News, Print, Poetry

Poems About Mothers, Motherhood, and Mothering

2017-12-01T17:55:00.002-05:00

This is a beautiful picture of a mother and a child.

I collected six of my poems about being a mother of a child and a daughter of a mother. Let me know if you like them.

Six Poems Celebrating Mothers, Motherhood, and Mothering

Mothers are central in our lives and, if you are a female, mothering is central to your life. Mothering is in our DNA because it is essential to the survival of our species.

When I was writing poetry, I would often find that I thought I was writing about one thing, but the poem would turn out to be about some aspect of motherhood. It seems my unconscious had some ideas that needed to be expressed.

I came to motherhood myself at a relatively advanced age. I was in my 40's when I adopted my son. There is a favorite little saying--you might call it a poem--that is common among adoptive mothers.

You grew

not under my heart,

but in it.

I've been told by parents who have both adopted children and natural born children that the love they feel for these children is the same. I believe them.

Each of these six poems looks at a different aspect of motherhood from being a mother-in-waiting-to child-raising to the death of a mother.

Click the link above to see my poems. Let me know how you like them.

I Was Sent to Facebook Jail

2017-11-02T16:27:00.001-04:00

The avatar that I sometimes use on facebook to represent myself
is shown behind bars.

If you are a Russian with rubles to pay for ads, facebook welcomes you with open arms. American citizens who just want to share information and opinions who can’t afford to ante up for ads—it’s straight to facebook jail for you.

I’d like to see Mark Zuckerberg in jail. If he broke any laws by spreading Russian propaganda to help Donald Trump win the election, I hope the Feds prosecute him to the full extent of the law.

Talking about the law, aren’t there some anti-trust issues with facebook? It is a monopoly. If you don’t like the way facebook treats you, but you still want to remain connected, there is no place left to go.

(BTW, individuals like you and me are not facebook’s customers—that would be the advertisers. We are its product and facebook sells us and the data it collect about us to the highest bidder.)

What is Facebook Jail?

“Facebook jail” refers to a user having their usage of facebook suspended for a certain amount of time. The time varies from 5 or 6 days to a month. When you are in jail, you can’t post or comment, sometimes not even onyour own facebook page. Once I had everything I had ever posted, even on my own page, just erased.

There was no warning and there was no appeal. In theory, you can appeal. A little box will pop up, and you can use that box to explain why you think facebook has blocked you “in error.” You can offer your explanation, but don’t expect a reply. I have never gotten a reply. I have never heard of anyone getting a reply. (I asked people I know who have also been in facebook jail and also googled it.)

Why Does Someone Get Sent to facebook Jail?

I googled that too. No one knows. How much is too much posting? Does it depend on what you are posting? Is it a form of censorship?

If you don’t know the rules, how can you avoid breaking them? I think facebook keeps moving the goalposts, so to speak. After I got out of facebook jail the last time, I cut back on posting to about a third of what I had done previously. Bam! No warning, in about two weeks, I’m back in jail.

Why do I post a lot?

1. I’m a writer and a writer wants to be read.

I want to express my opinions. I usually write about subjects I am passionate about—religion (from an atheist perspective) and politics (from a liberal perspective.

2. It strokes my ego.

I post to facebook groups that are appropriate for my content. I get very positive feedback from readers—lots of likes, lots of shares, and lots of comments. The comments are mostly positive because I only post to groups where I can expect a favorable reception. People often tell me how much they liked an article I wrote.

Sometimes I have been contacted by admins who ask me to join their group and post my stuff there. Sometimes, if I haven’t posted to a particular group in a while, the admin will contact me and ask me to post to his group. The admins of some groups do not allow posts to appear unless they have approved them. My posts are always approved.That's very flattering.

Not every admin loves me. I know this because sometimes I am booted from a group. I’m fine with that. The admin should be allowed to control who can post to his group.

However, facebook doesn’t think so. Facebook thinks they should control who can post to your group. Even if you want that content—too bad. Facebook says no.

I should state that my content is well within the guidelines—no nudity, no profanity, no pyramid schemes, no selling. Likewise when I comment, I never use profanity or insults. I also follow the rules of common courtesy, so if someone comments, I reply.

3. I often learn new stuff.

The comments I get are very helpful to me as a writer. Sometimes a reader will point out a typo, a grammar error, or an error in fact. (Sometimes politely, and sometimes nastily. I ignore the snark—that’s the nature of facebook.) I’m always grateful for the correction.

Sometimes a comment will provide new information on the topic. Once in a while I have taken this information and added it to my essay.

Sometimes a reader will try to refute me. I consider that an opportunity to learn. I have often spent up to an hour searching the internet to find the information to confirm or refute what the reader has said in his comment.

4. I earn a small amount of money.

I’m not selling anything, but I do earn based on views. It amounts to less than one fourth of one cent per view. In a good month, I get between $50 and $100 a month. (And that is for pretty much 40 hours a week of effort.) I’m retired and live mainly on social security so the little bit of extra money is nice.

Interestingly, during the tie I have been in jail, my views have not decreased very much--maybe 800 a day instead of 1000 a day overall. Most of my views come organically, from google, bing, etc.

Work it out. I earn $2 or $3 a day. Obviously, writing is more of a hobby than a job. I keep thinking I should try to write articles for publications that pay, but then I couldn’t write what I want when I want. And the pay for writers is pretty low anyway.

I don’t see myself as posting for self-promotion. I am a content provider. Facebook should pay me. They should pay all of us that provide the content that enable them to sell facebook users to advertisers. At the very least they should see it as a fair trade—free use of the platform in exchange for allowing them to sell us to advertisers.

I’m sure facebook would be happy to have me buy ads. But that means I would spend more on the ads than I could earn back in views. And I've just spent $50 for the annual fee to use a photo editor--that used to be free. (I created the picture above.) I feel like I have spent enough money on this hobby.

5. This is how I have fun.

I’ve made a few friends though my writing. Even though we are only facebook friends, I have enjoyed our brief connections.

Facebook is a cruel despot.

Facebook has cut me off. I’m going through withdrawal now. I will really miss facebook.

This whole article is just me venting. There is nothing I can do.

I’ll probably continue writing, because I like writing. If you want to be able to see my writing, follow up on facebook and join the two groups I have set up. One is The Eclectic Atheist Forum and the other is BlueAmerica Fights Back. I have also set up two facebook pages The Eclectic Atheist and Politics for Blue America so please like and follow these pages.

I also post other interesting stuff I have found on facebook and the internet—it is no all my own writing. And of course, other people pot to these groups and pages also.

Finally, when you come across my writing, please share it. A share is the best compliment I can get.

Update

Facebook is officially out of control. I think they just added a day to my sentence. Why? What did I do today?

I was interested in the Donna Brazile frecas. I scrolled through my feed and quickly found two posts that explained why Brazile had it all wrong. I shared these posts. I made a few comments on these and other posts--maybe about five.

Then I saw a post with a very long thread. Someone complained about being sent to facebook jail for no reason. In the comments some people said the same thing had happened to them. I commented that it happened to me and I included a link to this post rather than trying to tell the whole story in a comment.

Then I moved on to another post in my feed and I tried to post a comment. Bam! I box opened up with a new end-date for my prison sentence--a day longer than before. .Evidently fb doesn't like it when you expose they autocrataic behaviors.

Does anyone want to file a class action law suit. I'm in.

Calling all Catherines, Kathryns, Kates, and Kays

2017-06-27T13:46:00.000-04:00

My name is Catherine. If you look “Catherine” up in a book of baby names, you’ll find the meaning is “pure.”

Origins of Catherine

This name is derived from the Greek Aikaterina and the Latin Katharina. Why is the name spelled with a "C" in much of the world? When the name was introduced into Anglo-Saxon Britain, it was spelled with a "C" because the letter "K" did not yet exist in the English alphabet.

Catherine, spelled with a “C” is more old-fashioned, romantic, and feminine than its variant, Katherine, spelled with a “K”, although the latter spelling has become more popular in recent decades.

The name Catherine is a very popular name around the world. In the United States, its popularity peaked in the early 1900’s, and then began to fall. Despite a brief revival in the 1950’s, it has steadily declined. It may no longer be a fashionable name, but it is still among the top 200 names. It is probably far higher if you add all its variants together.

Famous Women Named Catherine

Catherine has a great history.

It is the name of a number of saints, Including St. Catherine of Alexandria, the patron saint of philosophers, students, craftsmen, nurses, and librarians.

It is a name with a royal lineage. Queen Catherine of Aragon was the first wife of the notorious Henry the VII. Catherine the Great was an Empress of Russia. It is also the name of the Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, the wife of Prince William who is second in line as heir to the English throne. (She is sometimes called Kate, but she hates that name and never uses it for herself.)

Catherine has also been the name of some of the great romantic heroines of literature, including Heathcliff’s love in Wuthering Heights and the passionate nurse Catherine Barkley in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms.

In popular culture, we have a few famous actresses: Catherine Zeta Jones and Catherine Deneuve are two of them renowned for their beauty and talent.

Variations of Catherine

Here are a few of the variants and nicknames of Catherine/Katherine—just the ones most popular in English- speaking countries.

Cat/Kat/Kitty/Kit

Cate/Kate/Katie/Katy

Cathy/Cathie/Cathe/Cathi/Kathy/Kathie/Kathe/Kathi

Cath/Kath

Catterina/Katrina

Catherina/Katherina

Catharine/Katharine

Cathryn/Kathryn

Caryn/Karen

Cathleen/Kathleen

Caitlyn/Caitlin/Kaitlyn/Kaitlin

There a dozens and dozens more.

We are a vast army, we descendants of Aikaterina.

This is a great book if you are choosing a name for your baby or if you want to know more about name. The Name Book: Over10,000 Names - Their Meanings, Origins, and Spiritual Significance

Picture Credits (from left to right):

Catherine of Aragon by Public Domain

Catherine Middleton by Maximus0970 CC-3.0

Catherine Zeta Jones by David Shankbone CC 3.0

Catherine Deneuve by Georges Biard CC 3.0

New Head Shots

2017-06-21T16:30:00.003-04:00

I have new head shots. The photographer was Michael Cairns.in Orlando, Florida. I think he did a great job and he was fun to work with.

Now all I need are some new jobs.

My agent chose the first picture for me to use as my main picture. But I kind of like the ones with me in glasses. What do you think?

I had over 100 proofs to choose from. It was hard to choose; they all looked great.I think the photographer deleted the bad ones before he sent me the proofs.

P.S. My hair is darker in some of the pictures because it is a wig.

Happy New Year 2017

2016-12-31T12:52:00.000-05:00

A new Year-2017: A time to look back and a time to look forward.

Just taking a moment to wish everyone a happy New Year and share some of my accomplishments related to my writing. Pinterest sent me a notice. I always add the pictures from my on-line writing to Pinterest. Here is how that worked out for me in 2016.

HubPages

My writing on HubPages as been going along well I sailed past 250,000 views in December and now have a total of around 263,000 views. I have 120 different essays. Take a look. I'm sure you will find a few you like. http://hubpages.com/@catherinegiordano

NIUME
I started writing for another site also--Niume. I only started two weeks ago and I have over 2000 views already. This is a fun site because I can write short posts—I can do one in under an hour sometimes. I think of them as gum drops—short and sweet and a little bit addictive. I've done 14 posts so far. You can see my posts here.

https://niume.com/profile/104144#!/posts

Niume pays for referrals. If you sign up, you and I will both earn a dollar after you do your first post. This is a very easy to use platform. You can write on whatever topic you like and then share it on your social media. (Maybe you would like to write about and post pictures of your vacation, for instance, and then share it on your facebook page.) Plus you can make a little bit of money. Here is my referral code. Please click on it to register on the site. https://niume.com/104144

Blogspot

And I still do my blogspot blogs. I’ve been doing a lot about politics. I post them onto my blog that I started for reviewing and commenting on the Bill Maher show. Now I just use it for politics. It’s been getting about 6,000 views a month. I’m up to about 47,000 views.

http://billmaherrulesforreal.blogspot.com/

Pinterest

My Pinterest views have been piling up also. Pinterest told me that in 2016, I had 168,506 views. I don't earn from Pinterest, but if you click and get to the post that used that picture I get my usual fraction of a cent.

https://www.pinterest.com/caprille/

So when you come across a social media post for one of my writings, please click and take a look. I earn a fraction of a cent for each view—a tiny amount, but it adds up. Plus, if you see a product advertised, I hope you will click on that also. The amazon ads earn me a small commission if you decide to buy something even if it isn’t the item I advertised. Again it adds up.

If you have been reading my posts, thank you. I hope you have enjoyed them.

Happy 2017!

I'm a Star--My Acting Career Takes Off

2016-07-16T16:53:00.000-04:00

I won this prize for my acting.

It’s been a meandering road. And there’s no end in sight as a reinvent myself as a blogger, poet, public speaker, writer, and now actor-- an actor who is featured in a commercial.

It’s a only a 15-second spot for Valencia College and it’s only shown locally, but I am featured and it is on TV. It’s such a thrill. I play it over and over.

This is the first time I am featured. So far, my other acting work has been as an extra. I’ve been an extra in a movie, a TV show, and a few commercials.

Here is a link. I play the grandmother. The scene shows my birthday party. Watch and let me know how you like it.

I should add that I benefit from the current trend in casting--they want "real people." They are not looking for movie-star good looks, just average nice-looking people.

Maybe I should have known that I was destined for acting greatness when I won a prize for best audience–participant actor in a dinner-theater murder-mystery production last year. Prior to the show, the real actors choose a few people from the audience and asked them to play one of the roles.

Perhaps I was chosen because I was flamboyant. The show was set in the Roaring Twenties--I wanted to dress the part, but I forgot. When I arrived (it was at the Winter Park library) and saw others in costume, I quickly improvised. I took the scarf I was wearing around my neck and turned it into a headband. I placed it across my forehead, tied it at the back of my head, and let the ends hang down. I probably looked really stupid, but I never let that stop me.

The actors gave each of us chosen-few a script to read. I studied mine and memorized the main points so I wouldn’t have to read it. When it was my turn to act, I improvised and hammed it up. I was really over the top both with my voice, facial expressions, and body movements. Again, I probably looked stupid, but I never let that stop me.

My prize was the silver balloon holder shown in the above picture. It is now prominently displayed right next to my TV so I can see it every day.

I’m exaggerating when I say “I’m a star,” but nonetheless, I am having so much fun with this. I love going to the auditions my agent sends me to even when I am not picked. And I really love being on set. I wanted to be an actress when I was a little girl and now, in a very small way, I am.

Flamingo Flamboyance—A Poem and More

2015-08-09T16:07:00.001-04:00

by Catherine Giordano

Pink flamingos are fabulous. I collect flamingo-themed items just because they make me feel so happy.

A group of flamingos are called a “flamboyance” Isn’t that marvelous? A group of cows is a “herd, a group of birds is a “flock, but a group of flamingos is a “flamboyance.”

An item from my collection, a flamingo-themed fabric grocery bag from Publix (a supermarket chain), inspired me to write a poem about why I love flamingos.

I’ll start with the poem and then I’ll give some suggestions for flamingo-themed items that you could use to start a collection or that you might want to add to a collection. I’ve put the items on my wish list.

Flamingo Flamboyance--A Poem

Today I bought a fabric shopping bag
I bought it at Publix
It cost a dollar
I bought it because I thought it was beautiful
I will not use it for groceries
It is too beautiful for groceries

Its intense yellow color first caught my eye
The color of sunshine
The color of butter creamed with sugar
The color of a field of buttercups

The bottom of the bag is a cerulean blue
The color of the Caribbean sea
The color of a summer sky
The color of Paul Newman’s eyes

Lime green alligators skip along the bottom
On their stubby green legs
Grinning toothy alligator grins
Little yellow birds perched jauntily on their backs

Palm trees with saw-toothed fronds
Rise from the blue water
Green fronds edged with blue
Swaying against a butter yellow sky

Most beautiful of all
Are the pink flamingos
On a stately march across the bag
Like a parade of princesses

They lift one leg daintily
Like the outstretched pinky
Of a prim society matron
As she lifts a cup of tea to her lips

The bag is beautiful to me
It's a tableau of peace
A representation of harmony
A fantasy of escape

I sat in my New York apartment
Looking out at the cold grey streets
No money for a vacation
I could only lust for sun and release

One day, passing a store window,
I saw a shirt covered with pink flamingos
I bought this shirt
And wore it that winter
And ever since
Flamingos ensconce my yearnings

******

Do you want to know more about real flamingos? Flamingos are as interesting as they are beautiful. Read about them here: Seven Reasons Why Pink Fkamingos are Absolutely Fabulous

If you want to know more about the lives of flamingos in their natural habitats, the 2-disc DVD ser, Disneynature: The Crimson Wing - Mystery of Flamingos, is an excellent resource.

CLICK HERE

And now for some flamingo-themed items you might like. Click below each picture for details of the item including the price.

Get the original pink flamingo lawn ornaments and the book that gives the history behind the bird named by his creator phoenicopteris ruber plasticus; a new avian species, now known to all as "Pink Plastic Flamingo."

CLICK HERE

I’ve collected some other items you might like a shower curtain (matching towels, bedspread, throw pillows, etc. are also available), an insulated tumbler, a cup which turns upside down to become a knick knack, a beach towel, and a figurine of flamingos.

CLICK HERE

Finding My Niche Debunking Jesus: A Reading List

2015-07-28T19:57:00.000-04:00

by Catherine Giordano

I have put together a brief reading list on the subject of the existence of Jesus as a resource for readers of my articles on the topic. Before I get to the reading list, I thought I'd provide a little information about how I came to be writing these articles.

I started writing on HubPages a little more than a year ago. HubPages is a platform for writers to write on whatever subject they wish. Writers can earn a small amount of money based on how many views or “clicks” they get. The earnings are nice, but they are so small that writing for HubPages is more of a hobby than a job. I always wanted to be a writer and now I am. I have developed a bit of a following and that is very gratifying to the ego.

When I first started on HubPages, the other writers were very friendly and helpful. They told me that the key to success was “find your niche.” They meant that I should find a topic that I knew something about and that I felt “passionate” about, and concentrate my efforts on that topic. For a long time, I just wrote about everything, but then I stumbled upon my niche.

I've been an atheist pretty much all my life. I've belonged to various atheist groups and I founded the Free Inquiry Society of Central Florida and was the president of the group for about 12 years. At the time, this was the only atheist group in Central Florida; now there are several. That is progress.

Since I know a lot about religion (from an atheist's vantage point) and it is a subject I am interested in, I started writing about it. I’ve been doing a lot of research about Jesus and whether or not Jesus ever existed, not as a god, but as a man. My first hub on this went viral (in a modest way) and has gotten tens of thousands of hits. Here is the link to the article.

Did Jesus Exist or Is It All a Myth

Like many people, and the majority of biblical scholars, I thought there was a man called Jesus in first century Judea or maybe several men whose stories were conflated. As I researched the topic I came to believe that I was wrong. It is very likely that Jesus did not exist.

There are books on both sides of this issue. Here are a few books you might like to look into. Click the links for more detailed book reviews.

Here are a few books that support the theory that Jesus did exist.

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
Zealot by Reza Aslan is a meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as Jesus of Nazareth.

How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee

Bart Ehrman explains that the original disciples did not believe that Jesus was God—and it is not what Jesus claimed about himself. This book explains the evolution of a belief that looked very different in the fourth century than it did in the first.

And here are a few books that support the theory that Jesus did not exist.This school of thought is relatively new. It is called mythicism.

CLICK HERE


CLICK HERE

The Jesus Puzzle: Did Christianity Begin with a Mythical Christ? Challenging the Existence of an Historical Jesus

Earl Doherty provides a richly-detailed and entertaining account of how Christianity began without an historical Jesus of Nazareth, who existed only on the pages of the Gospels. He provides a full and comprehensive survey of the early Christian record, the Pauline epistles, the gospels, the second century apologists, along with Jewish, Gnostic, and Greco-Roman documents of the time. He provides historical context with a discussion of the philosophy of the era, the pagan mystery cults, and other historical events. He was one of the first scholars of the modern mythicism school of thought. A great read for the general public and scholars alike.

On the Historicity of Jesus: Why We Might Have Reason or Doubt
Richard Carrier re-examines the whole premise that Jesus existed as a real person and concludes that the Jesus story as we know it today is a blending of the historical, mythical, and theological. Carrier finds compelling reasons to suspect that the view of many religious scholars that Jesus actually existed is incorrect.

Nailed: Ten Christian Myths That Show Jesus Never Existed at All

David Fitzgerald sheds light on ten beloved Christian myths.The author gathers evidence from historians across the theological spectrum, and shows how it points to a Jesus Christ created solely through the allegorical alchemy of hope and imagination; a messiah that is a theological construct-- in short, a Christ that is pure myth.

Deconstructing Jesus
Robert Price, professor of scriptural studies at the Johnnie Colemon Theological Seminary, shows how the Jesus Christ of the gospels is very likely a fictional amalgam of several first-century prophets and messiahs, as well as of purely mythic Mystery Cult redeemers and Gnostic Aions.

CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE

Some people attempted to refute my thesis by Josephus and other first century writers had written about him. I researched this and found that these mentions were mainly forgeries or so vague as to be meaningless.I wrote about my findings in the following article.

Jesus Who? The Historical Record Doesn’t Have a Clue

The Christ-Myth Theory and Its Problems

New Testament scholar Robert M. Price, one of America's leading authorities on the Bible, has assembled in his book evidence that shows that almost the entire "biography of Jesus" is a conscious reworking of earlier literature.

Forged: Writing in the Name of God--Why the Bible's AuthorsAre Not Who We Think They Are
Bart Ehrman is a Biblical scholar who believes that Jesus Christ existed as a real person, but even he recognizes that many books of the New Testament are not only not written by people to whom they are attributed, but that they are deliberate forgeries.

CLICK HERE

My most recent article set out to explore the similarities between the myths and the mystery cults popular in the Roman Empire of the first century. It turns out that some of the most frequently mentioned similarities are the result of over-zealous atheists making false claims. Nonetheless, I found many similarities that were indeed true.Here is the link to the article.

The Mythical Origins of Christianity:True or False

I’ll add to this list of articles as fast as I can. I hope to tackle the question about how the gospels were written very soon. Stay tuned.

Writing on this topic has brought me both praise and a lot of harsh criticism. Even the mere suspicion that a historical Jesus did not exist as god or man can tumble the typical Christian’s entire worldview. This is very threatening. However, the answer to the question, “Did Jesus exist?” makes no real difference to me. It is only an intellectual puzzle. Whether the answer is yes or no, my life will not change at all. If the answer is yes, I will remain an atheist because I do not believe in God. If the answer is no, I still remain an atheist.

Writers Gotta Write? Right?

2015-02-19T17:47:00.000-05:00

by Catherine Giordano

Words, like a cascading waterfall.

Writers gotta Write? Right?

Absolutely. I mean that literally. The ideas are in my head like a classroom of unruly school children. The ideas lean forward in their seats with their hands raised and waving wildly. “Pick Me! Pick Me,” they shout. And I can pick only one.

Sometimes they can’t wait for me to pick one. A few of hen start shouting out at once. The idea has begun to write itself and I am not at my computer and I don’t even have pen and paper. And still I can pick only one.

So I pick one and begin writing. I try to shut out the shouts from the other ideas and focus on just the one. The other ideas are jealous. “Quiet,” I shout. “You will get your turn. I have put you on my list. I will get to you.”

I have become obsessed with writing. I eat at my desk and I only stop when I am making so many typing errors, I know that I am too tired to continue.

Here are some links to my writings about writing.

CLICK HERE

How to Write: Quotes from Famous Writers on Writing

How to Get Ideas for Writing: 30 Ideas in 30 Minutes | Writing Prompts

Tips for Writers: How to Write a Poem

Words: Why English is the World's Greatest Language

If you want to know a famous writer’s thoughts on writing, read Stephen King’s book:

On Writing: 10th Anniversary Edition: A Memoir of the Craft

Here's my newest post for writers. It's all about how to get free writing lessons, coaching and pep talks.

Free Stuff for Writers: Advice on How to Write , Edit, and Get Published

The History of Presidents Day

2015-02-15T14:43:00.000-05:00

George Washington

by Catherine Giordano

Presidents Day is celebrated on the third Monday of February. This year (2015) it falls on Monday, February 16^th. Before you rush out to take advantage of Presidents Day sales, check out some facts about Presidents Day

President’s Day began as a holiday on February 22 celebrating the birth of George Washington, the first President of the United States. It began in 1879, but it was a holiday only for the District of Columbia. In 1885, it became a national holiday.

Nearly 100 years later, in 1971, congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in order to create a three-day weekend. The holiday was moved to the third Monday of February. (Memorial Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day were also moved to Monday. However, in 1980, Veterans Day was moved back to its original November 11 date.)

The holiday known as Presidents Day was originally intended to honor only George Washington. However, since it was so close to Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 11, people came to see Presidents Day as a day to honor both Washington and Lincoln. The federal government refers to the third Monday or February as Washington’s Birthday, although it is known as Presidents Day in most of the states.

Today it is seen as a holiday to honor all presidents. Interestingly, despite having four* presidents who were born in February, Presidents Day never falls on the actual birthday on any of them. They were all born either too early or too late in the month to have the third Monday fall on the date of their birth.

I’ve got two posts about some of our most important presidents that celebrate these men as human beings rather than historical figures.

The Childhoods of U.S. Presidents

The Jobs of U.S. Presidents (Before They Were President)

I also have one for the presidents’ wives. They are important too.

First Ladies: The Wives of the U.S. Presidents

There is only one other federal holiday which honors an individual. That is Martin Luther King Day celebrated on the third Monday of January. Since all of February is Black History Month, I’m adding a post about Martin Luther King.

Thoughts of King Inspire: Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

By the way, you will see the name of this holiday spelled three different ways: Presidents Day, President's Day, and Presidents' Day. Take your pick--just be consistent.

CLICK HERE Presidents' Day Book

*The four presidents are George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, William Henry Harrison, and Ronald Reagan.

February 12 is Charles Darwin Day

2015-02-11T11:23:00.000-05:00

Charles Darwin was mocked.

by Catheine Giordano

February 12 is Charles Darwin Day, the anniversary of his birth in 1809.

In a letter to a friend, Darwin called Origin of the Species “presumptuous” and “foolish”. It was false modesty because he clearly had a fairly good idea of how his findings in the field of “natural science” would change everything. He said that publishing his work was like it was like “confessing to a murder.”
During his own time, some scientists recognized the genius of his work which came to be known as “The Theory of Evolution” while others tried to refute it. Some misunderstood and misused his findings to foster their own philosophies. Some simply mocked. He is still mocked today by ignoramuses.

You can learn more about the origins of Darwin Day here:

What is Darwin Day and Why is It Celebrated?

If you would like to learn more about Charles Darwin and his work, this is a good website.

Charles Darwin and Evolution

Darwin knew that his work would have a profound effect on religion. He was right. Darwin’s work explained the workings of the natural world and made God superfluous.

I made it possible for me to write my own little essays in support of humanism and atheism.

What is Secular Humanism?

Secular humanism is a little understood human–centered philosophy of life. It is non-theistic, rooted in science, with explicit moral and ethical directives.

Pascal's Wager: Is it a Good Bet?
The famous “Pascal’s Wager” asks us to consider the question of the existence of God as a wager. Which is the better bet—belief or disbelief?

The Billboard Wars: Good without God

"Good without God" may be an idea whose time has come. A recent spate of dueling billboards on this topic has people talking.

February Holidays

2015-01-30T12:53:00.000-05:00

CLICK HERE

by Catherine Giordano

February may be the shortest month, but it is one of the busiest months. It is chock full of holidays. And they just happen to be holidays that I have written about. Enhance your holiday celebrations and observances by taking a look at what I have written.

Black History Month

First of all, February is Black History Month.

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I have collected some of the best of martin Luther King Jr.’s quotes, organized them by topic, and added my own commentary. His thoughts on religion may surprise you. Also, if you thought Dr. King was only about civil rights, read what he had to say about war and poverty.

Thoughts of King Inspire: Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

I also did two news print poems--one about MLK, Jr. and one about Black History Month.

Thoughts of King Inspire

Racism Isn’t History After All

Groundhog Day

February 2^nd, Groundhog Day. There is a classic movie called Groundhog Day. See it or see it again. It is about a man who has to live a certain Groundhog Day over and over until he gets it right. It’s about getting a do-over or a second chance. There seems to be a universal longing for do-overs. I wrote about how to get a do-over in real life.

How to Get a Do-Over: Undo Buttons, Time-Travel, or Mulligans

Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year often falls in February. In 2018, it falls one February 16. Celebrate with some Chinese food and by reading this News Print Poem I did back in 2012 when it was the year of the dragon.

2012 The Year of the Dragon

Groundhog Day

Darwin Day

Celebrate Darwin Day on February 12 to recognize the amazing contributions Charles Darwin made to science. Darwin was a member of the clergy, but he advanced atheism with his work. He explained the origin of species.

What is Darwin Day and Why is it Celebrated Around the World?

What is Secular Humanism?

Pascal's Wager: Is it a Good Bet?

The Billboard Wars: Good without God

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day reminds us to tell our loved ones that we love them. Why not write a love letter or create your own card. You can use pictures from the internet and find some lovely sayings about love in my collection of love quotes. Valentine’s Day is on February 14..

How to Find Love: Quotes by Famous People on Love

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays because its come to be all about chocolate 9as well as love). If you want some candy to go along with that card, order it now.

CLICK HERE

CLCIK HERE

President’s Day

CLICK HERE

Finally, we have President’s Day on Monday, February 19^th, 2018. I’ve got a few posts for this one including one for the presidents’ wives. They work hard too.

The Childhoods of U.S. Presidents

The Jobs of U.S. Presidents (Before They Were President)

First Ladies: The Wives of the U.S. Presidents

My Birthday

I was born in February

Another reason to like February--February 11 is my birthday

If you click on the valentine gifts pictured above, I will get a small commission (even if you end up buying something else.) So if you were planning to buy a Valentines Day gift from amazon, consider using my link and I will consider it a birthday president. (And it won't cost you a cent.)

Flori-duh: Is Florida Getting a Bad Rap?

2015-01-17T12:06:00.000-05:00

by Catherine Giordano

Reason #2: Too many tourists

Florida has recently nudged New York out of third place in the race to become the most populous state. According to 2014 census data, Florida is now third in the nation with about 19.9 million people. (Texas has 27.0 million people, California has 38.8 million people, and New York has 19.7 million people.)

Florida has a lot to offer--a warm climate, beautiful beaches and other natural areas, theme parks, resorts, and no state income tax.

Orlando, where I live, is bustling metropolitan region—great universities and colleges, a thriving arts community, great museums, many exciting businesses, fine restaurants, and one of the busiest international airports in the state. We even have a shiny new commuter rail line called Sun-Rail which may help with traffic congestion on I-4.

I'm glad I moved to Orlando in 1995. But new people keep coming into the state at the rate of about 850 new people a day. It’s getting to be a little crowded.

So I wrote an article about why people should not move to Florida. It’s a long list. There are a lot of weird things about Florida that have helped us earn our nick-name of Flori-duh.

I’m not the first to compile a list although my list is longer than others. This list could have been even longer, but I had to stop somewhere. It's a column, not a book. This is my list of the top 20 reasons people should not move to Florida.

(Note: It will make you laugh; it is written tongue-in-cheek and meant to be funny.)

Twenty Reasons Not to Move to Florida

Jon Stewart recently had a field day making fun of Florida. His jumping off point was the reaction of some of the more reactionary elements in Florida to the legalization of gay marriage in the states. Jon Stewart Rips Florida

Here is what Scott Maxwell had to say about Florida’s growth spurt in a column in the Orlando Sentinel: Flori-duh? Sure. But People Still Flock Here, for Better or Worse

If you want to some more about how weird Florida is, read any of Carl Hiaasen's novels. Here is his latest:

CLICK HERE

If you want to move to Florida anyway, here is a book to give you all the information you need.

CLICK HERE

Brief Encounters: People Almost Met

2015-01-03T11:50:00.001-05:00

by Catherine Giordano

CLICK HERE to look inside

Did you ever have a brief chance encounter with a stranger--a chance encounter with someone that lasts only a brief minute or two, but makes an indelible impression?

The encounter is too brief for an exchange of names. You may speak to each other or even or touch, but you haven’t really met. They are the people you almost meet.

After a brief moment of contact, you each go your separate ways and never see each other again. Yet, these people stay with you. You remember them. You think about them.

Sometimes these brief encounters can even be life changing. Perhaps in just a small way as the encounter gives you a new understanding, but sometimes they can have a major impact. A small thing can sometimes be a powerful thing.

I’ve been writing a series of essays called “People Almost Met.” I’ve been collecting them for a few years, but have only just started publishing them. Since I don’t know their real names, I gave the people I have almost met fictitious names, since I don’t know their actual names.

I met “Lily” at the pool, and it is very likely that I saved her life. She was also my second chance. People Almost Met: Lily at the Pool

I met Gemma in the ladies room at Costco. She was as beautiful as a porcelain doll, but very unset. She was crying and I can’t stand to see unhappy children. I tried to cheer her up. I failed. People Almost Met: Gemma in the Ladies Room

I met “The Little Elf” on a corner on my way to a Tuba Christmas performance. He gave me a Christmas gift. People Almost Met: The Little Elf on the Corner

Ray teaches me to smile. People Almost Met: Ray in the Supermarket |Smiles in the Aisles.

Vera at the cosmetics counter at Dilliad's has a message for me about vanity. People Almost Met: Vera at the Cosmetics Counter | The Makeover

Aanya teaches me about the memories that things from our childhood hold and the joy of giving: People Almost Met: Aanya at the Yard Sale.

Pamsy teaches me the value of swim lessons for babies. She may hate it now, but it may save her life one day. People Almost Met: Pamsy in Swim Class

Each essay is just a little sketch. I hope you enjoy them. If you liked my essay, you will probably also enjoy this interesting book I discovered about people. It’s a photo book, titled People, showing how people are different and how they are alike. See the picture of the book at the top of this post.

And remember, "People Who Love People...

The Year in Review: 2014

2015-01-01T10:36:00.002-05:00

by Catherine Giordano

I thought I’d collect a few stats about my blogging. They are not much to brag about, but it is a record of my accomplishment so far. But it's getting better all the time.

My newest endeavor is HubPages. I did my first post mid- June 2014. At the end of the year, I had 68 posts and 9,009 views. My most popular hub (as the posts are called) was Tips for Writers: The Making of a Poem --it got 474 views. However, that hub was selected as “Hub of the Day” by HubPages staff and that means it received extra attention. The second most popular hub was Motto for Life: How to Use and Choose a Motto, published on 6/27/14, with 409 views.

CLICK HERE
to purchase at amazon.com

My oldest blog is News Print Poetry 2012, started on January 1, 2012. I did a poem a day everyday throughout 2012. After that I added poems sporadically. The blog has had 26,163 views and 391 posts. In 2014, I added only 6 new posts. The most popular of these new posts was Poetry Woman, published 8/10/14, with 35 views.

I started News, Print, Poetry at the beginning of 2012. This blog is dedicated to commenting on my writing life. It has a total of 11,358 views and 191 posts. In, 2014, I added 46 posts. The most popular of the 2014 posts was Perseus, Hercules, and the Nip Slip, published 9/15/14, with 80 views.

The Premium Cable Reviews blog was also started in January of 2012. It has a total of 248 posts with 55,772 views. In 2014, I added 57 posts. The most popular post was a review of Real Time with Bill Maher named Zombie Lies, published on 7/11/14. It got 805 views.

I added a new blog, Bill Maher Rules (for real), in May of 2014. It has 36 posts and a total of 3,347 views. The most popular post is Fed-Up: An Interview with Robert Lustig, published on 5/17/14. It has 338 views.

I also added The Dragon Place blog in May of 2014. It has 16 posts and a total of 950 views. The most popular post is Dragon Halloween Costumes, published on 9/19/14 with 186 views.

Can a blogger earn money from blogging? There are two ways to make money from blogging. Advertising and commissions.

Advertising: You can sign up with Google for a program called Ad-Sense. Google will put ads on your website and pay for the number of views and the number of ad clicks. (However, you have to qualify for this program.) Or you can sell space to advertisers directly.

Commissions: You can become an affiliate marketer. You promote products on your blog and earn a commission when someone uses your link to buy something. For instance, I am an affiliate marketer with amazon. Amazon pays a commission when someone uses my links to purchase something from amazon (even if it is not the item clicked on).

If you want to do blogging, don't do it for the money. Some people make some, or even a lot of money blogging, but very few. Do I make money from blogging? Yes and No.The "No" part is because I'm not sure I can call it earning money when it is just pennies per day. I haven't added it up, but I probably earned around $100 in 2014. Maybe next year.

You Can Quote Me On That

2014-12-20T15:03:00.000-05:00

by Catherine Giordano

Will you be making New Year’s Resolutions this year? Will you be keeping them next year? Did you keep them last year?

Why do people have so much trouble with New Year’s resolutions? Perhaps because they are boring and easily forgotten. They are not inspirational or motivational

I have an idea for this year’s resolutions. Instead of making a to-do list, make a list of your favorite inspirational quotes. Write them out or print them out. Take the list and frame it. Put it where you will see it often. Be inspired throughout the year.

Perhaps you don’t have a favorite quote. Allow me to help. I have been collecting quotes and organizing them into categories in inspirational essays. They are all posted online.

The quotes are on happiness, love, success, work, health, and kindness. Choose your favorite quotes—maybe one from each topic and you’ll be ready for the new year.

How to Be Happy: Quotes from Famous People on Happiness

How to Be Successful: Quotes from Famous People on Success

How to Find Love: Quotes by Famous People on Love

How to Work Harder, Smarter, Better: Quotes from Famous People on Work

How to Be Healthy: Quotes from Famous People

Make My Day: Quotes on Kindness from Famous People

CLICK HERE to look inside

Not inspired by my collections or too lazy to make your own list (you really should work on that) try this book: Whatever You Are, Be a Good One. It incudes 100 hand-lettered inspirational quotations.The delightful drawings alone will be inspirational. I recommend the hard cover version so you can keep it near your bed or on your coffee table so you will see it everyday. Read a page a day or pick a page at random and let fate decide what your inspirational quote for the day will be. It makes a wonderful gift for someone also.

But first take a minute to look at my quotes. I worked hard to find the very best quotes in each category.

I'll tell you my choices.

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. --Abraham Lincoln

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out. --Robert Collier

Get on with living and loving. You don’t have forever. --Leo Buscaglia

Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best. --Tim Duncan

Those who think they have no time for exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. --Edward Stanley

Always be a little kinder than necessary. --James M. Barrie

The above are my New Year's resolutions. I'm going to print them out on a card and put the card on the bulletin board over my desk so I will see it everyday first thing in the morning.

I hope you will check out my quote collections and choose a few for yourself.

The Odd Couple: Edith Piaf and Zombies

2014-12-13T11:33:00.001-05:00

Edith Piaf

I’ve been writing articles that I post on HubPages. My interests are quite varied, so my articles are on many different types of topics.

Recently HubPages revamped the formatting of the articles, or as they are called “hubs.” The pages now have a much more attractive look.

One of the changes was to place ads in a block format along the right side of the page. (Ads no longer appear in the middle of the text where they might be confused with content.) There are three ads on the side.The top and bottom ads are paid advertisements.The middle ad is for the author. It shows a picture, title, and blurb for another hub written by the same author.

Sometimes the hub shown is clearly related. For instance, if you go to my Cranberry Orange Nut Quick Bread Recipe, you will see an ”ad” for my hub, Healthy Cranberry Cherry Pie with Walnut Crunch Topping Recipe. And vice versa.

Sometimes the pairing is for a hub that is tangentially related. For instance, if you go to my hub for Political Phrases in the News you will see an ad for my hub, Thou Shall Not Kill: The Immorality of the Death Penalty. I don’t know why they didn’t choose my other hub on politics, Political Parties and Symbols; Where Do They Come From and What Do They Mean?, but at least it is a social issue that might be discussed by politicians.

However, this one floored me. I have a hub, Edith Piaf: The Little Sparrow with No Regrets. I begin with a brief bio telling the facts of her life and her death and then I do a tribute poem about her life which ends on an upbeat line, a paraphrase from Candide . “This is the best of all my possible lives.” This was paired with my hub about Zombies, ZOMBIES: The Popularity, Mythology, Psychology, Philosophy, Morality, and Reality of the Living Dead.

Edith Piaf and Zombies!? Oh well, I do mention death in both articles. Or maybe they got paired because I mentioned philosophy in both. I only know that they make an “odd couple.”

CLICK HERE for the CD

CLICK HERE for the DVD

It’s Motto Time Again

2014-12-08T11:36:00.001-05:00

by Catherine Giordano

Every year I choose an annual motto. The motto inspires me to attain the goals I have set for myself. I wrote about the importance of mottos in an article: Motto for Life.

Last year my motto was “Stay the course.”

Each year in December I start thinking about what my motto will be or the coming year. I don’t so much choose a motto as let the motto choose me. Every year my motto finds me. Would it happen again this year.

Yesterday I found my motto. I went to a concert given by David Roth. (www.davidrothmusic.com) He’s a delightful songwriter, folksinger, and dare I say, philosopher. He sang a song about making changes. He sang “This is the Year…”

"Worry Less, Live More "is a great motto.
CLICK HERE to see more tee's with mottos.

· for making changes.

· for letting go

· for following my dream

· for living fully

He added, “Give it a try” and “Practice makes progress.”

My motto is in there. I’ve set my unconscious to simmer, and in a couple of weeks, I’ll know what my motto for 2015 is.

Do you want to know more about mottos, including how to find your own motto? Read my article, Motto for Life.

Update for 2016
Yesterday I found my motto for for 2016. it was a phrase used by a speaker at a Unitarian Universalist service. The phrase is "Turning to Wonder." I think that phrase has so many different meanings--from be curious to be in awe of the universe. It means stop and think about things deeply. It means look for silver linings. It means keep your thinking fluid. I'm sure I'll discover more as the year goes on.

Stop the Killing

2014-12-01T15:21:00.003-05:00

Dead tress are used as a metaphor for capital punishment.

by Catherine Giordano

Stop the killing.

This nation's shame is that when I say "Stop the Killing," you don't know what killing I am referring to.

It's almost the anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting. Is that the killing I am referring to?

Fergusson has police-shooting of unarmed black teenagers and boys in the news. Is that the killing I am referring to?

Actually, I am referring to a third type of shameful killing. Capital punishment, aka the death penalty. At first you may think that the killing of innocent people has no relationship to the killing of condemned prisoners. The truth is there is not a whole lot of difference.

See why I say these three categories of killing are very much the same. I've given some of the reasons in these three posts.

Thou Shall Not Kill: The Immorality of the Death Penalty

The Hangman's Plea: End Capital Punishment (Includes poems about the death penalty)

Why Innocent People are On Death Row

Death Row Follies

For more information: Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

Read this book to understand how the death penalty affects everyone involved.

Dead Man Walking: The Eye Witness Account of the Death Penalty That Sparked a National Debate

You could also watch the movie with Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn.

Dead Man Walking (DvD)

Ode to a Cranberry

2014-11-20T11:08:00.000-05:00

Apple-Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries are wonderful and versatile too. it's great in cranberry sauce, but you can also use it in pies, brads and puddings.

My cranberry sauce recipe I so good that even people who don't like cranberries love this cranberry sauce. And it is all natural--fresh cranberries, apples, raisins, and maple syrup--no refined sugar. Additionally it is easy to make.

Read all the recipes plus get ideas for using leftover cranberry sauce here.

Apple-Cranberry Sauce Recipe and Other Cranberry Recipes.

I love cranberries so much, I wrote a poem about them called Ode to a Cranberry

Braga Organic Farms
Dried Cranberries
CLICK HERE

Be sure to buy an extra bag or two. They freeze great. Where I shop at Publix, it is always "buy-one-get-one free" so I always have an extra bag. Cranberries are only available fresh in November and December so stock up. ( I used the cranberries in my freezer from last year's purchase to make the cranberry sauce shown above. It looks and tastes great.)

You can buy dried cranberries year around if you don't have any in your freezer.

Cranberries are also wonderful in pies, breads, and puddings. Here is my recipe for cranberry-cherry pie.

Cranberry Cherry Pie with Walnut Crunch Topping

The People Who Hate Me are Making Me Rich

2014-11-06T16:12:00.000-05:00

Pennies from heaven?

The people who hate me are making me rich.

OK, not exactly the people who hate me. It’s the people who hate my ideas who are making me rich.

OK, not exactly making me rich. I’m still only earning pennies per day from my web essays. But it did go up to 49 cents one day which is way better than the 10 to 20 cents a day I usually get.

I wrote an article called “The Billboard Wars: Good without God.” It was based on a presentation that Fred Edwords, National Director of the United Coalition of Reason (www.UnitedCoR.org). He gave the presentation at the FreeFlo Humanist Conference in Orlando in October 2014.

Fred gave me permission to adapt his presentation for the web. I carefully edited to create an objective piece of reporting. I explained how some free-thought groups started putting up billboards and ads on the sides of buses. Most of the ads were promoting the idea that people can be good without God.

These ads got some Christian groups so incensed that they put up counter ads. This brought lots of publicity to the atheist ad campaign. The publicity brought in lots of new members and donations to the atheist groups. Ironically, it was the people who hated them who made them successful.

I write for HubPages and HubPages encourages their writers to comment on each others’ work (hubs). When someone comments, everyone who “follows” that person will see their comment. One person got really nasty. At first I was upset. Then I realized he was giving my hub a lot of publicity within the HubPages community. The more he ranted, the more views I got and the more money I made.

Some of my other hubs generated a little bit of controversy, but not enough to make a real difference. Check out What is Secular Humanism? and Thou Shall Not Kill: The Morality of the Death Penalty.

Additionally, these two hubs were a little bit shocking to a few. Right Livelihood: The Quest for Ethical Work and An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism.

So if you hate me, maybe you’ll do a comment on facebook and google+. Better yet, if you love what I have written, please like and comment. Or you could link to these articles on your own websites. (These links are like manna from heaven.)

The First Step--Glorious

2014-10-25T16:11:00.001-04:00

CLICK HERE

by Catherine Giordano

The book is finally out. The First Step is an anthology of over 60 short stories and essays on the theme of new starts (big or small), taking the fist step, doing something new, going in a different direction, or beginning anew.

The back cover states that the stories may "pull at your heart strings, or make you laugh, but all will entertain you."

You'll probably tear up when you read my story on page 42, "Te Amo," not because it is sad but because it is a heart-warming story of love. I tear up every time I read it, and I wrote it.

The anthology is compiled by the Florida Writer's Association. This is the sixth annual volume. Each year, an author of renown, is invited to read all the stories that have made the cut from the hundreds submitted and choose the top ten. This year the author was Mary Burton, the best selling author of mysteries.

I'm proud to say that I am included in the top ten. It is such an honor. Especially because (toot-toot) I made the top ten last year also.

If you happen to see me, I may have a copy for sale. If you already have the book, I'll be happy to sign my story for you. It makes a lovely gift. You can click the link above to buy it on amazon and while you are there consider the five previous volumes.

I recommend the book because it has great stories. I don't make any money from the sale of these books. (All the profit goes to the Florida Writers association to help support the organization.) In fact, I don't even get any money for being in the book. It is all for glory.

And it is indeed glorious.

CLICK HERE

Enjoy! Try one of Mary Burton's novels while you at amazon.The Seventh Victim is a good one. (At the time of this writing, it is only $1.99 for Kindle.)

A young woman is in jeopardy from a serial killer who attempted to kill her once before. Will he get a second chance? Not if a certain Texas Ranger has anything to say about it. Is romance brewing? Absolutely.

Mary Burton is a prolific writer. If you like one book, there are dozens more.

Presidents Day

2014-10-17T14:15:00.002-04:00

Abraham Lincoln Log Splitter
Painting by F. A, Schneider

by Catherine Giordano

I know Presidents Day is not until February, but I am having my own personal President’s Day. I just wrote two posts about the presidents..

One was about the childhoods of the presidents and the other was about the jobs they had before they wee president.

I picked six presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama.

How did their childhoods and their careers shape them into the kind of men who became president?

The Childhood of U.S. Presidents

The Jobs of U.S. Presidents (Before They Were President) (This one was designated an "Editor's Choice.")

Understanding Zombies: The Walking Dead Returns

2014-10-08T14:28:00.000-04:00

by Catherine Giordano

The Walking Dead returns to A&E on Sunday, February 8 for the second half of Season 5.

The show is so much more than gore and violence and killing. It is about the questions:”What does it mean to be human?” “Who is family?” What is important in life?” “How do we combat evil? What is human nature? ” And a lot more. Deep philosophical stuff.

Read my post: ZOMBIES: The Popularity, Mythology, Psychology, Philosophy, Morality, and Reality of the Living Dead

You’ll appreciate the show so much more if you have a better understanding of “the zombie question. ” Someone who read my post told me in a comment, “Now, I understand why I like this show so much.”

The creator of the original graphic novel that the show is based on, Robert Kirkman, said, “The thing that excites me most about this show is that because these characters are growing and evolving and changing.” I agree. I can’t wait to see how the characters respond to the new challenges they will face in season 5.

CLICK HERE
for the graphic novel

Rick Grimes and his band of survivors are usually pretty smart, but they walked right into a trap when they entered “Terminus.” Maybe they believed in Terminus because they were just so desperate for a safe haven. Or maybe, the characters have to do stupid things every now and then to keep the plot going. If it was me, I’d get on an island. The zombies can’t swim.

If my post gets you to thinking, please let me know in a comment.

CLICK HERE
FOR THE DVD's

If you missed anything from the prior seasons, A&E has made reruns available on TV. Or you can get the DVDs.

Here is an example of The Waking Dead confronting moral issues that are relevant in real life. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone advocated killing Ebola patients.Tom Kincannor, Republican operative from South Carolina infamous for racist, sexist, and generally obnoxious comments, proved my prediction correct in a tweet on October 4, 2014. Also, he recommends execution for anyone who might possibly been exposed.

It reminded me of The Walking Dead story arc in which Carol kills Karen and David, two young people who were part of the band of survivors. A virus was sickening and killing members of the group, and sick people could infect others. Also when they died they turned into walkers, and that was not a pretty sight. Carol said they had to be killed to save the rest of the group. Was she right to do what she did?

If Ebola does come to the United States will vigilantes be killing people?

Watch the video. The show-runners and actors give us a preview of what is in store for our band of survivors.

Scoring with a High-Scoring Scrabble Word

2014-10-07T16:39:00.000-04:00

by Catherine Giordano

I recently wrote an article about quetzals. Someone pointed out that it would be a great word for Scrabble. It uses the two highest value letters in the game—the Q and the Z. The eight letters are worth 26 points, but the trick is to get the Q or Z on a triple letter square and to cover a triple word square also. Also it gives you the opportunity to play 7 letters for a bingo with 50 more points.

What other eight letter word gives you the opportunity to use both the Q and the Z? I only found one: caziques is even better

CLICK HERE

than quetzals. It is worth 31 points without any triple letter, triple word, or bingo points.

A cazique is a tropical bird. What is a quetzal? Read my article to find out. The Resplendent Quetzal

P.S. Scrabble is a perennial favorite. Is your board worn and old? Are letters missing? Replace and upgrade with this board--the letters lock in place--no more accidental slippage of letters.

Thank you for sharing, liking, and tweeting.

10/15/14: This post was selected as "Hub of the Day It is beautiful and well worth your time to take a look at it. This is the third time I have received that honor in the last 30 days. I had Hub of the Day on 9/14 for my hub on collecting and again on 9/22 for my hub on writing poetry.