“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
Marcus Tullius Cicero
(https://commons.wikimedia.org)
“Books are the mirrors of the soul.”
Virginia Woolf
Month: May 2018
Wise Words Wednesday 30.5.18
This is a wonderful quotation by Martin Luther King, Jr.
We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Believe in yourself, your abilities and know for a fact that no loss is permanent. Have a good day!
Be Humble. Or Be Humbled.
StandardHere is a wonderful collection of quotations on humility from Mitch Teemley’s blog!
A flight attendant once reminded the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali to fasten his seat belt. “Superman don’t need no seat belt!” Ali replied. “Yeah, well, Superman don’t need no airplane, either!” the attendant retorted. Without another word, Ali fastened his seat belt.
“In the course of life, I have often had to eat my words, and I must confess that I have always found it a wholesome diet.” ~Winston Churchill
“Always tell the truth, do no harm to others, and don’t think you are the most important being on earth. Rich or poor, you then can look anyone in the eye and say, ‘I’m probably no better than you, but I’m certainly your equal.’” ~Harper Lee
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” ~Ernest Hemingway
The Tale of The Harpy – A Scary Story by K. D. Dowdall
StandardThis is a haunting and powerful story by K.D. Dowdall
I wish for a tropical breeze to lighten the intense humidity that hugs this August morning. The porch, thank goodness, is high off the ground and the mildew on the screens somewhat block the steamy rays from the sun. The sky is intensely blue and the ocean is still and quiet—waiting. I breathe in slowly through my nose and exhale gently through my mouth, waiting for what I know must come. I feel powerless to change my fate.
My notebook is before me and I stare at the cover, that I am unwilling to open. I have been siting here now for what seems like hours trying to begin a story that I must tell. I must make sense of it, at least in my own mind. Perspiration drips from the corners of my temples. Tendrils of fading blond curls are damp across my forehead and I push them aside…
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Science-Fiction Films of the 1930s: Frankenstein
StandardThis is another in my series on science-fiction films.
The movie that I will discuss in this installment is Frankenstein. This 1931 film was directed by James Whale and produced by Carl Laemelle, Jr. Universal Studios was following up its huge success with Dracula earlier in the year, so this film seemed like a natural choice to make. I have posted on Frankenstein before in my series on horror films, but like its namesake novel, it can also been seen as early science-fiction.
While the title and characters come from the 1818 Mary Shelley novel, it is a loose adaptation of the text. Interestingly, the sequel, The Bride of Frankenstein, is a much more faithful treatment of the novel than this first film. This movie, one of the most important in horror film history, introduces Boris Karloff as the Creature. Karloff gives an impressive performance as the lost and lonely being who is unsure of who he…
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the gift
This is a wonderful haiku.
If we learn from life
We age with humility
Living our wisdom
©2018 Annette Rochelle Aben
Creative Writing HELP
StandardI am very proud of you!
Hello everyone! It has been a long time since I posted a blog. I have not been writing much since the dreaded writer’s block has made its way into my life and has settled down for the long haul. Recently, I decided that I need to break through this writer’s block and I have been actively revisiting works from my past, rewriting, redrafting and submitting. I have been receiving rejection letters but they do not deter me. Then late one night I received an email stating: “Your poem, which speaks to both your love of poetry and the moment of birth of your work is wonderful, and your letter which reveals the joys and the struggles of creative writing (btw: I’ll be talking about my own first 100 rejections in the class I teach) is precisely why MVICW exists—you seem a perfect match for our program.” I received a partial…
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A Memorial Day Remembrance
StandardThis is a beautiful post from Jennie.
We have a Memory Garden at school on the playground, and it is oh so lovely. Children often stop to look, or just “be”. Somehow they understand that it is a special place. Classroom pets who have died are buried with markers. Children who are now in heaven have a special statue or stone so they can be remembered. The Memory Garden was the venue for our Memorial Day Remembrance.
It came to life with the planting of American flags, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Sergeant Curran, our pen-pal from Afghanistan, is back home- he was the proud guest of honor. All the children and staff were there, along with a host of parents and guests.
We opened with The Pledge of Allegiance. My class was honored to hold the big American flag and sing “God Bless America” as we wore our flag hats. I doubt many children have…
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Honor Memorial Day
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I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend, but I also hope you remember why this holiday exists. The word “holiday” comes from “holy day,” and the remembrance of this day and its purpose should be sacred. It was originally known as Decoration Day after the end of the Civil War, and it was designated Memorial Day in the 20th Century.
This day is intended to honor, give thanks, and remember those who have sacrificed their lives for The United States of America. Please honor the fallen and the wounded on this day. I realize the day was meant originally for the dead, but I extend my wishes and thanks to the wounded also. Regardless of political beliefs or stands on a war, these are the men and women who fought to keep us safe, and they deserve our remembrance.
They deserve our thanks and our honor.
Please keep in mind that this day is not merely the beginning of the summer season, nor is it intended to be the time of a special sale. This should be a sacred and somber time. There will be plenty of opportunity for shopping and vacationing afterwards. Please remember those who sacrificed.
Quotations on Hope
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“Some men see things as they are and say, why; I dream things that never were and say, why not.”
Robert F. Kennedy
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
Anne Frank
“There is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.”
J.R.R. Tolkien
charles french words reading and writing 