#WW Enjoys #Music - The Wedding

Sorry I've been absent from my usual blogging. I spent the weekend at my niece's wedding in Kansas City.

Tammi & Jon make a beautiful couple.

We had a great time taking shots with the fam.

We also kept up with our Jewish traditions.

Tammi and Jon were hoisted in chairs while the following song was played. Strong men also lifted (and almost dropped) my sister while we danced around them to the song below. Here's a tutorial in case you ever partake in Jewish wedding fun. This may not be a hit from the rock era, but it was the biggest hit at the reception.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Teachers Preparing For a New School Year

In Memphis, our school year kicked off on August 4th. I know it's early, but that's how things roll here in the south. Since the year's starting, whether we want it to or not, it might be a good time to pick up some unit plans from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. I have 257 products in a variety of topics. What is consistent with most of my products is that they are geared toward the high end learner, since I've taught gifted and talented students since 1986.

Some of my most popular items are my novel studies. I've also created many math word problems, which relate to specific books. This is a great addition to any literacy study since the infamous "they" claim that we should blend multi-subjects into learning.

Furthermore, many of my math themed products break down skills to help teachers explain concepts so that kids may understand.

Writing is also a specialty of mine. As an aspiring author, I attend yearly writing conferences where I have picked up great tips and imbedded them in my teaching units. Not to mention, many of my units contain achievement testing type questions to help prepare kids for the big day. 

I've made a lot of money on teachers pay teachers and believe you should, too. Opening my own teacher store was easy. I just downloaded products I'd already written and bingo. I have a store. You may use THIS LINK to get started.

Please stop by my store HERE and/or start your own store HERE. Have a great start to your school year.

#WW Batter Up

How many women has this dirty perve 

gone to second base with?

#MM : The Back to School Edition

Today, Monday, August 4, is our first day of school; so here is something educational.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Weekend Writing Warriors 8/3

Weekend Writing Warriors / #8 Sunday

08/03/14

http://www.wewriwa.com

Richard Peck said that he likes to end a novel where he started. Although I didn't quite do that, this passage is close to the end of my YA manuscript. Ben finds himself back in class talking about the robber barons, just like the very first sentence of BEING BENITO CARLEFFA, which I posted last week. Although this is not eight lines, some of the sentences are short and quick, so I decided to include the entire scene. 

Although just about every hand in the room is up, except Ben's, the teacher calls on him and asks, "Who were the robber barons?"

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     “Famous dead guys who ripped dudes off to get rich,” I said, but then blurted, “No. They aren’t all dead.”

     “Who are you talking about, Ben? Are we turning class into a political discussion?” Ms. Link smiled as if she were waiting for her compare and contrast moment. She’d always said, “History repeats itself” and now she was hoping I’d prove it true. 

     I shook my head, but she refused to move to another student. 

     “Can I use the bathroom?”

     “You may after you answer my question.”

     I stood and dragged my feet to the door. Before heading out, I grit my teeth and said, “My father.” 

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Dating Naked

Have you heard about the new reality TV show, Dating Naked? If I can't find a bit of humor in this one, I guess I'll have to quit being a humor blogger. The premise for the show is for people to go on first dates in the nude, buff, naked, bare, stripped, etc. Of course one of the comedians was concerned about where money will be kept when they go out. Also, would the waiter really want to touch money when it comes out of storage? Fortunately, these singles on an island don't need pockets. 

I hope they use plenty of sunscreen, otherwise, those round apples might look like Jonathans. Or after looking at some naked folks, people might turn green. Naw! It's television, so they'll only choose those people with disgustingly perfect figures and no backne.

The best part about the show is that the bachelorettes won't have any problems being able to tell if the guys truly like them. As for the viewers, they just need to look for a bigger patch of blur. I wonder if they have doctors on the set. After all, the commercials say, "Please seek medical attention for an erection lasting over four hours." Bwaaaa. 

Now that naked television is the new thing, I wonder what other shows will be popping up. Be on the lookout for:

• The Big Butt Theory
• Under the Dong
• Once Upon A Tit
• Full Blouse
• Sex With P. Diddy
• Game of Boners
• Knocking Up the Kardashians

Maybe How I Met Your Mother could start a new season after this show or Two and a Half Men might take on a whole new meaning.

Music From Memphis, TN

WC Handy (Father of the Blues) statue on Beale Street
He wrote the Memphis Blues.

I chose this week's Musical Monday Moves Me theme. Everyone needs to tell us where they are from and to feature music from their home town. Since I've lived in Memphis for the last 29 years, I now call this Tennessee town home. First up is a song from a young artist who was an APEX (intellectually gifted) student in Shelby County Schools where I teach. I know a couple of ladies who taught him, and I once saw him perform at one of our teacher's conferences. Unfortunately, I wasn't smart enough to ask Dr. Weiner when Justin Timberlake was coming in so I could schedule my dental appointments to be "In Sync" with his visits. I never saw another one of his patients, Gennifer Goodwin, in my dentist's office, either.  

The next artist is The King. Although he died before I moved to Memphis, my father-in-law taught him how to tie a tie. My husband used to see him regularly at the Memphis Jewish Community Center after hours. He'd come out with his buddies to play basketball. Uncle Bernard Lansky, the clothier to the king, was so tight with Elvis that my husband was invited to ride in one of the limos at his funeral; however, Mitchell couldn't get home from college. Elvis Presley recorded his first record at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Yo! Here comes Elvis.

There are many more artists with a Memphis connection. Ike and Tina Turner once owned a home not too far from where we live, Aretha Franklin brought lots of "Respect" to Memphis, Tennessee, and Rosanne Cash was born here while her father Johnny was recording at Sun Studios. Though not born in Memphis, B.B. King moved here and Isaac Hayes died here. We have become the mecca for music over the years as many artists lived here. But I know no one has ever heard of any of these people I mentioned or the many more one would find if you googled "Memphis Musicians." Not being one to post a lot of songs, I will end with one final song about our town. Marc Cohn wrote it after being touched by a visit to Memphis. He captured this place so well, that here he is. 

They even made a Memphis the Musical.

So, do you this I was being selfish when I suggested this theme 

or did I just want a chance to brag?

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Weekend Writing Warriors 07/27/14

        Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 07/27/14

http://www.wewriwa.com

As a follower of the hero's journey, I always start my novels in the normal world before inviting the freak on board. Here is the beginning of my unpublished manuscript BEING BENITO CARLEFFA, before they beat Ben, killed his mom, or even served him "Gestapo" soup. Without the drama, would you keep reading after these first eight sentences? Why or why not? If not, what would you suggest? Please be honest. I can take it.

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      The last bell ended my teacher’s talk on the robber barons, famous dead guys who ripped dudes off to get rich, so I stuffed Our Great Nation into my backpack. Those who didn’t want to get squashed hung under a poster of the presidents, while everyone else bolted for the door. Someone had marked up Washington with horns, earrings, and a Hitler mustache; more proof that I didn’t fit in with freshmen. 

      “You’re quiet,” Sara said. 

      I pointed at the crappy artwork. “Did you see that?” 

      “That’s hysterical!” She laughed as if something was actually funny and then wrapped her fingers around my arm. 

Daniel Does Soccer

Tonight we watched The AFC, Daniel's soccer team, play a winning match in Nashville. None of the guys knew what AFC stood for, so I called them The Amazing Futball Club. Although only one guy from the other team got it in the nuts, Daniel scored a brilliant goal. He hit the ball off his chest and volleyed it in from the air. It was a two-step––like the dance. He also had a beautiful red head who came to see the game. 

I don't know if you know how into soccer my son is, but he recently went to Brazil to watch the World Cup. While he was there, he ran into Dave from England. This was one of the soccer coaches who stayed with us for several weeks one summer. His buddy Niall found my daughter's fish floating dead in the bowl, so she named her new fish Niall.

Hope you enjoyed my quick post. She you later, Peeps.

#WW : Dog Shaming

I ate my grandmother's glasses.

And the mat, kitchen spoon, wooden game, didgeridoo, boomerang key chains, comb, ping pong paddles. I also ripped a hole through the porch screen and chewed carpet. I'm a bad puppy!

Musical Monday: Head East

Driving on the highway, my daughter told me to "Head East." Before I knew it, 

a song came to mind, so here it is.

Does anyone remember this second song?

Tune in next week when the theme will be about songs from our hometowns. Do you think I'll have trouble finding a singer from Memphis?

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Weekend Writing Warriors Blog Hop 7/20/14

Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 07/20/14

www.wewriwa.com

Since I've shown the dark side of my young adult manuscript, 

BEING BENITO CARLEFFA, this week I'll lighten things up with 

a humorous dinner time snippet between Ben and his father.

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After blowing on the red soup, I cautiously sipped it off the spoon. It's cold? Next I knew, I gagged, coughed, and thumped my chest. All this money, and these people couldn’t even heat the food.

     “You don't like the gazpacho?” Fiso asked. 

      I dropped my spoon on the table. Why would he mention the Gestapo? What was he, a modern day Nazi? Sure, everyone likes murderers. Sick. This guy’s really sick.

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Writer's Smooze

I attended an interesting and informative writers' workshop, where I learned a technique for freeing stuck brains when writing. I have a sixth novel that I started some time ago but didn't finish because I didn't know where the plot was headed. Time to pull it out again and try this new brainstorming technique. Write a word, put it in a bubble, and continually draw lines to other word bubbles to see where it takes you.

Picture this machine with a kid's head caught inside.

We also learned how a part of ourselves or emotion is in everything we write. I thought of a comedic scene where my main character's best friend gets his head caught in a bathroom hand drying machine. I thought, that's never happened to me, so how does it relate? Using the technique I figured things out.

The trick reminded me of how a friend of mine and I used to check out each other's dates in college. We dressed up in raincoats and hats while carrying a notepad and pen. We asked the date to turn around so we could check out his butt and any other obnoxious stunts we could blatantly pull. It was so goofy that it took all awkwardness out of checking out a date. Well, at least it did for us. I don't know about the poor sap with the cute buns.

Anyway, it's not so much my character getting his head caught in the hand drying machine and blowing spittle all over the floor as the writing reflects the feeling one gets by knowing you've done something so silly and stupid that it quits being embarrassing and becomes funny.

Have you been there?

So what the heck does my writing scenes where a teen is abused by crazy mob members mean? I never even spanked my own children and here I am tearing this poor character to bits. Maybe some things are best not analyzed. 

For more Ben abuse, tune in Saturday night for another episode of Weekend Writers. Last week I killed his mom. Mwahahaha.