Happy New Year to all!
I raise a glass in cheer to a New Year!
It will be a year filled with hope, love and prosperity.
Enjoy the journey through 2013!
Category Archives: Words of Wisdom
Help My School win $50,000 for a new Technology Lab
To all my WordPress friends,
Please help my school to win the $50,ooo Grant from Clorox. We are in 4th place and need a few more votes. There is only 1 day left to vote!!
Power a Bright Future $50,000 Grant from Clorox
Vote for your favorite school program now
Clorox wants to supports healthy and happy kids and that’s why we are committed to making a difference by helping them thrive at school. The Power A Bright Future Program gives you the opportunity to make a difference and the chance to win up to $50,000 for your school!
VOTE
Upgrade our Applied Technology Lab
St. Alexander School, Palos Heights, IL
Text your vote — 268pbf to 95248
or
Follow this link to vote!
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Thank you for your support! Blessing to you.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Thankful
Even though Thanksgiving is now a memory, I am still thankful for the turkeys that gave of themselves so that my family and I could have a superb meal. It wouldn’t be a holiday without them!
©Grandmother Musings 2012-2013.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jamie Nowinski – Grandmother Wisdom/Grandmother Musings with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Green
I just love the Weekly Photo Challenge from The Daily Post @ WordPress.com. I look forward to the new challenge when it is posted on Friday. This week the challenge is GREEN! My interpretation comes from a trip I shared with my husband to Niagara Falls. The breathtaking views of the falls from Niagara Falls State Park where we enjoyed the American and Bride Veil Falls on the Cave of the Winds were exhilarating. In a place where one would think to see only blue, I found a rainbow of color, especially green. The park offers lush green pathways and a green trolley to take you from one end of the 400 acres to the other. It is a place everyone should visit at least once.
Niagara Falls by Jamie Nowinski
Niagara Fall by Jamie Nowinski
Niagara Falls by Jamie Nowinski
Niagara Falls by Jamie Nowinski
Niagara Falls by Jamie Nowinski
Niagara Falls by Jamie Nowinski
Niagara Falls by Jamie Nowinski
Niagara Falls by Jamie Nowinski
“New to The Daily Post? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re invited to get involved in our Weekly Photo Challenge to help you meet your blogging goals and give you another way to take part in Post a Day / Post a Week. Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
1. Each week, we’ll provide a theme for creative inspiration. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Friday when the next photo theme will be announced.
2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “Weekly Photo Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
3. Subscribe to The Daily Post so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS.”
CHECK OUT THESE ENTRIES!
http://tacts21.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/weekly-photo-challenge-green/
http://milnersblog.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/weekly-photo-challenge-green/
http://jessemckay.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/weekly-photo-challenge-green/
http://patbean.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/weekly-photo-challenge-green/
http://picturesinlivingcolor.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/weekly-photo-challenge-green-3/
http://retireediary.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/weekly-photo-challenge-green-all-over-the-world/
http://rarasaur.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/weekly-photo-challenge-geekin-it-green/
©Grandmother Musings 2012-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jamie Nowinski – Grandmother Wisdom/Grandmother Musings with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Weekly Writing Challenge: In An Instagram
Marilyn
Marilyn does not know this, but on the day I saw her sitting in a cold, folding chair in the homeless shelter, she changed my life. She is a mousey, brown-haired, sophomore, who I later learned, comes to the shelter every Wednesday with her mother and her little brother. She carries everything she owns in a beat-up backpack including her schoolbooks and pens. After dinner is served, and the tables are cleaned, Marilyn gets right to work. She spreads her notebook and her World History book out on the table and pretends that the rest of us do not exist.
My first night as a volunteer in our community shelter was eye-opening and humbling. All the preconceived ideas I had about the type of people who frequented shelters were blown-away after ten minutes in the place. Marilyn’s story was the most life changing. One of my fellow volunteers shared what she knew about this young high school student with me.
It seems that Marilyn’s father died, and their house was foreclosed upon shortly after his death. With no skills and no means to pay for the house, Marilyn’s mother moved the family in with her relatives. When that no longer worked, they began moving from shelter to shelter every night. Knowing that having a good education leads to better opportunity, Marilyn’s mother pushed her to keep up with her studies despite the circumstances. Therefore, every evening, Marilyn and her family enter a community shelter, they eat dinner together, and she works on her studies.
Her classmates at school do not know that she showers, sleeps, and eats breakfast at a homeless shelter every day. They do not know that sometimes Marilyn does not have the comforts of a TV, a phone, or a computer. There are times when items such as clean socks or sanitary napkins are not available for this young girl.
To say that Marilyn is admirable is more than an understatement. She is the epitome of words like courageous, determined, and invincible. The things that she overcomes every day to be an honor student would break most people, but she perseveres.
Sometimes, we find heroes in the most unusual places. I found mine in a homeless shelter. It is my hope that Marilyn will finish high school and receive a scholarship to college. A few of the volunteers at the shelter pooled their resources together to help Marilyn and her family. They found a permanent residence and even have had a fundraiser to help finance Marilyn’s college education.
I owe Marilyn much gratitude for changing my outlook. I clearly was ignorant. I imagine that after you read this story, it will change yours, too.
Related Articles
http://chicenvelopements.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/one-very-long-cold-night-for-cooper/
http://expatalien.com/2012/11/12/life-can-change-in-an-instant/
http://diannegray.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/souls-child-wins-ywo-book-of-the-year-award/
http://thewritericouldbe.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/the-instant-my-life-changed/
©Grandmother Musings 2012-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jamie Nowinski – Grandmother Wisdom/Grandmother Musings with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Veteran’s Day Words
Over at The Daily Post @ WordPress.com one of the Daily Prompts is Play Lexicographer.
I thought I would try my hand at this game, using the theme of Veteran’s Day to invent new words to honor all the men and woman who have served our country. Here are a few words I have created …
Uvetidid – (you-vet-I-did) n. a person who served in the military or a soldier who has seen considerable active service .
Vetservedcountry (Vet-serve-country) v. a civilian who has in the past served in the military.
Honorvetservice (honor-vets-service) v. 1. the act of honoring. 2. Something all citizens should do on Veteran’s Day and every day.
Thankavet (thank-a-vet) v. give gratitude for the unselfish service of a Veteran.
Givevetscredit (give-vets-credit) v. the act of giving credit to the men and woman who have served our country.
I wonder what other words we can invent to express our gratitude to all those brave men and woman who have given their time and their lives for our freedom. Share your words of thanks.
Related Articles
http://grandawn.com/2012/11/11/thank-you-dad-and-other-veterans/
http://microfilmblog.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/happy-veterans-day/
http://sweetsabelle.com/2012/11/11/remembrance/
http://ceschwilk.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/exposed-sunday-remembering/
http://theinboxjaunt.com/2012/11/11/silent-sunday-9/
©Grandmother Musings 2012-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jamie Nowinski – Grandmother Wisdom/Grandmother Musings with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Renewal
Picture by Jamie Nowinski
Everything old is new again! This re-purposed sculpture was spotted basking by the barn at a Corn Maze at Treinen Farm just outside of Madison, Wisconsin. Using old parts from cars, machines, and other items around the farm, the artist created several creatures for our enjoyment. This one looks like a raccoon. See the eyes? It gives it away.
You can get involved in the Weekly Photo Challenge, too! Here is how it works:
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Each week there will be a prompt. You take a photo of your interpretation of the prompt and place it on your blog. Do this anytime before Friday of the following week or before a new prompt is given.
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To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “Weekly Photo Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
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Subscribe to The Daily Post so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS.
It is so easy, and so much fun! Be Challenged, Today! 🙂
Check out these great posts for The Weekly Challenge: Renewal
http://carramedia.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/weekly-photo-challenge-renewal/
http://pixelmaedchen.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/weekly-photo-challenge-renewal/
http://cardinalguzman.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/weekly-photo-challenge-renewal/
http://jaysnaps.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/weekly-photo-challenge-renewal/
http://colderweather.net/2012/11/09/weekly-photo-challenge-renewal/
http://avacationinmymind.com/2012/11/09/weekly-photo-challenge-renewal/
©Grandmother Musings 2012-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jamie Nowinski – Grandmother Wisdom/Grandmother Musings with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry
Table Geometry found in a weekend excursion. The make-up of the table and the grids on the benches are showered with geometric shapes. Even the bricks on the walk are bursting with geometry.
Share your interpretation of geometry by posting a picture for the The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry. Be sure to add postaday to your tag line so that your photo will be easy for others to see.
©Grandmother Musings 2012-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jamie Nowinski – Grandmother Wisdom/Grandmother Musings with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Blessings to All in the Eye of the Storm!
Many blessings to all those souls forced to endure Hurricane Sandy. Please stay safe and keep your spirits up. This too will pass!
You are all in my prayers. 🙂
How to Make a Mountain out of a Molehill
If you wish to create a Mountain out of a Molehill simply, follow the directions below. With a little bit of ingenuity you will form a great big commotion out of nothing.
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Take an insignificant occasion from everyday life.
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Shape it and mold it carefully until it begins to grow.
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Be sure to add fear, anger, and indignation to the problem.
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Blow it all out of proportion.
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Once you have successfully formed a large mountain out of a small molehill, stand back and view your creation. Wah-La!
EXAMPLE: Last night my husband and I stopped at a chain drug store for a few things. At the checkout counter, the clerk informed us that in order to receive the sale price for the buy one get one at 50% off, we would have to use our “rewards card”. We explained that we did not have a “rewards card”. The clerk then told us that without a ”rewards card”, we would have to pay full price. He also said that if we signed up right then, we could use the card immediately and receive the sale price.
My husband and I felt angry that we HAD to sign up for a “rewards card”. We both became indignant with the clerk. My husband told him that if we did not get the sale price without the card, we were going to shop at the drug store’s competitor. This did not faze the clerk. Clearly, he had heard this rant before from previous shoppers.
We needed the products, and we did not want to pay full price. Therefore, I signed up for the flipping card. It took ten minutes to sign up due to a computer glitch that could not find my correct birth date. This made my husband even more furious. Consequently, by the time we headed to the car, he had decided that we were NEVER shopping at that drug store again.
As you can see, it is incredibly easy to make a mountain out of a molehill. Go out and try it yourself. I guarantee quick and accurate results on the first try. Carpe Diem!
Related Articles
Daily Prompt from The Daily Post @ WordPress.com: Take a complicated subject you know more about than most people, and explain it to a friend who knows nothing about it at all.
©Grandmother Musings 2012-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jamie Nowinski – Grandmother Wisdom/Grandmother Musings with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Grandmother Musings 