I am a bookie and a foodie, and I love sharing random musings on my social media sites. Nearly every day I post a quote (most are inspirational, but every once in a while I throw in a zinger), a Wacky Word of the Day, and an Itty Bitty Question. The questions are my favorites, because they are open-ended and generate some interesting responses. The other day I posted a question on Facebook (www.facebook.com/amy.hagberg) about William Shakespeare’s tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet: What is Juliet’s last name? It was an easy question since many of my friends and followers are book nuts and almost everybody got the correct answer: Capulet. […]
Read more...The Name on the Door
I thought of my mother often yesterday. It wasn’t a very productive day; it’s hard to get much done when you have a lump in your throat. Exactly one year ago, February 25, 2013, my sister and I looked on helplessly as our mom struggled to take her final breaths. It was if she embraced the words of poet Dylan Thomas: Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Watching somebody die is difficult, I’m not going to lie. People who say it is a beautiful experience weren’t in the same room […]
Read more...Plums and Prunes and Cherries
By Amy Hammond Hagberg My Grandpa Art, God rest his soul, was a proud and sturdy Norwegian – a farmer from the plains of North Dakota. He was the kind of grandpa who told silly jokes, gave me a crisp $5 bill every time he saw me, taught me how to play cards and bounced me on his knee for hours on end singing old family favorites. Once I was old enough to know better, I thought it was strange that this stoic Norseman sang a song called “I’m a Swede from North Dakota,” but I guess Art embraced diversity long before it was trendy. Grandpa Art used to sing […]
Read more...A Halloween Miracle
At the risk of sounding like a grinch, I freely admit I am not a big fan of halloween. No, I don’t have a phobia about costumes or children trick-or-treating (especially if they get extra chocolate for me). There is nothing more adorable than seeing little ones on my doorstep holding out a pumpkin asking for candy. My views on halloween have changed since becoming a Christian. I am both disturbed and disappointed that our culture’s focus has shifted from candlelight vigils, prayer services, and other festivities designed to honor those who have passed before use (All Hallow’s Eve/All Soul’s Day) to zombies, witches, and vampires. Okay, I’ll get off […]
Read more...The Munoz Family: Facing Tragedy with Grace
My dear friend Kris Munoz once told me that grief is like the waves of the ocean. Sometimes the sea is calm and tranquil; other times the waves crash angrily on the shore. I now know what she means. Terry and Kristine Munoz experienced a parent’s worst nightmare six years ago today. On October 9, 2007, Kris and their three children were involved in a horrific car accident. The tragedy rocked our small community and impacted people all over the world. You can read the full story here: https://amyhagberg.com/2007/10/15/everything-changes-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/ Amanda (13) was treated for a serious hematoma inside her spleen, several fractured ribs, and significant bruising on her […]
Read more...STANDING TALL: How WNBA Player Ruth Riley Copes with Championship Stress
Sunday night I watched in awe as the Minnesota Lynx pounded the Atlanta Dream 84-59 in game one of the 2013 WNBA Championship. These amazingly talented athletes made the game look so effortless and fluid. Me, I’d be lucky to make a basket granny style on a Fischer-Price I Can Play Basketball. I am rather petite… well… short, really. I name it and claim it. The vertically challenged gene is a powerful part of my DNA and part of my identity. Of course, I knew early on that I would never play hoops or volleyball competitively without humiliating myself, so it may come as a surprise that I am […]
Read more...A Letter to My Daughter
On the one hand, we’ll never experience childbirth. On the other hand, we can open all our own jars. ~ Bruce Willis Twenty-five years ago today, a stubborn little person fought her way out of my womb as I lay whimpering in a hospital delivery room. After more than 20 hours of back-breaking, toe-curling labor, my brilliant (I use this term loosely) medical team tore themselves away from the World Series and decided perhaps the monitors suggesting you (who had been in distress for the umpteenth time) might need to come out of me ASAP. Well, DUH! There was no way this beast of a baby was coming out […]
Read more...The Sloth of the Sea
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 […]
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