Ask Norman: How Many Days?
Norman T. Goldfish answers letters from readers. Click on the link to read his reply.
Hey Kids! Did you know goldfish can a long time if they are cared for properly. The average is 15 years. But, they can’t stay long in a small fishbowl. They need room to swim. If you read Not Norman, you know his human moved Norman to an aquarium at the end. So, this is a really tough question.
Ready to read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish—about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Poetry Challenge #174-Stick It To Me
Have you ever taking a bite of fruit only to come away with stick-on-label in your mouth? Tasty, right? Ugh! Fruit, electronics, elbows, signs…you name it, seems a sticker’s stuck to it—today especially—for annoying or not, today, Jan 13th has been designated National Sticker Day.
Along with being the officially recognized day to scrape off labels stuck on shoes, picture frames, do-dads, thing-a-ma-bobs and what-zits, National Sticker Day activities include:
Get some new stickers
Give some stickers away
Make your own stickers
To that, in celebration of the day, we’re adding this 7-Minute Challenge:
Poetry Challenge #174
Stick It to Me
For this challenge we’re paraphrasing Judy Carnes, the original “Sock it to Me” girl . Rather than racing around chanting Sock-it-to-Me-Sock-it-to-Me-Sock-it-to-Me until something bad happens as she did on the 60s Variety Show Laugh-in, race around collecting sticker slogans to create a Found Poem. (Chanting “Sticker-Me“ while collecting is optional)
Historically speaking, stickers have been pasted on produce as far back as 300 bc. Now everything—apples still included—has some sort of sticker plastered on it, so finding stickers should be easy. You might have a slew of stickers in your own space or bumper. If not… Field Trip Time! Check out passing cars, trucks, electronics, pinterest—or your neighbor’s fridge.
Snuck a Snap of the Kid’s Neighbor’s Fridge—Yours to use if you can read it.
To Create Found “Sticker” Poem:
First copy a variety of stickers onto a page. The stickers might have one word or a phrase.
Choose one sticker to be the title of your poem.
Now, arrange and rearrange the remaining sticker slogans into a Found Poem. For purposes of this prompt, try not to add extra words or letters to the poem, break phrases apart, or use only part of a slogan—even to help clarify meaning.
As you play with the words and phrases, pay attention to sounds, patterns, rhythm or meaning.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing
Don’t Think Too Much About it; Just stick to it until the timer dings!
And for more fun: “How to Make Stickers” at Skip to My Lou—a great DIY with Kids site!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1730 days ago! We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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Poetry Challenge #173-Cha-cha Chain of _____________
Cuddles are chains of sort. We link arm in arm, snuggle to snuggle, heart to heart when we cuddle. Which brings me to today, Jan 6, National Cuddle Up Day. The same way we cuddle up, thoughts jump, mingle and connect—cuddle— one to another to another.
In the same way letters cuddle up—cluster—to form words, and words linked together to form passages and worlds and images that bundle, group, cuddle up to create stories and poetry. Let’s try it:
Poetry Challenge #173
Cha-cha Chain of ______________________?
Fill in the blank with a noun: Chain of ____________.
With that at the title, write a Chain Poem. Chain poems have two known forms:
1. The last word or syllable of a line become the first word or syllable of the next line. You’ll need to extend the poem out at least five lines for the chain to be effective.
2. Or if you’re game for writing a long poem, the last line of each stanza becomes the first line of the next stanza.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing
Don’t Think Too Much About it; just do the Cuddle up!
Cha-Cha Chain Playlist:
About Cuddle Up Day: Holiday Insights : Cuddle Up Day, January 6
About Chain Poems: Chain verse at a glance : Poetry through the Ages (webexhibits.org)
Chain of Fools the best: sung by Aretha, danced by Travolta: Aretha Franklin | Chain Of Fools || John Travolta Dance || - Bing video
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge about 1700 days ago! (with nary a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL
On Gardening Leave....Still? Again?
Happy 2021! As we fly…leap…creep into a new year, many of us (ME) are reflecting on where we’ve been, and what the heck we did—or didn’t do—these past nine months. A prompt from a blogger at OutwitTrade prompted me to revisit this post written just before we repatriated from Trinidad. The theme then: “Should we be worried? Or Happy?” is oddly, scarily, the same now, with vaccines on the way and CoVid Cases on the rise. So I’m reposting today. Lots to think about:
Is "Gardening Leave" the same as being "Put Out to Pasture"? If it is, should we be worried? Or happy?
Us back then!
Four years, three months ago, Curtis and I moved to Trinidad from Indonesia. Seven years before that we'd moved to Indonesia from Houston.
The day after April Fool's Day, loaded down with 6 suitcases, 2 carry-ons and lots of memories--especially of our dear Trini friends--Curtis and I boarded a plane bound for New York, and whatever comes after. . .
Why we were New York and not Houston or somewhere else Bound?
Several years ago, while my Creativity Group (or the GGs as we called ourselves) was working through The Passion Test, I came to the realization that I wanted-needed-a base, a home, a nest of our own.
So, we went searching for that nest and finally found one in a seaside village of Westhampton Beach on Long Island. It met all our requirements--the requirements of late mid-life: Withing 2 hours of an International Airport; good doctors, hospital, within walking/biking distance to all the necessities.
If you're wondering what "Renovation" means, this sums it up... sans the theatre/romance/fun subplot.
A better/worse/more realistic example...
Our Vene Mange "Mini Band" won 3rd place in Carnival 2016
We proceeded to make the nest our own
And then, little more ours . . .
Fast forward three years. . .
We knew this day would come. Curtis's Trinidad & Tobago Work Permit expired on March 31t. We'd been planning for it. Working toward it. We thought our builder was too...
This morning, as we were meeting with the electrician to decide where we should position the lights, outlets, switches, cables and wires needed to complete this reno, with detritus from our six suitcases & 4 carry-ons scattered throughout our crowded "nest" Curtis got the call we'd been expecting. As of today, Curtis is officially on "Gardening Leave," whatever that means...
Am I nervous? Excited? Scared? A little worries? Sure am!
Here's one thing I've learned these 4 years in Trinidad:
Trini hearts must beat with the rhythm of the steel pan. I'm sure of it when I see Trini's move and when I hear them speak. Sentences blend and bounce, ending with a upturn, a lilt. I try to recreate the accent but mine comes out sounding leprechaun.
Even courtesy greeting to passerbys dance. No quick, curt "Hi," or nod of the head. Joggers sweating and puffing their way up steep Lady Chancellor hill this past Saturday morning sang out, "Mornin' Mornin'" "G'day! G'day!" just as they had every other day. Morning greetings, regardless the age of the speaker, come twice.
Curious about the origin of this charming greeting custom, I'd looked it up when we first came to Trinidad. I recall something about how the custom stems from back when servants manners better be above reproach. (Although when I searched just now for that reference, I couldn't find it.)
I asked a Trini friend about the two-call greeting and she said she recalled her grandmother saying it was about not risking being considered rude. "Trinidad is a small community," she explained. "If you're not related to someone, you know someone who is. If it ever got back to our family that we hadn't been polite, hadn't greeted someone properly, we'd catch the devil. Better to say it twice and be sure to be heard."
Knowing this charming custom grew out of fear--fear of losing one's position or risking punishment--a "Better safe than sorry," mentality, should, I suppose, make me enjoy it less. On the contrary. I think there's something to this idea that if one has something important enough to say once, we should make sure it's heard. And if that means saying it twice, sing out!
So now, today, with Gardening Leave (and whatever it entails) about to begin, we're taking a cue from our Trini Friends: We're Ready! We're Ready!
"Gardening Leave" Playlist
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Poetry Challenge #172-Revisionist Poetry
20/20 hmmmmm. Along with everything else, 2020 has forced us to revise: revise our thinking, our habits, our actions past and to rethink—revision—going forward.
It’s not as simple as upgrading our eyewear prescription, is it? But necessary.
As we zoom into 2021, Let’s take time to revise!
Poetry Challenge #172
Revisionist Poetry
Choose a poem you like and see if you can really make it sing!
Look for repeated sounds in your poem—maybe several words contain an “O” sound or a bunch start with the letter “B”. . . a hint of a pattern, rhythm or beats.
Now’s that you’ve found them, play with those accidental patterns by changing some of your words so they have the same sound; some lines breaks to intensify the rhythm, etc. Try adding some onomatopoetic words—words that sound like actions: AHCHOO! CRINKLE! MUMBLE! SNAP!
Now read and compare both versions. Hear the difference?
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing
Don’t Think Too Much About it; just do it!
Revisionist Playlist:
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge about 1700 days ago! (without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you (This one is Cindy’s.) If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL
Poetry Challenge #171-Festivus for the Rest-of-Us
Festivus is a completely made up non-holiday created by screenwriter Dan O’Keefe and popularized when his son Daniel included it in the TV series Seinfeld. Traditionally, Festivus can be celebrated any time from December to May. But because the first Festivus on Seinfeld, which aired in 1997, was celebrated on December 23, now it’s officially a Thing! Festivus rituals include:
The Holiday Pole (an unadorned aluminum pole);
The Dinner (traditionally meatloaf and spaghetti);
Airing Of Grievances;
Feats Of Strength (wrestling) & Miracles.
Heck if they can do it, we can too!
Poetry Challenge #171
Festivus for the Rest-of-Us!
Imagine a Festivus of your own. What would you call it? How would you celebrate it? Would food be included? Decorations? Instead of Airing of Grievances and Feats of Strength, what rituals would you include?
Write a Poem about your Festivus for the Rest-Of-Us. In the same way the U-S “us” ending of Festivus makes it easy to rhyme, give your Festivus a name with an easy-to-rhyme with ending, too. Once you’re finished set a date to celebrate (if only in your imagination.) Who knows, you might start a new tradition!
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing
Don’t Think Too Much About it; just do it!
Festivus Playlist:
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge about 1700 days ago! (without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL
Ask Norman: Can You Tie A Shoe?
Norman T. Goldfish answers letters from readers. Click on the link to read his reply.
Hey Kids! Lots of kids wear slip-ons, sandals, boots, or go barefoot so they never have to tie their shoes. How about you? Norman T. Goldfish knows lots of tricks, including circles, bubbles & flips. But, can he tie a shoe?
Ready to read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish—about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Poetry Challenge #170-Backwards Day
Today, Dec. 16th is actually, officially Barbie and Barney Backlash Day, a day created by Thomas and Ruth Roy at Wellcat.com to “allows parents to take a vacation from all the repetitive sing-a-longs and storytelling.” Which, if you ask us is the most backasward idea ever. Repetition, songs, storytelling—yes, even cartoons—irritating as they may be, those sing-song verses help children become literate. So, in recognition of this incredibly backward idea, we’re retaliating by retaking the day:
Poetry Challenge #170
Backwards Day
It’s BACKWARDS day!!! (Or if you prefer !YAD SDRAWKCAB) Wear your shirt backwards, walk toe-heel, write notes and try to read them in the mirror.
And write a BACKWARDS poem!
Choose a poem you’ve already written and write it backwards. That means write the last line as your first line, the next to last as your second, and so on. Read through it and adjust it so it makes sense. You can add or take away a word if necessary. Does your BACKWARDS poem have the same meaning as the original?
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing
Don’t Think Too Much About it; IT DO JUST!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge about 0071 days ago! (That’s 1700 backwards—without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you (This one is Cindy’s.) If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL