Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Define Hodgepodge- Vol 98

Welcome to this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. So glad you joined the party...be sure to add your link at the bottom of my post and then go see what everyone else is saying.

Here are my answers-


1.  Noah Webster was born this week back in 1758...besides the online version, do you own a dictionary? Do you ever use the hardback edition or is your search for a definition strictly online these days?

We have a hardback Websters around here somewhere.  Actually I just spied it, stuck in the far corner of the office bookcase.  Pretty sure it hasn't seen the light of day since we moved in to this house three years ago.  In our last house the dictionary was also kept in the office and I think maybe used on occasion. Course those were the days of school projects and daughters in the house.  Sniff.  These days I'm all about the online version.  Probably because I have such a knack for technology-ha!  

2.  Should public schools ban Halloween celebrations?  What about other holiday celebrations currently under fire?

My feelings are mixed.  Muddled. Conflicted.  On the one hand classroom teachers have so much they're expected to accomplish and manage these days, and that's on top of actually teaching the core curriculum. Adding a holiday celebration to the mix might just be too much.  Speaking as a former kindergarten teacher, I do know that party days are party days, and it's hard to keep little minds focused on the task at hand when they know treats are a-waiting.   

On the other hand, golly we've become a serious bunch.
About Halloween and a lot of things.  

3. What's your favorite 'dog' movie?

Far From Home:  The Adventures of Yellow Dog 
Just typing that makes me want to reach for a box of tissues.  

4. When were you last somewhere you'd describe as 'too quiet'?

In the age of connectedness I think it's hard to find a place that's too quiet.  It seems no where in this world is free from ring tones and inane chatter.  Conversations that at one time would have been carried on in private are now broadcast for anyone within earshot in restaurants, church foyers, on crowded trains, even from the other side of a restroom stall,  which in my mind is particularly disturbing.  

I'm very comfortable in quiet. 
I like quiet.  
I think this tired 'ole world could use a little more quiet.  

That being said...sometimes my house is too quiet.  

5.  Are you a neat cook or a messy cook?  In other words, do you clean as you go or make a big mess and deal with it later?

If you read my post yesterday you already know my answer to this one.  I feel the need to state for the record here that I'm not always as bad as the photo suggests. 

If you missed it, what are you waiting for? Click here.  

6. Did you hear about Felix Baumgartner, the skydiver who broke the sound barrier via parachute.  Was your first thought COOL! or was your first thought CRAZY!  Are you adventurous?

A little of both...a crazy kind of cool. I'm fascinated by people who have this sort of guts and also slightly horrified too.  I did read that his successful jump will be of value to the space program in their efforts to improve the chances of astronauts surviving mishaps in space.  

Am I adventurous? I'd say no, but that's not entirely true.  How about this...I'm reluctantly adventurous.  

7.  What's not a word but should be?

I love the word ginormous which I think was actually added to the dictionary a few years ago.  Just goes to show if we keep using ridonkulous words Merriam Webster will eventually come around.   

Also explains why I continue to say ridonkulous. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Today I'm headed with friends to some nearby waterfalls.  Autumn has exploded in our little corner of the world and I expect the color to be spectacular.  I might even take some pictures.  ahem.   


In the meantime here's one I posted on facebook yesterday...my driveway early morning.  I love the fall! 





39 comments:

  1. I want that driveway! Thats just beyond gorgeous! :) Anyway it is confusing to me too about celebrating such Holidays at school, Halloween is an American tradition to me. We would have Halloween parades and costume contests in my days and of course i learned plenty too!

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  2. Another great group of questions!
    I enjoyed reading your answers. Your apple creations from yesterday's post look yummy even if you made a "gom" of your kitchen.
    Your Fall color photo is beautiful. I hope you enjoy the falls and that you do indeed take pictures and share them with us here in blog world.

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  3. Girl, your "messy" kitchen has NOTHING on mine at the moment... and you've seen the recent photos to prove it! And I love your fall colors - I've never lived in the northeast, but I would love to see the fall colors there some day. As always, thanks for the Hodgepodge! :-)

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    1. Plus, I do clean mine as soon as I finish cooking...no experiments happening here : )

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  4. Enjoyed your answers! I love your words! Your driveway is to die for! Thanks for hosting this blog, I am not sure how you do it, see I would be repeating questions...lol.
    until next time...nel

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  5. Heck, ya! You've got to keep those holiday celebrations in the classroom - that's some of the best days of school, really. The messy cook, Laura

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  6. Far From Home is a good movie; haven't seen it in years. But I agree, some movies you think of and then nearly need a box of tissues! lol

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  7. I'd have to say your apple pie and cake are probably worth all the mess...they look DE-LISH! I am so envious of all the amazing fall colors you're getting to enjoy...ours here are not quite that vibrant. Be sure to take lots of pics. on your adventure today!

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  8. I am not a messy cook at all - I put things away as I use them. I hope you share your pictures from the waterfalls. Enjoy!

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  9. Have fun with the SF&N ladies today! NW Jersey IS beautiful in the autumn (too bad winter comes early and last a long time...) Enjoy your day!!

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  10. Love the fall picture. Enjoy your day at the waterfall.

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  11. Love the photo of your driveway.

    I also liked reading your take on school vs. holidays ---I do realize that having little ones high on anticipation of celebrating can be a difficult task for teachers, but it also teaches the kids patience, social skills, etc.

    Now I gotta go back and click on the 'cooking' link.

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  12. ps....that's a mess?!!! Looks pretty darned organized/clean cooking to me. As for a woman's work is never done....okay, I guess when we aren't retired. LOLOLOL

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  13. I love fall colors. The northeast is full of gorgeous colors, including your driveway. It's s sight to see! I love waterfalls too! Have a wonderful time with your friends.

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  14. So happy that autumn is here!! I use ginormous and ridonkulous alll the time, lol

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  15. Your fall photo is beautiful! Can't wait to see what you'll photograph today on your outing!

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  16. I thought of the word ginormous too! I say it frequently. I really enjoyed these questions and see we agree on the whole quiet deal.

    Enjoy your day, sounds like a lot of "Kodak"moments ahead for sure. See you when I return!

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  17. Ridonkulous and ginormous are good words. Love that picture of the fall colors by your drive. Beautiful. Hope you have fun at the falls and yes we want to see pictures.

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  18. that's cool that it could potentially help other astronauts in the future... I'll keep my feet on the ground :)

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  19. Beautiful fall photo. We hope to get to the lake this weekend, which is in a particularly colorful part of our area in leaf-speak. :) I'm sure I'll get a few photos. :)

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  20. Take lots of pictures - I love waterfalls.

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  21. Thank you for keeping the hodge podge going. I look forward to it all week. I really like your answer to number 2.I never looked at it from a teacher's point of view.

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  22. Love the picture of your driveway.

    We use ginormous and ridonkulous as words all the time. I think they should add it to the dictionary.

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  23. Gorgeous driveway! Waterfalls, fall foliage and friends. Sounds like you have a perfect day ahead. Enjoy!

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  24. Oh, those colors are ridonkulously righteous:) I will look forward to seeing some more of your autumn colors! Things are just barely starting to turn around here.

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  25. LOL - ridonkulous is a great word! And wow, what a gorgeous picture. I wish we had fall color down here in Texas. I've always wanted to see something like that.

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  26. Have a beautiful fall day with your friends, Joyce. I enjoyed reading this post. I couldn't believe how noisy it was with the grandkids here and how quiet it is without them. :-((

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  27. I do enjoy the quiet, however my mind is seldom quiet. I use to say redonkulous all the time after seeing "I Love You Man", Jason Segel said it often. Actually I did a post about how my favorite flower Ranunculus sounds like that!
    Enjoy your day, can't wait to see pictures.

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  28. Beautiful picture! The colors are just starting to change here.
    Enjoy the waterfalls. Sounds like a great way to spend an autumn day :)

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  29. The earthquake last night seems to have knocked down a lot of leaves along my driveway.

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  30. I loved your words. I too use ginormous and cannot understand why it is not in the dictionary....it should be. Loved your fall shot too. This was a fun week at Hodge Podge.

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  31. I'm getting some really good movie recommendations reading the Hp's today. Thanks!

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  32. YUP the color is all round us and it sure it pretty. Add to that the smell of a fire and this is FALL.

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  33. Love the word ridonkulous!! Picture is gorgeous NJ fall is really like no other or should I say the East coast fall is like no other! Have a wonderful day!

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  34. You've got to stop posting your fall pictures else you might get a new neighbor--ME! LOL I do enjoy them. At least someone's getting fall color. We use ridonkulous around here too. Along with a host of other words that escape me at the moment. I could ask the lovelies via text message, but I'm too beat to type the words. :) There are no places in our school that are too quiet. But if we ever do have a place like that, I'm THERE!

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  35. i love your word----lovely fall pic--and yeah we are too serious about too much, these days :)

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  36. I agree with your thoughts on halloween, but I feel like the kids rarely have a chance to have fun anymore. We need to let them be kids.It is a mentally a nd physically exhauting day for a teacher, but it is also a day in which we smile and laugh a lot!

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  37. i love the words ginormous and ridonkulous. and your kitchen mess looks about like mine :)

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