let's trick or treat!

Photo's courtesy by google.com 

Do you end up with only one bag full of candy at the end of Halloween? Here's how to end up with two or more! (all text here are from the wikiHow)

1. Think back on last year's Halloween in your neighborhood. Which houses had the best candies, and which had the worst or "so-so" candies? The aim is to bypass those houses only interested in giving out toothbrushes, apples, and granola bars, or those houses where the candies are meted out in small amounts.

A neighborhood with small yards and sidewalks allows you to hit more houses in the allotted time. And apartment complexes with many doors can cut down on walking time.

When assessing who gives out lots of candies, ask friends if they can also come up with such knowledge to allow you to compare notes and target the houses that give the most of the biggest selections. If you're planning with friends, you can also trade later to help even out the candy selection you ultimately receive.

2. Prepare your costume. The quality and fanciness of your costume can affect how many candies you're given. The more interesting, cute, scary, etc., your costume, the more likely that the candy giver will "reward" you for your effort by giving you more candy. Be sure to act in character too, to help complete the effect and totally win over the candy givers.

3. Choose a suitable bag. Use a backpack, a large bag with a drawstring, or a pillowcase to hold all of your trick and treat loot. The bag needs to be easy to carry, able to hold a lot comfortably and strong.

If using a pillowcase and you're concerned it might break or you see it is frayed or even has a hole or two, double it up with another pillowcase.

If possible, also have a smaller basket or container. This will enable you to keep your larger treat bag stashed somewhere safe to return to and refill regularly. Or, if you're in your own street, run home and dump the loot and head out again.

It's recommended that you add a light or reflective tape to your candy bag to help make you more visible after dark.

4. Prepare a map of your intended best candy-giving houses trail. It can be street specific or just a general idea of where to go and where to avoid. This map may help you to keep on track when the foot traffic and parties increase during the night but it can also serve as a reminder of which houses usually have the best candies. Use the map as a reminder of where you went as well, so that you don't back track and waste time or look greedy!

If you're turning up in another suburb known for its amazing candies on Halloween, a map and plan is an absolute must so that you don't get lost.

5. Make a suitable time to start trick or treating. It's best to start early, when the treats are still in plentiful supply in the houses of your neighborhood. Some houses run out early because they're too generous to begin with; you might as well be the first to take advantage of this generosity!

The majority of parents take their young children out at the beginning of sunset, to let the kids have a sufficient time before dark. If you want to start this early, be aware you'll be turning up with the little ones. If you have younger siblings, this can be a good excuse to turn up too, or just offer to take the neighbor's kids with you.

Note that some cities or neighborhoods start to turn off their lights between 8 pm and 10 pm; don't be out treating too late or you'll miss the treats or get the dregs.

Watch the houses that turn off their lights; this is the standard indication that Halloween is over for that household, or that they've run out of goodies.

6. Bring your manners. Grown-ups like manners, it's just the way they're built; accept that being polite will win you more candies than being evasive, gruff, or rude. Compliment the householder on their Halloween decorations. And always say "Trick or Treat?" with a big smile. The evening is about having fun with others; be thoughtful enough to make it seem that each house is worth more than just being a loot filling station!

Avoid lingering at any Halloween parties, haunted houses, or special events. Even though they all look or sound cool, every minute counts while going from house to house in one night. Any obstacle will deter you from your candy goal. Unless you're certain that there is candy to be had at any of these places, consider not even venturing into them. You can always go back and check them out later (mark them on your map).

Don't eat your candies as you're going. The time spent eating them and the sugar high will slow you down!

Double back in a new costume. If you're really keen for more candies, change your costume or mask and return for more. If you do this though, make sure you're not recognizable or the people might refuse to give you anything, or worse, demand that you give back the second lot of candy.

Another tip is to empty your container as often as possible so that it looks as if you've just started treating or as if other people have been stingy; this may encourage people to offer you more candies than if your bucket is full.

7. Form a candy gang. This way more of you can cover greater distances and then share your spoils together. Gather back together at a certain time and place to share or trade candies. Use a trading method on two small candies for a big one or qualities per candy. The trading method works when someone does not like something they got and would like another candy or when they've hit the jackpot and have been given too many of one sort.

When you do go trick or treating as a group, keep the numbers small. It's less overwhelming for the householder to have a few kids on the doorstep, and easier to give out the candies. It's also less likely to result in trading arguments at the end.

If you have a bike and a bike basket, use them. It is quick and easy transportation.

If you have broken a limb, go with the cast showing for sympathy candy. This works best with younger kids or cuter and less scary costumes.

If you have a family member or friend who drives, ask them to pick you up and drop you off in another neighborhood for different results.

While it may be fun to try on getting loads of candy, stay safe while crossing the street or darting in the middle of roads.

If you live very close to a long street with many houses they may all have candy! You can get tons and some may even set bowls of candy outside to take for yourself (if you want to maximize your candy, take the whole bowl – knowing that you're pretty much a meanie doing so).

If you have a sibling or cousin, this is a must. You both go your separate ways for a while but make sure you are both supervised, then when you come back take her on your street so they can give your sibling/cousin candy-and you.

Some people may say you're too old, so have an excuse. A good, believable one would be "I'm just taking my younger brother/sister/cousin." Or laugh it off and say "I'm yet to grow up and I've still got a sweet tooth!"

Wear something flexible so you can go to more houses without being uncomfortable. Try to wear something that reflects in car headlights for safety.

You'll need a backpack to store extra costumes, back-up candy bags, and anything else you want to bring with you.

If you are really desperate for more candies, take along another basket and say it's for your sick friend or sibling. The karma of such a lie rests with you.

If your parents aren't keen on pillowcases leaving the house, buy some cheap from a thrift store.

If it's toward the end of the night, ask them if they think they're going to have leftover candy that will just get thrown out. If they say yes, ask if you can have an extra piece or two. They might even give you three or four. If they overestimated how much they should buy, or it's a rainy night (and there weren't a lot of trick or treaters), they might even give you more! Just remember to be polite when you ask.

If the person lets you grab the candy out of the bucket yourself, put on a sweet voice and ask, 'How many can I get?'.

Donate the extra! You don't have to eat it all yourself!

Warnings!

If you see that the front lights are off, do not ring the doorbell. It means that they're not participating and they might be annoyed by you doing so.

If it is late (after 10pm), do not go to houses with lights off. They may be sleeping or fed up with the trick and treating.

Try and stick together. Bring a friend or two with you for safety.

Don't scare the little kids to get candy, it's mean and is likely to get you into trouble.

Even though its Halloween, don't eat too much candy in one night. it's best that you save some for other nights and, eating too much can get you sick. Keep a stash to enjoy over the upcoming weeks.

Enjoy your trick or treating! Happy Halloween! 

killua pledge to #icommittodrr

i grow up in a community where roofs and walls are made up of strong materials, where people are busy earning a living, where money has never been an issue and foods are overflowing, where all you have to do is to study your lesson, play and have fun all day and no matter if your place was regularly battered by storms, the destructive forces of typhoon are nothing but a part of history and worst is that you and your brother are overjoyed because in the morning you get your fair share of canned sardines and that's the only time you can ever eat them. 

i have always lived this kind of life, caring for the environment has never been my first priority and i admit that i cant even segregate my own garbage, how much more to the universe and what do you expect from a punk like me? until one day i found myself inside the DRR Team. reading success stories,  listening to drr champions, found myself planting trees in the mountain and mangrove propagules on the sea, visiting depressed communities, witness how they struggle against the different faces of poverty, eat with them, hear their stories and i shared mine then suddenly i realized how pity i was for living that way, always staying inside my comfort zone. so naive about what's happening in the real world. i dont know what motivates me to transform maybe i was touched by those drr videos or was just touched by the reality i had glimpse during those times i was inside a makeshift dilapidated abode  and it just came and i learn to understand it and my eyes get open and i change gradually.

i told myself its time to change. its time to care. its time to open my mind,  its time to live the way i should live and its payback time for those wrong inconsequential stuff i committed. i signed as community facilitator, trained for high angle and life support rescue, read more success stories, research more, participated in all forms of capability building training's and imparted all my learning's to my family,  joined in all clean-up drives, give talks during information education campaign and convince them to reform their historical and inherited way of living and beg them to participate in any DRR event, i have  learned to segregate, planted more trees and now how i love too see  them growing, i teach my young kin's to plant more flowers and paint the walls lively, bought them a whistle and enrolled them in swimming more importantly is that i learned to share with what i have.

i see how my community change, more did i see myself changing  and even that of our local officers from the government i was in, They are committed, effective and accountable DRR planners and implementors shifting from being reactive to proactive and making sure that drr are mainstreamed in every program and  projects they have. making sure that the community no matter how complex or un-united have strengthened their capacities.

i know for myself that i am far from being a drr champion but at least i keep on trying and changing.  i wont promise to commit one hundred percent but the discipline and the very little way im doing in no time i will get there!

ako si killua, blogger
#icommittodrr

my friday smells...like this :)

i am a perfume lover and i love my friday smell! i say no no to make-up just a hypoallergenic baby powder.

and youre going back to america!

you never know how happy i am that you're going back to america. you're aint fit her ate madel. america is your world. goodluck!