Writing Gooder

It’s Thanksgiving in the United States, and it’s my favorite holiday above all.  Whereas almost every other holiday (stike that almost on second thought) has become commercialized, Thanksgiving remains first and foremost about family, food, and sports.

Thanksgiving isn’t about “giving and receiving,” but about giving thanks for what we already have.  So, I’d like to ask you, what books and/or authors are you thankful for? Are there any that have changed your outlook on life?  Has there been a book that has changed you for the better?

For me, the author I’m most thankful for is Dr. Suess.  So many of my favorite childhood memories revolve around Dr. Suess, and he always approached intractable problems from an optimistic perspective.

In all honesty, it probably doesn’t say any of the things tul.com says it does.  But it’s seriously amusing.  And in the end it’s really just trying to get you to buy TUL items.

Try it here!

My best analogy: “Your large handwriting suggests that you are extroverted and ambitious.  Of course, there’s always a chance that you are a giant and this handwriting is actually small for you.”

…or to avoid thinking?

It’s an interesting question, and one that was posed to me not long ago.  My answer is, “I don’t know.”  When I read cases and articles for school, I certainly am reading to think, but I would not be reading that stuff if I did not have to.  On the other hand, when I do read on my own time, it’s often for entertainment value.  Right now I’m reading “Antony and Cleopatra” by Colleen McCollough, and before that I was reading “No Country for Old Men” by Cormac McCarthy.  Both books have tremondous literary merit, and “Antony and Cleopatra” even has historical merit.  But by reading them, am I furthering my intellectual development?  Probably not.

Certainly there are entertaining books that do make you think, books like “1984″ by George Orwell, and “Flatland” by Edwin Abbott, but am I reading those books to think or to entertain myself?  It’s the latter I suspect even though they will, again, make me think.

So what about you?  Do you typically pick up a book to think or to avoid thinking?  That is, is it the entertainment value of the book that attracts you, or the intellectual value of the book?

Thanks to all who played!  The winners are:

Day 1-Adnamarine

Day 2-JabberHut

Day 3-Adnamarine

Day 4-JabberHut

Day 5-thunder_dude7

Day 6-Cade

Day 7-GryphonFledgling

*runs to disperse points*

November is a little more than half over, so where are you on your NaNoWriMo novel?

Since this is the last day, the winner of today’s contest wins 200 points.

Prompt 7:

Tell me the funniest joke you have ever heard or said.  Funniest (on my descretion, of course) wins!

The best answer gets 100 points! Remember to include your YWS username!

Prompt 6:

You invent a new food.  You love it, and you name it.  What is it and what do you name it?

As always, the person with the best answer will win 100 points!  And remember to include your YWS username in your comment! 

Prompt 5:

It’s your birthday and you are having a party!  You have just opened all of your gifts and in them have received the funniest birthday card you have ever read in your life.  What did it say?

  These are going quite well, and I realized I forgot to tell you when the points will be dished out!  So, I will not decide on a winner for these until the 16th, the day after the birthday bash is over, and will then pass out points accordingly!  That means you have until then to answer! Ha!  And you could potentially win all 7 of them, there is no limit on winnings. 

As always, the best answer will receive 100 points!  And please please please remember to include your YWS name.

Prompt 4:

Peter Piper Picked a Pack of Pickled Peppers, how many Pickled Peppers did Peter Piper Pick?  Who knows?  No one, so it’s a good thing that’s not the prompt   Your assignment for today is to make a tongue twister.  It needs to be at least 10 words long, and at least 7 of those need to start with the same letter.  That said, it can be as long as you like.  And funny=awesome.