Yesterday’s daily trivia question was in the “animals” category: QUESTION: What is the slowest-moving fish? ANSWER: Why, the seahorse, or course! These equine little characters have always been among my favorite creatures. After doing a little research on them, I love them even more! Factoids: There are approximately thirty-five different species of sea horses. They are monogamous and mate for life. They range in size from 0.6 to 14 inches. Males bear the young (I wish we could say that). The female deposits her eggs in the brood pouch of the male. He then fertilizes them internally and carries them until they are ready to hatch. Although sea […]
Read more...Help me…. I don’t know what to blog!
Dear Friends: I need your advice about my blog. I am a pretty multi-faceted writer and I’ve blogged about all kinds of things over the years. Most days there is so much swirling around in my brain I can’t decide on a topic. I need to know what YOU want me to write about. When you have a minute, check out my blog. You’ll see categories posted on the right side. There’s a little bit of everything there: storytelling, writing, vocabulary, trivia, grammar, celebrity interviews, relationship advice, wellness, faith, and all kinds of completely random thoughts. PLEASE help me focus! What do you like? If you check out my blog […]
Read more...The Origins of Catch-22
On Tuesday I posted a rather difficult trivia question on my Facebook author page and other social media. The category was literature: QUESTION: Why did Joseph Heller change the title of his famous novel from Catch-18 to Catch-22? ANSWER: Because Leon Uris had recently released a book called Mila 18. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller has become such a foundational book in contemporary American literature that the title is actually in the dictionary! The term refers to an absurd no-win situation. For example, you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job. That, my friends, is a Catch-22… a kind of a damned if you […]
Read more...Grand Marnier French Toast
Sorry it has taken me so long to post the answer to last Friday’s trivia question. My computer was having some attitude! TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY — FOOD & DRINK QUESTION: What flavor is Grand Marnier liqueur? ANSWER: Orange Here’s a great recipe that utilizes this delicious liqueur. If you don’t have any on hand or prefer not to use alcohol, feel free to substitute orange juice. GRAND MARNIER FRENCH TOAST 4 large eggs 3/4 cup half & half 1/4 Grand Marnier or orange juice concentrate (thawed) 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon grated orange peel 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 8 slices French bread, sliced 3/4″ wide 4 tablespoons butter Powdered sugar […]
Read more...Slandering God
Why do the powers that be in Hollywood think it is acceptable to use God’s name as a curse in so many films? “GD” this and “JC” that. Sadly, I believe the fault lies with consumers. We may be disgusted with onscreen sex and violence and offended by the language, but we still look the other way flock to theaters. The Trivia Question of the Day I posted on my social media sites today read as follows: WHAT IS THE THIRD COMMANDMENT? It was actually a random question chosen in the wee hours of the morning, but it really got me thinking. “Thou shalt not take the name of the […]
Read more...Stars and Stripes Forever
What do “Stars and Stripes Forever,” Mr. Peabody, and ghosts have in common? Clifton Webb, of course! You’ll be glad to know I have found some very fun minutiae regarding yesterday’s Trivia Question of the Day: QUESTION: (TV & Film): Who did actor Clifton Webb portray in the film “Stars and Stripes Forever?” ANSWER: John Philip Sousa What would a Fourth of July parade be without a rousing rendition of “The Stars and Stripes Forever?” Well, simply un-American! This famous march was written by John Philip Sousa, the beloved American composer and conductor best known for his military and patriotic marches. Sousa’s career seems to have been written in the […]
Read more...God Bless Us Every One
Here’s today’s Trivia Question of the Day: QUESTION: Literature: What is the name of the sickly character in Charles Dickens’ book, “A Christmas Carol?” ANSWER: Tiny Tim Evidently, this question was far too easy for my social media followers. I expect, however, that you will find some of the details I uncovered while researching this blog to be fascinating. First a little background. A Christmas Carol is a novella by prolific English author Charles Dickens (Great Expectations Pickwick Papers, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist). The little book was first published on December 19, 1943 and has become one of the best-loved books of all time. Charles John Huffman Dickens was born on February […]
Read more...What Caused the Bubonic Plague?
Today I started a new feature on my Facebook Author Page www.facebook.com/pages/Amy-Hammond-Hagberg/107548285944928 called “Trivia Question of the Day.” There will be five categories: Nature, TV and Film, Literature, Food and Drink, and Bible. Here’s the first question: QUESTION: Nature: Which two creatures are responsible for spreading the Bubonic Plague? ANSWER: Sorry, this was a trick question. Technically speaking, there were actually three creatures responsible for the spread of bubonic plague: rats, the fleas that lived on the rats, and the bacteria the fleas transferred to humans when bitten. The bubonic plague, also known as the black death, reached Europe in the late 1340s, killing an estimated 75 million people. Once infected, […]
Read more...When I Need You
As I sit here watching my baby ducks play in their wading pool, something very important has dawned on me. It seems to me there are two kinds of people, those who are needy and those who need to be needed. I am the latter. I thrive on being needed. I’ve spent most of my adult life taking care of something or someone. First I took care of my clients. I figuratively held their hands as they made important marketing decisions. Along came my husband and I did what I could to take care of him. Most of that entailed cooking because I have never been much of a cleaner. […]
Read more...GRAMMAR GEM OF THE DAY: “Whom” Do You Love
Who vs. whom is the subject of the day. There are several easy tricks to help you choose the best option: Who DOES something (it’s a subject like she or he) and whom has something done TO it (it’s an object like her or him). Try substituting another pronoun such as she/her or he/him A preposition (such as “by,” “for,” or “to” often comes just before whom. For example, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” Ask yourself who is doing what to whom More grammar fun coming tomorrow. Stay tuned! Amy www.amyhagberg.com
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