Seventy-five is Five Fifteens

“Seventy-five is Five Fifteens” by Linda Martin Andersen

I have a good friend who turns seventy-five-years-old today.  Happy birthday, to my unnamed friend.  She remains unnamed because a lady never shares a friend’s age.  I hope the birthday girl enjoys my silly take on turning seventy-five and that she and other readers will play along with me.  Here goes…

Clip art sample 2015

 

Seventy-five is five fifteens.  75=15+15+15+15+15

Brain Teaser for Today:  Which is harder–turning seventy-five or living the life of five fifteen year olds? Don’t answer too hastily.

What are fifteen-year-olds like, you may ask.  Sorry, but thinking back on your life at fifteen doesn’t cut it.  Today’s fifteen-year-old is different.  And remember we’re talking about living the life of FIVE fifteen-year olds.

Questions to consider before answering this brain teaser:

Which name would you prefer to be called:  a teenager or a senior citizen?  Both get a bad rap at times, especially from comedians.  Furthermore, most of us have made cracks about their driving skills.  One group gets discounts more than the other.  Which one?

Which carries more weight? (meaning influence, not pounds)  One seventy-five-year-old or five fifteen-year olds?  Depends on the market.  For example, AARP has little interest in teens, while fashion designers probably have little interest in catering to seniors.

What about being compared to a century? (100 years)  When a reporter is sent out to find the secret of longevity, who would he prefer to interview?  Someone who has lived 3/4 of a century or five teens who have each lived 1/15 of a century?

Which would you rather bake?  Five birthday cakes or one?  (assuming all five teens share the same birthday and are celebrating together).  Either way, you need a total of seventy-five candles, unless you use numbered ones.  In that case, ironically, there is more need for the Fire Department to be on standby for the teens’ cakes. 

Who would you rather feed?  Five fifteen-year-olds or one seventy-five-year-old?  In my mind, there’s no contest on that one. 😉

Do you have other questions to add?

Want to know more about fifteen-year-olds?  Check these topics:

Diet, exercise, stress:

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/agesandstages/a/Behavior-And-Daily-Routines-Your-15-Year-Old-Teen.htm

Social and Emotional Development:

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/agesandstages/a/Emotional-Development-Your-15-Year-Old-Teen.htm

Once again, the Brain Teaser for Today is:  Which is harder–turning seventy-five or living the life of five fifteen year olds?

Want a different challenge? 

• Writers need to know their audience.  Please share tips for creating strong teen characters in stories.
• If you’re a teen, please share character traits you like to read about in books.
• Share an experience from when you were 15.

Thanks to readers of all ages for joining the fun and helping me celebrate my friend’s birthday.  A celebration like no other! 

I look forward to your comments.  Come again soon and bring a friend.

I’d like to add an extra special birthday wish for my good friend!  I hope she enjoys her birthday tribute. 

Children 13 years old or older may leave a comment. Read more about the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. (COPPA) See: http://www.coppa.org/coppa.htm

Activities for August

“Activities for August” by Linda Martin Andersen

“A Writer’s Playground”

A place to find wordplay, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.

Think:  What does the word “August” bring to mind?  Hot summer days.  Last minute family vacations before school starts back. 

Other things we remember in August:  Steam rising from asphalt after an afternoon rain shower.  Record breaking temperatures.  Listening for the ice cream truck driving through the neighborhood.  Summer reading assignments due when school starts back.

Special Days in August: 

• Respect for Parents:  1  Brainstorm things your parents have done for you.  Now brainstorm things you could do for them.  Decide how you’ll show them respect today. 
• Spiderman Day:  1  Name qualities you admire about Spiderman.  How many of the qualities do you possess?  Name one you’d like to strengthen.  Set a goal.  How will you accomplish it?  Check yourself each month to see if you’ve met your goal or if you need to reset it. 
• World Wide Web Day:  1  How do you think this day should be celebrated?  Would you want to visit your favorite web sites?  Before you begin, seek parental permission, if you are a child.  Would you want to visit 3-5 new sites?  Name the countries you have visited while on the web.  Do you email people in other countries?  What are good memories you have from internet use?  What is one problem you have had while on the web?  How did you resolve it?
• Friendship Day:  4  Who is your best friend?  What do you like to do together?  What special thing can you do for this friend today? 
• National Doll Day:  4  Visit a toy store or toy department.  Look at the variety of dolls for sale.  If you could buy one, which one would you choose and why?  Which one reminds you the most of yourself?  Why?  Which one reminds you the most of your best friend?  Why?
• Hiroshima Day:  6  List what you know about Hiroshima Day.  Research and check your list of facts.  Were you right?  Find at least one new fact to add to your list.  Check your library for books on this topic.  Are they fiction, nonfiction, or some of both?
• Lighthouse Day:  7  Count the number of lighthouses you have visited in your life.  How many have you toured?  How many have you climbed ?  Which was your favorite?  Why?  Name as many lighthouses as you can.  Which is your favorite name?  What are some lighthouse facts?  Research for additional ones.
• Smithsonian Day:  10  Where is the Smithsonian located?  Have you ever visited it? If so, what exhibits were your favorites?  What other sites could you visit in this area? 
• International Youth Day:  12  How old is a “youth?”  What things have you done with other youth?  What are some service projects youth participate in?  Have you ever gone out-of-state on a mission project?  Tell someone about things you have done to help others.  It is not essential that it all be out-of-state or country.  Many service projects can be in your own hometown.  Be sure to attend with an organized group or with a parent.
• International left-hander’s Day:  13  If you are right-handed, spend an hour today doing things  as if you are left-handed.  What was fairly easy to do?  What was extremely difficult?  How did you feel while you were trying things?  How did you cope?  If you are left-handed, try these suggested activities with your right hand.  Discuss your feelings with someone. 
• National Navajo Code Talkers Day:  14  What war used Navajo Code Talkers?  How did they help?  Research to learn more.  http://www.natgeoeducationvideo.com/film/835/war-code-navajo
• Look for a copy of Navajo Code Talkers by Andrew Santella or other books on the topic.

• National Relaxation Day:  15  What do you picture when you hear the word “relaxation?”  Do you picture sleeping in, swinging in a hammock, sunbathing, or other scenes.  Describe it.  What other things are in the scene?  Name something in the scene for each of your five senses:  taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight.   
• Serendipity Day:  18  What does “serendipity” mean?  http://www.thefreedictionary.com/serendipity  Is serendipity usually good or usually bad?   Give an example of serendipity in your life.  Name three events that could form an example of serendipity.
• Cupcake Day:  19  If you could dip your cupcake in any type topping you wanted, what would it be?  Think beyond icing.  Maybe you’d like hot fudge or ice cream, et.  What would you sprinkle on top?  Name your cupcake variety.  Ask a friend to try this activity and then describe your creation to each other.  The public library in my area sponsored a workshop called “Beyond Sprinkles” which demonstrated ways to decorate cupcakes.  Consider taking a baking class or gather with friends for one of your own.
• Poet’s Day:  21  Who is your favorite poet?  Have you ever seen one of the poet’s poems dramatized?  Have you ever seen a play about the poet?  Have you ever read a book of poetry by this poet?  How would you like to honor your favorite poet, if you could?  What about a poem for them?  After all, they like poetry.
• Senior Citizen’s Day:  21  How old is a senior citizen?  Ask three other people and see if they give the same age.  What benefits do seniors get?  What are some ways seniors are discriminated against?  How can you show a senior citizen respect today?
• National Second-hand Wardrobe Day:  25  Have you ever worn hand-me-down clothes?  Were you ever embarrassed because of it?  Today, consignment shops and thrift stores are popular places to shop.  There was a time when people were teased for owning hand-made clothing.  Now, having something sewn for you would most likely be considered a treat.   Why do you think  attitudes have changed? 
• National Dog Day:  26  Create a poster of three or more countries and assign a dog you think would make a good national  choice for each one.  Tell why.  Encourage a friend to join you.  If you’d prefer, create a poster for several different states in the USA.
• Slow Art Day:  27  What picture comes to mind when you read this:  Slow Art Day?  What could you create to represent this?  Would it be a project that is slow to finish or something that reminds you of a slow/lazy day?  Will you give away your project or keep it to remind you of “slow art?”  My family recently bought a new lawnmower.  It’s control shows a turtle for slow speed and a rabbit for fast speed.  I wonder if that makes the turtle the lawnmower company’s “slow art design.”  Would that make the rabbit a “fast art design?”  Thoughts, anyone?
• Radio Commercials Day:  28  When I was a child, a local grocery store used to advertise livers and gizzards for sale.  My brother and sisters got the silly giggles late one night and recited the store’s commercial, but said that they sold lizards and gizzards.  Every time we were corrected, we repeated our chant.  Do you recall a radio or television commercial or jingle that “stuck in your head” or left you with special memories?  Will you share? 
• National Toasted Marshmallow Day:  30  How do you like your marshmallows toasted?  Over a camp fire?  In the oven over a sweet potato casserole?  Will you eat them burnt?  Have you ever used a coat hanger to roast them over fire?  How many did you put on your hanger or stick at a time?  Did you let the marshmallow catch fire?

Special Weeks in August:

• Simplify Your Life Week: 1-7
•  Look around your bedroom. What things seem cluttered or unorganized? Is there one thing you’d like to simplify?  Make a chart listing things that need improvement and a suggested way to fix it.  Here are some suggestions.

Needs Improvement	Way to Fix It
Shoes covering the floor	Shoe caddy or shoe rack
Not enough drawers	Stackable,labeled plastic tubs with lids

• Old Fiddler’s Week:  4-10  What is a fiddle?  Have you ever been to a fiddler’s convention?  Do you know anyone who owns a fiddle?  Can the person play it?  Research the names of fiddlers.  What trivia did you learn?  Share with someone you know.
• National Bargain Hunting Week:  5-11 If you could set up a bargain hunting experiment to do with family members or friends, describe what you would do.
• Weird Contest Week:  11-17  Give an example of a what you consider a weird contest.  Tell about a time you entered a contest or read about one.  On a weirdness scale from 1-10 (Ten being super weird) how would your rate the contest?  What could have made it have a higher ranking?  Share your contest results with a friend.  Do you know anyone who attended a game show on television?
• National Aviation Week:  15-21  Who do you know who works for the airlines?  What is the person’s job?  What other jobs are available with the airlines?  Make a list.  Have you ever flown on an airplane?  Tell about going to meet someone at the airport or any another flight story you have.  In November 17, 2012, I spotlighted an airline pilot who is a children’s author.  If you’d like to learn about Mike Downs, check here:  https://lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/meet-a-pilot-who-is-also-a-childrens-author-mike-downs-the-spotlights-on-you-for-aviation-history-month/
• Little League Baseball World Series:  18-24  Do you know Little League trivia?  Research and share trivia with someone you know.  Congratulate any Little League player you know for playing ball.  Ask a player to share a favorite story about one of their games.
• National Safe at Home Week:  26-30  Check around your house for things that could be done to make it a safer place.  Make a list.  Share those suggestions with your parents. 

August is…

• American Artists Appreciation Month  I have chosen to spotlight Pete Lupo, a North Carolina wood carver I know.  I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do.  http://www.petelupo.com/index.html

Copyright by Pete Lupo

Even the basket is carved of wood.  Pete’s carving is so realistic, people touch it to be sure it’s wood.

• Cataract Awareness Month  Research cataracts.  Do you know anyone who has had cataract surgery?  Ask them about it.
• Children’s Vision and Learning Month  Have you had your eyes checked recently?  What habits do you have that help you to be a good learner at school?
• Happiness happens Month  What can you do to make happiness happen?
• National Runaway Prevention Month  If a friend is thinking about running away from home, what can you do?

*Thank you Brownie Locks.com for August celebration information.  For more August observances check out: http://www.brownielocks.com/august.html

I hope you’ll leave a comment before you go.  Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.” Please come again soon and bring a friend. 

Copyright © 2013 Linda Martin Andersen