DEADlines

Do words sometimes jump out at you while you write? Today, while competing with several deadlines, I developed an intense curiosity about the word, "deadline".   From where did it orginate? What on earth does it mean?

Every humorous thought came to mind. Maybe it is because you feel like you're going to die before you meet your deadline OR maybe you write for such a long period of time that everything begins to look like  dead lines. Of course, these were not the correct explanations but it was fun imagining it. Eventually, though, my inquisitive side won out and I popped the question into the search engine.

Here is what I discovered:  According to Merriam Webster's Dictionary and commonly known legend, the word, "deadline", has it's roots in the American Civil War when there were no literal prisons in the field.  Captives were held at gunpoint and told to line up and stay behind two  temporary lines. If they crossed the first line, they were ordered back behind the line. If they ventured over the second line, they were SHOT. Yes, SHOT. Thank God we don't get shot by editors if we are tight on the deadline but it's really a good idea to get your writing done on time anyway or your chances of keeping a writing job are SHOT!

To quote Paul Harvey, "Now you know the rest of the story." 

With that in mind, let me get back to my deadlines. I'll be back soon with April's Cheerleader of the Month.

Dr. Wordweilder's Communcation Carol

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Dr. William Wordweilder here.

This has been a wonderfully productive week for me. The majority of students in my classes at the university are adjusting well to their routines and schedules. In doing so, they make our time together work like finely-oiled machinary. Their wise use of study time frees me from having to round up late papers and reports from the students. I am abundantly proud of them. They are putting forth a great effort to learn the materials and become excellent users of English grammar and speech.

I would also like to give a word of appreciation to Ms. JoJo Tabares, a regular web log commenter here at Rather Be Writing. Not only does she ace the examinations the majority of the time but also she is owed gratitude for offering her talk show contest participants a copy of her book, FIMMology 101, the FIMMportant and Funbelievable Study of the Humorous Sins of the Mouth. Ms. BeckyJoie participated in the game show that Ms. JoJo held at Communication Comedy Network and just for participating, won a free copy of the ebook.

I must admit to difficulty adjusting to the idea of a book that is read in an electronic format. I made it apparent to Ms. BeckyJoie who then printed it for me to have in hand. She did ask that I return it after a brief look and purchase my own copy so as not to infringe on copyright laws. (You can do the same by clicking on the side link of this blog that is titled Communication FUNdamentals.) Ms.BeckyJoie has spoken to me of its superiority for applying humor to teach appropriate communication skills. It was her thought that I might be interested in using it at the university. And that, I just might. Nevertheless, I would like to provide you with a brief review of FIMMOLOGY 101.

First of all, Mr. FIMM has a very handsome name—Franklin Ignatius McMiller Possible but he soon earned the nickname of FIMM, the Foot in Mouth Man. I shan’t spoil the story by divulging too many details but suffice it to say that FIMM has a reputation like none other.

After a brief introduction, the ebook takes the reader along on a ride similar to that which Charles Dickens’ character, Ebenezer Scrooge, took with the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. The author, Ms. Communicator (JoJo) herself took me on a tour of FIMM’s many faux pas from birth to his mature years.

First, FIMM loses his source of employment at Balfurd Cleaners because of appearing to have a dirty mouth. (Never you fret, my friends, things are not always as they appear. After a bit, we discover that all that does not glitter on his sign is not fifth, but some poorly placed words. )

After this, FIMM cleans up for a job interview and makes his resume elaborate. In fact, he elaborates so much that I sincerely doubt that the manager receiving his resume has any questions whatsoever to ask him.

FIMM does eventually obtain employment but not without contorting like a yogi first (Foot In Mouth). I must say that I agree with Ms. BeckyJoie’s husband, Douglas, who believes that FIMM must have chocolate feet. He is always inserting them into his mouth.

Next, FIMM finds himself in a mite of legal trouble but manages to fudge his way out of it—barely—and just in time to change residences. First, though, he has to sell his dog without scaring off all the neighborhood children. A dog like his would not be allowed in his new place of abode.

The ebook shares quite a variety of snapshots of FIMM’s life from his single adulthood to dating dilemmas and church volunteer work, right up through his marriage, even giving a glimpse of the family man that FIMM has always wanted to be. This is where I find FIMM most relatable.

I’ve been a bachelor all these many years and must confess that I do so long for holidays with loved ones as FIMM finally finds. His many years of searching were eventually satisfied, which is more than I could say for myself who I think an old codger set in my ways. (I determined an eon ago that I would settle for nothing but the best. Being married to a poor communicator would be the bane of my existence. But the woman of my dreams is a figment of my imagination, I suppose. Why, she would be lovely and well spoken, a bit more flamboyant than I, since I’m what many might consider to be a boring professor.

She must bring a little spark of color and comfort to the home and yet, still accommodate my stacks of research without resenting the small areas of clutter. I am neat nick for the most part. My books are alphabetized, my closet already arranged by color and my shoes lined in neat rows on the floor beneath the hanging clothes. But my library—well, it is clean and orderly other than banquet tables assigned with works in progress, and, of course, some of the books that I consult on a frequent basis never make it back onto the dusty bookshelves. And the Mrs.—well, she would need to turn a deaf ear to my external processing of information during research AND to the oral reading of my own manuscripts. I’ve heard that one ought to read his or her own manuscripts aloud in order to make sure the flow is natural for the reader or for dialogue.)

Well, here I go again on a rabbit trail. It’s just that I feel in my heart that my future wife is out there, somewhere wandering and looking for her soul mate but cannot find me because I am buried deeply in my work. Not many women turn my head. But one, a red head I think, wearing a velvet hat and gloves breezed past me one day when I was at the booksellers establishment looking over a published magazine article of mine. Her voice sent shivers down my spine and I had to raise my head to see whom this eloquent and elegant lady might be. But like an angel, she was gone in an instant, as if appearing with an iridescent corona and then vanishing into thin air. She had a familiar accent, as if I had known her in another time and another place and yet she was estranged from me.

My friends, please accept my sincere apologies. It appears that I have been sidetracked by a daydream once again. My intention is neither to gain sympathy nor to lead you to conclude that I am unhappy as a single adult. No, it is merely that I have found FIMM relatable and sympathize with his years of “single-itude” . I shall have to pay closer attention to how he overcame this malady (though I think singlehood a gift at times).


Alas, you shall have to purchase a copy of his adventures at Ms. JoJo’s website at Art of Eloquence, in order to read about his travels on the road of life. His story has been told and continues. My biography is yet to be written, even at this age. I’m a youth at heart-at least like a youth who lived in the fifties. Anyway, you didn’t come to hear all that; you have come to take the examination.

I decided to assist readers in winning a prize by giving some them options for participating in the quiz. In a few weeks, there will be a prize for the most faithful examinee. There will also be an award for all those who participate. Return again for the next four weeks to join in and have a chance to win the prize. The winner will not only receive a free blog or business advertisement on Ms. BeckyJoie’s blog, but also a small token of appreciation that writers and word-lovers of all kinds will enjoy.

I am certain that you will want to take up the pen and begin now so here are this week’s questions. Don’t forget to leave blog comments.

1.Hectic or Helpful Homonyms. Select the correct homonym. They are hectic when used improperly and helpful when fitly used.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: The students who wish to attend my lectures but live too far away may send (a. Correspondents OR b. Correspondence) along with a SASE requesting the lessons be sent to them weekly.

2. Ideal or Idiotic Idioms. One feels like an idiot unless he or she uses these idioms correctly.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: The young man who “cried wolf” too many times could not get anyone to believe him when he was in real trouble demonstrates that:
(a. Chickens always come home to roost OR b. he was a cold fish.)

3. Wise or Wacky Words. Sometimes I shall share a wise word for your use. At other times, it shall be a strange or wacky word that you, the readers shall help to define.
THIS WEEK'S WORD. This word is of Yiddish Origin. Glitch or Glitsh. Usage. A well-prepared lesson and presentation should proceed without a glitch.
This word means to “skip” or “nose dive”. Americans have adapted this word into everyday vocabulary.

4. Comical or Cute Coinage. Step one. Terms that I find cute or comical. Step two; you share a word that you find fitting in either category as well. We shall sharpen each other’s intellect.
THIS WEEK'S WORD. Inblogtrinated. The act of being persuaded that social media is an excellent means of communicating ideas and promoting business. USAGE: Though I prefer to write with pen and notepaper or an old fashioned typewriter, I’ve become inblogtrinated into the modern ways of writing and publishing.

5. Spelling Slips. This shall include words that are commonly misspelled. You will need to select the correct spelling.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: The children’s church song lyrics for “I’m in the Lord’s Army” say that “I may never ride in a (a. calvary OR b. cavalry.)”

6. Pun Fun. Here I shall share a pun and I would like you to share one also.
THIS WEEK'S PUN-LINER. If you dispose of an old chalkboard sponge are you ex-sponging (expunging)?


Send in your puns, coined phrases and answers to the exam. Ms. JoJo’s friend, FIM uses some great puns. For instance, he frequently catches athlete’s tongue by sticking his foot in his mouth. Let’s see if you can send in some puns this week.

In fact, I’m going to make it easy for you all this week and allow you to choose two of these questions to answer on this week’s examination. I shall extend free credit for the unanswered questions if a new quizzer will answer only two of the questions. I shall look forward to reading your witty answers very soon.

Blog Awards

I would like to thank my friend over at http://www.amberinglass.blogspot.com/ for nominating me for this award. I was quite surprised to receive it and consider it an honor to be chosen as a creative blogger. I hope that Rather Be Writing is a blessing to you and your family as a resource for entertainment, education in writing and grammar as well as encouragement as a writer and/or Christian business person. I, too, have been inspired by a few creative bloggers/writers and would like to nominate seven more people to receive this award. I have not chosen randomly but for my faith and gratitude to these people for being either high quality writers or inspirational bloggers. Some of my nominees fit both categories. All are highly creative people who I respect and admire.



Here are my choices to nominate for the Kreativ Blogger award (Sorry, I just have to add that I'm a really bothered by the spelling of the award. I'm a bit OCD I suppose.) Anyway, here they are, not in any particular order.



1. Terri Tiffany. http://http//terri-treasures.blogspot.com/ Terri is an excellent writer who inspires me in so many ways. A many time published writer, her stories have been in Chicken Soup for the Soul and several other anthologies and Sunday School publications. She is also a great friend who I have mentioned several times on my blog. Terri's creativity shines through in her topics and the way she interacts/provokes comments on her blog. Kudos, Terri!


2. Next is Dawn Gregg, of Attaching Hearts.http://attachinghearts.blogspot.com/ Her blog was one of the first and best blogs I found of Christian parents of adoptive children with Reactive Attachment Disorder. Whenever I need some encouragement, I just go to her page and the music and posts lift me up. One of the creative things she does is to take pictures of heart shapes that she finds and post them as signs of God's love to us. I love it! Dawn, you're a creative blogger. I admire you!



3. The next one is my friend, Debbie Hannan, who is a strong woman who knows how to nurture the people around her and she writes about it in the most unique ways--so transparent yet mysterious. Debi, you are also a great writer! You have a gift. Your blog is not just a way for you to document your healing process. I think you have a book in you. You are a shining star!http://singlemominacomplicatedworld.blogspot.com/

4. Of course, I cannot leave out JoJo Tabares, who is one of the most creative blogger-writers I know! I love all of her websites and products but this one takes the cake.http://www.fortheloveofpurple.com/ Congratulations, Purple Princess! You are tops on creativity! (Hugs, Purple Power and all that Purple Jazz!)

5. My dear friend, Gidget Blunt is another creative blogger who writes in a way that I wish I could-concise. She is also a fellow TOS Crewmember who reviews products for vendors who have an agreement with The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. She writes about this, that and everything and is certainly one of my favorite creative bloggers and the name of her blog fits. She is a gem! Garden of Gems. http://www.gardenofgems.blogspot.com/

6. Next, is Tiffany at Hillside Hollow.http://hillsidehollow.blogspot.com/ Talk about creative! She makes new jeans out of old ones, creates unique recipes, blogs about lapbooking, sports, outdoor adventures, homeschooling, chocolate and a myriad of other topics. She always has eye-pleasing layouts and is apparently more tech savvy than I because she can always get her photos to line up perfectly and even wraps the text around it with textboxes for the outline of the words. Did I mention, I adore her? Tiffany, you are definitely a creative blogger!


7. Last, but not least, is a friend I am just getting to know. She is part of our homeschooling group and is also an adoptive parent. I "met" her via the web after some kind ladies from the group told me I should connect with her because we had some commonalities in our lives. She was a great help to me and still is. Her blog is very, very interesting and she writes tactfully about incredibly unique experiences, even some I would be too shy to discuss with my close friends if they were my experiences! (And I'm not shy in most people's opinions.) Melissa is a wonderful, organized person who is very creative in her blogging. I always look forward to seeing what new thing she is going to write about! So, Melissa, you are my 7th and final nominee. http://kiwiyates.blogspot.com/

So...

Here are the rules for the award (and I quote):

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

OKAY: so here are my seven things that you might find interesting about me:

1. I grew up in a family that sang and performed music, puppetry, ventriloquism and traveled across the New England States under the name, Victory Messengers. We also had a small television program.

2. I have taken acting classes and love performing arts. I met my husband while we were teamed up as singing/dancing partners in a musical at Family Life Ministries in Bath, NY where he worked.

3. I can't dance. But I want to try. I am just afraid to do it in public so I borrowed videos from the library two weeks ago and I'm planning at some point when my schedule eases up to bust a move in my living room. I will first hide all camcorders and digital cameras.

4. I really want a daughter. I'm praying about a situation that might bring one into my life. I'm not pregnant either.

5. My secret desire is to upgrade my education and I want degrees in multiple areas of study: Psychology/Counseling, Secondary Education with concentrations in English and History (I took Elementary Ed prior), Special Education, Music and Journalism. I'm not ambitious at all am I? Maybe I will finish when I'm eighty.

6. I hate to cook, but don't mind baking.

7. I never eat when I'm writing a big project. I'd rather drink my meals or order an I.V. ! My poor family. Good thing hubby cooks. Your turn now.

Dr. Wordwielder's Words of Wisdom

Dr. Word Wielder here. I trust that in my absence, you’ve all been brushing up on your grammar. Ms. BeckyJoie has been teaching her children about root words and prefixes. They seem to have adapted fairly well and are developing an affinity to stretching their vocabulary by using words that they have never heard of nor understood prior. In fact, I think one of them has decided that he shall take up a hobby of the same ilk that Ms. BeckyJoie has chosen for her career. He has begun writing stories and making up sentences using the words from his lessons. I do believe that he was found using a cardboard box turned tablet to do so because he wanted to pen the words quickly and illustrate them himself. Ms. BeckyJoie was estactic, to put it in the common vernacular. I too, congratulated her on the successful passing of the torch. With a bit of mentoring, the young chap might actually become skillful at the craft. Perhaps, someday, he shall develop a desire to pursue a career in communications and enroll in my university classes. But for now, I think that it is a good idea for him to engage in Writing Workshops and critique circles of his peers. Perhaps, I shall talk his mother into beginning a Workshop in the new umbrella school in which he partakes. I shall not have the time to teach him myself.

I’ve been busy from top to toe with preparations for the new semester at the university. My classes are at an abundance of attendees, which is excellent for the sake of our educational institution in this era of global financial crisis about which we hear ad infinitem. (Regardless of the financial situation, I assume that I shall fare fine with my collection of rare, antique books though I wouldst die a thousand deaths of starvation before parting with them).

Nevertheless, the flurry of life’s whirlwinds shall not prevail this evening as it has in the past week or so. I do believe Ms. Oakes has repaired her technical issues with people who cough too much (hackers). Now I shall deliver my weekly lesson. I would like you also to add a word on an area of English, Grammar or Writing about which you have questions. Then leave your answers in the box marked “comments” and I shall return later to grade them. Thank you so much for your faithful participation. I am delighted to have you in my correspondence class hosted via the Internet.

DIRECTIONS: I shall post one or more of these weekly. Sometimes I shall include them all. You will need to understand the rules and definitions.

1. Hectic or Helpful Homonyms. (Select the correct homonym. .They are hectic when used improperly and helpful when fitly used.)
2. Ideal or Idiotic Idioms. (One feels like an idiot unless he or she uses these idioms correctly.)
3. Wise or Wacky Words. (Sometimes I shall share a wise word for your use. At other times, it shall be a strange or wacky word that you, the readers shall help to define.)
4. Comical or Cute Coinage. (Step one. I share terms that I find cute or comical. Step two, you share a word that you find fitting in either category as well. We shall sharpen each other’s intellect.)
5. Spelling Slips. This shall include words that are commonly misspelled. You will need to select the correct one.
6. Pun Fun. I do relish a bit of dry, English or New Englandish humor. Puns are a way of life for some of Ms. BeckyJoie’s family as well. Here I shall share a pun and I would like you to share one also.

Are you prepared sufficiently to attempt the examination?

Learning Language is the sharpening stick for the scholar's sword.

Here are the questions. Remember to consult the rules above. Choose the correct answer and post to the blog. Each category is numbered and defined above.

1. Floridians are fond of “yard (a. Sailing OR b. saling)”.
2. Under His Wings Womens Center held a vigil for domestic violence survivors; the gentleman brought a candle and attended because he: a. realized that actions speak louder than words OR B. wanted to add fuel to the fire.
3. Abecedarian. Define it. Is it: A. one who uses an abacus to teach Mathematics OR B. a beginner or learner of the alphabet?
4. Blogstruck. Being enamored with a topic about which one of your colleagues has posted via a weblog or social media device.
5. What is this misspelled word suppose to be? “A Fiend is someone who sticks closer than a brother.”
6. “When a medical professional starts poking and ribbing you, it is not a good idea to command ‘Cut it out, sir”—the accidental appendectomy patient.

Well, it is time for me to retire for the night. I hope that you enjoyed yourself while taking my examination and that you were able to guess the correct answers. Re-read the rules, please, ladies and gentlemen, and then post your answers here and also on your own blog, giving a link back to my grammar lesson. Once, again, I think Ms. BeckyJoie for allowing me to have time and space on her webpage. Until next time, my companions….

Dr. Wordwielder, signing off. Writers: take this to heart. Teachers, tell your students: Use wise words when working and writing this week. Wield them well and wisdom will walk with you.

WEB DESIGN FOR KIDS AND CURIOUS GROWN-UPS

This is a copy of a product review that I have posted at my Leaders in Learning Blog. I thought that some of you other writers who are technologically challenged like me might appreciate this review also.

Technologically-Challenged?

I’ve found a web design program that is technically not challenging at all.

As a writer and blogger, I’ve always wanted to learn html. So I purchased a book at a local discount store and even borrowed a few from the library but became disappointed when I felt like I was reading French in a mirror backwards. (The only French I know is my middle name and a Sunday School song.)

So, you can imagine how excited I was to receive a copy of a web design program for kids! I have two kids living at home and was a curious grow-up, so I figured it had to work for me but I was also a nervous, semi-literate html writer. In fact, I knew just enough about html to get myself in trouble.

After I began to watch this DVD, I felt a little better. It is very basic and non-threatening, guiding you step by step, through the stages of designing a web page. The only tools you need to have are the NOTEPAD program, Internet Explorer, your television and a DVD player. Well, maybe there is one more thing you need. You will want your remote control so you can pause the video and practice the lessons. (Alternatively, you can play it on the computer but you’ll have to be a pro at toggling screens).

You will want to keep your eyes on the TV screen or computer monitor as scenes transition between Brian Richardson’s mellow teaching and the computer screens of his equally mild-mannered teenaged students. I enjoyed watching and noting the manners and attitudes of respect shown by the teens as well. We did keep the remote handy so we could freeze the frames and copy the text.

The whole video is low-key and pretty easy to follow. My boys enjoyed watching their works in progress turn up as real webpages featuring their names and everything. The video showed how to create a Word Pad Document and then convert it into a web page. It also taught the kids how to create folders, save to various drives, how to find hidden code on popular web pages and more. Most of the clips were instruction on building the webpages. Both of my boys tried it. One of them was a little frustrated because his computer program was slightly different and we had to fiddle around to figure out how to convert the page to html and back to a WordPad document. Once we figured out how to do it, he jumped right back into designing. I sat with my laptop nearby and played around with the fonts and colors right along with my boys. Sometimes, we got so interested in making the letters scroll, changing the backgrounds and making up our own funny sayings, that we had to stop the movie to get back on track but each clip had enough review on it, that we were able to catch up quickly.

We learned about sandwiches--no, not those kind-my two boys became hungry at the thought of sandwiches, too--stop signs, the use of <> signs as well as how to make text scroll across the page in various directions. (See the title at the top? It's scrolling, aren't you proud of me? )Somehow the code made sense to us when it hadn’t before. I guess it was encouraging to see younger people, with less education than I, able to create and decorate a webpage. It gave me the courage to try it myself and not be intimidated by the computer words and code.

I didn’t get to watch all of the video while my laptop was available(multi-tasking took me away at times), but my boys watched the whole thing with interest.

I hope to spend more time working with the video. I have a lot more to learn from it.

What a great investment! It has a money back guarantee and for the special price of $19.99 (normally $40), a reticent or challenged learner can benefit from a low cost way to try out a potential career/hobby. It’s not for a programming savvy individual but it worked well for my kids and little old me. And who knows? It might be future job training for one of my boys. I can picture him now, making his business cards and brochures and selling people on hiring him to build their web pages.

As far as the quality of the video and acting, well, it was not super-engaging. The few jokes were somewhat flat but as a beginner instructional video, it was not bad. And the author/producer has a good motivation for selling his product. Not only does he want to help you learn to be more technologically skilled BUT also he donates a portion of the price toward charity. You might like to check out what he does and leave a comment. You can read up about that here. http://shinealight.ivillage.com/sbo-profile/?ProfileID=1168

Oh and for the other curious grown-ups: I looked up what HTML stands for—it’s an acronym for: Hyper Text Markup Language. With a name like that, no wonder everyone is shaking in their rhetorical boots. Folks who resemble that remark need to watch this video.

Do I recommend it? You bet. I did learn a lot and my kids enjoyed it as well. It was so easy compared to most other HTML programs and in the end, left me feeling like I actually might be able to play around more with designing web pages. I guess you could say, it takes the “timid” out of “intimidated”.

A TOS CREWMEMBER REVIEW OF THE DVD, “WEB DESIGN FOR KIDS (…AND CURIOUS GROWN-UPS!)” filmed by Brian Richardson

Auditions Post/ Answers to Dr. Wordwielder's Quiz

Dr. Wordwielder here. I do declare that modern technology is oft times a curse. On occasion, I try my hand at typing on these newfangled machines with the Internet attached and discover myself entangled in it's web of treachery. This week I did this to your poor hostess' computer. Ms. BeckyJoie had mentioned to me how she often listens to classical music while penning her thoughts and I heard about a website that would play the music whilst I typed. But to my misfortune, it appeared to inject some sort of "virus" as I'm told into Ms. BeckyJoie's computer causing the letters in the words to reverse such as if it were written by a person diagnosed with dyslexia. It took her a few days to realize what I had done and she was very gracious about the whole ordeal. I do declare that her husband must have been scratching his head a bit over the matter. Our host and hostess sure were baffled. They hustled over to the local office supply establishment and purchased a can of air???? Then they proceeded to spray it all over the keyboard as if trying to blow away the virus. At least, that is how it appeared to me. But alas, the solution was yet to be found. Mr. Oakes ran a deep scan and found the culprit. Now, I shall finally be able to answer the exam questions for you. Here they are:


1. Hectic or Helpful Homonyms. THE CORRECT ANSWER WAS THE LETTER B. AND IT HAS NOTHING IN COMMON WITH INFESTATIONS THAT HOUSEHOLD PETS ACQUIRE, UNLESS YOU CONSIDER THAT THE MATERIALS BROUGHT TO SUCH A MARKET SEEM TO MULTIPLY LIKE FLEAS SCATTERED ACROSS THE GROUNDS. The magnificent model of feminine pulchritude made her way across the green to browse the tables at the ( a. flee, or b. flea) market.

2. Ideal or Idiotic Idioms. THE CORRECT ANSWER IS B. AGAIN. TO OVER-EGG THE PUDDING IS TO SPOIL SOMETHING BY USING TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING WHEREAS TO OVERPLAY ONE'S HAND DENOTES OVERESTIMATION OF ONE'S POSITION OR STRENGTH. When writing descriptive lines in poetry or prose, one must not ( a. overplay one's hand or b. over-egg the pudding). YES, IT WAS RATHER TRICKY, MY FRIENDS.

3. Wise or Wacky Words. THIS TIME THE ANSWER WAS THE LETTER A. The word is affable. Does it mean: a. easy to speak to and gracious OR b. the after effects of laughing.

4. Cute or Comical Coinage. Kiss gate. This term is used quite frequently in England where I lived as a young fellow in my preparatory school days. The Kiss Gate was designed to prevent animals from escaping or entering a location and it consisted of a half door that only one person at a time could pass through, usually, the gentleman would enter first and offer to help the ladies afterward. Often my chums would make their boast about preventing the young ladies from moseying through unless they had first offered a kiss. Of course, I never attempted this with the ladies as I ne'er wished to receive the brunt of their brolly upon my head but some chaps may have succeeded. IT COULD HAVE BEEN EITHER CUTE OR COMICAL. NOW IT IS YOUR TURN TO COIN A PHRASE. LEAVE A COMMENT OR POST A COINED WORD ON YOUR OWN WEBLOG. IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO COIN A WORD OR PHRASE, FEEL FREE TO SHARE THOSE YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM OTHERS.

5. Spelling Slips. Which spelling is correct for the following word: a. nucular OR b. nuclear ? THE ANSWER IS THE LETTER B.

6. Pun Fun. I had found my true soulmate. She and I were both wearing British shoes. WHAT PUNS HAVE YOU BECOME FOND OF HEARING? HAVE YOU USED ANY YOURSELF?

AS YOU MAY BE WONDERING, DUE TO THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY WITH WHICH THE HOSTESS' COMPUTER BECAME PLAGUED, I HAVE HAD TO MAKE AN EXTRA TRIP BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AND HER HOME. BUT I PROMISE TO RETURN LATER THIS WEEK TO POST ANOTHER EXAM. MEANWHILE, PLEASE TAKE CARE TO SHARPEN YOUR WORDWIELDING SKILLS BY READING YOUR FAVORITE DICTIONARY OR TAKING TIME TO COMPLETE THE WORD SEARCHES IN YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPERS. UNTIL LATER, GOOD BYE FOR NOW.

Dr. Wordwielder Auditions

Good evening, fine ladies and gentlemen. It is my extreme pleasure to greet you with a story of a fine audition of which I was a participant. Having taken leading Shakespearean roles on stage on occasion as well as having been on tour in a speaking circuit, I only felt it fitting that I once again take to the platform when I heard the musical director of a local church calling for potential participants for the church worship team. I've never done such a thing before but being a proper gentleman desirous of aiding my fellow man, the idea had begun to take root in my heart.

Why, a distinguished professor such as myself, must surely lend assistance to a young chap in his attempts to lead a fledgling flock into green pastures of refined music. At the very least, I wished to influence the clarity of annunciation as I have been noticing the lack thereof in music of a popular persuasion on the Christian radio networks and churches across the country (this chap's choir being much improved over the general public, but one can always improve one's craft, mind you.) It has been my opinion that the quality of music and the quantity of musical training has been gradually degrading itself here over the years since I first arrived here from England. Musicians and vocalists in this day and age do not proceed through the necessary educational rigors that musicians once endured for the quality of their craft. At times, it seems that any old chump might produce a recording and succeed at entering a competition such as the scandalous show on American Televisions which might make an idol out of an ignoramus. But alas, I am over-ruled by the general populace who passes over a musical genius to award recording contracts to a novice. But then again, what do I know? I'm merely a purveyor of prose with an acute aspiration for excellence in all functions of speech, whether they be spoken, musical or written.

A friend of Ms. BeckyJoie's is airing a chat show tomorrow upon the exact topic and desires that you join her and her debonair listeners to discuss the importance of communicating through the language of music. I do believe that our hostess has placed an advert on the side of her blog page so that we might click on it to arrive at the chat show destiny.

But first, I must say that I hope the readers will keep an astute mind about such a matter since so much sensitivity surely surrounds this volatile subject. For example, my very presence at the afore-mentioned audition was greeted with a cold shoulder and a bit of bossiness by the younger set this evening. I suppose that the pronunciation of vowels and consonants in that particular genre of music is quite uncommon these days. But it was my desire to set a sterling standard for symbolic citation by the supervisor of the ensemble for coming contestants over the course of time.

The choral director smiled like a Cheshire cat after I obliged him with a masterful performance of a melismatic segment of Handel's Messiah that I used to deliver to the masses in my voice studies in college. He seemed pleased to make my acquaintance and I have to admit that I've not met a young chap of his caliber in at least a decade or two. I suppose that I shall be called upon to aid him in polishing up the vocals in his Sunday ensemble, but if not, I had a dashing time of it, being back on stage.

I did have one minor problem, though, as my old bones climbed up the stairs to the platform. My trousers were a bit too stiff from all the starch that I had by error, dropped into my laundry last week, when my bifocals had become fogged up by the steam of the rising water in the washing machine. I had a mite of difficulty bending at the knee and began to loose my balance somewhat. Fortunately, I reached for a nearby microphone stand and righted myself pretty quickly, though it did coincide with some squeals and squeaks coming from one of the speakers. The modern conveniences have their advantages but oft can be a smidgen cantankerous from time to time. I do believe, though, that we ironed out the matter significantly by the time I recovered the microphone to sound my resonant tones. When the audition ended, I discovered that I had, in my haste to arrive at the house of worship, forgotten to imbibe a spot of iced tea and to ingest the cold cucumber sandwich that I had prepared to eat along the way. So, I strolled out on the grounds to find a shady limb under which to place myself. After devouring the delightful dinner, I rested for a while, and then climbed into my Mini Cooper and proceeded here for our weekly lesson. Along the drive, I admired the brilliant finish of the paint job I recently had re-touched, reflecting specks of the British racing green across the cabriolet and glistening like sparks of glitter in the setting sun rays. I arrived here safely and tucked my automobile under cover for the remainder of the night as the Oakes have generously offered the use of their guest room this week because of my previous mishaps late at night in the Florida rain storms.

I am grateful once again for your faithfulness to attend my online classes and for Ms. BeckyJoie who so graciously offers her blog every week. I could not imagine trying to circumnavigate the world wide web in order to create a blog for myself. I once attempted the evil feat and became maddeningly overwhelmed. Thus, I shall leave the technological triumphs to another more adept while I shall continue to bring the excellence in accelerated English eloquence.

Speaking of the art of eloquence, I have been unable to shake the impression of the English Rose whose voice attracted my attention last week. I was transported, whether in reality or my thoughts, from my presence at the Barnes and Noble Book Sellers Establishment to the celestial realms where she seemed to naturally find her place in a blanket of brilliant light. The sound of her voice echoed through it like an opera singer at Carnegie Hall. Though I never had the pleasure of viewing her angelic countenance, I am quite certain that her radiance must be of no equal comparison. Might I have known her from another realm or from my place of origin? Only time will tell but I have not been able to erase her memory from my mind. But I shall try, for it is only once in a lifetime that one meets a lady with such enchanting elocution and it is unlikely that I shall be able to be graced by her presence again, save some miraculous intervention. So, I shan't indulge in the monotony of the retelling of the saga but thus, proceed to this week's agenda at Rather Be Writing.

For today's lesson, we shall answer the following questions. Feel free to leave your own comments and suggestions in the box below marked "comments".

1. Hectic or Helpful Homonyms. The magnificent model of feminine pulchritude made her way across the green to browse the tables at the ( a. flee, or b. flea) market. Choose one.

2. Ideal or Idiotic Idioms. When writing descriptive lines in poetry or prose, one must not ( a. overplay one's hand or b. over-egg the pudding). Choose one.

3. Wise or Wacky Words. The word is affable. Does it mean: a. easy to speak to and gracious OR b. the after effects of laughing.

4. Cute or Comical Coinage. Kiss gate. This term is used quite frequently in England where I lived as a young fellow in my preparatory school days. The Kiss Gate was designed to prevent animals from escaping or entering a location and it consisted of a half door that only one person at a time could pass through, usually, the gentleman would enter first and offer to help the ladies afterward. Often my chums would make their boast about preventing the young ladies from moseying through unless they had first offered a kiss. Of course, I never attempted this with the ladies as I ne'er wished to receive the brunt of their brolly upon my head but some chaps may have succeeded.

NOTE: I shall add two more categories for this week alone and they may appear again at random. This shall serve to keep the readers alert and searching for new words to leave in the comment box.

5. Spelling Slips. Which spelling is correct for the following word: a. nucular OR b. nuclear ?

6. Pun Fun. I had found my true soulmate. She and I were both wearing British shoes.

Now, my friends it is your turn. Try your hand at the examination. It is an open book test, so retrieve your dictionary and thesaurus and search away. Don't forget to leave your answers for the rest of us to view in the comments department. Also, leave us a link to follow you back to your weblog or post. In that way, we can find you more easily. I shall post the answer in the next couple of days.

Cherio, my chums!

Dr. Wordwielder's Mysterious Encounter

A Word from Dr. Wordwielder:



Greetings, my friends!

Please accept my deepest regrets for my lack of punctuality in arriving at Rather Be Writing. For some unknown reason, I've developed a bit of brain fog over the last ten hours.

You see, I had completed my lessons and extra-curricular reading activities at the university library over an hour earlier than usual and so I had purposed in my heart to make an excursion to my local Barnes and Noble Booksellers establishment. The motivation for doing so was to acquire for myself a copy of the magazine, Etymology Today, where I had published an article called, “Colloquialism, The Root of Linguistic Morphology.”

Prior to leaving the university, I had received a telephone call from Ms. BeckyJoie to inform me that she was having a bit of schedule overload; what, between her new work with the non-profit organization, her review-writing job and some family distress, she requested that I postpone my visit until this evening. I was happy to oblige as it had been nearly a month since my last visit to the shelves of the celestial book hall and bistro. So I retired forthwith to Barnes and Noble.

When I arrived at my destination, I was delighted to hear that the public address system was alternating between selections of my most favored musicians, the classical composer, Mozart and the Big Band legend, Glen Miller. I felt at home, once again, with the enticing scent of fresh ink and new paper, which had comforted me from my early childhood visits to the library and bookstores. I began skimming the assortment of reading fare that lined up on the shelves as I passed through to the news department. I noted the 2010 volumes of the Writer's Market Guide and Poet's Market were freshly set in rows and still wrapped in plastic. I latched on to a copy of each and tucked them into my satchel, continuing toward the magazine rack.

There it was-of crisp copy of Etymology Today. I surveyed the pages until I found my article, wanting to make sure that the editor left my precious manuscript intact. I noted that there were no errors. The information in the document is vital to the maintenance of the English language. I oft chance to hear the deterioration of our distinguished lingua mater when a youngster verbalizes that he likes to stand around and be cold with his friends. He ought at least to put the 'g' in "chilling". And once, in the hallways of the university, a group of young men were running through like herds of cattle when one of them barged into me.

“My bad,” he said.

I was waiting for him to finish the sentence. “My bad...mistake.” “My bad... aim” or something like that but he stopped--short--at the word “bad”.

Why! Just yesterday, I was meandering through the parking lot and a sports vehicle scurried in right behind me. A gaggle of girls came running to the driver's side door yelling, “Oh! Sweet!”

I looked to see if there was a box of chocolates in the hands of the fellow but for the life of me, I could only see a bag of books. Young people these days!

So I was pleased when the magazine editor accepted my query about writing an article on the dangers of using colloquialism in communication. I sent him a piece the next week after he replied to my letter. That reminds me, I need to address him with a note of extreme appreciation for his ability to publish my article. For it was no sooner said than done. (But I need to return to my explanation of last evening.)

The intense summer temperatures spawned my salivary glands to seek out satisfaction in the form of a refreshing libation. I promptly obeyed my inner urgings and approached the bistro where I took nary a minute to convey my directive to the clerk behind the counter. “Yes, Miss, I'm mighty fine, thank you. And I would like to order a triple iced caramel latte with a dash of fresh cream and hazelnut and a stick of cinnamon. Thank you. And how much will that be?”

The young woman announced the amount and while I awaited the delivery of my chilled potable, I paid the bill for it, for my books and the magazine. Then seated myself in a corner booth to attain some solitude . The drink was surely refreshing. The whipped cream was thicker than I had remembered it and I must have looked a fright while wiping it out of my mustache and off of my nose for a youngster passing by with his mother stopped to stare at me a moment. I didn't appreciate it much as I felt that children ought to be taught not to stare at their elders but I couldn't blame him for the way I must have appeared so I looked away and began to rummage through my satchel for a pen and my reading glasses.

I had been sitting there for somewhere about the period of ten minutes when I heard a voice that pierced through me as if it were a long, lost familiar connection from my birthplace in England. I could not quite place it but I listened, hoping to recall the exact tone of voice in order that I might make the acquaintance more sure in my mind.

As I couldn't recollect the sound, I raised my head to peer around behind me to where a group of ladies sat around a table, apparently discussing a book. One by one, I heard them critique a line or two and tell why the book meant so much to them. I thought to myself that this was quite the unusual gathering for women of this caliber as I had not seen a book club or a writer's association in this town in quite some time, unless of course, you would count the students in my after school study hall.

Then I heard the voice again. It was as lovely as a nightingale, sweet and sing-songy like that of none I had ever heard before. I startled slightly but then shook off the shivers that had risen up new goose bumps on my arms. Why was I feeling so out of the ordinary? Perhaps I had caught this chillin' bug with which the young men were so fond of claiming association. Whatever it was, I had to see who the voice emanated from like the music of a violin echoing through Carnegie Hall. I stole a furtive glance in the general direction of the table, but all I could see, sticking up above her book, was the brim of a purple velvet hat and a large, plum, silk ribbon which adorned it. I sighed and attempted to return my attention to my new market guides and for a few moments, I perused the pages when all of a sudden, I heard the voice again.

“Dahling, the coffee was simply a delectable treat and the ambrosial cheesecake was simply enchanting. Above all, I adored keeping company with you, Madeline. Charming, for certain, my dear.”

I turned and she was passing by my table. I tried to catch a glimpse but just as I gazed in her direction, her pocket book slipped from her shoulder and she scooted down in the opposite direction to retrieve it.
When she stood again, the other ladies had gathered around and they began to exit the store.

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to alarm anyone, but I could have sworn by George that I had heard that voice once before. I didn't dare to follow her to the parking lot. I did not think it a wise nor ethical thing for a gentlemen of my stature to do, but I thought perhaps I could stand in the window and pretend to be looking at the Florida skies for signs of weather. Was she an angel from heaven or a long lost friend from my former country. I did not know and never could tell as she chatted from the midst of the women's circle all the way to her vehicle, which looked to be a rental but one could not tell. It was apparent that I would not be able to ascertain her identity but her voice has haunted me ever since. I think I heard them calling her something like Ms. Smith but I couldn't be quite certain. Anyway, I returned to my table and gathered up my belongings. I had to make sure that my lesson for Rather Be Writing was in order and ready to bring to you this evening.

Now, that I have gotten that off my chest, I shall turn my attention to the purpose for which I have arrived at Rather Be Writing. Here is this week's lesson:

1. Hectic or Helpful Homonyms. The breadbaker beat the (doe or dough) before inserting it into the pan and then the oven.

2.Ideal or Idiotic Idioms. The young lady who won the cherry pie eating contest was wearing (A. a Freudian slip or B. a cheshire cat grin).

3. Wise or Wacky Words. Magnanimus. Does it mean? A. a large magnetic object OR B. generous and noble.

4. Comical or Cute Coinages. Brain dead. Although this word is a medical term which means to be have no life signs in one's brain while on the brink of death, it is now commonly used also to describe a person who is not using their brain to think and reason. What coined phrases can you create or do you often hear used? Kindly send your answers to this weblog.

Thank you Ms. Oakes, for allowing me to come once again to your blog and post. I shall look forward to reading everyone's answers as they post them to their own weblogs and link back here with a comment letting us know where you have posted your guesses and a coined word. I shall deliver the correct answers to you a few days hence.

The Ultimate Interview for the Christian Writer

• Scenario--Jesus and The Writer exchange some heavy dialogue.
• Time- Between Midnight and 5 am Saturday morning.
• Place- At the Laptop, after prayer and Bible Study.
  
  
  Jesus: Writer/Enterpreneur, do you care about Me more than these words?
  Writer: Ya, I like you. You know that.
  Jesus: Well, then, give my sheep some food.
  
  (Writer opens the online thesaurus and selects a few words. Nothing seems to fit the sentence in the manuscript. Writer tries again and a word pops out like an epiphany. It's so much fun to write. Writer never felt more fulfilled. Silence.)
  
  Jesus: Christian Author, do you care about me?
  Writer: (Deep breath). Of course, you already know that I care about you.

(Writer glances at the New Testament that was part of morning devotions and then back to the computer screen. Silence again.)

Jesus: So you love me, huh? Then, tend and look after my sheep.
Writer: Sigh.

(Another Twenty minutes have passed. The paper is filled with notes. The Word document has ten paragraphs written. Writer is excited about the ideas but puzzled at Jesus' words. A still, small voice intrudes on Writer's thoughts.)

Jesus: Word-whittler, do you love me?

Writer: Yes, Jesus. Can't you tell that I'm fond of you? Don't you know by now?

Jesus: If you love me, then take my sheep to graze on the food I want them to have.

(Writer bites the end of the pencil then drops it with a thud onto the desk. What does this all mean?)

Jesus: Disciple, follow me.

Dr. Wordwielder's Wordsmithing Woa's

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you that my visit to Rather Be Writing last week was diverted due to circumstances beyond my control.

You see, last Wednesday evening, I was sitting in my customary location on the Davenport in the university library. I was reading through the B entries in my Oxford New English Dictionary when the lines in my bifocals appeared to blur and the words on the page began to fade and then after that I do not recall anything for a while.

All of a sudden, I was startled by a cacophonous CRASH. I arose from my seat to see what was the matter. Oh, wait, that's not me. (Well, I must have been reading too much of Clarke Moore's poetry to my classes that day.) Suffice it to say, my dear friends, that the sound with which I became enlivened, resembled that of a gun shot. I feared that one of the drama students had gotten carried away in the auditorium nearby. But upon closer examination, I discovered no students nor staff members remained in the wing where I had taken up temporary refuge. It puzzled me greatly how such a boisterous boom could come from a seemingly empty building. I wandered from hall to hall when ZAP!!! At that very moment, a white flash of light flooded the air outside the Science laboratory where I expected to find the source of the explosion which had startled me. My left hand stretched toward the counter for stability and I peered over the rim of my spectacles but saw nothing. In fact, I seemed to have lost my visual senses. After a momentary lapse, the discovery that I was enveloped in a pervasive absence of light gave me pause for consideration. I needed to find a way out of the laboratory and into the hallway where I could use my cane to tap along the surface of the wall and circumnavigate the facilities to the exit.

Of course, I remained calm but plotted my response in the event that I should run into the hoodlums who had caused such an offense in order to rob or vandalize the university. My suspicions were that it was a fraternity prank but one could never be certain. It might even be a group of terrorists. I deduced that, even in the shadows, I would have an advantage over the young whipper snappers. Having been employed for so many years of my career at EEIEA, I knew the campus like the back of my hand. There had been many a day where I roamed the hallways reading J. R. R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis while circumventing the crowds of students who stood chatting in the hallway between classes. I could certainly find my way around better than anyone I knew.

I felt my way out of the room with my cane while clutching the classwork and dictionary in my right hand. I could always use the massive volume as a decoy should the need arise by casting it in the opposite direction of my escape path to lure my assailants away long enough to evade apprehension. I proceeded with caution but also stood erect in order to appear invincible in the event that the criminals had donned night vision equipment.

As I left the room, I was delighted to be greeted by battery-powered emergency lighting in the hallway, leaving shadows distinguishable enough to lower my cane. I advanced with ease toward the visitor's office where I would attempt to locate the telephone and contact the constabulary authorities. As I placed my armload on the chair just inside the doorway, I froze. There, standing in the window behind the desk ,hiding behind the draperies was one of the intruders. The window was open and a breeze flowed through or I might not have seen his shadow wavering back and forth. I crouched and tried to crawl around the edge of the desk so as not to alert him to my presence but years ago, I had injured my right meniscus in an ice storm when visiting an educational conference in Boston. I gasped but was able to stifle it, then proceeded to tip toe with my weapon in hand. As I approached, I raised my cane as high into the air as I could and applied the force of a belly club as I swung. My cane caught in the drapery and tangled up, knocking me off-kilter into the desk behind me where I apparently landed on the button for the intercom and heard my voice echo through the building. “Take thattttttt!” I heard as I struggled to untangle my cane. I pulled it back behind my head and then thrust it toward the window again hoping to strike him but just at that precise moment, the lights came on and blinded me. Reflections on my bifocals prevented my eyes from focusing but then my vision was restored enough to see my victim in full spectrum light. There stood a graduation gown with a pair of the administrator's Florsheims on the floor beneath. It was apparent that a graduating senior had just returned his gown to the office and the secretary had inadvertently left the window open and left it hanging there after closing the draperies.

I was never so undignified in my entire life and realized that I must be in need of some suspended somnolence. I was fortunate to be the only staff member in the building as the security personnel had already retired for the evening assuming that I would make my usual after hours exit and secure the building myself. For this, I was grateful. I stepped forward to seal the aperture and discovered the source of the power outage as a bolt of lightening darted in the distant horizon. The generator back-up timer had tripped after the electricity had been affected by a lightening strike somewhere on the campus. I glanced around and noticed that there was not a sign of combustion in the atmosphere at all so I exited the building and meandered to my vehicle. In all the chaos, I must have left my lesson for you on the desk in the visitor's office but I did not want to become a lightening rod in the lonely parking lot so I scurried into the driver's seat and attempted to drive away into the storm. I thought, perhaps that I might arrive on time but as I continued my journey toward your home, the clouds darkened and the floodgates of heaven prevailed to penetrate the road with horrific hail. I feared that being in Florida, I might be on the outskirts of a hurricane or tornado but had no choice but to continue as I could hardly see the boundaries of the road. Eventually, I arrived upon the edge of my driveway but as it was approaching Two o' clock in the morning,I presumed that you would already be in your bedstead and not appreciate a guest at that hour. I beg upon your mercy for forgiveness of my rude behavior to have not kept my word on traveling to your residence last Wednesday and I hope that your readers have used the week of my absence as an opportunity to study the incredible linguistic lecture which I had deposited here upon my last visit to Rather Be Writing.

This week's lesson shall consist of the following:

1. Hectic or Helpful Homonyms? Choose the correct homonym to place in this old song. “I may never ride in a ___________ but I'm in the Lord's army.” Is it: a. calvary OR b. cavalry.

2. Ideal or Idiotic Idioms? When the utility bill came, it made my___________ because it was so elevated. CHOOSE ONE: a. blood run cold OR b. blood boil.

3. Wise or Wacky Words? Sanguine. Does it mean: a. happy, optimistic OR b. an object containing sparkly sequins?

4. Comical or Cute Coinage? Evoktional may be defined as: to create or do something that will evoke a response from someone. The word also denotes a devotional quality to the response that is evoked. The first time I became aware of this word is when Ms. BeckyJoie's brother, Ray Thombs, Jr. used it to describe his common mode of operation in human relationships. Dear Readers, coined words are rather an addiction to me as a professor and philologist, so if you could kindly humor me a bit and send me your coinages this week via email or a post, it would be ever-fulfilling for me to peruse.

In fact, this week, please do not post your answers here on this weblog but instead, record them on a page elsewhere such as Facebook, Twitter or your personal weblog.

Then come to this page and leave the address or location where we may find your answer. I shall leave the quiz answers with your host to announce at a later time in the next day or so. Thank you so much for understanding my plight last week and I appreciated your consideration and forgiveness.

The time has arrived when I may need to vacate the residence of my hostess but I shall return again soon. I've been very busy lately and a bit scattered so if I do not appear on time, I please to beg your pardon. Nonetheless, whether or not I am present, I shall not neglect to deliver the lessons to Ms. BeckyJoie so that she may be able to publish them for all of her readers to study and memorize. For now, I bid you goodwill and good night. Until we meet again....

Post Script: Don't forget to answer the exam questions.

Questions, Answers and Bloggy Referrals

Do you like having your mind stimulated by other writers and their ideas? I do. I think I fell in love with the concept of blog quizes and questions. I like the whole idea of memes too but I tweak them and make my own up too. (If you haven't noticed.)



Today's blogpost will take you to some other writers that I like to read. Some I have met and know, while others I've only met online or met recently. Nonetheless, these are some of the interesting sites that I frequent. I wanted to share them with you so that you can have your mind stirred as well.


A friend of mine who I love dearly and have been priviledged to get to know over the internet is a talented well-known author and speaker. Today, JoJo Tabares has posted on her blog a question about a photograph of an animal (amongst other thought provoking material). See if you can figure out what animal she has on a photograph. http://artofeloquence.com/blog/what-is-it/ Note: I post her blog address often as we are such kindred spirits and I spend alot of time reading up on what she does best: communication.


Another blogger of whom I am a new acquaintence has written a quiz that will take some of you down memory lane. I like the name of his blog. It is "From The Book of the Wise and the Foolish". On his Facebook account, he posts alot of writings from his "RSVP to God". Ask him about it and sign up to follow his blog. (He needs some followers as he has interesting things to say.) http://ronaldrichardson.blogspot.com/2009/07/and-away-we-go.html


One personal friend and fellow writer from whom I gain a great deal of inspiration is the leader of Clermont Christian Writer's Group, a many times published author at Chicken Soup for the Soul is Terri Tiffany. She always posts great questions to get you thinking as well as sharing her down to earth tales of her life as an author.
http://http//terri-treasures.blogspot.com/

Another new Facebook friend wrote a wonderful Psalm on her blog. It's the sort of thing that Leaders in Learning likes to post on Sundays. But Cindy Holman posts them at random which is a blessing to her readers. You can read her poems and other cute stories at: www.cindyholman.wordpress.com


Well enough of a goose chase. I love to write and I love my writing friends. I like to let them have the stage once in a while. They are inspirational to me.

Come back tomorrow as Dr. Word Wielder brings you his next message in an unusual way. I can't wait to see him soon and I'm sure you can't either. See you tomorrow night.

Magazine Mush

I LOVE magazines. I write for the Lake Family Magazine but writers always wish to expand their audience. I'm dipping my feet in the water wherever I can these days.

I've said it before and I say it again, I love magazines. I read several: Reader's Digest, health magazines, Homeschool Enrichment, Homeschool Heartbeat, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, No Greater Joy, parenting, educational, devotional and various writing magazines as well as e-zines.

What is so great about reading magazines? They offer a quick, easy way to learn about a variety of things and also reveal the writers' unique personalities. When you have so many authors coming together in one place, there is bound to be some fascinating reading going on. To top those reasons, I believe that reading and writing are a never-ending circle.

I read many genres besides this, but magazines go with me everywhere. I usually have one or two kinds in my car or briefcase. I can read them anywhere when I have a free moment. I really don't know why I like them above other types of reading but I do and you might find me in corner of the Sunday School room reading one or in the parking lot after church or even in the waiting line at the grocery or doctor's office. I just love magazines-at least wholesome ones and those that contain helpful information.

I was talking to one magazine editor today and she informed me that I am about to become involved in the magazine in a much more significant way. I'm very excited and nervous. We will meet soon to discuss details. Pray for me. As my brother is fond of saying, "This is pivotal".

Meanwhile, I am reading copies and analyzing them to learn about the writing process and how the different styles fit each section. Bodie Thoene talks about this in her Writer to Writer book and so did the Writer's Digest course I began years ago. You can learn from just about any genre of writing if you read carefully, dissect and analyze. So, on my agenda for the week (after Monday), magazine reading and writing may take a higher priority. (Don't worry, I haven't given up the other writing. I have many irons in the fire.)

How about you? What magazines do you read? Do you like to write for magazines? Have you even tried it or considered it? It might be a good fit.

Give it a try. Google "Magazine markets" and see what you discover. I will do the same-though I have a list already in mind to market. Then we can compare notes.

Who knows? Maybe you will, like me, become all mush for magazines.

Getting To Know You, Getting to Know All About You

In honor of a song from one of my favorite musicals, The King and I, "Getting to Know You", today's post will be a just- for-fun-game.

This was also inspired by my writer and speaker friend, JoJo Tabares, from Art of Eloquence and Communication FUNdamentals http://artofeloquence.com/blog/.

The way the game works is that you post your answers on my blog(s) and and then come up with your own questions to post on your blog or website. This will enable us to get to know one another better. I can't wait to see what questions you all create for yourselves.

1. What is the name of my work in progress fictional novel?


2. What are my two other blogs called?


3. What talk show program that I listen to online airs on Thursday mornings?


4. What writing "job" have I recently undertaken which will also benefit my family?



5. What part of my body recently became unreliable?



6. What sport do I reference as being like training multiple children?

7. What did I call a dangerous game?

8. What two people or people groups did I say were important to a writer?

9. What frequent topic that I write about can affect how you view your life?

10. Where can I find your "Getting To Know You" Questions?

TAG! You are it now.