CJ Ray has tagged me with a most creative meme: I must grab the closest book with more than 123 pages, turn to page 123, go five sentences down, and provide the next three sentences here.
How fortuitous that Bartlett's tome sits nearby; a book on bodily functions occupied a nearer space yesterday.
Here are the words from the required quadrant:
Modestus said of Regulus that he was "the biggest rascal that walks upon two legs."
There is nothing to write about, you say. Well then, write and let me know just this--that there is nothing to write about; or tell me in the good old style if you are well. That's right, I am quite well.
* * *
I included a bonus sentence because I like the flip voice of the speaker.
My tag is open--if you like this meme, show us what you've got!
In other news, Stephen Parrish gave me an E for excellence blog award. Thank you, Stephen! I'll add it to my sidebar.
Being noted for excellence is an inspiration to aspire to greater heights. I want to achieve excellence in all my endeavors. I want to be all I can be. Oh, wait, that's the Army.
Get an Edge on Life, that's the Army, too, but the other slogan,
Be All You Can Be is better. Here are a few more:
It's not just a job. It's an adventure! Navy slogan. I give it an E for excellent!
The Few. The Proud. Marine Slogan. SC for super cool!
Aim High. Air Force. O for okay.
Be Part of the Action. Coast Guard. B for boring. There's gotta be something better than that. Post your alternative in the comments!
Last Friday, I spoke at the Worthington (Ohio) Libraries' Board, Staff, and Community Retreat session. Worthington is a wonderfully progressive suburban library system Library Journal's 2007 Library of the Year, in fact), and the director, Meribah Mansfield, has put together a young, enthusiastic leadership team that seems to effervesce with new ideas. (Full disclosure: Meribah and I go way back as friends and colleagues. I live in her library district, and she serves on OCLC's Members Council.) I was delighted to speak in Worthington for another reason---I love any speaking engagement I can drive to.
The point of this post, though, is to talk about the structure the organizers of the meeting used to get the discussion moving. They called this session a "World Café," which has no relationship to the NPR radio show of the same name.
There were about seven tables of eight people each at this event. Lisa Fuller and Kristin Shelley, the organizers of the discussion, had four questions they wanted discussed. They gave us the first question, then asked us to spend about eight minutes discussing it. At the end of the eight minutes, Lisa and Kristin raised their hands to end the discussion, and then they told us all to change tables and sit with a different mix of people for the second question. We worked through this for all four questions, changing tables and getting to meet new people each time. There were no assigned recorders or discussion leaders.
When all the questions had been discussed, they asked us for key "Ah-Ha!" moments at each table. So in about 45 minutes, we had a terrific discussion, and the board had several flip chart pages full of good ideas to take into the second day of their deliberations.
If you are running a meeting seeking broad based input, this could be a good model.
Incidentally, for years, I've been saying in my talks that library web sites can be called many things, but they can rarely be called fun. Here is an exception.
On January 29, 7:30pm the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas will host a panel on “Military Blogging and America’s Wars.” The guests will include John Donovan, one of America’s leading milbloggers (who was invited to meet President Bush in the White House); Ward Carroll, a retired Navy Commander who flew F-14s and editor of www.Military.com; and Charles J. “Jack” Holt, chief of New Media Operations for the Department of Defense. David D. Perlmutter, a professor in the KU School of Journalism & Mass Communications , and author of Blogwars, will moderate the session.
In Blogwars Perlmutter examines the rapidly burgeoning phenomenon of blogs and questions the degree to which blog influence–or fail to influence–American political life. In the post below Perlmutter introduces us to Military Blogs.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is supposed to have said that “war is the father of all things.” It is absolutely true that where we live, the language we speak, the flags we fly, the beliefs we hold, the land we live on, and even our genetic heritage have been affected by who won and lost wars. Likewise, much of our technology was created for or improved toward making war. (more…)
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How about
"Have it your way?" Burger King
"Where's the beef?" WEndy's
"We answer to a higher authority" Hebrew National hot dogs
Notice mine all are food related?
Oh and I just saw your advice of phoning home an idea if I am driving! What a great idea! I will definitly do that from now on!
According to Wikipedia, "Semper Paratus" is the Coast Guard slogan. It's Latin for "Always Ready."
Love the food slogans!
Survivor:
OUTWIT. OUTPLAY. OUTLAST.
Punchy AND intriguing!
But I have Survivor on the brian lately, since I'm watchin' the new season every Thursday. I could be biased.
Is that a slogan or a tagline though? Probably a tagline. I fail!
I would suggest something like "Go off the deep end," but I admire the Coast Guard too much.
Plato's Republic, page 123, five sentences down, what follows:
The time has arrived, Glaucon, when like huntsmen, we should surround the cover, and look sharp that justice does not steal away, and pass out of sight and escape us; for beyond a doubt she is somewhere in this country; watch therefore and strive to catch a sight of her, and if you see her first, let me know.
"Go for broke." That was the motto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the all-Japanese-American fighting unit in WWII. I love those guys, and I love this motto. It says "Give it all you've got," but in a refreshingly idiomatic, pithy way.
The closest volume at hand today is Japan at War: an Oral History, by Haruko Taya Cook and Theodore F Cook. Page 123, lines 5-8, read as follows:
"The clerk usually bore responsibility for investigating each and every person, and reporting any changes to regimental district headquarters. This wasn't just for 50 or 100 people. It had to be done for several hundred people in 240 households."
You really need to know the context to understand how riveting that is...
Everyone's books are so interesting.
As far as the Coast Guard goes, it seems pretty cool to be rescuing people from the high seas. They should have an equally cool motto.
Courtney, All right! One of your fave shows has new episodes. I'll be glad to see new SNLs and 30 Rock.
My nearest book just happens to be one that I'm working from:
"Creating Characters Kids Will Love" by Elaine Marie Alphin...
Page 123 lines 5-8:
"Few readers can identify with Peerless Percival, the perfect hero who is brave, wise, understanding and insightful; who looks attractive and dresses well; who always does the right thing and knows just what to say in any situation. For a start, real kids know they aren't anything like Percival, and never will be, so they have trouble becoming fully involved in his story. And if your hero is truly peerless and able to cope with anything, you'll end up with a very short story, because Percival would know exactly how to solve the story problem in the first scene."
I tried this 123 page thing but didn't get anything interesting.
My slogan: "I'll have another one of those."
HA! Charles!