Newsletter for the World of Words by Elias Tobias

   Photo by Mike Hall

Happy New Year!

Howdy from Elias Tobias and Patty,
It’s time to change the calendars around the house and the office.  A new year is upon us.  Plans have been penciled on  the calendar dates, but there is time for those events to be changed.  The theme for this month will be a new year, with all its potential and uncertainty. 

People have lost jobs and other fear for loss of employment.  I will continue to teach at Ivy Tech in the Spring Semester and start to take classes to work toward requirements for continued employment.  The good news is the college will pay for the classes, eventually.  I just have to pass the classes first.  Learning is a good thing. Patty is comfortable with her job, the reason we can back to Indiana.  The cold weather has been a significant adjustment compared to Laredo, Texas.  I just buy more coats and sweaters.
As far as the the World of Words by Elias Tobias goes, I will continue the things that seem to work, including the Spanish poems, Palabras de Inspracioñ, and add new things, like Mike’s Book Cafe, and the Trivia Quiz. Older features, such as the Open Poetry Forum, the International Poetry Link Exchange, free posters and videos on You Tube will continue to complete the web blog.

Reading in Fun-damental

The gift of reading is a gift that keeps on giving, long after the Christmas presents have been opened.  The best presents are free and there are hundred of books online for no cost from a variety of sources.  So when it’s cold outisde, and you have time on your hands, fix yourself a cup of coffee and then pick up a book or anthology of poems and relax.   Click on the Mike’s Book Cafe and go to the links on the Internet to start reading.

World of Words has first Trivia Quiz

Test your knowledge and skill of the World Of Words by Elias Tobias web blog, and take the blog’s Trivia Quiz for fun.  No prizes are involved, though. No points for merchandise are available since everything on this web site is already free. Use the search box to help find information from all posts.  Click on the logo to go to the quiz.

  Poem of the Month

Behind the Christmas card

There is a picture of a large house
and cars in front, all covered in snow,
and the multi-color lights on the house
 and in the lawn put on a  grand show,
but  there are secrets spoken that
only family members should know.
There was a child born there that
compared to the others, wasn’t the same.
Records hidden in the safe might reveal
that he was born under a different name.
For some people there might be a bad case
of guilt and a sprinkle of shame;
but it is never told who is really to blame.
The smiles are shared during the season,
and hiding the truth is a fun game as
parties are given and presents exchanged.
So have a merry Christmas, the inside of card
 says, and a have a happy new year.
Sing praises of auld lang syne, and have
another one of the imported beers.

Mi canción Victoria

Para ver la versión original en inglés, haga click aquí.  

Mi canción Victoria

Hola mundo,
Estoy listo para usted el día de hoy.
Voy a luchar y combatir,
y no voy a tener miedo.
El fuego y el sol puede quemar,
puede morder el hielo y congelar,
la arena del desierto puede volar,
pero yo todavía siento la suave brisa.
Las horas parecen más,
como las garrapatas de mi reloj.
Voy a luchar y pelear.
Voy a cantar mi canción victoria.
Estoy aquí por fin, a casa 
caja fuerte, feliz y con vida.
El sol, el hielo, la arena del desierto han
hecho todo lo posible, pero yo todavía sobrevivió.

Rise Above the Rest

When I looked for directions
or when I seemed all alone
and my mind was put to the test,
all I remember is a voice saying
Go west, young man, go west.”
Expand your horizons, it said.
The voice thundered in my head,
“Don’t be a part of the crowd;
Strive to rise above the rest and
only then will you succeed.”
Perphaps this was a dream
or something a teacher said
one of those days in school.
I really don’t remember,
but I believe it’s a good rule.

The Spice of Life

In many recipes, fresh ground nutmeg is
a spice that many chefs like to use,
but not too much, for the fresh natural
Essence can be abused.
It’s a subtle secret ingredient that
seems to make dishes taste homemade,
and it is true that other distinctive
spices are certainly overplayed.
Chili peppers of all types think they’re hot,
and cumin thinks it can still compete.
Sage goes with Rosemary and Thyme
and cinnamon believes it is sweet.
Then there’s black ground pepper which is
always used with a pinch of sea salt.
Several chefs try to make a big deal of how
good garlic is, but a good breath it will halt.
So the best thing is to use a little nutmeg,
especially when we don’t know.
That will be the dish that wins first place
and the one that will steal the show.

To read this poem in Spanish, click here.

World of Words Trivia Quiz 1

Test your knowledge and skill of the World Of Words by Elias Tobias web blog, and take the blog’s Trivia Quiz for fun.  No prizes are involved, though. No points for merchandise are available since everything on this web site is already free. Use the search box to help find information from all posts. Also look in the pages and categories sections for more clues for the answers, except for the answer file (play honest here). Print out the page, and mark the answers to the following 10 questions. Then check your answers by clicking on the trivia quiz logo for the correct answers.

Set A :

1.When is National Red Dot Day?
A. Nov. 3.
B. Sept. 8.
C. Nov. 7.
D. Dec. 7.
2.How many free posters available at the World of Words by Elias Tobias?
A. 2.
B. 3.
C. 4.
D. 7.
3. What is Patty Hall’s home town?
A. Indianapolis, Indiana.
B. San Antonio, Texas.
C. Richmond, Indiana.
D. Columbus, Indiana.
4.In the short story, ”The  Peasant Princess,” Who is Holly’s adopted sister?
A. Maria.
B. Sylvia.
C. Eve.
D. Charlotte.
5.Where did Michael Hall work as a public school teacher?
A. Brownsville, Texas.
B. Laredo, Texas.
C. Fort Wayne, Indiana.
D. Indianapolis, Indiana.
6. Caroline Gill has a poetry blog based in what country?
A. France.
B. England.
C. Switzerland.
D. Canada.
7.What is the name of the newsletter for the World of Words by Elias Tobias?
A. The Chronicle.
B. The Bell.
C. The Herald.
D. The Exponet.
8.How long has Elias Tobias has the website, World of Words by Elias Tobias, been around?
A. Since 1998.
B. Since 2005.
C. Since 2000.
D. Since 1995.
9.What is the name of the song written by Michael Albright from a poem written by Elias Tobias?
A. Earth Song.
B. Next Flight.
C. Crusader’s Sacrifice.
D. Your Love.
10.What color of vest does Elias Tobias wear in his only live action video?
A. Black.
B. Red.
C. Tan.
D. Dark brown.

Cold as Ice

Photo by Miike Hall

Unique ice patterns form on the car window on a cold December morning where the temperatures get well below freezing.  Each ice crystal is slightly different than the own next to it, creating a one-of-a kind art work.

Llorar

Para ver la versión original en inglés, haga click aquí.  

Llorar

Grito de la semilla que no se convierta en parte de un bosque, y no para el fuego que quema los árboles en las montañas.

Grito de la unshed lacrimógenos en tiempos de dolor, y no para los que se superan con emoción cuando muestran pesar.

Grito de la empresa es que nunca comenzó, y no para aquellos que no porque alguien corría el riesgo y el esfuerzo perdido.

Grito para que el libro no leído es, y no las novelas que aún no se han escrito, ya que siguen siendo posibilidades reales.

El grito de corazón endurecido que no le importa, y no aquellos que abren sus vidas a otros y sufren una pérdida.

Grito para la historia que se pierde e indocumentados, y no para los tiempos, aunque dolorosa, que se conservan por los que saben su valor.

Grito de los niños no deseados que ha nacido demasiado pronto, y no para los niños que salen de forma inesperada ya que todos tenemos nuestro tiempo para morir.

Grito de la poesía no escrita, y no para aquellos cuyas palabras se expresan y se registró a redescubierto por interminables generaciones.

Grito para aquellos que no utilizan su imaginación, y no de aquellos que obligados por el pasado, no importa cuán exitoso que puede parecer.

Richmond Ice Festival

Photos by Mike Hall

The 4th Annual Ice Festival in Richmond, Indiana, on Friday, Dec. 12,  2008 and Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008, featured the work of Stephan Koch, a professional ice artist from the Indiana Ice Studio. On Friday, Koch created 17 different ice sculptures from Fifth to 10th Streets along East Main Street in Downtown Richmond. He had ice sculpture workshops as part of the event. Four of the works Koch created, for different businesses, are seen on the corners of Main Street.

21 days

They say it takes 21 days for a person to learn to break a habit,
But it didn’t take me that long to change once I met you.
I was used to being on my own, and I was in charge of my life
Until that time I saw you walking back from school.
My plans became our plans the more we were together,
And I could only think of why you could love just me.
The hours seemed like days and days were like weeks
As we loved the moments surrendered in eternity.

Mike’s Book Cafe

The gift of reading is a gift that keeps on giving, long after the Christmas presents have been opened.  The best presents are free and there are hundred of books online for no cost from a variety of sources.  So when it’s cold outisde, and you have time on your hands, fix yourself a cup of coffee and then pick up a book or anthology of poems and relax.  

If you just want the latest news from your own hometown to the nation and world, go to Topix at http://www.topix.com/. The type in the name of your city or town in the search box and get information from your neck of the woods.

Here is a set of links from Mike’s Book Cafe:

1. Thousands of books availabkle through http://www.readbookonline.net/

2. Turn page after page at http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/

3:  Read and print books for free from http://www.readprint.com/

4. What a romance novel? Choose hundreds at http://www.publicbookshelf.com/

5. Children have a source for stories at http://www.magickeys.com/books/

6. If any of the above links do not catch your attention as you sip your coffee, try 25 other places to get free books to read online at http://educhoices.org/articles/Online_Libraries_-_25_Places_to_Read_Free_Books_Online.html

There is power in the written word.