I started writing this a while ago and then came back to it and lost it. I did lots of writing while I was away, unfortunately, most of it is chapters that won't happen for years, so I'm going to be doing a bit of improv for a while. Sorry if I spelled anything wrong, I would look it up but my comp is slow and it won't let me check it. I would like to protest that my computer doesn't have Muslim holidays in it's database and can't tell me how to spell them. I think this is discrimination!

I think Kawanza may be just an American thing. I'm not sure because unfortunately, I live in a mainly all-white area and don't have a lot of diversity in my area. If it is, pretend Angelina's family moved to England from America and took it with them. K?

Now a word on social justice. Ok, come on people, let's open the way for a little diversity here. If you have a problem with any of the religions I've mentioned, please sod off and please try to take to your prejudice on an inanimate object and stop all these stupid hate crimes. I mean killing people because they look Arab? Most Muslims aren't even Middle Eastern and a lot of Middle Eastern people aren't Muslim and besides that point why would they be guilty for something the fundamentalists do? I mean, there are those groups of radical Christians who bomb offices of doctors who support abortion. No one ever talks about it when someone gets hurt from that.

Everyone who is going to say I'm going to go to hell because I support diversity or because I'm a pagan, please keep it to yourself, I get told I'm going to go to hell regularly at school so I get it enough.

Ok, I'm done; anyone who has a problem can sod off. Can we please stop the hatred? It's not getting us anywhere as a species.

12/20/96

It's the holidays. Meaning? We have lots of stuff in the flat. LOTS of stuff. That's what happens when you have five religions and a cultural holiday tradition, between six people all happening around the same time. Fred and George are your classic English Protestants. So in one corner of the living room we have a LARGE tree. Oliver is Lutheran or something like that so he doesn't require anything extra. Angelina is Pagan so we have books of rituals sitting everywhere for Angelina to plan this year's solstice festival. She's also in charge of coming up with the Christmas, Solstice and the eight Hanukkah meals. I'm Jewish so we have a menorah in the window. Did I mention Hanukkah over laps with Christmas this year?

Alicia is Muslim and the month of Ramadan is also in December this year. She can't eat while there is light out so we all get up early before the sun rises to eat a big breakfast with her. Then we all take turns giving up our lunch to pick her up from work and hang out with her so she doesn't feel alone. Then at night we all have a huge meal with a mix of Hanukkah and Middle Eastern foods. We've been doing this since first year. We used to walk to the lake with her during lunch so she wouldn't be hungry alone and have to watch everyone else eat.

Angelina also celebrates Kawanza, so we got one of those candle things in our house as well. We are very diverse aren't we? We got two Christian traditions, a Jew, a Pagan, a Muslim, and Kawanza.

Our flat is stuffed with smells and goodies. Tomorrow night we're going to be having the Solstice celebration. After that we light the Hanukkah candles, I'm in charge of saying the prayer and then we have a huge feast.

We exchange gifts for Christmas and say they count for everything else as well. It would cost too much to get gifts for everything. I got funny tee shirts for the twins along with some muggle trinkets they would find interesting. For Oliver I got a book entitled The Top Ten Ways to Know When You are Obsessed with Quidditch. Number ten is your friend has given you this book. For Angelina I got an automatic translator, I also got one of those fountain things that she's been wanting so much. For Alicia I got a watch that yells at you when you're late. She has a bit of a reputation. I got the last two three tubs of ice cream each as well, it's been enchanted not to melt until they open it.

Angelina is calling me, she says I should get off my lazy arse and help her in the kitchen if I'm not doing anything. Maybe I'll just eat her ice cream if she's going to make me work.