Friday, February 19, 2010

Answers to Quiz Me

Answers To Quiz:


1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends: Boxing.

2. North American landmark constantly moving backward: Niagara Falls - The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.

3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons: Asparagus and rhubarb. (I never thought of rhubarb as a vegetable, but I guess it is!)

4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside: Strawberry.

5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season . When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.

6. Three English words beginning with ‘dw’: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle.

7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.

8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh: Lettuce. (The exception to this is that my mother-in-law makes "wilted lettuce" where she cooks it with bacon grease.)

9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with 'S': Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Quiz Me

A friend sent me these questions and I have to admit that some of them were challenging. See if you can answer them and then I'll post the answers tomorrow. Maybe knowing these will help you if you're caught in Cash Cab in NYC.

1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?

3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons . All other vegetables must be replanted every year.What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters and they are all common words. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar.Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'

Monday, February 15, 2010

Rainy Day Games: Fun with the Animals of Noah's Ark by Andy McGuire

Rainy Day Games: Fun with the Animals of Noah's Ark Rainy Day Games: Fun with the Animals of Noah's Ark by Andy McGuire


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I used this book as part of my convocation about writing and authors for an elementary school. Andy McGuire not only wrote the copy in this delightful book, but did the hilarious illustrations. The students in grades 1-6 all loved it! They laughed at the words and illustrations. They appreciated, as well, Andy's own story about his childhood and how he got started in drawing as an elementary student. It was inspirational for them. I interviewed McGuire on my blog < When I Was Just a Kid so I was able to help them see that they could start their writing now.

While this perspective on the animals of Noah's Ark was contemporary and for fun, it was personal and just plain fun. This is a book I've given for gifts over and over, and I will keep on my shelf if I ever get grandkids! (LOL)

View all my reviews >>

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Finding a Mentor/Being a Mentor

Betty Southard in her book, The Mentor Quest said about mentor myths:
“Even the title ‘mentor’ often scares away a potential mentor or seeker. It implies lessons, structure, discipline, accountability, and maybe most discouraging, time…we don’t really want to spend a lot of time working on growth.”

A couple days ago someone who once was very important in my life and spiritual growth made a comment to me. It brought back not only memories of how she influenced my own growth, but how much I adopted her style into my own mentoring of others. I had been going along wondering just what my next step should be, realizing how bored and uninspired I've been lately, and along came Bev--at just the right time--to awaken me to remembering what God called ME to do. I remembered some of my goals in writing at that point. I had contemplated writing in directions that wasn't really me, and just her one encouraging comment made a huge impact on me. Those are what I call God-moments!

I hear a lot of people question just how do you find your mentors--and how do you recognize them or get them to mentor you? Here's a few tips I've learned.

Recognize your own responsibility for your growth.
I realized that I'd gotten lazy in my growth, stagnating, floating on my back. I needed to quit thinking of what could've been and get on with it.

Look for mentoring in everyday activities and chance encounters.
Sometimes a person mentors you without them being aware of it. You don't have to bother them, just absorb the moment. This happens a lot for me when I read countless blogs I'm fond of dropping in on.Recognize the mentors around you. Wherever you are, keep a teachable spirit. People who read my blog teach me so much, as well. I'm often encouraged by the comments left here.


Southard says to list people who make a difference in your life.
( I adjusted it to writing, too.)

Here's a list to consider:
1. Teachers from school/conferences/editors/agents/Bible studies.

2. Three writer friends/friends

3. Five people who taught you writing/(or taught you whatever you wish to be mentored in)

4. A few people who made you feel appreciated or special (in writing, if it applies)

5. Five people (writers)with whom you enjoy spending time

6. Heroes (Authors) whose stories (writing journeys) inspire you.

These people mentor you. Maybe it is a conscious thing or maybe not. But becoming aware of those mentors and mentoring moments, can only add to your growth.

You can also be any of the above at one point or another, can't you? I know I have been, and I feel a great responsibility to respond at times, just like my mentor, Bev, did for me this week (though she wasn't even aware she had mentored me so much.) It's a scary thing to think someone is watching you, admiring the way you deal with issues (in whatever field you wish for a mentor) because we all know we are only human. Ultimately, if you are a Christian, we should keep our eyes on our Ultimate Mentor--Jesus. But God also places people in our lives either directly or indirectly to help us to grow.

So, can you tell us about one mentor in your life? How did that person come into your life?

Monday, February 08, 2010

Dorothy Hamill Talks about Hair, Skin and Breast Cancer Survival

In the 1970s (in college when I cut my hip-length hair!) I had the "Dorothy Hamill wedge cut." I liked it! However, Dorothy wasn't too keen on it, I guess. This video was great. Do take time to see it as she has great tips on skin care, and talks about her breast cancer survival.(For you young thangs--Dorothy was an Olympic champion ice skater back in the day. Look her up.) She also has a book out where she talks about her struggle with depression.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_pKqAOJDXk&feature=player_embedded

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Groundhog Day at Last!

 


I love the movie Groundhog Day. It's funny, insightful to humans (and groundhogs!) and just different. There are quotes galore that I use all the time like:

Phil to Groundhog Phil while driving the truck to the cliff:
"Side of your eye, side of your eye."
"Don't drive angry, don't drive angry!"

Phil: Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today."


Phil Connors: Excuse me, where is everybody going?
Fan on the Street: To Gobbler's Knob. It's Groundhog Day.
Phil: That's still only once a year, right?

Phil: You want a prediction about the weather, you're asking the wrong Phil. I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be gray, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life.

Phil: It's the same thing your whole life: "Clean up your room. Stand up straight. Pick up your feet. Take it like a man. Be nice to your sister. Don't mix beer and wine, ever. Oh, yeah, Don't drive on the railroad track."
Gus: That's one I happen to agree with, Phil.

Phil: Who's up for flapjacks? Is it too early for breakfast?


Phil: This is pitiful. A thousand people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat. What hype. Groundhog Day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out, and they used to eat it. You're hypocrites, all of you!


Have you seen the movie? If so, what's your favorite scene? Do you have a favorite quote? Who's your favorite character?

Oh, and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Six more weeks of winter, bad weather. Makes you understand why Phil Connors is so cranky when the movies first starts.











Monday, February 01, 2010

Word.

The rules: Answer the following questions with single word answers then pass this along to other bloggers. Simple enough! Feel free to steal. This is extreme editing.

 Your Cell Phone? Chocolate
Your Hair? Blonde!
Your Mother? Saint
Your Father? Ain't
Your Favorite Food? Potatoes
Your Dream Last Night? Bizarre
Your Favorite Drink? Coke
Your Dream/Goal? Western
What Room Are You In? Hall
Your Hobby? Band
Your Fear? Mistakes
Where Do You See Yourself In Six Years? Grandmama?
Where Were You Last Night? Home
Something That You Aren't? Grandmama
Muffins? Lemon
Wish List Item? Finished
Where Did You Grow Up? Indiana
Last Thing You Did? Eat
What Are You Wearing? Sweatshirt
Your TV? Off
Your Pets? Lizzie
Friends? Love
Your Life? Sleepy
Your Mood? Tense
Missing Someone? Mom
Vehicle? Aspen
Something You Aren't Wearing? Shoes
Your Favorite Store? Amazon
Your Favorite Color? Diamond
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Minutes
Last Time You Cried? Hours
Your Best Friend? Chris
One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? Past
Facebook? Daily
Favorite Place To Eat? Savannah