A Hodgepodge of Questions

Time to answer some of Joyce's Wednesday Hodgepodge questions. 

Since it's Wednesday and all, you know.

1. The popular saying, 'All is fair in love and war' is originally credited to English writer John Lyly.  Is he right?
No. If an action is a sin, then it is not "fair" no matter the circumstances.

2. Are you a cereal eater?  What's your favorite kind?
Not typically. If I do eat cereal, I would choose granola.
Interesting tidbit:
When my kids were little and I gave them cereal for breakfast, I gave it to them with no milk only because I didn't want to mess with the wet, goopy mess. To this day, those kids will eat their cereal dry. They have even been known to eat Grape Nuts with no milk. That makes for a loud breakfast!

3. A five year old in Pennsylvania was recently given a ten day school suspension for talking with a friend about shooting one another with a Hello Kitty Bubble gun (the gun blows bubbles).  She did not have the gun with her at school.
A psychological evaluation was also ordered and the incident was recorded on her permanent record.  The suspension was later reduced to two days and her parents are suing to have the incident removed from her file. Your thoughts?  (If you missed the story click here for details).
My thoughts? Just one: Good grief.

4. Whatever happened to_____________________________?
The silver dollars my great-aunt put in my stocking when I was a little girl? I haven't been able to find them and I am just sick about it. I remember one had the date of 1923. I can not figure out where they are.

5.  January 23rd is National Handwriting Day, billed as a day to reacquaint yourself with a pen and pencil.  
Do you like your handwriting? 
I've never been a huge fan of my handwriting, but when I look back at something I wrote twenty years ago I think it looks okay. I think the lack of actual writing of late hasn't helped my handwriting any. Hubby says I have good handwriting.
Do you prefer to print or write in cursive?
If I am writing a list (like a grocery list of a to-do list), I tend to print. If it's something longer, like taking notes in church, or (gasp) writing an actual letter, I write in cursive. I prefer cursive, I think.
This date was chosen because its the birth date of John Hancock. What's the last thing you signed your name to?
I signed my name on the charge at the grocery store yesterday. Although the machine pad I signed was so bad there's no way to tell if it was really my signature. I always feel like I'm a three year old trying to write my name on those things. When I do write my signature on a real piece of paper with a real pen, I'm amazed at how well I can actually write it.
Interesting tidbit: Before I was married, my whole name: first, middle initial and last, was a total of nine letters. I could fill up the whole blank on a check with those nine letters. After I was married, my last name grew to eleven letters long (and no, I don't hyphenate). I learned to start my signature on the checks before the line started.

6. Speaking of John Hancock...ever been to Philadelphia? Do you have any desire to visit the city of Brotherly Love?  

Nope. Never been to Philadelphia. Yep. I'd like to go there some day.

Interesting tidbit regarding John Hancock:

Years ago we went on a wonderful vacation to New Zealand. One of the places (a farm stay) we stayed asked us to sign their guest book. I started to make a comment about putting "my John Hancock" there and then suddenly realized they probably would have no idea what I meant by that. I asked them if they were familiar with that statement and they said no. So I enlightened them with a bit of American history.

(This post is just chock-full of interesting tidbits!) (You're welcome.)

7.  Share something funny you've heard a child say.  

Sadly, I'm not around little ones too much lately. I really miss that. A lot. I'll share what (I saw on Facebook) my nephew's little two year girl calls a fast food place: Chick-a-fway. Kids are awesome. I so love reading about and seeing photos of that little girl on Facebook.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Back on December 5, Joyce asked if there was something we wanted to accomplish before the end of the year. I answered that I wanted to read The Hobbit. I had thought I'd read it all before we saw the movie, but that didn't happen. I thought I would finish it before the year ended. That didn't happen. But TODAY I finished reading it! It's pretty clear to me now that the fantasy genre is not my favorite genre. BUT I FINISHED IT!
Interesting tidbit (I just had to add one more!): I first learned the word genre when my son was in the 4th grade. His teacher taught me that. ;)