Dear Me,

Write a letter to yourself that you will not read until your 30th birthday. In your opening paragraph you need to tell yourself things that will prove that it is really you...things that only you would know.

Then, remind yourself of dreams and goals you have right now. Encourage yourself not to lose touch with what is really important--tell yourself what it is right now that seems really important. You can also ask about things that you are wondering about...how they turned out, etc.

These are the lyrics to a song by Brad Paisley called "Letter to Me" (that is the opposite of what I am telling you to do). He wrote it as an adult to his 17-year-old-self to reassure him that everything will be okay. Kinda cool...and touching--but still the opposite of what I am asking you to do! :)

Letter to Me

If I could write a letter to me
And send it back in time to myself at 17
First I'd prove it's me by saying look under your bed
There's a Skoal can and a Playboy no one else would know you hid
And then I'd say I know its tough
When you break up after seven months
And yeah I know you really liked her and it just don't seem fair
All I can say is pain like that is fast and it's rare

[1st Chorus]
And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
She wasn't right for you
And still you feel like there's a knife sticking out of your back
And you're wondering if you'll survive
You'll make it through this and you'll see
You're still around to write this letter to me

At the stop sign at Tomlinson and Eighth
Always stop completely don't just tap your brakes
And when you get a date with Bridgett make sure the tank is full
On second thought forget it that one turns out kinda cool
Each and every time you have a fight
Just assume you're wrong and daddy is right
And you should really thank Mrs. Bringman
She spend so much extra time
It's like she sees the diamond underneath
And she's polishing you 'til you shine

[2nd Chorus]
And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
Tonight's the bonfire rally
But you're staying home instead because if you fail Algebra
Mom and dad will kill you dead
Trust me you'll squeak by and get a C
And you're still around to write this letter to me

You've got so much up ahead
You'll make new friends
You should see your kids and wife
And I'd end up saying have no fear
These are nowhere near the best years of your life

I guess I'll see you in the mirror
When you're a grown man
P.S. "go hug Aunt Rita every chance you can"

[3rd Chorus]
And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
I wish you'd study Spanish
I wish you'd take a typing class
I wish you wouldn't worry, let it be
I'd say have a little faith and you'll see

If I could write a letter to me
To me

Ok...now go write your letter...remember it is to the future you!! Have fun!!

Coach Rhodes

There are some people who have a way of touching lives. For some reason they just have a way of crawling right into your heart and finding a way to stay there forever!! Coach Rhodes is definitely one of those people!! Everyone has to have a great memory of Coach Rhodes...or as we called him in high school...Coich!! His birthday is today, so in honor of him, I want you to post your favorite Coach Rhodes story!!

I have tons but my very favorite is when I was having trouble clearing the bar when I was high jumping my freshman year. I had been pretty good in jr. high but for some reason just wasn't doing too good that year! He walked over to the pit to watch me and after seeing my knock the bar off several times, he finally crossed his arms and said, "Galligan, looks like you ate too many donuts over the summer!!!" Now if anyone else had said that, I probably would have been offended, but I knew that was coming straight from his heart!! :) I just love him--and am SSSSOOOOO glad I have had the privilege to have him as a coach...and now as co-worker!!! He is AWESOME!!!

Ok...now go to your blog and start digging in your memory bank...can't wait to read your stories!!!

The "CAT"erbury Tales

I know...I know...the title was way too cheesy, but what do expect from an old lady?? :)

I want to be entertained today, so.........go to YOUR blog and write a tale for me to read. It needs to make me shiver, sigh, shake my head, gasp, laugh or cry--actually I don't cry, so I would settle for goosebumps!!

I seriously want to FEEL something when I read your tale. I found the following advice here:

"Describe physical sensations so that your reader will feel it too. There are certain words, turns of phrase, cadences that trigger a similar physical reaction in your reader so they actually almost physically feel what the character feels.

I popped the lemon slice in my mouth, biting down hard on the soft fruit flesh, feeling the liquid squirt throughout my mouth, zapping my tongue.

Now confess, didn't your mouth pucker just a little? Didn't you start salivating a bit?
There were certain words in that sentence that triggered the physical reaction:
Lemon slice
Biting
Squirt
Zapping

I always start to salivate from just reading those words, because they're so powerful. They evoke a physical reaction from the reader because they trigger an emotional memory of biting into a lemon.

You want your physical descriptions of what the character feels to trigger emotional memory in the same way."

I also want to feel like I KNOW your character(s) by the end of the tale. I want a name(s) and LOTS of details about physical, emotional, psychological, and mental aspects of your character(s).

For those of you who insist on asking how long it has to be....it has to be long enough to do the things I have asked you to do...entertain, make me feel, and let me get to know!!

It can be about anything, but I want it to be completely fiction...not even BASED on a true story!!

Get busy!! :)

H1N1 Virus?? Swine Flu??

This is a topic that you cannot get away from right now. The media, schools, hospitals, etc. are a buzz over the issue.

What do you think about the H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) issue?

You know I want details...not just one sentence! :) Google it before you blog if you don't feel like you know much about it--I want this to sound like you know what you are talking about....not just a bunch of things you have heard "them" say!!


Just so you know...this is NOT a good idea with all that is going on in the world right now!! ;)