When Real People Do Amazing Things

For the A-Z Blog challenge, I will be addressing some of life's big questions. Perhaps together we can find the answers to many heretofore unsolvable mysteries.

is for Zeal

Zeal is something I admire in a lot of people, but I think I'm lacking a bit in my own life. 

Where do people get the zeal to do so many amazing and crazy things?

Run a marathon.

 Climb Mt. Everest.

 Dedicate their whole life to a cause.

Is zeal something you think the world needs more of? What brings out the zeal in you?

The End.

I've loved participating in the A to Z blog. You guys are all amazing!

Here's what's coming up on my blog:

May 1 - Blog tour stop for Author Cindy Hogan and her novel "Protected."

May 7 - My wrap-up of the A to Z Challenge. 

**Do Not Miss** Monday, May 14, I will launch an awesome contest that anyone can enter, and anyone can win. Details on the 7th. 

Check out my March Limerick Contest for an idea of what to expect.

Anger Management

For the A-Z Blog challenge, I will be addressing some of life's big questions. Perhaps together we can find the answers to many heretofore unsolvable mysteries.

is for Yelling

And bad tempers and rage and exploding frustration.

Why are we so quick to get mad? 

I feel like everywhere I go people are angry and upset, and taking it out on other people. People who often have nothing to do with the mad guy's problems in the first place.

People are angry at work and it affects their ability to keep a steady job. People are angry at home, and it affects the whole family. People are just angry angry angry.

We even have an emoticon to help us express our anger.

When did we become such a temperamental society? Or have we always been that way? Maybe humans are an angry species.

And how would our lives be different if we just took a deep breath, counted to ten, and let it go?

Bonus: Linkin Park "Iridescent"

Monday's Question:
How did the zebra get his stripes?

Generation Gap

For the A-Z Blog challenge, I will be addressing some of life's big questions. Perhaps together we can find the answers to many heretofore unsolvable mysteries.

is for Generation X

I believe the term Generation X can be applied to anyone born from around the early 1960s through the late '70s or early '80s. 

So yes. Let me date myself. That means me.

Those of us born after the World War II baby boom. Those of us that lived through the oil crisis, the energy crisis, Chernobyl, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Cold War.

We've helped usher in the home computer, cellular phones, video gaming, and the internet.

Our lives have been marked by constant change. According to author John Ulrich, 

"Generation X" has always signified a group of young people, seemingly without identity, who face an uncertain, ill-defined (and perhaps hostile) future.

Have we reached that future?

What about our children? The ones they call the MTV Generation or Generation Y? What kind of future is in store for them?

Tomorrow's Question:
Y not?

What Lies Beneath

For the A-Z Blog challenge, I will be addressing some of life's big questions. Perhaps together we can find the answers to many heretofore unsolvable mysteries.

is for Water


It's taken me a long time to admit this, but I'm scared of the water.


We have a few lakes that we visit regularly--and have visited since I was a child, Hebgen Lake in Montana and Lake Tahoe. They both freak me out, even after all these years.

I know it's all in my head, but seriously. What is it about water that is so frightening?

Here's what is really there:

Here's what I imagine:

Why is the water so scary? 

Tomorrow's Question:
What generation are you?

The Bad Guys Win Again

For the A-Z Blog challenge, I will be addressing some of life's big questions. Perhaps together we can find the answers to many heretofore unsolvable mysteries.

is for Vehicles


Why do the bad guys always have the coolest vehicles? 





Exhibit A:

The Tie Fighter 

versus 

the X-Wing (Star Wars)

Exhibit B:

Sarris's Ship
versus
Captain Nesmith (GalaxyQuest)

Exhibit C:

Romulon Ship (And possibly one of the coolest ships ever.)

versus

 The New Enterprise (Star Trek)

Exhibit D:

Starscream
verses
Optimus Prime (This was pretty much a given when they made Optimus an 18 wheeler. Really. How can a truck compete with a stealth jet that can transform to a robot and back in mid-air?)

Exhibit E:

Cobra in a Hummer 

verses 

The Joes in a van (GI Joe. If it weren't for the Joes shooting out the window, it could just as easily be a soccer mom late for practice.)

Any exceptions you can think of? James Bond? Tony Sparks? What do you think?

Tomorrow's Question:
What Lies Beneath?

ANSWERS FROM YESTERDAYS TEXTING CHALLENGE:

THX = thanks (I started with the easiest)

SOMY = sick of me yet?

ROFL = rolling on floor laughing

NE1 = anyone

BOOMS = bored out of my skull

AFAIK = as fas as I know

.02 = my two cents

BOSMKL = bending over smacking knee laughing

VBS = very big smile

WAJ = what a jerk

POS = parent over shoulder (meaning I can't say what I want because my parents are watching)

*bonus* 459 = I love you (because those are the numbers on a keypad for ILY)

URGR8

For the A-Z Blog challenge, I will be addressing some of life's big questions. Perhaps together we can find the answers to many heretofore unsolvable mysteries.

is for U

As in you. 

When did we lose 75% of the letters in the alphabet?

URH = you are hot

UOK  = you ok?

UTM = you tell me

URA* = you are a star

I know I'm old fashioned. And maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm an author and spend a gazillion hours editing, but it bugs me. 

I'll admit to an occasional LOL. But if I try to take short cuts on a text, it itches my spine and I always end up going back and fixing it. Texting OCD.

Before the days of the full keyboard phones, I can see why texting shortcuts were helpful. 

So, here's the test. Can you identify the following phrases:

THX

SOMY

ROFL

NE1

BOOMS

AFAIK

.02

BOSMKL

VBS

WAJ

POS (not the one that starts with piece of ... )  :)

and the bonus question: 459

I'll post the answers with tomorrow's blog.

Tomorrow's Question
The Bad Guys Win Again

I Want It All, and I Want It Now

For the A-Z Blog challenge, I will be addressing some of life's big questions. Perhaps together we can find the answers to many heretofore unsolvable mysteries.

is for Technology

First off, I'm told that if you even use the word technology in reference to modern-day gadgets and such, you've already dated yourself as an old fogey. 

My question today is this: Is technology going in the right direction? 

Shouldn't we have reached new heights by now?

Shouldn't we be beaming stuff?

I want to be able to call a restaurant and have them beam dinner right to my house.

Here it is, the year 2012, and we're still cooking over an open flame.

Isn't that what the cavemen did?

Our great technological advancement is that we've added a pan. 

Hooray for us. 

What new technological break-throughs are you waiting for?

Tomorrow's Question:
Is that English?

Also don't miss my first chapter featured on the Utah Children's Writers blog, here.