Get Inspired to Write

Writing feels good. Writing provides a sense of accomplishment. Writing provides release. Writing is therapy. My very first piece of writing that I can remember is a story titled “My Mom Had a Turkey.” I was four years old when I composed it, it was around Thanksgiving, and my mother was very pregnant. In the story, I open with a bubbly description of my stay at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, move to the anxious depiction of the drive back home to meet my new brother or sister, and end with an ironic twist – I come home to find my mom has a turkey. Interestingly, my story proved accurate: I happily stayed with my grandparents, I was anxious on the drive back home, and my mother did give birth to a turkey – my bro!

My mother still has this story of mine, complete with its elementary scrawl and doodles; while I’m sure it wasn’t the very first piece I wrote, it’s the first piece I recall writing. I remember it probably because of the positive, fun feedback I received from my parents. They laughed, they told their friends, and they saved it.

It’s always exciting when I meet people who reignite the inspiration. Just this past week, I had the privilege of meeting three published authors at my school’s annual Writer’s Day presentations. Half the fun of writing this very blog is knowing that I’m sharing with others; with that said, I’d like to share small snippets of wisdom I received from each of these accomplished individuals. If you have a story or argument or idea, etc. “screaming to be told,” you should share it. The great stories are those that a reader thinks, “That’s me!” or “This was written for me.” If readers can connect, it is a story worth telling.

Simone Elkeles: author of Leaving Paradise, Perfect Chemistry, and three other young adult novels:

Writers should write about what they know. Simone never liked analyzing literature as a high school student. She, therefore, writes from a teenager’s point of view at all times, including authentic, colloquial use of dialogue. Simone advises people to write a little bit every day, no matter how they are feeling. Mechanics, spelling, and order are not important initially. Writers can always go back and proof later.

Mary Fons: freelance writer, poet, performer:

Having a brain freeze? Write a letter to your grandmother. Telling the story or view with grandma as the audience member adds more authenticity to the piece. If Grandma is still alive to read the piece herself, all the better! GG looooves this idea. In fact, the printer is printing copies of my past posts as I type this. I’m sending them to Gram!

What else inspires you to write?  Is it the perfect environment . . . soft music in the background, comfy chair, scented candle burning, gentle breeze blowing from the open window . . . ?  Is it the memorable quotation or passage from your favorite book?  Is it the endorphins earned from exercise?  Is it love?  Is it the lyric from a favorite song?  Grading Girl has been inspired by all of these things and more.  But sometimes, all it takes is a pen, paper (or computer) and a quiet moment.  Whatever and whenever you write, know that you are pouring out a piece of you.  It is never a waste of time.  It is always worthwhile.

TTFN!!  Grading Girl is off to read some of my students’ writing to see what is inspiring them.

And remember . . . write it down, write it down.

Happy Healthful Snack

Two A+ Energizing Snacks

As I illustrate in my post on healthful eating shortcuts, I make as many meals and snacks from scratch as I can to avoid unneccesary additives and preservatives. But who has time to spend hours in the kitchen?  Working all day, devoting a couple of hours in the evening to a workout, and spending quality time with my daughter leaves little time for much else.  I’m forever looking for easy, quick recipes that don’t require a lot of labor.  Here are two of my new favorites that I happened upon in one of my favorite fitness magazines, Oxygen.  I made these last week, they satisfied my appetite between meals, and they helped to fuel my workouts.  These are “repeaters,” as my daughter would say.

TLC’s Trail Mix

1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup banana chips
1/2 cup apple chips
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup carob chips (optional . . . I didn’t have these last time I made this, and it was just as yummy)

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and divide into 1/4 cup servings.

Makes 12 servings

Energy Bars

1 cup natural peanut butter (I used reduced fat)
1 cup honey
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1. Combine peanut butter and honey in a large nonstick pot and heat on low until runny. Mix in the oatmeal, apricots and nuts, stirring until all ingredients are well coated.

2. Line a 9 x 9 inch pan with waxed paper. Press the mixture into the pan. Let cool, then cut into 16 bars.

Makes 16 servings

Both of these snacks taste more sinful than they are!!!

Is it “I” or is it “Me?”

A friend of mine was reading my blog over the weekend when he discovered a discrepancy.  In the blog about my mother, he correctly noted that I said, “Her caring doesn’t stop with my brother or I” when I should have stated “. . . doesn’t stop with my brother or me.”  The incorrect usage of “I” and “me” is a common occurrence and Grading Girl apparently bears no exception!  Luckily for us all, this is very simple to correct.

“I” versus “Me”

“I” is a pronoun that must be the subject of a verb. “Me” is a pronoun that must be the object of the verb. The easiest way to remember the two is to remove the other noun from the sentence and see if it still makes sense.

Examples of the Correct Use of “I”

Natalie and I went to the beach this weekend.

[I went to the beach this weekend. (Me went to the beach this weekend doesn’t make sense.)]

 She and I have to make a cake!

[I have to make a cake. She has to make a cake. (Her has to make a cake and me has to make a cake do not make sense.)]

Examples of the Correct Use of “Me”

Please come with Jessica and me to the concert.

[Please come with me to the concert. (Please come with I to the concert doesn’t make sense.)]

My Mom, Still the Coolest Mom Around

4^th Grade International Cooking Days at school (most creative room mom ever!), watching me roll – and roll – down the hill at Lorado Taft, Crimes of the Heart in college when I cried on stage and could hear her sniffling in the audience almost as loud as me, the birth of my daughter, annual American Girl Place visits when Arianna was little . . . These only comprise a taste of special experiences I have shared with my mother – the one person in my life who is always there when I need a shoulder to cry on, an ear for listening, or a hand of support. I know of no one as selfless as she. My mother helps others before she helps herself, she makes life fun for those near her, and she is someone I want to be like when I grow up.

My mother puts the happiness of those she is close to before the happiness of herself. Throughout my life and my brother’s life, my mother has spent maybe one eighth of the time on herself. The rest is devoted to her family. She is either driving back and forth to my home to pick up my daughter when I have a schedule conflict or on the phone to offer an ear to Dave or taking my grandmother out shopping. When we were little, all of her decisions revolved around our well-being: she chose a job as a waitress so that she could be home with us during the day; she chose to maintain our home after our father died so that our lives would remain nearly the same; she chose to work more hours to fortify the lifestyle she thought we needed to be happy. Her caring doesn’t stop with my brother or me. She was the one who opened up our home to her mother and father when her mother became ill with cancer. (Of course, I was excited that grandma and grandpa were living with us; I didn’t understand the extra stress it placed on my mother’s life.) She was the one who looked after my grandfather who moved a few blocks away after my grandmother passed away. When her sister was dieing of breast cancer, she was the one who took her to and from her doctor appointments. In other words, she was – and is – the one who is there whenever family or friend is in need.

While striving to help others in any way that she can, my mother still manages to make life fun. Our home was always filled with fun toys, loving pets, happy music, and sweet smells. We were the only house on the block to hold a Fun Fair for the neighborhood complete with games and prizes, arts and crafts, and movies. Summers were filled with swimming in the backyard and Mom bringing out lunch on a tray with LHDRUs (ask me what that stands for later!). Christmas was a magical time, transforming our home from a suburban dwelling to Santa’s dreamhouse. Little elves abounded everywhere as everything from the welcome mat to the mantle centerpiece to the pictures on the wall evolved to Christmas décor. To this day, my daughter still finds Christmas Eve at “Gum’s” house as her favorite night of the year. Whenever my brother and I were sick, she would bring us food in bed, move a T.V into our room, and buy us magazines. I take pride in knowing I have a great role model for creating a happy home for my daughter.

For these reasons and more, I want to be like Natalie Theresa when I grow up. As I smooth the cream on my face at night, I can only hope that my skin displays as few wrinkles as hers. As I exercise daily, I can only wish that her washboard abs stay with me. As I force myself to think positive thoughts in tough situations, I can only aspire to be as optimistic as her. Natalie is a woman to admire. She transitioned to a completely new and successful real estate career at age fifty. She bought a new home and took on a new lifestyle at age sixty. She maintains numerous friendships that are thirty years old or older including high school buddies. She is privy to the latest fashions and could easily pass for someone fifteen to twenty years younger. She maintained the reputation among my and my brother’s friends as “the coolest mom around;” or, as some high school friends still remembered at my 20-year reunion – she’s a “hot mom.”

The last time I wrote a letter commemorating how significant my mother is in my life was for her fiftieth birthday. Well did we know then where we would be today. Teaching was only a distant dream, my daughter was barely three, and I had yet to endure the pain of divorce. She helped make that teaching dream turn into a reality by her constant support and care. Right now I can only imagine where I will be ten years from now. But I do know this – whatever current dreams I have, they will be more likely to happen with her constant love and positive encouragement to guide me along the way.

 

Breakfast in a Blender

GG’s Power Protein Shake = A+

I make this at least three mornings a week.  It’s my favorite Saturday breakfast right before going to the gym for a nice long weekend workout.  It tastes much more sinful than it is.   It only takes a couple of minutes from start to clean up too.  I’ve also varied this with frozen strawberries and a scoop of strawberry whey protein for a different treat.    Go ahead ~ put that blender to use.

 

GG’s Power Protein Shake

1 frozen banana
1/3 cup oatmeal
2/3 cup water
1 scoop vanilla, cookies n cream, or graham cracker flavored whey protein powder
1 tbs oat bran
1 tbs flaxseeds and 1 tbs chia seeds
1.5 tbs wheat germ

2 tbs natural applesauce

**When I really feel like getting my greens, I add a handful of baby spinach and/or mustard greens.  It mixes well and tastes surprisingly good with the banana!!!
A small scoopful of ice

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.           Breakfast in a blender!

Hummus to Hum About

GG’s Hummus = A+

Yes, I gave myself an A for my own recipe. You’ll taste why when you try this. Want a guilt-free dip that is actually very good for you? This is soooo easy to make.  I whip this up in about one minute.  I never buy store-bought hummus anymore because, honestly, this is way better . . . creamier and all natural ingredients!  Try it and let me know what you think. 

 

 

GG’s Hummus to Hum About

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp Mexican seasoning

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1 – 2 (jarred) roasted red peppers

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy with pita pieces or baby carrots.

Mind your messages

Grading Girl shares this message during the first week of my speech classes:

Meanings are in the message senders – NOT in the messages themselves!!

If meaning were in the words, then knowing word definitions would eliminate all misunderstandings!  There would be no room for argument if we only held denotations, or dictionary definitions, to words.  The reality is, though, that each person has different experiences that cause associations to certain emotional meaning, or connotations, of words.  In other words (no pun intended!), individuals assign meanings to words and intend them in a particular way.

The misunderstanding comes when the person receiving the message holds different attitudes or emotions to the very same words.  Nonverbal language, then, helps convey the intended association.  Facial expressions, gestures, and body movement can help reveal the true message when words fail us.  So Grading Girl urges you to mind your messages!

Diet, Exercise, or Act of God?

I’ve heard many line openers at the gym but the title to this post particularly sticks out in my mind.It certainly is more creative than “Can I work in with you?”  Or these . . .

Line Openers at the Gym

·I like your shoes/ Did you get new shoes?/Those are interesting shoes. – (For some reason, this one’s a biggie.Do my feet stick out or something?)

·____ is your color. (Boring.)

·How long have you been working out here? (Also boring.)

·Wow, if I do those exercises, will I get those abs?(hmmmm)

·You look like my future girlfriend. (Now that’s cute!)

To answer the first question . . . while I’ve been blessed with a fairly fast metabolism (thanks, Mom!), maintaining a low fat diet and working out 6 days a week certainly plays a factor in maintaining my physique. Here’s a set of exercises I’ve been doing – without fail – since a week after my daughter was born.I gained 33 pounds when I was pregnant with her and lost it all within 3 weeks. Now, I am currently in my 40s and maintain my “6-pack.”  Unfortunately, because I am a teacher, you’ll just have to take my word for it or ask one of my gym buds.  No pictures allowed!! 🙂  

 

15 minutes, five mornings a week – if I miss a morning, I do them at night; it doesn’t matter which days of the week, as long as it’s five times within the week.I can honestly say that I’m in the best shape of my life and this little routine definitely plays a factor toward that.So, sshh, don’t tell . . . here it is ~

GG’s No Fail Daily Exercises

On the floor:

1.  100 crunches . . . lie flat on your back, bend knees, feet planted, hands behind neck

2.  50 alternate side crunches . . . same as above except crunching (25 each side, alternating with each crunch)

3.  For more challenge, add this:  50 alternate side crunches w. knee lift . . . elbow reaching to opposite knee as knee lifts to meet elbow (25 each side, alternating with each crunch)

4.  For even more challenge, add this:  100 “bicycle” crunches. . . legs raised an inch, parallel to ground, elbow reaching to opposite knee as knee lifts to meet elbow (50 each side, alternating with each crunch & keeping legs raised)

That’s it!  We can pin exercise routines on Pinterest until our fingers fing, but the truth is one needs only find that one routine that works and makes one feel comfortable and  the results will follow!!  Now let’s get those 6 packs popping!

Timing

Timing is everything.

Time is ours to spend but we can’t keep it.

We can’t see time but we can feel it.

We can feel time but we can’t hold on to it.

Time never stops but keeps going and going.

Time can’t be rushed yet it can’t be slowed down.

Once time is lost, it’s gone forever.

Timing is everything.

Yum Yum Time

Feeding my all-things-mini obsession, I purchased my second set of these adorable bowls. Yum Yum Dishes™ measure four ounces, the perfect size for portioning snacks. They come in a set of four, one of each color. In this American “Super Size Me” society, it’s hard to stop munching after one serving, let alone even know how much one serving really is. Many parents purchase these adorable servers for children’s snacks, but they’re perfect for any size person. For instance, fill a bowl with chips and, magic, you have an actual serving instead of the whole bag temptation. Life is too serious for us to take our snacks seriously, so the cheery message at the bottom of the bowl, “Yum Yum Time is over,” is our extra credit for eating healthy portions. Of course, I haven’t only used these for snacks. I serve condiments in them because who wants an ugly ketchup bottle sitting on the table?! One or two of these little guys has been known to sneak on my desk, holding paper clips as well. The price of $22/set is as miniature as the bowls themselves.

Tracy Adler first introduced The Yum Yum Dish™ at her former restaurant, Café on the Square in Asheville, North Carolina. There, she served appetizers and desserts in these adorable bowls to help her customers portion control. Amen! GG wants to know when others will catch on!  I purchased a set of these for my bro and sis-in-law long before my little niece was born.  They loved the bowls for snacking themselves and, as you can see in the picture below, they’re perfect now for feeding the newest member of the family complete meals:

On a serious side note, Tracy sold her restaurant in preparation to move her family to Atlanta to live closer to a major university hospital.  Her eight year-old son, Elliot, was diagnosed with CMT –  Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.  CMT is one of the most common, incurable neurological disorders that affect 1 in 2,500 people.  Elliot’s nerves are dying beginning with his toes, and there is desperate need for a cure.  To read more about Elliot’s courageous fight against the disease and/or to donate to H.E.L.P., Help Elliot Live Proud, visit his blog at Elliot’s Corner.  Tracy graciously gave Grading Girl one set of Yum Yum dishes for a poetry contest last year.  Check out the winner and deets of that contest here:  GG’s First Giveaway.     Additionally, discover the whole story behind the Yum Yum dishes at www.yumyumdish.com and pick up your own set.  They are worth every penny (and they’re not too many pennies, at that!).

Grading Girl gives these bowls an A for adorableness and practicality, plus bonus points for excellent customer service.  Grading Girl gives Elliot and the Adler family an A+ for their courageousness in fighting CMT!!  My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

(Ba)Nana Bread

New ‘Nana Bread = A+

What’s a (grading) girl like myself to do when I come home from a great workout with papers ready to grade, new blog pages ready to fill, and a sweet tooth that won’t subside. Well, I found a solution this evening that won’t waste those hours at the gym. I’ve been searching for a healthier banana bread recipe in fitness and nutrition magazines, but never discovered one quite as delicious as the original; the alternatives are either too dry or bland. Thankfully, my sister-in-law solved this dilemna with her latest kitchen experiment – it takes the grade, peeps! Moist and sinfully sweet as dessert yet happily healthy as whole grain. Mmmm . . . this aroma makes the words fly out of my fingertips. . . Try this – no guilt required.

New (Ba)Nana Bread ~

Sift the dry ingredients:
– 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (original = 2 cups all purpose flour)
– 2 teaspoons baking soda
– 1/4 teaspoon salt

Mash :
– 3 or 4 ripe bananas
– 1 tablespoon milk
– 1/2 cup blackberries (this addition is key!)

Mix the following in this order:
– 1/2 stick melted butter (original = 1 stick)
– 1/2 cup Truvia or Splenda blend (original = 1 cup sugar)
– 1 egg, 2 egg whites (original = 2 eggs)
– 1 teaspoon vanilla

Add the dry ingredients and the mashed banana mixture alternatively to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Bake in a sprayed loaf pan @ 350 degrees for 1 hour, 10 minutes.

Delish!

A Fortunate Favorite

Love, love, love this movie. I’m blogging on another subject, but had to take a detour to share a favorite as my daughter and her friend play this in the background. Serendipity is definitely my second favorite movie of all time.  The title is such a happy word!  This movie embodies those little fortunate accidents that we never expect or plan for but can completely change our lives.  They happen every day if we take the time to notice them.

If you are an unfortunate soul who has not yet seen this romantic comedy, Jonathon Tragger (John Cusack) meets Sara Thomas (Kate Beckinsale) by chance.  Both are in relationships so when Jonathon asks for her number, Sara decides to write it in a book, sell it to a bookshop, and have Jonathon try to find it; she has him, in turn, place his name on a five dollar bill and gives it to a newspaperman. She states that if destiny wants them together, Jonathan will get that book back or she will receive that bill again. This marks the beginning of a “chase” as they both realize their current relationships aren’t their soul mates.  Has anyone ever tried something like this in “real life?!”

With co-stars such as Jeremy Piven and Molly Shannon, this movie is written with memorable, quirky lines and approachable characters in which viewers can easily find pieces of themselves.  The soundtrack hails tunes that raise spirits, from David Grey’s peaceful “January Rain,” (a GG fave!) to John Mayer’s “83” to Louis Armstrong’s “Cool Yule.”  I’ve seen this movie probably 10 times within the past few years, and it tickles my heart each time.  Granted, this is coming from someone who saw the movie, Grease, 12 times when it was released in the theatre years ago (GG’s #1 fave movie), but I give this grade with a guarantee.  GG dares anyone who views this to dislike it – it’s impossible.  A+

During my daughter’s first trip to New York, we paid a visit to the Serendipity3 cafe where Jonathan and Sara infamously share a frozen hot chocolate.  While we didn’t spot anyone famous at this notoriously star-laden spot, GG gives this cozy coffee boutique an A for both food and atmosphere.  The menu offers unique choices such as my order, the Summer Bries (smoked turkey,apple and brie cheese on raisin pumpernickel bread, yum) and, of course the frozen hot chocolate.  The frozen hot chocolate is as boastful as hot hot chocolate and as creamy as a milkshake. With its Tiffany lampshaded 19th century decor, the cafe has been drawing people by the lines outside since opening in 1954.  We experienced an hour wait, but it was completely worth it.  One can browse through the sweet shop boutique and score a take-home frozen hot chocolate kit or Serendipity ice cream bowls. Andy Warhol once claimed this sweet shop as his favorite! Grading Girl shares the claim. Oh . . . and it looks exactly like it does in the movie.

Idol Grammar

Mini-Lesson 2 is brought to you by American Idol. This evening as my daughter and I watched one of our favorite shows,American Idol , Grading Girl couldn’t help but hear some grammar goofs. Granted the contestants are chosen based on how they sing, not how they speak, but perhaps they could be a little more cognizant of their language. After all, only about 17.5 million people are viewing the show.

Contestant Lil Rounds made a faux pas when she described herself this way: “I did good.”  Grading Girl nearly cringes every time she hears this mistake ~

Good vs. Well

Good is an adjective, meaning that it modifies  nouns.

Well is an adverb, meaning it modifies verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.

Examples ~

*That song is good.  (Good is modifying the noun, song)

*You played that song very well.  (Well is modifying the verb, played)

In Lil Round’s sentence, “well” should replace “good” because it is modifying the verb, “did.”

________________

Characteristic of the crazy English language (see essay titled “Do fingers fing?“), there is an exception:  “Well” may be used when describing something healthy, proper, or suitable.  Example:  I am well today.

Grading Girl also couldn’t help but hear Matt Giraud say, “Sing it how it’s supposed to be sang.”  Uh, maybe American Idol should hire Grading Girl as a speech consultant.

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