Test Success: Grammar, She Wrote

Takes a Lickin' and Keeps on Tickin'

2012-01-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

I sent this email to Timex:
From: Rozakile@aol.com [mailto:Rozakile@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2012 5:37 PM
To: Custserv LR
Subject: thanks

To Whom It May Concern:

I know you've heard this before, but I had to tell you again-- you make a GREAT watch!

My daughter dyed my hair yesterday, and in all the towels, I misplaced my Timex. I was really upset because the numerals are large so it's great in the classroom (I'm a professor) because it's so easy to read. Also, the face lights up, so it's great at night, too, and I often consult it when I'm in the theatre so I can determine whether or not I can make my train home. I have a lovely diamond watch, which I never use because I can't read the face.

Well, I did two loads of laundry and lo! I washed my watch. It still works perfectly! The leather band is a bit damp, but the watch is unscathed.

You make a fabulous product.

Thank you--

Laurie Rozakis, Ph.D.

I received this answer:Attached Message
From: Custserv LR
To: 'Rozakile@aol.com'
Subject: RE: thanks
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2012 11:17:50 -0500

Over the years, Timex has received hundreds of letters from nice people like you. We've heard about Timex watches that have been loved and lost, and others that were found and cherished. We've had many people offer to do commercials testifying for Timex quality and durability. Photos and watches are sent that have been through more than any watch should have to endure, and yes they are always still ticking.
Here at Timex, those letters are passed around. We smile, chuckle and listen to your ideas, and it gives us a warm feeling that you took the time to write us.
Thank you for brightening our day with your letter, and especially, thank you for appreciating our products. It's people like you that keep us ticking.

Sincerely,

Timex Group USA Inc Customer Service.pa

It's time for the "December Dilemma" Again ...

2011-12-17T14:34:00.001-08:00

and as I seem to be the "expert" go-to person for quotes based on my Complete Idiot's Guide to Interfaith Relationships, I've got some fresh ink.
This year's article is unusually well done with a nifty Mormon twist. Published in the Salt Lake Tribune, it's called "Utah's interfaith couples navigate 'December dilemma'" The reporter is sharp and good.
Here’s the link:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/faith/53106889-142/family-christmas-interfaith-jewish.html.csp

Praising O'Connor

2011-09-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

Shameless Plug Dept.:

I just received this email and I agree with the writer's assessment of O'Connor's work. If you haven't read O'Connor (or me!), you should. (Wasn't that a blatant bit of self-promotion?)

Hello Ms. Rozakis,

I'm a freelance writer, m.a.w., and i read your books for fun, if you can imagine. i think you're hilarious.

one thing though, you, like almost every other writer on writing makes no mention of frank o'connor and his short stories, which i personally think are equal to, or better than, poe, irving etc.

whats your opinion of him?

With my thanks for your time and attention to this matter...

Asia!

2011-09-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

McGraw-Hill Asia in Singapore has licensed English reprint rights for my Praxis book. I find it interesting that Asians are training this thoroughly to be teachers. Study harder, American Kids!

Writing My Dissertation was Easier...

2011-08-28T20:16:00.001-07:00

A few months ago, I was interviewed for an article in Family Circle.com. And then I was interviewed again. And again. And then fact checked a few times. Note, please, that I didn't write this article: I was merely one of several subjects. And after all that, the writer still got my title wrong. Sigh.

Here's an excerpt. The complete article is at http://www.familycircle.com/teen/school/homework/study-tips/.

Practice, Practice, Practice
Test taking is like any other skill, so having your child run through sample exam questions—with a focus on what he struggles with—could result in better grades. "Practice tests familiarize students with the material and how it may be presented on the actual exam," says Laurie E. Rozakis, author of Test Taking Strategies & Skills for the Utterly Confused. Encourage your teen to make his own quizzes by changing the numbers in challenging math problems or reworking topic sentences from his textbooks into questions and then answering them.

Such a Nice Note Today!

2011-08-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Dr. Rozakis,

I wanted to drop you a line to thank you for writing the wonderful "Complete Idiot's Guide to American Literature". This book helped me to pass the American Literature CLEP today! Funnily enough, I took this CLEP to avoid having to spend a semester analyzing boring old literature, but your book actually made me want to read many of the works mentioned. I am currently halfway through "The Turn of the Screw" and it is a real page-turner! Thank you again for such an accessible and engaging book.

Laura Carroll

I'm a hit in Yorba Linda!

2011-07-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

The First Librarian of the Yorba Linda Library (I could make this up?)

I'll admit: It's always a thrill when a Google Alert tells me that my books are used far and wide. The Yorba Linda, California, public library has 11 of my books:
Here's the bio from the electronic catalog page.
Dr. Laurie Rozakis is a writer of the ''"Complete Idiots"'' books and an expert on writing, grammar, usage, and test preparation. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Hofstra University in 1973; her Master of Arts from Hofstra in 1975; and her PhD from the State University of New York in 1984.

And the books--
Showing 1 - 11 of 11 Library items by Laurie Rozakis:

Homelessness : can we solve the problem? /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 1995
Series: Issues of our time.

Call Number: j 362.5 ROZA
Located: Children's Non Fiction
1 copy Available
Book Add to Favorites

The complete idiot's guide to speaking in public with confidence /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 1995
Call Number: 808.51 ROZA
Located: Adult Non Fiction
1 copy Available
Book Add to Favorites

The complete idiot's guide to buying and selling collectibles /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 1997
Series: Complete idiot's guide.

Call Number: 745.1 ROZA
Located: Adult Non Fiction
1 copy Checked out
Book Add to Favorites

How to interpret poetry /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 1998
Call Number: 808.1 ROZA
Located: Adult Non Fiction
1 copy Available
Book Add to Favorites

The joy luck club : notes /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 1994
Series: Cliffs notes on--

Call Number: YAPAM
Located: Adult Pamphlet
2 copies Available
Book Add to Favorites

Test taking strategies and study skills for the utterly confused /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 2003
Call Number: 371.3028 ROZA
Located: Adult Non Fiction
1 copy Available
Book Add to Favorites

Vocabulary for dummies /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 2002
Series: --For dummies.

Call Number: 428.1 ROZA
Located: Adult Non Fiction
1 copy Checked out
Book Add to Favorites

McGraw-Hill's Praxis I & II /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 2007
Call Number: 370.76 ROZA
Located: Test Preparation
1 copy Available
Book Add to Favorites

I before "E" except after "C" : spelling for the alphabetically challenged /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 2008
Call Number: 421.52 ROZA
Located: Adult Non Fiction
1 copy Available
Book Add to Favorites

The complete idiot's guide to grammar and style /
by Rozakis, Laurie. Published 2003
Call Number: 428.2 ROZA
Located: Adult Non Fiction
1 copy Checked out
Book Add to Favorites

21st century Robert's rules of order /
Published 1995
Series: 21st century reference.

Call Number: R 060.42 TWEN
Located: Adult Reference
1 copy Available
Book Add to Favorites

Time to Boycott Delta

2011-06-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

If their bad service isn't enough, now we find that Delta is anti-semitic. Their actions are indefensible. It's time to boycott them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/23/us-jews-not-able-to-fly-o_n_883568.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Caim%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C72803

U.S. Jews Not Able To Fly On Delta Flights To Saudi Arabia By Michele Chabin

JERUSALEM (RNS) Jews and Israelis, or passengers carrying any non-Islamic article of faith, will not be able to fly code-share flights from the U.S. to Saudi Arabia under Delta Air Line's new partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines that is set to begin in 2012.

Although Delta announced in January that the Saudi airline would join its SkyTeam network next year, the implications of the deal only came to light recently, according to people who have scrutinized the details.

Saudi Arabia, which is governed by strict Islamic law, requires citizens of almost every country to obtain a visa. People who wish to enter the country must have a sponsor; women, who must be dressed according to Saudi standards of modesty, must be met at the Saudi airport by a man who will act as a chaperone.

Saudi Arabia bans anyone with an Israeli stamp in their passport from entering the country, even in transit. Many Jews believe the kingdom has also withheld visas from travelers with Jewish-sounding names.

Religious items such as Bibles that are not related to Islam may be confiscated at the airport.

Colby M. May, senior counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative legal group founded by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, said his office is trying to determine if the agreement runs afoul of U.S. law.

"The very idea that there is a common carrier airline service that would deny an American citizen in America access to their services because they are Jewish or have religious items such as a yarmulke, a cross or a priestly collar, is deeply disturbing," May said.

May said he is "trying to get answers" from Delta.

"They have not responded in a way that answers the question," he said. "Hopefully they'll do so."

In a statement to Religion News Service on Thursday (June 23), Delta said it "does not discriminate, nor do we condone discrimination against any protected class of passenger in regards to age, race, nationality, religion, or gender."

The airline, which did not deny the new policy, insisted that it has no control over who may fly to Saudi Arabia.

"Delta must also comply with all applicable laws in every country it serves," adding that passengers are responsible for obtaining the necessary travel documents required for entry.

"If a passenger travels without proper documents, the passenger may be denied entry into that country and our airline may be fined," the statement said.

The Jan. 10 agreement allows Saudi Arabian Airlines to become a member of SkyTeam in 2012 after "fulfilling all membership requirements," according to a SkyTeam statement. The Saudi airline is SkyTeam's first member from the Middle East.

The policy has deeply angered U.S. Jewish groups, especially since Delta is an American carrier.

"Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, should be strongly condemned for its despicable discrimination against Jews," said Kenneth Bandler, a spokesman for the New York-based American Jewish Committee.

"For an American company, our nation's values should trump narrow business interests. Delta should be the first to reject Saudi airlines as a SkyTeam member."

Dan Diker, secretary general of the World Jewish Congress, said he hoped "Delta will not be complicit with what appears to be a demonstrably anti-Semitic and racist policy by Saudi Arabian Airlines."

Jack Jenkins contributed to this report.

A Tribute

2011-06-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

We all have our heroes; one of mine was Dr. Madeline Crivello.
We met while on vacation in Curacao 35 years ago, when Madeline was still in medical school at Yale. We immediately hit it off and the friendship developed after the vacation, as she and her husband came down for visits and we went to their apartment in Boston and later, to their lovely home in Newton, MA, where she settled. In addition to practicing neuroradiology and diagnostic radiology (and becoming the first radiologist to serve in Mount Auburn's Hoffman Breast Center), Madeline was a Clinical Instructor in Radiology at Harvard Medical School and advised female undergraduates at Harvard interested in becoming doctors. But frankly, any bright and driven woman can do that.
Madeline did the far more difficult task of having and raising two fine children (her daughter is following her mother’s footsteps, studying medicine at Yale after graduating from Harvard), cultivating and keeping a deep pool of utterly devoted friends, and making a warm and welcoming home. A superb cook and baker, she taught me how to make pesto and raspberry jam.
I thought of Madeline today as I made my first batch of pesto of the year, and decided to send her an email because we hadn’t been in contact in about six months. I discovered that the breast cancer she had survived in 1992 had claimed her life.
But along the way, she gave countless women the finest medical care and reassured them that they could fight this disease as she had. A petite woman, she had a giant impact on the world. I am sure she was a hero for many others. She will be sorely missed.

Such Lovely Feedback!

2011-06-02T17:26:00.001-07:00

I received a long, delightful note from the father of the two 4th grade girls who reported on my book on Henson and Peary. Here's part of it: "Julie and Elizabeth were so awe-struck that they had such great feed-back directly from you concerning their questions. They felt so "special" that you responded back so quickly to them and so personally. We can't thank you enough for making their project such a memorable experience for them."
He doesn't realize that I got far more out of the experience than they did! I'm so pleased that he took the time to write again.

Not Surpringly, the World Didn't End Yesterday

2011-05-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

but if the zombies instead of the religious fanatics bring the world down soon, The Daily Pilot (a LA Times website) published an amusing round-up of zombie books you'll want to have on hand. One of them is mine:

...Another new direction for zombie fiction is the reimagining of literature classics … but with zombies. A prime example would be Seth Grahame-Smith's "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" (or, the graphic novel adapted by Tony Lee). Not only does the Regency-era populace have to contend with the living dead, but with pirates and ninjas as well! Similarly, with "Zombie Notes," author Laurie Rozakis presents a parody study guide to many world classics such as "Romeo and Juliet and Zombies," and "A Tale of Two Cities Overrun with Zombies."

The entire article can be accessed at
http://www.dailypilot.com/news/opinion/tn-dpt-0522-book-20110521,0,3389391.story
By Andrew Kachaturian
May 21, 2011 | 7:18 p.m.

And It's One of My Favorite Books

2011-05-17T11:40:00.001-07:00

I received this letter today. It's a necessary day brightener, as three days of rain and humidity are making my leg ache. (Who knew those old wives'tales were correct all along?) Here's the letter:

Hello Dr. Rozakis,

Our daughter, Julie, and her classmate, Elizabeth, have been working on a reading project in their fourth grade class at Holy Rosary School, Duryea, PA. Their teacher, Mrs. Tammy Dixon, gave the class their choice of completing a project on any one of the various stories that the class had read throughout this past marking period. Julie and Elizabeth chose your story, Matthew Henson and Robert Peary: The Race for the North Pole. The girls were very intrigued by the Henson and Peary story, and they have learned so much about the topic through your story, and now also from their own research. The girls have put together a 3-fold poster board presentation, have written a summary essay and have completed an arts and craft project of Henson & Peary. The only information that they are lacking to complete their project is some "About the Author" information. Julie and Elizabeth have gotten the usual "bio" info about you, however, what they were really looking for was two basic facts. Why did you decide to write the story, and, did you write it with the intent to "inform" or to "entertain?" I know that most likely you have an extremely full schedule as a professor, etc., however, if you are able to reply to
their two questions, we would be ever so grateful. Thanks so much in advance for your consideration to replying to the girls.
Sincerely, Chris Mazaleski

Commencement

2011-05-15T17:06:00.001-07:00

Today was graduation at the College, one of the best days of the year because I love seeing my students take that victory lap from their seats to the stage. So many kids work so hard in college, especially Scott, who earned his degree despite having MS. He also earned all our respect and deep admiration, shown by the standing ovation he received—and richly deserved. And I found another treat when I got home: the following posting on RateMyProfessors.com:

5/15/11 ENG10 3 5 5 5 Dr.R was simply the best teacher I have ever had, she opened new ideas to me, and never steered me wrong. She was strict but extremely helpful. Taking this class really made me feel like I could do anything. The first day of class she made us take each others numbers and by the last class, none of us wanted to say goodbye, thanks to her. Amazing!!

I reveled in my students’ success and wish them all the best. Stay in touch, kids! You make me proud.

I Get The Most Interesting Email

2011-05-03T11:19:00.001-07:00

and here's the one I received today...

Dear Laurie,
We have enjoyed learning about you in our search for your email address.
We are currently serving a mission for our church in Mexico. Our married daughter in Texas is having some conflict with her in-laws, and is seeking our advice. We came across a reference to your book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dealing with In-Laws" at amazon.com, and are wondering if it is available electronically. We would like to read it ourselves, and amazon.com will not ship to Mexico.
Thank you for your assistance,
Craig & Lynette Olson

Call for Assistance

2011-04-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received a beautifully-written letter from a man in California. Based on my Complete Idiot's Guide to Shakespeare, he inquired if I would be interested in completing his late wife's scholarship on Timon of Athens. A Shakespearean scholar and professor, Fulbright scholar, and Phi Beta Kapp from UCLA, she has left 8 boxes of notes. He is willing to ship them anywhere at his own cost. Timon of Athens is not my play (Hamlet is), so is anyone interested? The raw material sounds first-rate.

Meish Wins Again!

2011-04-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

My brilliant friend Meish Goldish won yet another Children's Choices Selection Award. This one is for Heart-Stopping Roller Coasters and as with his other wins, is richly deserved. He's a wonderful writer and this is another "must have" book. Here's a review from another delighted reader: "This brief (24 pages) but informative book is filled with fascinating facts about the biggest roller coasters around the world, including their history. Did you know, for example, that the idea for roller coasters came from ice slides that were popular in Russia in the 1400s? Or that the first roller coaster in America had only one car that moved only 6 miles an hour--slower than many adults can run? The book's photos are large, colorful, and dramatic. This book is perfect for young readers up to age 10 or 11, I'd say."

Here's the book description: "Hold on tight! Kids are about to discover the biggest, fastest, and scariest roller coasters in the world. From the "Kingda Ka" in New Jersey that's as tall as a 45-story building to the "Steel Dragon 2000" in Japan that covers the length of 27 football fields, these gigantic structures will capture the imagination and delight of every young reader."

And I add--you'll love Meish's writing!

Trying to Forge Ahead

2011-03-30T05:13:00.000-07:00

I know I'm supposed to walk as much as possible--the doctor and the physical therapists made that point more than clear--so whenever the weather permits, I pop a couple of aspirin or tylenol and head out. I can't make it as much as used to, but today, with the temperature finally above what Bob and I call "teeth-of-the-wind cold," I was determined to get outside and get moving.
Thanks to walking partners like Angela, Gudrun, and Barbara, I can keep my mind on scintilating conversation and and off the residual aches and pains. And now that the calendar is turning a page into April, maybe we'll see some warmer weather.

And the answer is...

2011-03-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

The pronoun should be objective case, "us." In the clause, "The primates remain inscrutable," "including" is a present participle modifying "primates." The participle, which is half verb and half adjective, takes "us humans" as a direct object. "Stay tuned" is a separate clause." Your dash is too weak a mark of punctuation to link the two. You have written a run-on sentence.

Under the Grammar Hammer

2011-03-08T17:17:00.000-08:00

I actually get some work done when I'm not complaining about my leg and trying to exercise it. Some of that work involves my specialty: English stuff. (That's the technical term, "stuff.") Not surprisingly, given my Ph.D. in English and my scores of publications in the field, I tend to get a fair number of questions about grammar, usually fairly thorny questions. I recently received the following grammar question via the internet. See if you can solve it. (Don't panic; I will reveal the answer in a few days.)

Dear Dr. Rozakis:

I'm the dramaturg at a professional theatre company in Pittsburgh and I'm hoping you'll be willing to answer a grammar question for me. I wouldn't normally impose, but the question has risen to the level of a small debate among my usual informal "grammar checkers"--some friends and family who are all highly educated writers and educators--and your blog says you welcome questions on grammar so I thought I'd take the leap.

Recently, I completed an essay for our playbill that (currently) ends with this sentence:

"Stay tuned—for now the primates, including we humans, remain inscrutable."

I say "currently" because I at first wrote "including us humans." And though I am usually very sure of my own writing and grammar, I simply cannot figure out which is correct.

The responses I have received back from others began first as knee-jerk reactions applying grammatical rules that don't apply here. They have gotten more complicated along the way, and have included "votes" for me to eliminate the "we" or "us" or to cut "humans" from the sentence altogether. The latter questions were actually never up for a collective vote! I'm trying to include an emphasis, and the point of the sentence is actually that the human mind is ultimately unknowable--I'm reaching that point by opening with a reference to earlier in the essay when I say that humans are great apes, and nearly genetically identical to gorillas.

The closest two of us have come to agreement is in one person's suggestion that the phrase "we humans" is some kind of appositive and the object of the participle "including." This person thinks, therefore, that the object should actually be "us humans." My thinking isn't far off from that--but I think I’m using "including" as a marginal preposition. So the phrase is not a participial phrase, but a prepositional phrase (“including we humans”) that modifies/delimits the subject (“primates”). (If it were an appositive, wouldn't it take the nominative case anyway?)

We both agree that "humans" is the object of the phrase--what I can't figure out is whether the emphasis I'm going for requires the use of the objective pronoun "us" as part of the object, or the nominative pronoun "we" forming something like a compound noun construction for emphasis.

The issue of which pronoun would be used if "humans" were cut hasn't been any help in figuring this out because it's not "humans" that would get cut, it's the pronoun. I can understand the viewpoint that the phrase might be an appositive--but even in that case, I keep wondering if "we" would be correct since "we humans" would actually be explaining (i.e., able to replace) the subject ("primates"). Clearly, this has become very confusing!

That was the long-winded way of asking what some usually pretty grammar-smart people have been trying to figure out. I think it's the "including" that's throwing us. Which is correct?:

"Stay tuned—for now the primates, including we humans, remain inscrutable."

or

"Stay tuned—for now the primates, including us humans, remain inscrutable."

Any light you can shed on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you. I've enjoyed your books.

Best regards,
Carlyn

No Snow for Me

2010-12-27T16:16:00.000-08:00

All the snow is beautiful to look at... until it's time to clear it away. I am so glad that Sammi’s home to help Bob with the shoveling, as my shoveling days are passed. Today was a day for sipping hot cocoa, reading the newspaper online, and making phone calls. Since the accident, the snow scares me but the ice terrifies me -- and I used to love sledding, ice-skating, and even cross-country skiing.

Winter Blues, Salty Version

2010-12-15T15:42:00.001-08:00

Suddenly, it’s winter! How did that happen? I used to love the cold crisp air, but now the cold makes my leg ache. Snow is very pretty to look at when I'm inside and even better when it melts away. But when the snow turns to ice and doesn’t melt away -- as has been the case the past few days-- I get very, very edgy as I’m terrified of slipping on the ice. I've spread so much salt around the house that any squirrels on a salt-free diet are probably suffering from serious high-blood pressure.

My REALLY Famous Husband

2010-10-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

My hubby is one of those rare famous people who straddles two worlds: the academic and the popular. Hofstra's really prestigious invitation to speak at their 75th Anniversary Symposium "Kapow! From Pulp Fiction to Google Books, Celebrating the evolution of popular culture from 1935 to the present" is proof positive. The event will be held Friday, October 22, 2010 at the Axinn Library.

The morning session of KAPOW! will examine pulps, cartoons, and popular culture. After a complimentary lunch with a guest speaker, the afternoon session will focus on fan fiction, copyright, re-mix culture and the Google Book settlement. And he's not just a panelist: he's the luncheon Keynote Speaker! His address is entitled: "75 Years of Comic Books.”

Here's the bio Hofstra ran: "Bob Rozakis (BBA, ‘73) began his career in the comic book industry shortly before graduating from Hofstra and spent the next twenty-five years at DC Comics.

As a writer, Bob is perhaps best known as the co-creator of ‘Mazing Man, but his credits include more than four hundred stories featuring Superman, Batman and virtually every other DC character. He recently completed "The Secret History of AA Comics," an alternate history of the industry that appeared in Alter Ego and Back Issue magazines. Outside the comic book business, he has written storybooks for educational publishing projects and co-authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to Office Politics with his wife, Dr. Laurie Rozakis (BA, ‘73, MA ‘76).

During his seventeen years as head of DC's Production Department, Bob guided the company (and, eventually, the entire industry) into previously unexplored areas of computerized color separations and typesetting, electronic page preparation, and computer-to-plate printing. These efforts earned DC Comics over one hundred awards for printing excellence and resulted in Bob twice being profiled and cover - featured in Publishing & Production Executive.

Currently, Bob is the comptroller for Combined Resources Interiors, a drywall construction firm, utilizing the accounting degree he earned at Hofstra. He annually teaches a creative writing course for the Johns Hopkins University / Center for Talented Youth summer program for gifted students.

Pretty cool, eh?

I am SO proud of Meish

2010-10-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

My extrordinarily talented friend Meish Goldish won TWO Children's Choice Book Awards -- not one, TWO. The first is for Bug-a-Licious; the second, for Michael Phelps: Anything is Possible. The committee had a difficult choice because everything he writes is superb. Way to go, Meish!
Here are the links:
http://www.amazon.com/-licious-Extreme-Cuisine-Meish-Goldish/dp/1597167576/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286231747&sr=8-1#reader_1597167576
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Michael+Phelps%3A+Anything+is+Possible

What Fresh Hell is This?

2010-09-16T11:40:00.001-07:00

Every now and again, I get confirmation that what I’m feeling is real. Today was one such day and it was greatly reassuring.

Those who have faithfully followed the Tribulations of the Tibia Plateau Fracture know that I made what felt like progress after I was finally allowed out of the wheelchair, and was starting to feel relieved. But then my condition declined.

I’ve been having a great deal of pain in the leg and really serious issues with balance that have resulted in a lot of falls. The last fall resulted in my toe nail being wrenched off, so I have first-hand knowledge of the effectiveness of this form of torture. Auto-de-fé, there we were.

After the Toenail Adventure, I finally decided to stop ignoring all of this and went to my (fabulous) internist, who did a thorough exam and, with a worried look, strongly recommended that I resume physical therapy and see a neurologist as soon as possible. As my internist is usually relaxed, I took his advice seriously and got the first available appointment for the neurologist. In the meantime, I’m back in PT and doing the exercises faithfully every day.

I saw the neurologist today and was impressed with her level of skill and concern. After performing more tests, she said that I clearly have nerve damage and need to get an MRI to determine the extent. Interestingly, both she and the physical therapist identified the same nerve as afflicted. Without my asking, she gave me a prescription for a pain reliever specifically designed for nerve pain so I can get some sleep at night. Who knew they had such a thing? Big Pharma’s there for me.

So, more PT. More pain. More tests. More pain. More drugs. This all stinks.

Made My Day

2010-09-02T06:22:00.000-07:00

A lovely message from a long-ago student:

Subject: Mrs. Rozakis
I have to get use to calling you Dr. Rozakis. You look EXACTLY the same as when I had you back in 1982. Again, you were the most influential person during my senior year at South. You made a difference!

I don't think the kids realize how much these messages mean to us.

Reality Bites

2010-08-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

So here’s what happened: I was so damned glad to be alive when I had my Scooter Incident two years ago, that I figured everything would be fine if I only pushed myself brutally hard in PT and at home and pretended that everything would be all right.
But it’s not all right.
The time for Magical Thinking, as in “Time will heal everything, ignore it and it goes away,” has passed.
I’ve been tripping and falling a lot because my leg, foot, and toes are damaged. A really nasty fall in the woods didn’t wake me up. An even nastier fall in the driveway didn’t wake me up. Ripping off the toenail on my second toe of the “bad foot/leg” did wake me up. The foot didn’t lift, so it was rammed against my solid wood kitchen table, ripping the entire nail clear off. Serious amount of blood; surprisingly intense pain.

So I went to my internist for an exam – he’s the wonderful doctor who attended me throughout this ordeal. He agreed that my foot and leg are actually getting worse, not better and we decided that more PT was the way to go. Therefore, I’m back at PT, which I suspect will be a lifelong commitment. He even wants me to see a neurologist, and I've made the appointment.

Scratching My Head

2010-08-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

My writing gets lifted and repurposed all over the web, but today's is a first. A pasage from my Complete Idiot's Guide to Speaking in Public with Confidence appears on a blog called "Investment Information Including Spread Betting." It's a British blog, no less. (http://www.globalcrisis.org.uk/?p=426) Can anyone tell me what public speaking has to do with Investment Information Including Spread Betting??? (And I never so much as buy a lottery ticket.) Here's the passage:

Factors that Cause Public Speaking Anxiety
In a survey done by Dr. Laurie Rozakis, author of Idiots Guide to Public Speaking, it was found that many people are scared to speak before a group. It is the number one fear among Americans, –and the number 6 is fear of death, according to Dr. Rozakis.
Even the most experienced speaker gets anxious when speaking in public. However, this a speakingwithoutfear.com/success.html target fear of public speaking/a can be controlled so that you can put your fear to your advantage. This topic teaches us why people are nervous when speaking in front of a crowd and how you can conquer your fear.
FEAR OF THE AUDIENCE
People are afraid of rejection by their audience. Thus, many are terrified of speaking in public for fear of being criticized by the crowd for how they look or how they deliver their speech. On the contrary, audiences are very understanding about the speaker’s problem with stage fright. You become more nervous when your fear of the audience increases.
Below are some strategies that can help you overcome your fear of the audience.
• Choose a topic that you like and you are familiar with. The more comfortable you are about your chosen topic, the more confident you are in facing your audience.
• Concentrate on your topic. Focus on your topic and not on yourself. When you start to think of your subject matter and not yourself, your fear of speaking will likely decrease.
• Say to yourself: I am the BOSS. Trust in your capability of delivering your speech. Showing that you are in charge decreases your fear and increases your confidence in facing the situation.
• Don’t think of your audience as a threat. Bridge the gap between your audience and yourself. Analyze carefully to establish rapport. You should consider age, gender and their level of expertise. Remember to analyze your audience.
FEAR OF FAILURE
• There are two ways to win over your fear of failure.
• Picture yourself succeeding. If you think that you will stutter in front of many people, chances are you will stutter. But if you visualize yourself delivering your speech well, then, you will.
• Face your fear. You cannot overcome your fear unless you show it and admit that you are afraid of it.
FEAR THAT YOUR SPEECH IS A BAD SPEECH
• Write well. Take time to write your speech. Review it and rewrite if necessary. If you are confident with your speech, the less terrified you will be about speaking in public.
• Practice and ask for suggestions on how you can improve your speech. Ask a friend of relative to act as your audience. Once you have delivered your topic, ask for their feedback. Don’t be afraid to hear about what they will say. Their feedback can give you insight on what is good or bad in your speech.

Just When You Think...

2010-06-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

you'd be wrong. My ortho told me I'd be permanently disabled for life. My friend from the 4th grade, an ortho surgeon himself and someone who had the same plateau fracture I did, told me I'd be permanently disabled for life--as he is.
Well, today I tried to go for a much-needed walk and took a really nasty spill. Fortunately, it was on my driveway. Unfortunately, as usual it was the left leg, the bad leg, that went, and I fell really hard. That leg's bleeding, right on the knee and part of the scar (well, the scar is so big that we're talking quite an area.) What a mess.
The question now is the worst part of all of this the falling itself or the fear of falling next?

A Fabulous Reality

2010-05-31T12:24:00.000-07:00

When I taught at Commack, my first chair, Ed Leigh, used to talk about "fabulous realites," those odd occurances in daily life that never failed to amuse. I believe the term had actually been coined by some writing guru of the 1970s like Peter Elbow, but in my mind, it has always been associated with Ed, one of the brightest and most creative people I've ever known.
A few days ago, I saw a lawn chair in the street next to a sign reading "No Standing." Ok, so maybe you had to be there to appreciate it as much as I did.

But I Hate Cold, Damp Weather...

2010-05-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

...because my leg really hurts. I used to pooh-pooh people who complained about pain in broken legs and arthritis in rainy weather. I hereby take back all those pooh-poohs and send you sincere apologies. This past couple of days have been a killer on my leg.

I Like Google Alerts

2010-05-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

because they bring interesting things to my attention --and save me the trouble of having to google myself. Today I received an alert for a site called ebooknetworking.net, which offers my Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style as an ebook. Several people posted reviews, and the book earned a 4/5, which pleased me because it's always been one of my favorite books. Here's a sample:

http://www.ebooknetworking.net/books_detail-1592571158.html
Learn the "Language of Language."
I knew the English language cold; or at least quite well; or at least, I thought I did. So, imagine my shock when I decided to study German. I discovered that I did not know what "cases" are, let alone how they work. I could not tell the difference between a Predicate Nominative and an Infinitive. Verb conjugation? What the devil was that? I did not know any of the terminology used in the study of a language. The instructor sat there casually talking about the definite article (Der, Die, and Das) without explaining that this was a translation of the word "The." I sat in class watching as the other students who were all 30 years my junior, chattered away, while I listened for some term that sounded familiar from that far away place from my youth called "High School English." I must have known some of this material at some point, but I seemed to have forgotten everything.

For me, this book was an excellent way to go back and relearn. Many of these "Idiot's Guides" really are for idiots. This one is an exception. Dr. Rozakis seems to have an aversion to talking down to her readers. She assumes an ability to learn and absorb new information, and accordingly has created a lengthy, and in-depth "textbook" that covers lots of ground. She gives you the simple stuff in the explanations, the harder stuff in the examples, and the most complex examples in the review sections. I mention this because, while this is no way to learn English for the first time. It is a superb way to learn it the second time. Your brain is quickly scrambled, and then at some point scrambled a little less so. Along the way you find the answers to hundreds of little language dilemnas that have troubled you over the years.

I loved the book, but I do have to comment on the author's style: I spent most of a month on this book; taking it in bite-sized pieces. This was long enough for some derangement of the mind to set in. Dr. Rozakis has built her life around this language, and it has clearly person-handled her brain. (Did I mention that she cured my sexist ways as a kind of secondary benefit?) Her examples are clever and ever-so-slightly twisted; just the ticket when spending an hour or so with gerunds, appositives, or the present perfect progressive tense.

A Really Nice Thing

2010-05-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

I received this tribute from a former student. She was in my class more than 25 years ago. It's nice to be remembered and to know that my efforts and hard work are appreciated. I do so love to teach.

May 7, 2010 at 8:50pm
Subject: Thanks
I have accomplished so much after your help with my english. I am glad to have this opportunity to thank you before I lose all my ability to use my communication skills without someone else redoing or editing all my stuff. (This is due to my health) You are a special person thanks for caring for the students and making a difference in people's lives.
Darlene

Ok, How Much is that in American Money?

2010-05-07T19:03:00.001-07:00

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Taking in the Air

2010-04-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

I finally got a walk in, stopping at many points for a restful schmooze. I had a lovely chat with Alan and Audrey, and got an update on Alan’s eye surgery. It was good to hear that his cataracts are gone and his eyes are healing nicely. Then I rested and schmoozed with Virginia C, always a good place to chat. Oy! It takes me forever to walk a distance I used to do in less than an hour, but at least there are friendly places and great conversations along the way.

Today's Riddle: How Many Jewish Mothers are There in India?

2010-04-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

Google alerts sent me this notice about some of my books being sold in India, through India Plaza. The grammar and lit books make sense, but The Portable Jewish Mother? Not so much (Though there was once a flourishing Jewish community in India.)

Books :I Before E, Except After C
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Rain, Rain, Go Away!

2010-03-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

The warm, sunny weather that accompanied the beginning of spring turned out to be something of a fake-out. After five days of sunshine and temperatures near 70 degrees, we're back to the more seasonal 50s. And, though April and its showers have yet to arrive, we've now got a forecast of a couple of days of rain. I have grown to detest rainy days not only because, well, they’re rainy, but also because they make my leg hurt. Who would have guessed that those movie stereotype old women who knew it was going to rain because "I feel it in my bones" were not so unrealistic after all?

Irish Eyes are Smiling

2010-03-19T11:19:00.001-07:00

Creative Writing
Posted by Annette J Dunlea Irish Author on March 18, 2010 at 1:39pm
View Annette J Dunlea Irish Author's blog
Creative Writing

An Irish writer included my Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing on her list of "must have" books. I was inordinately pleased to know that I'm being read in Ireland, as we visited the Emerald Isle years and years ago and received a warm welcome. Here's her link: http://bookmarket.ning.com/profile/AnnetteDunlea

And part of the list:

Portable MFA in Creative Writing (New York Writers Workshop) by New York Writers Workshop

On Writing by Stephen King

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing, 2nd Edition by Laurie E. Rozakis

What If?: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter

Writing Fiction: A Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School by Gotham Writers' Workshop
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them (P.S.) by Francine Prose

The Cambridge Introduction to Creative Writing (Cambridge Introductions to Literature) by David Morley

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Library) by Natalie Goldberg

Product Descriptions and Buy Online: http://astore.amazon.com/annduniriwri-20
Posted by Annette J Dunlea Irish Author at 11:24 AM

Adjusting to the New Reality

2010-03-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

I keep forgetting that life is divided into Before and After the “Event on Melville Road” and so right after dinner I set off to get some exercise, stretching the leg after a day of grading and reading and grading some more. Walking feels good but I’m at half speed now and so I amble leisurely, stopping often to schmooze, rather than eat up the ground in my Before race-walking mode.
On this walk, I first stopped early on to shoot the breeze with Jim Capone, figuring I’d better warm up slowly. Then I stopped at Audrey’s for a half-hour rest and schmooze-fest. Good talking, there. Then the food store, where I chatted with Terry, always good for a nice rest. Then s-l-o-w-l-y home.
However, Bob still isn’t used to After Wife, “Slow Laurie” (as distinguished from Before Wife, “Ms. 78rmp in a 33rpm world”) and so got worried when I didn’t return home as quickly as I used to. Naturally, I didn’t have my phone on and so Bob came after me by car. I was likely sitting in Audrey’s kitchen at the time. He is such a good man. I must remember to keep the phone on when I do anything outside. That and remind him that I’m no longer the Energizer Bunny.

Arizona

2010-03-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Bob and I just returned from four lovely days in Phoenix: I spoke at a professional conference of English professors and he and I went to Spring Training. Bob followed the game and the players; I read a few magazines and a novel. Bob saw three games, I saw two, and I believe that the Seattle Mariners and Angels (?) and some team wearing socks as mascots were all involved. Don’t quote me on that, though.

We wanted to go to the Arizona History museum, as we love a good natural history museum -- but alas! The fine citizens of Phoenix don’t share our passion for dinosaur bones and dusty diorama so the museum was closed for lack of interest/funding. As we ambled around a two-year old branch of Arizona State University (which looks for all the world like a creepy facsimile of a mini-mall done up a là Disney), we stumbled upon the Rosson House and were rewarded with a delightful serendipitous jewel. This huge (close to 3,000 square foot) Eastlake architectural style Victorian home, built in 1895, boasts ten rooms and five fireplaces. Astonishingly for the time, the house was built with running water (hot as well as cold), an indoor toilet, and an oak-rimmed bathtub. Our excellent docent gave us the history of downtown Phoenix as well as the house, and we were able to figure out why the area looked like a macabre scene from The Twilight Zone, close to totally deserted even on Friday night. Apparently everyone has fled to the suburbs, which we later visited, enjoying the endless vista of Carl Jr., Wendy’s, and CVS. Yes, a place to savor. (One night we saw a few people downtown walking with stiff legs, and I swear we thought they were zombies. I kid you not.)

The only downers were the long plane rides; sitting for extended periods really bothers my leg. I kept getting up and walking up and down the aisle – usually when the "Fasten Seat Belt" sign wasn't illuminated, of course -- no doubt leading the poor flight attendants to assume I was ADD. While we were in the hotel, I made time for the gym 3 days out of 4 because nothing stretches out the muscles and eases the tightness like some time on the elliptical. My physical therapist John and my beloved Gudrun are right: exercise should be the first recourse before pain pills.

In Which She Does Some Research

2010-03-01T04:12:00.001-08:00

It’s amazing how little time it takes to erase all the progress you make exercising. I did some research and found conflicting stats: some sources say that it takes only 72 hours for your body to start losing muscle mass after you stop working out. Others claim two weeks. The most pessimistic source, a PT, says, “Atrophy starts a few hours after a workout, and continues until you next train or do some form of hypertrophy training.” Regardless of the source, I really notice a lack of mobility and a concurrent increase in pain (and difficulty doing stuff I like to do) since I have not been able to get to the gym (due to the foul weather) or walk (due to the foul weather).

Today we visited the Greenies and while they didn't have anywhere near as much snow as we did, our hoped-for walk was not practical. Debbie was gracious and took me to her gym and I was able to get some exercise, particularly good after sitting in the car for an hour and a half. It really is amazing the effects of exercise –and the lack thereof!

I Hate Snow

2010-02-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

I hate snow. I used to love snow. Now, that love affair is over, fini, done. Why, you ask?(OK, so you didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway since you’ve read this far and invested this tiny part of your life in my pedestrian existence.)

First, I hate snow because, like its less attractive but far more useful first-cousin rain, it makes my leg ache. A lot.

Second, the snow has to be removed by someone; the rain, thankfully, disposes of itself. All children of snow-shoveling age have vanished in the sinkholes of Invaders from Mars, and even for ready money, you can’t find anyone to shovel. We’re waiting for Little Mario next door and Tommy and Shawn up the street to get old enough, but that’s a good five years down the road.

In the meantime, I like to move and stretch and refuse to allow Bob to shovel the snow himself, and so I go out and do some of it. I try to do no more than an inch or so at a time, but yet the effort strains my back and my leg. I may detest the thought of Florida retirement even more than snow and rain, but given my current mood and level of discomfort, a small apartment with some palm trees (and the early bird special at 4:30- with a 10% senior discount) has an undeniable allure.

OK, I Can Stop Complaining About My Car Now

2010-02-24T18:05:00.001-08:00

From a student I had last summer..."Greetings Dr. Rozakis! You've changed my life! I know you've probably forgotten me, but I was a student in your English course at Farmingdale." I remember her very clearly because she was a gem: bright and bubbly and hardworking, and had overcome enormous tragedy. A delightful student and human being.
From a student I had at Commack: "Laurie, its amazing that you were my English teacher 32 years ago! How fortunate I was. Thank goodness contrary to this message I have improved greatly as a writer over the years. But what is more phenomenal it what a prolific writer you are. I am so impressed. My husband is fnishing his first book this weekend. You would appreciate this- my Valentine Day present is that the draft of the book will be done since he has been writing this for a year. With our current weather he has had class cancelled and I believe he will have it done.
Seeing how much you have written and realizing that some of these books will help my 9th grader in English is awesome, and is impressive. So kudos to you and thanks for being my teacher." Another absolutely wonderful student.
Somedays it really is worth crawling out of that nice warm bed.

Ok, so it wasn't quite this dramatic

2010-02-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

but the monitor did give me a case of the fantods when it flashed one of those dire warning signs, signaling its imminent demise. I googled "Terrifying Warning Signs on Your Dell Monitor," and got the grim answer. Bob and I switched monitors and I'm back in business.
So today on the way home, my steering wheel started jiggling in a most disturbing way. I decided not google this issue (largely because I don't have a spare steering wheel to substitute for the jiggling one), and so the car is going to the mechanic tomorrow.
Ah, what shall break tomorrow? The suspense is breathtaking.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2010-02-16T06:21:00.000-08:00

OK, so that was Jahn's when they were in business and sold the "Kitchen Sink," but Sammi and I did have a very good day at Epcot two weeks ago. The weather was perfect, the lines virtually non-existent, and the new exhibits interesting. My favorite? The fireworks. I am a sucker for fireworks, especially with quasi-classical background music.

I Love This Stuff

2010-02-11T09:44:00.001-08:00

فروش مجموعه کامل کتابهاي اقتصاد تجارت , سرمايه بيش از 400 کتاب در ...
Buying and Selling Collectibles Second Edition , ( Laurie Rozakis),Copyright © 2000 by Laurie Rozakis ISbn 0028638360.rar 13 741 KB ...
Like they have the same collectibles in whatever country this is? (Likely a place without a lot of snow...)

Snow Day

2010-02-10T06:17:00.000-08:00

Duh, but boy, do I need this day to play catch-up. I have plenty of writing to do, punctuated by shoveling with Bob. I feel like I'm walking between the raindrops, my travels bracketed by blizzards.

Vanity, Thy Name is Woman

2010-02-09T10:40:00.001-08:00

Last week, from Wednesday to Sunday, I was in Orlando speaking at a conference on writing, and since I have my Values on Straight, the day after the conference ended, I drove 45 minutes to my hairdresser, who winters in Florida, for a haircut. She does a fabulous haircut.
To add to excitement, my laptop crashed BEFORE my presentation. Sam's fella Bill was at his grandmother's 135 miles away; she drove to get him and his computer skills. He lent me his computer and diagnosed what he thinks is the problem with the laptop, which is a serious issue. But all ended well, as I got a great haircut!

Crazy Week

2010-02-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

dashing around here and there. Shopping with Janice all day Saturday (they are giving those clothes away); teaching (classes are overfilled); serving on the Unit Promotion Committee (as well as the department promotion committee); working out at the gym (love the eliptical machine because it makes my leg hurt less); and generally running around. No matter how much I do during vacation, how much planning and cleaning and cooking ahead, once I go back to work, it gets very busy. Weeeeeee!

A Speaking Engagement

2010-01-28T12:48:00.000-08:00

One of the women who runs Long Island's UJA contacted me in the summer about speaking for the "Lions of Judah," the big donors, at a luncheon. We set today as the day and off I skidded in the unexpected snow this morning to a mansion in Old Westbury. I spoke in a magnificent two-story glass room whose centerpiece was an indoor pool. The room was huge, perhaps 75 feet long (?), with a kitchen, bathroom, and at least 20 of those enormous chaises from cruise ships. Gorgeous live plants. Could have held a large wedding in this room. I'm not easily impressed but I was blown away. The women were unfailingly friendly, intelligent, and warm and my speech went very well. It was nice to see people with the wherewithall using it to do good in the world.

Order in the Virtual Court

2010-01-27T16:47:00.000-08:00

The Campus Chief of Police is a really sharp guy and his latest plan is excellent: online appeals for tickets. This means that an alleged traffic felon can choose to appear in court and after I read the appeal, listen to testimony, and render my verdict, I enter it online rather than writing it by hand. Sounded good to me, so today Sharon trained me. Court is next week, so we'll see if I remember what I have to do, but Sharon is so clear and well-organized that if she can't teach it to me, no one can.
Amazing how many things have been computerized.

And already I'm rushing around in circles

2010-01-26T03:54:00.000-08:00

because I always forget over vacation how demanding it is to be a teacher. In addition to teaching young adults to write, I do a lot of work for the college: the Professional Handbook, the Middle States assessment, the traffic court, and more. This stuff eats up the day big time and I look up to find that suddenly a week has passed. Grading three sets of hand-written papers from the first day (to get a baseline) is unquestionably baptism by fire.

A Day of Figness

2010-01-24T14:04:00.000-08:00

as Felice and I took Marie to lunch at a place called "The Wild Fig" in Garden City. The food is Greek and Mediterranean, and we went with a wide assortment of appetizers: hummus, spinach pies, meat pies, dolmas, tomatoes, cucumbers, pita bread, etc. Breaking tradition, we had hot molten chocolate cake for dessert. You may not think it's a Greek dish, but I've seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, so I know the Greeks no doubt invented the cake, and chocolate to boot. In all, a delightful afternoon.

On a related note, the fig branches that one of my colleagues in Ornamental Horticulture rooted for me in October have done beautifully: so far, four out of five of the branches have rooted and even burst forth in leaf. This fills me with irrational exuberance -- really. I am sure that I must have been a farmer in another life.

Allow Me My Illusions...

2010-01-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

as I head off to the gym. Having friends over this evening, so not a bad idea to work out a bit before we spend the evening noshing.

NYC

2010-01-22T06:05:00.001-08:00

I met Chuck outside the PATH station last night and we subwayed to Chinatown, where we had a lovely Japanese meal. Japanese food is always so artfully arranged, which really does make it taste even more delicious.
Along the way, I bought two suitcases, carry-ons, as I refuse to check a bag at the airport. We already own one of the new small carry-ons, but we needed more. Chuck carried the bags through the streets until we parted at the E-train, and then I took over. I'm smug about my purchases because the bags are very light and small; on the other hand, this means that they'll fit only a 2-oz shampoo and a pair of socks. I think my newest pocketbook is larger than these bags. Remember when air travel was (dare I say it?) fun?

Stuck on a Project....

2010-01-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

because I'm waiting for the last but the absolutely critical part of the Professional Handbook before I can FINALLY finish that behemoth, and so what to do with the time? Well, bake, of course. I made a double batch of fig bars (with my homemade fig jam) and a huge batch of almond biscotti, both of which I adore. Warning to son, whom I'm meeting tomorrow for dinner: I am bringing cookies. Since I always bring cookies (as there are no good bakeries in NYC, as we all know), that's no shocker, but don't say that you weren't warned.

All Over the Place

2010-01-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

Germantown Public Library in Ohio recommends my Super Study Skills: the Ultimate Guide to Tests and Studying on their Teen Blog; Michigan's Capital Area District Library recommended my U CN SPL BTR: Spelling Tips for Life Beyond Texting. Now, let's hope that someone actually reads either book!

The Mistake That Lives On

2010-01-19T14:19:00.000-08:00

because of the internet. Let this be a lesson, boys and girls. For some reason, I'm given credit for having written English Grammar for Dummies. I didn't write it. I haven't even read it. However, it has gotten a good review. Nontheless, buy my book instead. After all, that's the one I did write!

Google Web Alert for: Laurie Rozakis Amazon.com: English Grammar For Dummies ( For Dummies (Computer ... by Laurie E. Rozakis. 4.2 out of 5 stars (8) $11.53. ...

Iran???

2010-01-18T10:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, my books have made it to Iran, according to the following entry from Google Alerts:
مجموعه اقتصاد تجارت , سرمايه
لیست اسامی 8 سیدی
مشاهده
Luckily, I found a translation on the site Iranian Books Collections. (which boasts over ten thousands hundred new books!) My contribution to Iranian literacy? The Complete Idiot's Guide to Buying and Selling Collectibles and English Grammar for the Utterly Confused . Is this the best way to bridge cultures? Well, at least it's not my Zombie Notes. Oy!

Happy Birthday, Rebecca

2010-01-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Rebecca's 27th birthday yesterday, following the family tradition: food. In this version of the tradition, the honoree gets to choose the meal. Rebecca chose lamb chops, peas, torellini with pesto, and eclairs. This pleased the crowd enormously: little rib chops are a fan favorite around here and no one has ever turned down a second helping of torellini with pesto. I added a few more foods, especially a homemade blueberry cake -- the recipe came from Mrs. Tiedman across the street when we moved in 35 years ago and it has become a classic family cake. And a salad, as a nod to extra health. And sugar snap peas.
A good time was had by all.

Elementary, My Dear Watson

2010-01-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

We saw the latest version of the Sherlock Holmes series last night with SGK and Joi and while their company was excellent (as always), the movie, alas, was not. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law were too busy being cute to act; rather, they mugged. The plot wasn't so much telegraphed as blared; the computer background was jarring. Bleh. Watch an episode of House instead, or even better, read the original stories. That's time well spent.

The Social Whirl

2010-01-15T18:15:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the lack of communication, Loyal Followers (that "s" is optimistic). This has been a wild week:
1. A business luncheon with an editor-in-chief in New York City. I've done several books for her and she's always been a delight. Will a new book come out of this luncheon? Who knows, but I actually ate a burger, as we were at the Tic Toc. (OK, so it was a turkey burger, still the closest I've come to a diner burger in years.)
2. A journey through the Silk Road Exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History with a dear friend, who is excellent company. A wonderful walk with him from the museum to Penn.
3. A business meeting in NYC about my current writing job. The meeting was scheduled for an hour and lasted three. VERY productive, though it shot the entire day.
4. An afternoon spent assessing the writing submissions for this year's Farmingdale Reads Contest. The subject was "Pets," which resulted in far too many stories that ended "and then [insert name of pet here] died." Oy.
5. A lovely walk with a friend and her beautiful German Shepherds.
6. A relaxing lunch with a friend of more than 40 years, catching up on news and views.
7. A delightful b'fast with my office mate and her friend Helen, with whom I went to high school. In the small world department Helen was a friend of my sister's.
8. A trip to Costco to buy new frames to display the pictures on my gorgeous freshly-painted walls. It took a week, but I've finally scraped most of the paint out of my hair.
9. Food shopping and cooking for the family party on Sunday. The Menu? Succulent baby lamb chops, sugar snap peas, tortellini with pesto, homemade eclairs, homemade blueberry cake.
10. A spectacular gift from my friend Terry in England, hand-embroidered doilies from his grandmother's cottage in Wales. They're something I'll really cherish.
11. Work on various Powerpoints for upcoming presentations. I'm sure glad I got all my syllabi written and photocopied.
12. A trip to the airport to pick up Sammi. Yeah!
There's more, but I've forgotten it.

Don't Miss This Play

2010-01-09T12:09:00.001-08:00

Pulitzer-Prize winner Donald Marguiles has done it again with Time Stands Still, a mesmerizing drama starring Eric Bogosian, Brian d’Arcy James, Laura Linney, Alicia Silverstone. The play has fascinating layers of meaning and, as with Marguiles' best work, avoids the facile answers. Do photographers and reporters have an obligation to intercede in the stories that they're covering? Does their work make any difference; can we indeed ameloriate the world's horror by reporting on it? Does anyone pay attention to the images they see and the words they read or do we become hardened to the horror?
The play was made even better by the fact that my friend Amy brought me a generous container of her homemade cookies. They are superb. A great play + great pastry = a perfect evening.

Nice

2010-01-09T11:04:00.000-08:00

Writer's Digest Community endorsed my The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing, 2nd Edition as one of their Top Books for writers. Thanks, folks! Here's the complete list.

http://community.writersdigest.com/forum/topics/top-5-books-for-writers-what?commentId=3114345%3AComment%3A33494&xg_source=activity

The State of Freelancing

2010-01-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

James Rainey published an article in The Los Angeles Times "Freelance Writing's Unfortunate New Model" -- that every freelancer (and everyone concerned about the news and literacy) must read. I do hope that he got paid for it ... and paid fairly.
Here's the link:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-onthemedia6-2010jan06,0,3250617,full.column

Vanishing Day

2010-01-06T17:06:00.000-08:00

and boy, did it go fast. I got a nice freelance job, negotiated for another, set up still more pleasure and business lunches, and sanded/spackled more. Got to see a gorgeous new baby (they smell so nice), and made a lot of food so I can go out to all those lunches and still have dinner made. I had a few lovely phone conversations, most notably with my sister Debbie, and tracked down more old financial stuff. Also made a load of cookies, which was not a good idea, with this lack of exercise.

A Cliche, But True

2010-01-05T16:31:00.001-08:00

as I removed pictures from the walls, taped and plastered, poly'd window ledges, defrosted the freezer, did some laundry, set up a series of lunch dates, dealt with two editors, negotiated a possible speaking engagement, worked on our finances, cooked, ordered some new and some replacement Tupperware, went to the bank and the food store, and did more but I've forgotten it in my exhaustion. Vacations are tiring.

Getting Ready to Paint

2010-01-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

but we're talking the ceiling in the kitchen and the family room and the walls, not exactly a work of art, although I do take great pains to keep those lines straight. Sammi introduced me to this fabulous ceiling paint that goes on pink and dries white. Yes, only I would get excited about something like this. And so today I cleaned out Home Depot's paint department, loaded the car, and tomorrow I prep the room. Lots of spackle will be sacrificed to cover all the holes in the walls I make trying to align the photographs.

World's Best Cake

2010-01-03T15:02:00.000-08:00

We can debate politics, Gentle Reader (and my sister and I often do.) We can debate culture -- movie, book, TV reviews. I'll even grant that we can debate fashion trends. We cannot debate that Jodi Saviuk makes the world's best rugelach. She does. Discussion over. She recently tweaked the recipe and perfection became a little more perfect, as the batch she sent us a few days ago shows. Simply put, they are utterly sublime. Thank you, Jodi, for generously sharing your time and skill with my happy little belly.

Jewish Book World and Me

2010-01-02T18:49:00.000-08:00

ran an enthusiastic review of my Portable Jewish Mother when it was published, and I decided to return the favor and review a book (or more) for them. I received my first assignment and it was a delight to read and review. Clocking in at over 400 pages, the nonfiction book was a great read for a blustery winter week. I'd give you more details, Gentle Reader, but I have to keep the info under wraps until the magazine comes out. (For those of you who don't read Jewish Book World, it's basically Publishers Weekly for my people. It's very glossy, very professional very literary.)

Africa!

2010-01-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

My first Idiot's Guide is for sale on Bid or Buy, "Africa's Largest Marketplace."
Secondhand, it's going for R 45.00, which I assume is 45 Rands. The seller, "sweet tooth," is located in Cape Town. In case you want to buy the book, you should know "STRICTLY NO COLLECTIONS AT THE MOMENT . Postage amounts to R19 anywhere in the RSA. (In case of a cash deposit add R5)."
With the new airline restrictions, I may do most of my foreign travel via my armchair, as I'm doing now.

I Love the Description

2009-12-31T16:38:00.000-08:00

My book Zombie Notes is for sale in England, for the bargain price of £9.99. I wish I knew how much money that was in money I understand. I do know that you save £3.50 (35%), but only because the ad told me so. The ad is posted at http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=9780762759323
And in case you're wondering, I do NOT go looking for this stuff; I set a Google Alert and so it all comes to me.

I loved the description of the book; it's the best I've seen. I didn't write it and I don't think the people at Globe Pequot (the publisher) did either. Say what you'd like about bad British food, but they sure can write book blurbs.

Zombie Notes
Laurie Rozakis RRP £9.99

'Zombie Notes' Description
What we'll discover in these pages is that there really IS something rotten in the state of Denmark in Shakespeare's "Hamlet". The Ghost has come back to warn Hamlet that Claudius and Gertrude are vampires and they want to make him one of the undead. Hamlet muses, 'To be or not to be a vampire, that is the question:Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer; The slings and arrows of excruciating bloodsucking; Or, to take arms against a sea of the undead, and by opposing end them?' In "Huckleberry Finn", vampires and zombies attack the sleepy town of Hannibal (or is it Cannibal?), Missouri. Huck and Jim flee down the Ole Mississippi to escape and raise an army, but when they arrive at Aunt Polly's, they discover the monsters have preceded them. They battle the creatures, aided by the redoubtable Tom Sawyer and his ridiculous schemes from romantic literature. And in "A Tale of Two Cities", France is suddenly populated by zombies, while England is not. These are just a few of the storylines Professor Rozakis will butcher, bastardize, and bloody - all for our reading pleasure.

The Best Laid Plans

2009-12-31T07:42:00.000-08:00

yeah and all that. I don't know whether we've gotten smarter with age, or just older with age, but today's snow/rain /sleet event has scared us and so we cancelled all our plans. We were supposed to go to Cape Cod for a wedding but with the storm tracking our exact path, we decided that the 5 hour trip would not only be closer to 8 hours but also treacherous and so we're staying home. We were all packed -- I had even packed lunch!-- and I had my hair done yesterday. I feel very bad about not going, but I think my days of being foolhardy may be over.

A Book by Any Other Name...

2009-12-30T10:58:00.001-08:00

In its original version, the book was called I Before E, Except After C. Kensington repackaged it as U CN SPL BTR. No matter what we call it, it's for sale on ebay India. Ebay India! I've made it to the world's largest flea market, right up there with the old china and new hats. Hurry and buy now-- only ten copies left. And it's quite a steal at only 585.00 rupees.
http://cgi.ebay.in/I-BEFORE-E,-EXCEPT-AFTER-C:-by-DR.-LAURIE--E.-ROZAKIS-9_W0QQitemZ220532003805QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20091228?IMSfp=TL091228163001r2154

I BEFORE E, EXCEPT AFTER C: by DR. LAURIE E. ROZAKIS
Item condition: New
Time left: 3 days 19 hours (03 Jan, 201019:37:06 IST)
Quantity: 10 available
Price: Rs. 585.00 Buy It NowBuy It NowBuy It Now
Shipping: Rs. 35.00Flat Rate Courier - Delivery anywhere in India See more services See discounts | See all details

Payments: , Cheque | See details - Full Coverage (Item price + shipping cost).
Use PaisaPay for fast, assured purchases or your money back! - Learn more.

The Last of the Mohicans

2009-12-29T20:07:00.000-08:00

is not Chingachook (or was it Uncas? That Ph.D. was a long time ago); rather, it's the few remaining tomatoes from our garden. Yes, we still have a few stalwart cherry tomatoes ripening. I can't bear to throw them away and they do look fine. January is unquestionably the longest time we've ever had garden tomatoes.
And other bright gardening news: at least one of the fig boughs I'm rooting has taken, as evinced by its brave green leaves-two of them! So exciting! (Yes, it does take so little to please me. I think I was a farmer in another life.)

The Meadvillians

2009-12-29T07:16:00.000-08:00

Decades ago, Bob's youngest brother Jim moved to Meadville, PA, with his then-wife, Liz. After about 8 years, they divorced and Liz returned to the Island but Jim stayed in the "Ville. He remarried, to a local woman named Marie, and they had a child, the adorable Mallory. Sadly, we rarely get to see them, as the 'Ville is quite a schlep-at least 8 hours. We did make it once, and the memory still haunts me, as one stretch of road was terrifying and the rest was staggeringly boring. Well, Jim, Marie, and Mallory came up for a few days and we got to see them last night, which was delightful. The last time we saw them was three years ago at Chuck and Rebecca's wedding, which shows how fast time flies. Jim's always been good company, witty and bright, and I realized how nice it would be if they lived closer. I doubt this will come to pass, as they are firmly ensconced in the 'Ville and we're equally wedded to Long Island.

Love the Rug Doctor

2009-12-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

and wasn't at all surprised that my sister feels the same way. I rented the machine yesterday from Waldbaum's and Bob and I scrubbed most of the carpets: the family room, living room, dining room, my office, stairs, hall, our bedroom. Bob also scrubbed the sofa. It took most of the afternoon but was well worth the time. The rugs dried beautifully in the (relatively) balmy weather and I'm happy. Today I scrubbed the refrigerator and cleaned a closet, but I feel the urge to clean more closets coming on...Ah, the joys of January vacation!

It Actually Wasn't Very Complicated

2009-12-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

nor especially interesting, despite the architectural porn and Meryl Steep's reliably competent performance. Actually, Alec Baldwin stole the movie. He was wonderful, but the plot is simply idiotic. The Streep character has created a great business, has been divorced 10 years, and she lets her ex manipulate her? Yeah, right. She needs an extension on her house? For whom? The invisible staff, likely. She lives alone and yet has enough produce on her granite countertops to feed Cleveland? Please don't insult us that much, movie makers.

Miserable Weather = a Perfect Day to Shop

2009-12-26T12:09:00.000-08:00

and so I did, at the crack of dawn (well, 8:30 AM, which really isn't that early) but alas and alack! Despite good sales and better coupons, I found nothing in Macy's, Saks, Lord & Taylor, and Talbot's. Not for lack of serious trying, though.

New Tradition

2009-12-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

With the kids all grown and on their own, it's time for some new traditions. I started one today: Christmas Day workout at the gym. Bob was cooperative if not enthusiastic, but I liked it a lot. First, my leg feels so much better when I stretch it on the ellipical and bicycles; and second, we've got much too much good food in this house (and we're going to have a superb meal later at Richie and Felice's), so a workout is nice. I'd have settled for a walk, but the weather is foul and the sidewalks/roads are still icy and slick. I joined Bob's gym for two weeks until the College's reopens, and I've always liked it for its friendly staff, plethora of machines, and excellent diversions -- Gourmet magazine and The Price is Right on TV.

A Lovely Visit Today

2009-12-24T13:58:00.000-08:00

with Sister Debbie, brother-in-law Barry, and nephew Andrew. I made a hearty lunch of soups (beef barley and chicken noodle), homemade honey wheat bread, chocolate cake, and honeydew. Debbie, being Debbie, ignored my telling her not to bring anything and brought rolls, cake, and strawberries (We always did think alike.) It was an exceedingly pleasant way to spend the afternoon.
Sammi's old friends Joey and Laura brought spectacular cannoli this morning and stayed for a visit. Such nice kids.
I'd say there's too much cake in this house, but I don't think there's such a thing as too much cake.

Sigh. It's Out of Print...

2009-12-24T10:18:00.000-08:00

Q: What are some good creative writing books?
Something simple like creative writing for dummies or similar. (2 answers - asked 32 months ago)
A: Here are some pretty good creative writing reference "how to" books that were on Amazon. See details.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing, 2nd Edition (The Complete Idiot's Guide) (Paperback)
by Laurie E. Rozakis (Author) "It is a delicious thing to write, to be no longer yourself but to remove in an entire universe of your own creation..." (more)
Key Phrases: All the Write Stuff, New York, The Least You Need (more...)
(12 customer reviews)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The complete review is at: http://askville.amazon.com/SimilarQuestions.do?req=teach-Creative-Writing-Film-degree

Well, thanks, but...

2009-12-22T12:23:00.001-08:00

Google Web Alert for: Laurie Rozakis

Amazon.com: English Grammar For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer ...
by Laurie E. Rozakis. 4.2 out of 5 stars (8) $11.53. Basic Math and Pre-Algebra For Dummies (For Dummies (Math & Science)). by Mark Zegarelli ...

This is a lovely plug, but I didn't write this book. Well, if you can't trust a Google Alert, what CAN you trust?

Setting Things to Rights

2009-12-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

after a weekend of cancelled plans, rearranged plans, new plans, and lots of traffic in and out of the house. Today's my day to clean, do laundry, get to the errands, and follow up on all those things that need following up on, like booking airfare for a conference at which I'm speaking. Would be nice if I could get there...And just what I want to do today: deal with an airline!

Now, If They'd Only Pay me Royalties...

2009-12-20T09:44:00.001-08:00

So many of my books are digitized. Here's todays...
Mobipocket eBooks: Language & Linguistics - Read on your PC, Palm ...
$12.95 - Laurie Rozakis - 2437 KB. Schaum's is here--to help you write great research papers.; The experts at Schaum's are at your service-ready to help you ...

So Much Snow

2009-12-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Where are the snows of yesteryear? They're all here in Farmingdale, and if the media can be trusted (and since I'm one of those lefties who support the liberal media conspiracy), I suspect that there's a lot of snow in a lot of other places as well. Sammi's on Amtrack and with luck, will arrive only an hour or so late. If her plane take off tomorrow, she should make it to California. Now, let's hope the Greenies get in tonight and at a reasonable time.

Wow

2009-12-19T18:18:00.000-08:00

Bob's grandmother, a Greek immigrant, always said that Bob had "smart brains." I don't know if she got the redundancy, but maybe she was on to something because Bob really has more than just brains; he has smart brains, which he proved yet again tonight. Bob thought "outside the box" and figured out a brilliant way to get Sammi home when her plane was cancelled for the second time. His solution? Amtrack. It's safe and easy and comfortable...and brilliant.

It's the End of the World as We Know It (AKA "Anything for Better Ratings on the Evening News")

2009-12-19T09:45:00.000-08:00

So we're supposed to get a blizzard. Hysteria smashed all my plans:
1. Can't shop with Janice, as we're in Blizzard Alert.
2. Can't see Ragtime, as we're in Blizzard Alert. Fortunately, my niece lives in the City, so she can use the tickets.
3. Can't see Sammi tonight and go to NYC with her, as she was supposed to fly in today, but her flight was cancelled and she couldn't get another one. Thus, instead of coming home tomorrow, she's coming in Sunday and flying out Monday to CA to see Bill.
4. Can't sit by the pool and bask in the sun, as we're in Blizzard Alert (well, that and it's 20* and winter and the pool is closed, but let's blame it all on the weather.)
We did get to have a lovely dinner with Debbie, Barry, and Andrew; and Marguerite and Kenny last night becase we were not yet on Blizzard Alert.
Bob brought in the shovels, the ice melt is by the door, and no doubt Mrs. Tiederman is baking (she always gives us a cake when we shovel her driveway and walkway. And she can bake.)

I'm a "Must Have" Writer!

2009-12-18T09:57:00.003-08:00

In adition to the daily "We-have-illegaly-scanned-and-uploaded-your-book-and-there's-nothing-you-can-do-about-it" Google alerts, I get a surprising number of endorsements from total strangers (Friends and family are obligated by the terms of the contract to support me.) Here's a posting I received today concerning a writer's "Must Have" books:

Permalink Reply by Marcus Unlimited on December 5, 2009 at 11:37pm
Hello,

I know some of these you've already seen mentioned but I figure if you keep getting certain ones on your list you will know they are "must have's."

1. Elements of Style, Strunk
2. On Writing, Stephen King
3. Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing (Don't judge this book by its cover "title." It was actually written by English Phd Laurie Rozakis and is an excellent, excellent, all around general writing reference.

:)
The complete thread is on
http://community.writersdigest.com/forum/topics/top-5-books-for-writers-what?commentId=3114345%3AComment%3A25327&xg_source=activity

Civil Service Tests

2009-12-17T17:19:00.000-08:00

My latest project: another video with the kind, patient folks at Video Aided Instruction. There's a lot more to making a movie than just, well, slapping on a ton of makeup. (I do slap on a ton of makeup for the filming, which is odd for me because I wear so little of it usually- not even mascara. For this video, I even bought a special light-reflecting base, which Janice helped me unearth at Sephora.)
To create a movie, I write the script and then Michael, the brilliant VP, goes over it. We go back and forth with revisions for weeks (sometimes months), until it's really polished.
The filming always takes about four times longer than I anticipate, with my flubs and so on. It's surprisingly difficult work and gives me new respect for actors. I'm certainly no actor, but being in front of the camera is grueling for the concentration it requires. The results are surprisingly good, thanks in large part to the company's skill with touch-ups and graphics. They really create an extremely high-quality product and it's an honor to be working with them. They make me look far better than I am.

Check out their web page at http://www.videoaidedinstruction.com/

Yikes!

2009-12-14T17:38:00.000-08:00

Barry found this picture of me with Marguerite and Chuckie close to 29 years ago. How did the time go so fast? I think Marguerite looks exactly the same, but I've changed. Chuck, however, has undoubtedly changed the most.

A House Guest

2009-12-13T08:00:00.001-08:00

We're watching Ginger, one of the Greenbergers' dogs, for a week. I am not a pet fan, as those of you who know me know well, but Ginger is an adorable dog with a winning personality. Bob, a real dog person, is delighted with our visitor, and I'm captivated as well. Ginger follows me around and we have long (one-sided) conversations.

The Social Whirl

2009-12-12T19:11:00.000-08:00

Last night, a delicious dinner at Gudrun's (fresh ravoli with Gudrun's fabulous homemade sauce). She hosted six women, all teachers, and the conversation was as wonderful as the food. The whole house was festooned with candles and Christmas greenery, which created a warm, glowing atmosphere. This morning, I made a brunch for Bobby and Debbie (homemade waffles, blueberry sauce, whipped cream, real maple syrup, bacon, grapefruit, blueberry cake). This evening, dinner with Mary and Vinny at a clever pizza place. The gimmick is cute and effective: they have virtually every kind of pizza you can imagine: salad pizza, pasta pizza (tortellini pizza!), white pizza, chicken marsala pizza, eggplant parm pizza, and more. It's an obvious gimmick but really so much fun. Then back to Vinny and Mary's for cakes and ice cream. A delightful weekend.

My Books are All Over the Web - Including Some Pirated!

2009-12-11T09:56:00.001-08:00

Google Web Alert for: Laurie Rozakis

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Research Methods : Laurie Rozakis ...
Dec 8, 2009 ... eBay: Find The Complete Idiot's Guide to Research Methods : Laurie Rozakis ( Paperback, 2004) in the category on eBay.

Steven Jobs: Computer Genius Masters of Invention: Amazon.co.uk ...
Steven Jobs: Computer Genius (Masters of Invention) (School & Library Binding). by Laurie Rozakis (Author). Available from these sellers. ...

The complete idiot's guide to buying and selling collectibles, by ...
Laurie Rozakis comes from a long line of collectors, and in this guide offers advice on everything from rare pottery to collecting comic books. ...

Schaum's quick guide to writing great research papers
The clear, concise guidelines and in-depth instruction in this book will show you how to write high-quality research papers that will help you succeed ...

Laurie Rozakis - The Complete Idiot's Guide to College Survival ...
下载Free eBook:Laurie Rozakis - The Complete Idiot's Guide to College Survival - 免费下载chm, pdf 电子书，rapidshare等下载链接, ebook torrents，电子书bt种子 ...

I FINALLY Get to See the Tony-Award Winner from Last Year

2009-12-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

and it was very good but not the-best-thing-I've-ever-seen-good. The set was luscious, all red, white, and black; the cast excellent, including one of the original London stars; and some of the humor dead-on. But the ending was telegraphed far too early and thus, there wasn't much suspense. Mauritius and Proof were far more enthralling; Finian's Rainbow thrillingly topical, especially for a relatively "old" play.

I'm a Sucker for a Tree with Lights

2009-12-07T16:19:00.000-08:00

and here I am with Sam at The Rockefeller Center tree on Friday night. The tree was especially beautiful this year.

Since I Spent Most of my Childhood Studying,

2009-12-05T15:47:00.000-08:00

I missed a lot of "cult classics," and thus had no idea that there was any backstory to The Toxic Avenger, much less that the backstory was so extensive and well-known. Ignorance is a huge disadvantage in most endeavors, but it's great when you're approaching movies/plays about monsters, because you've got a fresh eye. (You really do need to know something about Elizabethan England, the Renaissance, and Shakespeare before approaching, say Hamlet, but no one has ever accused The Toxic Avenger of being written in "Old English" -- not that Shakespeare wrote in Old English, by the way.)
Anyway, to return to our narrative, Sammi and I saw The Toxic Avenger last night as part of her birthday celebration and I found it absolutely charming, similar to Little Shop of Horrors but a whole lot louder. I give it two thumbs up and urge everyone to see this energetic, talented cast.

Way to Go, Alma Mater

2009-12-04T07:25:00.000-08:00

Alums got the message yesterday that Hofstra cancelled its football program, diverting $4.5 million from a sport played 8 times a year to a new medical school. Gee, sounds like a no-brainer to me. Newsday reported that approximately 500people attended each game (the stadium seats over 10,000) and as one who attended a game or so every year, I can attest to the anemic attendance. Bravo Hofstra! It took courage to make this move, to place academics above athletics, to support aspiring physicians over aspiring used-car salesmen. You can read more about it at
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/death-of-hofstra-football-program-shocks-players-1.1636053

This has been a very productive week,

2009-12-03T13:42:00.000-08:00

which is why I haven't updated as much as I should have. This was a good freelance work week, as I finished a HUGE revision of an online CLEP site for a great client as well as the revision of the 3rd edition of my Praxis book for Mc-Graw Hill. I also shopped and cooked for Sammi's 25th birthday meal. The menu: eggplant parm, torellini with pesto, artichokes, salad, a HUGE spice pound cake. I made the sauce from my homegrown tomatoes (adding lovely pieces of my basil); the pesto comes from the garden as well. It should be a delicious meal.
I also got a lot of school work done, grading two sets of projects from my English 310 classes.
I'm feeling smug because I even made some time for myself, going for a walk with Barbara Rogan-- what a gorgeous, mild day it was, a gift in itself -- and wished SGK a happy birthday. Happy birthday as well to my nephew Andrew, who will get a call as soon as I muster the energy to stand up.
Looking forward to hitting the holiday fairs on Saturday with Mary P, one of my very favorite things around this time of the year. The kids will be off getting my surprise (sshh!) holiday gift, a formal portrait of the three of them. I ask for it every year and am usually obliged.

I am a very lucky person

2009-11-29T04:39:00.000-08:00

to have such a wonderful nuclear family. The visit with the kids has been spectacular.

Gobble Gobble

2009-11-26T19:30:00.000-08:00

,we said, and we did. The hits appeared to be Bob's succulent turkeys, Felice's stuffing and Debbie Gillespie's stuffing, my green salads (Choice 1: bleu cheese, peanut brittle, pears, and romaine lettuce with a homemade olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing; Choice #2: baby spinach, red cabbage, mandarin oranges, raisins, and a homemade sweet dressing). Debbie G's cherry-cranberry pie was outstanding and my cheescake was exceptionally light. Fig bars and crumb cake went over big. The duds? YaYa spaghetti. The gorgeous purple cauliflower cooked up looking sorta like only mimeos. A good time was had by all, I think, even though no one burst into song.