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Write Funny!

Do you like reading funny stuff?  Most people do.  Humor sells because we like to be taken away from our problems and be entertained!  

How does it work?  When you laugh at something that happens to you, write it down.  Try and figure out why you laughed.  What tickles your funny bone the most often?  Is it physical humor when someone gets hit with a pie or trips on a banana peel?  Or is it more subtle than that?  When someone says one thing and does the exact opposite?

Watch these funny animal clips.  Which ones are the most humorous to you?  Why?  

Then begin a humor story, poem or personal narrative (essay about something true that really happened to you).  Slow down the moment with details to make us feel like we’re really there.  When you’re finished, read it aloud.  Can you make it MORE funny?  Sometimes it’s all about the timing.  You have to hear the difference by reading it out loud.  It may mean cutting some details or adding others.  Have fun writing funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw0FU733zzg&feature=related

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Flying Car!? The Future is HERE!

Wow.  In our wildest dreams, we are able to fly.   And when you’re stuck in a traffic jam, you wish you and your car could fly above it all.  Now one man has designed a car that can fly now.

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=635469588001

Writing Prompts:

1.  You are in this flying car.  Write a poem or story with you in this vehicle.  Use your senses to make us feel like we are actually with you on your adventure. 

2.  Invent an object to improve our lives.  What will it be?  Write its description.  Create an ad campaign for it.  Write a commercial advertising it.  How will it change our lives for the better?

3.  Take a person from the past and plop him into our world today.  Write a story featuring him or her as a major character.

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Your 2010 Year in Review

Can you believe it’s the end of the year already?  The holidays have wooshed by and New Year’s Eve is days away.   (Do YOU ever make up words like I do?  Wooshed is only one of many of my typical words.  Maybe I should create a dictionary?)

What are your best memories of the past year?  What have been the incredible books you’ve read?  The memorable movies you’ve seen?  The most delicious meals you’ve eaten?  An interesting person you’ve met?  An animal that made an impression upon  you? A funny moment that may have made you smile?  A touching scene that brought you a sigh?

Writing Prompt: 

1.  Write for ten or twenty minutes quickly about one or any or all of the above.   Next, review what has popped into your head.  Now take time and choose the most vivid scene or anecdote of the year to recreate.  Use your emotions and senses to write a story, essay or poem. 

2.  Share your writing with a friend.  Share your other thoughts and ideas of the past year with your friend or a group of people.  Other writing projects may occur to you as words fly by.

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If You Could Go Anywhere in the World . . .

 
Here’s a great site to use for your writing and for geography! 
 
1.  Place a character in a setting anywhere in the world. 
 Have fun choosing a place!
Research the location to discover the culture, foods, weather, styles, sounds, language and other details to enhance your scene.
 
2.  If you could go anywhere in the world, where would YOU choose to go?  Why?  Place yourself in this city and write a travel log of your trip.
 
3.  Write a poem based on one of the videos you see on this site. 
 
 
Around the world

 

 
 
 

 

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Does a Personal Narrative Have to be Exciting?

I was wondering, does a personal narrative have to be about something exciting that happened in your life? Can it be something not that exciting, but still something that happened to me? It is a personal narrative after all, and I know that the name says it all, but just to make sure that there are no huge rules about them.
****
 A personal narrative could be about you looking at a butterfly and noticing something about that butterfly you never saw before and relating it to your life or the world in some way. 
 
The best personal narratives I have ever read are NOT particularly exciting, but they touch our souls.  A great narrative will be a special moment in time that has touched you and will touch the reader too.  
 
Many personal narratives are not exciting at all. Just let the reader feel like she or he is experiencing the moment or episode along with you. 
 
If you have any more questions feel free to ask. 
 
Good luck with your narrative!
 
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High School John F. Kennedy Profiles In Courage Essay Contest

  Eligibility

The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories; and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas.

Past winners and finalists are not eligible to participate. Employees of John Hancock Financial Services and members of their families are not eligible to participate.

Requirements

  • Essay submissions for the 2011 contest will be accepted starting September 1, 2010. The contest deadline is Saturday, January 8, 2011.
  • Essays can be no more than 1,000 words. Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count.
  • Essays must be the original work of the student.
  • John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Edward M. Kennedy are not eligible subjects for essays.
  • Essays must describe how an elected official demonstrated political courage by addressing an issue at the local, state, or national level. See Contest Information and Writing Tips for more information.
  • Essays about previous Profile in Courage Award recipients will be disqualified unless they describe an act of political courage other than the act for which the award was given.

Source Material

  • Essays with fewer than five listed sources may be disqualified.
  • All participants must cite sources they used to research their topic throughout their essay. Please use parenthetical citations within the text. We can not accept citations in footnote form.
  • Essays must include a bibliography (using any one of the recognized formats). You must use a minimum of five selected sources. Please refer to the Prepare Your Essay section information on Citing Sources and Bibliographies.
  • Essays which rely solely on Internet sources may be disqualified.

Essay Submission

  • Students have the choice of either submitting their essay online (preferred) or of mailing their essay. All students must complete and submit a registration form online for student and school information. For instructions on how to submit your essay, see Submit your Essay.
  • Mailed in essays must be postmarked by January 8, 2011.

Nominating Teachers

  • All students must list the name of their nominating teacher on the registration form. The role of a nominating teacher is to provide students with support and advice during the writing of their essay. Nominating teachers are also asked to read students’ essays to make suggestions for improvement before they are submitted to the essay contest. As part of this review process, the nominating teacher reviews the essay for syntax, grammatical, typographical and spelling errors and ensures the essay meets the contest requirements listed above. The first place winner and his/her nominating teacher, as representatives of their school, will be invited to receive awards at the annual Profile in Courage Award ceremony held each May at the Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston.
  • Nominating teachers can be former or current teachers, but must still be teaching at the same high school as the essay participant. Usually students ask their English or History/Social Studies teachers. In very few cases, we will make an exception if a student is unable to ask a teacher from their high school to be their nominating teacher. The parent or legal guardian responsible for the instruction of home schooled students can also serve as a nominating teacher.

Visit    http://www.jfklibrary.org/

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Croatia, Italy and the USA

I’ve just arrived home from a trip to Croatia and Italy.  I’ve wanted to go to Croatia since I’ve been a little girl.  Why that country?  My mother’s parents came from Zagreb in 1901 and I know very little about their world or them, both having passed on before I came along. 

Croatia is an interesting mixture of ancient and new.  We began in the northern city of Zagreb and proceeded south where it became warmer.   In the north the language reminded me very much of Russian, and the more south we traveled it felt as though there was an Italian dialect mixed in to their communication as well as the foods. 

We’ve never eaten better fish anywhere.  In Opatija, we sat down at a restaurant and asked what they were known for in their area.  The waiter brought out a platter with a large fish, complete with an interesting head and eyes.  My husband blanched.  I stifled a laugh. 

“Let’s go for it,” I said.  After all, I never met a seafood I never liked.

Our big mistake was forgetting to take a picture of our dinner before it was grilled.  It came later and it was flakey and delicious.  No bones – – only the main one down its back I guess. 

It was a memorable meal.  And since we forgot to take a photo, I found one online for you to see.  http://www.panoramio.com/photo/7034957

Writing Prompts:

1.  Which place in the world would you like to visit?  Read about this place and plan your itinerary. 

2.  Find a map and discover the places I mentioned in my blog.  Research and do a nonfiction piece about the area.

3.  Write about a trip you’ve taken that has left wonderful . . . or not so wonderful impressions upon you. 

4.  Create a short story set in an area that is not a place you are familiar with.  You must read about this place in order to learn about the setting. 

5.  Write a poem inspired by a trip you have taken.  It could be a trip a town away from your home! 

6.  Have you ever gone a long time without sleep?  How did you deal with it?  Write about it in an amusing way.  You can use exaggeration to make it more funny!

7.  Write about the most interesting or different food you have ever eaten.  What was it?  What did it look like?  Taste like?

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Video of dog and deer playing together

Watch the video below.  Next, write about the adventure in the present tense from the voice of the deer or the dog or the person taking the video. 

Or write an essay comparing the element of play between these two very different creatures and another aspect of life.   Enjoy the video.  I did!

http://www.wimp.com/oneball/

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High School Essay Contest – Due January 31, 2011

High School Essay Contest
DIALOG OF CIVILIZATIONS YOUTH PLATFORM 2011An International High School Essay Contest

ELIGIBILITY   
All high school students, enrolled in 9th through 12th grades, attending public or private schools from the United States and abroad.
 

TOPIC
The use of military means as a solution to today’s international and national political issues:Diplomacy or war, democracy or military coup?

ESSAY REQUIREMENTS
Essays must/must be:
•    Written in English
•    Original, unpublished, and written entirely by student
•    Contain student’s original opinions and recommendations based on research
•    At least 1,500 words in length but no more than 2,000 (Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count)
•    Typed, double-spaced with margins: left: 1.5″, right: 1″, top: 1″, bottom: 1″, page-numbered
•    Include a bibliography
•    Comply with standards regarding citations and bibliography

SUBMISSION OF ESSAYS: HOW AND WHEN?
All essays must be submitted online.

•    Go to the event website at www.guleninstitute.org/youthplatform
•    Scroll down and fill out the “Registration Form”

•    Click on “Browse” to upload your essay.
•    After uploading your essay, click on “Send” button.

Essays must be submitted as either Microsoft Word (.doc) file or Adobe Reader (.pdf) file.

Essay entries must be received by Monday, January 31st, 2011.
 

JUDGING CRITERIA
Essay submissions will be judged on:
•    Content
•    Grammar
•    Originality
•    Style and vocabulary

•    Written discussion advances the pieces in response to the topic
The decision of the judges is final as relating to all contest matters.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION
1st place                   :    4,000 USD + Trip to D.C.
2nd place                 :    2,500 USD + Trip to D.C.
3rd place                  :    1,000 USD + Trip to D.C.
4th – 20th place         :     300 USD  + Trip to D.C.
21st – 30th place        :     Trip to D.C.

All winners will receive a Certificate of Recognition.

Winners will be awarded in a ceremony that will take place in Washington, D.C. in March 2011:

During their 4-day trip to D.C., students will have the opportunity to meet U.S. Congress members, and visit think tank organizations and tourist attractions including museums.

Winning students’ airfare, accommodations, meals, and transportation will be sponsored.

HOW TO ADDRESS THE TOPIC
The use of military means as a solution to today’s international and national political issues: Diplomacy or war, democracy or military coup?

Good governance relies upon responsible civic participation, equality, and rule of law. It involves political leadership, bureaucracy, civil society, community leaders and others who play a role in or influence decision-making and the implementation of laws and policies within society. For those who hope to prevent military interventions that lead to the deaths of civilians and the destruction of their country’s political and economic foundation, what are the possible ways to reduce the risk of military interventions, such as military coups, to provide new generations a safer and more democratic world?

•    Choose a case-study topic from a country that has experienced a military intervention in its recent history.

•    What forms of military interventions happened and why? How did military interventions affect the population and civil institutions in the country?      

•    Based on your research provide recommendations for national leaders that would prevent conflict and enhance the democratization process in their countries

OBJECTIVES
The Gülen Institute encourages all high school students from the U.S. and abroad to participate in the Gülen Institute Youth Summit because it:

•    Helps young minds define problems related to stable peace and social harmony, discuss them, and offer possible solutions from their own perspectives

•    Contributes to achieving a positive impact on society by building social skills

•    Helps students improve research and writing skills that are so essential prior to college years.

•    Is a lifetime opportunity for students to exchange ideas with their peers both from national and global levels

CONTACT INFORMATION
Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

The Gülen Institute
University of Houston –

Social Work Building Room #417

Houston, TX, 77004 U.S.A.
Tel.: +1 (713) 743 8135    Fax: +1 (713) 974 4445
[email protected] This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Ever met a celebrity?

A friend of mine just got back from England where she met Prince Charles. 

Really. 

She and her husband were touring the gardens of Buckingham Palace and there was some show going on.  He was in the midst of  a crowd,  smack dab in front of them,  along with Camilla, where they chatted with my friends about mulching and plants and tulips and what-not. 

Although I’ve seen a few Hollywood actors on sets and in streets (their names escape me so unfortunately I can’t impress you with name-dropping here) I haven’t been stunned by anyone truly in the upper echelon of famous-ousity.   

Oh wait.  One name-drop.  Sorry.  I took my son to see Clinton before he was president so my son could shake his hand.  We were in a crowd of twenty so it was lovely indeed.  And he was personable and pleasant and of course I handed my camera to someone else to take pictures and never thought to ask for him to take a picture of the three of us . . .

But other than that, my life has been celebrity free.

What about yours?  Do you know a hairdresser’s son’s cousin who’s the brother of Lindsay Lohan?  Poor girl.  Sorry about the unfortunate choice.  I was trying to be contemporary and that’s all I could come up with at the moment. 

Writing Prompt:

1.  Write a personal narrative.  You can have dinner with anyone famous in history or the present time.  Who would you choose?  What do you ask?  What happens?  (My choice?  Dorothy Parker, Abigail Adams, everyone’s choice which is Eleanor Roosevelt and Dr. Seuss for starters . . .)

2.  Change your personal narrative into a poem.  Choose concrete images and metaphors.  Remember a poem isn’t just prose set in stanzas.

3.  Zap yourself into Hollywood.  Write a short story with you as a character.

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