Part 1 – Do you know how these two books are related? Make Way For Ducklings won the Caldecott Medal back in 1941. It’s the story of Mrs. Mallard’s search for a home for her eight little ducklings. Where does she find it? At the Boston Public Gardens. Be Strong is a brand-new book. I thought it came out in December 2023, but I was wrong. I forgot I got it early because I was part of the author's crowdfunding project. But don't worry! It's out now, since March 5. Be Strong is the story of Nancy Schön, of how she created statues of Mrs. Mallard and all her little ducklings. Then she did what the book did – she took them home to the Boston Public Gardens If you’d like to check out my book review for Be Strong, here’s the link: http://www.rindabeach.com/my-reads/be-strong-the-rise-of-beloved-public-art-sculptor-nancy-scho If you can’t make it to Boston, take a look at this photo. Mrs. Mallard is leading her ducklings across the garden. And the best part about public art, you can interact with it. Take a picture with a duckling, or give each one a hug. It doesn’t matter. This is public art, so you’re allowed 😊 Part 2 – Have you ever seen public art in person, or taken a photo beside it? I have! Do you recognize the first statue? It’s public art from the Bremen Town Musicians, and you’ll find the statue in Bremen, Germany. When I was there in 2008, I had my picture taken beside it. So did everyone around me. The second statue is at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Do you recognize this piece of public art? It’s a young Neil Armstrong holding his favorite thing – an airplane. He’s a hero in Wapak and beyond. Why? He was the first man to set foot on the moon. I haven’t had my photo taken with him yet, but I’ve seen lots of people take advantage of this photo op. I found these three pieces of public art on Pixabay. My grandkids would love the first and last statue. They look like the ones they play with at their favorite zoo. Then it’s time for a photo. They LOVE public art! I didn’t recognize the pair in the middle. I went back to Pixabay to find their names, Dogman and Rabbitgirl. Who knew? Google did! I looked them up, and they’re actually famous pieces of public art scupted by Gillie and Marc. Who knew? They’re stories for modern times, and you can find them in places like New York City or London. If you’d like to look for yourself, or buy a piece of art, here’s the link for Gillie and Marc: I Am (Rabbit) Woman – Gillie and Marc® Part 3 – Where in the world can you find Nancy Schön’s public art? Since 1987 Nancy has created 26 statues. You’ll find 18 of them in Massachusetts. Six are in other states in the continental US, and two are outside the country. Can you find the six states on the map where you’ll find Nancy’s statues? Look for: Tennessee, Florida, Ohio, Arkansas, Maine, and Oklahoma. If you live in Massachusetts or in any of the other six states, click below on Nancy’s link, and you can look up the name of the statue, city, and the state it’s in. If you go for a visit, I hope you make time for a photo op. Link: Nancy Schön - Wikipedia And the two that are outside the United States, they’re in Israel and Russia. Can you find them on this map? If you happen to find yourself in Moscow, Russia or Tel Aviv, Israel, I hope you have time for a photo op too. You’ll find the name of both statues on the link above.
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The holiday season fills some people with hope, but it can send others into despair. That’s why I decided this was the right time to do a post about it. I have three inspiring quotes. My wish – that each one will help you feel a tiny bit more hopeful. Quote # 1 – I have been bent and broken, but — I hope — into a better shape. Who said it? Charles Dickens Charles Dickens is a famous British author. Have you ever read or watched A Christmas Tale? It’s one of his most famous books. It’s the story of Scrooge, the ultimate miser, who’d rather save a penny than pay it to one of his employees. He’s visited by three ghosts – Christmas Past, Present, and Future. It changes his life, and it proves there’s still hope, even for an old miser! Take a look at these two houses. The first is where Charles Dickens was born. It’s tiny! It begins with the first white door and ends after the two windows. Tiny! The other house is Gads Hill Place. Would you believe his father told him, if he worked hard enough, someday he could buy that house, or another one just like it? The best part about this story, 35 years later, Dickens bought that house when he discovered it was for sale. Dreams do come true! His life wasn’t filled with sunshine and rainbows. When Dickens was 12, his father spent his way into a debtors’ prison at Marshalsea. His mother and younger siblings had to live there too. Dickens and his sister didn’t. They were in school, so they had to visit the family on Sunday. Later that year, Dickens had to quit school and work in a blacking factory. The second sketch is of him, slumped over a desk, exhausted. He worked ten hours a day, 6 days a week, pasting labels on pots of black boot polish. His pay – 6 shillings a week. That experience would shape the stories he’d write. You’ll find his story best told in David Copperfield. Note – I used a currency converter to change Dickens’ 6 shillings into pounds. In 2017 he would have earned £17.23 (pounds) or $21.60 a week. I’ve been bent and broken” is a quote from Great Expectations. It reminds us that there’s hope, a silver lining, when we face challenges and work our way through them. Most people think of books written and published as one completed novel. That wasn’t true for Dickens. He wrote many of them as monthly installments in literary journals. Later they were reprinted as books. The best part – it made his stories cheaper and more accessible to a wider audience, beyond just the wealthy. For Dickens it gave him more time to explore and develop his characters and plots. He learned to leave cliffhangers at the end of each installment – to keep readers waiting for the next episode. And yet his plots held together across an entire book. I’ve known and watched A Christmas Carol since I was little, but I’ve never wondered what Dickens looked like. The first painting was done by Margaret Gillies in 1843. Dickens was only 31, and he was busy writing the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. The second was painted by Jeremiah Gurney sometime in 1867/1868. Dickens was about 55. No wonder he looks so much older, and perhaps, more serious. Dickens was prolific in his writing, and you can see that in the painting, Dickens’ Dream by Robert William Buss. The tiny black and white illustrations are the characters Dickens brought to life in his books. Prolific fits! The final photo is of his grave on the floor of Westminster Abbey. I was there, and shocked to find you could step on it. I couldn’t. This photo is from 2012 when England was celebrating 200 years of his stories. People are still turning them into modern movies. They’re still reprinting his books and selling them on Amazon 😊 Quote: Daily Inspiration | Inspiring Quotes Information: Charles Dickens - Wikipedia Gads Hill Place - Wikipedia Currency converter: 1270–2017 (nationalarchives.gov.uk) Quote # 2 – Hope springs eternal in the human breast. Who said it? Alexander Pope Alexander was a famous writer born in London, England in 1688. That was about 60 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. He died in 1717. That was almost 60 years before the American Revolution began. His parents were Catholic, and he was influenced by a series of laws that promoted the Church of England. They also banned Catholics from teaching, attending universities, voting, or holding government office. If you broke the law by doing any of those things, you went to jail. His aunt taught him how to read, and he went to several Roman Catholic schools in London. They were illegal, but tolerated. These are two of the houses Pope lived in. The first photo is recent. It’s of a building now known as the Mawson Arms. Way back when, it was the home of Pope’s parents. He lived in Mawson Row in Chiswick with them for 3 years, from 1716 to 1719. During those same years Pope was translating the Odyssey by Homer. By 1719 he’d earned enough money to buy the second house, in Twickenham. The house and the gardens were torn down to make room for something new, but his grotto is still there. The quote ‘Hope springs eternal’ came from his poem An Essay on Man. When he wrote that line, he was writing about his Catholic faith and the hope for life after death. I’m Lutheran, but I believe in the same things about hope, life, and the afterlife. Here’s a list of the poems and stories he wrote during his lifetime, and the translations he made so that English men and women could read them. Quote # 2 – Hope springs eternal in the human breast. Who said it? Robert Frost Robert Frost was a famous American poet. He was born 9 years after the Civil War ended. He died in 1963, one year before the Civil Rights Act was passed. It was supposed to end discrimination based on race, color, religion, or where you were born. Imagine being born just after the end of slavery and living to see the fight to end discrimination. I was 4 when Robert died, and I’ve seen a lot of change in my lifetime. Robert lived to be 89. I’m only 64. I wonder what I’ll see if I live to be 89, like Robert. His three biggest achievements – Robert is the only poet to earn 4 Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. In 1960 he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his writing, and the next year Vermont named him their Poet Laureate. I always think of a laureate as someone’s favorite poet, but they’re actually supposed to write poetry for them. In this case, for Vermont. This is one of Robert’s homes. It’s in Derry, New Hampshire. He wrote many poems when he lived here, from 1900 until1911. It looks like a peaceful place to write, but his mother died from cancer, and he lost 2 of his children during that time. Life wasn’t perfect, but it fueled his work. The quote, ‘The best way out is through’ came from a collection Robert published in 1914. The poem, “A Servant of Servants, is not a happy one. I read it, and I felt depressed. It’s about a housewife who spends her day cooking, cleaning, and taking care of others. The only way out was to work your way through the day. According to the folks at Inspiring Quotes.com, hope and stubborn determination can get you through your troubles. This is one of my father’s favorite poems. The other one is also by Robert Frost. Sorry, the only thing I’d change about this image. . . the woods. It should be more yellow. That’s the way he wrote it. The poem is “The Road Not Taken”’ as it was featured in Robert’s 1916 book, Mountain Interval. Here’s a list of Robert Frost’s work from Wikipedia. His first poems were published in 1913. His last, in 1969. What a legacy of work he gave us during those fifty years of writing! Poetry collections
Quote: Daily Inspiration | Inspiring Quotes Link: A Servant To Servants, by Robert Frost Information: Robert Frost - Wikipedia I bought this book last September, in 2022. I shop whenever I’m watching an OSU football game. It’s a superstition, but it makes me feel like I’m doing my part to help the Buckeyes win. My Stats from Last Year: Trivia score Name Recognition Chapter 1 5 of 20 -- Chapter 2 7 14 of 28 Chapter 3 11 11 of 20 Chapter 4 5 9 of 22 Chapter 5 5 7 of 21 Chapter 6 5 12 of 38 Chapter 7 8 10 of 26 That means my best scores came in Chapter 5 for both trivia and name recognition. It was all about catching the ball, AKA the receivers. Here’s my link to last year’s trivia: http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/trivial-pursuit-the-ohio-state-football-way Game Day Saturday, September 16 - Chapter 8 - How I did, and what I learned. Chapter 8: Coaching Carousel: I thought I’d do better on this chapter than I did. I’ve been following Ohio State football since the 60s. I can name the coaches in order . . . Woody Hayes, Earle Bruce, John Cooper, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer, and Ryan Day. I double checked, and I missed one. Luke Fickel was coach for less than a year. He came between Tressel and Meyer. I have a soft spot for Luke’s wife, Amy. She comes from Spencerville, Ohio. That’s just up the road from my house in Wapak. In spite of knowing all that, I was back to mediocre again, 7 right out of 20. YUCK! And on name recognition, I knew 11 out of 23. Yep, mediocre, but, these questions are hard! These are my four favorite OSU coaches. I don’t know any of the ones before Woody. I was born in 1959, and Woody became head coach in 1951. He was still there during the fall of 1978 when I was a freshman. I feel sorry now for the next two coaches . . . There was no way they could compare to Woody, and the three that followed . . . I loved them like Woody 😊 Now for my Pick 3 questions, they’re all about the best OSU coach ever – Wayne Woodrow Hayes! 3. Including Woody Hayes, how many coaches have the Buckeyes had since hiring Hayes in 1951? A. 4 B. 5 C. 6 D. 7 I got it right . . . 7! You can double check the answer in the first paragraph. I named those 7 coaches in order, and I only forgot 1. Not bad! 11. How many Big Ten championships did Woody Hayes win as the Buckeyes’ head coach? A. 13 B. 15 C. 11 D. 17 Shucks! I guessed 17. Too high! The answer . . . 13. I guess even Woody couldn’t win them all, but he sure tried. 18. Urban Meyer and Jim Tressel combined to coach more All-Americans at Ohio State than Woody Hayes. A. True B. False I missed it! I said true, that two coaches could produce more All-Americans than just one. Wrong! I forgot that Woody coached for 28 years, while Jim and Urban only did 15, altogether. Wow! What a coach! Fun Fact: Before Woody came, OSU was known as the coaches’ graveyard. Game Day Saturday, September 23 – Chapter 9 - How I did. I started Chapter 9 during the Notre Dame game, and it was quite a game . . . I only managed to answer the questions. That’s it. Today the Buckeyes are playing Maryland so I’m going to try to do the writing. Chapter 9: Championship Caliber: I had no idea how I’d do this time. Who remembers championships after they’re over? Not me! I was surprised I actually did a little better . . . up from 7 to 8 on the multiple-choice questions. On name recognition I knew 10 out of 20. Woo-hoo! That’s 50%. Still mediocre, but a little bit better! Game Day Saturday, October 7 - Chapter 9 – What Resonated with Me None of the questions or their answers resonated with me, but the additional information from Ray Walker did. During the Notre Dame game, and afterwards something struck home. I didn’t know that Lou Holtz made a few comments about the Buckeyes, and Ryan Day answered back after the game, that it was Ohio against the world. It feels like it’s always been that way. - Ray noted that in 2018 ESPN ranked the national champions from the BCS years, and they put the 2002 Buckeyes last. The reason, the Buckeyes had a lot of close games as they finished out the season. ESPN said they just weren’t dominant enough. Gee, I thought winning was everything! It didn’t matter that the Buckeyes were the first to win 14 games in a season, or that they were 1 of 9 teams on the list to go unbeaten and win the national championship. When you’re ranked high, you have a target on your back. Add in that 2002 team were the first #2 to beat a #1 during the BCS years, but that didn’t matter to the powers at ESPN that made the rankings. (Like always, Ohio against the world) Game Day Saturday, October 14 – Chapter 10 - How I did I didn’t! I went to a baby shower, but I kept track of the score. When I got home, the game was still on, but we had company, so no chapter 10 ☹ But the Buckeyes beat Purdue 41 – 7 . . . Woohoo! Game Day Saturday, October 21 – Chapter 10, Finally! How I did & What Resonated with Me Chapter 10: Going Bowling: I had a bad feeling about this chapter . . . It’s either the kind with one ball and nine pins, or the kind that involves holiday football games in warm destinations. I figured I’d be terrible at both ☹ I’m glad I was prepared. I went down, 5 out of 20 on the multiple-choice questions. FIVE! That’s like a 25%. OUCH! On name recognition I knew 7 out of 20. A 35% is a little better, but not much. Double OUCH! What Resonated with Me: 1. I recognized two names – William White and Bobby Hoying. They were both local boys, from the county right next door. William grew up in Lima and played football for the Spartans. Northwest Ohio was thrilled when he became a Buckeye, and so was I. 2. Bobby grew up in St. Henry, and he played for the Redskins. He was chosen as Mr. Football back in 1990, out of all the high school players from across the state. Bobby went from playing quarterback in a small town in Mercer County to playing at The Ohio State University. It’s incredible when a local boy succeeds, and both Bobby and William made it all the way to the NFL. WOW! 3. I found a not-so-good memory in this chapter about bowl games, with Clemson. They were the team that got Woody Hayes fired. He was and still is my favorite coach ever. It began when Clemson intercepted a pass near the end of the game. Woody was known for his temper, and he grabbed the player’s jersey and hit him. The Buckeye team captain pulled Woody off the kid, and he was fired the next day. It was a sad end for Woody and his coaching career, but he was forgiven, and I’m glad his contributions have not been forgotten. PS – OSU lost that game in 1978. They’d lose again to Clemson in 2016 and 2019, but they finally beat them in 2021 . . . 49 – 28. There’s nothing like the thrill of victory after those 3 defeats. Game Day Saturday, October 28 - Chapter 11 - How I did, and what I learned. Chapter 11: Draft Day: I had no idea how I’d do in this chapter. I’ve never paid attention to the draft, ever! My results – I went up one, to 6 out of 20 on the multiple-choice questions. That’s 30%. Guessing stinks as a strategy, but it’s all I had ☹ On name recognition I knew more names than last time, 22, but there were 30 I didn’t know. My score – 22 out of 50, for a 42%. YIKES! ☹ I discovered after reading this chapter that draft day doesn’t always lead to a contract. It means nothing, until that contract is signed. Here are 3 stories about 3 superstar Buckeyes. #1. Have you heard of Paul Warfield? The Cleveland Browns drafted him in 1964. I was only 5 years old, but somehow, I remember he was fast. As a Buckeye he was a halfback. That meant he lined up with the offense, and he ran the ball down the field. Funny, I thought that would make him a running back! Cleveland picked him as a defensive back, but they also knew he could catch the ball. So, they decided to try him as a receiver. The result – Paul learned how to catch the ball that first year in the NFL. I guess your team gets a HUGE say on what position you play. #2. Tom Skladany is another name I remember. He left OSU before I came in as a freshman. He was a gifted kicker, the first specialty player to ever get a scholarship to a Big 10 school. The Browns picked him in the second round of the 1977 draft, but he never signed with them. He wound up sitting out the whole 1977 NFL season. Why? Evidently Art Modell called his agent ‘the biggest thorn in the side of professional football.” Art put Tom on the trading block, first with the Rams in return for two second round picks. Later he shipped Tom off to the Lions for a second and seventh round pick for 1978. OUCH! #3. Terry Glenn’s story from 1996 caught my eye. I was a mom with three kids by then, and I had time for football again. Terry had great hands . . . he was a receiver, and he was the seventh pick, in THE first round. Talented, right?! Well not enough for Bill Parcells, the coach for the New England Patriots. He said, “If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.” Evidently Parcells didn’t want Terry, but two higher ups did . . . owner Bob Kraft and general manager, Bobby Grier. I have a feeling Parcells was happier with Terry by the end of the season . . . He set a rookie record of 90 catches, and they helped the Patriots into the Super Bowl that year. Game Day Saturday, November 4 - Chapter 12 - How I did, and what I learned. Chapter 12: Writing the Record Book: I had no idea once again how I’d do on this chapter. I would hear someone set a record, then promptly forget about it. My results on multiple choice questions – I went up one again, to 7 out of 20. That’s another 35%. Guessing isn’t the best strategy, but it’s all I had, again ☹ On name recognition this was one of my best scores, I knew 20, and I didn’t recognize 12. My score – 20 out of 32, for a sky-high 63%. That’s still a D or an F. YIKES! ☹ Game Day Saturday, November 11 - Chapter 12 – Three Record-Setting Stories #1. What would you do if you were the quarterback, and your passing game was off? Duh! You’d hand the ball to a running back. In 2020, that’s exactly what Justin Fields did in the Big Ten championship game. He handed the ball to Trey Sermon who had just transferred in from Oklahoma. I’m glad he did! Trey carried the ball 29 times, right into the OSU record book. He ran 331 yards that day against the Northwestern Wildcats. His best two plays, in the third quarter. Trey ran 65 yards, then 33, right into the end zone for a touchdown. That gave the Buckeyes their first lead in the game. Imagine, the Buckeyes behind in the third quarter?! OUCH! In the fourth quarter Trey’s running game gave OSU another touchdown and a spot in the College Football Playoff. He was the MVP, duh! Thanks, Trey, for saving the game! Bonus Source: Trey Sermon - Wikipedia #2. Meet Garcia Lane. This is the only picture I could find of him, and it was long after he set his OSU record in 1983. I graduated in June 1981 so I remember him well. He was a great player! His record – a pair of punt returns in ONE game against Purdue. The first came in the third quarter. Garcia caught the ball on his own 37, ran to his left, then cut back to the right. That’s when he found his hole and ran down the field for a 63-yard touchdown. Woohoo! Later in that same quarter, the Boilermakers punted to Garcia again. This time, no need for cutbacks. Garcia followed his blockers for another touchdown. This time – for 71 yards. Would you believe those were the second and third touchdowns of his OSU career? I didn’t realize returning a punt for 2 touchdowns in one game was exceptional. Only 10 Buckeyes have ever done it, and it took their whole OSU career to make it happen. Only 6 did it in one season, and Garcia, he did it in ONE game. No one has repeated or broken his record, ever. WOW! BTW – Garcia said there were two things he treasured from his years as a Buckeye – the punt return record, and being voted team captain his senior year. He never saw it coming, and it meant the world, because his teammates picked him. Source: On The Lighter Side : Garcia Lane (247sports.com) #3. And when it comes to kicking, you’ll find Mike Nugent at the top of all the lists. Some of his records include. . . 1. Mike kicked his way to 120 points in 2002. Think of how many field goals and extra points he had to kick to get there. It’s only been passed 4 times since he graduated in 2004. 2. He still holds the kicking record for college career points (356) 3. Made field goals (72) 4. Mike’s career field goal percentage (81.8%) 5. The number of 50-yard field goals in one season (5) for his career (80) 6. He holds the top two spots for field goals (25 in 2002 and 24 in 2004) 7. He made 24 field goals in a row between 2001 and 2002. 8. He became the second Buckeye to kick 5 field goals in one game. 9. Then he tied the record for perfect games in 2004 at North Carolina State. Mike made 9 perfect kicks, and 8 of them were from at least 50 yards away. Incredible! No wonder Mike played in the NFL from 2005 until 2020. Bonus Source: Mike Nugent Stats | The Football Database (footballdb.com) Game Day Saturday, November 18 - Conclusions from Ray Walker and Me Ray Walker started his conclusions with congratulations – for making it through all 12 chapters. Yay, I did that! He also said if he’d done his job well, that I’d be filled to the brim with new facts. Sorry, Ray. There was just too much information for me to absorb and retain. But Ray did give me a lot of behind-the-scenes stories. I loved reading them, but I wish I could remember them ☹. Ray also said his questions, answers, and stories were meant for readers to enjoy. I liked guessing the answers, but his questions, they were HARD! I even tested myself on name recognition, an extra challenge that I never quite rose to. The hardest part of all was the range of questions. It covered ALL of Buckeye History. I know a lot, from the mid-60’s to the mid-80’s. Then my kids came along, and I lost track of my Buckeyes. I returned in the 90’s thru today. That’s a wide range of sports history to retain, and I didn’t do as well as I thought I would. But I did end up with the fun and Buckeye pride Ray wanted readers to have. I found it when I picked 3 stories from each chapter to write about. Now I’m even more amazed by what my Buckeyes have accomplished throughout my lifetime, and beyond. For my pick-3’s, I always go hunting for pictures, and it’s a trip down memory lane whether I find a picture from their OSU days, or from later on. Then I take Ray’s stories and give them a Rinda-spin . . . by adding in my memories. Meet the Quarterbacks: (Chapter 3 – Calling the Signals) I know each and every one of these names, except for Les Horvath. He was before my time. Rex Kerns is the first one I remember, but I can only recall hearing his name on TV in the ’60s. Art Schlichter is the quarterback from my college years, the ’70s. He had his ups and downs over the years, but the important thing about him – he was a Buckeye. Craig Krenzel was playing when my baby sister was in college, the ’90s. Would you believe he went to the same church she did after they both graduated? She was impressed by his behavior. He acted like everyone else. He was just one of the church faithful, not a star quarterback. Game Day Saturday, November 25 - Memories from 2 Years of OSU Triv Today was THE GAME – the one with Michigan. They won the last 2 years, but I was hoping today would break the pattern. It didn’t ☹ Michigan won again, but only by 6 points. It could have swung the other way, but it didn’t ☹ My question from last week’s post – the one I still remembered after 2 years of trivia – What charm do OSU players get if they beat Michigan? Gold Pants! It makes me sad this is another year without that charm for my favorite team. The Story: In 1934 OSU hired Francis Schmidt as head coach. When the local media got a chance to ask about that team up north, Schmidt said, “They put their pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.” That’s when two Columbus businessmen formed the ‘Gold Pants Club.’ They created gold lapel pins, shaped like football pants. Each player and coach on that winning team gets a gold pin, engraved with their initials, game date, and the score. What kind of trenches do football games have? The one between the offensive and defensive lines. They’re manned by lineman. The offensive ones fight to keep the quarterback safe, and he fights to gain yards/first downs/touchdowns for the team. He can either hand off the ball to a running back or throw it to one of the receivers. The defensive lineman fight to stop the quarterback. If they sack him, he loses yardage. If they stop the running backs, the offense might not get that all important first down. As for those receivers, there are also defensive backs who do whatever they can, within the rules (and sometimes outside them too) to stop the play. If they intercept the ball, that’s even better. It’s the only way a defensive player can EVER score a touchdown. Last year the linemen failed in THE GAME, but they tightened their lines, and the Buckeyes almost beat the #1 team/national champion – Georgia. I was so proud of those linemen. This year they were just as tough. OSU and Michigan were well matched, even with a brand-new quarterback. Kyle threw 2 interceptions, 1 near the beginning of the game. A defender caught it, and it gave Michigan a touchdown. The 2nd was the last play. Another defender caught it, and the clock ran out. The Buckeyes lost by 6 points – the cost of that 1st interception. Many of us think the Michigan pass/touchdown, was actually intercepted. This time by the Buckeyes, but the referees refused to change the call. Oh well, there’s always next year . . . See you at one of the New Year’s bowls! My team is sure to accept an invitation to one of them 😊 Game Day Friday, December 29 - Final Memories from 2 Years of OSU Triva Last night was the Cotton Bowl, the last game of the 2023 season. So many changes have happened since the Michigan game. Our starting quarterback left through the transfer portal. Other players did too, or they declared for the NFL like Marvin Harrison Jr did. I miss the old days when the players finished the WHOLE season. The Cotton Bowl didn’t end the way I hoped, but there were some bright spots . . . the defensive line was excellent. Our second-string quarterback gave his all and tried to play past an injury, but he wound up back on the sidelines. A third-stringer who’d only thrown 5 passes wound up leading the team, in a Bowl game. Incredible! The last time that happened was with Cardale Jones. He led the Buckeyes to a national championship. Here’s to the future, whatever it brings. Life is never dull when you’re a Buckeye! The last trivia question is from Chapter 4 – Between the Tackles, where the running backs rule. #5. Eddie George and Ezekiel Elliott are tied in the record books with the most 200-yard games for the Buckeyes, with how many? 5 4 3 2 The answer . . . 5 games. Both Eddie and Ezekiel had 5 games with over 200 yards. So where are they now? Eddie retired in 2006. He played for the Houston Oilers, who became the Tennessee Titans. Then he went to the Dallas Cowboys. Over his 9 years in the NFL, he rushed for 10,441 yards and scored 68 touchdowns. That’s 408 points he put on the scoreboard. Eddie was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1995 and a four-time Pro Bowler. The Titans retired Eddie’s #27, which is a huge honor, and he’s a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. After Eddie retired, he went back to OSU to get his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture. He earned his master’s degree in Management at Northwestern. Eddie hasn’t left football completely behind . . . he was named head coach at Tennessee State in April of 2021, and this is him in 2022. Bonus Source: Ohio State's Eddie George Named Pro Football Hall Of Fame Semifinalist - Sports Illustrated Ohio State Buckeyes News, Analysis and More As for Ezekiel, he’s still playing. He started with the Dallas Cowboys in 2016. He was an instant star. He was the NFL’s top rusher as a rookie, and players ranked him at #7 in the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2017. Not bad for a beginner! Ezekiel remained a Top 100 Player for the next 3 years, through 2020. He played for the Cowboys for 6 years, through the end of the 2022 season. In 2021 Ezekiel began dealing with knee and ankle injuries, including a torn ligament in his knee during Week 4, but he refused to sit on the sidelines. He’d play one last season as a Cowboy before they released him in March of 2023. Ezekiel signed a one-year contract with a new team in August, the New England Patriots. He ran third down and red zone plays behind one of the starters. I don’t know where he’ll land in 2024, but I wish him well as a running back, and in life after football. I hope the best is yet to come for him. Bonus Source: Ezekiel Elliott - Wikipedia There’s nothing better than a new baby, unless it’s a grandbaby. I’m blessed, I have three. The newest one arrived on July 30. I’ve been waiting to use this on my blog since I played it at a baby shower last year. It was tricky! I got one or two right. YIKES! Try it yourself and see how you do. First find each country on the map. Then find the baby word that matches it. Good luck! Part 1 – European Babies: Here are five countries. Guess their baby word, then check your answers below the map. Ireland Sweden Finland Italy Spain bebé vauva leanbh bambino bebis And the answers are: In Ireland a baby is called a leanbh. In Irish Gaelic you’d say ‘Lan-iv.’ In Sweden you’ll hold a bebis. In Swedish you’d say ‘BEE-bis.’ In Finland your baby is your vauva. In Finnish you’d say ‘Va-va. In Italy you’ll have a bambina, a girl, or a bambino, a boy. That’s ‘Bam-be-na’ for an Italian girl, and ‘Bam-be-no’ for a boy. In Spain you’ll hold a bebé, In Spanish you’d say ‘Beb-ay.’ If you’d like to check your pronunciation, just google pronounce and your baby word. Look for a sound symbol and click. Part 2 – Babies from Africa and Eastern Europe: Here are five more countries. Two are from Africa, and three are from Eastern Europe. Guess their baby word, then check your answers below the map. One country has two words for baby. Can you guess which one it is, and which baby word is used twice? Africa (2) Eastern Europe (3) Chad Egypt Turkey Croatia Russia mladenets bébé dijete طفل bebek And the answers are: In Chad a baby has two names. In Arabic a baby is called a طفل [tifl]. It sounds like 'tif-lun' to me. In French it’s called a bébé. It sounds like Be-Be. In Egypt you’ll hold a طفل [tifl], like you did in Chad, and it still sounds like ‘tif-lun. In Turkey your baby is your bebek. In Turkish you’d say ‘ba-Bek.’ In Croatia you’ll have a dijete. That’s ‘De-A-day’ in Croatian. In Russia you’ll hold a mladenets, In Russian you’d say ‘mu-la-D- nyetz.’ In Cyrillic it would look like this младенец. If you’d like to check your pronunciation, just google pronounce and your baby word. Look for a sound symbol and click. You can also try the link below. It has languages listed by continent. Some have a sound symbol, and some don’t. If there isn’t one, try googling. Link: Do You Know How to Say Baby in Different Languages Part 3 – Babies from Asia: Here are the last five countries and a map of Asia. Find each country’s baby word, then check your answers below the map. Don’t worry if you can’t read them. There’s only one word I can read, and I bet it’s the one you can too. India Vietnam China Korea Japan 赤ちゃん बच्चा đứa bé 아기 嬰兒 And the answers are: In India a baby is called a बच्चा. I have no idea what that says in Hindi, but it sounds like 'veh-Cha.' In Vietnam, you’ll hold a đứa bé. In Vietnamese you’d say ‘Lu-Bay.’ In China your baby is your 嬰兒. In traditional Chinese you’d say ‘Ping-ye.’ In Korea you’ll have a 아기. In Korea that’s ‘ah-Gee.’ In Japan you’ll hold a 赤ちゃん. In Japanese you’d say ‘ah-kuh-Chan.’ If you’d like to check your pronunciation, try the link below. The languages are listed by continent, and this time I only picked countries with a sound symbol.
Link: Do You Know How to Say Baby in Different Languages? Have you ever read a Jane Austen book, or seen one in a movie? I’ve loved her novels forever, but I never wondered about Jane. Not until I started reading a series of books by Beth Pattillo. That’s when I looked her up on the internet. Part 1 – Four Portraits: The first Jane is the only portrait of her in existence. Her sister Cassandra started it sometime around 1810, but she never finished it. She used pencil and watercolor. It’s small in size, only 4-1/2 inches x 3-1/8 inches, but you’ll find it in the National Portrait Gallery in London. The second Jane is a watercolor done by James Andrews. Can you tell it’s based on Cassandra’s original sketch? It found its way into A Memoir of Jane Austen that was written by their nephew James Edward Austen-Leigh in 1871. Every other portrait of Jane is based on this one, including the one on the Bank of England’s £10 note. Look below. There's another set of portraits. The first one is a silhouette of Cassandra, Jane’s sister and her best friend. The artist is unknown. The second is a painting Cassandra did in 1804. This time she painted a back view of her sister using watercolors. Interesting – Jane allowed her sister to capture her image from the back, but not from the front. Remember the one Cassandra didn’t finish? Part 2 – Jane’s Childhood Home: This set of pictures came from A Memoir of Jane Austen published by her nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh, in 1871. Jane’s father was a minister, and this is the parsonage at Steventon where Jane grew up. It’s long gone, but it once sat in a valley surrounded by meadows. The second picture is her father’s church, St. Nicholas in Steventon. Jane attended services from the time she was born in 1775 until her father retired in 1800. You can still visit St. Nicholas, but its name is now Steventon Church. The Move to Bath: When her father retired, he moved the family to Bath. Their new address: 4 Sydney Place. It was 50 miles away from Steventon, but it must have felt a world away for Jane. She grew up in a quiet country village, but Bath was a busy city. It drew people from all over England. They came for the mineral water, and for the high society. When her father died unexpectantly in January of 1805, Jane ended her time in Bath. She, Cassandra, and their mother were left without a home or financial resources of their own. They were dependent on the charity of Jane’s brothers. Part 3 – Her Final Two Homes: These two pictures are from Kent. The first is Godmersham Park, the home of Jane’s brother Edward. He was adopted by a wealthy family as their son and heir. Jane started visiting there in 1798. The last time was in 1813. Godmersham Park was her model for great houses like Pemberley and Rosings Park. The second photo is her last real home, perhaps her favorite. Chawton was a cottage on her brother’s land at Godmersham Park. Edward gifted the cottage to his mother and sisters early in 1809. Jane spent the last eight years of her life there. She did her best writing in the country, first at Steventon and later at Chawton. She was a country girl at heart. Jane wrote of her trips to London in books and letters. If you’d like to visit her in Town, click on this link: Jane Austen Goes To London | Guide London Her Final Home and Resting Place: The next set of pictures are from Winchester. The first is a cottage on 8 College Street. Jane had been sick since early 1816, but she refused to give into it, or to stop writing. Her sister Cassandra and brother Henry brought her here for a cure in May of 1817, but it was already too late. Jane died on July 18, 1817. She was only 41 years old. Today her symptoms would have been diagnosed as Addison’s disease or Hodgkins’s lymphoma. The second photo is of Winchester Cathedral. That’s where Jane Austen is buried, not because she’s a famous author. She’s there as the daughter of a clergyman, and the sister of another. That’s what Jane wanted, a private life. When she died, her name wasn’t on her book covers. She was listed as an anonymous lady, the way she’d requested. If you’d like to learn more about Jane Austen, click on this link: Jane Austen - Wikipedia Winchester Cathedral reminds me of a song from 1966. It’s a little quirky, but fun. Here’s the search link. Click, then look for the video, and give it a listen: winchester cathedral song - Search (bing.com) Do you recognize this song? If you don’t, that’s OK. You’re probably too young 😊 It debuted in 1966 when I was 7. I’m much older now ☹ But you might have heard it over the last couple of weeks in a commercial for Amazon Prime. I didn’t notice the ad part. Sorry! I was busy singing along with one of my favorite songs, and now I can’t find the ad information. It was up yesterday, and gone today. Part 1 – Where the Words Started: I Say a Little Prayer started off as an idea in Hal David’s head. He wrote the lyrics to show what a woman was thinking, knowing her guy was far away fighting the Vietnam War. I had no idea when I heard it in the 60’s. I got the woman part, but I never found the soldier in the song. Not until I started researching this post. It puts a whole new spin on Hal’s words. If you’d like to read his lyrics, click on the google search link below. It’s the only way I can share them with you, and follow copyright rules. Scan down the page. Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin both covered the song, but the way they used the chorus was a little different. Either way, put yourself in that woman’s shoes, and think about someone you love who’s in harm’s way. Hal did, and he used those words in this song. Search link: https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=673&q=say+a+little+prayer+lyrics&cvid=08df26e952c040c7be4b82faff1ed4d7&aqs=edge.0.0l9.9652j0j1&FORM=ANAB01&PC=LCTS A Side Note About Vietnam: This is a map from 1954. The war started in 1955, but the US didn’t get involved until 1960. Fifteen years later we got out. It was 1975. I was a baby when it all started and a sophmore in high school when it ended. My husband was a junior. At age 18 boys had to sign up for the Vietnam draft, and at its high point 40,000 young men were picked for military service each month. I hope a prayer was said for each and every one of them. The draft stopped in 1973 because of the huge anti-war movement, but it returned in a new form in July of 1980. Boys had to sign up for Military Selective Services, but they didn’t go to war. My husband never signed up for either draft, but my two sons did, the 1980 way. Map Source: By User: SnowFire - Own work. Based on File: French Indochina Phan Xich Long.svg., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63532416 Part 2 – Burt Bacharach and His Mixed-Up Signatures: I didn’t know Burt liked to mix-up the time signatures within his music. I never noticed it, but maybe that’s what gives it that distinctive Bacharach sound. The verses in I Say a Little Prayer start with eight beats in 4/4 time, then a ten-beat section (4/4 + 4/4 + 2/4). Then he finishes the verse with that same eight beat pattern again. When you hit the chorus, Burt sets it up in eleven beats (4/4 + 3/4 + 4/4). If you’re a musician, this makes sense. If you’re not, just keep reading, and enjoy the music link down below. A Recording Session: Dionne Warwick was one of Burt and Hal’s favorite singers, and they wrote this song just for her. She was a quick study when it came to recording. Usually, she recorded a song in three takes, but she often did it in one. Not this time. Dionne tried ten times, but Burt was never really happy with it. He thought it sounded rushed, like the tempo was too fast. Maybe it never quite fit the version in his head. They made that recording on April 9, 1966, and it sat on a shelf for over a year, until September 1967. Florence Greenburg from Scepter Records wanted it on his album, The Windows of the World. Disc Jockeys at radio stations around the country heard it, then played it on the air one short month later. It was so popular Scepter released it as a single on the A side, the hit side of a record. They put The Theme from Valley of the Dolls on the B side. Dionne sang that one too, and both songs were super successful for Scepter. And for Dionne, Burt, and Hal too. It's odd that the fast pace Burt disliked, became a million-selling hit for Dionne. That was a gold record back in the 60’s. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. And me, I can still sing the chorus. If you’d like to listen to Dionne’s version, click on my search link. If you scan down the page, you’ll find Aretha Franklin has one too. She recorded it in 1968, and it went to #2. Either way, pick a video, and enjoy! Search Link for the music video: say a little prayer for you dionne warwick - Search (bing.com) Tomorrow – How this song from 1967 became part of my favorite movie scene of all time! Photo Sources for Burt and Hal: Burt in 1972 - By ABC Television - eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18250433 Burt in 2013 - By Phil Guest from Bournemouth, UK - Burt Bacharach, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79102167 Hal in 2011 - By Pat Padua - https://www.flickr.com/photos/ppad/5713457890/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29999116 Part 3 – One of my Favorite Movie Scenes Ever: It’s in My Best Friend’s Wedding from 1997. If you haven’t seen it, you should check it out. It’s funny. It stars Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Everett, but the surprising part is the movie’s soundtrack. It uses five songs from Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Together those things made the movie into one of the best romantic comedies of the 1990’s and beyond. And that favorite scene – it all starts with some kid who has no idea who Dionne Warwick is. If you’re my age you know she’s a singer, but someone at the rehearsal dinner only remembers her because of the Psychic Friends Network. That’s when Rupert Everett begins singing, and he winds up leading the entire restaurant into a rendition of Say a Little Prayer for You. It’s just plain fun! The first time it surprised me, but now every time I watch it, I replay that scene two or three times. It makes me happy! If you’re curious about the Bacharach/David song list, it includes: I Say a Little Prayer for You Wishin’ and Hopin’ What the World Needs Now I’ll Never Fall in Love Again I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself If you want to watch that scene, use this search link: say a little prayer my best friend's wedding - Search (bing.com) Information Sources Where You Can Learn More: I Say a Little Prayer - Wikipedia My Best Friend's Wedding - Wikipedia The Draft (history.com) Vietnam War - Wikipedia Selective Service Acts | History, Significance, & Facts | Britannica This is a computer model of what the Titan submersible once looked like. The real one disappeared an hour and 45 minutes into its voyage to the bottom of the North Atlantic. It was supposed to carry its five passengers down to visit the Titanic. Titanic, the Ship of Dreams. The one that hit an iceberg in 1912 and sank to the bottom of the sea. Of the 2200 people aboard, only 700 would live to tell its story, and this is what the passengers of the Titan came to see. Part 1 – The Voyage of the Titan: This is the map of Titanic’s maiden voyage. It would be its final one too. The yellow star on the bottom of the map is Titanic’s final resting place, and Titan’s destination. Take your finger north of that star, then a little west. You’ll find Newfoundland. It’s the island where the Titan Submersible began its journey on Friday, June 16th. The huge orange boat is an icebreaker named the Polar Prince. OceanGate hired the ship and its crew to get the submersible to the launch site. They arrived on the 17th. The Polar Prince launched the submersible at 9:30 AM on the 18th. Everything went well for the first hour and a half. The Titan and Polar Prince talked to each other every 15 minutes, but at the 11:30 mark . . . nothing. That’s when the search began, and the news went out to the world. I heard it around 1PM. It hurt to know that the people inside had 96 hours of air left, and the rescue teams had 4 days to find them. All over the world people like me began praying. Part 2 – The Search Begins: It all started on Sunday afternoon, from the star that marks Titanic’s location on the map. That’s where Titan disappeared. It’s about 900 miles east of Cape Cod (close to the K in New York). The submersible could be anywhere from the water’s surface down to the wreckage on the ocean floor. That’s 13,000 feet under water! Leading the search – the US Coast Guard, Navy, and the Canadian Coast Guard. That made sense, but it suprised me that the US Air National Guard, the Royal Canadian Air Force and Navy were looking too. Who knew planes could locate a submersible?! There were also private commercial and research ships looking too. It’s good to know that so many people took their time, energy, and talents to search for those five people, but it wasn’t easy. The location in the North Atlantic, its weather, darkness, sea conditions, and the cold water temperatures made it almost impossible to find Titan. These two pictures show three search vehicles. The first is Deep Energy. It’s a ship that lays pipe deep in the ocean. It also has two ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), plus some other equipment that’s perfect to search the seabed for Titan. The second is a US Coast Guard plane flying over the third, a French research vehicle, the L’Atalante. It has its own ROV, which can go down 20,000 feet. That’s far deeper than Titanic’s resting place, and it can send pictures all the way back to the ship. An internal memo sent to the Department of Homeland Security reported that crews heard banging and acoustic feedback in the search area on Tuesday. The memo also said a Canadian plane heard the banging every 30 minutes. Sonar focused in on the sounds, and the banging was heard four hours later. More sounds were heard early Wednesday morning by both the US Coast Guard and a Canadian plane. When those reports made the news, I hoped . . . the five were still alive. But I was a little skeptical about the pounding, until I heard whales could be heard hundreds of miles away, or that submarine crews really pounded on their ships. There was still time to save those five people, so I said a few more prayers. Part 3 – Three Theories About What Happened: As soon as Titan disappeared, the news reports speculated on what could have happened to it. Theory #1 – The submersible was bobbing on the water’s surface. If it had, it might have looked like this boat and the buoy it’s tied to. That’s what Titan was supposed to do. It had seven backup systems that were designed to return it to the surface, if something went wrong. I never heard this theory on the TV news. It must have been quickly discarded that first day when nothing was seen by ship, by plane, or by sonar and radar. Theory #2 – The submersible got tangled in the wreckage. Titanic broke into 2 main pieces, the bow and the stern. They’re seperated by 2000 feet of ocean floor, and it’s littered with the ship’s debris. This is what’s left of the bow. It sits 12,500 feet underwater. Not only would Titan be hard to find, but it might also be impossible to free, in time. I heard this theory on the news. They interviewed an expert who’d been in a submersible that got tangled in Titanic’s wreckage. His pilot freed them, got them to the surface in time. That TV expert was worried that Titan’s pilot didn’t have the kind of controls to break the submersible free himself. Theory #3 – A Catastrophic Implosion happened. Something went wrong inside Titan, and it collapsed inward upon itself. That something could have been a leak, a power failure, an electrical short circuit, or the hull could have been breached. The water would have pushed down on the submersible with so much force that the implosion would have happened within 2 nanoseconds. That’s two billionths of a second, so Titan would have been destroyed, immediately. I heard this theory from the start, but when underwater noises were reported, I was like everyone else, hoping the crew was still alive. It wasn’t meant to be. Late on the 21st, the story came out that a US Navy ship picked up the sound of an implosion sometime after Titan disappeared underwater. They told the Coast Guard, but they didn’t share the news. Maybe they didn’t want to give up hope, just in case the crew was still alive. Part 4 – Honoring the Crew of the Titan: When I started this post, I knew how I wanted it to end . . . with the passengers aboard the Titan. I wanted to share a bit about their lives, and to honor their deaths.Each one died doing what they loved, pursuing knowledge, and seeing Titanic for themselves. Shahzada Dawood A father and son traveled down to Titanic together. Their names, Shahzada and Sulemon Dawood. They’re from Surbiton, in south-west London. Shahzada is survived by his wife and daughter. Shahzada, at age 48, was the UK vice-chairman of the Engro Corporation. They’re a Pakastani company that specializes in fertilizer, petrochemicals, and engineering projects. He was also a board member for the Prince’s Trust International, one of King Charles III’s charities. Shahzada was an adviser to its international arm, and he focused in on Pakistan. Suleman, at age 19, just finished his first year of business school at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. He’s survived by his mother and sister. Shahzada’s wife, Christine, talked about this trip to a reporter. She had originally planned to go, but then Covid hit. When it was rescheduled, her son took her seat. What stayed with me – was how excited she said her husband and son were about this voyage. They were living their dream . . . traveling down to see Titanic together. I hope when I leave this world, I can do it like the Dawoods, following a dream. Photo: By Engro - Original publication: TodayImmediate source: https://www.today.com/news/titanic-missing-sub-shahzada-dawood-passengers-rcna90565, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74106816 Hamish Harding Hamish Harding was a fellow passenger and adventurer. He lived in Dubai, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. He’s survived by his wife, Linda, two sons, Rory and Giles, a stepdaughter, Lauren, and a stepson, Brian Szasz. Hamish, aged 58, was the chairman of Action Aviation, a private plane company, and he loved flying. He held an airline transport pilot’s license and had businesss jet ratings for the Gulfstream G650. He was an adventurer, a skydiver, and a trustee of the Explorers Club. He was chosen in 2022 as a Living Legend of Aviation. Last year he went into space with Blue Origins, and this is his picture to prove it. Hamish was also involved in a luxury tourism company, White Desert. They were the first to offer regular business jets to Antarctica. The South Pole was one of his favorite destinations, and he helped Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon, reach a new goal. In 2016 Buzz became the oldest person to make it to the South Pole. His age, 86. Hamish was the ultimate adventurer, and he died making one last trip . . . to the bottom of the North Atlantic, a place very few humans have reached. Photo By Blue Origin - Original publication: The GuardianImmediate source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jun/19/hamish-harding-the-british-explorer-missing-at-sea-near-the-titanic, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74106831 Paul-Henri Nargeolet Paul-Henri Nargeolet was known as Mr. Titanic. He was born in France, and he’s lived in Pawling, New York since 2022. He’s survived by his wife Anne Sarraz-Bournet, two daughters, Chloe and Sidonie, a son Julien, a stepson, John Nathaniel Paschall, and by four grandsons. His 1st wife, Michele Marsh died in 2017. At age 77 Paul-Henri was the senior passenger, and he once served as a French navy commander. He studied Titanic for 35 years, spent hundreds of hours observing it, and has taken several submarines down to the wreck. He joined a team in 1987 that brought up some artifacts from the ocean floor. Titanic lies in darkness, and it’s covered in coral. Paul-Henri spoke about seeing it from a submarine lit by projectors. Everyone onboard the ship was speechless for 10 minutes, not a sound could be heard. He said the ship is an oasis in an immense desert. Imagine the deep dark bottom of the ocean. Nothing survives there . . . except on, and around the Titanic. Life flourishes there, thanks to an accident. Paul-Henri has loved Titanic and its history for over 35 years. It seems fitting for his body to rest beside it. For Mr. Titanic, it is the ship of dreams. Photo By Harpers Collins - Original publication: ICIImmediate source: https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/titanic-le-chamoniard-paul-henri-nargeolet-serait-a-bord-du-sous-marin-disparu-7075224, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74106893 Stockton Rush Stockton Rush was Titan’s pilot on its final voyage. He was also the co-founder and CEO (chief executive officer) of OceanGate. That’s the company that owned and operated Titan. He’s survived by his wife, Wendy and their two children. Both Stockton and Wendy have important ancestors. Wendy’s great-great-grandparents died onboard the Titanic in 1912. Their names, Isidor and Ida Blun Straus. Stockton is descended from Richard Stockton and Dr. Benjamin Rush – they were both founding fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence. Stockton went onto develop several businesses over the last 20 years. At BlueView Technolgies they manufactured high-frequency sonar systems. He also worked at Entomo where he was involved in software development, and at Remote Control Technology Inc. It sounds like each step in his career brought him a little closer to developing Titan. Stockton was in charge of OceanGate’s financial and engineering divisions too. His vision brought the 4000 and 6000-metre submersibles to life for crews and passengers. I imagine taking this special group of adventurers down to Titanic must have been a big moment. It seems fitting as Stockton’s final mission, and for his final resting place. Photo By OceanGate - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHSPhKUUXIM, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=133459795 Sources
Photo by Madelgarius - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=133558088 Part 1- 4 – Titan submersible implosion - Wikipedia Part 2 – https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/06/20/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-live-updates/70336 Part 3 – Wreck of the Titanic - Wikipedia What Happened to the Titanic Sub? Experts Explained Likely Scenarios. (insider.com) Part 4 – Titanic sub: what we know about the victims of deep-sea tragedy | Titanic sub incident | The Guardian Meet the new King and Queen of the United Kingdom, as of 1PM today, May 6th, London time. This was their official portrait this morning. It’s from 2019 when they were titled Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. Don’t worry, they still look pretty much the same. This is the first coronation since Elizabeth II in June of 1953. I wasn’t born yet, like most of the world, so this is the first coronation I’ve ever seen. I looked up the schedule last night. Click here to see what it said: Here's the Full Schedule for King Charles III’s Coronation | Time For the general public, the real enthusiasts, it all started at 6AM, London time. That’s when the viewing areas in central London opened up. Those early risers got a great view of the King’s procession. It passed by, twice. Me, I was fast asleep. That was 1AM, Tennessee time. This is the official invitation. I didn’t get one, but Wikipedia let me share this one with you. The guest list had 2200 names, but only 2,000 people fit inside the church, so planning started way back in September. The British government paid for this event, so they got to make the guest list. It included members of the royal family, representatives from the government, and both houses of Parliament. Representatives of the Commonwealth countries, foreign royalty, and heads of state got invitations too. Jill Biden represented the United States. All the invitations and RSVPs were done months ago, just like they are for a wedding. In March the holy oil was consecrated by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. If you’re a Christian, this is where you go to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s fitting that the holy oil is consecrated there. And just like a wedding, there were practices for Coronation Day. On the morning and evening of April 17th and 18th the military did dress rehearsals for the two processions. No one does ceremony like the Brits. On the 19th the RAF (Royal Air Force) practiced their flypast, and finally on May 3 the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, plus the Princess Royal (his sister) had their own practice inside the Abbey. Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it helps you know what you’re doing! Westminster Abbey actually closed on April 25th to tourists, and to its own congregation. It won’t reopen until Monday, May 8th. I bet the people at the abbey will be glad to see things get back to normal again. This photo is from Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding. I wanted a photo with people inside the abbey. This is the newest one I could find. Just like today’s coronation, there were 2000 people there to celebrate the wedding of Charles’ parents. For today’s coronation, guests had to arrive between 7:15 and 8:30AM. It sounds like going to an airport. They went through security first, before they entered the abbey. Then most of them waited 3 hours, or more, before the king finally arrived. I would have brought a book. If you’d like to find out who did/who didn’t attend, click the link from Time, and scan down their page. From 9 to 10:45AM, the guests had time to mingle and find their seats. That’s also when world leaders, British politicians, and international royals started to arrive. Lucky them! Meanwhile back at Buckingham Palace, there were other preparations going on. The men in the photograph are part of the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Calvary. They’re called Life Guards. Too bad they don’t work at a pool! At 9:45AM they started getting into marching order. Their job – to escort the King’s Procession from the Palace to the Abbey. The parade will also include 200 members of the Armed Forces. No one moves until 10:20AM, or whenever Charles and Camilla arrive. I guess it takes time to get horses, and people, into position! The King and Queen left Buckingham Palace at 10:20AM. They were in a special procession that took them to Westminster Abbey. That’s where British monarchs have been crowned for over 900 years, since William the Conqueror in 1066. Both of these photos were taken during the procession today. Charles and Camilla were inside his mother’s Diamond Jubilee State Coach. It’s so modern it has air conditioning and electric windows, but, it still uses the traditional horses, 6 Windsor Greys, and the Household Calvary Mounted Regiment. I love British traditions! The king and queen were scheduled to arrive at 10:53 for the 11:00AM ceremony. Why? To give them time, in case they were late, or needed to catch their breath. They made it . . . with time to spare. Part 2 – The Coronation Ceremony from Start to Finish Charles, Camilla, and their attendants entered the abbey at 11AM in one procession. Another followed a little later. It carried the coronation regalia to the altar. You can see it in that first picture. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury led the recognition. Everyone knows Charles, but recognizing him, that’s tradition. He stood beside the Coronation Chair, in the second picture, for everyone to see. Then the Archbishop said, “Sirs, I here present unto you King Charles, your undoubted King. Wherefore all you who are come here this day to do your homage and service. Are you willing to do the same?” Notice his language, traditional. No one talks like this anymore. And the congregation answered, “God Save The King.” Note – Everyone said this, all weekend long. Next up, the oath, but first the Archbishop recognized the existence of other faiths and beliefs within the UK. That’s something new in the coronation. Then Charles promised to govern the UK and the Commonwealth, following the laws and justice set up in each nation. He finished by saying he’d maintain and protect the Christian church. Next Charles walked up to the altar, laid his hand on a Bible, and said, “The things which I have here promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.” Then Charles kissed the Bible and signed a written copy of his oath. Charles was anointed with chrism oil. It’s a holy oil made from olives that were harvested from the Mount of Olives. Jesus went there to teach, and to pray. The chrism oil was also blessed in Jerusalem, back in March. Anointing a king is as old as the monarchy. Charles went behind a screen close to the altar. The Archbishop put oil on his hands, chest, and head using the coronation spoon. This is a private moment between a monarch, and the God who chose him. That’s why there are no pictures of it. The next part, the investiture. That’s when Charles got the regalia, the crown jewels, the things that only belong to a British monarch. They were taken from his mother at her funeral, then saved for today. Charles was handed the orb, the golden ball with the cross on top. Then both Sovereign’s Scepters. One is topped by a dove. The other with a Cross. Can you find them in the photo? And finally, the crowning. The St. Edward’s Crown is made of solid gold and is covered in 400 gemstones. WOW! When the Archbishop put it on Charles’ head, gun salutes were fired across the country, and now it’s official . . . Charles is the King of England. The enthronement was next. It’s almost anticlimactic, but after Charles was crowned, he moved from the coronation chair onto his throne. I couldn’t find one from Britain, except for the coronation chair. It’s been around since 1296. Fun fact – it’s covered in graffiti! I know . . . I saw it back in 2002 when my husband and I went to England. I couldn’t believe someday Charles would sit on this chair, 21 years later. Once Charles was enthroned, the Archbishop delivered a prayer for him. The enthronement was next. It’s almost anticlimactic, but after Charles was crowned, he moved from the coronation chair onto his throne. I couldn’t find one from Britain, except for the coronation chair. It’s been around since 1296. Fun fact – it’s covered in graffiti! I know . . . I saw it back in 2002 when my husband and I went to England. I couldn’t believe someday Charles would sit on this chair, 21 years later. Once Charles was enthroned, the Archbishop delivered a prayer for him. At long last, Charles was done, and it was Camilla’s turn. She was anointed with chrism oil. The only difference, she did it in front of the congregation, and that was a break from royal tradition. Every other king or queen was anointed behind a canopy or a screen. Camilla was invested too, but she only got the queen consort’s ring. BTW – Charles got a ring too . . . the sovereign’s ring. Then Camilla was crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown. That’s the first one, but it’s missing a little bling. Camilla added 3 Cullinan diamonds, that once belonged to her mother-in-law, Elizabeth II. The coronation part took about an hour, and the church service, another hour. Charles chose a shorter, more streamlined ceremony. His mother and grandfather’s were much longer, like 3 – 4 hours. Charles gave the St. Edward’s Crown back after the service, but he got a new one, the Imperial State crown. That’s the second one, and it looks good to me! Meet the newly coronated couple and their new carriage, the Gold State Coach. Oops, I mean the old one. It was made in 1760 for George III, you know the king that made America declare its independence. This carriage gets 8 Windsor Greys to pull it on the 1.3 mile route back to Buckingham Palace for the Coronation Procession. The streets were lined with 1000 loyal subjects. It was scheduled to leave Westminster Abbey at 1PM, and it included 5000 members of the UK’s Armed Forces, plus 400 from the Commonwealth and Overseas Territories. The Sovereign’s Bodyguards were there again, plus the Royal Watermen. This, was a very big deal! The first photo is the Royal couple on the balcony, just the two of them for the royal salute. It was scheduled for 1:45PM. It’s the only part I saw live on Saturday. I couldn’t figure out why all those soldiers were lined up on a field. It turns out they were in the garden (yard) for a salute, followed by three cheers from all those soldiers. Imagine a drill sergeant yelling, “Hip, hip.” And the 5000 answering, “Hooray,” times three. It was a very British moment. After the royal salute, it was time for my favorite part, and it wasn’t even on the schedule. It’s when the crowd approaches the palace, and the royal family joins the King and Queen on the balcony. They waved to the crowd, and the crowd roared back, like always. I think everyone loves it because we get a peek at the royal family, sharing a moment, with the country. From left to right do you see Prince William and his family? Next, the King’s 4 pages. One is William’s oldest, George. Can you find him? Hint - he’s looking down. Next of course, the King and Queen, and to her right are her 4 pages, 2 are her grandsons. Camilla’s sister is on the balcony, and finally on the right, Prince Edward and his family. It’s not the whole royal family, just the working ones. The Fly-past was scheduled for 2:15PM. I’m not sure what time it started, but it wasn’t the fly-past that was planned. It was scaled back from the 68 aircraft who were ready to represent the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and British Army. Even scaled back it was a crowd favorite with the helicopters and Red Arrow Team. Everyone knows about helicopters, but I’d never heard of the Red Arrows. I found this old photo, and I saw a clip of them tonight . . . a row of planes trailing blue, white, and red plumes. Magnificent! Thank goodness! I finally finished Day 1 of the Coronation. I don’t know how the royal family did it. It’s taken me four days to tell that story. Tomorrow – The Big Lunch and The Big Help – I hope, and I pray I can finish it in one last day! Part 3 – The Coronation Big Lunch, the Concert, and the Big Help Out May 7 at 12 PM was the official time for the big lunch, and it was a BIG success! More than 3000 street parties were scheduled across the country, like this one in London. It looks like fun! The official dish – Coronation quiche. If you’d like to try it, pick up some spinach, broad beans, cheese, and tarragon. The big idea came from Camilla’s charity, the Eden Project. The goal – much bigger than food. The charity tries to reduce loneliness and promote community spirit. I hope it worked, that people across the UK found a few new friends, and a way to get involved. At 3PM, ticket holders could head over to the East Lawn at Windsor Castle for its first ever concert. Free tickets went to 5000 lucky people who won them in a lottery. Volunteers for the King and Queen’s charities got them too. The coronation concert started at 7PM, and it looks incredible! The headliners were Take That, Lionel Ritchie, Andrea Bocelli, and Katy Perry. Add in performers like Paloma Faith, Nicole Scherzinger, and Sonam Kapoor. Stars like Tom Cruise, Sir Tom Jones, Ncuti Gatwa, Dame Joan Collins, and Bear Grylls appeared live on stage or via a TV screen. I almost forgot the Coronation Choir. They may not be professionals, but they were sensational. If you couldn’t make it to Windsor Castle, 57 locations across the country had big screen viewing, from Cardiff Castle in Wales to Belfast City Hall in Northern Ireland to Hyde Park in London. The coronation team gave away 10,000 tickets for the event. It sounds like it was a great weekend to spend in the UK. Monday, May 8 was a holiday across the UK. It was also The Big Help Out. The King and Queen partnered with The Scouts, the Royal Volunteer Service, and faith groups across the UK to help their local communities. What a lovely way to celebrate, and to encourage people to get involved. Congratulations to King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and the UK! Well done you! Sources: - Here's the Full Schedule for King Charles III’s Coronation | Time - Coronation of Charles III and Camilla - Wikipedia Welcome to the Writing Magic Society! It’s where I found all of my current critique partners. I couldn’t move forward as a writer without them. Six of us meet every Friday, and now I’m excited to introduce them to you. Part 1 – Meet Lee Y. Miao Would you like to meet Lee? The best way is to visit her website, and the most important thing about Lee – she’s a middle-grade author. Lee has published two books. The first came out in April of 2022, and the second in February 2023. All of her stories are about contemporary characters. They discover connections to their cultures, and to the families from their past. Lee grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania. Its library – “to die for.” Would you believe her favorite grade school memories were listening to her teachers reading Newbery award-winning books? They did it year-round. One of them read A Wrinkle in Time, and it became Lee’s favorite. Lee spent her grade school summers picking strawberries with her siblings, and fishing in a lake nearby. Those days ended near the end of fifth grade. That’s when her family moved to a larger town. Now Lee lives with her family and their super-brainy dog. Would you believe she understands Italian, at least counting to ten. She lives to chase balls, and she’s good enough to go pro. If that doesn’t work out, she’s got a lock on the role of Frankie, the super dog in Lee’s first book, Wei to Go. When Lee isn’t writing, you’ll find her swimming, traveling, and watching spectator sports. My guess, lacrosse is one of them. It’s the sport Kipp plays in the Ellie & Co book series. Lee in the USA Lee grew up in Pennsylvania. It’s a green state in the northeast. Then she moved to California. It’s a green state, but it’s on the west coast. Now Lee lives in New York. It’s a purple state that’s mostly north of Pennsylvania. I hope you found all three! Would you like to visit Lee? Here’s her address online: Lee Y. Miao, middle-grade author (leeymiao.com) Source: By The original was edited by Andrew c to include Nova Scotia, PEI, Bahamas, and scale key.It was originally uploaded to the English Wikipedia with the same title by Wapcaplet:20:57, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (339217 bytes) (fix South Carolina label)20:27, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (339227 bytes) (typo, Massachussetts -> Massachusetts)19:01, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (371653 bytes) (crop, and remove some shapes (rivers, highways, capitals, lakes) that didn't display anyway)13:18, 23 September 2005 . . Ed g2s . . 990x855 (978668 bytes) (fix (removed <image /> tag))23:48, 23 September 2004 . . Wapcaplet . . 0x0 (978926 bytes) (SVG map of the United States. Created by Wapcaplet. {{GFDL} }) - see below, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36291 Part 2 – Meet Lee and her Middle Grade Books This was Lee’s first book. The best part – her characters, and the way she writes . . . Her dialogue sounds like it came straight out of a middle schooler’s mouth. The story – Ellie and her little brother Kipp get to take a trip to Hong Kong with their mother, but they also have a mission . . . to save their father’s company. Click the link below if you’d like to read my review of Wei To Go! Link: http://www.rindabeach.com/my-reads/review-of-wei-to-go Where in the world is Hong Kong? Check the map below. China is a HUGE country, and Hong Kong is a tiny place on its southeast side. Look for the red letters HK, and you have found Hong Kong. That’s where Ellie and Kipp got to go. Lucky them! Tomorrow, Lee’s second book Nikolas Becker, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_TLD_Map.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/World_TLD_Map.png This is Lee’s second book. I read it when it was in manuscript form, and now that it’s published, it’s even better. The story – Cat discovers she has an identical twin, but she’s in a Renaissance painting by Raphael. How can Cat ever discover who she was? By doing a Rhap (Renaissance History and Art Project). That’s where Trey comes in . . . as a possible partner . . . if he can stay out of the clutches of the class diva. Click the link below if you’d like to read my review of It’s a Rhap, Cat. Link: http://www.rindabeach.com/my-reads/review-of-its-a-rhap-cat Take a peek at Cat’s trip to Rome. Throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain and make a wish. Then visit the coliseum and imagine gladiators fighting in the ring. If you can’t get away, take a look at Cat’s report. All those things, and more are in it! Where in the world is Italy? Check the map below. It’s a brown country in southern Europe, and it’s shaped like a boot. That’s because Italy is a peninsula that’s surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea. Rome is the capital of Italy. Can you find it? It’s in the middle of the country, just below Vatican City. Welcome to the Writing Magic Society! It’s where I found all of my current critique partners. I couldn’t move forward as a writer without them. Six of us meet every Friday, and now I’m excited to introduce them to you. Part 1 – Meet Yvona Fast The best way to meet Yvona is to visit her website. This is a photo of the Adirondack Mountains. They’re in northern New York. Yvona calls them home and it’s true . . . Words are her World. Three Continents – Most of us have only lived in North America, but Yvona has lived on two other continents, Europe and Asia. She was born in Poland and lived in Warsaw until she finished first grade. Can you find Poland on the map? It’s in northern Europe. Yvona and her mother moved to Tel Aviv, then later to Haifa. They’re both big cities in Israel. Can you find it on the map? If you have trouble, find Egypt in northern Africa, then go east. Look for a tiny country. That’s Israel. It’s part of the Middle East, and Asia too. By fourth grade, Yvona moved again. This time she and her mom moved across the Atlantic Ocean, all the way west to Chicago, Illinois. Can you find Illinois on the map? It’s in the United States, and that’s part of North America. Yvona was only ten, but she’d lived in three countries, on three different continents. She spoke three different languages. Thank goodness words are her life! I can’t imagine doing all those things, by the time I turned ten. Yvona is also a first-generation immigrant. My family has been in the United States forever. I don’t know when they arrived, probably generations ago. They came to the United States from England, and Germany. They’re both countries in Europe. Librarian – Yvona was always a reader. She brought home stacks of books every week as a child. No one made her – she wanted to. When she’d read everything in the children’s room, her mother signed a form so Yvona could get books from the adult section. Guess what career she picked?! A librarian. Would you believe Yvona has worked in public libraries, the academic ones at universities, and in prison libraries too? She’s seen the world from so many different points of view. Missionary – Yvona’s library skills led her into missionary work in Eastern Europe. She spent five years setting up libraries for seminaries and Bible colleges. It’s also where she sold her first magazine article, to the editors at Christian Single. Once she started, Yvona found new things she wanted to write about. Neurodiversity – Yvona didn’t discover this until she did a search for someone at the library. They were looking for books about learning disabilities in math, but not in language arts. She was surprised – there were people like her, who faced the same problems. It’s lovely to discover you’re not alone. That there are people who understand you and how you process the world. When I was a kid, no one knew about learning disabilities. It was the same for Yvona. She discovered she was neurodiverse and hyperlexic as an adult. That means the language and analytical left side of her brain are more developed than her visual and motor right side. Yvona needs words to understand something new. Seeing it isn’t enough. It has to be put into words. I was curious about neurodiverse and hyperlexic so I googled them. Neurodiverse means showing autistic or other neurological patterns of thought or behavior. They aren’t the patterns most people have. Hyperlexia means having an exceptional reading ability at a really young age. What’s missing, age-appropriate speech and language skills. What I find interesting is how good Yvona is with words. I can’t write poetry, and it comes to her naturally, effortlessly. It’s a great silver lining! What Inspires Yvona – The world around her! She lives in the mountains of northern New York. Her favorite place – outside. In the summer she’s swimming and paddling a canoe. In winter you’ll find her cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. When Yvona’s inside, she’s cooking and writing. Why does she write? She has to. The words come, and she has to put them down. It’s her gift, her talent. Meet Yvona and her Books: This is the first one, but it’s still at the top of her Amazon titles. Her neurodiversity inspired her to write it. The title: Employment for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome or Non-Verbal Learning Disability. Yvona has been speaking to parents and teachers about learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders ever since her book came out in 2004. This is Yvona’s second book, My Nine Lives: A Memoir. It came out in 2011, and it was inspired by her mother’s memories as a Holocaust survivor. Yvona co-authored it with her mother. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to put memories like this together, for both of them. This book started with Yvona’s love of food and cooking. She’s been writing a weekly column for her local newspaper since 2005. I’m not surprised that it turned into her third book, Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market. Check out this book, and you’ll find 300 recipes. Best of all they’re grouped by the season. It’s spring now . . . I wonder what Yvona would suggest for dinner tonight. Yvona has published two poetry chapbooks that are out of print, at least on Amazon. Their titles – Different from 2017 and Adirondack Blue Seasons from 2018. BTW – a chapbook is a small paperback booklet filled with poems or works of fiction. But there’s good news, I found this on Amazon – Adirondack Seasons Haiku. It came out in 2020, and it started life as a Haiku Challenge. I love reading the back story and discovering how a book was born. Good in the Midst of Evil came out in 2022. Yvona co-authored this one with her mother. It’s the amazing story of how her mother changed names and identities repeatedly during the Holocaust, to survive. She also changed religion. Dana Fast was born Jewish, but she learned to present herself as a Catholic, to stay alive. Her mother’s message – it’s unfair to deny the Poles their acts of heroism. They risked their lives, and their families to help her. Thanks to them Dana found good in the midst of evil, and she lived to tell. I loved Dana and Yvona’s book so much I posted a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble. You can read it for yourself! This is Yvona’s newest book, Loon Summer. Each spread starts with one of her poems. Then it adds in the perfect photo to illustrate it. The spread ends with a fun science fact about loons. They’re fascinating, especially the way they talk to each other! This book surprised me. Yvona never mentioned it. I stumbled across it on Amazon. Autumn Dance came to life because of The Autumn Chapbook Challenge. I’m glad Yvona took it and turned it into this book she published in March of 2023. Her poems are incredible, and they just come! I’d rather pull my hair out than try to write poetry. When Yvona brings her poems to our critique group, we try to help her tweak them. Her words, are that good! Learn More at . . . yvonafast.com https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2021/08/creative-adirondacks-writer-yvona-fast.html Map: By The original was edited by Andrew c to include Nova Scotia, PEI, Bahamas, and scale key.It was originally uploaded to the English Wikipedia with the same title by Wapcaplet:20:57, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (339217 bytes) (fix South Carolina label)20:27, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (339227 bytes) (typo, Massachussetts -> Massachusetts)19:01, 9 October 2005 . . Dbenbenn . . 959x593 (371653 bytes) (crop, and remove some shapes (rivers, highways, capitals, lakes) that didn't display anyway)13:18, 23 September 2005 . . Ed g2s . . 990x855 (978668 bytes) (fix (removed <image /> tag))23:48, 23 September 2004 . . Wapcaplet . . 0x0 (978926 bytes) (SVG map of the United States. Created by Wapcaplet. {{GFDL} }) - see below, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=362916 |
AuthorWhen I write, I can only have one voice in my head, mine. A little noise is fine. But too much, or worse yet, WORDS, and I must change rooms or pull out headphones. Then I can write on! Categories
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