January 2007

Thursday Thirteen Edition #6

January 31, 2007

Thirteen Philosophies by Which I Try to Live My Life

1. Life isn’t fair and nobody ever said it would be, especially my mother. But there is Karma … what goes around will definitely come around. Hearing later about how it played out is just icing on the cake.

2. Hating someone or holding a grudge has no impact on the person who wronged you, but eats away at your own soul, so fuhgetaboutit and move on to something healthy, positive, enjoyable, and fulfilling. (Besides, see #1).

3. Despite the tendency to believe that “it’s all about me,” it really isn’t. Remember that and watch your outlook improve.

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Wordless Wednesday

January 31, 2007

wordless wednesday Thanks for reading “Colloquium”! Topics: Wordless Wednesday

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January 23, 1973: A Day That Lives in Infamy

January 30, 2007

How Humpty Dumpty Changed the World: 34 Years of Roe

By Ken Connor
Monday, January 29, 2007

Every year since 1973, millions of Americans have paused to remember the day when new words entered the American vocabulary. Words fraught with ambiguity, like “the right of personal privacy”. Euphemisms, like “terminate one’s pregnancy.” Obscure phrases, like “the penumbras of the Bill of Rights.” January after January we take time to remember these words, and the carnage they have caused.

In an act of breathtaking judicial arrogance, the Supreme Court of the United States on January 23, 1973, “discovered” a right to abortion in the Constitution which had, theretofore, been overlooked by lawyers, judges and scholars for almost 200 years. As a consequence of the court’s ruling, over 47 million unborn children have perished at the hands of abortionists in this country. Thousands of women have suffered physical and emotional injury. The entire culture has been poisoned by the rise of a “disposable man” ethic that jeopardizes the elderly, infirm, and handicapped persons with disabilities. That ethic has given rise to a spirit of utilitarianism that undergirds a ghoulish form of medical “research” that requires the destruction of human embryos for the “greater good.” No single decision in American jurisprudence has resulted in more damage to the American people than Roe v. Wade.

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Ten on Tuesday

January 29, 2007

10 Things I’d Like To Change About the United States

I’m going to do something unusual this week.

I could just create a boring list here, but I’m going to let Lewis Black tell you what I think should be changed because he says it so eloquently! He is the funniest man in America.

Enjoy this clip from “Red, White and Screwed,” his HBO special from 2006.

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A Tendency to Procrastinate: Can or Should it Be Overcome?

January 28, 2007

Yesterday we had a very enjoyable day. We “got out of Dodge” with our best friends, traveling to the Gold Country, the region of beautiful foothills where much of the great California Gold Rush played out.

Like us, our friends have two children. Their youngest daughter, a high school junior, was at home yesterday. When I casually asked, “What is she up to today?” we ended up having a great discussion about procrastination.

You see, my friends’ daughters take divergent approaches to writing projects. The oldest employs a very methodical approach, planning what she is going to write far ahead of time, creating an outline and, in the case of a large project with numerous components, gathering and organizing all of the information she needs before finally sitting down to start the process of writing. That process begins and is concluded well in advance of the project’s actual due date. She does not work well under the stress of a looming deadline.

The youngest daughter has a specific project coming due in several weeks, but no other deadlines bearing down on her at this time. Her older sister lent her advice and guidance about how to organize her work in order to finish by the due date, so my friends left her at home yesterday with instructions to spend the day completing her household chores and writing.

Given that I’ve known the girls their whole lives, I asked, “And how much writing do you think she will actually have done by the time you get home?”

The response? “None.”

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Sunday Scribblings #44 — Chronicles

January 27, 2007

Prompt #44: ChroniclesChronicle: A detailed narrative record or report. This prompt almost takes me full circle. I started this blog in March 2005, as Terri Schindler-Schiavo was being murdered. I was distraught because I could not help her parents. In my very first post, I said, in part: People have been asking me since the […]

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Photo Hunt: Silver

January 26, 2007

This week’s theme: Silver I know, I know … it is exactly what you expected to see, right? Well, the theme is silver and my flute is a hand-made, professional model silver flute with a platinum riser. So I’m sorry that I’m very predictable this week. I will try to be more inventive next week […]

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Friday’s Feast #128

January 25, 2007

Appetizer If you could take lessons to learn any musical instrument, which would you want to learn? I’m still totally enthralled with improving my flute playing. After all, the Delta Winds’ performance at Carnegie Hall is coming up on March 28, 2007! If you’re going to be in New York City, come see us that evening! […]

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The Thirteen All-Time Best Movies About Attorneys and/or the Legal Profession

January 25, 2007

I visited another blog this evening and contained in that individual’s thirteen for today was this statement: “I hate attorneys.” So that inspired me to present the … The Thirteen All–Time Best Movies About Attorneys and/or the Legal Profession 1. A Civil Action “A Civil Action” is my all-time favorite movie with a legal theme. […]

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Wordless Wednesday

January 23, 2007

wordless wednesday Thanks for reading “Colloquium”! Topics: Wordless Wednesday

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Ten on Tuesday: Ten Things I Have a Weakness For

January 22, 2007

Ten Things I Have a Weakness For 1. All 4 kids Alas, I’m not good at saying “no” to any of them. 2. Dark chocolate Just don’t come near me with it. I’m warning you, I cannot eat just one bite. There is no such thing as “just a little taste.” Don’t even think about having […]

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Inspiration: Where Do You Find It?

January 21, 2007

Ever feel like the guy in that cartoon? I sure do! Every writer suffers from “writer’s block” from time to time. For me, it takes a couple of forms, but I don’t know which I hate most, frankly.Sometimes I have the idea and desire to communicate it, but simply cannot get the words to flow […]

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Photo Hunt: Wild

January 20, 2007

This week’s theme: Wild Wild boys! That’s my nephew flying Matthew in for the first bite of his birthday cake! photo hunters Thanks for reading “Colloquium”! Topics: Photo Hunt

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Friday’s Feast #127

January 18, 2007

Appetizer Which television shows do you just refuse to miss? I record most everything for viewing at a convenient time and so that I can fast-forward through commercials. I never miss recording 24, Prison Break, Rescue Me, and Gray’s Anatomy. There is only one show that I always watch in real time and for which I […]

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Thirteen Reasons Why I Wish You Could Have Known My Father

January 18, 2007

1. He had a very dry, witty sense of humor.

He actually looked a bit like Henry Fonda and had a droll, dry sense of humor much like the character of Norman Thayer in “On Golden Pond.” (But my father’s humor was not biting or cruel.) Just when you least expected it … zing! you would find yourself laughing heartily.

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Wordless Wednesday

January 17, 2007

wordless wednesday Thanks for reading “Colloquium”! Topics: Wordless Wednesday

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Ten on Tuesday

January 16, 2007

10 Things I Do Well This is a difficult prompt because, in the first place, I’m not sure that there are 10 things I do well. It also makes me decidedly self-conscious to brag about myself. I fear that I will be perceived as an egomaniac! Of course, it is good to engage, from time to […]

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Sunday Scribblings #42: Idea

January 14, 2007

Sunday Scribblings #42: Idea idea 1. any conception existing in the mind as a result of mental understanding, awareness, or activity.2. a thought, conception, or notion: That is an excellent idea.3. an impression: He gave me a general idea of how he plans to run the department4. an opinion, view, or belief: His ideas on […]

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Melding Written Materials with Your Oral Presentation

January 14, 2007
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~~ Featured in the Public Speaking and Presentation Skills Blog Carnival — July 2008 Edition at Overnight Sensation ~~ There are a number of ways that written materials can support and enhance an oral presentation. I do a lot of public speaking, teaching, and training. I utilize PowerPoint slides extensively. I also prepare written materials […]

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Photo Hunt: Technology

January 13, 2007

This week’s theme: Technology I knew I would regret buying them cell phones! Photo Hunters Thanks for reading “Colloquium”! Topics: Photo Hunt

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I Feel an Urge to Nail Something on a Door

January 12, 2007

I am officially a “recovering Lutheran” now. I think Garrison Keillor coined the phrase in “Wobegon Boy.” Just for fun, tonight I Googled “recovering Lutheran” and actually found the phrase used by many folks who are former members of the church. I read one blog in which the author talked about his hatred of the […]

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Friday’s Feast #126

January 11, 2007

Appetizer What comes to mind when you see the color orange? BigBob had a 1973 Datsun pick-up. It was pumpkin orange and had a lot of miles on it, but it kept going and going a la the Eveready Bunny! It was cheap, reliable transportation for him to drive to work and came in handy […]

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Thirteen Fun Things to Do When You Get Stuck in Lodi

January 10, 2007

Thirteen Fun Things to Do When You Get
Stuck in Lodi ((Yes, this is the city that was the topic of the famous Credence Clearwater Revival song!))

1. See the famed Lodi Arch and have your picture taken under it!

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Wordless Wednesday

January 10, 2007

wordless wednesday Thanks for reading “Colloquium”! Topics: Wordless Wednesday

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Ten on Tuesday

January 9, 2007

Ten T.V. Guilty Pleasures 1. The Sopranos (Yes, I know there are no new episodes airing right now. That doesn’t matter!) 2. 24 (Resumes this Sunday night! Hooray!) 3. Prison Break 4. House 5. Six Feet Under (Get the DVD’s! This show is second only to The Sopranos in terms of writing, storytelling, character development, acting […]

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&E: Fuhgetaboutit!">The Sopranos on A&E: Fuhgetaboutit!

January 8, 2007

Back on December 28, 2006, in my “Thirteen Resolutions I am NOT Going to Make this New Year’s,” I assured you that I would not resolve to “watch the decimated version of The Sopranos on A&E.” Charlie McCollum, writing in today’s San Jose Mercury News, agrees with me. Sanitizing ‘Sopranos’ for A&E removes needed gritMother-son interplay […]

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Sunday Scribblings #41: Kissing

January 7, 2007

Prompt #41: Kissing How often have you kissed your child, grandchild, spouse or even your cat or dog as they slept?Sometimes kissing is a tender, poignant act wordlessly conveying unbounded love — even though the recipient doesn’t even realize that he/she is being kissed.The above photo of my mother kissing my nephew as he slept […]

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Effective Persuasive Writing: May Your Rainstorms Never Become Hurricanes!

January 7, 2007
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Persuasive writing is, in my estimation, the style that is easiest – and the easiest to thoroughly botch. If you are writing with the goal of convincing your readers of the truth or correctness of a particular viewpoint, opinion or set of factual conclusions, the process of writing is frequently easier than when employing other […]

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Photo Hunt: Memory

January 6, 2007

This week’s theme: Memory I took this photo out on the lawn of the Sheraton Moana in Honolulu in June 2005. We traveled to Hawaii with the Stockton Concert Band and one evening we had a banquet at the hotel. After dinner, everyone was sitting around visiting and the sunset was spectacular so I snapped […]

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Friday’s Feast #125

January 5, 2007

Appetizer Which celebrity (or celebrities) do you think will make headlines this year? Lindsay, Britney, Nicole, Paris … blah, blah, blah. It will be more discussion of the Dimwit Squadron. I don’t care about the personal lives of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt or any of the rest of them. Tell me whether their work is any […]

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Thirteen of the Famous People I Have Met

January 3, 2007

1. Ben Stein. He has my admiration.

2. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Just a handshake. No conversation.

3. The original cast of “A Chorus Line,” including Donna McKechnie and Priscilla Lopez. They had just won the Tony for Best Musical and were walking on air … so happy and elated about their newfound success. A bunch of really talented, delightful people.

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Wordless Wednesday

January 3, 2007

Topics: Wordless Wednesday

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Yes, I’m the woman who made Ben Stein …

January 2, 2007

… lose his … ahem … cookies, so to speak.

I was reminded tonight, as I watched the services for President Gerald Ford and caught a few moments of Ben Stein’s appearance on The O’Reilly Factor, about the evening that I spent with him.

Most people know Ben from “Win Ben Stein’s Money” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Lesser known is the fact that Ben worked as a speech writer for Presidents Nixon and Ford, and is a conservative political commentator. He is also a life advocate.

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