It doesn't matter why you meet people, as long as you learn something from them. When I first encountered Dolly and Monny Schwimmer, I was 17. When I met them, they had already celebrated 50 years together. But that's no great accomplishment in itself. What struck me then, and now, 10 years later, was that had I not known better, I would have guessed them newlyweds. Old newlyweds, yes, but newlyweds none the less.

I am sure many of you have seen the new movie "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe." This entertaining movie tells about four siblings evacuated out of London because of war and forced to move to a large house in the country. There, they discover a magic wardrobe leading to another world called Narnia.

Normally, you'll find me penning catty pieces about horrid social faux pas, and in a way, this article is no different. What is amiss is that instead of harping on all the things that you could potentially do wrong as a bride (including low-brow "I'm registered here" cards in your invites, for example), I'm going to point my commentary in the direction of others.

Recently, my grandpa bought a private party roller coaster tour at Magic Mountain. The auction item included unlimited time for 25 lucky people on five of the most popular roller coasters at Six Flags (X, Goliath, Colossus, Scream, and Riddler's Revenge). What fun!

"Roses are red. Violets are blue. Sugar is sweet, so are you." Is this really love? Valentine's Day is allegedly the most romantic holiday. It seems that so many people have become wrapped up in the giving and receiving of gifts rather than giving real love.

Hello. My name is Judith, and I'm a resolution maker. Like the rest of the resolution addicts out there, I love lists. In fact, the only thing I love more than lists is pointing out the flaws of others. As a holiday gift to myself, I've combined the two. Here, a divine anthology of faux pas committed by SCVians in 2005.

"He's got a mind like a sponge." You've heard people say that about young children and research has shown that this is true. Ninety percent of brain growth takes place before most children enter kindergarten. While many of us believed that sending our children to preschool was an opportunity for some "free" time, it turns out there was a lot of learning going on in these mini-classrooms and experts say a good preschool program will benefit your child academically and socially in the long run.

I am sure you have all heard of Carousel Ranch but just in case you have not, it is a non-profit organization that teaches disabled children to ride horses. Recently, the program moved from a temporary home in Sand Canyon to a spacious place on Rockinghorse Road (is that a perfect name or what?!) in Aqua Dulce.

Hopefully, by now you have had a chance to visit the Hart Mansion. If you happen to visit on either a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you may have noticed a flurry of activity and events in the lower portion of the park. This is Heritage Junction, most recognized by the 1900 steamer standing prominent in front of the old Saugus train station.

I'm tired of being politically correct. When my grandkids were younger, every winter they had something called "Christmas Break." By the time they were seniors in high school, their vacation was referred to as "Winter Break." Ok, I get it - not everyone is Christian, and singing about a Jewish toy made out of clay in their annual pageant probably wasn't enough to acknowledge other backgrounds.

Do you remember the bark beetle infestations of 2003? My family has a house in Wrightwood, where a majority of the trees were killed by the beetles and later chopped down before they could become a fire hazard. Every year, we like to visit in hopes of experiencing a white Christmas, and 2003 was no exception.

"Spunky" is how you'd describe the petite brunette soon-to-be star Jaden Michaels. And unpretentious, all 5'3" of her. In fact, the home schooled teen is remarkably polite and eager to please - everything you wouldn't expect from a girl on the cusp of fulfilling a big dream.

Like the insipid tune, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" that played in the background of my youth, I more recently find my self humming to the melody of, "Where Have All Your Manners Gone, You Ignorant Fool?" and the new take on an old favorite, "Your Parents Would be Ashamed, God Bless their Souls" (remix version). Like a Country singer with a missing dog, I've found that translating my woes into music can be very therapeutic.
As a service to the public, I've created a soundtrack of sorts that can be used at any variety of festive occasions.

For me, Thanksgiving is defined by three words: family, tradition, and of course, thankfulness - thinking about the things for which I am thankful. It is about gratitude and happiness for what I have. Yet, what would this splendid holiday be without having a traditional Thanksgiving feast complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, and warm bread? Every November, we spend the whole day appreciating what we have, such as our family, our home, our pets, and even our loved possessions.

When I think of Halloween, I do not think about trick-or-treating, ghosts, goblins or witches. I do not think about all the great candy I will get or even about what fabulous costume I should wear. No, when I think of Halloween, I think of the annual Molar Manor Haunted House created and hosted by Dr. Ronald Singer, a local children's dentist.

The "ding, ding, ding" of the Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor bell clashed with the clunk of wooden balls landing on the slick striped surface of the Skee Ball game at Mountasia. Arcade sounds form a stark contrast to the shrill alarms of IV pumps and overhead pages that families faced with childhood cancer are more familiar with in their day-to-day battle for life. The Annual Family Fun Night hosted by The Michael Hoefflin Foundation and Mountasia provided a lighthearted respite for the nearly 110 people who were able to attend.

Two months ago, I was triumphantly strutting through the halls of Valencia High School as the final bell signaled the conclusion of my freshman year. A sense of liberation overcame me, replacing the apprehension felt over the last nine months. Summer was beckoning, and I was about to answer. Next year seemed a life time away.

J.K. Rowling changed my life. In second grade, I read just as much as everyone else, maybe even less. My mom and my grandma love to read, so they were always buying new books for me. One day, my mom bought me the first Harry Potter book. As I started to read the first few pages, I could not put it down. I pulled up a chair and was instantly enchanted by the world of witches and wizards. In two weeks' time, I had finished the first four books in the Harry Potter series and realized how spectacular reading is.

The summer season is in full swing and I have been wakeboarding for weeks now. For those of you who have never heard of this marvelous water sport, here is the 411. When you wakeboard, you put your feet into boots that are attached to board that is similar to a half-sized surfboard. Then, you hold onto a rope that is attached to a boat and off you go.

I grew up in the Santa Clarita Valley. And when I say "grew up" I mean I came half way into my own there. The other half is still progressing. I went to elementary school at Soledad Canyon, now known as the Edwards Movie Theaters. In sixth grade my family moved to Newhall's Adamsboro Drive. I went to Wiley Canyon Elemetary for a semester, then attended junior high at Placerita Canyon. William S. Hart High followed. I wasn't popular by any means but I had a lot of friends and was in Sound Vibes. It's a show choir. I'm sorry, it's the show choir. I know what you're thinking. And I have this to say to you: Don't judge. You know deep down you've always wanted to wear a polyester white dress with a red sequined vest and cuffs. Don't deny it.