JB, my partner-in-wishing lives of course on the other side of the planet. AWA. A World Apart as you know. We are different in many ways, and similar…
Every shiny thing that comes our way
Every shiny thing that comes our way
Tag Archives: wikipedia
What Kind of Champion are You? Sprint, Middle or Long Distance?
I have wakened between four and five each morning for a while now. Usually I lie and consider the warmth of my bed, snuggling in a little deeper and give thanks for my comfort, and then, turn over for another couple of hours of comfort. Always a quick little thought intervenes that says, rise, spring up, start the day with vigor and through much self-discipline I stay abed. Simply because I can. This morning was a little different as a softer thought gently wafted into my brain. How about getting up just to see what the day might hold for you? No rush, no fuss, no muss. So here it is, 6:18 am, showered, sipping a cup of tea, and considering some very Important Thoughts. (I have mentioned before that my early early morning thoughts seem to carry concepts and originality the rest of the day never sees.)
So what wonderous pervasive notion has captured my mind today?
Champions or perhaps non-Champions or perhaps some kinds of Champions. (No I have not been eating ‘Wheaties – The Breakfast of Champions lately’) What has been on my mind of course is NaNoWriMo as it is for many in this magical month. And that got me to thinking – great thoughts (depending on the time of day of course).
Now you won’t find any whining and snivelling oh poor me here. This is a journey of discovery. Yep, I have the concept, the plot, story, beginning, and ending. Like all people, many of whom have full-time jobs in addition to this commitment, time is a challenge and my life much like yours is going through a period where the fates have increased the drama quotient by whirling up a stew of deaths, heartaches, illnesses, more illnesses, strife between people, stressors (none of which are mine personally, but family and friends) all in the last ten days, stirred it all with the mighty universal spoon, thrown in our bowls and said, “Now deal with it.”
Now the scene is set. No excuses to be had as life tends to do that to all of us sometimes, and while we look at our own set of problems there are way too many dealing with much much more. Now setting all this in its place comes the crux of the matter.
I like to write. I will finish this story because it deserves to be told. I will finish it on time.
It did get me thinking about different kinds of Champions though and my mind turned to running and races.
There are for instance Sprints, 100, 200, 300 meters which require a quick and large output of speed and focus on the athlete’s maximum attainment of speed. Whew even the thought leaves me breathless and my heart feels like it should start pounding explosively. ( I won’t let it of course – much too old for such nonsense). But the Sprint is pretty much what we bloggers do on a daily basis.
Then there are the Middle Distance Runners at 800 or 1500 meters. This takes a little more strategy in accomplishing a win without blowing all your energy in the first quarter or half. Different mind set.
Then, aha! The Long Distance Runner. Now that’s what I am talking about. Going the distance. The Novel.
My ever trustworthy and sharing friends at Wikipedia have this interesting tidbit of information.
Stride rate and types
Exercise physiologists have found that the stride rates are extremely consistent across professional runners, between 185 and 200 steps per minute. The main difference between long- and short-distance runners is the length of stride rather than the rate of stride.[15][16]
During running, the speed at which the runner moves may be calculated by multiplying the cadence (steps per second) by the stride length. Running is often measured in terms of pace[17] in minutes per mile or kilometer. Fast stride rates coincide with the rate one pumps one’s arms. The faster one’s arms move up and down, parallel with the body, the faster the rate of stride. Different types of stride are necessary for different types of running. When sprinting, runners stay on their toes bringing their legs up, using shorter and faster strides. Long distance runners tend to have more relaxed strides that vary.
Reaching the finish line.
It’s wonderful to have dallied all these many many years thinking what a wonderful novelist I would be. The thought first arrived on a sunny June afternoon about fifty years ago (oops a little of my procrastination side showing here). I think it is pretty much time to find out and the ‘have to’ of a deadline makes it exciting. Push come to shove I may just find out I am a Sprinter, in which case I shall devote all energy there. Lord knows I am in exemplary company there.
Related articles
- NaNoWriMo: It’s a marathon, not a sprint (michaelmcmullen.wordpress.com)
- NaNoWriMo Day 12 – The Good, The Bad and The Unwritten (allmeanssomething.wordpress.com)
- NaNoWriMo: 20,000 words! (ainewarren.wordpress.com)
- NaNoWriMo 16 Days and Counting! (writesandbites.com)
- I am ready for NaNoWriMo (cindydejager.wordpress.com)
- NaNoWriMo Week 2, Day 8: 12,742 words (alisaword.wordpress.com)
Foolery, Tom Foolery, A Day of…
When I was young I thought April Fool’s Day a nuisance and really had no patience for it at all. Then I had a period where I have heartedly engaged in some sportful way. Mostly now I like to laugh at the ingenuity of others. You know, people who put some actual planning into it. Its a day for pranks with a twist to the good natured side. Not spiteful or mean. Just funny.
I was surprised to discover the day actually has a long history to it going back as far as 1392 found in Chaucer‘s Canterbury Tales. Wikipedia naturally has a detailed listing of it ( who are these people and how do they get such information?) and it seems to be world wide. There are so many usual pranks but the funniest for me was that on April 1, 1698 several people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to ‘see the Lions washed.’
It seems people have been sticking notes to the backs of others’ clothing for centuries, so nothing original there. Wiki also tells us about jokes in other countries around the world. The Iranians call the day Sizdah Bedar and is stated as the ‘oldest prank-tradition in the world still alive today. Alas France and Spain seem to largely follow tradition by sticking paper to the victims’ backs, but the Flemish have children locking out their parents and teachers and only letting them in when they promise to bring treats that evening or the same day. Some of the countries celebrate the same idea but on different days of the year.
Perhaps it is just people saying, “Let’s have a little laugh and forget our troubles for a bit.” I do enjoy the planning and originality of some.
Do you remember what Word Press did on this day last year?
Are you a prankster?
What is the best April Fool’s you have ever taken part in or heard of?
Happy jokester day my friends!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools’_Day
Sailing Through Life – Yacht or Dinghy?
- Smooth Sailing
Sailing Through Life – Yacht or Dinghy?
There are many ways to sail through life and not all include seas, ports, and ahoy matey or daily portions of rum. How well we sail is influenced not just by our skills and acumen but also by the forces of nature around us. Sometimes we find ourselves adrift, afloat and unattached not sure where our port is. This serves a purpose as it gives us the opportunity to look skyward or inward for direction or to wallow for no reason at all.
Occasionally we may find ourselves bilged on our anchor so the anchor cable runs under the hull boxing the compass when the winds are constantly shifting and we may be tempted to claim Cape Horn Fever, which is a fake illness malingerers pretend to have. Any excuse I guess when the storms of life just get to be too much.
And of course there are the times we experience The Captain’s Daughter, which is a term, used for the cat o’nine tails when we just feel beaten all up by life and wonder if succumbing to Davy Jones’ Locker would be an option.
The intent of this post initially was to post on my sailing … that is garage saling experience of yesterday. Of course I got caught up in the whole Wikipedia Nautical Term Search and got carried away. Again. But look how much I have learned!
Other than life I have no sailing/nautical experience. Never been on a boat of any size or description so I must apologize to any seamen/sea people out there who I may have offended by my flagrant abuse of terms.
But it has made me think about this voyage we are all on and to assess just how I am maneuvering those seas. My boat/ship seems to have sprung a leak but it does this often enough that I am sure I can weather it.
The Garage Sale/Sail? Went fine, smooth sailing all the way, and for the life of me I cannot believe the stuff that people will buy. But my friends did okay and we got through the day without a drop of rain.
Thank you once again Photobucket and my reliable friend Wikipedia!
Breaking Fashion Rules for Mama Kat and the Keyword Here is ‘Breaking’
The prompt I chose for today’s Writer’s Workshop is:
4.) In honor of the “white” after Memorial Day rule, name a fashion rule that you either break or enforce.
It was surprisingly difficult to find an adequate definition of ‘fashion rules’ and I have never been able to actually pinpoint just who determines fashion. Google never lets me down, nor does Wikipedia but today the search took a little longer. Or it would have if I had been in the mood to look. I can’t say I have ever been ‘out of fashion’ but that is because of friends who are just a little too enthusiastic about fashion rules. It just isn’t a biggie with me.
Ask.com had some good information. The question was, ‘What is your number one fashion rule’?
And the answer was, ‘Underwear almost always goes on the inside’. It made sense to me, but then I have seen that particular rule broken more than once. I guess that is why the word ‘almost’ is there.
I tried to think of a fashion icon and unfortunately remembered on the news the other day; Lady Gaga was presented with an award for her fashion sense. I swear!
I went to facebook to look at pics posted by friends to see what they were wearing. It’s all very casual these days. I must admit I did not see anyone with underwear on the outside so that is a good thing.
I used to like the fashions of the sixties. It was neat, feminine and I happily embraced the rules then and everything matched.
My sister-in-law keeps up on fashion and frankly I cannot wrap my mind around some of it. For instance, did you know that your purse should no longer match anything? And your shoes shouldn’t match anything? In fact the latest thing is that you should wear a neutral color shoe with a black dress?
White before or after Memorial Day does not matter to me at all. It depends strictly on the weather.
There is only one fashion rule I adhere to and that one was made by my niece.
“Never ever dress like an old lady.” Unfortunately I came across a morning fashion advice show that showed clothing that no one over forty should wear AND there before me on public TV was my entire wardrobe. It’s a darn good thing I don’t really care!
Wikipedia – The Plot to Keep Me Unpublished
Wikipedia – The Plot to Keep Me Unpublished
Even though research slows down my progress in writing, I love what I learn and being able to give my story credibility.
There is a plot afoot though by Wikipedia methinks. Having found the information I was seeking I spy with my little eye a link. An interesting link, and having no willpower, absolutely none, I pursue it.
Well I cannot say, and will not say, it was a waste of time. It delivered ‘interesting’
The link is below and for anyone wishing to dally away some time it is an entertaining list. There is a ton of information so I will just list a few that really caught my attention.
The list is – Unusual deaths. Now death in itself is not funny but how it comes about can be. Well if not funny, at least strange. Some of it is legend of course and that is where the interesting comes in.
Men and Strength
- 6th century BC: Legend says Greek wrestler Milo of Croton came upon a tree-trunk split with wedges. Testing his strength, he tried to rend it with his bare hands. The wedges fell, trapping his hands in the tree and making him unable to defend himself from attacking wolves, which devoured him.[2]
Men and War
- 162 BC: Eleazar Maccabeus was crushed to death at the Battle of Beth-zechariah by a war elephant that he believed to be carrying Seleucid King Antiochus V. Charging into battle, Eleazar rushed underneath the elephant and thrust a spear into its belly, whereupon it fell dead on top of him.[8]
- 53 BC: The Roman general and consul Marcus Licinius Crassus was reported to have been put to death by the Parthians after losing the battle of Carrhae, by being forced to drink a goblet of molten gold, symbolic of his great wealth.’[9]
- 892: Sigurd the Mighty of Orkney strapped the head of his defeated foe, Máel Brigte, to his horse’s saddle. The teeth of the head grazed against his leg as he rode, causing a fatal infection.[citation needed]
Love
- 882, The Carolingian king, Louis III of France, was riding after a woman with amorous intent; on her flight into a building, he followed, still mounted and struck his head on the lintel of the doorway, killing him.[citation needed]
Laughter
- 207 BC: Chrysippus, a Greek stoic philosopher, is believed to have died of laughter after giving his donkey wine then seeing it attempt to eat figs.
- 1410: Martin I of Aragon died from a lethal combination of indigestion and uncontrollable laughing.[19]
- 1975: Alex Mitchell, a 50-year-old from Norfolk, England, died laughing while watching The Goodies. A particular scene had caused Mitchell to laugh nonstop for twenty-five minutes before dying of heart failure.[95]
Science
- 1753: Professor Georg Wilhelm Richmann, of Saint Petersburg, Russia, became the first recorded person to be killed while performing electrical experiments when he was struck and killed by a globe of ball lightning.[33]
- 1945: Scientist Harry K. Daghlian, Jr. accidentally dropped a brick of tungsten carbide onto a sphere of plutonium while working on the Manhattan Project. This caused the plutonium to come to criticality; Daghlian died of radiation poisoning, becoming the first person to die in a criticality accident.[73]
- 1959: In the Dyatlov Pass incident, nine ski hikers in the Ural Mountains abandoned their camp in the middle of the night, some clad only in their underwear despite sub-zero weather. Six died of hypothermia and three by unexplained injuries. The corpses showed no signs of struggle, but one had a fatal skull fracture, two had major chest fractures, and one was missing her tongue. Tests showed that all of the hikers had been exposed to large amounts of radiation. Soviet investigators determined only that “a compelling unknown force” had caused the deaths.[78
Fire Power
- 1982: David Grundman was killed near Lake Pleasant, Arizona while shooting at cacti with his shotgun. After firing several shots at a 26 ft (8 m) tall Saguaro Cactus from extremely close range, a 4 ft limb of the cactus detached and fell on him, crushing him.[113][114]
- 1995: A 39-year-old man committed suicide in Canberra, Australia by shooting himself three times with a pump action shotgun. The first shot passed through his chest and went out the other side. He reloaded and shot away his throat and part of his jaw. Breathing through the wound in his throat, he again reloaded, held the gun against his chest with his hands and operated the trigger with his toes. This shot entered the thoracic cavity and demolished the heart, killing him.[143]
Oh so much more! Thank you Wikipedia for at least making my time entertaining!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unusual_deaths
bridgesburning 