It's not too late! Submit your comment by midnight tonight (pst) to enter Design Mom's fantastic Simply A Boy Pedal Sportscar Giveaway, valued at $140! Just leave a comment on that post. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning. Hurry up!
Win a Toy Sports Car - Ends Today!
It's not too late! Submit your comment by midnight tonight (pst) to enter Design Mom's fantastic Simply A Boy Pedal Sportscar Giveaway, valued at $140! Just leave a comment on that post. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning. Hurry up!
Win A Hawaiian Prize Pack!
Go Visit Hawaii, "your source for unbiased Hawaii vacation advice, news, and reviews" is giving away fabulous Hawaiian themed prize pack to one lucky RSS or email subscriber. This prize pack includes:* a battery operated hula dancer
* macadamia nut pancake and waffle mix
* dry roasted macadamia nuts with sea salt
* milk chocolate covered macadamia nuts
* milk chocolate toffee covered macadamia nuts
* dark chocolate macadamia covered nuts
* tropical fruit scented candle
* vintage art Hawaii post cards
* a kukui nut lei
If, like me, it's been your lifelong ambition to visit this paradise and haven't been able to do so due to one reason or another, then winning this cool prize pack may just help alleviate the pain somewhat! So, what're you waiting for? Go here and get the details.
Win a 37″ Flat-Panel LCD HDTV!!!
Yes, indeedy! Your eyes didn't deceive you. You can go ahead and enter for a chance to win this stupendous prize at 5 Minutes for Mom. This incredible prize is valued at $799.99 and is courtesy of Best Buy.
Some highlights of this great prize are :
- ultra slim, lightweight
- 1366×768 Resolution, with 16:9 widescreen ratio for cinema-quality viewing
- built in high definition capabilities
- equipped with a V-Chip for parent control and is Energy Star compliant.
And - for extra fun - your new TV can double as a PC monitor so that you can download and watch HD movies.
Get more details and enter here.Fun on a Saturday morning!
1. A bicycle can't stand alone because it is two-tired.
2. What's the definition of a will? It's a dead giveaway.
3. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
4. A backward poet writes inverse.
5. In democracy it's your vote that counts; In feudalism it's your count that votes.
6. She had a boyfriend with a wooden leg, but broke it off.
7. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
8. If you don't pay your exorcist you get repossessed.
9. With her marriage she got a new name and a dress.
10. Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you A-flat minor.
11. When a clock is hungry it go! es back four seconds.
12. The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.
13. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.
14. You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
15. Local Area Network in Australia: the LAN down under.
16. He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.
17. Every calendar's days are numbered.
18. A lot of money is tainted. 'Taint yours and 'taint mine.
19. A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
20. He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
21. A plateau is a high form of flattery.
22. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
23. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
24. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
25. Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.
26. When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.
27. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to basis.
28. Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.
29. Acupuncture is a jab well done.
30. Marathon runners with bad footwear suffer the agony of defeat.
Taken from here.
2. What's the definition of a will? It's a dead giveaway.
3. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
4. A backward poet writes inverse.
5. In democracy it's your vote that counts; In feudalism it's your count that votes.
6. She had a boyfriend with a wooden leg, but broke it off.
7. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
8. If you don't pay your exorcist you get repossessed.
9. With her marriage she got a new name and a dress.
10. Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you A-flat minor.
11. When a clock is hungry it go! es back four seconds.
12. The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.
13. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.
14. You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
15. Local Area Network in Australia: the LAN down under.
16. He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.
17. Every calendar's days are numbered.
18. A lot of money is tainted. 'Taint yours and 'taint mine.
19. A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
20. He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
21. A plateau is a high form of flattery.
22. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
23. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
24. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
25. Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.
26. When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.
27. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to basis.
28. Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.
29. Acupuncture is a jab well done.
30. Marathon runners with bad footwear suffer the agony of defeat.
Taken from here.
Book Video!
This is an interesting site!
I tried embedding this widget in my sidebar but it won't work. Help, anyone?
Note - changing the height and the width just clipped it but didn't shrink it.
I tried embedding this widget in my sidebar but it won't work. Help, anyone?
Note - changing the height and the width just clipped it but didn't shrink it.
Seeing Redd Giveaway
Carrie over at the Mommy Brain blog is having a giveaway of two copies of Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor. It's the sequel to The Looking Glass Wars.
This brings to mind a question I read somewhere recently - "Which fairy tale would you like re-written?" {If you have any thoughts on this, let me know in the comment section of this post.} Which book in recent times do you feel has done the best job of this?
I always liked 'Jack and the Beanstalk". Jack gives the impression of being a fool in the beginning, but turns it around and redeems himself in a not-so-ethical way. A refreshing change from all those cavity-inducing-sweet fairy tales, or so I feel. The one I'd like to see re-written is the "Pied Piper of Hamelin".
Which is why perhaps I'm a big fan of "Shrek". This anti-hero together with his unlikely and unwanted sidekick and a totally unconventional kung-fu style heroine make for a sensational cast. So many fairy tale clichés are blasted to smithereens in this hilarious movie. I haven't seen the last one (yes, shame on me!) but the first two were a laugh riot.
Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? Go on and enter here and be sure to tell it all your friends too, online or offline!According to Carrie, "Seeing Redd and The Looking Glass Wars are new takes on an old fairy tale"
*** *** ***
This brings to mind a question I read somewhere recently - "Which fairy tale would you like re-written?" {If you have any thoughts on this, let me know in the comment section of this post.} Which book in recent times do you feel has done the best job of this?
I always liked 'Jack and the Beanstalk". Jack gives the impression of being a fool in the beginning, but turns it around and redeems himself in a not-so-ethical way. A refreshing change from all those cavity-inducing-sweet fairy tales, or so I feel. The one I'd like to see re-written is the "Pied Piper of Hamelin".
Which is why perhaps I'm a big fan of "Shrek". This anti-hero together with his unlikely and unwanted sidekick and a totally unconventional kung-fu style heroine make for a sensational cast. So many fairy tale clichés are blasted to smithereens in this hilarious movie. I haven't seen the last one (yes, shame on me!) but the first two were a laugh riot.
Win a Copy of "The Game" by Neil Strauss
FitBuff.com is sponsoring a contest that you might want to check out. The rules are pretty simple. All you need to do is hop over to FitBuff and ask a question that relates to dating or sex on the contest post. You get up to three shots, permitting you are willing to ask three questions. If you don’t have a question you have the option of leaving a funny or educational story about sex. You can do this twice, which will give you two entries.
The winner will receive a copy of “The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists” by Neil Strauss. The book is valued at Amazon.com as a $30 value, so it’s well worth it to check out the contest if you are interested in the book.
Contest ends July 31.
Contest ends July 31.
Crazy Cash Giveaway!
Ashwin is giving away $2500. Apparently, instead of spending it all on promotional tools like advertising and online promotion, he’s just going to give away in one huge blaze of glory to promote his new blog. The contest ends on August 20th and will be paid by Paypal. You can read about it at Ashwin’s Blog.
Win kid's computer games
I am entering a blog contest run by Tee at Spilt Milk. Spilt Milk is a blog about many things, including, a meddling mother-in-law, her Latino husband, motherhood, raising boys, reviews of cool products, books, funny life observations, and her struggle with religion and self esteem. The prize is a 3-pack of popular kid's computer games, and all I had to do to enter was to cut and paste this code onto my blog. I hope I win!
More goodies from...
.. the insanely generous lady over at the Desperately Seeking Sanity blog. First a giveaway for the latest Harry potter book (check this post), then some scrapbooking goodies {yes, I missed that one :-( } and now a brand new phone! Yes, a phone!!!
Here are some details : 5.8GHz cordless phone in silver color, has call waiting, caller ID, 64 caller ID memory and 3 line backlit display and it’s made by Southwestern Bell. Scans 40 channels, has a 10 number memory, real time clock, and you can program it in English, French or Spanish.
Go NOW and enter!
Here are some details : 5.8GHz cordless phone in silver color, has call waiting, caller ID, 64 caller ID memory and 3 line backlit display and it’s made by Southwestern Bell. Scans 40 channels, has a 10 number memory, real time clock, and you can program it in English, French or Spanish.
Go NOW and enter!
Fun contest!
From Dates to Diapers and beyond is having a fun giveaway. She's pregnant and would like your guesses as to the baby's gender, day of birth, weight etc. The more you guess, the more entries you get. Is this FUN or what :-) I put in my guesses, so go and enter yours.
To win what, you ask?
Prizes range from a Starbuck's card to a customized bracelet, a tote bag, votives etc. Isn't that so generous of Christine? Take advantage before she comes to her senses and withdraws them, lol.
To win what, you ask?
Prizes range from a Starbuck's card to a customized bracelet, a tote bag, votives etc. Isn't that so generous of Christine? Take advantage before she comes to her senses and withdraws them, lol.
Goodies Galore!
As part of the Dog Days of Summer giveaway, the blogger over at Are We There Yet is giving away some Fantastic goodies. Want to win a book? Or how about something scented from Bath and Body works? Tempting, isn't it :-) All you have to do is go, comment on this post.
Have fun entering and tell others about it as well!
Have fun entering and tell others about it as well!
Favorite Children's Books Giveaway!
Generous blogger Hannah of the Cultivating Home blog, is giving away a package of children's books.
This mother of four says how books and free things are her favorite. Which is why she's giving books for the young ones to commemorate the pre-end of summer vacation. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. What are you waiting for? Shoo...enter already!
This mother of four says how books and free things are her favorite. Which is why she's giving books for the young ones to commemorate the pre-end of summer vacation. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. What are you waiting for? Shoo...enter already!
Win the latest Harry Potter
For those of you who haven't yet bought your copy yet, this is a wonderful opportunity to get the book FREE. I have mine so I won't be entering. But I had to share it with you all. Desperately Seeking Sanity is giving away "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and all you have to do is comment on this post.
Life after Harry Potter
I took a well-deserved break this weekend to do what most of the rest of the world was doing - reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'd ordered it online from Amazon (only because I had a GC) and got it late Saturday afternoon, despite not springing for expedited shipping and with a book-arrival prediction date of July 26. I'd have expired from suspense had it really been that long. But thank you, Amazon and USPS for such wonderful work and getting me my book before time! I sat with my nose buried in the book and managed to finish reading it by Sunday 1 pm despite interruptions such as feeding the family, catching some sleep etc.
No, I'm not going to post any spoilers here. Suffice to say, this book was well worth the wait despite the somewhat anti-climactic abundance of accurate spoilers pre-release. The way the series ended left me with more questions than answers. Rowling is content to let readers imagine some (that I feel is critical) stuff instead of spelling out clearly what happens afterwards. I really really hate this technique of writing. While it effectively maintains the suspense and leaves the author a convenient loophole for writing a sequel sometime in the future, it torments bookworms like myself. Does anyone else feel the same way?
Yes, some beloved characters do die, as Rowling kept warning readers again and again for the past some 2 years. But are kids and adults today so fragile as to be traumatized because of it?! Do they really require a help hotline for it?!!!!! I feel this is going totally overboard even for overreaction. BookNinja puts it beautifully and I quote "Psychologists and kids help lines prepare for onslaught of distressed children in the wake of Harry Potter 7. What has our world come to? If hostile carnivorous aliens arrive in the next 50 years and these kids are in charge, then we deserve to be fricasseed and served up with a side of chips aboard a luxury cruise liner in the stars. A little backbone, please." Amen, BookNinja!
Having finished reading this book, I feel at somewhat loose ends. What next? Everything seems pale and listless, dreary and tired. I feel like I've lost a beloved friend and surrounded as I am by pragmatists and non-bookworms who don't feel the same way as I do, I feel I have no one to mourn with. But it is bereavement of the literary sort. Harry's books are over, what do I have to look forward to reading in the years to come? Will another series ever have the same impact, or will they all feel like pale imitations? The movies based on the series are consolation prizes at best.
Life goes on, and I have to go with it. So...Adieu Harry, Hermoine, Ron, Hagrid, Ginny, and all the other Weasleys.
Goodbye Neville, Luna, Cho, and the Patil twins.
So long, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout.
See you, Hogwarts.
So long, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout.
See you, Hogwarts.
Win Tickets to the LA Screening of Arctic Tale
This week, TreeHugger is giving away 10 pairs of tickets to the LA screening of the upcoming movie Arctic Tale. Here's what you have to do: scavenge TreeHugger and arctictale.com for the answers to the questions at the bottom of this post. Then, simply send your answers to: contest [at] treehugger [dot] com as soon as you find all the answers. They only have a few tickets left, so hurry up and answer these questions!Details here.
Want an iPhone?
Mr. Gary Lee is giving away a free iphone on his blog. OK, it’s not really free because he wants you to link to him with the phrases “Internet Marketing” and “free iPhone” and pimp his new golf blog. The deadline for this contest is “sometime mid to late August” so you better enter “sometime” before then.
Win $300 of Free Dairy Products from Horizon Organic!
Now isn't that an irresistible prize?! I certainly find it so, which is why it is my pleasure to tell you all about the fantastic giveaway being hosted by those hardworking ladies over at the 5 Minutes for Mom blog.
Here are the details : One lucky winner will get 60 gift certificates for FREE Horizon Organic dairy products (approx $300 value!!). Horizon Organic has a well-known commitment to organic farming AND it offers fantastic organic dairy products like their new DHA Omega-3 milk, the only organic milk enhanced with an Omega-3 fatty acid that helps support heart, brain and eye health.
(I did not know this before. Now I'm an even bigger fan of theirs!)
Check out this post for more details.
Here are the details : One lucky winner will get 60 gift certificates for FREE Horizon Organic dairy products (approx $300 value!!). Horizon Organic has a well-known commitment to organic farming AND it offers fantastic organic dairy products like their new DHA Omega-3 milk, the only organic milk enhanced with an Omega-3 fatty acid that helps support heart, brain and eye health.
(I did not know this before. Now I'm an even bigger fan of theirs!)
Check out this post for more details.
Cow Patty Bingo
Win $50 Playing “Cow Patty Bingo”. What's that, you ask? Bloggrl, who's running the contest, does a much better job of explaining it here.
All you have to do is mention this contest with a link to this post on your site. If you mention one of your favorite articles as well, that will count as two entries. Simple.
For all I've had a blog all this time, I'm still ignorant of some basic stuff. Bloggrl does a good job of explaining the "Absolute Essentials For A Popular Blog". I have gotta get doing some of these at least. Thanks for the info and the inspiration, Bloggrl.
First Note - This contest will run until July 31st.
Second Note : But it's worth visiting this blog for the content alone.
All you have to do is mention this contest with a link to this post on your site. If you mention one of your favorite articles as well, that will count as two entries. Simple.
For all I've had a blog all this time, I'm still ignorant of some basic stuff. Bloggrl does a good job of explaining the "Absolute Essentials For A Popular Blog". I have gotta get doing some of these at least. Thanks for the info and the inspiration, Bloggrl.
First Note - This contest will run until July 31st.
Second Note : But it's worth visiting this blog for the content alone.
Win a Children's Book!
Alyson of the Proud to Be Country blog is having a contest in which she's giving away a children's book. Which book, you ask - well, that's up to her! To be eligible to win, she would like to know what your Favorite children's book is. Details here.
I am a bookworm and my ever-increasing collection of books is at times irritating to my family members. But only after my kid's recent arrival, have I have begun thinking about starting a children's book collection. I had a modest collection as a kid, but my parents sold/donated most of it when I moved out. So, I have to begin again. Which is my prime motivation for entering this contest.
So, on to it.
My favorite book as a child?
Hmm...good question, Alyson!
The author whose name that comes immediately to mind is Enid Blyton. This prolific and famous children's author is not as well known here in US, but everywhere else she's IT as far as children's books are concerned. One of the main reasons I became a very early reader was because I was introduced to Enid Blyton books very early on as a child. You could say, it was the beginning of this bookworm.
I still have fond memories of one of her young children's books called "The Adventures of the Wishing Chair", one of the books in the Wishing Chair series. The Wishing Chair series is a set of stories about a boy and girl who end up with a magical chair that sprouts wings on each of its legs. And when it does its ready to fly off and take the children to visit mysterious lands full of magic and wonder! I can't begin to describe how it my imagination soar, my spine tingle with anticipation and my breath quicken in excitement. I really loved this - still love it, as a matter of fact. And it's going to be on to of my wish-list for my child's book collection.
The Amelia Jane books, the Noddy books and The Faraway Tree series by Blyton were all particular faves as a child.
Another very 'famous' series of Blyton's is the immortal Famous Five series. Oh, how I loved these as a teen. Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog! - o most beloved characters, how I miss you! From the bottom of my heart, I wish I still had all my Enid Blyton books. I would go back and read them all over again. {SIGH} Not to forget her Boarding School Stories - St.Clare's and Mallory Towers. Oh boy, I just ate them up! And plagued my parents to be sent away to a boarding school, lol. But that's a story for another day.
Another book for which I have fond memories is "Treasure Island". I read this not-at-all PG book as a young child and was swept away in a blood-thirsty piratical adventure that was oh so FUN, mostly because it was oh-so forbidden. Lol.Oh, there are so many books, Alyson. This post will never end if I continue down memory lane. So let me stop for now.
Here's keeping all my fingers (and toes!) crossed in the hope Alyson will choose me as a lucky winner!
Moms : Win a Spa Package from Girl's Gotta Spa
What: Mom Get Glamorous! Contest sponsored by the blog A Girl's Gotta Spa.How : Moms submit in 600 words or less, your story of being a mom and why you deserve to win this prize. Entries should be sent to contest *at* agirlsgottaspa *dot*com. Visit A Girl's Gotta Spa! for complete details.
When: Now - July 20th; winner announced July 23rd
Who: For moms that reside in the US
Prize: A beauty prize pack worth $300 and a gift pack of goodies from Glamour Magazine
Taken From : The Budget Fashionista.
Rants And Thanks!
Rant - I hate, absolutely totally HATE walk-on ads. You know the ones I mean. Wherein you're watching "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and on the bottom of your television screen Raymond walks in advertising a rerun of his show - the one that's OVER! No offense to Mr.Romano (I too love Raymond, however that's not the point), but his mug is the last thing I want to see when the door slams behind Harry in the Shrieking Shack and Ron cries out, "Look out, it's a trap". It's highly distracting and immensely irritating, to say the least.
The same way when I'm watching 'Everybody Loves Raymond' and on pops Bill Engvall. I hate it as well. No, I recant that. I hate it even more, cause the guy actually pauses the show, while mouthing off about his soon-to-be-released show. This takes the proverbial cake! And he does it at the exact moment when Ray is about to say a rib-cracking one liner! The nerve of it!!!! Isn't it enough that we're subjected to an ever-increasing parade of senseless ads during commercials?! Now even the little glimpse of the actual show we're supposed to be watching between commercials is being paused to make room for even more ads?! SHAME on you TBS for this poor poor way of promoting a show.
Thanks - On a happier note, I've been lucky enough to win some nice goodies in the past few months. So I wanted to write and say thanks to these wonderful bloggers who chose me as a lucky winner. You know who your are! :-) Aw, shucks, let me name them : Kailani, Liquid Silver Blog, Favorite Pasttimes, Celebrity Baby Blog, Michele Hauf, Simply Ali, Mommy Brain, A Family Runs Through It, Mommy Knows, Rose Petal Betty, and finally, Anjali.
{If I missed someone, sorry about that!}
The same way when I'm watching 'Everybody Loves Raymond' and on pops Bill Engvall. I hate it as well. No, I recant that. I hate it even more, cause the guy actually pauses the show, while mouthing off about his soon-to-be-released show. This takes the proverbial cake! And he does it at the exact moment when Ray is about to say a rib-cracking one liner! The nerve of it!!!! Isn't it enough that we're subjected to an ever-increasing parade of senseless ads during commercials?! Now even the little glimpse of the actual show we're supposed to be watching between commercials is being paused to make room for even more ads?! SHAME on you TBS for this poor poor way of promoting a show.
Thanks - On a happier note, I've been lucky enough to win some nice goodies in the past few months. So I wanted to write and say thanks to these wonderful bloggers who chose me as a lucky winner. You know who your are! :-) Aw, shucks, let me name them : Kailani, Liquid Silver Blog, Favorite Pasttimes, Celebrity Baby Blog, Michele Hauf, Simply Ali, Mommy Brain, A Family Runs Through It, Mommy Knows, Rose Petal Betty, and finally, Anjali.
{If I missed someone, sorry about that!}
Alafair Burke's Date Contest
To kick off the launch of Dead Connection, author Alafair Burke wants to turn the tables and read your stories.
At some time in your life, you had a first date, blind date, internet date, or perhaps a didn't-even-know-it was-supposed-to-be-a-date date that makes a great story, whether sweet, embarrassing, or laugh out loud hilarious. She's begging you to share it with the rest of the class, please. The authors of the top 5 stories will receive signed copies of Dead Connection.
At some time in your life, you had a first date, blind date, internet date, or perhaps a didn't-even-know-it was-supposed-to-be-a-date date that makes a great story, whether sweet, embarrassing, or laugh out loud hilarious. She's begging you to share it with the rest of the class, please. The authors of the top 5 stories will receive signed copies of Dead Connection.
Contest ends July 31.
Book Giveaways/Contests
This Mama Cooks is giving away a copy of "The United States of Arugula". Details here. Contest ends July 22nd.
From Mama Says Om comes another interesting book giveaway, this one for a copy of Jackie Rose and Caroline Angel's "The Newly Non-Drinking Girl's Guide to Pregnancy.". Details here. Contest ends July 22nd.
Win a copy of "The 3•1•6 Journal" from Soul Per Blog. Contest ends July 17th.
SFist have got a copy of the book Build This Bong to give to one lucky winner. Details here.
Win a copy of "The Thrive Diet" over at Taste Better. Details here.
From Mama Says Om comes another interesting book giveaway, this one for a copy of Jackie Rose and Caroline Angel's "The Newly Non-Drinking Girl's Guide to Pregnancy.". Details here. Contest ends July 22nd.
Win a copy of "The 3•1•6 Journal" from Soul Per Blog. Contest ends July 17th.
SFist have got a copy of the book Build This Bong to give to one lucky winner. Details here.
Win a copy of "The Thrive Diet" over at Taste Better. Details here.
Scholastic Winners!
10 CHILDREN ANNOUNCED AS WINNERS OF SCHOLASTIC’S HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX ESSAY CONTEST
Scholastic announced today [6/11/03] the winners of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix national essay contest. Ten essays were selected from over 12,000 entries received. The winning children and their chaperones will be the guests of Scholastic for an all expense paid trip to London, England to hear J.K. Rowling, the author of the phenomenal best-selling Harry Potter books, answer questions and read from her extraordinary new novel, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at a live event at The Royal Albert Hall on Thursday, June 26th.
Fans were asked to write a 300-word essay expounding on the question "IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SPECIAL POWER TAUGHT AT HOGWARTS, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?" Entries were judged based on originality and clarity. The ten winners range in age from 8 to 16, and are from all areas of the United States.
Arthur Levine, Editorial Director, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, editor of the Harry Potter books, a judge of the essay contest said: “Reading these essays was a wonderful reminder of the deep connection J.K. Rowling’s books make with her readers; how her stories tweak the imagination, and speak to our deep yearning for the power to make our lives better and to leave an impact on this world.”
Excerpts from the winning essays:
Sudipta B., NJ, Age 16
"As a Hogwarts student, I would like to be taught a charm that could compel a wicked man to experience the painful suffering of his victims and the tragic consequences of his actions... Had Lord Voldemort ever witnessed from the other side of his wand the last and painful gasps of his victims, James and Lily Potter might have been alive today.”
Daniel B., CA, Age 8
"The best potion I would make would be the Autistic Cure Potion. I would give some of it to Suzie (my sister), and then give the rest to other kids with autism. If Suzie didn't have autism we could go to the same school. She could just be a normal kid."
Marty C., VT, Age 12
"My brother (Alex) is not a kid. He's older than me and has no friends. Although he has a huge vocabulary and a wild imagination, he can't read anything more than easy readers...I shout 'EVOLOUTIO REPARO!!' (Latin for 'repair reading.')...Alex grinned like Hagrid discovering a new 'pet.' 'You cast a spell on me!'...'I can read Harry Potter now!'...'Just let me read to you.' he said.”
Nancy C., OK, Age 14
"The Rictusempra Spell causes the recipient to laugh and giggle uncontrollably, while the Tarantallegra Spell makes them waltz madly... These spells would be an exhilarating way to quarrel with one another while having joy and excitement... I would also perform the Rictusempra ad Tarantallegra spells on a couple of my teachers and friends. A few of them are a little too serious with life and deserve some cheer and happiness. The Rictusempra spell would also be beneficial to them; laughter is found to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, produce disease-destroying antibodies, and release endorphins. The Tarantallegra would decrease obesity and depression, as it is practically impossible to stay gloomy when you are dancing."
David D., FL, Age 14
"Although I am only fourteen years old I have the experience of a broken heart due to the death of my mother and it still has not healed. For this reason I am determined to learn how to acquire the power of healing broken hearts...It can help people all over the world and cure problems. I loved my mom and she is gone. I would like the sadness to start lifting somewhat.”
Louisa G., ID, Age 11
"If I could have a chance to have a magical power, I wouldn't. I spent a long time trying to figure out what I would want to do or become. Would I rid people of pain? Would I learn to fly, speak all languages, or become an elf? None of these. I realized that I'm happy just the way I am. I have a good family, nice friends, and a lot of books."
Brittany H., NY, Age 16
"My quest for healing begins when I was 2 1/2, and had to watch my dad's slow recovery from a massive stroke. He is now left without any physical mobility on his left side. My imagination used to wander, as to how I could magically change things. Life has thrown my mom and me a devastating curve, and only my ability to pretend could rescue me from reality...Within a blink of an eye my magic brings lifeless limbs to moving miracles. As I would watch him regain his life back, my imagination soars."
Emily G., IN, Age 8 1/2
“My favorite spell is Polyjuice Potion, because you can be other people! My friend Tara, in my class is blind. If I could use Polyjuice Potion, I’d become her and see what it’s like to be blind. Then I could help her better.”
Thomas P., CA, Age 15
"If I had the opportunity to choose one spell, charm, hex or curse to learn and be able to perform on command for the rest of my life, my immediate choice would be the summoning charm, for reasons which, if not already painfully obvious, shall be thoroughly explained herein... Oh, how I would relish my newly acquired ability as I sat, summoning random objects to my side for no particular reason at all, and then giggling fiendishly, as members of my family exchange dark looks with one another."
Angela W., MI, Age 14
"Obliviate!' No matter how many times I say the word, it never seems to work. When a teacher asks, 'Why didn't you do your homework?' and I yell back 'Obliviate!' in hopes that she'll forget the assignment existed, she just stares at me blankly...And, sadly the same result generally occurs when I try to make my sister forget that I borrowed her CD...On that account, after much contemplation, intensive soul-searching, and a couple of animated conversations with myself, I've decided that the ability to perform memory Charms would have to be the best power."
On June 26th at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London, J.K. Rowling will treat her fans to an exciting event. The extraordinary afternoon will begin with a conversation between Rowling and actor/author Stephen Fry. She will then read personally selected excerpts from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and answer questions from children about the new book. The entire event will be broadcast via a MSN Live Webcast at 11:00 a.m. (EST) in the U.S. The event will then be archived online for 7 days.
Scholastic announced today [6/11/03] the winners of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix national essay contest. Ten essays were selected from over 12,000 entries received. The winning children and their chaperones will be the guests of Scholastic for an all expense paid trip to London, England to hear J.K. Rowling, the author of the phenomenal best-selling Harry Potter books, answer questions and read from her extraordinary new novel, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at a live event at The Royal Albert Hall on Thursday, June 26th.
Fans were asked to write a 300-word essay expounding on the question "IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SPECIAL POWER TAUGHT AT HOGWARTS, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?" Entries were judged based on originality and clarity. The ten winners range in age from 8 to 16, and are from all areas of the United States.
Arthur Levine, Editorial Director, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, editor of the Harry Potter books, a judge of the essay contest said: “Reading these essays was a wonderful reminder of the deep connection J.K. Rowling’s books make with her readers; how her stories tweak the imagination, and speak to our deep yearning for the power to make our lives better and to leave an impact on this world.”
Excerpts from the winning essays:
Sudipta B., NJ, Age 16
"As a Hogwarts student, I would like to be taught a charm that could compel a wicked man to experience the painful suffering of his victims and the tragic consequences of his actions... Had Lord Voldemort ever witnessed from the other side of his wand the last and painful gasps of his victims, James and Lily Potter might have been alive today.”
Daniel B., CA, Age 8
"The best potion I would make would be the Autistic Cure Potion. I would give some of it to Suzie (my sister), and then give the rest to other kids with autism. If Suzie didn't have autism we could go to the same school. She could just be a normal kid."
Marty C., VT, Age 12
"My brother (Alex) is not a kid. He's older than me and has no friends. Although he has a huge vocabulary and a wild imagination, he can't read anything more than easy readers...I shout 'EVOLOUTIO REPARO!!' (Latin for 'repair reading.')...Alex grinned like Hagrid discovering a new 'pet.' 'You cast a spell on me!'...'I can read Harry Potter now!'...'Just let me read to you.' he said.”
Nancy C., OK, Age 14
"The Rictusempra Spell causes the recipient to laugh and giggle uncontrollably, while the Tarantallegra Spell makes them waltz madly... These spells would be an exhilarating way to quarrel with one another while having joy and excitement... I would also perform the Rictusempra ad Tarantallegra spells on a couple of my teachers and friends. A few of them are a little too serious with life and deserve some cheer and happiness. The Rictusempra spell would also be beneficial to them; laughter is found to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, produce disease-destroying antibodies, and release endorphins. The Tarantallegra would decrease obesity and depression, as it is practically impossible to stay gloomy when you are dancing."
David D., FL, Age 14
"Although I am only fourteen years old I have the experience of a broken heart due to the death of my mother and it still has not healed. For this reason I am determined to learn how to acquire the power of healing broken hearts...It can help people all over the world and cure problems. I loved my mom and she is gone. I would like the sadness to start lifting somewhat.”
Louisa G., ID, Age 11
"If I could have a chance to have a magical power, I wouldn't. I spent a long time trying to figure out what I would want to do or become. Would I rid people of pain? Would I learn to fly, speak all languages, or become an elf? None of these. I realized that I'm happy just the way I am. I have a good family, nice friends, and a lot of books."
Brittany H., NY, Age 16
"My quest for healing begins when I was 2 1/2, and had to watch my dad's slow recovery from a massive stroke. He is now left without any physical mobility on his left side. My imagination used to wander, as to how I could magically change things. Life has thrown my mom and me a devastating curve, and only my ability to pretend could rescue me from reality...Within a blink of an eye my magic brings lifeless limbs to moving miracles. As I would watch him regain his life back, my imagination soars."
Emily G., IN, Age 8 1/2
“My favorite spell is Polyjuice Potion, because you can be other people! My friend Tara, in my class is blind. If I could use Polyjuice Potion, I’d become her and see what it’s like to be blind. Then I could help her better.”
Thomas P., CA, Age 15
"If I had the opportunity to choose one spell, charm, hex or curse to learn and be able to perform on command for the rest of my life, my immediate choice would be the summoning charm, for reasons which, if not already painfully obvious, shall be thoroughly explained herein... Oh, how I would relish my newly acquired ability as I sat, summoning random objects to my side for no particular reason at all, and then giggling fiendishly, as members of my family exchange dark looks with one another."
Angela W., MI, Age 14
"Obliviate!' No matter how many times I say the word, it never seems to work. When a teacher asks, 'Why didn't you do your homework?' and I yell back 'Obliviate!' in hopes that she'll forget the assignment existed, she just stares at me blankly...And, sadly the same result generally occurs when I try to make my sister forget that I borrowed her CD...On that account, after much contemplation, intensive soul-searching, and a couple of animated conversations with myself, I've decided that the ability to perform memory Charms would have to be the best power."
On June 26th at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London, J.K. Rowling will treat her fans to an exciting event. The extraordinary afternoon will begin with a conversation between Rowling and actor/author Stephen Fry. She will then read personally selected excerpts from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and answer questions from children about the new book. The entire event will be broadcast via a MSN Live Webcast at 11:00 a.m. (EST) in the U.S. The event will then be archived online for 7 days.
Win a signed copy of Meter Made
Author M. D.Benoit's fictional character Jack Meter, the private investigator in her SF mystery series The Jack Meter Case Files, loves to eat. He’s running out of ideas, though, and he doesn’t have time to consult cookbooks to find new recipes. Here's where the contest come in.
Send in your best recipes and Ms.Benoit together with Jack will choose three lucky people to win a signed copy of Meter Made, the second book in the Jack Meter Case Files Series. One lucky person will not only have their recipe mentioned but their name as well in the next book after Meter Destiny, Meter Parents. Contest ends August 19th, 11:59pm EST. So get those dishes cooking!
Blog About Your Blog
Um.. no, I don't know enough to write much about this topic. This is actually the title of a blog who's hosting a giveaway. And the prize is a day planner that has a cell phone pouch, calendar, address book, pen, and a wallet type holder. It’s pretty much anything you need in a day planner. The image above is a close approximation of the prize being given away. Details at Blog about Your Blog. Event closes 17th July.But that's not the only reason to check them out. As the title reveals, this is a blog which offers excellent advise on how to get more people interested in your blog and thus improve your ranking/rating. I don't know much about this, but these guys sure do. So go visit them - Now!
Goodies Giveaway!
Zac Johnson is generously giving away all the goodies he gathered at the Affiliate Summit East. Included are : T-Shirts, TreeLoot Monkey Plushes (ooh, this is soo mine... I mean nice, nice! ;-), Google YoYo’s, Classy Pens, Shareasale Mousepads, Beachballs, Company Note Pads and more. Help spread the word about this great giveaway and be entered. Check out the details on Zac's blog.
Winnie Giveaway
Check out The Flip Flop Mama's Blog. This generous mom of two beautiful daughters is giving away a Walt Disney's The Many Adventures of WINNIE the POOH Dvd, The Friendship Edition!!! Not only kids enjoy this beloved character, but so do some adults (like myself :-). So join in and have fun.
Sunglasses Giveaway!
April at Natural Health Remedies is giving away a $115 pair of Pilgrim sunglasses, and they could be yours if you just post a couple of lines and a backlink on your blog. "Prevention is better than cure" and it is with this in mind that April is giving away sunglasses as they help protect your eyes from UV light thus preventing cataracts.These Pilgrim sunglasses are not well-known outside of Europe, but they're apparently big enough to have Liv Tyler modeling their collection so it’s only a matter of time before Pilgrim become the must-have fashion accessory internationally. What makes these sunglasses different is that they have interchangeable Swarovski crystal charms, so you can always buy additional charms to give your glasses a new look.
I always seem to either lose or break my sunglasses which is why I really, badly want these! So, April, count me in! The rest of you, go on, enter already!
Repeat : Mary Carter Contest
Please let her know aBookworm sent you!
Author Mary Carter is having a great contest.
Please let her know aBookworm sent you!
She's got a link to her book trailer and wants your opinion on it.
Go to her blog and follow the link and just let her know in the comment section of the blog post.
Please let her know aBookworm sent you!
Contest will end July 15th and the winner will receive a $100 gift card/certificate to Amazon.com and up to 5 signed copies of Accidentally Engaged.
Please let her know aBookworm sent you!
The book sounds utterly hilarious and just the thing to while away a lazy summer afternoon.
Check out the excerpt here.
Oh, and please let her know aBookworm sent you! (lol)
Hal Spacejock's Support Crew
I didn't pay anything,
I didn't sign anything,
and I didn't read the fine print.
Just like Hal!
No space pilot can exist in a vacuum (hah!), and behind every successful pilot there's a talented and dedicated support crew.
Hal Spacejock is one of the least successful space pilots in the history of the galaxy, and a worldwide support crew is needed just to get him off the ground.
| Join the team | - - - - - - - - - | Hal who? |
Hal Spacejock ... Après moi le wreckage
------------------------------------------------------------
Hal, please make Simon pick me!!! Please please please, lol.
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