Happy Fishmas!
Happy Holidays from the Fishbowl!
Here at the Kelly’s Fishbowl we celebrate all the holidays—with food
Blood worms for everyone!
lights & a prompt with—because it’s the season—a surprise! (so keep reading to the end).
Right now, Norman and the elf fish are swimming rings around Diver Santa trying to get him to tell them what treats they’ll find hiding beneath their Fishmas Weed in the morning.
Of course they have been fintastic fish all year! How about you? (Don’t answer that…) Instead!
We have gifts for you! Five more Fishmas Jokes to get your fins fluttering.Here goes:
Q: What is Santa Jaws favorite time of day?
A: 12:25
Q: Why don’t clams and oysters give out Christmas presents?
A: Because they’re shellfish
Q: What kind of fish tops Norman’s Christmas tree?
A: A starfish
Q: What do Christmas and lobsters have in common?
A: Sandy Claws
Q: How many presents can Santa Jaws fit into his empty sack?
A: Only one…after that it’s not empty.
And now that 7-Minute Challenge (notice I didn’t say poetry…)
Happy Fishmas Ho-Ho-Ho!
Who doesn’t want a reason to give out with a big belly roll of a ho-ho-ho ? So for today’s challenge, because tis the season:
Write a finny joke. It can be a holiday joke, like the ones above, or not. But try to write a fish joke—sure it might stink but…Here’s the surprise:
The best fish joke posted here (in the comments) or on KellyBennettBooks wins a book of your choice.
1. Engage Your Silly Bone
2.Set the Time For 7-minutes
3. Have a fintastic time!
Hope those got you HO-HO-HOing!
MORE FISHCAKE!
We’ll be back next Wednesday with the 7-minute Poetry Challenge.
Happy Fishmas to you and yours.
Treat yourself to an extra helping of happy!
Norman Fishy Christmas Jokes!
Happy Holidays! We have presents for you!
Below are 5 of Norman’s Finniest Christmas Jokes. Can you guess the answers?
Some of them are real sinkers so get ready. . .
Q: What is Whale Santa’s official greeting?
Scroll down for the answer . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
A: Blow-Blow-Blow
Q: Who brings good-little goldfish Christmas presents?
Scroll down for the answer . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
A: Sandy Claws
Q: What do goldfish sing over the holidays?
Scroll down for the answer . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
A: Christmas Corals
Q: What do goldfish use to tie Christmas bows?
Scroll down for the answer . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
A: Ribbon Eels
Q: What is Norman’s favorite Christmas Song?
Scroll down for the answer . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
A: We Fish You a Merry Christmas!
Happy Fishmas and Merry New Year from the Fishbowl!
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish- about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Don’t forget to order your copy of NOT NORMAN: A GOLDFISH STORY and NORMAN: ONE AMAZING GOLDFISH!!
Poetry Challenge #51-For the Way We Were
“Remember blah-blah-blah..”
“Of course!”
“And blah-blah-blah…”
“How could I forget…”
Maurice and Hermione had much to remember, and at the same time so little when they sang “Oh yes, I remember it well…” in the movie, Gigi
Isn’t that the way of things! And the difference between autobiography and memoire? Memories aren’t reliable. They can be rose-tinted, dangerous, lost, and revised.
For this prompt, our memories can be any/all of those or true. Who will know by me and you?
Poetry Challenge #51
For the Way We Were
Pick one thing you remember. Maybe it’s the first thing that came to mind when you began reading this post. Maybe you need to scroll through your memories until you find one that creates a vivid picture in your mind.
Write a poem beginning with the words “Remember when…”. If you get stuck, write “Remember when…” again and go on with another memory. Extra credit for adding colors, smells, sounds, feelings.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
For The Way We Were Playlist:
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 3020 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl).
Poetry Challenge #50-Ode to the Lone (Ly)
“DON’T USE ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS TO PRETIFY YOUR PROSE!” The warning—BOLD & ALL CAPS—is issued at least once, in ever writing class. So much so, that it’s the title of a Writers’ Digest article expounding the excellence of Raymond Carver via his teacher John Gardner’s leaner-is-neater adverb and adjective-free prose.
If "Ly" were a dog, this is him. Sad.
Following in Carver/Gardner's footsteps has let us to “cast a suspicious eye on these forms of speech because many times they add little to what is already on the page.” As a result those ly-ending adverbs (and adjectives*) we once sprinkled throughout our prose as liberally as we sugared our Lucky Charms have been unnecessarily shunned, ignominiously tossed aside, and relegated extremely disposable.
A sign, at the entrance to the Cooper Hewitt Museum's exhibition “Design Beyond Vision” caused me to wonder: Where have all the adverbs gone? Long time passing . . . What has become of those lowly, loathsome “Ly”s? They are, frankly, lonely.
Here's the juicy sign. What's missing?
Hence today’s battle cry and prompt: Down with Understated. Let’s bravely go where no adverb has gone before…(or at least not for a long, long time.)
Poetry Challenge #50
Ode for Lonely "Ly"
Let’s write an adverb poem. Begin with the simplest sentence: A subject and a verb. For example: Jack ran. Mary ate. Unicorn flew.
Now ask yourself “how?” or “when?” or “Where?” Answer by adding an adverb. Repeat that adverb and ask “how?” Answer with another adverb.
Keep repeating this pattern, asking “how?” or “when?” or “where?” and answering with adverbs, one after the other after the other after the other, until you’ve used all the adverbs you want. Then, bring it to a rousing—or not—finish.
As an example, here’s my effort:
Your turn!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Ode For Lonely "Ly" Playlist:
Link to the article “Don’t Use Adjectives and Adverbs to Prettify Your Prose”
Where Have all the Adverbs Gone by Peter, Paul & Mary
Ode to the Lowly [Ly] by Roy Orbison
**To paraphrase McArthur and Arnold: “Adjectives! We’ll be back!”
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 3000 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
Poetry Challenge #49-Poetry Stew
The ground crunches in the morning. My knuckles and knees do too. It’s that time of year. What time? Stew time!
Ingredients for a poem all around you, ready for the plucking.
If people are nearby, ask them for the words the way you’d ask to borrow a cup of sugar for a favorite recipe.
Poetry Challenge #49
Poetry Stew
You will need two nouns (something you can see or touch, not proper nouns), a color, a place (not capitalized if possible), an adjective (a word that describes), a verb (an action), and an abstract noun (a word that you can’t touch that names an idea: beauty, hope, justice, chance).
Here are some ingredients in case your word cupboard is bare:
milkweed * laughter * mulberry * market * delicious * yearn * hope
Stir the words together, let them simmer a bit as you would a stew, then shape them into a poem. “Season” your poem with a smattering of other words, connectors, modifiers, etc.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
bon appétit!
Poetry Stew Playlist:
A Little Pinch of This & That by Giara
Les Poisson from Littlest Mermaid
Antevka from The Fiddler on the Roof
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 3000 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge #47-Can I Have a Word?
At a loss for words? Aren't we all sometimes--which can be a total drag if you're trying to scratch down some lines, Daddy-o...
The cool thing about words is. . .
they are free, available, reusable, recyclable . . .
There are many excellent sites for Words of the Day.
Thank you One Squiggly Line—a great website!
One way to collect words is by looking through the Dictionary. (That’s a book.)
Absurd Words by Tara Lazar is a funny-bone tickler of a book listing odd, unusual, ridiculous words.
(Hint: It a great kid-teacher-word nerd gift!)
And the trendy, hip thing to do—the way to stay current Daddy-O, is to use trending words. Here’s a few trendy words ala FluentU Language Learning. (The list was updated in September 24, so there might be even trendier, trendy words.)
Poetry Challenge #47
Can I have a word?
For today's stretch, what say we get hip, with-it, happening dude, by riffing off the trend!
First you need to collect a few words—at least five from any source that amuses you. (Stretch a bit and include at least one trendy word)
Now write a poem/story/something using those words.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 3000 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge #45-Practical Magic
Magic! Do you believe in magic? I do.
How else do you explain the unexplainable?
For today’s prompt, let’s explore magic in a poetic form.
Which is infinitely more practical
(no extra ingredients or batteries required.)
Poetry Challenge #45
Pure Magic!
#1 Think a moment about Magic!
#2 Jot down words & images that comes to mind related to Magic!
#3 Use words from your Magic List to create a Pyramid Poem.
What's a Pyramid Poem?
A Pyramid Poem is a type of concrete poem. It starts with one word on the top line. The second line has two words, three words on the third line, four words on the fourth line, and so on.
The lines are centered above each other so they create a pyramid shape on the paper.
Pyramid Poems do not have to rhyme (but they can), nor do the number of syllables matter.
To create the shape, a pyramid poem must have at least 3 lines . . ..
If you are up for a challenge, try using the words "Pure Magic" as the second line of your Pyramid Poem! Abbra-ca-dabra!
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 3000 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Poetry Challenge #44-Here’s a Neat Idea!
We all need ostrich days. Today is one of those.
Or as I like to say, “Poem on!”
Sometimes all you need to write a poem is something to get you started.
A number, a color, a word, a phrase, or a . . .
NEAT IDEA!
Playing in Mud is a Neat Idea!
Here are some neat mud play ideas
from Thimble & Twig
Crafting is another neat idea!
Here are some neat holiday craft ideas
from Best Ideas for Kids
Saying YES! to poetry is always a neat idea!
Poetry Challenge #44
Here’s a Neat Idea!
For this poem, begin with the phrase “Here’s a neat idea:” and write. You could be talking to yourself about something you’ve done or that you want to do. You could be talking to someone else about something you want them to do. You could be talking about something real or imagined. Whenever you get stuck, write the phrase again and see where it takes you.
Make a list of some things you’ve never done.
Try dividing your list into sections: things you’ve never done and never want to do, things you’d like to do but haven’t done yet, and things that seem impossible.
Write a poem using some of these. It could be a list poem or it could be about one of these things. Maybe it’s a wish poem of things you want to do.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
Start writing!
Don’t think about it too much; just do it.
Wait! I have another neat idea! Craft your poem in chalk…catch a wave!!!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge at least 3000 days ago. We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole dang poem. Scroll down and click on the comments!
Want the 7-Minute Poetry Challenge sent to your email? Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .