New Jersey from my point of view.   I grew up the youngest of 5 kids in a Roman Catholic Neighborhood.  My family was considered small at the time; most of my friends had 12 or more siblings.  As a result I grew up in a different lifestyle and have a different view of money and chores than most of my teenage daughter's peers share.  

I suppose it is my past experiences, especially not being a native Jersey Girl that allows me to look at my life in this state and see an awkward humor in it.  I hope when you read this column you see a little of your past or present and take time to reminisce, laugh, or just decide it is time to look destiny straight in the face, bear your teeth and make that solemn commitment to yourself and...finally organize your sock drawer!

Until next month, SMILE (it will make people wonder what you're up to! :)

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IAHE Announces 7th Annual
Family Arts Festival
250 families expected to attend festival at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital focusing on strengthening adult-child relationships through visual and performing arts workshops.

Institute for Arts and Humanities Education (IAHE) announces its seventh annual Family Arts Festival at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital on March 25th. Professional artists will work with families and their children on visual and performing interdisciplinary activities. These culturally-based activities will seek to strengthen the bond between children and adults as well as educate families about different intercultural perspectives. The event is scheduled from 1-4 p.m. and will include ethnic dancers and karate demonstrations. Each participating child will work on a faux stained glass panel, which when completed, will be transformed into a lit mural expected to span 7x5 ft.

The event will start with “warm up” exercises which seek to get creativity flowing as children create tin art, family crests, and fish kites and family portraits. Following the exercises families will view dance and karate demonstrations. Children and their families will then participate in arts workshops such as Giant Drawings, Funky Fashions, Raise your Voices (songs) and Rhythms of Life (dance).

Wegman Supermarket Group and Foodtown will provide light refreshments to be followed by a raffle and a closing ceremony, featuring the lighting of the faux stained glass mural.

The Family Arts Festival is made possible through the support of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Johnson & Johnson and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital have provided free admission to their employees and to New Brunswick residents. People in surrounding areas are encouraged to come and contribute $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children. Families can pre-register by contacting IAHE at (732) 220-1600 or register on-line at www.iahenj.org. Workshop space is limited, but walk-ins on the day of the event are welcome.

IAHE will provide Spanish-speaking translators as well as translated goody bags to Spanish-speaking families. Accommodations will also be made for special needs children.

This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Institute for Arts and Humanities Education, is a non-profit arts education organization, dedicated to serving New Jersey's families, schools, and communities with innovative, interdisciplinary programming in the arts and humanities.