Janet's blog - Fiction for the thinking woman

I live in a valley of heroes

2012-02-17T00:57:00.000-07:00

aerial view of Logan, Utah (Utah State University Campus)

A Valley of Heroes

I live in a valley of heroes. I get teary-eyed justthinking about it, especially in light of recent events. Cache Valley, locatedin northern Utah, is known for its agricultural roots, Utah State University, AggieIce Cream, mountains, cheese, honey, basketball, football, and especially forits people.

favorite landmark in Wellsvile, Utah

Today I’d like to reflect on the people.

There are everyday heroes who perform small, quietacts that never get reported in the paper. You know who you are. You’re the womanwhose best friend’s husband was killed in a tragic auto accident, leaving ayoung family of three children without a husband and father. You quietly set upfundraising efforts, spread the word, and gave some much-needed comfort and supportto the grieving family.

Thank you.

When I was twelve, I was with my mother when she got aflat tire. A man stopped immediately, pulled out his jack and wrench, andquickly put on our spare tire. We tried to thank him. All he said was“Christensen’s my name, ma’am. You have a good day,” before he got in his owncar and drove off.

Mr. Christensen, I haven’t forgotten you.

I have always considered the late Logan High principalAllison Dunn a hero. Not only was she a treasured friend and cancer survivor,she kept an eye on my boys at school and watched over them during some rockyyears; they had great respect for Mrs. Dunn. Just months after she was declaredcancer-free, the disease came back with a vengeance, and she lost her battle,never even reaching age fifty. I tried to tell her how much she had meant to meand my family, and I think she understood, during some of the quiet afternoonswe spent together near the end. It was my privilege to be there. She remarkedthat buttermilk and Melba toast were the only foods that appealed to her, oneday I brought buttermilk and Melba toast to her. When I opened the refrigerator,it was full of cartons of buttermilk; boxes of Melba toast were stacked on thecounter.

Allison, thank you for being a wonderful, strongwoman.

Several years ago, aman delivering our newspaper smelled gas in front of our house early

One morning. He rang thedoorbell and woke us, the gas company was called, and the leak was soonrepaired. We weren’t harmed in any way; he prevented that from happening. Idon’t think we even knew his name, and for that I apologize.

You know who you are, though. Thank you.

Last September, an auto and motorcyclist collided justa mile away from my home, on a busy highway next to the Utah State University campus.The motorcycle burst into flames. Its driver was unconscious and trapped underthe car. Nearby construction workers and students ran to the scene. Theyquickly decided they had to lift the car off the injured student. With acoordinated effort, they did, and another student quickly pulled him to safety.There was no doubt, officials said; he would not have survived if people hadn’tintervened quickly. His injuries were not life-threatening, though he’llundergo quite a bit of therapy for some fractures. An USU employee was preparingto film a classroom lecture nearby when he heard the crash and the commotion.He grabbed his camera and began to capture the rescue. That video went viral. Manypeople were astonished and impressed and touched when they watched it.

student rescued from fiery crash

The family of the victim issued this statement: “Brandon and ourentire family would like to express our deep gratitude to all of the people whostopped at the crash scene on Monday to help rescue Brandon. The fact that somany people would risk their own lives to save Brandon is a testament to thespirit of the community, and we will forever be thankful for these angelssaving our son.”

Brandon Wright speaks from hospital about his rescue

Thank you to theeveryday people who ran to help, for showing us that everyday people can accomplishgreat feats.

On January 31, 2011, Roger Christensen was driving twoof his children and one of their friends to our local ski resort for anafternoon of skiing. Though the drivers in the canyon that afternoon were slowand cautious, the roads were treacherous. Roger saw a van slide off the road infront of him. The driver was able to maneuver her van onto a nearby bridgebefore it stopped, to avoid collisions. Roger gently tapped his brake todetermine if he could stop if necessary. Instead, his car went off the road,plunged down a ten-foot embankment, and flipped upside down, landing in thefrigid Logan River, where it rapidly began to fill with water.

site of Logan Canyon crash

Some of the front windows had shattered, Roger remembers,and he was able to get out of the car and catch his breath, but he could notreach the children strapped in their seat belts, one in a toddler seat, upsidedown, in the back seat. The doors and windows could not be opened. He hardlyhad time to feel frantic, he says, because within seconds, other people pulledover, saw him desperately trying reach the children, and scrambled down theembankment, where they jumped into the icy river to help.

When Roger’s car slid off the road and into the river,there was no time to wait for help. Paramedics could not have arrived in timeto rescue the children. The strangers who stopped knew time was of the essenceand simply did what was needed. One man later reflected that he didn’t evenremember jumping into the river.

"Within five seconds therewere eight men in the river, three to four feet deep water, and ready to assistand help in any way," Roger said.

rescuers

As a team, they used all the strength they couldmuster and flipped the car over. One man who helped turn the car over said thatas they struggled in the water, he suddenly felt someone very strong behindhim, pushing, but when the car finally flipped and he looked back, there was noone behind him. He feels that was one of many miracles that took place onmilepoint 474, Highway 89, that afternoon.

A privatebodyguard and former law enforcement officer instructor who specialized inweapons training was one of the first to plunge into the river. He pulled outhis handgun, (he carries a legal permit) and shot out the back window. Twochildren were quickly pulled out of the car, blue and not breathing. They werehanded to more rescuers on the side of the road. The third child was takinggasps from a pocket of air above her head, but could not unclasp her seat belt.The man with the handgun also had a pocketknife; he pulled it out and cut herseat belt free.

On the side of the road, one Good Samaritan, arespiratory therapist, worked with others to revive the two children whoweren’t breathing, and tearful cheers erupted as they began to breathe again.Other motorists took the children into their cars, wrapped them in warmblankets, and drove them down the canyon to intercept the ambulance that was onits way. The children were treated for hypothermia and spent a couple of daysin the hospital as a precaution.

Roger, the children, and nine of the known passers-bywho stopped and assisted were recently featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where the children were each given a $10,000scholarship toward college. Lavish bundles of gifts, worth $30,000 each, wereshowered on everyone in the group, and they were also treated to a VIP trip toDisneyland. One of the rescuers, a highway patrolman who coordinated communicationswith the paramedics and others at the scene, gave his gifts away to a charitythat benefits families and children of highway patrol personnel. He didn’t feelright, he said, for receiving special attention for simply doing his job.

the children who were rescued

I’m sure Mia, Baylor and Kenya don’t understand why they’regetting so much special attention for being in an accident and rescued bystrangers, but their lives will soon settle back to normal. No doubt they willcome to realize, later in life, however, that others, everyday people, consideredtheir lives to be precious.

Roger Andersen at press conference

Roger calls thepeople who helped “heroes in waiting.” What a great description.

Am I a hero in waiting? Are you? Will we be calledupon to perform heroic deeds?

No doubt you have already faced tremendous challengesin your personal lives, or in your families, and dealt with them quietly, neverthelesswith great courage.

Perhaps you’re a firefighter and you face danger everyday to protect everyone in my valley, and our property.

You may be a law enforcement officer workingtirelessly to fight crime in the form of drugs and gangs, or even the reluctantcity police officer who put on a big glove designed for handling dangerousanimals, scooped up a terrified bat that was cowering on our bathroom floor,and took it to the open window to fly away to freedom.

You could be the one who arrested a group of teenagerssitting around an illegal campfire and drinking beer, took them to the policestation, and called their parents. If you had not spotted them, the events ofthat night could have ended in tragedy.

Perhaps you walk the halls of our schools to keep ourchildren safe from the harmful elements that have invaded our schools: gangs,drugs, bullying. The students admire you, and they consider you their friend.

For all of that and more, I thank you, too, our publicservants who are on the job every day.

You could be the mail carrier who opened the door tohis truck at the end of his route one day, and found that someone had left abox of nine abandoned newborn puppies in the vehicle. You quickly took themhome, kept the puppies alive and warm, and, with your family, began a round-theclock vigil of frequent bottle feedings with special, expensive formula. Whenthe puppies were old enough to be adopted, you kept one and found homes for therest.

I remember you, and I thank you for your kindness.

You probably will not receive a big screen TV for yourprivate acts of heroism. I’m fairly certain you won’t get an all-expense paid VIPDisneyland excursion.

But you know who you are. And for being who you are, Ithank you.

Links to these stories:

http://www.accidentin.com/article_read.php?idLink=21835645

http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-river-crash-family-talks-about-brush-with-death-after-crashing-car-into-logan-river-20120102,0,6160547.story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hmdqov-zkM

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=18704676

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/chris-willden-plays-major-role-rescue-of-children-after-icy-river-crash

http://www.9news.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1362636810001

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEDQItVCxbw

Froggy Goes a-Courtin' in many languages

2012-02-13T05:09:00.000-07:00

When Darling Granddaughter #1 visited us shortly after she turned three, she became a little homesick one afternoon. After all, it was her first weekend all alone with Grammy J and Poppy. When the sadness threatened to develop into cloudy skies and showers, I popped her in a tub of warm bubbles, but she still became more and more despondent until I spied one of her bathtub toys, a frog, and began to sing a song from my childhood:

Frog Went a Courting

Traditional Folk Song Lyrics

Frog went a courtin' and he did ride, uh-huh
Frog went a courtin' and he did ride, uh-huh
Frog went a courtin' and he did ride
With a sword and a pistol by his side, uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

He rode right up to Miss Mousie's door, uh-huh
He rode right up to Miss Mousie's door, uh-huh
He rode right up to Miss Mousie's door
Gave three loud raps, and a very big roar, uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

He said, "Miss Mouse, will you marry me? uh-huh
He said, "Miss Mouse, will you marry me? uh-huh
He said, "Miss Mouse, will you marry me?
And oh so happy we will be, uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

"Not without Uncle Rat's consent", uh-huh
"Not without Uncle Rat's consent", uh-huh
"Not without Uncle Rat's consent"
"Would I marry the President," uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

Uncle Rat, he went downtown, uh-huh
Uncle Rat, he went downtown, uh-huh
Uncle Rat, he went downtown
To buy his niece a wedding gown, uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

Where shall the wedding supper be? uh-huh
Where shall the wedding supper be? uh-huh
Where shall the wedding supper be?
Way down yonder in the hollow tree, uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

The first to come in was a bumble bee, uh-huh
The first to come in was a bumble bee, uh-huh
The first to come in was a bumble bee
With a big bass fiddle on his knee, uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

Next to come in was the big black snake, uh-huh
Next to come in was the big black snake, uh-huh
Next to come in was the big black snake
He gobbled down the wedding cake, uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

Little bit of biscuit on the shelf, uh-huh
Little bit of biscuit on the shelf, uh-huh
Little bit of biscuit on the shelf
If you want anymore you can sing it yourself, uh-huh uh-huh, oh yeah.

I was interested to read that Bob Dylan, Elvis (Elvis?) and Burl Ives all recorded this song, along with many other artists. It's a universal favorite. Of course there are many versions of this song, and evidently it has political roots in old English history (don't they all?) Some treatments of the song get rather gory, when the last guest, a large bird, swoops down and devours the whole wedding party, cake and all.

I tend to avoid the gory endings of folk and fairy tales.

Not only did Darling Granddaughter #1 cheer up, she began to learn the song with me. The water cooled, the bubbles disappeared, and Froggy was still a-courtin. When her father arrived, he had to learn it, too.

What appeals to me about the song: the imagination, repetition, and rhythm and pure ridiculousness of it all.

I'm programmed to evaluate every piece of literature for its potential in teaching speech and language skills to children. Soon, if I don't stop myself, I will have written an entire language learning unit based on the song, including flannel figures, story retelling, barrier games, vocabulary development activities, open sentences, and comprehension questions.

I've had to learn to hush the analytical part of my brain and simply enjoy the song for the pure ridiculousness of a frog going courting, and the festivities that follow. Frankly, I find Froggy heroic and brave; he knows what he wants and goes after it. And Miss Mousie? She's ready to build a new life with her handsome suitor, even though she knows that when she kisses him and opens her eyes, he'll still be her Froggy. The song is also a cautionary tale to be selective when writing your guest list. There is more than one lesson to be learned from this song.

One day I downloaded an mp3 recording of the song for my granddaughter and accidentally left the file open on the desktop when I went to bed. During the night, Microsoft Windows installed some automatic updates and restarted the computer. Around 2:30 a.m. a deep voice could be heard singing in my office, complete with the "Umm hmms."

Husband nudged me out of a deep sleep. "Mrs. J," he mumbled, "your computer is singing." With a sigh I stumbled out of bed and into my office, where I closed the file, and soon peace prevailed again.

As my son and his daughter have enjoyed the song, they've improvised, and used the tune and rhythm to make up songs of their own. Often, a normal sentence will be emphasized with "Um hm, um hmm," and it's our little inside joke.

I bought her a stuffed frog which holds a small fleece blanket in his arms. Darling Granddughter immediately named her new friend. "His name," she told one of our friends, her blue eyes very serious, "is Froggywentacourtinhedidride." Of course it is.

I am writing this post from Jyvaskyla, Finland, where I've been practicing my grandmothering skills with Darling Granddaughter #2 and her new little brother. Her Finnish grandmother lives around the corner, and one evening we were trying to convince Melinda to eat just a bit more of her pureed fruit, when Finnish Grandmother began to sing "Froggy Went a Courtin' " in Finnish. I joined in for the "um hmms." What a special moment that was. We're both singing in the languages Melinda will learn, and united in our goal to encourage her to eat, while agreeing on the "um hmms."

The Froggy of my childhood is alive and well and still courtin' Miss Mousie. Who knows, they might even be grandparents.

If you don't believe Elvis ever sang or recorded this song, check out this video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIo3yhbwqAs

Advice from author Annie Proulx

2012-02-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

Spend Some Time Living Before You Start Writing

Spend some time living before you start writing. What I find to be very bad advice is the snappy little sentence, “Write what you know.” It is the most tiresome and stupid advice that could possibly be given. If we write simply about what we know we never grow. We don't develop any facility for languages, or an interest in others, or a desire to travel and explore and face experience head-on. We just coil tighter and tighter into our boring little selves. What one should write about is what interests one.

ANNIE PROULX

Annie Proulx is the author of eight books, including the novel The Shipping News and the story collection Close Range. Her many honors include a Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award, the Irish Times International Fiction Prize, and a PEN/Faulkner award. Her story "Brokeback Mountain," which orignally appeared in The New Yorker, was made into an Academy Award-sinning film. Her most recent book is Just Fine the Way It is. She lives in Wyoming.

I love a good pun

2012-02-04T03:44:00.000-07:00

A wonderful thought from Erma

2012-02-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

ebww Bombeck Workshop

"As a child, my number one best friend was the librarian in my grade school. I actually believed all those books belonged to her."

posted by ebww (Bombeck workshp) on Twitter

"You had me at proper grammar"

2012-02-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

The 8 Easiest languages for English speakers to learn

2012-02-02T03:12:00.000-07:00

from http://www.onlinecollege.org

The 8 Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn

On an increasingly international planet, multilingualism is fast becoming a desired trait in employees, meaning today's college students enjoy an advantage if their degree plansrequire a second (or even third!) language. English speakers in America particularly find this possibility challenging, as far too many schools downplay the importance of learning to speak something additional. Fortunately, those who feel as if the system failed them in this regard can still pick up a foreign language relatively quickly. The following, ranked as Category I by the Foreign Service Institute but listed in no particular order, offer up comparatively easy starting points. Starting points which might very well prove useful for more than touristic reasons!

Romanian: Strangely enough, the Foreign Service Institute does not rank German as one of the easiest second languages for native English speakers. Romanian, a Latin Romance derivative with heavy Slavic overtones, is labeled as one of the simplest. It preserves many of the same grammatical elements of its forebear because of its comparatively isolated evolution. FSI places Romanian in Category I, meaning it should take 23 to 24 weeks – or 575 to 600 hours – to attain proficiency.
French: Like Romanian – not to mention every other language listed here – FSI considers French a Category I pursuit. Hailing from the Romance family, it loaned so many vocabulary words to English that native speakers probably won't struggle as much as they would with something far less linguistically prominent. The French government itself regulates the language, so the grammar and spelling rules are far more rigid than most others. Actually, they haven't strayed too far from the original Latin, so anyone with a familiarity with the dead tongue probably won't struggle too much with their lessons.
Spanish: With Spanish becoming more and more ingrained into everyday American life, United States citizens are lucky it's labeled as one of the easiest for English speakers to pick up. FSI places it in Category I because of its straightforward sounds and grammar system. Seeing as how this Romance language contributed so many everyday words to the seemingly ubiquitous Germanic offshoot, classes will likely prove relatively painless. Do keep in mind that Latin American and European Spanish do sport some differences, so make sure to find lessons fitting proper regional or business needs.
Italian: Italian, French, Romanian, and Spanish aren't the same thing, of course, but knowing one means nominally comprehending the basics of the other. A not-insignificant chunk of English vocabulary comes directly from Italian's Latin Romance roots, making it an easy enough start for anyone looking to pick up a second language. It's especially breezy for native English speakers who already hold a proficiency in others from the same family. Funny enough, despite its famous relationship with Catalan, Italian is actually 89% lexicographically similar to French, as opposed to 87% to the Spanish dialect.
Dutch: Seeing as how Dutch comes from a West Germanic lineage, it makes perfect sense that native English speakers would take to the language pretty swiftly. In fact, over time it has started absorbing more and more vocabulary words from English, so the two already resemble one another somewhat. According to FSI, some of the inflections are identical as well, though Dutch still holds more in common with its ancestor than its cousin. Afrikaans, a Dutch offshoot spoken in South Africa, is also considered a Category I language.
Norwegian: As with Swedish, this Scandinavian tongue started out as a Germanic-Norse hybridization before gradually morphing into its own – so of course it's considered an ideal second language for native English speakers. Many of its words are actually borrowed from English, though the grammar structure hews more closely to German and Old Norse. Newcomers might face difficulty with the fact that, unlike French (from which it also borrows) and other similar languages, Norwegian isn't nearly as standardized.
Swedish: Another blend of Germanic and Norse, Swedish holds more in common with Dutch and Norwegian than English, but that doesn't compromise its Category I status with the FSI. Because of its complex vocabulary and grammatical structure, those for whom English is the primary language might stumble a bit at first. Though, like its linguistic neighbors, many English words have wormed their way into the Swedish lexicon.
Portuguese: Portuguese as spoken in Portugal and Portuguese as spoken in Brazil do depart from one another, so figure out which classes focus on which dialect before forming any commitments. Being a Romance language means inevitable overlaps with French, Spanish, Italian, and Romanian, though it involves more vowel sounds than all of these. As of late, Portuguese has absorbed a goodly amount of English words, though it does also borrow liberally from other Romance tongues.
source: http://www.onlinecollege.org/2012/01/29/the-8-easiest-languages-for-english-speakers-to-learn/
The folks at onlinecollege.org shared this with me. They have perfect timing, as I'm headed for Finland as I write - - well, as this is posted. You'll notice Finnish is not on the list.

Book Review: Be Successful in School - - - A great stocking stuffer for students!

2012-01-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

Be Successful in School

A Student’s Guide for Junior High and High School

Tyler Matthew Ricks and Marie Calder Ricks

My parents each had about a year of college before World War 11 interrupted their plans. Later in life they went back to college with my two older sisters, and both earned master’s degrees. I could see first-hand how hard they worked to achieve their educational goals and I was very proud of them for never giving up, even though both worked full-time and went to school part-time. I was in junior high at the time, the only child left at home, so I heard a steady diet of higher education conversation at the table every night. There was no question about college for me. The only questions were where I would go, what scholarships and financial aid I could earn, and what my field would be.

My three sons tell me that college was never a question for them, just as it never was for me. I’m thrilled that they have earned twelve higher education degrees (three associate’s, four bachelor’s, four and a half master’s degrees, and an M.D.) among the three of them, with at least one more master’s in process, so I’d have to say our example and encouragement plus their natural gifts and a lot of hard work and student loans helped them get there. However, I think the whole process it would have been a little simpler if we’d all had this handy manual to guide us through those challenging junior high and high school years.

In Be Successful in School by Tyler and Marie Ricks, this dynamic mother-son duo cover what it takes to be successful in secondary school. Chapter headings include Life after Graduation, Why You’re Doing All of This, How to Believe in Yourself, How to Get A’s All the Time, How to Smart Without Being a Nerd, Extracurricular Activities, How to Pass Any Test, What Equipment to Bring, Having a Good Home Environment, Hobbies that Help in School, How to Deal with Adults, When You Mess Up, How to Deal with Teachers, Preparing for Graduation, How To Have Fun.

“Truly successful students find their own way in school,” Tyler writes. “They think, analyze, and form goals that will help them accomplish what they need to gain in their own environment . . . A great man once said it was amazing what people will do to not think. Thinking is one of the hardest activities you can participate in. Many students try to find an easy way through school by trying to never think about their own potential success.”

Tyler is more than qualified to pen a book on being a successful student, as he is one himself. When the book went to press this award-winning student was pursuing an advanced degree in animation. He comes from a multi-talented family of four sons. His mother, Marie, is a professional organizer who has a website, and it is truly wonderful. Spending time there is well worth the investment. Visit her at http://houseoforder.com . One of my favorite downloads is the Twenty-Year Map Form “to plan out your family’s goals, activities, and potential accomplishments. It will help you get a pacing and a head’s up about what you can expect in the future. Then, you can plan accordingly.” In other words, think bucket list, and then think of a twenty-year bucket list. Just imagine the focus you could have developed if you’d had this chart twenty years ago! It’s only natural that Marie and her son would focus on success in school as part of an organized, successful life.

Organized people save time and effort. Organization reduces stress. (Think of the time we’ve wasted searching for lost items, etc.!) Good organizational habits are very important for students to learn. This book also encourages students to think of future accomplishments and goals that can be accomplished by learning to be successful students now.

On Marie’s website there are many more free and useful charts and calendars, etc. for free download. Marie’s publications include:The Children You Want with the Kids You Have, House of Order Handbook, Organized For a Mission, a Guide for Parents and Missionaries, Organize As You Go, Project Organization, Master Menu Cookbook, and Be Successful in School, A Student Guide for Junior High and High School.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Marie, and she generously shares her unique gifts for organization and personal and home management through workshops, publications, her website, publications, and radio and television appearances. She is always developing new and creative approaches to a rich and satisfying lifestyle. I cannot recommend her website or books highly enough.

Tuck a copy of Be Successful in School in your student’s Christmas stocking this year. They'll appreciate it.

Be Successful in School, A Student’s Guide for Junior High School and High School
By Tyler Matthew Ricks and Marie Calder Ricks

Pages: 163

Price: $14.95
©2010 Tyler Matthew Ricks
Publisher: Marie Calder Ricks
ISBN 13: 978-0-9788579-5-0

Words we learned in 2011

2012-01-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

10 Words We Learned in 2011

By Danielle Kurtzleben | US News – Thu, Dec 22, 2011 11:36 AM EST

Americans who resolved to improve their vocabularies in 2011 can take heart. It was almost impossible to pay attention to the news this year without learning a new word or phrase, or perhaps learning new definitions for old standbys. To celebrate the new knowledge we all acquired in 2011, here is a list of 10 words that entered the national lexicon or gained new significance over the last year.

Supercommittee (noun)

Origin: U.S. debt ceiling crisis

1. Colloquial term for Congress' Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, formed to forge bipartisan agreement around the debt-ceiling crisis. 2. Sometimes used ironically; given the committee's ultimate failure, "super" suddenly seemed like an unfortunate misnomer.

[See the latest political cartoons.]

Rapture (noun)

Origin: from Latin raptus; recent notable usage: Harold Camping

1. According to some Christian theology, the time during the second coming of Christ when the faithful will ascend to heaven. 2. An event that failed to happen in 2011, causing a big disappointment for Harold Camping and his followers.

Cone of Uncertainty (noun)

Origin: Countless forecasters during Hurricane Irene

1. The cone-shaped swath representing the breadth of possible paths that Hurricane Irene might have taken during her trip up the East Coast in August. 2. A reason to buy all of the bottled water at the grocery store. And Target. And the corner store. And the sidewalk vendors.

Endgame (noun)

First known usage: 1881; recent notable usage: countless news articles about the Europe sovereign debt crisis.

1. The final actions in a larger process. 2. The eagerly-awaited roadmap for how the European sovereign debt crisis will play out, thus allowing the rest of the world to breathe easily again.

[See the Best Pictures of 2011.]

Bunga bunga (noun)

Origin: Italy

1. A phrase of indeterminate origin and meaning, often used in reference to the sexual exploits of Silvio Berlusconi, former prime minister of Italy. 2. Just one way in which Berlusconi embarrassed many Italians (see also Berlusconi's definition of "Tanned").

Tebow (verb)

Origin: Denver Broncos Quarterback Tim Tebow's high propensity for praying midgame.

1. According to tebowing.com, a website that celebrates the practice, to "Tebow" is "to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different." 2. An Internet craze that explains all of those awkward-looking photos you see people taking everywhere.

Gunwalking (gerund)

Origin: Operation Fast and Furious

1. A law-enforcement tactic in which U.S. officials allow guns to "walk" across the border into Mexico in order to better identify arms traffickers working for Mexican drug cartels. 2. With the current scrutiny into Operation Fast and Furious, potentially the biggest embarrassment to date for Attorney General Eric Holder.

Human microphone (noun)

Origin: protests in the 1980s and 1990s; gained new prominence during Occupy Wall Street, Zuccotti Park, New York City

1. A method of communicating. 1. A METHOD OF COMMUNICATING. 2. To a large audience. 2. TO A LARGE AUDIENCE. 3. When the police won't let you. 3. WHEN THE POLICE WON'T LET YOU. 4. Use megaphones and microphones. 4. USE MEGAPHONES AND MICROPHONES.

"Oops." (interjection)

First known usage: 1933; recent notable usage: Rick Perry

1. Expression typically expressing dismay or an apology, often at a mistake. 2. The sound of one of the biggest presidential debate gaffes ever.

[See pictures of the 2012 GOP candidates.]

Ubeki-beki-beki-stan-stan (noun)

Origin: Herman Cain

1. A mangled but intentional mispronunciation of one of central Asia's "-stan" countries, presumably Uzbekistan. 2. A way of illustrating to one's voting base that one's lack of depth on foreign affairs may indeed be a selling point.

The angel chorus

2012-01-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

THE ANGEL CHORUS:

When at night I go to sleep,

Fourteen angels watch do keep.

Two my head are guarding.

Two my feet are guiding
Two are at my right hand.

Two are at my left hand.

Two who warmly cover.

Two who o'er me hover.

Two to whom 'tis given

To guide my steps to Heaven.

This picture is about two years old. It's one of my favorites,

and this song has been playing in my head since I posted a picture of

Hansel and Gretel last week.

The Angel Chorus is from the opera "Hansel and Gretel"
by Engelbert Humperdink.

Rosemarie Urquico: Date a girl who reads

2012-01-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

Date agirl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes.She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girlwho has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since shewas twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she doesbecause she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovinglylooking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out whenshe finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of anold book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resistsmelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in thatcoffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairycreamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in aworld of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as mostgirls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami.See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if shesays she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to soundintelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give herbooks for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the giftof words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let herknow that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows thedifference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make herlife a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she willunderstand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value,nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows thatfailure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that allthings will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can beginagain and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain ortwo.

Why be frightened of everything that you arenot? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except inthe Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close.When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, makeher a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but shewill always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book arereal, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or duringa rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why yourheart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write thestory of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. Shewill introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the sameday. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will reciteKeats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it.You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If youcan only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, thenyou’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date agirl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

Rosemarie Urquico

http://nonamerah.wordpress.com/201

Autobrainography on front page of Toronto Star

2012-01-21T00:22:00.000-07:00

Book Review

Ricky Tsang’s book is a journey into a brilliant mind: thereader will find humor (dark/bawdy and/or hilarious), love, tenderness, truthand fantasy within its pages.

Diagnosed with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy at age seven,Ricky has witnessed the gradual wasting of his muscles as a result of thiscruel, incurable disease. When he lost of the use of his hands, he turned towriting (with the aid of his computer) to express himself. This book is aresult of several years of posts on his popular blog.

I enjoyed his original and creative style, and because ofhis humor and sense of the ridiculous, the reader does not read about his lifewith pity but with interest and respect. Though many of his essays arephilosophical or humorous, an occasional mention of incompetent nurses (on whomhe must depend for every physical need) illustrates the fragility of his dailyexistence. He finds daily support from his dedicated family, of whom he writeswith great love and admiration.

He also writes with great tenderness of love, especiallyromantic love, and criticizes our cultural obsession with beauty; in a seriesof essays dedicated to women of every nationality and culture, he expounds upontheir particular qualities that he finds beautiful and encourages them tocelebrate these features, while expressing his great admiration for them.

This is a touching and intriguing book; no one label candescribe this multifaceted look into the genius of Ricky Tsang’s mind. I hopehe continues to blog and publish, as his is a most original voice.

You can read an article about Ricky on the front page of The Toronto Star: www.thestar.com/living Saturday January 21, 2012

And you can visit him on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DearRicky
Ricky's website: http://www.rickytsang.ca/

2012-01-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

From BookMovement

Top Ten List

1. The Hunger Games-Suzanne Collins

2. Unbroken-Laura Hillenbrand

3. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks-Rebecca Skloot

4. The Paris Wife-Paula McLain

5. Cutting for Stone-Abraham Verghese

6. Sarah's Key-Tatiana de Rosnay

7. The Language of Flowers-Vanessa Diffenbaugh

8. The Kitchen House-Kathleen Grissom

9. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet-Jamie Ford

10. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand-Helen Simonson

read 'em and weep

2012-01-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Blood and gore eventually make the audience gag; sobbing and moaning eventually earn the audience's laughter or contempt. On the other hand, if you make us understand how intensely the character loved before losing the loved one, or trusted before being betrayed, then his grief will have far greater power, even if you show it with great economy. If you show a character coping with her pain or grief, refusing to succumb to it, then readers will wince or weep for her. Another rule of thumb: If your characters cry, your readers won't have to; if your characters have good reason to cry, and don't, your readers will do the weeping."

- - - Orson Scott Card, Character and Viewpoint, p. 70

Great quote from Stephen King

2012-01-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

. . . By understanding how real speech works—with its half-spoken phrases, false starts, interruptions, and misdirection--you can begin to play dialogue like an instrument. Sometimes your characters may speak without listening, with interesting possibilities for plot. Or maybe someone is enraged, her words saying one thing, but her tone revealing another. Or another character may barely know what he feels or means, and you might make him inarticulate on purpose. The results can be either comic or tragic. Either way, let your dialogue reveal character and advance the plot.

all for the want of a comma . . .

2012-01-05T09:54:00.002-07:00

Words she wouldn't miss

2012-01-04T08:07:00.002-07:00

source of quote: copywriters power word list

Writer Pam Williams has an exceptional vocabulary. For a moment I was going to use the word "incredible", but I think that's one of those words that has earned a well-deserved rest.

With Pam's permission, I decided to use her comments as a guest post.

And I adore malaprops. Here's a little history on them from Wikipedia: The word malapropos is an adjective or adverb meaning "inappropriate" or "inappropriately", derived from the French phrase mal à propos (literally "ill-suited").^[2] The earliest English usage of the word cited in the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1630. Malaprop used in the linguistic sense was first used by Lord Byron in 1814 according to the OED.

The terms malapropism and the earlier variant malaprop come from Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 1775 play The Rivals, and in particular the character Mrs. Malaprop. Sheridan presumably named his character Mrs. Malaprop, who frequently misspoke (to great comic effect), in joking reference to the word malapropos.

The alternative term "Dogberryism" comes from the 1598 Shakespearean play Much Ado About Nothing, in which the character Dogberry produces many malapropisms with humorous effect.^[3]

Here are Pam's thoughts:

Some popular buzz words have come and gone before I pick up on the trend, although I agree with the ones you listed which should be released with a vote of thanks. They're definitely on the way out of fashion. In my novel I have a teenage subplot, and I saved at least a dozen pages by NOT having them say "like" and "ya know" every other word, as we hear in real life. It makes them far more interesting people. Most of my language complaints would be about journalists--oil-rich country, hammer out an agreement--and the cliches that unimaginative writers depend on.

My mother had a genius for using cliches, but she was so funny we forgave her. I love malaprops. A character in my book is the malaprop queen, but much to my dismay, very few people know what a malaprop is, not even the critique group reading that novel. It means using a wrong word that sounds like the right word, with unintended humorous effect. For example, the character says the chicken dish she ate must have been laminated in honey and soy sauce, when she means marinated. I think that's dang funny. She tells someone she's glad they found their glitch in life when she means niche. In fact, a friend of mine read through a manuscript of the book and corrected all the intended malaprops, which was in itself wildly funny.

A comedian years ago based his whole act on malaprops--and got a standing ovulation. So I'd say fad words come because people are charmed by them, stay long enough to become cliches (before I get in on the trend), and go when people get tired of them and something else more charming comes along. Cliches and buzz words should challenge writers to be more original with our flexible language. This is not turning out to be the long list you thought I'd have, but I'm more offended by badly written, boring language, and there's not space here to list all the cliches.

You can visit Pam here: http://pamwrite.blogspot.com/

Words that need a rest

2012-01-03T10:15:00.001-07:00

This time of year, I'm always reminded of a musician friend's comment about Handel's "Messiah:" "They should just bury it for a hundred years and then dig it up and evaluate it." I've never felt that way about the "Messiah" - in fact, I love it - but there are some overused words I wouldn't miss if they were buried for a while. Here are a few that come to mind. Please feel free to add to the list:

boo-yah! (is that how you spell it?)
amazing
icon
instant classic (OK, two words)
to "grow" anything that isn't in the plant world, such as a business.
From JoLynne L: Woot, LOL and ninja. Excellent suggestions.
and that reminds me: guru

You can also submit your suggestions to Lake Superior University, which issues an annual list of "banned words." http://www.lssu.edu/banished/submit_word.php

I live in a valley of heroes

2012-01-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

The 20 Most Controversial Rules in the Grammar World | Online College Tips - Online Colleges

2011-12-20T09:57:00.001-07:00

The 20 Most Controversial Rules in the Grammar World

Like anything else involving stringent rules and regulations, grammar harbors a hefty share of obsessive fanboys and fangirls who enjoy debating its ins, outs, and other various quirks. So of course controversies break out in academia, the media, and even intimate conversations between friends. Here are a few of the ones that churn stomachs and angry up the blood, in no particular order.

THE OXFORD COMMA
Debates regarding whether the Oxford comma should keep on being used are comparable to those about the death penalty and/or abortion. Seriously. Most grammarians have an opinion on the subject, and their opinion is always right and never wrong ever and also they will use and insistent voice when relaying it.
THE PRONUNCIATION OF "CONTROVERSIAL"
Go figure. Americans stand divided over whether to pronounce it "con-truh-VUR-see-yul" or "con-truh-VUR-shal." You don't even have to hop a plane across the pond to take part in the battle. Funny enough, Merriam-Webster's and The American Heritage Dictionary acknowledge both pronunciations. So now that a definitive answer exists, it's time to get back to arguing about whether to call it soda, pop, or coke.
DOUBLE NEGATIVES
Although grammatically correct, debates regarding the permissibility of double negatives keep flaring up from time to time. Talks apparently originated when linguists pondered acceptance of the often controversial African-American Vernacular English, within which the grammar tweak is quite common. Unsurprisingly, these debates inherently come saddled with some rather unfortunate overtones.
"IRREGARDLESS"
"Irregardless" appears in at least three different official dictionaries, though all of them admit it's not exactly formal. More traditional grammar aficionados don't think the word deserves to move beyond its slang origins, while others think it's about time the rule-makers acknowledge the evolution.
ENDING SENTENCES WITH PREPOSITIONS
Here's one the grammarians out there just can't get enough of. Ending sentences with prepositions isn't actually incorrect, but teacher's gonna teach. The myth circulates so widely, English speakers argue the rule's veracity constantly despite the clear-cut answer.
"HANGED" VS. "HUNG"
Perhaps not as controversial as some of the other grammar rules presented here, people still mix up — and sometimes argue — over what situations require "hung" and which ones require "hanged." The latter works when describing executions and suicide, while the former works pretty much anywhere else.
LIKE AS A CONJUNCTION
Winston Cigarettes unintentionally ignited a pretty nasty grammatical furor back in 1954 with its use of like as a conjunction. Slogan "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" was once considered so egregious, many broadcasters (such as Walter Cronkite) refused to even read it on air. Further outrage ensued when dictionaries acknowledged that the company was not committing any grammatical error, even touting it as an example of proper conjunction usage. Suffice it to say, this isn't exactly much of a controversy these days.
"GOOD" VS. "WELL"
Feel like setting off an unabashed grammar geek? Mix up "good" and "well" when talking health and happiness. Although not a major controversy splitting the linguistic community, confusing the two will undoubtedly set off a minor mental explosion within individuals.
TEXT/INTERNET SPEAK
Traditional grammarians consider Internet and text speak a portent of irreversible vernacular doom. Whether abbreviations, acronyms, the remaining shreds of 1337 5P34|<, or overusing punctuation and emoticons, its seepage into assignments and everyday conversations boils many a language buff's blood. That's evidenced by the fact that slow news days inevitably cover their bubbling rage.
STARTING SENTENCES WITH "HOWEVER"
Strunk & White loyalists pooh-pooh the thought of beginning a sentence with "however" when one really means "nevertheless." Everyone else just thinks them a bit outdated.
STARTING SENTENCES WITH "BUT" OR "AND"
Like their "however" counterpart, "but" and "and" are actually perfectly acceptable ways to start a new sentence. Not every sentence, of course, but some flow even better when launched with a conjunction. Once again, detractors detract simply because of tradition.
GENDER-NEUTRAL PRONOUNS
English only involves one gender-neutral pronoun: "it," and many in the genderqueer community find the word either insulting or inaccurate. These individuals oftentimes create their own unique alternatives, though none have obviously entered the mainstream vernacular yet. In order to accommodate their desires, however, a gender-neutral pronoun needs eventual inclusion, which will prove a massive boon to LGBT equality and acceptance.
SPLIT INFINITIVES
Yet another grammar rule students frequently find smashed into their heads that doesn't actually exist. Or, rather, its existence is rather dubious. Split infinitives jam an adverb between an unmarked verb and preposition — and they're perfectly acceptable. Just don't tell the teachers whose notes tell them otherwise, OK?
PASSIVE VOICE
Hit up grammar forums across the Internet and witness the numerous hoards defending passive voice. While technically grammatically sound, many writers think stigmatizing its usage compromises experimenting with the language.
PUNCTUATION INSIDE QUOTATION MARKS
Depending on the English-speaking nation, punctuation marks either go inside quotation marks (America) or outside (pretty much everywhere else). Considering the fact that this debate wages on an international scale, no further explanation is really needed.
POSSESSIVE APOSTROPHES ON WORDS THAT END IN 'S'
Not every controversial grammar rule out there can brag that it managed to inspire legislation. In 2007, the Arkansas house voted to officially denote possessives as "Arkansas's" as opposed to the more standard "Arkansas.'" Needless to say, this not-at-all-arbitrary act drew its fair share of hissing from grammar purists offended by their apparent affront.
"E-MAIL" VS. "EMAIL"
So yeah. After years of pressure, the AP Stylebookdeclared that "e-mail" should now be written as "email." And with that came the biggest controversy involving a hyphen since Mariner I. Because nothing in life is more serious than the correct abbreviation of "electronic mail."
UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR RULES
With a name like that, how could this theory whip up anything but arguments? Usually attributed to influential linguist Noam Chomsky, the idea of universal grammar rules involve the cognition behind language structures. Its core concept posits that something in every human brain dictates grammar rules, meaning some elements remain static across even vastly different speakers.
THE FACT THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DASHES
Aside from the hyphen, most non-professionals (and probably even some professionals) don't know when to use each one. They kind of all look the same when one reads rather than copy edits — a phenomenon which, of course, detractors will constantly note.
"WHO" VS. "WHOM"
Even more than "good" and "well," misusing "who" and "whom" is guaranteed to set a grammarian's sphincter on fire. "Whom" comes into play as the object of a preposition or the objective case, while "who" is a subjective pronoun. But they don't have to know you know.

rsial Rules in the Grammar World | Online College Tips - Online Colleges

Book Review: The Santa Exclusive by Brent Boswell

2011-12-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

Review of The Santa Exclusive, a Christmas novella, by Brent Boswell

Life has gone downhill since veteran journalist Ran Anderson won a Pulitzer prize. Thirty-something, the town’s most eligible bachelor and alcoholic, he’s started to phone in his stories. In addition, he has a grudge about all things Christmas and believes it’s the cause of great fiscal irresponsibility and does nothing at all for global concerns – the tragedies we hear about every day. Then Ran is invited to conduct and up-front and personal interview with Santa himself, and he jumps at the chance. He’s got plenty of “gotcha” questions for Santa, but before he can ask many of them, he gets a glimpse into Santa’s world and Santa turns the tables on him. A feeling of dread overcomes Ran and he wonders if he’s going to see three ghosts . . . but Santa reassures him he’s not part of a Dickens tale. “You needed a healing - - - a miracle, actually,” he tells Ran. And after their conversation Ran concludes the interview with a new mindset about humanity- - and the responsibilities of being human. The Santa Exclusive by Brent Boswell is an engaging tale of humanity and hope that doesn’t get too sentimental in the telling.

You can find The Santa Exclusive at amazon.com

Jingle Bells Hallelujah Chorus - hilarious

2011-12-14T10:47:00.005-07:00

The pictures tell the story . . .

2011-12-11T12:41:00.001-07:00

Kindergarten and 2nd grade

Happy birthday, BJ!

2011-12-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

With love from Chevy and all the rest of the J's

Book Review: Ridiculous: An Autobrainography

2011-12-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

Ridiculous: Ricky Tsang

Ricky Tsang’s book is a journey into a brilliant mind: the reader will find humor (dark/bawdy and/or hilarious), love, tenderness, truth and fantasy within its pages.

Diagnosed with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy at age seven, Ricky has witnessed the gradual wasting of his muscles as a result of this cruel, incurable disease. When he lost of the use of his hands, he turned to writing (with the aid of his computer) to express himself. This book is a result of several years of posts on his popular blog.

I enjoyed his original and creative style, and because of his humor and sense of the ridiculous, the reader does not read about his life with pity but with interest and respect. Though many of his essays are philosophical or humorous, an occasional mention of incompetent nurses (on whom he must depend for every physical need) illustrates the fragility of his daily existence. He finds daily support from his dedicated family, of whom he writes with great love and admiration.

He also writes with great tenderness of love, especially romantic love, and criticizes our cultural obsession with beauty; in a series of essays dedicated to women of every nationality and culture, he expounds upon their particular qualities that he finds beautiful and encourages them to celebrate these features, while expressing his great admiration for them.

This is a touching and intriguing book; no one label can describe this multifaceted look into the genius of Ricky Tsang’s mind. I hope he continues to blog and publish, as his is a most original voice.

I've since had this rewarding correspondence with Ricky. Somedays it just pays to review books once in a while!

Ricky Tsang

November 23

Ricky Tsang

o Hi Ms. Jensen,

This is Ricky Tsang. You reviewed my book, Ridiculous, and posted it this morning. I hope you don't mind my messaging you, but I want to thank you for your wonderful critique of my book. It's really encouraging that an award winning writer actually thinks good of my literary style. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you again.

Ricky

November 23

Ricky Tsang

o And Happy Thanksgiving! I'm Canadian. I forgot. (:

Yesterday

Janet Jensen

o Ricky, wonderful to hear from you! I'm so pleased you liked my review. Keep writing!

16 minutes ago

Ricky Tsang

o Oh, I LOVE your review. You hit the nail on its head, and my friends and family agree. I particularly love the fact that you understand I'm not looking for pity, but mutual respect for who I am.

Do you mind if I borrow your picture for my website? I'm going to feature your review on the front page soon.

By the way, great news! The Toronto Star, the largest newspaper in all of Canada, is writing an article about my story and book. It should be published right before Christmas. I’m super excited!

And about a month ago, I recorded my music at a professional studio and they’re published online now. However, I also showed the songs we recorded during my Monday interview to the reporter. He was so impressed that he’s going put my music on their website. I’m going national!

If you want to listen to and watch them, here’s the link:http://www.rickytsang.ca/multimedia/music/

Ricky Tsang | Multimedia | Music

www.rickytsang.ca

Music written and composed by Ricky Tsang.

· a few seconds ago

Janet Jensen

o That's wonderful, Ricky! I'll be excited to hear your music. I'd be tickled to have you feature my review and picture on your website. Let me know when you do so I can link to it. BTW, I was so impressed with what you wrote about your family.

#2 son is interviewed about teacher certification program he's taking . . . .

2011-12-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Silent Halau Monks of New Hope Oahu in "Hallelujah" for Simply Jesus Co...

2011-12-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

Holiday Christmas Music Flash Mob of the American Festival Chorus

2011-12-06T16:27:00.001-07:00

This happened right here in Cache Valley - our own Utah Festival Chorus and Orchestra (she brags)

A reminder to power down at the end of the day . . . . .

2011-12-03T18:35:00.001-07:00

More jello haikus - and then I'll quit

2011-12-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Somehow, Jello, and especially green Jello, is associated with Utah, which appears to be in the geographical "Jello belt." The green Jello 2002 Olympic pin was the most coveted of them all. I think the media just needed something to talk about during the 2002 Olympics - Polygamy (they couldn't find any polygamists), green Jello and fry sauce. Not together. Blech.

Here are two more Jello haikus, and I promise I won't post any more until next year.

Hail to thee, Jello

Biodegradable treat

That's right - Utah's green.

Baby's first Jello

Cool, slippery, surprising

Pampers - the new green

Advice from Twain and a pen name

2011-12-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

In response to news that he had died, he sent the following note to Associated Press: "The report of my death was an exaggeration." Trivia buffs: Prior to adopting Mark Twain as his pen name, Clemens wrote under the pen name Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass.

~~~

"Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it."

-- Mark Twain

Happy Birthday to Mark Twain!

2011-11-29T22:17:00.000-07:00

Still looking good and keeping me laughing at 167 years.

It started with jello . . .

2011-11-26T00:24:00.007-07:00

My mother used to make this salad, and she served it on her pink "button and bow" Depression Glass plate, just like the one above. She'd add nuts to anything she could, so I recall walnuts in this salad.

The Salt Lake Tribune started all this. They have an annual haiku contest on the topic of jello. Since none of MY entries won, I thought I'd share some here.

Thanksgiving staple

On Grandma's pink glass platter

Nuts, pineapple, bliss.

And here is the recipe:

CARROT - PINEAPPLE SALAD

1 c. boiling water
3 oz. pkg. orange Jello
1/2 c. cold water
1/8 tsp. salt
1 can crushed pineapple in syrup, undrained (8 oz.)
1 c. shredded carrots

Pour boiling water on Jello. Stir until Jello is dissolved. Stir in cold water, salt and pineapple. Refrigerate until slightly thickened. Stir in carrots. Pour into glass bowl or 3 cup mold. Refrigerate until firm. Garnish with salad greens if desired.

source: Cooks.com

My mother would have been 88 today. I'm enjoying the memories.

Lorene Ethel Miller Craner

Book Review: The Assassination of Governor Boggs

2011-11-21T21:22:00.002-07:00

This is part of a blog tour. Leave a comment and you may win a free book!

Book Review: The Assassination of Governor Boggs by Rod Miller

Twenty-five years after the attempted assassination of Governor Lilburn Boggs, an outspoken opponent of the early Mormons, his son wants to know who the shooter was. The fact that the governor survived the four bullets that tore through his skull is remarkable; he lived another eighteen years, evidently with his wits intact.

William Boggs of Napa, California hires Pinkerton detective and Civil War veteran Calvin Pogue to find the answer, once and for all: who shot his father? Pogue takes the cold case and literally follows its trail from Missouri to Utah, interviewing anyone he can find who knows about the incident, including Brigham Young himself, and ending with Porter Rockwell, the fear-inspiring former bodyguard of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Rockwell is also known as a renowed sharpshooter and drinker. Illiterate and a survivalist who could handle horses and cattle with ease, the loyal Rockwell was always considered the chief suspect but was never charged with the crime.

Brigham Young states that in his his opinion Rockwell's innocence is "a certainty- if only, for no other reason, that Boggs survived. Had Port fired the shot, that would not have been the case."

After exhaustive research and interviews Pogue concludes: "When confronted about the attempted killing by this investigator, Rockwell, as is his wont, neither admitted nor denied it directly. Instead he beat around the bush with vague declarations."

Rockwell sums it up this way: "I never killed that man. And if ever I'd had the chance, I'd have done it again."

The dialogue and written correspondence sound true to the times. Each character has a distinctive voice, and the historical notes and rich description draw the reader into the story immediately. The sly humor also catches the reader off guard in this lively historical novel.

A bibliography would be helpful so readers can find actual accounts and articles about this still-unsolved historical mystery.

At the end, most readers will still wonder "whodunnit." Which makes this book an entertaining and lively whodunnit. With a surprise at the end - --I never saw it coming!

Author Rod Miller describes himself as: poet, novelist, historian, biographer, journalist, essayist, reviewer, screenwriter." He's also an experienced rider and rodeo participant. A visit to his webpage reveals that Rod's work appears in "books and magazines, anthologies and collections, online and on the screen. From poems to stories to articles to opinion, he writes in a variety of styles for various media. His subject matter is, largely, the American West, and he writes about its people and its places, its past and its present."

· Paperback: 224 pages

· Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (May 9, 2011)

· Language: English

· ISBN-10: 1599558637

Miller then

Miller now

The Assassination of Governor Boggs
by Rod Miller
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (May 9, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599558637
ISBN-13: 978-1599558639

Things you may not know about me

2011-11-05T18:36:00.001-06:00

In order to accept this award I have to tell you a few things about myself that you may not know. So here goes:

· I once convinced our youngest son that my husband and I met at Woodstock (an out-and-out-lie, but one I won’t let him forget).

· I have no sense of direction. My GPS is priceless, unless it gets mixed up, too.

· “Glee” has really grown on me!

· I’m still experiencing “Lost” withdrawl, after all this time.

· I haven’t met a bagpipe I didn’t like.

· I don’t play the bagpipe.

· My high school debate partner and I were state champs.

· My college debate partner and I weren’t.

· I’m a huge fan of 60’s folk music. Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary, Kingston Trio, Judy Collins . . .

· I’m the youngest of three girls. What did I know about raising three rowdy boys?

· Each of my three sons son wore a cast on his right thumb at some point in time for one reason or another.

· My husband’s hair is going silver, hair by hair. I think it’s gorgeous. He wants to try
Grecian Formula— you know, the hair dye for men that’s so gradual, no one will ever notice you’ve done anything to your hair.

· I was once presumed drowned when I was snorkeling and climbed back into the wrong boat. The captain of “my” boat was counting heads and heading toward a coronary when I realized I was on a boat full of strangers.

· A guilty pleasure: Watching “Toddlers and Tiaras” and yelling “Bad mom!” at the TV.

· A place I’d love to visit: The British Isles. All of them. For an extended time.

· I absolutely love living in a college town. The students are great.

· I’m a non-drinker who went on a cruise and innocently sipped on a mimosa, mistaking it for a blend of fruit juice with one flavor I just couldn’t identify until I felt all warm and giggly.

· I think Skype is a marvelous invention for grandmas.

Janet's blog - Fiction for the thinking woman

I live in a valley of heroes

Froggy Goes a-Courtin' in many languages

Advice from author Annie Proulx

I love a good pun

A wonderful thought from Erma

"You had me at proper grammar"

The 8 Easiest languages for English speakers to learn

from http://www.onlinecollege.org

The 8 Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn

source: http://www.onlinecollege.org/2012/01/29/the-8-easiest-languages-for-english-speakers-to-learn/

Book Review: Be Successful in School - - - A great stocking stuffer for students!

Words we learned in 2011

10 Words We Learned in 2011

The angel chorus

Rosemarie Urquico: Date a girl who reads

Autobrainography on front page of Toronto Star

From BookMovement

Top Ten List

1. The Hunger Games-Suzanne Collins

2. Unbroken-Laura Hillenbrand

3. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks-Rebecca Skloot

4. The Paris Wife-Paula McLain

5. Cutting for Stone-Abraham Verghese

6. Sarah's Key-Tatiana de Rosnay

7. The Language of Flowers-Vanessa Diffenbaugh

8. The Kitchen House-Kathleen Grissom

9. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet-Jamie Ford

10. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand-Helen Simonson

read 'em and weep

Great quote from Stephen King

all for the want of a comma . . .

Words she wouldn't miss

Words that need a rest

I live in a valley of heroes

The 20 Most Controversial Rules in the Grammar World | Online College Tips - Online Colleges

The 20 Most Controversial Rules in the Grammar World

Book Review: The Santa Exclusive by Brent Boswell

Jingle Bells Hallelujah Chorus - hilarious

The pictures tell the story . . .

Happy birthday, BJ!

Book Review: Ridiculous: An Autobrainography

#2 son is interviewed about teacher certification program he's taking . . . .

Silent Halau Monks of New Hope Oahu in "Hallelujah" for Simply Jesus Co...

Holiday Christmas Music Flash Mob of the American Festival Chorus

A reminder to power down at the end of the day . . . . .

More jello haikus - and then I'll quit

Advice from Twain and a pen name

Happy Birthday to Mark Twain!

It started with jello . . .

Book Review: The Assassination of Governor Boggs

Things you may not know about me