This week is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week.
If you don't think bullying is a big problem, please think again. At Wrightslaw, letters are received every week asking advice about what to do when children are bullied... by peers, by older students, even by teachers.
Wrightslaw lists dozens of resources that provide strategies for dealing with bullying and how to prevent it.
Reports and Resources
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 50% of children are bullied and l0% are victims of bullying on a regular basis. (The NYU Child Study Center, 2005.) Kids who have learning disabilities (LD) or ADHD are especially vulnerable to bullying problems. Read Understanding Bullying and Its Impact on Kids with Learning Disabilities or ADHD.
The PACER Center, a national parent center in Minnesota, has established a National Center for Bullying Prevention. Read about their campaign to empower schools, parents, and kids to end childhood harassment. With an emphasis on children with disabilities, you'll find tool kits for daily activities, online bullying prevention training for parents, and informational handouts.
To find out what works -- and doesn't work -- in bullying prevention and intervention read What Adults Can Do from the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Another excellent resource for parents, teachers, and others who are trying to protect kids is a publication from the Office of Civil Rights titled Protecting Students from Harassment and Hate Crime: A Guide for Schools. It includes a section on the definition of harassment based on disability and provides step-by-step guidance for developing a district's written anti-harassment policy. You may want to ensure your school board has a copy of this publication. Download a copy by clicking on the link above.
Take a Stand, Lend a Hand
Go to Stop Bullying Now! to find information, prevention, tips, and games. You'll find webcasts and podcasts for kids about what bullying is and how to take a stand against bullying.
This document Preventing Bullying: A Manuel for Schools and Communities addresses the problem of bullying in schools and defines bullying, discusses the seriousness of this behavior and the effectiveness of a comprehensive approach, and presents strategies for teachers, students, and parents to use when dealing with bullying situations. It also provides examples of innovative and successful approaches used by schools in different parts of the country.
Amber Alert
Bullying Prevention
The Personality of Your Handwriting
Your handwriting reveals that you are Sociable.
Your writing style reflects that you tend to feel connected to others, and that you help to facilitate that connection through your clear written communication. Tickle research indicates that people who are sociable generally have a few or all of the following characteristics in their writing: prefer printing over cursive, a left margin that doesn't get narrower or wider toward the bottom, avoids using very heavy pressure when writing, a large or very large letter size, doesn't print in all lower case letters, &/or regular writing is clear and legible.
Your writing tends to be particularly clear, which is a sign that you're trying to be communicative and make it easy for others to read your writing. Of all of the personality characteristics that are projected in your writing, sociability is the one that predominates. However, Tickle has also included in this report a comprehensive handwriting analysis, using traditional methods, to give you a deeper view into what a handwriting analyst might say about you based on your writing.
The Ten Major Components of Your Handwriting
Graphologists use a number of techniques to decipher your handwriting. Tickle's test focuses on the ten most revealing and prominent traits: Slant, Baseline, Margins, Spacing, Pressure, Size, Speed, Zones, Style, and Signature. This section explains the basic rationale behind each trait, as well as the specific meaning of your personalization of that trait.
Your Slant
As children, we're taught to slant to the right, primarily because we write from left to right. This means that a rightward slant is the most common slant, though some people have a leftward, vertical, or varied slant. While you might assume that left-handed people are more likely to slant to the left, graphologists have discovered that an equal percentage of lefties and righties slant in both directions.
You have a rightward slant. According to handwriting analysts, rightward slant indicates that you focus your thoughts and efforts on the future, despite any fears or reservations about what's to come. Because we write from left to right on the page, leaning toward the right indicates a leaning toward the future. Thus, your slant indicates that you tend to express your true feelings. Your expressiveness may lead you to be particularly affectionate, as well as passionate about the people and things you care about most. Like you, Marie Curie had a distinctive rightward slant.
Your Baseline
The baseline is the invisible line we use to guide our handwriting on a blank sheet of paper. Some baselines are relatively straight, while others slant upward, downward, or vary as the line progresses to the edge of the page. When you start at the left-hand side of the page, you're in the past. As you write across the page, you move through the present and to the future. Handwriting analysts believe that the angle of your baseline as you progress through this metaphorical time continuum reveals information about your general moods, your attitudes toward the past, present, and future, and your level of mental energy.
You have a straight baseline. Handwriting analysts say that this means your emotions and your outward behavior is stable and even-keeled. You likely exert a certain level of self-control over your external expression of your mood. People can count on you to be consistent and careful. While a relatively straight baseline indicates stability, an overly straight baseline (one created by writing with a ruler, or one that looks as if it's been written using a ruler), is a sign that one is over-controlling their behavior to compensate for a deeper fear of losing control.
Your Margins
Graphologists see the blank page as a representation of your life. The top of the page represents your past; the bottom represents your future. Likewise, the left side symbolizes your past, and the right side represents your future. The size and placement of your margins speaks to how you balance your relationship with the past and present, as well as how you interact with the people you encounter. The ideal, standard margin for adults is to start roughly 1 to 1½ inches in from the left and to go as far as you can to the edge of the right-hand side without moving into it and having to crunch your words.
Your Full Page
You exhibit the ideal, standard margins on all sides of the page. Analysts believe this standard formatting indicates a healthy relationship with your past and your future.
Your Left Margin
Because we write from left to right, the left side of the page reveals our feelings about our past. Your standard left margin leads graphologists to conclude that you have a healthy relationship with your past.
Your Right Margin
Our right margins relate to our feelings about the future. Graphologists believe that your standard right margin means you have a timid relationship with the future. You're more likely than others to be inhibited.
Your Top Margin
You have a large top margin. Your adherence to standard formatting points to your more formal, humble nature. Because you allow for the standard amount of room in your top margin, you're likely more considerate and respectful in your interactions with others.
Your Lower Margin
Handwriting analysts deem your lower margin wide. Because the bottom of the page represents the future, your avoidance of some of the usable space in the lower margin may indicate a fear of the future and avoidance of forward-movement in life.
Your Indentations
Because every line of your paragraphs are aligned, as opposed to having an indentation in the first line of each paragraph, graphologists would speculate that you're slightly inhibited and shy.
Your Spacing
The spacing between your letters, words, and lines of writing all reveal how you feel about your relationship to others. Analysts see each word as an expression of yourself, and how close you place those words reveals your unconscious emotional and physical boundaries with others. Because spacing will vary with how fast you're writing, standard spacing is generally anything that doesn't stand out as unusual.
Your Spacing Between Letters and Words
The spacing between your letters and between your words is standard. Analysts say this means that you tend to be orderly, while at the same time maintaining an open-minded and relaxed attitude.
Your Spacing Between Lines
You have standard, even line spacing, which points to your being a consistent, even-keeled person with clear intelligence.
Your Pressure
The pressure of your handwriting relates to how hard you're pressing down when you're writing. Analysts believe that the pressure of one's writing relates to the amount of mental energy and intensity the writer is experiencing. Pressure is a trait that can change regularly, depending on your mood. However, most people generally write with a medium pressure.
The heavy pressure you exert while writing is a sign that you're assertive, energetic, and forceful.
Your Size
Because the blank paper represents your life and your surroundings, the size of your writing represents the way you relate to your surroundings. Analysts learn to determine size by examining many handwriting samples, and comparing those samples over time. Because size isn't a fixed trait, and the size of the paper can impact the size of your writing, it can be useful to view several samples to get the most accurate reading of your handwriting size.
Graphologists would categorize the size of your writing as medium. They'd say you're someone who feels socially normal and possesses an average ability of concentration. The majority of people write this way, except for when they're experiencing a temporary shift in mood.
Your Speed
The speed at which you write is a sign of intelligence, spontaneity, patience, and honesty. Adults of average intelligence who are being truthful generally don't write slowly most of the time. When someone generally writes quickly, but suddenly slows down over a few words, graphologists often suspect that those words could be untrue or conflicted.
The slow speed at which you generally write indicates a guarded nature.
Your Zones
Your handwriting can be dissected into three zones: the upper, middle, and lower zones. Tickle's handwriting test focused on your upper zone, which represents your mind, and your lower zone, which represents your instincts and desires. In graphology, the standard balance for the zones is for your middle zone to take up half the amount of space as your upper or middle zones. Graphologists reap a lot of information from the size and proportion of the zones, as well as the shape of the letters that appear in each zone.
Your Lower Zone
The length of your lower loop is normal, which means you are likely consistent and able to stick with things — such as mates, jobs, and locations — for a long time. The normal shape of your lower loop shows that you're able to maintain an affectionate, monogamous sexual relationship.
The normal shape of your lower loop shows that you're able to maintain an affectionate, monogamous sexual relationship.
The size of your lower loop is normal, which means you're sexually satisfied and happy with the status of your material life.
Your Upper Zone
Your rounded upper loop reveals that you are tender and sympathetic.
The lead in into your upper loop means that you're likely indirect and less efficient than others.
Your Style
The style of your handwriting refers to whether you generally use print or cursive, or a combination of the two. The reason for your choice is significant to graphologists. One reason for this is that printing only certain words or phrases may be an indication of dishonesty. Another reason is that statistically, more men print than women. Some analysts believe this is because boys' fine motor skills aren't as advanced as girls' at the age at which printing is taught, which makes it more difficult in general for boys to learn to write. By the time cursive is being taught, many boys have decided they don't care for handwriting, and even though their fine motor skills have caught up by this point, many are reluctant to take on a whole new kind of writing with the same gusto. Once they're no longer forced to write in cursive, many boys return to print.
Your Printed and Cursive Writing
You've indicated that you generally try to print, even though your cursive writing is legible. Handwriting analysts believe this means you don't want to reveal your true personality to others, and that you consider the effect you have on others.
Capitalization of Your Printed Writing
When you write in standard capital and lower case letters, you maintain the distinctions among the three zones of writing. Handwriting analysts believe this means you like things to be neat and orderly, and that you generally follow the rules necessary to keep things clear.
Your Signature
While the majority of your handwriting communicates your conscious feelings and ideas, your signature represents your unconscious public self-image. In your signature, you convey your public identity: how you see your public self, how you wish others would see you, and how you think others do see you. By comparing your signature with the rest of your writing, graphologists seek to determine if your public and private personas are similar or different. Your
Signature Style
You've indicated that your Signature Style is similar to the rest of your handwriting. This means that you're a person who lives by a "what you see is what you get" ethos. You aren't likely to show off or put on airs in public. Your
Signature Size
Because your signature is slightly larger than the rest of your writing, analysts believe that you have a degree of self-confidence in public that is healthy and appropriate.
Your Signature's Legibility
Having both a signature and writing that are clear and legible indicates that you are considerate and respectful, and that you hope to communicate both your thoughts and your true self to others.
Your Signature's Underscore
Not having an underscore indicates that you don't feel the need to emphasize yourself publicly.
Your Signature's Initials
Because the initials in your signature are the standard amount larger than the other letters, graphologists think you have a desire to stand out in public and be socially prominent.
Your Signature Placement
Placing your signature on the right-hand side of the page indicates that you go along with what you're taught. You're also particularly conscious of your public persona.
Handwriting ABCs
In addition to the ten handwriting traits just discussed, handwriting analysts also take into account the formation of individual letters. This section of your report reveals what graphologists would say about your letter formation.
Your lower-case "b" demonstrates that you have the ability to persevere through difficult circumstances.
Your lower-case "g" reveals that you are an honest person who is well-educated.
Handwriting analysts believe that your lower-case "j" indicates that you think analytically and act cautiously.
Your capital "O" is a sign that you're determined and discreet.
Albert Einstein’s Signature
Handwriting analysts believe you can tell a lot about a person's public persona from their signature. Albert Einstein's signature has initials that are somewhat larger than the rest of his letters. According to graphologists, this indicates that he had a desire to stand out in public and be socially prominent. As one of the most brilliant and imaginative minds of the 20th Century, we also know that Einstein was one of the more publicly playful scientists in history. He certainly didn't seem to mind having his photo taken or being in the spotlight.
Einstein's signature is also pretty legible. Graphologists would interpret this to mean he hoped to communicate his thoughts and true self to others. The ascending baseline in his signature is a sign of healthy mental energy and a strong possibility of success in his endeavors. Sounds about right!
The History of Graphology
The first historical records of graphology date back to 11th century China, where a man named Kuo Jo Hsu said it was possible to discern personality characteristics from people's handwriting. Confucius once said, "Handwriting can infallibly show whether it comes from a person who is noble-minded or from one who is vulgar." Then, in 1622, an Italian man named Camillo Baldi wrote the philosophical book On the Way of Knowing the Nature and Qualities of the Writer by Analyzing a Letter Missive. It wasn't until 1875, though, that French Abbot Jean Hyppolyte Michon coined the phrase "graphology."
In 1869, Frenchman Jean Michon wrote The Mysteries of Handwriting, which was later followed by The Practical Method. Both of these books were based upon countless studies and analysis, and they are still largely the basis of graphology today. At the end of that century, when psychology emerged as a science, psychiatrists Rene Rasten, Paul Joire, and Paul Carton, combined psychology with graphology to create graphotherapy, the science of changing personality characteristics by changing elements and characteristics of the individual's handwriting.
Today graphologists use the empirical method of blind studies to derive data about the meaning behind handwriting. For instance, if graphologists are trying to determine if a particular personality trait, such as alcoholism, can be revealed by handwriting, they first agree on the criteria for that trait, and then they sample a large number of people who are known to have that trait, as well as a control group of a large number of people who don't exhibit this trait. Based on their findings, they determine if this trait can accurately be detected in one's handwriting.
Graphology in the Courtroom
There are all kinds of interesting uses for handwriting analysis; perhaps the most intriguing application is using graphology to solve crimes. Handwriting analysts are often asked to testify in criminal court cases, and often the handwriting of suspects is examined to see if particular writing characteristics are consistent with the traits of the criminal (such as being a deceitful, angry, or extremely introverted person). Graphologists are often employed to examine suicide notes to determine if they're genuine or forgeries done by the deceased's murderer. Handwriting analysis is also useful in determining if wills were signed willingly or under duress, or if a document is a forgery.
In one famous case, handwriting analysis was employed to help link the murderer to his victims. Serial killer Ted Bundy's victims were in different states and were murdered in a variety of different ways, which made it difficult for authorities to link the crimes to one perpetrator. However, Bundy did have one common technique that he used with the majority of his victims: he lured them over by buying them a drink and accompanying it with a note inviting them to sit with him. It was by comparing these notes that investigators realized that they were looking for one serial killer, not several different murderers. Without graphology, authorities may never have realized — or been able to prove — the full extent of his crimes.
References
Amend, Karen, and Ruiz, Mary. Handwriting Analysis. (New Page Books), 1986.
Imberman, Arlyn, and Rifkin, June. Signature for Success. (Andrews McMeel Publishing) 2003. Lowe, Shiela R. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Handwriting Analysis. (Alpha Books), 1999.
McNichol, Andrea. Handwriting Analysis: Putting It to Work for You. (Contemporary Books), 1994.
Rodgers, Vimala. Your Handwriting Can Change Your Life! (Fireside), 2000. Santoy, Claude. The ABCs of Handwriting Analysis: A Guide to Techniques and Interpretations. (Marlow and Company), 1994.
A World Without Love
Some 100 million prescriptions for antidepressants are written annually in the United States. Because these drugs are becoming generic, they will soon be widely used worldwide as well. Many are SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These drugs raise levels of serotonin in brain -- a good idea when you are horribly depressed. These drugs blunt the emotions, curb obsessive thinking and help you sleep.
But serotonin enhancers also suppress the dopamine system in the brain and dopamine circuits become super active when you feel intense romantic love. So, connecting the dots, I hypothesize that when you take these drugs, you can jeopardize your ability to fall in love and/or stay in love.
This apparently stimulated the following letter from a medical doctor in Texas: “After two bouts of depression in ten years, my therapist recommended I stay on serotonin-enhancing antidepressants indefinitely. As appreciative as I was to have regained my health, I found that my usual enthusiasm for life was replaced with blandness. My romantic feelings for my wife declined drastically. With the approval of my therapist, I gradually discontinued my medication. My enthusiasm returned and our romance is now as strong as ever. I am prepared to deal with another bout of depression if need be, but in my case the long-term side effects of antidepressants render them off limits.”
I can’t tell you how many people have emailed me similar stories.
Some people are chronically and severely depressed. They may need to take one of these drugs for life. I am not trying to minimize their path to sanity and comfort. Many “normal” folks are taking these drugs for reasons of temporary malaise and then continuing to use them after the depression has lifted. These are the people that concern me. We all know these drugs cripple your sex drive (in 73% of users). But humanity has inherited other brain systems for reproduction as well, among them the neural mechanism for romantic love. And these men and women may be jeopardizing this brain system too.
What is a world without love? If patterns of human love subtly change, all sorts of social and political atrocities can escalate.
Why I Blog
I love my life... really!
My "special purpose" son and "gifted" daughter take me to places daily in my mind and heart that I would have never known existed without them. In sharing photos and a few words from our day to day life, I hope to help you look at your life with humor and with the reality that you do what you can do when you can do it... then you eat chocolate.
Let us know why you blog via a blog post, then link up here using Mr. Linky below.
A Biker
I saw you hug your purse closer to you in the grocery store line,
but you didn't see me put an extra $10.00 in the collection plate last Sunday.
I saw you pull your child closer when we passed each other on the sidewalk,
but you didn't see me playing Santa at the local mall.
I saw you change your mind about going into the restaurant,
but you didn't see me attending a meeting to raise more money for the hurricane relief.
I saw you roll up your window and shake your head when I drove by,
but you didn't see me driving behind you when you flicked your cigarette butt out the car window.
I saw you frown at me when I smiled at your children,
but you didn't see me when I took time off from work to run toys to the homeless.
I saw you stare at my long hair,
but you didn't see me and my friends cut ten inches off for Locks of Love.
I saw you roll your eyes at our leather coats and gloves,
but you didn't see me and my brothers donate our old coats and gloves to those that had none.
I saw you look in fright at my tattoos,
but you didn't see me cry as my children were born..
I saw you change lanes while rushing off to go somewhere,
but you didn't see me going home to be with my family.
I saw you complain about how loud and noisy our bikes can be,
but you didn't see me when you were changing the CD and drifted into my lane.
I saw you yelling at your kids in the car,
but you didn't see me pat my child's hands knowing he was safe behind me.
I saw you reading the newspaper or map as you drove down the road,
but you didn't see me squeeze my wife's leg when she told me to take the next turn.
I saw you race down the road in the rain,
but you didn't see me get soaked to the skin so my son could have the car to go on his date.
I saw you run the yellow light just to save a few minutes of time,
but you didn't see me trying to turn right.
I saw you cut me off because you needed to be in the lane I was in,
but you didn't see me leave the road.
I saw you waiting impatiently for my friends to pass,
but you didn't see me. I wasn't there.
I saw you go home to your family,
but you didn't see me. I died that day you cut me off.
I WAS JUST A BIKER. A person with friends and a family. But you didn't see me.
~~ Author Unknown ~~
5 Minutes Around the Blogosphere
I love this idea that 5 Minutes for Mom is doing.
Each Sunday Kailani brings us the best contests, informative posts, and interesting happenings throughout the Blogosphere.
This column includes things 5 Minutes for Mom staff come across in their daily bloghopping as well as recommendations from their readers.
Check out the full details and this week's edition: http://www.5minutesformom.com/2299/around-week1/
Letter to the Editor
Over the weekend I started getting pain in my private areas. As the weekend progressed, the pain got worse. I thought it would go away. On Monday, I called my gynecologist's office, Butler OB/GYN. I was told I was not an emergency even though I explained the pain was unbearable and could be seen on Tuesday.
I was in so much pain that a friend of mine noticed my discomfort and recommended that I go to the ER. I went to the ER. I had blood taken and had to donate urine for a urinalysis test. The ER doctor said because of the nature of the problem he didn't want to give me an exam when I need an exam from a gynecologist so he called the gynecologist's office and got me an appointment for 1 PM with Dr. Murray. We left the ER and went directly to Dr. Murray's office. As I was leaving the ER, the nurse stopped me to tell me that the initial urine analysis shows some kind of infection but not exactly sure what since it was too soon for full results.
An examination by Dr. Murray was performed and lots of questions were asked & answered. I was told by Dr. Murray that he didn't think there was nothing wrong, and then I was told I need to wait for the results of the test.
On Tuesday, I called Dr. Murray's office to get the blood tests and urine test results. I was told by one person that there was nothing wrong with me. I was told by the second person that the results haven't come in yet. Tuesday afternoon my PCP office calls and says I need to go see a gynecologist but doesn't explain why. I explained to them I already had seen a gynecologist and wasn't treated for anything. The PCP office staff was surprised to hear this.
On Wednesday, I call Dr. Murray's office to get test results and was told again that there were no results yet.
On Thursday - today - I call Dr. Murray's office to get test results to find out the office is closed today. I then call my PCP to get results. PCP office refuses to give me results and says I need to go to gynecologist. I explain I already did but gynecologist office says there are no test results yet.
I tell you this story because now four days later I still have no results, no answers. I am in so much pain I can barely walk but Dr. Murray remains steadfast in the answer that they have no results &/or that there is nothing wrong.
I cannot go to new gynecologist because this is a current problem that needs resolved before switching to a new gynecologist according to the three new gynecologist offices I called.
Am I getting treated this way -- unprofessionally, unkind -- because I am a medical assistance recipient? Am I not getting answers because I use a medical card from the Dept. of Welfare? I feel that I am being treated unfairly and unjustly. I just want answers so that I can get better.
So, am I supposed to live my life in pain? Am I supposed to live my life in fear of what may be wrong because Dr. Murray's office refuses to give me the results?
This letter was submitted to my local newspaper, the Butler Eagle. Not sure what day this will be printed.
Around the 'Net - Recalls
With all the toy recalls going on lately, it’s sometimes difficult to keep up. Go to Recalls to get the most updated list of the latest recalls broken down into categories. If you prefer, you could also sign up on their email list and the information will be send to you automatically.
Good Mail Defined
Good Mail /gʊd/ /meɪl/
adjective, noun, & verb
1. tangible generosity
2. thoughtfulness in action
3. delivery of happiness
Can be hand delivered (express good mail) or mailed via USPS, UPS, FedEx. or online delivery. It is the process of acting on a nice thought, reaching outside oneself, being thoughtful, generous, and kind. Guarantees a "natural high," smile, and slight giddiness in both the sender and the receiver.
It's best to start with one's own friends and family but is also great for blogging friends, neighbors, and people from church or community. It is a good idea to post items received on blog so as to delight the sender and to document it for your future self as a gratitude reminder and future pick-me-up on down days.
Carry note cards, stamps, a good pen, and addresses in your purse for use while waiting in doctor's offices, carpool pick-ups, and long red lights. It's amazing what you can accomplish in a very short amount of time.
Never let self-consciousness and insecurity keep you from sending something nice. Just ask yourself, "Would I be delighted to get this in the mail?" Then send it. You can't go wrong being thoughtful and you never know just how much someone needs to know they're being thought of.
Remember, anything that is NOT a bill or solicitation is good mail.
My New Name
I was tagged by Kim so here are my answers.
1. Rock Star Name
(first pet & current car)
Snowy Tempo
2.Gangster Name
(favorite ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin
3. "Fly Girl" Name
(first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
D LIT
4. Detective Name
(favorite color, favorite animal)
Blue Penguin
5. Soap Opera Name
(middle name, city where you were born)
Storm Altoona
6. Star Wars Name
(the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
Lit Da
7. Superhero Name
(2nd favorite color, favorite drink and put the word "The")
Red The Mt Dew
8. Nascar Name
(the first names of your grandfathers)
Red William
9. Stripper Name
(the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy)
Pearls Chocolate
10.Witness Protection Name
(mother's & father's middle names )
Louise Leroy
I gotta say "thank goodness I didn't choose the gangsta life... I don't think I'd get much street cred as "Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin." Do you? LOL!
This was fun to do and very funny results! Now I tag you. I can't wait to see your answers. Share your answers via the comments section or share a link to your blog.
Now You Know Me
- WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes. My first name DawnLyn is derived from the female version of Donald after my father and Lyn, I believe, was a friend of my mother's.
- WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? This morning.
- DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes.
- WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey.
- DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes, I do.
- IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Probably not because I am pretty bitchy.
- DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Yes.
- DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? No.
- WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No way!!!
- WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Cocoa Krispies, Frosted Flakes, another one that I cannot remember right now.
- DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes.
- DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? No, I don't. But many people say that I am.
- WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Chocolate peanut butter.
- WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? In men, I notice the eyes and the butt. Ooo la la. In women, the attitude.
- RED OR PINK? Definitely red.
- WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I have low self-esteem.
- WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My daddy, my two grandmas, my Aunt Cinny. There are others too.
- WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Right now I have on blue jeans and a red shirt.
- WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? I couldn't sleep last night so I was up getting caught up on emails and doing work on my groups. I got hungry so about 2 AM, I had two egg salad sandwiches. (More than you wanted to know, huh?)
- WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Traffic going down the hill near my house, the television, the wind, the keys on the keyboard, the ding on the computer that says I got new mail.
- IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Definitely blue.
- FAVORITE SMELLS? Freshly diapered new babies, lilacs.
- WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My friend, Sandy.
- FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Nothing anymore. I used to love watching NASCAR.
- HAIR COLOR? Real color is now gray with dark brown sprinkled in. What you see is auburn and brown mixed together. Thank goodness for Clairol.
- EYE COLOR? Blue.
- DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes. But I don't wear them often since they slide around too much. I hate wearing glasses. (Again, more than you wanted to know I'm sure.)
- FAVORITE FOOD? A meal someone else cooked. Lol.
- SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings, of course. I don't watch scary or horror movies.
- LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Independence Day, one of my favorite movies, was on TV last night.
- SUMMER OR WINTER? I prefer summer over winter. Though, Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons.
- HUGS OR KISSES? Both. Do I have to pick one? Lol.
- FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, chocolate ice cream. Do you see a theme going on here? Lol.
- WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Glad Tidings. As of tonight, the new Harry Potter. Whoo hoo!!!
- WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? My mouse pad is a tablet and mouse pad in one with Mary Engelbreight "Its Good to Be Queen" theme on it.
- WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Independence Day movie.
- FAVORITE SOUND? The words "I love you" from my kids.
- ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Rolling Stones.
- DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I am very organized and am a scrapbook artist.
- WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Altoona, PA.
Mix Learning and Independence Day
Want a fun way to mix learning and Independence Day?
Give your kids a quiz. Make it fun and award a prize to the one who gets the most answers right. You can use questions like: "Where was the Declaration of Independence signed? Who sewed the first American flag? And, who was the king of England during the Revolutionary War?" Do you know the answers? Well, to get them, and to find more questions for your own 4th of July quiz, check out the Internet. It’s a great way to teach your kids the facts behind the fireworks.
Remember your family first.
Sisters
Sisters by Danielle Steel
"21-years old Candy -- its the only name she needs -- is blazing her way through Paris, New York, and Tokyo as fashion's latest international supermodel... Her sister Tammy, 29, has a job producing the most successful hit show on TV, and a home she loves in L.A.'s Hollywood Hills... In New York, oldest sister Sabrina, 34, is am ambitious young lawyer... Annie, at 26, is an American artist in Florence, living for her art. On one Fourth of July weekend, as they do every year, the four sisters come home to Connecticut for their family's annual gathering. But before the holiday is over, tragedy strikes and their world is utterly changed. Suddenly, four sisters who have been fervently pursuing success and their own lives -- on opposite sides of the world -- reunite to share one New York brownstone, to support each other and their father, and to pick up the pieces while one sister struggles to heal her shattered body and soul. Thus begins an unscripted chapter of their lives, as a bustling house is soon filled with eccentric dogs, laughter, tears, friends, men... and the kind of honesty and unconditional love only sisters can provide. But as the four women settle in, they are forced to confront the direction of their respective lives. As the year passes and another July Fourth approaches, a season of grief and change gives way to new beginnings as a family comes together to share its blessings and a future filled with surprises, and ultimately, hope."
It was a great story and a roller coaster ride of loss and courage. As soon as the story started, I fell in love with the characters. I would love to see/read a sequel to this.
Rating (1, lowest; 5, highest): 4.5
Two Little Girls in Blue
Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark
"When Margaret and Steve Frawley come home to Connecticut from a black-tie dinner in New York, their three-year-old twins, Kathy and Kelly, are gone. The police found the babysitter unconscious, and a ransom note from the 'Pied Piper' demands eight million dollars. Steve's global investment firm puts up the money, but when they go to retrieve the twins, only Kelly is in the car. The dead driver's suicide note says he inadvertently killed Kathy. At the memorial, Kelly tugs Margaret's arm and says, "Mommy, Kathy is very scared of that lady. She wants to come home right now." At first, Margaret believes that the twins are communicating and that Kathy is still alive. But as Kelly's warnings become increasingly specific and alarming, FBI agents set out on a desperate search."
Riveting, suspenseful. I liked the telepathy angle. Another great book by one of my favorite authors.
Rating (1, lowest; 5, highest): 5
A Crazy Little Thing Called Death
A Crazy Little Thing Called Death by Nancy Martin
"Nora Blackbird has made the society pages yet again. The impoverished Philadelphia heiress has agreed to wed Mick Abruzzo, son of New Jersey's most notorious mobster. The city's blue bloods are in shock. Libby Blackbird is hell-bent on planning the wedding of Nora's dreams... but mostly giving her nightmares. Emma Blackbird's constant late-night phone calls from mumbling men have her sisters convinced she's walking the streets to avoid toiling from nine to five. Meanwhile Nora has her hands full keeping her fiance alive. Are Mick's recent close brushes with death connected to his family's business, or are they the result of the Blackbird curse -- any time a Blackbird sister marries, the groom is bounded to die? Then Nora's troubles are eclipsed by some ominous news... Penny Devine, ex-Hollywood starlet and daughter of the Philadelphia Devines, has mysteriously disappeared. Even stranger, her family wants her declared dead pronto. Could someone have plotted her final act? The tantalizing Brazilian polo player, for example, or the birdbrained bird-watcher? The cranky ol' coot with a penchant for pretty ladies, or the fashionista with a deep, dark secret? Nora's not sure. Now the only way for Nora to keep her name clear and save her sanity is to snoop among the snooty... until she sniffs out the truth."
I am so happy to find a new series to delve into. The characters are quirky and fun. I'm hooked on the Blackbird Sisters series. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Rating (1, lowest; 5, highest): 4
Happy Memorial Day!
Today is Memorial Day... let's remember and give thanks.
Memorial Day recognizes the men and women who have died in war. America’s most recent conflict in Iraq has shown us, once again, the courage and sacrifice of those who defend our country. Army Staff Sergeant Wilbert Davis died when his vehicle came under attack. At his funeral his mother said, “I miss him so much. He’s my hero.” On this Memorial Day let us not forget those heroes who, over the years, have unselfishly sacrificed their lives to give us peace and freedom.













