Yeah for Mystery Parties!

I had so much fun at my murder mystery party last Saturday! The people who came were all so awesome. The costumes were great. And everyone really seemed to have fun with their characters. (Although, next time Jed Manlowe will have lots of people to talk to.)
Okay, so now my hubbie and I are trying to come up with a really great plot for a New Year's Eve murder mystery party. I am really leaning toward a Western theme. Wouldn't it be fun to dress up in a wild west costume? I think that hubby wants to be Wyatt Earp. I would not mind wearing a long dress, myself.
I think that I have found one of the reasons that I really love these kind of parties so much. It probably is one of the reasons that I am a history major and read so much historical fiction and historical diaries. And, you know, it probably has alot to do with the reason that I love to do Revolutionary War re-enactments. Yes, I am a history geek, but that is beside the point. More and more I am realizing that our society is shaped by the choices that our ancestors made. Yes, those who came before us did not think at all in the same manner that we do. Yes, if you read their thoughts, you'll find that thought patterns were shaped in different ways. In some ways, I feel that maybe we have strayed too far from the way that they thought. Think about the modern family. It is not at all like the normal family even 40 years ago. Think about, also, the emphasis on religion. People really made it a central part of their lives. Can you imagine living in a community where you could openly express your devotion to God without being afraid that you would offend anyone? If you want to know what that would be like, just read Samuel Sewall's diary. Of course, it was not perfect, but there is no perfection this side of heaven. I think that by emerging yourself in a culture that belonged to those generations before us, you can learn something more than a text book can teach you. Even if it is just a silly party or a silly fictional novel. It makes you maybe realize that those people whom we read about in history textbooks did, indeed, breathe and live. They had problems just like us. They had to deal with their own mortality, just as we have to. Look, for example, at Samuel Sewall's daughter Betty's struggle with her Christianity and the uncertainty of life. They felt the sting of death. They, while living, knew that they would just become history. We, too, will someday join them in the history books. People will make generalizations and exaggerations about our culture and the things that are important to us. So, as silly as it is, I think that it is easy for me to put modern things into perspective when I look back at the past.
But this is all just my silly thoughts. Okay, I'm off of the soap box - finally. :) Hubby and I are going to adopt a baby. Relax - for those of you who know us - it's just a poodle. He really isn't a baby, either. He is a little boy who is 9 years old. He was found in a parking lot. His hair was so matted that it had to be shaved off completely. Now he's ready for a good home with people who can look past the fact that his remaining life span is not extremely long and he is not as chipper as he used to be. They are reviewing our application now and calling our references. I really hope that they think that we would have a good home for him. Bella could really use another little puppy around to settle her down. She gets so lonely sometimes. I feel sorry for her. Hubby and I took her to Sesqui yesterday and walked her for almost 2 hours over the trails there. She was so cute last night when we got home. She just crashed on the couch in front of the fire. Maybe she will have a friend soon.