Posts in : Stories

  • Feb
    15

    Stinky’s Animated Logo – You don’t always get what you want… but you can keep trying


    image
    by Stinky
    posted in Stories, Videos
    No comments yet

    To say we are excited is an understatement. Have you ever watched something numerous times and each time you see it, you’re still filled with glee? Well that’s what happened when we saw the final product of Stinky’s Animated Logo. Our aim was to make it short with some oomph and a little humour. Watch it and tell us how many times you clicked repeat and what you thought of it!

    Just a little description on what is happening in the video. Stinky flies into the room and sees his favourite pumpkin pie cooling on a window sill. He thinks of ways to get to the pie and comes up with an idea. He moves out of the screen and soon after wheels in a helium tank. He inflates himself to the point where he floats up to the pie. But little did he know, he inflated himself a little too much so he then bursts into hundreds of little Stinky’s to then form our logo.

    The theme behind the short animated logo was one of persistence. We tend to put things off because we deem them too hard to attain or achieve. But the secret behind success is not an instantaneous one. We need to try and try again. Should we fall a little short, just keep going. Things only seem out of reach if you set yourself that limitation. Reach for the stars because you never know how close they really are. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

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  • Jan
    26

    The Prequel


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    by Stinky
    No comments yet

     

    Stinky The Pig Farm 1024x788 The Prequel

    Stinky The Pig – The Prequel (Farm)

    Long before the farm was thriving, in a time where pitchforks and shovels did the job of machinery. Long before there was a barn full of animals, in a time where pumpkin pie was not cooling by the window – mainly because there were no pumpkins! Long before animals were given names simply because… well… why would you give animals names? Sorry! Let’s get back to the story.

    Along came a little pig who looked as average as any little pig could. But little did we know that little pigs often possess large dreams – the types of dreams that tend to come true. So the owners of the farm built this pig a home large enough to fit many, many, many things. He would run around to play and wait for his meal. He would look up and oink every time they brought fresh water or food.

    As time went on, he met new animals. First came some chickens, then some sheep, a horse and a mouse who, unbeknownst to him, would become one of his best friends. One night in the barn, all of the animals were making their usual sounds. The horse was nayying, the sheep were baaing the chickens bokbokking and the mouse was… just being a mouse. He climbed the haystacks inside the barn, cleared his throat and said in the manliest voice he could must, ‘Why don’t we just talk to each other?’

    Silence.

    Everything in the barn had stopped moving as though time had frozen. They all stood there looking at one another not sure what the next appropriate step would be. The mouse started making his way over to the pig, swiftly moving his little feet to reach the top of the bale. He looked out over the crowd and smiled.

    ‘HE’S ONE OF US!’

    The barn erupted in cheer and laughter. This was the start of what would become a tale of adventure that was second to none. And as some would say, the rest was history.

    StinkyThePig colour me in The Prequel Colour Me In – Click on the picture to print out and colour Stinky’s Adventure

     

    Colour Me In Farm 1024x788 The Prequel

    Colour Me In – The Prequel (Farm)

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  • Dec
    20

    A Christmas Rhyme


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    by Stinky
    posted in Stories
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    It was the night before Christmas where children would sleep,

    While hoping that Santa would bring them something to keep.

     

    But right before bed they all would check thrice,

    By asking their parents if they were naughty or nice.

     

    They both would start smiling when gently sitting down,

    They’d tell them ‘Be hopeful! There’s no need to frown’

     

    Kids will be kids and believe what they’re told,

    It doesn’t take long for sleep to take hold.

     

    The morning is here, excitement beyond measure,

    The children rejoiced in their new found treasure.

     

    Whatever doubt that existed, was surely erased,

    Because in the end, love always takes first place.

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  • Sep
    01

    Stinky Devil Diaries


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    by Stinky
    posted in Stories
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    The rain was torrential, bucketing down as though a thousand of them were held by giant sun-haters, pouring its watery contents onto the ground. The skies were some sort of grey – not quite dark grey but a few shades short of it. In this land things happened suddenly, much like non-committal traffic lights who never seem to choose a colour it likes. There were many names bestowed upon this place but no one ever thought to ask the inhabitants what it was called. Some yelled ‘HELL!’ whilst others named it the Abyss. Some called it Hades but they didn’t know that that was actually the name of my distant cousin – a big personality yes, but not big enough to have the place named after him. To most people, it is the netherworld. It’s all a big load of waffles… chocolate waffles I think. If anyone would have asked me, rather than run screaming all sorts of hurtful words at me, I would have told them that most of us call this place Home.

    Not many people come to visit. And for those that do, they don’t seem to want to stay very long. They make up all these excuses why they should go back. They even promise to not do certain evil deeds again. I try to explain to them that it takes time to get used to. I tell them that there’s beauty in exploding rocks and molten lava, unending quakes and fissures because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But does anyone ever believe me? We can leave this as a rhetorical question. So you may have heard about me when I appeared in a cool story a while back. I think I played the role well but it was a shame they gave me only a few lines. And did I mention how they stereotypically made me as the bad guy? Me? The bad guy? Come on! I do charity work for goodness… or should I say badness sake? And no one seems to believe that I was born a tomato lover. I think my parents ate them so much that it made my skin the same colour. I’m not complaining ok.

    So yesterday Grim came over wanting some ice. My jaw dropped to the floor as my trident slipped from my grasp and fell on my foot. I jumped and yelled as though some small, round, red, evil-looking piglet was jumping and yelling. We stared at each other not knowing what to say after seeing such a boisterous performance by yours truly.

    ‘Why, may I ask, DO YOU NEED ICE FOR?’ I asked politely.

    ‘Tea. Lemon. Lemon tea. But I would much prefer ice lemon tea. And you know how ice lemon tea just ain’t ice lemon tea without… where was I? Oh yeah that’s right! Would you happen to have some ice?

    ‘Surely you haven’t been living in a fireball for the last 10 eons. When was the last time anyone here had any ice?’

    ‘Oh yeah that’s right. Silly me. No wonder this ice lemon tea never tasted any good’

    After that he didn’t speak a single word. He flipped his dark black hood (it’s a type of black that when a pack of ordinary black colours walk by point and say ‘Damn! Ive never seen something that black before’) over his head, whistled the latest One Direction song and made his way back to his house. Neighbours are funny sometimes. You live next to them for so long that you never really get to understand them. Once I saw Grim drink but for some reason it made his face wet. Go figure.

    I’m going to sign off here. I just wanted to give you a little introduction to the place I call Home. If you put aside the screaming and yelling, it really is a wonderful place. Hey! Do you reckon they would cast me in another Stinky the Pig story? Really? Wow, you’re way too generous. But don’t go too far. I’ll be back to tell you more about me, my family and everything else there is to know!

    stinky devil 450x198 Stinky Devil Diaries

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  • Jun
    22

    Let me tell you a story


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    by Stinky
    posted in Stories
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    The skies did not shine the way they were meant to today. Usually it would be a sea of blue resembling a field full of bluebells and larkspurs freckled with patches of cloud as soft as the feathers on the back of a songbird. The wind was so cold and gusty that when it blew at you with its ferocity, it felt like a boulder of solid ice was pushing you back. Summer days weren’t meant to be like this, summer days were meant to be… perfect. Stinky walked down the street looking down to the footpath. Most people would do so in the movies he had watched when they were feeling glum. The only thing he couldn’t do was put his hands into the side pockets of his jacket – it’s hard to do so when you didn’t have pockets or a jacket.

    The shops were still open but in most of them their patrons had abandoned them today and had most probably found their comfort under a nice warm blanket. But this didn’t deter the shop owners optimism because their neon signs continued to flash and flicker and shine with enthusiasm.  One sign read ‘Come in and have a chat’ which stood out from the rest. It looked tired as though it were the boring older brother of all the other vibrant signage. Its corners were covered in spider webs and the only reason why it was flickering was because the light bulb inside needed changing. But Stinky was taught from an early age that different is sometimes good. So he walked up to the door and opened it.

    As the door swung open, it hit a bell hanging from the ceiling. It rung and rung like it was meant to, calling to whoever happened to be present that a stranger had opened the door and let themselves in. Out stepped a fragile old lady, her knitted cardigan look almost as old as the lady herself. She wore black pants with slippers and sported spectacles that hung on the tip of her nose. She tilted her head down to get a closer look at Stinky.

    ‘My oh my young lad. You look like you need to talk. Come on in and let us have a chat’.

    Sometimes stories don’t always need to go into too much detail. I bet you were expecting me to then write about the conversation Stinky had with this old lady. Who was she anyway? I guess I will leave it up to you to decide what type of person she was and what her profession is. But I will be telling you about their little conversation albeit paraphrased and butchered into my own words. Stories are usually better retold in your own words otherwise it may seem too much like narration. I will cut out all of the chit chat and go to the crux of her comments. Who would have thought that an old lady would have so much wisdom? You? No way! So here goes.

    She told Stinky to picture himself inside a cave. It was pitch black. Imagine standing and not knowing where you were, whether your next step will make you fall into an endless pit or whether your step backwards would make you hit your head on stone. You feel dizzy and your eyes are trying with no avail to adjust to the lack of light. You slide your feet along the ground inch by inch just trying to find something that could possibly guide you to freedom. One step, two steps, three and you finally touch the wall. You feel enjoyment. You feel as though there is a better chance of finding your way out. You hold onto the walls and continue to walk forward. You walk until you get tired and decide to give up but something tells you not to. Going back would only take you back to where you started. You never know because the few steps you take may make all the difference. You eventually see some light but you don’t let go of the wall. You don’t get too excited and run towards it because you may hurt yourself. You continue holding onto the wall until you make it out.

    You see, the darkness in this story is life and the wall is hope. It guides you through times of difficulty and lets you know that it is there to help you make it out. Don’t ever trick yourself into thinking that there is no hope. It is there. Reach out and grab it. Hold onto it and let it guide you to overcome whatever it is you face. Take care.

    stinky1 450x152 Let me tell you a story

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  • Jun
    15

    Tell me who you are?


    image
    by Stinky
    posted in Stories
    No comments yet

    ‘Hang on a sec. So you’re telling me you’re a pig?’

    ‘Don’t I look like one?’

    ‘And you’re also telling me you can talk?’

    ‘Ummm your questions are confusing. Aren’t we talking now?’

    They stood there in silence just watching each other. They had just met and this was the first time Stinky had ever received such a reaction. It was a tense moment with eyes looking, staring, analysing. His gaze seemed to leap into the depth of Stinky’s being trying to search for something that would be deemed a logical explanation. He found nothing. The wind was blowing, making noises that would deter many from venturing outside. The skies began to drizzle as though it heard the calling of the wind and came to see what was going on. He opened his mouth and out came the weirdest, out of character response of all.

    ‘BAHHAHAHAHAHAAHA’

    He walked over and slapped Stinky on that back and gave him a big bear hug. Whatever intensity existed mere seconds ago had all but dissipated to be replace with a new found confusion, albeit a happier more relieved one.

    ‘My name is Joey. Who would of thunk it? A pig that talks! You, my friend, are one of a kind!’

    ‘Oh my! You scared the living daylights out of me. Please don’t do that again. I wasn’t expecting to bump into anyone. What on earth are you doing here?’ Stinky asked as he wiped the imaginary sweat from his brow.

    They stood under a waterfall in the middle of the forest. There was a cave mouth that Stinky would often visit so he could watch the magnificence and beauty of the cascading waters. He had never seen anyone here before.

    ‘I live here. You could even call me a guardian of sorts. Most people don’t really get the opportunity to see me but you can consider yourself one lucky pig!’

    ‘Err can you stop calling me that? I’m not different to you. I live, I breathe and I have feelings and emotions and sometimes cry when watching a sad movie. Tell me that’s not normal’

    ‘If you say so my friend… if you say so’ Joey replied with a smile.

    ‘So what does a guardian do anyway? Do you just sit in the shadows and scare people like you did to me today? I would have thought a guardian would look like a hero as large as a mountain and as strong as the trees that surround this forest. You just look like an overgrown kid that plays tricks on people whenever you feel bored’

    ‘That’s where you’re wrong my new friend. My youthful outlook is deceitful and does not reflect my true age. I have been around here much longer than you have. I have seen small shrubs grow into trees that stretch beyond reach and its canopies touch the heavens. I guard the sanctity of nature and dispel those who seek to ruin it’

    ‘Wow. You are important! In my whole life I never thought I would meet someone as mysterious as you. It almost seems mystical when you stand and talk whilst the waterfall is your backdrop. Am I disturbing your… ummm… guardianship?’

    ‘Don’t be so formal young friend. You could say that I have many helpers so that makes my job a little easier. I don’t come out often but when I do I just adore meeting pigs… I mean people like you. It’s refreshing to say the least. Speaking of refreshing, I need to make haste and leave you now’

    ‘But we just met! How will I contact you or see you again? There are so many questions I want to ask you Joey’

    ‘We’ll meet again. I just hope that when I see you next you still remember me’

    And with those last words, Joey turned and run at speed into the waterfall. He seemed to vanish into the mist of the waters. Stinky screamed out to Joey but he did not listen. As Stinky edged toward the curtain of water he did not see any sign of him. At that very moment he heard Joey’s voice.

    ‘Stinky, my new friend. Don’t you ever change! Always hold onto the pure, kindhearted soul that you possess. Oh and by the way, not everyone called me Joey. Sometimes they call me Mother Nature’

    Stinky sat down as his knees were beginning to buckle. What had just happened here he thought to himself? Moments had passed and he stood, keeping balance by holding onto the side of the cave mouth. He made his way out of the forest and it was at that very moment where he realised what had happened. He was just blessed by Mother Nature herself… himself… who knows. He turned and walked and said ‘Wow’ to no one in particular.

    Stinkythepig Tell me who you are 450x302 Tell me who you are?

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  • Apr
    13

    Never judge a book by its cover


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    by Stinky
    posted in Stories
    No comments yet

    If someone had told Stinky that miracles were the creation of little fairies that looked like lady bugs, he would never have doubted them. And even if one hundred million people did not believe complete and utter nonsense, Stinky would be the needle in the haystack that actually would. He would be the one mustard seed amongst millions that fall from the sky to land on the point of a single needle. You needn’t look very far for proof of this because those that were lucky enough to cross paths with him could easily attest that he would probably be the nicest individual they had met in a long while.

    Stinky was sitting in the corner of an outback eatery minding his own business. He enjoyed the bush pies made from wild berries and honey. If there were a way to combine the words delicious, scrumptious and heavenly into a single meal, then it would look something like the wild berry pie sitting in front of him. Today of all days saw a rush of people come to grab some grub in the afternoon. The atmosphere was raucous and bustling to say the least. Amongst the crowd were the usual farmers who toiled from the break of dawn until the sun was at its zenith, workers and laborers and a sporadic appearance of men and women in suits.

    But something stood out in the crowd like an old shoe matched with a bunch of carnations. A ragged lady was making her way through the mass and each time she approached someone, she walked away with disappointment. The process of her maneuvering her way around the diner went on and on, rejection after rejection. She eventually made her way toward Stinky and asked in the most dignified manner she could muster ‘Please. Would you be able to spare me some loose change?’

    Stinky could hear random people in the crowd saying she did not deserve it and that she would just cheat him and spend the money on something unwholesome. But when Stinky looked into her eyes, he could see desperation and a kindness that not many people possess. So when Stinky was pondering whether he should share some of his coin with her, the lady pulled out a torn handkerchief and offered it to him.

    ‘This was given to me from my mother. Although it may not look like much, it is my family treasure. And from the time my mother left me till now, I have done what I can to keep it in tact. I can give this to you if you can spare me some change. Please’.

    At that point Stinky’s knees had turned into jelly. He reached into his coat and gave some money to the lady. It was more of a reflex action than anything else. She said that it may have been too much but Stinky insisted she keep it and use it for whatever emergency she was facing. The lady slowly made her way outside of the diner. People were staring at Stinky as though his magnanimous act was wrong.

    Stinky stood up and decided he would follow the lady to see where she was headed and whether the accusations of the general public were true. He kept a good distance so he would not be noticed. For a brief moment in time, he felt like he was a secret agent investigating a major crime. He even went as far as to call himself Pig… Stinky the Pig. As he was lost in his world of make-believe, the lady suddenly stopped at a street corner where a man was huddled up in a dirty blanket. He had a cardboard sign in front of him that read ‘Need money to feed my starving family’. The lady bent over and whispered a few words into the man’s ear, kissed him on the forehead and gave him the money she had in her pocket. He could even hear her telling him to take the money and buy some food for himself and his family. The man sat there in stunned disbelief and wept whilst the lady stood up, smiled and walked away.

    Stinky stood there in awe. He felt the wind blow and soon realised that tears were running down his cheek. Imagine that. Everyone in the diner was wrong. He just witnessed the single most kind-hearted act in his entire life.

    End.

    Stinky Never judge a book by its cover 450x297 Never judge a book by its cover

    Footnote:

    Sometimes we tend to judge too quickly and care too little. There are people out there that really need our help. But when they ask, we judge them based on stories we have heard from our friends or from a previous experience turned bad. Maybe they really do need the 20 cents that they tried so hard to beg you for. Take some time to understand and care for others – regardless of the situation. You never know how much of an angel you could be to them. Remember that to the world you might only be one person, but to one person you might mean the world to them.

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  • Mar
    17

    Stinky the Doctor


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    by Stinky
    posted in Stories
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    Sorry…

    And that was all he said before walking away from the teary-eyed family. Imagine the hope and optimism they had before the finality of the word sorry was unleashed in all its fury. It is such a short word, yet there are so many negative connotations. As he walked he unstrapped his mask and hung his head as though all of his energy deflated faster than a fat man sitting on a whoopy cushion. The family was still there though and they weren’t even paying attention to the doctor anymore. They stood there together in arms, shedding the tears they feared to let fall – and unstoppable they fell.

    Stinky watched with moist eyes until he could no longer stand it. He switched off the television and realised why he so seldom watched it. Television was meant to tug on our heart strings so that we would be emotionally attached to one show or another. The usual reactions of ‘I hope that villain gets what is coming for him’ or ‘I really hope those star-crossed lovers end up together’. Stinky knew that shows did not depict what actually occurred in reality. Families aren’t so close-knit, people share love scarcely and strangers aren’t programmed to help other strangers. He thought back to the time where he watched some movie and momentarily put all his other dreams aside because he wanted to become a doctor. This was because Stinky wanted to help people like the actor he saw in the movie. Spontaneity aside, Stinky realised that spending years upon years studying to learn the art of medicine was probably not the best use of his time. He began thinking about all the wonderful people he has met so far in his journey and knew that he would not want to change a single thing.

    Stinky needed some fresh air to clear his mind so he went outside for a short stroll. Sometimes walking the streets provides needed perspective on things because we tend to overlook some of the important constants in life. As he walked he noticed a man walk up to a needy homeless woman and gave her a five dollar note. Stinky smiled. He looked across the street and saw a young lady helping and old man cross the road. A few steps ahead were a group of teenagers holding up signs that read ‘Free Hugs’. Reality wasn’t as bad as the movies make it out to be! Stinky thought back to the show and made a fairly significant connection. He realised that doctors aren’t really taught to be experts at medicine but rather, they are trained to be experts in the art of healing. Healing can come in all forms be it in the form of an operation, prescription medicine or laughter. All of these can treat and in some cases even heal a person. There are even times where a simple smile or a quick hello would make a big difference. Stinky was relieved because he knew he was making a small contribution towards healing the world. So whether you are a doctor or an office worker, you too can make a difference and heal someone in need. Remember that a little goes a very long way.

    Who can you heal today? Have a think about it.
    stinky doctor Stinky the Doctor

     

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  • Feb
    16

    Stinky The Chef


    image
    by Stinky
    posted in Stories
    No comments yet

    The room was filled with smells so intoxicating it almost provided some kind of natural high. It wasn’t the bad type either, it was one that penetrated your smell and reached into your stomach, tugged on your taste buds and smothered you in ecstasy. The chopping and flipping and screams of frustration had subsided. The sound of breaking plates and the dropping of oven trays were no longer present. It was replaced with an eager air of anticipation. They all stood and waited for their names to be called.

    Stinky looked around the room at all the would-be chefs and smiled. He knew he was faced with some tough competition. But what does it matter when you have really given it your best shot? He remembered the simpler times where the smell of sweet smelling pumpkin pie made him feel warm, cared for and loved. Sometimes Stinky was surprised at all the things he had learnt from such a simple upbringing. Lost in nostalgia, it wasn’t until someone had nudged him that he realised he was being called forth for the ultimate judgement.

    ‘Chubby! You’re up. Bring your dish to the front’ said the well-dressed chef.

    Stinky momentarily looked around. He didn’t see anyone there fitting this description so he was a little perplexed as to why he used such a word. Maybe it meant something different in his language. Stinky stepped forward and brought his simple dish to the table. The judges sat there expressionless. Their gaze was so passionate that he could feel their stare burn holes in his confidence. They placed their knife and fork and tore apart his dish – scrutinising every little aspect from its presentation to its smell.

    They finally took a bite and chewed while looking back at Stinky. There was no emotion shown on their faces. They chewed. They looked and chewed some more. The main chef judging placed his fork down and sat there in silence. The few seconds he had to wait for the verdict felt as though time had been thrown out the window. He expected the worse. And it was at that moment where he would almost fall apart, that smiles graced the faces of all three judges.

    ‘Wow. What a wonderful dish to begin this competition. It was almost perfect in every way. Tell me, what was it you felt played the biggest part in this dish?’ asked the main chef.

    ‘I grew up on a farm and the one thing I was always taught was that food was meant to be prepared and cooked with love. So I guess that’s the main ingredient’

    ‘Great! Ok you may step back now’

    Stinky grabbed his dish and walked back to his station. As he passed his fellow chefs, they patted him on the shoulder and said well done. So that was how it went down for most of the others in the competition. Some received excellent reactions and others not so great. So after all the dishes were tasted, Stinky was asked to step forward with two others.

    ‘Stinky, your dish was one that really got our palettes going. It really was amazing. Having said that, it wasn’t the best dish of the day. We want to congratulate you on a job well done’

    The winner was most deserving. Stinky wasn’t upset that he had not won. In actual fact, he was over the moon for having received such a wonderful review. There is more to life than always aiming to come first. It’s more about the effort you put in and your intention behind it, rather than being focused on besting everyone else. And to those that tell you that this is the mindset of a loser, just remember that winners and losers are equally loved by their family. This is the way it should be anyway.

    Stinky walked out with his head held high. There was nothing that was going to change his above-the-clouds mood. He looked up into the sky and saw a flock of seagulls fly past. As he watched seagull droppings had fallen onto his face. But rather than be angry about it, he was grateful that it didn’t fall into his mouth. If only more people would have this attitude toward life and its mishaps. So… where to next Stinky? Stay tuned.

    stinky chef Stinky The Chef

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  • Dec
    15

    Stinky’s First Christmas


    image
    by Stinky
    posted in Stories
    No comments yet

     

    stinky santa Stinkys First Christmas

    Foreword

    The team at stinkythepig would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We hope that wherever you are, or wherever you are planning to go, that your lives are filled with happiness and the spirit of giving. There are just over a handful of days till the completion of this year. Have you reflected on the year that was and made any realisations? Whatever your endeavours are, we faithfully believe that each and every individual in this world has something positive to offer – whether it is to your loved ones or with the whole world. Remember our philosophy of helping the world realise its own potential – one smile at a time.

    Take care of your body and spirit. Wishing you happiness that extends beyond yonder.

    The team at stinkythepig

    It was a week before Christmas and the snow was falling… well it was in some other part of the world. Christmas time down under was always sweltering hot. It’s not unusual to see plants bow lifelessly and grass turning a shy yellow colour. It seemed as though the breeze had taken a holiday and humidity was the substitute teacher. But put all these things aside, Christmas time was special.

    Everyone had their own interpretation of special though. For some, it would mean a gift from a store while others would be overjoyed by a long-awaited phone call from an old friend. There would be some that purchase presents for themselves and some that are homeless who would shed tears when given a warm meal. But regardless of what it is that makes Christmas special for you, the spirit of giving is more prevalent compared the rest of the year. It is humanity in its rawest state – the way it should always be.

    And although some of us have grown up to realise that Santa and Rudolph and the Elves are fictional, we still wish that they were real. Sometimes I wonder when it is that we start to lose faith in these things that make us happy and begin to grow up. But the ironic thing about all of this is that when we start to have kids of our own, we tell them these fictional stories and the cycle goes on and on. So it’s as if we know it is false, but hold on to it because it was one moment in time where all that you remember is just plain happy. So even if the truth in the stories we tell are stretched beyond yonder, there’s one constant that never changes – and that is happiness.

    So when we picture our beloved Christmas characters, what do we picture? Obviously Santa Clause has red clothes and a white beard. Oh! And how could we forget about the bright, shiny, red nose that Rudolph has. These things will never change no matter which country you grew up in or which cultural background you are from. I am pretty sure I remember Santa speaking Chinese at one stage in my life and that did not change the way we pictured him – caring, loving and sharing.

    HO HO HO

    What was that?

    HO HO HO Merry Christmas!

    Ok well that was weird. I just looked out the window and saw some funny looking pig dressed up as Santa. People would do anything to get attention nowadays! He looked somewhat comical and rounder than the Santa that I remembered as a kid. But he did have a cloudy white beard and carried a sack full of toys and for some funny reason a Christmas tree magically followed him around.  I think I might have to lie down. I must be seeing things.

    So let us continue. Rudolph! With your nose so bright, won’t you be my shining light? I’m pretty sure I got it wrong but wasn’t that the reason why Rudolph was created in the first place. Rudolph comes in all shapes and sizes, and keep in mind that he doesn’t always have a red nose! He’s the friend, brother, parent, colleague or stranger that helps you out when you need it most. They are there when you need someone to lean on so that when you walk, you don’t fall. But sometimes falling is not as bad as you think, because regardless of who you are, there is always one ‘Rudolph’ in your life that will pick you up. Eye opening right? Sometimes the things that are most vivid in our memories are the things that we see with our hearts rather than our eyes.

    Errrmm, I just saw the same pig walk past again. But this time he was dressed up as Rudolph. The weather must be doing weird things to my imagination. Pretty cute I must admit though. He even had antlers! I think I need some rest.

    MEANWHILE…

    Stinky was strolling through the streets in a friendly neighbourhood. He noticed a person typing busily on his laptop. He looked his way and gave him a quick smile before he continued on. It was quite funny when he noticed the man touching his forehead to check if he was hallucinating. He must not see pigs very often. Today was awfully hot, and the Santa Claus costume he purchased made Niagara Falls look like a gentle stream compared to his natural flow of sweat. But Christmas time was all about getting into the Christmas spirit, so a little discomfort was worth it.

    There was however, something that was bothering him. He felt as though he was being followed by someone. But Stinky didn’t know anyone in this neighbourhood so he was perplexed as to who it may be. He thought he saw a chubby reindeer, but every time he turned around there was no one to be seen – weird to say the least. It was time to get going and onto his next adventure. He hoped that if there were someone following him that he could come out so he could make new friends. He also hoped that the man typing away on his computer didn’t get too much of a shock.

    ‘Where to next I wonder’ Stinky thought. ‘Maybe the North Pole!’

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