As 2018 starts a new cycle of rotation around our sun, an echo of 2017 still remains. Since the current moon was created on December 19, 2017 its last light will end on January 17th. Consequently when the Sun rests for the day the evenings in a spiritual sense revert back 2017. Since the lunar cycle changes so much Lunar Twilight varies from New Year to New Year.
The Lunar Twilight Candlemast is composed of candles of a various length. All are supposed to be lit each evening. The candles burn out in a specific order. In the example above the shortest candle on left goes out first. By January 17 the last candle is lit upon the first New Moon of 2018, the eve before the first Moon to be revealed in the next year.
This holiday is for all persons of any faith or ultimate reality. It is not a ethnic exclusive holiday. Nor is it overtly religious in nature, requiring certain prayers or procedures. Yet it is a celebration of our understanding of astronomy and our celestial connection to the heavens. It represents added clemency for time, to fix things from yesteryear, to give mercy, say good bye, and appreciate the past.
In 1991 the Council Rock Marching Band was invited to perform in London's New Year's Day Westminster's Parade. In honor of that trip several students from the Original Council Rock (CR North) painted the school's iconic Rock with the UK, Union Jack. It was a signal to the community that the band members were excited for their upcoming trip that included a performance at the Royal Albert Hall.
However tragedy struck the band when a member passed away, Megan Hughes. Megan was a part of the color guard and carried the Pennsylvania state flag. You can see her standing in between the US and UK flag. The lighter blue flag is the UN flag. Megan passed away from an aneurysm in the brain. She was a lovely member of the band and was willing to talk to anyone in the band regardless of their social status.
The high school marching band director at the time was Paul Lineberry, originally from Tennessee. Lineberry provided keen, solid, heartfelt leadership in this time of crisis. And it can be said that 100% of the marching band loved this music teacher. Lineberry was a positive influence on everyone he met.
Megan passed away in her sleep at Kensington Palace Hotel De Vere Gardens, London W8 5AF on December 31st 1991. A welcome banner was created for the students returning from their London trip that took place from December 28, 1991 until January 4, 1992. It was a bittersweet trip, that was a journey no one would forget. As a reminder, these events unfolded in the afterglow and fall of the Soviet Union on Christmas Day 1991. Coincidentally the bands final number was Russian Christmas by Alfred Reed.
The United Kingdom is typically thought of a union of Scotland and England. However there are other elements that often go overlooked to the outside world. Geographically smaller ancient kingdoms also exist that have their own distinguished culture and language- that being of the Welsh, Manx, and Cornish. Also, in away Northern Ireland is a unique part of the kingdom to itself. Subsequently a Less Britain Armorial or UK Lite banner should be in good order.
The United Kingdom Lite flag is composed of four heraldic banners. In the first quarter is the official arms for Northern Ireland, which is the red hand on the white six pointed star, with crown above. In the second quarter is the arms, or rather legs, for the Isle of Man, with the three legged knight armour. In the third quarter is the arms for Cornwall with fifteen discs arranged in bowling pin style on black. Finally with arms of Wales is in the fourth quarter with the red dragon on green.
The nice thing about this flag is that geography is conserved to some extent, relative to each geographic entity: Cornwall is south of Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man is north of Wales, Isle of Man is north of Cornwall, and Wales is south and east of Northern Ireland.
Likewise the three points of Cornwall reflect the three legs of the Isle of Man. Also the banners fit perfectly to conserve the white, to perfectly contrast the boarders of Wales and Northern Ireland.
So what to do with this flag? Perhaps it could be put to good use as the consort flag of the reigning monarch, either male or female?
In 1988 the Totoro was first captured on film in Japan in the movie となり の トトロ, which means the 'Nearby Totoro'. In this flag the Totoro strikes a pose as the bear on the California State flag.
The Totoro species was apparently discovered in Totori Prefecture. But another legend states they came from the Red Wood forests of California, consequently the outsider-foreigner script of Katakana instead of Hiragana was chosen. They can usually be seen only by children with active imaginations. They live in forests and their favorite food is the acorn. Something like a squirrel mixed with a rabbit and cat,トトロ do not have canines, rather they have teeth like a humans with large molars. They also have the ability to turn nearly invisible. When humans get older they usually loose all ability to see a Totoro, even when Totoros make themselves visible. トトロ also have a certain level of seemingly magical abilities. They are real life forest critters that protect large and old trees.
Totoros were "reintroduced" to North America back in Summer of 1997, soon afterwards they spread across the North American forests, before Disney claimed ownership of the newly native born North American トトロ. To this day there is a big generational gap between older Americans above Generation X who have never seen or heard of a Totoro. But most American children born in the late 1990s have probably glimpsed the elusive and nearly magical トトロ.
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In KOKU-GO/Country-Speak (That's what Japanese Call their own language aka Sunsorsglish) =Nihongo= "Sun-source-glish"
