Welcome to New York! Where do YOU want to go today? Well I KNOW you want to come to Long Island! Many people think that Long Island is BOOOOOOOOOOOOORING... well to those people you lose! I really should have done this for L but yeah.
The Montauk Light House
http://www.montauklighthouse.com/
The Fire Island Lighthouse
http://fireislandlighthouse.com/
Adventureland
http://www.adventureland.us/themepark/index.shtml
Jones Beach
http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/10/details.aspx (you can even catch a concert there in the summer)
The Long Island Museum
http://www.longislandmuseum.org/
The Long Island Air Power Museum
http://www.americanairpowermuseum.com/
Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park
http://www.longisland.com/parks/park_details.php?id=21
Clark Botanic Garden
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=12
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium
http://www.cshfha.org/
Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=14
Cradle of Aviation Museum (we really once were!!)
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=124
Garvies Point Museum and Preserve
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=65
Atlantis Marine World
http://atlantismarineworld.com/
Hecksher Museum
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=34
Guild Hall
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=32
Hicksville Gregory Museum
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=36
Henry Lloyd Manor House
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=35
Long Island Childrens Museum
http://www.licm.org/
Muttowntown Preserve
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=68
Nassau County Firefighters Museum
http://www.ncfiremuseum.org/
Splish Splash Water Park
http://www.splishsplashlongisland.com/
Old Bethpage Village Restoration
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=66
Pollack Krasner House and Study Center
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=84
St James General Store
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=99
Nassau County Museum of Art
http://www.nassaumuseum.com/default.php
Tackapausha Museum and Preserve
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=70
Welwyn Nature Preserve
http://www.longisland.com/museums/museum.php?ID=119
There is much much much much more to do on Long Island.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
M is for Music
I cannot live with out music! Music is one of my muses. I listen to a lot of different genres--even classical and country.
The movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind really showed us that music is a universal language. In order to communicate with the aliens, the humans played a series of notes and the aliens played a series back. Eventually they sort of play a symphony together. I like this notion that the key to communication with all creatures is music.
Some people use music to raise their chickens and cows and other animals. They call this free ranging. I think it's awesome. Animals respond well to music. Why shoudn't they respond well to music? I used to play music for my dog. She didn't respond well to my heavy metal phase, but she did like light music, REM, and classical. She wasn't amused with Don Charles and his Singing Dogs. She kept trying to find the dogs. It was amusing for me, but not my dog.
My parents and I connected on many levels through music. Both of my parents enjoy folk music. Dad and I used to sing the MTA Song by the Kingston trio. He'd do the lyrics and I sing "Good Ol' Charlie." Dad also liked Bon Jovi and one day when he bought me my Slaughter album, we listened to it in the car, and dad actually like them. I was shocked. Dad is the one that got me into classical music. I used to tease him about it when I was a kid and called it his "elevator music," but as I got older I began to really really enjoy it. Finlandia by Sibellius and Night on Bald Mountain (I can't remember the composer's name), are two of my favorite songs that dad introduced me to. I also enjoy JS Bach to no-end. I can listen to him day in and day out. Dad also enjoyed Willie Nelson. Dad and I's song was "City of New Orleans." It is still one of my favorite songs, but sometimes I cry when I hear it. I miss my dad.
Mom loves Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger. I once looked through mom's cds and I think she has something like five Pete Seeger albums. I don't remember when she bought them, but there they were. Mom also loves the Kingston Trio and we both think that “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” is one of the saddest songs ever written. Mom had a habit of singing “I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles” by Vera Lynn when I was a kid. So I downloaded the song. I can't stop singing the one line, but the song isn't the greatest, but as long as mom likes it... Mom also got me into Sam Cooke. She'd sing “Don't Know Much About History,” and now the song is one of my favorite songs. Now mom and I have great senses of humor. Mom still sings “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor” by Lonnie Donnegan. I downloaded the song. It is one perverted song! The first time I heard it in full I was on the floor laughing my ass off. Mom also enjoys REM. In fact she went with me, my best friend, and her mother to the 1995 Monster tour at Madison Square Garden.
Speaking of REM, it was my best bud, Sharon, who introduced me to them at her house in 7th grade. Because of her they are one of my favorite groups.
Anyway, so awhile ago I got into this German band, Wolfsheim, who have since disbanded—Peter Heppner is now solo (and fantastic). They wrote this song called “Sparrows and Nightingales” which is based on a Kurt Vonnegut book. For some reason, when listening to this song, I became inspired to write a song (well for now it's a poem) about music. See, that's what I mean when I say music is one of my many muses. I get ideas even if they aren't related to the song I am listening to. I do not have a title to the poem as of now, but here it is:
The movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind really showed us that music is a universal language. In order to communicate with the aliens, the humans played a series of notes and the aliens played a series back. Eventually they sort of play a symphony together. I like this notion that the key to communication with all creatures is music.
Some people use music to raise their chickens and cows and other animals. They call this free ranging. I think it's awesome. Animals respond well to music. Why shoudn't they respond well to music? I used to play music for my dog. She didn't respond well to my heavy metal phase, but she did like light music, REM, and classical. She wasn't amused with Don Charles and his Singing Dogs. She kept trying to find the dogs. It was amusing for me, but not my dog.
My parents and I connected on many levels through music. Both of my parents enjoy folk music. Dad and I used to sing the MTA Song by the Kingston trio. He'd do the lyrics and I sing "Good Ol' Charlie." Dad also liked Bon Jovi and one day when he bought me my Slaughter album, we listened to it in the car, and dad actually like them. I was shocked. Dad is the one that got me into classical music. I used to tease him about it when I was a kid and called it his "elevator music," but as I got older I began to really really enjoy it. Finlandia by Sibellius and Night on Bald Mountain (I can't remember the composer's name), are two of my favorite songs that dad introduced me to. I also enjoy JS Bach to no-end. I can listen to him day in and day out. Dad also enjoyed Willie Nelson. Dad and I's song was "City of New Orleans." It is still one of my favorite songs, but sometimes I cry when I hear it. I miss my dad.
Mom loves Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger. I once looked through mom's cds and I think she has something like five Pete Seeger albums. I don't remember when she bought them, but there they were. Mom also loves the Kingston Trio and we both think that “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” is one of the saddest songs ever written. Mom had a habit of singing “I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles” by Vera Lynn when I was a kid. So I downloaded the song. I can't stop singing the one line, but the song isn't the greatest, but as long as mom likes it... Mom also got me into Sam Cooke. She'd sing “Don't Know Much About History,” and now the song is one of my favorite songs. Now mom and I have great senses of humor. Mom still sings “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor” by Lonnie Donnegan. I downloaded the song. It is one perverted song! The first time I heard it in full I was on the floor laughing my ass off. Mom also enjoys REM. In fact she went with me, my best friend, and her mother to the 1995 Monster tour at Madison Square Garden.
Speaking of REM, it was my best bud, Sharon, who introduced me to them at her house in 7th grade. Because of her they are one of my favorite groups.
Anyway, so awhile ago I got into this German band, Wolfsheim, who have since disbanded—Peter Heppner is now solo (and fantastic). They wrote this song called “Sparrows and Nightingales” which is based on a Kurt Vonnegut book. For some reason, when listening to this song, I became inspired to write a song (well for now it's a poem) about music. See, that's what I mean when I say music is one of my many muses. I get ideas even if they aren't related to the song I am listening to. I do not have a title to the poem as of now, but here it is:
Music sets us all so free
A universal language
That topples the cruel and unkind
That has a soul of its own
That separates the believers from the non
Turning inwards
And towards the sky
Searching for answers in the waves
Bouncing messages back from outer space
I listen to the music
And my darkness turns to light
Even if only for a moment
The moment’s mine
Music is so sensuous
I devour the flavor like a fine wine
Goes down smoothly like a wet kiss
Something I so miss
Face the music and it will face you
Turn towards the drums
That echo in the night
Hold me close to your heart
Dance with me in the moonlight
Lead me unto you
My soul runs deep
My heart runs blue
But I’m running,
Running to you
Searching for answers in the waves
Bouncing messages back from outer space
I listen to the music
And my darkness turns to light
Even if only for a moment
The moment’s mine.
C:2011 Lady Samantha
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
L is for Love
Love is something not one of us can do without; yet, it seems there isn't enough love in a world full of wars and hatred. Well, it's time to change that. Love really does make the world go round. Here's how to say LOVE in many languages.
English: Love
Afrikaans: Liefde
Albanian: Dashuri
Arabic: حالة حبّ
Bulgarian: Любов
عشقCatalan: Amor
Croatian: Ljubav
Czech: Láska
Danish: Kærlighed
Dutch: Liefde
Estonian: Armastus
Farsi:
Filipino: Mahal
Finnish: Rakastamme
French: Amour
Galician: Amor
German:Liebe
Greek: Αγάπη
אהבה مينه محبت ליבע łość Hausa: So
Hebrew:
Hungarian: Szerelem
Italian: Amore
Irish: Gra
Latvian: M
īlestība Lithuanian: Meil
ė Macedonian:
Љубовта Malay:Cinta
Norwegian:Kjærlighet
Pashto:
Polish: Mi
Portuguese: Amor
Romanian: Dragoste
Russian:
ЛюбовSerbian: Ljubav
Slovak:Láska
Spanish: Amor
Swedish:Förälskelse
Thai:
ความรักTurkish:A
şk Vietnamese: Tình yêu
Urdu:
Yiddish:
Feel free to add more as not every language is listed here. :)For whatever reason-when I did this, the Japanese, Chinese, and Korean letters did not come up in my blog. So I deleted them.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
K is for Kermit
Jim Henson created the most loveable froggies around. His name is Kermit the Frog. I used to glue myself to the television whenever I watched the Muppets. Fozzie, Rowlf, Miss Piggy, Kermy, Scooter,Animal, etc. quickly became my best buds.,
Here is one of my favorite Kermit clips:
Disco Frog
Boy, can that froggie boogie!
RIBBIT RIBBIT!
THE FROG THAT ATE NEW YORK! JK IT'S THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE! YAYYYYYYY!
FROGALICIOUS BABY!
One pampered pollywog!
Here is one of my favorite Kermit clips:
Disco Frog
Boy, can that froggie boogie!
J is for Japan
In Japan, the literacy rate is 99%.
Two major religions of Japan are Shintoism and Buddhism. Christianity only comprises about 10% of the population.
Japan is made up of over 6000 islands.
The Japanese Prime Minister is not elected by the people. He is elected by the legislature.
Apparently it is considered rude to blow your nose in public. I'm not sure if that 100% true but even here it's kind of gross, but if you have got to get rid of the boogies, please use a tissue and not your finger or shirt.
In Japan, it is customary to remove your shoes before entering one's house. In side the home you either go barefoot or wear slippers. There are special slippers for when going to the bathroom as well.
Apparently the "Walk" and "Do not walk" signs make a chirping sound so blind people can cross the street. Imagine if we did that here?
Contrary to popular belief, Pokemon is not popular in Japan.
Kyoto was once the capital of Japan. Switch the letters around and you get the capital today, Tokyo.
A shogun was the hereditary military dictator of Japan. Minamoto no Yoritomo (1192-1199) was the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. A shogunate is similar to today's prefecture. Each shogunate had a a leader, a shogun.
Japan has 47 modern day prefectures.
It has a parliamentary government and a constitutional monarchy.
It's modern day Indepence Day is May 3, 1947 when the current constitution was adopted as an amendment to the Meiji Constitution. Early Indepence days included November 29, 1890 when the Meiji Constitution provided for a constutional monarchy. 600 B.C was an Independence Day as well. It is the traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor Jimmu.
Emperor Akihito's birthday is a national holiday.
You must be 20 years of age to vote.
Their "congress" is bicameral andis called the Kokkai and consists of the House of Caouncillors (Sangi-in, which has 242 seats) and the House of Representatives (Shugi-in which has 480 seats).
Japan has a Supreme Court as well. Their Chief Justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet. All of the other judges on the Japanese Supreme Court are appointed by the cabinet.
The national anthem of Japan is "Kimigayo" or "The Emperor's Reign."
The tallest mountain is Mountain Fuji. It is also an active volcano.
Sumo wrestling and baseball are very popular in Japan.
There are around 1,500 earthquakes in Japan each year.
The Tale of The Genji
Karaoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese.
The word "geisha" means "person of the arts." The first geisha were actually men.was written by Murasaki Shikibu, a noble woman who wrote the novel in 1007 AD
http://facts-about-japan.com/
http://www.blogger.com/goog_364625333
http://www.blogger.com/goog_364625333
http://www.blogger.com/goog_364625333
http://www.blogger.com/goog_364625333
http://facts-about-japan.com/interesting.html
Two major religions of Japan are Shintoism and Buddhism. Christianity only comprises about 10% of the population.
Japan is made up of over 6000 islands.
The Japanese Prime Minister is not elected by the people. He is elected by the legislature.
Apparently it is considered rude to blow your nose in public. I'm not sure if that 100% true but even here it's kind of gross, but if you have got to get rid of the boogies, please use a tissue and not your finger or shirt.
In Japan, it is customary to remove your shoes before entering one's house. In side the home you either go barefoot or wear slippers. There are special slippers for when going to the bathroom as well.
Apparently the "Walk" and "Do not walk" signs make a chirping sound so blind people can cross the street. Imagine if we did that here?
Contrary to popular belief, Pokemon is not popular in Japan.
Kyoto was once the capital of Japan. Switch the letters around and you get the capital today, Tokyo.
A shogun was the hereditary military dictator of Japan. Minamoto no Yoritomo (1192-1199) was the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. A shogunate is similar to today's prefecture. Each shogunate had a a leader, a shogun.
Japan has 47 modern day prefectures.
It has a parliamentary government and a constitutional monarchy.
It's modern day Indepence Day is May 3, 1947 when the current constitution was adopted as an amendment to the Meiji Constitution. Early Indepence days included November 29, 1890 when the Meiji Constitution provided for a constutional monarchy. 600 B.C was an Independence Day as well. It is the traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor Jimmu.
Emperor Akihito's birthday is a national holiday.
You must be 20 years of age to vote.
Their "congress" is bicameral andis called the Kokkai and consists of the House of Caouncillors (Sangi-in, which has 242 seats) and the House of Representatives (Shugi-in which has 480 seats).
Japan has a Supreme Court as well. Their Chief Justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet. All of the other judges on the Japanese Supreme Court are appointed by the cabinet.
The national anthem of Japan is "Kimigayo" or "The Emperor's Reign."
The tallest mountain is Mountain Fuji. It is also an active volcano.
Sumo wrestling and baseball are very popular in Japan.
There are around 1,500 earthquakes in Japan each year.
The Tale of The Genji
Karaoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese.
The word "geisha" means "person of the arts." The first geisha were actually men.was written by Murasaki Shikibu, a noble woman who wrote the novel in 1007 AD
http://facts-about-japan.com/
http://www.blogger.com/goog_364625333
http://www.blogger.com/goog_364625333
http://www.blogger.com/goog_364625333
http://www.blogger.com/goog_364625333
http://facts-about-japan.com/interesting.html
Saturday, April 9, 2011
I is for Idylls of the King
An idyll is a form of poetry. Idylls (or Idyls) come in two forms. Short idyls tell of a peaceful country setting. Long idyls tell of heroes of by gone eras. It is believed that the shorter pastoral idylls were first penned by Theocritus. However the most famous idyll ever is written by Alfred Lord Tennyson and titled Idylls of the King.
The full manuscript of Idylls of the King was published in sections between 1856 and 1885. It is a cyclical work of twelve narrative poems. Idylls of the King was based on the Arthurian legend. While it is a retelling of heroes of long ago, it is thought by some that the poem reflected mid-Victorian societal issues.
The Idylls are:
The Coming of Arthur
Gareth and Lynette
The Marriage of Geraint
Geraint and Enid
Balin and Balan
Merlin and Vivien
Lancelot and Elaine
The Holy Grail
Pelleas and Ettare
The Last Tournament
Guinevere
The Passing of Arthur
Tennyson based his Idylls of the Kings on Sir Thomas Mallory's Le Morte D'Arthur and the Mabinogion.
Excerpt from Idyll:The Coming of Arthur
The Coming of Arthur
Leodogran, the King of Cameliard,
Had one fair daughter, and none other child;
And she was the fairest of all flesh on earth,
Guinevere, and in her his one delight.
For many a petty king ere Arthur came
Ruled in this isle, and ever waging war
Each upon other, wasted all the land;
And still from time to time the heathen host
Swarmed overseas, and harried what was left.
And so there grew great tracts of wilderness,
Wherein the beast was ever more and more,
But man was less and less, till Arthur came.
For first Aurelius lived and fought and died,
And after him King Uther fought and died,
But either failed to make the kingdom one.
And after these King Arthur for a space,
And through the puissance of his Table Round,
Drew all their petty princedoms under him.
Their king and head, and made a realm, and reigned.
And thus the land of Cameliard was waste,
Thick with wet woods, and many a beast therein,
And none or few to scare or chase the beast;
So that wild dog, and wolf and boar and bear
Came night and day, and rooted in the fields,
And wallowed in the gardens of the King.
And ever and anon the wolf would steal
The children and devour, but now and then,
Her own brood lost or dead, lent her fierce teat
To human sucklings; and the children, housed
In her foul den, there at their meat would growl,
And mock their foster mother on four feet,
Till, straightened, they grew up to wolf-like men,
Worse than the wolves. And King Leodogran
Groaned for the Roman legions here again,
And Csar's eagle: then his brother king,
Urien, assailed him: last a heathen horde,
Reddening the sun with smoke and earth with blood,
And on the spike that split the mother's heart
Spitting the child, brake on him, till, amazed,
He knew not whither he should turn for aid.
But--for he heard of Arthur newly crowned,
Though not without an uproar made by those
Who cried, `He is not Uther's son'--the King
Sent to him, saying, `Arise, and help us thou!
For here between the man and beast we die.'
And Arthur yet had done no deed of arms,
But heard the call, and came: and Guinevere
Stood by the castle walls to watch him pass;
But since he neither wore on helm or shield
The golden symbol of his kinglihood,
But rode a simple knight among his knights,
And many of these in richer arms than he,
She saw him not, or marked not, if she saw,
One among many, though his face was bare.
But Arthur, looking downward as he past,
Felt the light of her eyes into his life
Smite on the sudden, yet rode on, and pitched
His tents beside the forest. Then he drave
The heathen; after, slew the beast, and felled
The forest, letting in the sun, and made
Broad pathways for the hunter and the knight
And so returned.
For while he lingered there,
A doubt that ever smouldered in the hearts
Of those great Lords and Barons of his realm
Flashed forth and into war: for most of these,
Colleaguing with a score of petty kings,
Made head against him, crying, `Who is he
That he should rule us? who hath proven him
King Uther's son? for lo! we look at him,
And find nor face nor bearing, limbs nor voice,
Are like to those of Uther whom we knew.
This is the son of Gorlos, not the King;
This is the son of Anton, not the King.'
You can read the entire text here:
http://www.fullbooks.com/Idylls-of-the-King.html
And summaries and analyses of the poem you can find here:
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/tennyson/idylls/iotkov.html
Also check out these links:
http://poetry-online.org/poetry-terms.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idylls_of_the_King
The full manuscript of Idylls of the King was published in sections between 1856 and 1885. It is a cyclical work of twelve narrative poems. Idylls of the King was based on the Arthurian legend. While it is a retelling of heroes of long ago, it is thought by some that the poem reflected mid-Victorian societal issues.
The Idylls are:
The Coming of Arthur
Gareth and Lynette
The Marriage of Geraint
Geraint and Enid
Balin and Balan
Merlin and Vivien
Lancelot and Elaine
The Holy Grail
Pelleas and Ettare
The Last Tournament
Guinevere
The Passing of Arthur
Tennyson based his Idylls of the Kings on Sir Thomas Mallory's Le Morte D'Arthur and the Mabinogion.
Excerpt from Idyll:The Coming of Arthur
The Coming of Arthur
Leodogran, the King of Cameliard,
Had one fair daughter, and none other child;
And she was the fairest of all flesh on earth,
Guinevere, and in her his one delight.
For many a petty king ere Arthur came
Ruled in this isle, and ever waging war
Each upon other, wasted all the land;
And still from time to time the heathen host
Swarmed overseas, and harried what was left.
And so there grew great tracts of wilderness,
Wherein the beast was ever more and more,
But man was less and less, till Arthur came.
For first Aurelius lived and fought and died,
And after him King Uther fought and died,
But either failed to make the kingdom one.
And after these King Arthur for a space,
And through the puissance of his Table Round,
Drew all their petty princedoms under him.
Their king and head, and made a realm, and reigned.
And thus the land of Cameliard was waste,
Thick with wet woods, and many a beast therein,
And none or few to scare or chase the beast;
So that wild dog, and wolf and boar and bear
Came night and day, and rooted in the fields,
And wallowed in the gardens of the King.
And ever and anon the wolf would steal
The children and devour, but now and then,
Her own brood lost or dead, lent her fierce teat
To human sucklings; and the children, housed
In her foul den, there at their meat would growl,
And mock their foster mother on four feet,
Till, straightened, they grew up to wolf-like men,
Worse than the wolves. And King Leodogran
Groaned for the Roman legions here again,
And Csar's eagle: then his brother king,
Urien, assailed him: last a heathen horde,
Reddening the sun with smoke and earth with blood,
And on the spike that split the mother's heart
Spitting the child, brake on him, till, amazed,
He knew not whither he should turn for aid.
But--for he heard of Arthur newly crowned,
Though not without an uproar made by those
Who cried, `He is not Uther's son'--the King
Sent to him, saying, `Arise, and help us thou!
For here between the man and beast we die.'
And Arthur yet had done no deed of arms,
But heard the call, and came: and Guinevere
Stood by the castle walls to watch him pass;
But since he neither wore on helm or shield
The golden symbol of his kinglihood,
But rode a simple knight among his knights,
And many of these in richer arms than he,
She saw him not, or marked not, if she saw,
One among many, though his face was bare.
But Arthur, looking downward as he past,
Felt the light of her eyes into his life
Smite on the sudden, yet rode on, and pitched
His tents beside the forest. Then he drave
The heathen; after, slew the beast, and felled
The forest, letting in the sun, and made
Broad pathways for the hunter and the knight
And so returned.
For while he lingered there,
A doubt that ever smouldered in the hearts
Of those great Lords and Barons of his realm
Flashed forth and into war: for most of these,
Colleaguing with a score of petty kings,
Made head against him, crying, `Who is he
That he should rule us? who hath proven him
King Uther's son? for lo! we look at him,
And find nor face nor bearing, limbs nor voice,
Are like to those of Uther whom we knew.
This is the son of Gorlos, not the King;
This is the son of Anton, not the King.'
You can read the entire text here:
http://www.fullbooks.com/Idylls-of-the-King.html
And summaries and analyses of the poem you can find here:
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/tennyson/idylls/iotkov.html
Also check out these links:
http://poetry-online.org/poetry-terms.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idylls_of_the_King
Friday, April 8, 2011
H is for HAHAs
With all that is going on in the world I am hoping to make some of you laugh--or let out a chuckle--or smile....
The following is from funny-sign.com
The following is from funny-sign.com
Here are links to some of my more humorous articles on associatedcontent.com. All of my articles are copyrighted to and by me. If you'd like to reprint any of these send me a message. Other than that HAPPY HAHAS!
Recipe For Watching Football on Thanksgiving http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6023508/recipe_for_watching_football_on_thanksgiving.html?cat=60
Updated Dizzy Definitions http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5900778/updated_dizzy_definitions.html?cat=2
Dating Site Blunders http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2656945/dating_site_blunders.html?cat=60
I will leave that here for now. There are more listed on the site. Thank you again for your support!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
G is for Gothic Horror
G is for Gothic Horror
This is a poem I wrote. Story behind the poem: I was taking a course in Herman Melville in grad school. We had a paper due and my professor said in regards to that "Oh! The gothic horror that is a blank page!" I wrote this poem then and there. Enjoy.
gothic horror
the gothic horror that is a blank page
that ghostly disturbance that sits on my desk
that keeps me up at night
i think of nothing else
but what to write
the white is blinding
the lines are blurring
but sometime later
i begin to see things in the whiteness
snow storms
yetis coming out of the invernal forest
to reclaim the earth
squall lines pouring down
on a wooden ship
tipping it to and fro
until it becomes a flying dutchman
white smoke rising from
the smoldering ruins of
the gothic horror that
was a blank page.
c2011 Lady Samantha
This is a poem I wrote. Story behind the poem: I was taking a course in Herman Melville in grad school. We had a paper due and my professor said in regards to that "Oh! The gothic horror that is a blank page!" I wrote this poem then and there. Enjoy.
gothic horror
the gothic horror that is a blank page
that ghostly disturbance that sits on my desk
that keeps me up at night
i think of nothing else
but what to write
the white is blinding
the lines are blurring
but sometime later
i begin to see things in the whiteness
snow storms
yetis coming out of the invernal forest
to reclaim the earth
squall lines pouring down
on a wooden ship
tipping it to and fro
until it becomes a flying dutchman
white smoke rising from
the smoldering ruins of
the gothic horror that
was a blank page.
c2011 Lady Samantha
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
F is for Freedom Quotes
I decided to do quotes about Freedom for the letter F. I find that quotes are little glimpses of the past. It is always interesting to see what others have to say about other subjects.
Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus. (We are slaves of the law so that we may be free.)
~ Cicero
Liberae sunt nostrae cogitationes. (Our thoughts are free.)
~Cicero
Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.
~John Adams
Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
~Mahatma Gandhi
Man was born free, but everywhere he is in chains.
~Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Only the educated are free.
~Epicetus
Freedom is the right to live as we wish.
~Epicetus
The basis of a democratic state is liberty.
~Aristotle
Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.
~John Milton
History teaches us that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.
~Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall
Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus. (We are slaves of the law so that we may be free.)
~ Cicero
Liberae sunt nostrae cogitationes. (Our thoughts are free.)
~Cicero
Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.
~John Adams
Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
~Mahatma Gandhi
Man was born free, but everywhere he is in chains.
~Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Only the educated are free.
~Epicetus
Freedom is the right to live as we wish.
~Epicetus
The basis of a democratic state is liberty.
~Aristotle
Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.
~John Milton
History teaches us that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.
~Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
E is for Everything
D is for Daddy and Dogs
It will be six years ago on June 8 that I lost my beloved daddy.
I remember at first the doctors thought he had severe IBS. I have IBS. I said to my daddy "You don't faint from IBS. You may get a little dizzy sometimes but I've never heard of a person fainting from it." Dad continued to have fainting spells, and he continued to go for more tests. He told me it wasn't cancer. A few weeks later he told me that it is,in fact, cancer-Leukemia. I went silent on thephone and then my voice dropped as I spoke to him on the phone.
At the time dad was living in Arizona. He came to New York to go to the prestigious Memorial Sloan Kettering for treatment. There it was discovered that on top of the Leukemia dad also had Amyloidosis. Dad almost had a bone marrow transplant there, but for whatever reason he told me they told him they couldn't do it.
Through everything dad never lost his sense of humor. I had visited dad one day at Sloan Kettering. On the movable table that they use to serve him food and drink was a sanitary napkin. I looked at my dad and said "Ok I'll bite. Why is there a sanitary napkin on your table?" He replied ,"I have my period." It was good to have a good laugh.
When there was no more that could really be done dad and my step mom went back to Arizona. Dad was in a hospital there dying. I got the call from my step mom saying to come. I told them I booked a seat on Greyhound. (I don't fly and Amtrak was too expensive). I was terrified of the ride and that he might die before I got there. Once I got there, I saw my dad. We talked. I told him I love him and that he will always be my knight in shining armor. Then something happened that, while I could not control it, I will never forgive myself for. I had the world's worst panic attack. Dad said if you want you can go home. I was shocked that he even thought that. I did. I went home. That was the stupidest thing I've ever done! I should've been there! He's one of my heroes and I should've been there!
On the morning of June 8th, I called daddy at the hospital. I asked him how he was and he replied that he felt like he was going to throw up and that he'll call me back later. That would be the last time I heard my daddy's voice. Dad died of a massive heart attack that the Amyloidosis brought on, not from the Leukemia. The doctors found daddy on the floor.
I still talk to my daddy like he's here. There are pictures in almost every room. In fact in this room, there is a picture of my daddy with Mario Cuomo, former governor of New York, who's son Andrew is now governor. I still cry every now and then and sometimes I have awful flashbacks to the stupid panic attack I had. Dad often appears to me in dreams. I love you so much daddy!!!
I miss the days when I was a kid, and everyone was alive and happy. The only really unhappy part of my childhood was school, but I did get a great education. There was a lot of bullying through high school. At one time in high school, this kid through me against a locker and tried to kiss me. I went to the office. I identified the kid. Originally they weren't going to do much of anything. They didn't listen to my mother. So dad got on the horn and told them this is not acceptable...the kid didn't get expelled, but he did get a week or two of 10th period detention, and boy did he leave me alone after that. There were a lot of times in middle and high school when dad stepped in because little or nothing was being done. I don't know why they wouldn't listen to me the "victim" or my mother, but everytime dad stepped up they listened.
Dad and I used to wake up early on Sunday mornings and go to MacDonald's for a breakfast together. Then we'd go either to Meier's farm or Hick's nursery in the warmer months, or even Channel Home Centers. In front of Channel there used to be a pony ride. I have a pic of dad holding me on the pony. Dad and I used to have a vegetable garden on the side of the house. I miss him so much!
****
Both sides of my family have always loved dogs. So when I was a kid we adopted Lady I, a jet black German Shepard/Collie Mix. We were the closest of friends. There are pictures of us on the couch with her holding me. We did everythign together. Then one day, I was looking outside for something I guess, and I held the door open. I didn't realize Lady was behind me. She ran out the front door and we never found her. I cried for months on end. How could she leave me? I can only hope she found a new family to live with.
At first I didn't want to get another dog. No one could replace Lady. Then daddy and I went to one of the shelters here on Long Island. We asked if they had any German Sheppard/Collie puppies. They had a buttload. The first thing I did was look for a little jet black baby girl. Dad was like are you sure? I said yes. He directed my eyes to the doggie that was eating my shoelaces as the little black dog was trying to get away from me, and did. This other doggie was multicolored (black, white, and tan) and she looked up at me with the cutest puppy eyes and said "Take me home." Okay she didn't really say that, but her eyes said that.
There's a "famous" pic of Lady, me and my daddy in the backyard smiling. I love this pic.
At first it was hard to play with Lady II because I thought in away I was cheating on Lady I. LadyII had a hard time adjusting to our house and our lifestyle. She tore a lot of things up...the couch still has claw marks. (laughing here). Anyway, dad and mom threatened to get rid of Lady and I said "If you get rid of her, you get rid of me too." We had become best friends.
We did everything together. We walked together. We chased each other around the back yard like nutjobs together. We laughed. We cried. We watched TV together (quick aside: Lady hated when I watched dog shows. She thought I thought they were better than her or that I was looking for another dog, even though I explained that I was rooting for her heritage-German Shepards and Collies. Also, when we finally got Animal Planet, the Planets Funniest Animals became a family favorite. Mom, the dog, and I would sit downstairs and watch it together). We played poker together, and some how she always won. I'm not telling you every thing we did together-it would make this blog even longer.
Lady had very bad arthritis in her hips. One summer I had a dream that her mom, a collie (I have no idea who her mom and dad are), said to me "thank-you for taking such good care of my baby." I knew then that I was going to lose my baby dog at some point. The summer went on and we had great times still, even though Lady's health was deteriorating. I loved to massage the doggie and brush her furs. It may have felt great to her, but it felt great to me too. I even massaged her hips. At one point she had a skin tumor removed from her thigh-it was huge! Then she had a severe urinary infection. Then she had trouble getting up. So she went for cortisone shots and was on Rimadyl. I didn't think Lady was going to walk on her own again. We had helped her up manually, meaning mom or I would get behind her and help her up.
On Valentine's day, I had bought her a stuffed heart with Xs and Os on it. She was and still is my furry valentine! She looked so sad at first when I handed her the heart. I said what's wrong Odles? (My dogs were nick named Ladyodles.) Then she smiled. I think she was tickled that I thought of her on Valentine's Day.
Now Lady and I shared the same birthday. The lady at the shelter had said she was born around the 17th or 18th of February. So naturally we chose the 18th. We used to share a plain donut on our birthday. Once we got her a slew of treats and I arranged them in a maze downstairs and she scooped them up and in order too! On her very last birthday, I bought her a doggie bed, which is still in my room. I told her to lay on it and it would relieve some of the pain in her hips and help her get up a little. She was reluctant at first. I had made her all these pillows and she was like wow this one is kind of large. Anyway, one day I came into my room and there was Lady laying on the doggie bed with just her rear on the bed. I said "See, doesn't that help the pain alittle?" She smiled. She had the greatest smile ever!
A few months went by and Lady was having more accidents around thehouse, which I didn't mind cleaning. However, in May of 2003 she did walk again with no help from me. I guess that was a compromise from G-d. I asked for a miracle in curing Lady--well she wasn't cured, but she WALKED! Soon after that Lady's health began to decline. In June, I couldn't even touch her without her being in pain! On June 25th 2003 mom said hey it's time, meaning we had to put her down.
I will never let anyone convince me to do that again. I feel like a murderer. Only G-d decides who lives and dies. This is not the peoples' job!
I had to go to grief counselling for people who lost their pets. Let me tell you-I healed in about a month or so. The reason I healed so quickly was because 1. they gave me ways to deal with the grief and 2. some of those people scared the living daylights out of me. I won't tell you the stories. When dad passed in 2005 I took what I learned in that grief group and applied it. It doesn't mean the pain goes away. I lost three of my best friends. It just means that I can handle it better. And being the spiritual person I am, I talk to them all still and they appear to me in dreams. This helps me a lot.
This blog was the first time I wrote about my Dad's death. I left somethings out. It's still hard to write about, but this is part of healing a little more.
I remember at first the doctors thought he had severe IBS. I have IBS. I said to my daddy "You don't faint from IBS. You may get a little dizzy sometimes but I've never heard of a person fainting from it." Dad continued to have fainting spells, and he continued to go for more tests. He told me it wasn't cancer. A few weeks later he told me that it is,in fact, cancer-Leukemia. I went silent on thephone and then my voice dropped as I spoke to him on the phone.
At the time dad was living in Arizona. He came to New York to go to the prestigious Memorial Sloan Kettering for treatment. There it was discovered that on top of the Leukemia dad also had Amyloidosis. Dad almost had a bone marrow transplant there, but for whatever reason he told me they told him they couldn't do it.
Through everything dad never lost his sense of humor. I had visited dad one day at Sloan Kettering. On the movable table that they use to serve him food and drink was a sanitary napkin. I looked at my dad and said "Ok I'll bite. Why is there a sanitary napkin on your table?" He replied ,"I have my period." It was good to have a good laugh.
When there was no more that could really be done dad and my step mom went back to Arizona. Dad was in a hospital there dying. I got the call from my step mom saying to come. I told them I booked a seat on Greyhound. (I don't fly and Amtrak was too expensive). I was terrified of the ride and that he might die before I got there. Once I got there, I saw my dad. We talked. I told him I love him and that he will always be my knight in shining armor. Then something happened that, while I could not control it, I will never forgive myself for. I had the world's worst panic attack. Dad said if you want you can go home. I was shocked that he even thought that. I did. I went home. That was the stupidest thing I've ever done! I should've been there! He's one of my heroes and I should've been there!
On the morning of June 8th, I called daddy at the hospital. I asked him how he was and he replied that he felt like he was going to throw up and that he'll call me back later. That would be the last time I heard my daddy's voice. Dad died of a massive heart attack that the Amyloidosis brought on, not from the Leukemia. The doctors found daddy on the floor.
I still talk to my daddy like he's here. There are pictures in almost every room. In fact in this room, there is a picture of my daddy with Mario Cuomo, former governor of New York, who's son Andrew is now governor. I still cry every now and then and sometimes I have awful flashbacks to the stupid panic attack I had. Dad often appears to me in dreams. I love you so much daddy!!!
I miss the days when I was a kid, and everyone was alive and happy. The only really unhappy part of my childhood was school, but I did get a great education. There was a lot of bullying through high school. At one time in high school, this kid through me against a locker and tried to kiss me. I went to the office. I identified the kid. Originally they weren't going to do much of anything. They didn't listen to my mother. So dad got on the horn and told them this is not acceptable...the kid didn't get expelled, but he did get a week or two of 10th period detention, and boy did he leave me alone after that. There were a lot of times in middle and high school when dad stepped in because little or nothing was being done. I don't know why they wouldn't listen to me the "victim" or my mother, but everytime dad stepped up they listened.
Dad and I used to wake up early on Sunday mornings and go to MacDonald's for a breakfast together. Then we'd go either to Meier's farm or Hick's nursery in the warmer months, or even Channel Home Centers. In front of Channel there used to be a pony ride. I have a pic of dad holding me on the pony. Dad and I used to have a vegetable garden on the side of the house. I miss him so much!
****
Both sides of my family have always loved dogs. So when I was a kid we adopted Lady I, a jet black German Shepard/Collie Mix. We were the closest of friends. There are pictures of us on the couch with her holding me. We did everythign together. Then one day, I was looking outside for something I guess, and I held the door open. I didn't realize Lady was behind me. She ran out the front door and we never found her. I cried for months on end. How could she leave me? I can only hope she found a new family to live with.
At first I didn't want to get another dog. No one could replace Lady. Then daddy and I went to one of the shelters here on Long Island. We asked if they had any German Sheppard/Collie puppies. They had a buttload. The first thing I did was look for a little jet black baby girl. Dad was like are you sure? I said yes. He directed my eyes to the doggie that was eating my shoelaces as the little black dog was trying to get away from me, and did. This other doggie was multicolored (black, white, and tan) and she looked up at me with the cutest puppy eyes and said "Take me home." Okay she didn't really say that, but her eyes said that.
There's a "famous" pic of Lady, me and my daddy in the backyard smiling. I love this pic.
At first it was hard to play with Lady II because I thought in away I was cheating on Lady I. LadyII had a hard time adjusting to our house and our lifestyle. She tore a lot of things up...the couch still has claw marks. (laughing here). Anyway, dad and mom threatened to get rid of Lady and I said "If you get rid of her, you get rid of me too." We had become best friends.
We did everything together. We walked together. We chased each other around the back yard like nutjobs together. We laughed. We cried. We watched TV together (quick aside: Lady hated when I watched dog shows. She thought I thought they were better than her or that I was looking for another dog, even though I explained that I was rooting for her heritage-German Shepards and Collies. Also, when we finally got Animal Planet, the Planets Funniest Animals became a family favorite. Mom, the dog, and I would sit downstairs and watch it together). We played poker together, and some how she always won. I'm not telling you every thing we did together-it would make this blog even longer.
Lady had very bad arthritis in her hips. One summer I had a dream that her mom, a collie (I have no idea who her mom and dad are), said to me "thank-you for taking such good care of my baby." I knew then that I was going to lose my baby dog at some point. The summer went on and we had great times still, even though Lady's health was deteriorating. I loved to massage the doggie and brush her furs. It may have felt great to her, but it felt great to me too. I even massaged her hips. At one point she had a skin tumor removed from her thigh-it was huge! Then she had a severe urinary infection. Then she had trouble getting up. So she went for cortisone shots and was on Rimadyl. I didn't think Lady was going to walk on her own again. We had helped her up manually, meaning mom or I would get behind her and help her up.
On Valentine's day, I had bought her a stuffed heart with Xs and Os on it. She was and still is my furry valentine! She looked so sad at first when I handed her the heart. I said what's wrong Odles? (My dogs were nick named Ladyodles.) Then she smiled. I think she was tickled that I thought of her on Valentine's Day.
Now Lady and I shared the same birthday. The lady at the shelter had said she was born around the 17th or 18th of February. So naturally we chose the 18th. We used to share a plain donut on our birthday. Once we got her a slew of treats and I arranged them in a maze downstairs and she scooped them up and in order too! On her very last birthday, I bought her a doggie bed, which is still in my room. I told her to lay on it and it would relieve some of the pain in her hips and help her get up a little. She was reluctant at first. I had made her all these pillows and she was like wow this one is kind of large. Anyway, one day I came into my room and there was Lady laying on the doggie bed with just her rear on the bed. I said "See, doesn't that help the pain alittle?" She smiled. She had the greatest smile ever!
A few months went by and Lady was having more accidents around thehouse, which I didn't mind cleaning. However, in May of 2003 she did walk again with no help from me. I guess that was a compromise from G-d. I asked for a miracle in curing Lady--well she wasn't cured, but she WALKED! Soon after that Lady's health began to decline. In June, I couldn't even touch her without her being in pain! On June 25th 2003 mom said hey it's time, meaning we had to put her down.
I will never let anyone convince me to do that again. I feel like a murderer. Only G-d decides who lives and dies. This is not the peoples' job!
I had to go to grief counselling for people who lost their pets. Let me tell you-I healed in about a month or so. The reason I healed so quickly was because 1. they gave me ways to deal with the grief and 2. some of those people scared the living daylights out of me. I won't tell you the stories. When dad passed in 2005 I took what I learned in that grief group and applied it. It doesn't mean the pain goes away. I lost three of my best friends. It just means that I can handle it better. And being the spiritual person I am, I talk to them all still and they appear to me in dreams. This helps me a lot.
This blog was the first time I wrote about my Dad's death. I left somethings out. It's still hard to write about, but this is part of healing a little more.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
C is for Cookies
An obvious choice for C because I wanted to sing "C is for Cookie. Is good enough for me." I have that album somewhere; a whole Sesame Street album. Yes album, not CD. For those of you not old enough to remember, albums are those round black vinyl things that mom and dad can put on a turntable.
Back to cookies: I remember baking cookies with my grandma. We aren't talkin Pillsbury cookies that you just cut and put on a cookie sheet. No, I am talking "from scratch" cookies. Grandma would pour some flour, eggs, a dash of salt and some sugar into a bowl and get the dough going. Then grandma would roll the dough out on a wooden cutting board. She had all sorts of cookie cutters for all different occasions, but if there was no occasion she had triangles, circles, squares...you name it she had it. I loved putting the cookie cutters into the dough.
I had two favorite types of cookies: chocolate chip- what kid wouldn't love a chocolate chip cookie, with freshly melted chocolate chips. It's like a Hershey's kiss cookie melting in your mouth. The other favorite is poppy seed cookies. I don't know if you can still buy poppy seeds in bags, but grandma used to get them that way. For some reason it was fun just to put the seeds into the dough and roll the dough.
After we baked them, me and Grandpa would devour most of the cookies, but we usually saved one or two for grams and mom. If my cousins were there, of course, they had some. Yes I dunked my chocolate chip cookies in my milk, but for some reason not the poppy ones. I don't know why. If we didn't have milk, which was rare, I had water or apple juice. Cookies are not the same with water or apple juice. They have a different taste, and you can't really dunk them.
Friday, April 1, 2011
B is for Bears
Why bears? Because bears are one of my favorite animals!
I wanted to to bring something to your attention. I don't like the way bears are treated! They are killed for their fur, for food, and for fun. How is it fun leaving a baby bear without their mother? The cub will die without it's mommy unless people step in. This shouldn't have to happen! All animals are put here for a reason. You don't have to like them, but I think you should try to get along with them!
The biggest threats to bears today are other bears and people and climate change.
Different Kinds of Bears:
Pandas - Pandas are mainly found in China. They are on the brink of extinction because of people and because they rarely breed. I believe they are one of the most solitary species of bear. Pandas that are around today include the Giant Panda and Qinling Panda. http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/giantpanda/panda.html
Spectacled Bears - Spectacled Bear susually look like a mix of racoon and bear. Spectacled bears are also called Andean bears. They are native to South America. http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/specBear.html
Sun Bear- The Sun Bear is not hairless, bur rather has a thin coating of short fur. They are native to Southeast Asia. There is a very small subspecies native to Borneo called the Borneo Sunbear. They are a tad different looking then the other Sun Bears and are only native to Borneo. http://sunbears.wildlifedirect.org/
The Sloth Bear - The sloth bear is so named because of his sloth like claws. He is an insectivore, meaning he eats mostly insects.They are found in India and Sri Lanka . These are the only bears who's young ride on their back. http://www.squidoo.com/slothbears
The American Black Bear - This bear lives primarily in the United States and Canada. There are several subspecies of Black Bear. You can find out more in this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursus_americanus
The Brown Bear - The Brown Bear has many subspecies. The largest is the Eurasian Brown Bear. These are the bears you find in Mongolia. Then there is the Alaska Brown Bear, The Kamchatka Brown Bear (or Far Eastern Brown Bear) who you can find at Kamchatka in Russia and Paramushir Island,The Eastern Siberian Brown Bear, The Grizzly Bear (which is found in Western Canada, Alaska, and the Northwestern United States. At one time they existed in the Great Plains (http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Mammals/Grizzly-Bear.aspx) , The Himalayan Brown Bear (who almost looks like a cross between a dog and a teddy bear)-they are found in Nepal, Pakistan, and Northern India, Ussuri Brown Bear is found in the Russia particularly in the Southern Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Maritime Territor, Ussuri/Amur River Region, in northeastern Heiogjiang, China as well as Hokkaido, Japan, The Kodiak Bear is found in Alaska, The Syrian Brown Bear lives in Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, the Himalayas, the Pamir-Alai and the Tien Shan mountains-at one time they probably lived in Israel). You can find out more about these brown bears: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursus_arctos
There is a Grizzly-Polar bear hybrid called the prizzly, pizzly, or grolar bear. I like Prizzly myself. This bear is very rare.
Before I continue, I'd like to mention my bear friend Brutus. Brutus was rescued by Casey Andersen and Ami Otten Testa. Brutus became Casey's best friend, and won the hearts of many many people around the world. He was also Casey's best man at his wedding. He is a Grizzly bear. Huge, but cute, and very loving. Brutus teaches people all about grizzlies at Montana's Grizzly Encounter and on Expedition Grizzly which was put out by the NatGeo Wild.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/content/expedition-grizzly-3909/brutus-and-me/album-01.html <--some pictures of Brutus from baby to bear-hood.
http://www.grizzlyencounter.com/ <--information on the Montana Grizzly Encounter. Please support them! They not only helped Brutus, but a lot of other bears as well.
Polar Bear- Polar Bears live largely in the arctic circle. They are all white and their feet are designed to help them keep traction on the ice. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursus_maritimus
Asian Black Bear - This bear has a little white patch on his chest. The rest of him is black. They are found in southern Asia, Korea, northeastern China, the Russian far east, and two islands in Japan. http://a-z-animals.com/animals/asian-black-bear/
Despite what people think, Koalas are technically not bears. They are called bears because of their furry ears. However all bears are mammals. Koalas are marsupials.
For more information on bears :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear (sadly this included a long list of extinct bears too).
I do not like this notion that bears are monsters. They aren't. They are more concerned with themselves then they are with you, and that is not conceit. That is just the way bears are. They are beautiful and majestic creatures! It is RARE for a bear to attack a person, let alone attack a person for no reason. Usual causes for bear attacks are people teasing the animal, they're eating, or they're cubs are around and they are protecting them. Not to mention, sometimes bears have bad days too.
My fascination with bears began when I was little. Mom and dad would show slide shows from when they went to Yellowstone and in them of course were BEARS! I'd shriek in happiness! I still make that same high pitched sound when I see bears anywhere. I have over 200 teddies and still going strong, but one day I would like to meet a trained bear. Who knows maybe one day I'll meet Brutus?
Letter A
A is for April Fool.
Most people I know have tried the 'saran wrap on the toilet seat' to fool many waking and unsuspecting victims. Some have tried the "while you're asleep I shall place your left hand in warm water and watch you piss yourself" gag. If anyone had tried these two on me, they'd not be here now, or at least have a large laundry bill.
When I was a kid I tried the ' mom I failed my test' gag. Of course when I handed her the paper it was always 90% or above.
The single gag I remember most was an email I got from a then friend. It was a weather report stating that there was a Nor'Easter moving up the east coast and was going to hit during the night on that particular night. I also remember that it had been a particularly storm year. So of course I believed him until he wrote back with "April Fools." Of course the irony of it all is that this year a storm is going to hit us. It is sort of like G-d saying "Nanny nanny poo poo. You thought I was done with the snow, but...YOU LOSE." Actually, I don't mind the cold temperatures at all. In fact I prefer them. And no, that is not an April Fools joke.
The Yankees were smart. They decided their opening day would be March 31 instead of April 1. Why is this? I think it's because if they lost they could get on the news after and say "April Fools." Ok that didn't come out half as funny as it sounded in my head.
Are people born on April 1 April Fools or just fools in general? If you are born on this day, I am only joking. Please don't throw rotten tomatoes at me. Speaking of April 1 birthdays, here are a few:
1578 William Harvey- English Physician
1732 Franz Josef Haydn- Composer
1802- Hubert Reis- Composer
1809- Nikolai Gogol-Writer
1814- Otto von Bismarck- German Chancellor
1873 - Sergei Vasilevitch Rachmaninov- Composer
1875- Edgar Wallace - Writer
1883- Lon Chaney sr-Actor
1885- Clementine Churchill
1907- Walter Kaufman-Composer
1920- Toshiro Mifune - Writer/Actor
1928- Jane Powell- Actress/Singer
1932- Debbie Reynolds- Actress
1932- Gordon Jump- Actor
1939- Ali McGraw - Actress
1939- Phil Niekro- Baseball player
1939- Rudolph Isley (the Isley Brothers)- Singer
1947- David Eisenhower- President Dwight Eisenhower's Son
1948- Jimmy Cliff- Singer
1952- Annette O'Toole- Actress
I take back all I said about fools.
If you are wondering what I am doing....Today is the start of the April A-Z in the blog world. Every day, except Sunday (poor Sunday. I hug Sunday.), bloggers must write a blog around the letters of the alphabet. Today was A. I look forward to B.
May your April Fool's Day be filled with smiles!
Most people I know have tried the 'saran wrap on the toilet seat' to fool many waking and unsuspecting victims. Some have tried the "while you're asleep I shall place your left hand in warm water and watch you piss yourself" gag. If anyone had tried these two on me, they'd not be here now, or at least have a large laundry bill.
When I was a kid I tried the ' mom I failed my test' gag. Of course when I handed her the paper it was always 90% or above.
The single gag I remember most was an email I got from a then friend. It was a weather report stating that there was a Nor'Easter moving up the east coast and was going to hit during the night on that particular night. I also remember that it had been a particularly storm year. So of course I believed him until he wrote back with "April Fools." Of course the irony of it all is that this year a storm is going to hit us. It is sort of like G-d saying "Nanny nanny poo poo. You thought I was done with the snow, but...YOU LOSE." Actually, I don't mind the cold temperatures at all. In fact I prefer them. And no, that is not an April Fools joke.
The Yankees were smart. They decided their opening day would be March 31 instead of April 1. Why is this? I think it's because if they lost they could get on the news after and say "April Fools." Ok that didn't come out half as funny as it sounded in my head.
Are people born on April 1 April Fools or just fools in general? If you are born on this day, I am only joking. Please don't throw rotten tomatoes at me. Speaking of April 1 birthdays, here are a few:
1578 William Harvey- English Physician
1732 Franz Josef Haydn- Composer
1802- Hubert Reis- Composer
1809- Nikolai Gogol-Writer
1814- Otto von Bismarck- German Chancellor
1873 - Sergei Vasilevitch Rachmaninov- Composer
1875- Edgar Wallace - Writer
1883- Lon Chaney sr-Actor
1885- Clementine Churchill
1907- Walter Kaufman-Composer
1920- Toshiro Mifune - Writer/Actor
1928- Jane Powell- Actress/Singer
1932- Debbie Reynolds- Actress
1932- Gordon Jump- Actor
1939- Ali McGraw - Actress
1939- Phil Niekro- Baseball player
1939- Rudolph Isley (the Isley Brothers)- Singer
1947- David Eisenhower- President Dwight Eisenhower's Son
1948- Jimmy Cliff- Singer
1952- Annette O'Toole- Actress
I take back all I said about fools.
If you are wondering what I am doing....Today is the start of the April A-Z in the blog world. Every day, except Sunday (poor Sunday. I hug Sunday.), bloggers must write a blog around the letters of the alphabet. Today was A. I look forward to B.
May your April Fool's Day be filled with smiles!
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