Please tell me where I can cash this in…
My blog is worth $13,548.96.
How much is your blog worth?
Oddly, THIS blog is worth much more than my other blog which gets tons more traffic. Nevertheless, I’d like to see this in my bank account, please.
Archive for April, 2007
Hold Your Breath!
The boys had the opportunity to scuba dive yesterday. It was an introductory course offered by the local dive shop. They learned how to equalize their ears, remove, clear, and replace their air source, and how to check their air gauge to make sure they had enough air. They were in the water for an hour and a half, and underwater - breathing! - for more than half that time. I was able to watch from a viewing window. They are now pining for a dive certification course - which costs substantially more than the $15 introductory lesson…
Hail and Well Met!
What’s with the medieval English? Ach, well. I’m thisclose to finishing the edits on my forthcoming book (Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself) and I’m feeling very medieval.
While I’m feeling so friendly, let me say hello to the broad assortment of visitors I’ve had lately: Canda, Dubai, Greece, and Ireland.
Indeed, “Hail and well met” seems appropriate.
Free Colonial America Activity
I’ve had tons of people (well, lots anyway) accessing my author website looking for activities related to colonial America. I suspect this is due to the upcoming anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. This prompted me to put up a project for those folks landing on my site looking for information. It’s a two page excerpt from Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself, showing detailed instructions for making a pump drill. And did I mention it’s free? Show your kids, tell your friends, and protect your tabletops. These things are addictive!
Congratulations
Three homeschool blog award winners can keep an eye out for one of my books as part of their prize package. I just addressed book-sized packages to Denise at Fast Times @ Homeschool High (Team Challenges), Alice at Cottage Blessings (Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself), and Jennifer at S/V Mari Hal-O-Jen (Tools of the Ancient Greeks). Congratulations, ladies!
In other categories I was pulling for Life Without School, COD, Doc, and Lapaz Farm. Maybe next year…
You have to appreciate just how clever this is
You know I prattle on here about publishing. Matter of fact, I’ve noticed (have you noticed?) that most of my homeschooling thoughts end up as comments on other blogs lately. I’ll post some profound homeschooling thoughts soon, I promise. (Um, maybe about summer vacation)
Meanwhile, you must check out this website.
As an author, I know that catching the attention of the general public so they know about a book is tough. People like me - with books like mine - talk to homeschool groups, or teachers, or creative problem solving people. In short, the people who would actually find the book to be of value. Usually, the general public doesn’t even know we have written a book. Unless someone does a brilliant job of marketing or Oprah picks us up. OR, in this techno age, someone does a fabulous job of viral marketing by creating something so completely fresh that everyone must see it. This author has done just that.
Want a free ebook?
Ten Minute Tasks and Travel Talk (survive that upcoming road trip!) both up for grabs, here.
This is how we learn to spell
E, from the other room: Mom, what is fatt-ee-gyoo?
Me: What?
E: What is fatt-ee-gyoo?
Me, pondering: Can you spell it?
E: f. a. t. i. g. u. e.
Gotta love the English language.
Connie Lapallo Interview - Links in Order
Connie Lapallo is the author of Dark Enough to See the Stars in a Jamestown Sky, based on the true story of the women and children at Jamestown. Her interview is posted in four parts. For ease of reading, I’ve posted links - in order - below.
Don Imus and The Dixie Chicks
What do the Dixie Chicks and Don Imus have in common? Both have seen their worlds turned upside down by making inappropriate comments in a public forum.
Like him or not, Don Imus was a voice to be reckoned with. He stood up to big business and worked tirelessly in support of kids. David Kirby over at the Huffington Post shares some insight about what won’t happen now that Imus is off the air:
Here are some of the things that Don Imus will NOT be covering in the coming weeks. And don’t count on the mainstream media to fill in the blanks:
On April 17, the Senate’s health committee will hold hearings on how to spend federal dollars allocated by the Combating Autism Act - a bill that might not have passed without the unrelenting support of Imus and his wife Deirdre.
The hearing was scheduled without any input from autism organizations that support the mercury hypothesis, nor will these groups be allowed to testify. Imus would have gone ballistic over that injustice. But now he is gone, and he can’t.
Just two days later, the Institute of Medicine will convene a two-day workshop on devising research protocols into environmental factors of autism, including mercury and vaccines. It is doubtful that the media will give it much thought, let alone coverage. Imus would have covered it intensely. But now he is gone, and he can’t.
***
Like them or not, the Dixie Chicks have survived scathing criticism and death threats to once again come out on top. I must commend these women for having the courage to be honest and true to their beliefs at the risk of losing their entire career, or even their lives. The turmoil and fear that they suffered for four years is chronicled in a new documentary, Shut Up and Sing. We watched it last night (watch out for the language and a couple of crude sexual references) and found it very interesting.
On the eve of the Iraq War, one sentence (”I’m ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.”) was cheered loudly at a venue in England and caused the Chicks to be ostracized by country music radio and fans. Their producer testified on Capitol Hill over the event. Flashbacks of 2003 newscasts promise that the Iraq situation will be over shortly. I would be really, really curious to know if the people who were so outraged at the Dixie Chicks’ anti-war sentiment then are still – four years into the war - of the same opinion.
