Fin Pal asks Norman "Do You Like Sharks?"
Did you know there are about 500 different kinds of shark around the world? Only about 12 kinds are dangerous to humans, these include the great white shark, bull shark, tiger shark, shortfin mako, and oceanic whitetip shark. But all of them, when hungry could find goldfish a tasty treat—and we’re not talking about goldfish crackers, either! So what do you think Norman will say?
Ready to read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
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But first a finny!
Q: Where do fish go to borrow money?
Q: Where do fish go to borrow money?
A: To a Loan-Shark
To learn more about sharks and see pictures click over to “20 Types of Sharks Around the World” on OurEndangeredWorld.com
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 #254-Love is Kind
Because, as evidenced by our daily dose of news, kindness must be a learned behavior, July 27th has been designated National Love is Kind Day, a day set aside to “encourages you to become aware of how you are treating people, how people are treating you, and how you can become emboldened, supported, and empowered to lead the joyful and productive life.”
Poetry Challenge #254
Love Is Kind
Write an echo verse with “Love is Kind” as the theme.
An Echo Verse is one in which the last word or syllable in a line is repeated on the next line. In essence, that last word/sound is “echoed underneath to form a rhyming line, normally ending as the last line being the title to the poem.”
Below is an example of an Echo Poem YoungWriters.com.
Read it aloud and listen for the echo:
Set the theme of “Love is Kind” in your mind. Then, when you’re ready to begin:
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
After all, every day—especially on Love is Kind Day—What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love by Burt Bacharach! Hit it Dionne!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
What Inspires Me? Canada Did Something!
We talk-talk-talk about plastic waste while garbage islands—the size of Texas—float through the Pacific. We talk-talk-talk about overflowing land fill, about reduce and reuse. We talk. And we “bribe” ourselves to use less plastic with returnable deposits and nickel/dime bag charges and pat ourselves on the back when we put plastics into recycle bins to be repurposed and call it “doing something.”
Canada actually did something.
This is a photo of one of the huge plastic islands —See anything you discard?
Last Month the Canadian Government passed a ban on six categories of single-use plastic manufacture, import, export and sale.
A ban that begins now and will be fully implemented by the end of 2025.
“WE DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A LAW TO BE PASSED—LET’S ACT UNLAWFULLY!
LET’S BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTIC THE EASY WAY—-DON’T BUY IT! DON’T USE IT!”
This is our park, our garbage cans, our picnic leavings—3 points for cleaning up after ourselves…but did we?
You may not remember it, but back in the good-old days, right here in the good old U.S of A, the highways, byways, parks, roadsides, parking lots were festooned with—trash! And everyone seemed fine with it. Really!
After all tossing trash out the window or into the bushes is easier, isn’t it? After all, isn’t that what all the marvelous new-fangled plastic, cardboard, Styrofoam containers and utensils are made for—one use and toss? So easy! Whooppee!
It took then first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, a shy thoughtful woman who loved flowers and nature, to say “Enough!” Convinced cleaner highways and streets would “make American a better place to live” Lady Bird launched her “anti-littering” campaign—publicly (and privately, no doubt). On Oct. 22nd, 1965, her husband, LBJ, signed the Highway Beautification Act.
Now, thanks to Lady Bird, while many of us still do it, we find littering deplorable. Doubt me? When the series Mad Men aired an episode where the Drapper family goes on a picnic and tosses their trash viewers were outraged. Here’s the Mad Men Picnic Littering clip.
But here’s the thing. We Americans don’t like anyone—especially “Government”—telling us what to do. We don’t want to be bossed around! We don’t like bans. Do we?
So why wait? Let’s show them who’s BOSS!
Let’s simply STOP! Stop buying and using single-use plastic. (And Styrofoam, too, while we’re at it. Styrofoam is as bad, worse than plastic.) But how? you ask. Below is a handy-dandy 5-item list of ways to stop buying and using single-use plastic.
“Hint: As Lady Bird did with her anti-littering campaign, get the kids involved. Let them help you—and us—be the change. ”
BYOB! BBD! BYOS! BYOC! BYOU!
Just as with using seatbelts, it might be uncomfortable at first, but we’ll get used to it!
Fin Pal asks Norman "Need Help Decorating Your Tank"?
Ready to read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
But first a finny!
Q: What type of music should you listen to whilst fishing?
Q: What type of music should you listen to whilst fishing?
A: Something Catch!
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 #253-Lolli-POP!
Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolly lollipop…
The very popular song Lollipop, written by Julius Dixson and Beverly Ross in 1958, used this line to ear worm its way onto #20 on the pop charts; and later, when the Chordettes covered it to #2 & #3 on Pop and R&B*
The song Lollipop originated when Julius Dixson was late for a songwriting session with Beverly Ross. He explained that his daughter had gotten a lollipop stuck in her hair, and that had caused him to be late. Ross was so inspired by the word "lollipop" that she sat down at the piano and produced a version of the song on the spot. —
Why the fixation on Lollipops? Because July 20th is National Lollipop Day, of course!
*Not to be confused with Lil Wayne’s Lollipop song: Lil Wayne - Lollipop (Audio) Ft. Static Major - YouTube
Here’s the perky Utube Video—Watch and Make this cute Lollies!
Poetry Challenge #253
Lolli-POP!
Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolly lollipop…
Read it aloud several times and listen to the L’s, the P’s, and the rolling rhythm.
Next, pick a different three-syllable word and make your own refrain, being sure to repeat a word or syllables.
Once you have your refrain, try to write at least 2 verses, repeating your refrain.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
All puckered up for a tasty read? Check out Rukhsana Khan’s Big Red Lollipop with art by Sophie Blackall.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
What Inspires Me? The Perfect Game
While I was recently reminded (by The NY Yankees Museum Curator) that “perfect pitch” is a musical term, not a baseball term, there is such a thing as a perfect pitch. This is what a perfect pitch looks like.
Don Larsen’s final “Perfect Game” pitch to Yogi Berra
The “Ball Wall” exhibit in the NY Yankees Museum shows the trajectory of Don Larsen’s final (97th) pitch to Yogi Berra on October 8, 1956, in game 5 of the 1956 World Series, against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Yankee Stadium.
The "Ball Wall" features hundreds of balls autographed by past and present Yankees. There’s even a touch-screen finder to help fans locate their favorite players autographed ball.
The NY Yankees Museum is open to the public—tours are available. And the Museum is open on home-day games to ticketholders.
Cy Young, the winningest pitcher in baseball history, pitched three no-hitters over his professional baseball career, only one of which was a perfect game, for the Boston Americans in 1904.
As I write, there are fourteen MLB games scheduled. Weather permitting, that means that at least 28 MLB pitchers will take the mound, wind up and fire off perfect pitches—lots of them.
On average according Baseball Scouter, “each Major League Baseball (MLB) team throws an average of 146 pitches” during the course of a game.
Some of those pitchers might even throw no-hitters (alone or combined), although it could take the 120, 130, maybe even 140 pitches to do it.
But just imagine, a pitcher, over the course of nine innings, firing baseballs into the strike zone so fast, so hard, with so much finesse that though one after the other batters try—MLB Batters! the heaviest of heavy hitters! —they can’t get on base. Three hitter up-Three hitters down. Nine times. 27 batters who strike out, fly out, or are tagged out. Game over! A Perfect Game.
What are the chances of that? To date, there have been only 23 perfect games in MLB history, but only ONE in World Series competition!
“The “Perfect” Perfect Game would be one in which the pitcher threw each batter out on the first pitch. The batter would have to swing on the first pitch and fly out or get tagged out running to first. 27 pitches.”
While a Perfect Game in baseball requires phenomenal pitching, pitching is not everything.
A “No-Hitter” is all about the pitching.
A Perfect Game means no hits or walks, no hit batsmen, no fielding errors that allow a player on base, no uncaught third strikes, and no interference.
. . . no “fielding errors.” Every player on the field must make every play hit to them.
A Perfect Game is what baseball is about—teamwork. It’s a team win. Now that’s inspiring!
BTW: The NY Yankee Museum is open to the public, and on game days to ticket holders. For Tour info Click.
Monument Park, located in center field, recognizes legends who have appeared at Yankee Stadium, is free and open to ticket holders on Yankees home game days. Monument Park opens when the park opens and closes 45 minutes before the scheduled start of games.
Poetry Challenge #252-There Was a Good Old Cow . . .
A few years back on a tour of Margaret River, Australia’s wine region (near Perth), instead of the expected—kangaroos, wallabies, boomerangs—we stumbled onto painted cows. Everywhere! Along with the cows was some utterly ridiculous Moo-ology. (If you’re curious, I wrote an article about being on the Margaret River Cow Parade entitled “Where’s the Cow, Mate?” for Now! Jakarta Magazine. Moooore on that in the magazine (which I highly recommend!)
For today, because it’s National Cow Appreciation Day, July 13th, here’s some Moo-ology:
“MOO-OLOGY FROM MARGARET RIVER
Cow-operation for co-operation
Sh-udder, as in “I sh-udder to think about it.”
Cow-herd, as in “don’t be such a cow-herd, try some more…”
Cow-L-neck, as in “I’m chilly; I think I’ll change into my cow-L-neck sweater.”
Curd-yah, as in “curd-yah please mooove out of the way, I’m trying to snap a picture.”
Let’s moooooooove it!
Better hoof it on out a here. Cheers, Mate!”
Poetry Challenge #242
It Was a Good Old Cow . . .
Write an elegy about a cow. An elegy is a poem or song expressing sadness or grief. Write your elegy in three parts.
An elegy is lyrical but does not necessarily rhyme.
Part #1 Express grief
Part #2 Praise for the departed
Part #3 Comfort and support
If you’re at a loss as to how to begin, begin with this snippet of an elegy my mom used to sing to my brother and me on road trips:
It was a good old cow . . .
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just do it!
And if you’re really keen on cows, this month’s Visual Verse Anthology prompt might really mooove you… But hurry, submissions must be in by July 15th!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. 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):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Ellie the Fin Pal asks Norman "What About People Food?"
Some finpals can’t read or write, yet, so they tell an adult their questions for Norman. That’s how this one pop into our email. Ready to read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
