Friday Show & Tell

With this installment of Friday Show & Tell, Writers Li.P.P. is going on indefinite hiatus. Even though we will no longer be blogging together, you can keep up with us on our personal blogs, Lindy Chaffin Start and Pam Asberry.  Thanks to all of you for supporting us by reading and commenting. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!

Who Says Healthy-er Can't Taste Good?

Okay, so I have to admit that when it comes to the holidays the last thing I am worried about is counting calories. I'm more a "moderation" girl than a "no bread and cheese" girl. Thanksgiving is the only day of the year I EVER feel over-full and Christmas means all of those delectable dishes we only taste once in 365 days.

Since 2011 has been such a challenging year and I have committed myself to taking the 2012 bull by the horns and changing my life in a complete one-eighty why should I concern myself with healthful recipes at the holidays? Maybe I want to set a good example. Could it be that I want to impress my friends with flavorful and healthy food? Perhaps my intent to completely change in 2012 needs to get a good start, or I need to send 2011 off on a healthier note. No matter. Here are some of the "better for you" recipes I will be serving this year. Enjoy!

Ricotta Dip for Fruit

1/2 Cup low fat Ricotta cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 6-ounce container vanilla low fat yogurt
6 cups cubed cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and strawberries

In a blender or food processor, combine ricotta, cream cheese, orange juice and powdered sugar. Cover and blend or process until smooth. In a medium bowl stir together cheese mixture and yogurt. If desired, cover and chill dip up to 24 hours. Serve with assorted fresh fruit.

Chili-Toasted Pecans with Dried Cherries

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
2 cups pecan halves (8 ounces)
1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3/4 cup dried cherries or a combination of raisins and dried cherries (4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl combine oil and hot pepper sauce. Add pecans; toss to coat evenly. Set aside. In a small bowl combine chili powder, pepper, salt, cumin and oregano. Add to pecans; toss well to coat. Place pecans in a single layer in a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan. Bake fro 12-15 minutes or until toasted, stirring every five minutes. Stir in dried cherries. Serve warm or cooled to room temperature.

Praline-topped Brie

1 each 13-ounce round Brie or Camembert cheese
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
Apple slices and/o toasted French bread slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place cheese in a shallow, ovenproof serving dish or pie plate. In a small bowl stir together orange marmalade and brown sugar. Spread on top of cheese. Sprinkle with pecans. Bake about 15 minutes or until cheese is slightly softened and topping is bubbly. Serve with apple and/or bread slices.

I must thank Better Homes and Gardens for these lovely recipes, but for my own personal tips, well, here you go:

• Always go for the whole grain. Be it french bread, mustard or cereal - whole grain is better for you.
• If a recipe calls for crackers or bread, improvise with sliced fruit or vegetables. Serve the brie, as mentioned above, with apple slices. Serve that family-favorite cheese ball with sliced cucumbers, zucchini, celery or carrot slices. 
• If you're serving a pasta dish, even spaghetti, lighten it up by using julienned squash (zucchini or summer) or take advantage of the fall harvest and use spaghetti squash. 

The best advice I can offer is don't overdo it. Enjoy yourself. Pamper your palette. Don't drink and drive. And if you do eat that one extra cookie, forgive yourself then get up and go for a walk the next day.

Happy Holidays my friends. Feast!

Friday Show & Tell

Lindy Chaffin Start - Decatur, GA

Girls live here!

You reckon? Think pink! I hear it's the new "Red" this Christmas.

*****

Pam Asberry * Dacula, GA

Grand Cayman Island


To heck with the North Pole. If I were Santa, I would move my workshop to the Caribbean.

* * *

Have a great week-end; we'll be back on Monday with our favorite holiday party recipes!

Wrap Yourself This Christmas!

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that “the greatest gift is a portion of thyself.”

Yes, I love to craft and create. It has always been my gift to close family and friends to make their gifts at Christmas. The year Red was born I made Christmas ornaments. Small glass balls adorned with a snowman that was built from her tiny footprint. Cute, huh? The next year I made clocks out of wooden plaques with our family’s memories from that year captured in photographs on the face. Pretty cool. The next year it was a wreath made of jingle boughs decorated with small photo frames that captured our memories from the year. Fun. This year I am recycling. I can’t tell you because you just might be getting one, but know it will be recycled and handmade and Red and I hope you like it.

I agree with Pam that more often than not our friends and loved ones wish to have something special under the tree to open. I, in fact, am guilty of this very infraction. So much so that I gave my mother $100 and asked her to take my little girl shopping for the gifts on my wish list. Sad. True. Okay, so that has more to do with creating tradition and teaching a little red-headed princess how to think about someone other than herself at Christmastime, but equally as selfish is my wish for a small gift or two to open on Christmas morning. In all honesty I don’t need anything, but I wish beyond wishes for that small acknowledgement that I exist. Which brings me to the greatest gift of all – friendship.

Aside from the crafty-handmade gifts and the little tokens wrapped underneath my tree I want to give myself and my friends the greatest gift – each other. I plan to open my home to family and friends for one night steeped in frivolous fun – a re-gifters gift exchange, a covered dish, some hot cider, a carol or two, maybe even a viewing of Rudolf or the first Miracle on 34^th Street. No matter what we do, just being together is what counts.

This year would have been impossible to bear without the love and support of our friends so now is the time for me to pay it back, or pay it forward, depending on your perspective. Won’t you join me?

What will you do this season to make it bright on a budget? 

Friday Show and Tell

Pam Asberry * Dacula, GA

Florida, here I come!

All my bags are packed; I'm ready to go. As soon as the school bell rings this afternoon, I will pick up my 15 year old son and we will make a beeline for Tampa, Florida where we have a reservation for one night in a hotel. Then tomorrow we will take a shuttle to the cruise port where we will board the Carnival Inspiration for a five-day cruise to Grand Cayman and Cozumel, returning Thanksgiving Day. It won't be a traditional holiday, to be sure, but I am looking forward to a break in my routine, fun in the sun, gourmet meals every night, and doing the electric slide while the steel drum band plays. 

* * * * *

Lindy Chaffin Start * Decatur, GA

Widow-maker...

You don't think about how fragile life is until you pass by something this deadly. Can you imagine walking your dog and having this impale you instead of the ground? I guess that's why they call them widow-makers. 

A Healthful Twist on Thanksgiving Favorites!

My Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Okay, so not really, but Thanksgiving food was the hot topic this afternoon as I spoke with my Aunt Gwyne about our plans surrounding next week’s BIG day. It’s not unlike any of us to focus our utmost attention on a meal we get to eat once a year. I, for one, relish a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey and ham as the centerpieces surrounded by warm goodness rivaled only by what the ladies in our church might offer as a buffet feast on Wednesday nights.

While on the phone with Auntie, she mentioned she had been for her quarterly check up today. When asked how everything turned out, she said in her always calm, positive manner, “Everything’s fine.” Though she did say her doctor had reminded her of the upcoming holidays and offered fair warning. Now mind you my aunt is the survivor of the century. It started with a broken ankle that led to a heart attack which lended itself to the discovery of diabetes then breast cancer. Heck, that’s just been in the last six years. Apparently her doctor shook a firm finger in her direction and reminded her she could only cheat on two days – Thanksgiving and Christmas. Otherwise, she had to mind her diet. We giggled a little as we both know Auntie cheats a bit whenever she feels like it. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?

Then, we talked about the meal. She will have the cherished turkey and ham, green beans and corn. I don’t know what everyone else is planning to contribute. All in all we will have about 25 for dinner at my aunt’s. Here is what I am planning to take:

Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

Ingredients:

2 bags frozen broccoli

2 bags frozen cauliflower

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cups cheddar cheese

1 sleeve Town House Crackers

1 stick butter

Method: Cook the broccoli and cauliflower according to package directions pulling from the stove a couple of minutes early so as to finish in the sauce in the actual casserole. In a large bowl mix soup, sour cream, mayonnaise and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the broccoli and cauliflower. Pour mixture into a large casserole dish (9x13) sprayed with cooking spray. Top with crushed crackers. Drizzle butter over the top to finish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Get ready to taste heaven (yes, that was a casserole-eatin’ choir of angels you just heard).

My Better than Soufflé Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)

Honey

Butter

Salt and pepper

Method: Nothing is easier. Boil sweet potatoes until they are tender. Remove from stove and drain. Return to pot. Mash potatoes the best way you know how – potato masher, mixer, whisk – they all work fine. Add a few tablespoons of butter while they are hot. Mix well and check consistency. Add honey; about half a bear. Then salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and serve. Simple, pantry-friendly.

Sugared Pecans

Ingredients:

1 pound pecans

1 cup sugar

Method: Another, oh so simple recipe. Put pecans in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover with water. Add sugar. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until the water begins to thicken slightly and turn a nice dark caramel brown. Drain. Toss boiled pecans onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spread them evenly so they don’t stick together. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 200 degrees until the pecans and the sugar dry out a bit and form a nice crust. Depending on your oven, 30 minutes to an hour. Let the pecans cool in the pan. Transfer to a bowl and serve. This will be the happiest crowd of people you have ever seen.

Enjoy all of the kudos on your contributions. Don’t over indulge. Celebrate you and your family. Be thankful for all that you have, even the fleas. And, have a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Friday Show and Tell

Pam Asberry * Dacula, GA

The view from my bedroom window.

 I'm going to miss those leaves when they're gone.

* * * * *

Lindy Chaffin Start * Decatur, GA

My neighbor's treasured Japanese Maple

It's funny how Pam and I think alike most Fridays. Every year this tree puts on a brilliant display of crimson and gold. It's my signal for the fall of my life to begin. Time for rest and rejuvenation, not only for Mother Nature, but for me as well. I'll miss the leaves, but when the first snow falls, I'll have a much better view of the field below. Happy Fall Y'all!

Pretty Awesome New Stuff – Bad and Good

My friend, Pam Asberry is all too inspiring and her post on Monday about awesome new things she has tried brought me to shameful tears. You see, this year hasn’t been about trying new things for me; it has been more about shedding the old:

• Cleaning out closets
• Hosting a yard sale
• Taking a break from everything I aspire to be to search for a job
• Letting go of a relationship I thought was forever

And what awesome new thing did I get? A little piece of paper, signed by a judge, that states I am once again…single.

But wait! I don’t want to weigh you down with a bunch of poor, pitiful me sob story stuff. If you’ve read anything I’ve ever written you know that’s not at all what I’m about. Let’s take another look at the bullet points above:

• Yes, I cleaned out my closets. I discovered half of my clothes were either too small or too big so guess what I did. I bought new ones. One of my favorite new outfits I found at Macy’s. Hot, right?

• Okay, so what. I hosted a yard sale. Big deal! I made enough money to re-do my little girl’s room. It’s very pretty and purple now. She no longer resides in a guest room disguised as a kid’s room. She now has her very own space complete with a newly painted night stand and stars and “jewels” on the walls.

Red's New Room

• Yeah, yeah. This is where it gets hard. I took a break from everything I aspire to be to look for a job. Listen, it only sounds bad. My passions (writing, cooking, painting) got put on the back burner one more time in my life but in their place I got to take classes on InDesign and Illustrator and learned some cool new tricks of a new awesome trade. I’ve been doing freelance graphic design ever since. So there is still the ginormous void of an actual job but I know its coming. Living in faith, I know, like I know, like I know. So, now is the time for me to reconnect with my passions while I still have some free time and let God take care of the rest.

• Letting go of that relationship was probably the most devastating, but in the process I connected with old friends and new, especially the girls, like Karen, Zoe, Pam, Megan, Marjorie and a list of others who must forgive me as I only have so much space in one blog post, BUT you know who you are and you know I love each of you so much it hurts.  And lest we not forget the boys like Mark, Bryan and Michael who have been like little beacons of hope for me that good, honest men do still exist.

You see, my pretty awesome new things are the things I had been lacking all along. The gumption to get rid of the old and start looking for the new. The knowledge that space is very personal. The ability to learn and grow. And, the courage to admit when something just wasn’t working.  

Yes, in 2011, I shed the old but look at all the awesome new things, and people, I discovered in the process.

Life in Penned Perspective by Lindy Chaffin Start

www.unstoppablestart.com

Friday Show and Tell

Lindy Chaffin Start - Decatur, GA

Soo-ee!
This little piggy's pic was taken at Southern Belle Farm in McDonough, GA

Yep, that's me, the pig in blue. Okay, so I'm not really a pig - physically, spiritually, emotionally - but showing you a picture of this little guy trucking it around the track to the finish line sets up the holidays for me. Halloween is over and here we are into the first of November - already. 

Time to get your calls on kids. Let the fun begin! Soo-ee! Sorry, I mean Happy Holidays!

* * *

Pam Asberry - Dacula, GA

Legacy Hall, River Center for the Performing Arts, Schwob School of Music, Columbus State University

It's all a matter of perspective.

The Classics Do It For Me

Make me giggle to no end, that is. Like this one...

Lucille Ball is an all time favorite of mine, well her and my mother and my aunt when they get started laughing at something and just can't stop.

Cheers to the girls today!

Halloween Show and Tell...

Lindy Chaffin Start - Decatur, GA

Red as Jesse from Toy Story - 2010

The always fabulous Headless Horseman (here he looks ghostly)

Screamer!

There are some terrific pumpkin carvers out there, but Screamer was by far my favorite jack-o-lantern last year. Something about him "screamed" CREATIVE!!!

Happy Halloween, Y'all!

* * * * *

Pam Asberry * Dacula, GA

Nathan, October, 2005

I know it's a cliche, but they really do grow up too fast.
I am 5" 2", so when this picture was taken, I towered over my little guy.
My, what a difference six years makes!
My advice? Treasure every chaotic moment with your precious little trick-or-treaters this year.
Your big ones, too.

Halloween Open House and Costume Contest! Come and Play!

Me and Red - Halloween 2009

Halloween is a favorite of mine. Not only do I love a good haunt, but the memories that surround this special day linger in my mind like summer hangs on in Georgia.

My friend Kate who was 96 when she died some years back, used to open her home to all us neighborhood kids on Halloween. She would dress like a movie star straight from 1930s Hollywood and serve up yummy treats to the kids and parents that wandered by on Trick-or-Treat rounds. Wassail for the grownups, hot apple cider for the kids. Homemade popcorn balls decorated with chocolate bars to make them look like jack-o-lanterns were a staple along with spiced cookies - Kate's specialty. 

Trick-or-Treating the full length of our neighborhood all by ourselves was something special and not getting home until 9:00 PM on a school night. The best part was being with the host of friends I grew up with. The Moseley's, Rob, Hunter and Jay, Amanda, Audra, to name only a few, were the usual traveling pack when we were younger. We would inevitably run into other friends and the group would grow until it took us a full ten minutes to get through the passing out of candy at each house. Great fun. 

In my twenties, and don't I wish I could've found this pic for you, the only Halloween party I attended was with my first husband and we dressed as Frankenstein and his bride. He came complete with stilts that made him seven feet tall, and my hair was almost as tall as his stilts. Scary! 

But the best Halloweens I have ever experienced have been with Red. Her first Trick-or-Treat was 2009. We traversed the neighborhood and collected candy from every house with it's front light on - in the icy cold rain. She loved every minute and so did I. Yes, that's me, the Too Sexy chef up top. In 2010, she dressed as Jessie from Toy Story and I dressed for warmth and walking. This year she is destined to be Daphne from Scooby Doo and so am I. Yes, she has asked me to be the "Mom Daphne." *laughing* I like purple, so why the heck not. 

This week isn't all about us though, its about you too. Pam and I want you to e-mail us your favorite Halloween get-ups from the past. We'll choose a winner, or two, and post them for Friday Show and Tell. We'll have prizes for best costume too! 

Pam's on Trick-or-Treat deck next! Have a great week and send me your photos - writerslipp@gmail.com.

Friday Show and Tell

Pam Asberry * Dacula, GA

Do you ever feel this way?

The coffee mug says it all.

*****

Lindy Chaffin Start * Decatur, GA

Emerge Unstoppable!

After ten months of struggling through the pain of divorce, I still did...
EMERGE UNSTOPPABLE in 2011!

The Exorcism Factor: Things I Heard and Swore I Would Never Repeat

"See ya!"

5 FINGERS© Nithi Chungyam | Dreamstime.com

It’s funny how we perceive others.  When it's someone we care about it's hard to see that they may be flawed to the point that we need to cut ties. This post means a great deal to me because I am essentially outing people I have known without revealing their identities. For these purposes, let’s call it an exorcism. This is my way of writing the note and lighting it on fire so that I can finally let these folks go. All of these people I have known well, shared intimate conversations with, and completely disconnected from once these statements were uttered. You ready?

Me: “So, why the name change?” 

Friend: “There’s a warrant out for my arrest.”
Me: “For?”
Friend: “My ex is after me for back child support.”
Refrain from slapping. See ya!

Me: “Girl, you look great! How did you lose so much weight?”
Friend: “Well, did I ever tell you that cocaine is my drug of choice.”
Head tilt. Huh? See ya!

Me: “I really appreciate your help this weekend. Is there anything I can do to repay you?”
Friend: “Didn’t you tell me once that the doc had given you Xanex for your panic attacks?”
Me: “Yeah. Why?”
Friend: “I’ll buy them from you.”
Are you kidding me? See ya!

Me: “You said that you wanted to have your children raised in church. What happened?”

Friend: “I just said that to try to get in your pants.”
Whole host of expletives resound in brain.  See ya!

Sadly, I am naïve enough not to pick up on the warning signs like most. Believing in people is what I do. Seeing the good, refusing to admit the bad until it smacks me across the face – WHACK! Gratefully, I am well aware of when to call a friendship quits.

What about you? Is there something you’ve heard from a friend that has ended a relationship? Something you swore you would never repeat?

Pam is up next. Until Friday Show and Tell I bid you a good week.

Friday Show and Tell

Lindy - Decatur, GA

The neighbor's mailbox-eating tree...

9-1-1 Operator: "9-1-1. What's your emergency?"

Neighbor: "OMG! Send and ambulance!"

9-1-1 Operator: "Sir, what happened?"

Neighbor: "My tree ate my mailbox!"

* click *

* * * * *

Pam - Dacula, GA

I dream of living someplace warm enough to wear tank tops, flippy skirts and flip-flops year round,
because as soon as the temperature dips below 60 degrees, I reach for my fuzzy socks.
This is probably as close as I'm going to get to flip-flops for a while.

Best Things These Li.P.P.s Ever Tasted – Fall Recipes

Do you ever have that feeling like your hands are in control? It’s the craziest feeling – they have to be doing something. I often say in these instances that “my hands are bored.” There is nothing like cooler days and a tinge of color on the leaves outside my window to inspire creativity. My bored hands are at the ready to do some busy work. So, I give them something to do.

Flavors of fall are especially important to me – freshly harvested apples, root vegetables like parsnip, carrot, sweet potato and Brussels sprouts all lend themselves to a heartier, cool-weather plate.  At the center of this plate is perfectly roasted pork tenderloin. Yes, perfect. I know I said in my post last Wednesday that perfection was unattainable but perfected is possible. Well, perfection may be found in pork tenderloin.

Let’s build our plate and then I will give you the super secret, super easy recipe:

Imagine if you will a beautiful 10 inch dinner plate with elegant branches from a wintering dogwood filled with red berries stretching from corner to corner. In the center of the plate is a simple sweet potato mash made with a drizzle of honey, salt and pepper. In the seven o’clock corner there is a luscious mound of sautéed spinach with slivers of shaved garlic. In the one o’clock corner there is a nice showing of roasted root vegetables – carrots and parsnips – roasted in olive oil and rosemary. In the 11 o’clock corner, half of a Granny Smith apple and sharp provolone cheese are cubed and tossed together.  Sound good so far? Now, we need our focal point.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

• 1 split baby tenderloin, fat trimmed
• Emeril’s Original Essence
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Simple. Simple. Simple.

Method:

Place the tenderloins in a gallon Ziploc bag. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat (a couple of tablespoons) then pour, not sprinkle, Emeril’s  Original Essence into the bag atop the tenderloins. Zip the bag then squish the tenderloins around in the bag until they are nice and orange all over. It’s the spices, I promise. Heat a nonstick sauté pan, should you have one available, on medium-high to high heat. Sear the tenderloins on all four sides, each side will be a nice crisp brown - not black. Turn the tenderloins onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Take the meat out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

This is the simplest pork tenderloin ever. I perfected the method while building a home in Juliette, Georgia. Every weekend we would commit to work through so I would pack the cooler with things that were easy to prepare with very few ingredients. This tenderloin, some cheddar cheese, Texas Pete, and flour tortillas made for a great lunch straight from the grill.

Fall conjures up so many flavors for me. I suggest you start your day with pecan pancakes and maple syrup. Have an enjoyable light lunch that might be a twist on Waldorf salad and whole grain toast or crackers. Finish your day with the ultimate fall dinner (above). No autumn weekend is complete without it.

Life, and menu ideas, in Penned Perspective by Lindy Chaffin Start

www.unstoppablestart.com

Friday Show & Tell

Pam Asberry * Dacula, GA

This little guy shows up outside my kitchen window every single night.

I know he is looking for bugs but I like to think he is just peeking in to say hi.

Regardless, I admire his steadfastness and tenacity.

* * * * *

Lindy Chaffin Start * Decatur, GA

Emerging.

A Pondering on Perfection…

The very best thing I’ve read in the last few days truly made me think on the topic of perfectionism. This is a point made by Sarah Ban Breathnach in her book, Simple Abundance - A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. She points out, “Upon completing the Universe, the Great Creator pronounced it ‘very good.’ Not ‘perfect.’”

Life is rarely perfect therefore we will never achieve perfection. Sounds fair. And, who would want to? What fun would life be if we all achieved our goals the minute we set out to? I figure we’d all be left standing around until one of us screamed, “What’s next?”

Pam’s post on Time Management this past Monday drove this point home to me. In there she asks, “Are you fully engaged in the one or two pursuits that bring you sheer delight? Would you be happy doing nothing but what you are doing for the rest of your life?

Funny thing about it is, when you are doing what you love, there is no need for perfection. Uh oh. What did I just say? Seriously. Look at it this way - yes, manuscripts have to be as perfect as perfect gets. Hello, that’s what editors and proofers are for. Work can be flawed, but people must still be served, events must still take place, the daily grind must still go on. Here’s my question, would you rather be sitting on the couch writing surrounded by poignant reminders that you have an active family (aka. a messy living room) or would you rather be expelling all of your energy perfecting your living room in a blind effort to make a peaceful space to work? If you spend your time cleaning to find the perfect space, then what do you do when the kids get home from school and want their fair share of quality time with you? After dinner, as everyone bathes and dons PJs, will you find time to write like you had planned earlier in the day? Can you forgive yourself and try again tomorrow? Sure you can. BUT, will tomorrow look like today?

© Aje | Dreamstime.com

It doesn’t take long to see the same pattern we all face. Lisa Bloom speaks about this in her book, THINK: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World. Find the time that you need to do the things that fulfill you. Let the kids take part in the cleaning and, in my humble opinion, do it before bed so you can have a semi-clean house when they leave for school. When they get home, allow them an hour of “free time” to do what they want in their space. This will allow you an extra hour to do what you want. Try it.

Stop looking for perfection. Find balance.

Until Friday Show and Tell this is Life in Penned Perspective by Lindy Chaffin Start.

www.unstoppablestart.com

Friday Show and Tell

Lindy - Decatur, GA

Deer Me...

It's mine.

No! It's mine!

Mine!

No, mine!

*****

Pam * Dacula, GA

Man and Beast

Two kewl dudes.

IHA! How Will We Ever Adapt?

It's the great conundrum for someone who works at making every sentence just right. No, I'm not talking to only the writer-types reading this, but those who write notes of thanks, write letters for a boss, or journal to maintain his or her sanity. Everyone writes, right?

Scenario 1 - So tell me, what would the 87 year old grandmother say to a thank you note that read, "Dear G'ma. Thx 4 the diary u sent for my b'day. GMBO at the cute puppy on the cover. G'ma, I'm 12. Puppies r 4 babies. LUWAMH, Maggs.

Scenario 2 - Or, how about the manager reading a memo from his recent grad boss, "IMHO, ASAP in this ARE, we must msg our customers in a language they rel8 to. We must appear SF, K. FWIW, we can offer training in this new language. If not, I think YBS. TTYL.

Scenario 3 - As far maintaining sanity via journal, well, can you imagine coming back to this journal 20 years from now: "WIBNI bb grl hadn't climbed into the kitchen sink and eaten those coffee grounds 2day. LSHMBB. Diaper was disgusting. FMTYEWTK to be sure. HHIS. I'll run the disposal next time. TGIF, I couldn't take 1 more thing. Finally, I get to L2M and relax. TAFN.

Not only does it all sound like gibberish, who in their right mind could wrap their head around all of the combinations of acronyms that could come about? Are seventh grade English teachers going to now have to include acronymic sentence structure with and without punctuation?

So, how does the modern woman adapt to today's language? She looks up the latest lists, the hottest acronyms and buzzwords, so she can keep up with what her kids are chatting about online, on the cell, and passing back and froth in class. Then, she breaks the binding on that new copy of Webster's and gets back to the real world and writing real thank you notes, letters and memos, and manuscripts, lots and lots of manuscripts (for you writer-types reading this). 

Oh, and if you are curious about the translations of the messages above, they are below (If I could've flipped them upside down I would have just to mess with you like they do in the newspaper).

Scenario 1 Translation: Dear Grandmother, Thanks for the diary you sent for my birthday. Giggling my butt off at the cute puppy on the cover. Grandmother, I'm 12. Puppies are for babies. Love you with all my heart, Maggs

Scenario 2 Translation: In my humble opinion, as soon as possible in this acronym rich environment, we must message our customers in a language they can relate to. We must appear surfer friendly, okay. For what it's worth, we can offer training in this new language.  If not, I think you'll be sorry. Talk to you later.

Scenario 3 Translation: Wouldn't it be nice if baby girl hadn't climbed into the kitchen sink and eaten those coffee grounds today. Laughing so hard my belly is bouncing. Diaper was disgusting. Far more than you ever wanted to know to be sure. Hanging head in shame. I'll run the disposal next time. Thank goodness it's Friday, I couldn't take one more thing. Finally, I get to listen to music and relax. That's all for now.

What ridiculous message would you send to your boss if you knew for certain he or she would never decipher it? Have your kids taken on speaking and writing in this new verbiage (this being the true definition of verbiage)? Do you think the workplace will ever adopt this way of communicating?

Life in Penned Perspective by Lindy Chaffin Start
http://www.unstoppablestart.com/