DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Games Day
What kind if games do you most enjoy, board games, trivia games, card games, or maybe video games? Whatever game is your favorite, this is the day to play it and have some fun for a change! After all, what better a break could you take from the stresses of everyday life than to partake in Games Day?
As generation upon would generation of people the world over would agree, playing games is a great way to just kick back, relax and have some fun with your family of friends.
History of Games Day
Games Day was created by the British game production and retail company, Games Workshop, which started out producing more traditional games such as backgammon, and later moved on to fantasy universe games, such as Warhammer.
This day of carefree whimsical frivolity was created rather abruptly in 1975 when another games convention that got cancelled, and the gap thereby created needed to be filled.
The very first of these soon to become extremely popular events took place in London on December 20, 1975. In a very short period of time, these events really took the UK’s gaming community by storm and brought many people together, which did a great deal to build up the nation’s gaming scene. Of course, this style of convention quickly sprung up and became enormously popular in the US as well, and acts as a fantastic showcase both for gamers and their skills and the gaming industry.
Joke of the Day ... Christmas
Why was Santa’s little helper depressed?
Because he had very low elf esteem.
Word of the Day
eutrapely
MEANING:
noun: Liveliness and ease of conversation.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek (pleasantness in conversation), from eu- (well) + trapely (to turn). Earliest documented use: 1596.
NOTES:
Can you talk to anyone on any topic with ease? If so, you have the gift of eutrapely, also known as eutrapelia. It was one of Aristotle’s dozen virtues.
USAGE:
“All of whom defend that virtuous, urbane wit which is eutrapely.”
Michael A. Screech; Laughter at the Foot of the Cross; University of Chicago Press; 1997.
Michael A. Screech; Laughter at the Foot of the Cross; University of Chicago Press; 1997.
Idiom of the Day
LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED
To do everything you can to achieve something
During firm’s the financial audit they left no stone unturned.
illustrated by William Roger Snow, FAO Schwarz Version
During firm’s the financial audit they left no stone unturned.
This Day in History
1803 - The United States Senate ratified a treaty that included the Louisiana Territories from France for $15 million. The transfer was completed with formal ceremonies in New Orleans.
1820 - The state of Missouri enacted legislation to tax bachelors between the ages of 21-50 for being unmarried. The tax was $1 a year.
1880 - New York's Broadway became known as the "Great White Way" when it was lighted by electricity.
1938 - Vladimir Kosma Zworykin patented the iconoscope television system.
1946 - The Frank Capra film "It's A Wonderful Life" had a preview showing for charity at New York City's Globe Theatre, a day before its "official" world premiere. James Stewart and Donna Reed star in the film.
1954 - Buick Motor Company signed Jackie Gleason to one of the largest contracts ever entered into with an entertainer. Gleason agreed to produce 78 half-hour shows over a two-year period for $6,142,500.
1957 - Elvis Presley received his U.S. Army draft notice.
1968 - Author John Steinbeck died at the age of 66.
1990 - The world's first website and server go live at CERN. The first website was http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html.
1996 - Doctors reported that a Cypriot woman who had taken fertility drugs was carrying about 11 embryos.
1998 - In Houston, TX, a 27-year-old woman gave birth to the only known living set of octuplets.
1999 - The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples were entitled to the same benefits and protections as wedded couples of the opposite sex.
thanks, Gwen
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, December 20
You are a very supportive people person--totally willing to put yourself on the line for others. You are most successful when you are able to put your heart into what you are doing. A desire to stay young is always with you, which does keep you youthful, humorous, and playful; but for some, there can be an avoidance of responsibility or clinging to the past. You are considerate, self-sacrificing, companionable, and you get along with people from any walk of life. You can be emotionally impulsive. You crave balance and harmony, and you have an unmistakable gentleness to your personality. Famous people born today:
1868 Harvey Firestone, American industrialist and founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company ("where the rubber meets the road"), born in Columbiana, Ohio (d. 1938)
1946 Uri Geller, Israeli magician and psychic known for bending forks, born in Tel Aviv, Israel
1983 Jonah Hill, American actor (Superbad, Moneyball, The Wolf of Wall Street), born in Los Angeles, California
READERS INFO
1.
UPCOMING CELESTIAL EVENTS
December 21, 22 - Ursids Meteor Shower.
The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. The shower runs annually from December 17 - 25. It peaks this year on the the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. The waning crescent moon should not interfere too much this year. Skies should still be dark enough for what could be a good show. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
December 22 - December Solstice.
The December solstice occurs at 04:19 UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
December 26 - Annular Solar Eclipse.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. This results in a ring of light around the darkened Moon. The Sun's corona is not visible during an annular eclipse. The path of of the eclipse will begin in Saudi Arabia and move east through southern India, northern Sri Lanka, parts of the Indian Ocean, and Indonesia before ending in the Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout most of Asia and northern Australia.
2.
1803 - The United States Senate ratified a treaty that included the Louisiana Territories from France for $15 million. The transfer was completed with formal ceremonies in New Orleans.
1820 - The state of Missouri enacted legislation to tax bachelors between the ages of 21-50 for being unmarried. The tax was $1 a year.
1880 - New York's Broadway became known as the "Great White Way" when it was lighted by electricity.
1938 - Vladimir Kosma Zworykin patented the iconoscope television system.
1946 - The Frank Capra film "It's A Wonderful Life" had a preview showing for charity at New York City's Globe Theatre, a day before its "official" world premiere. James Stewart and Donna Reed star in the film.
1954 - Buick Motor Company signed Jackie Gleason to one of the largest contracts ever entered into with an entertainer. Gleason agreed to produce 78 half-hour shows over a two-year period for $6,142,500.
1957 - Elvis Presley received his U.S. Army draft notice.
1968 - Author John Steinbeck died at the age of 66.
1990 - The world's first website and server go live at CERN. The first website was http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html.
1996 - Doctors reported that a Cypriot woman who had taken fertility drugs was carrying about 11 embryos.
1998 - In Houston, TX, a 27-year-old woman gave birth to the only known living set of octuplets.
1999 - The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that homosexual couples were entitled to the same benefits and protections as wedded couples of the opposite sex.
thanks, Gwen
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, December 20
You are a very supportive people person--totally willing to put yourself on the line for others. You are most successful when you are able to put your heart into what you are doing. A desire to stay young is always with you, which does keep you youthful, humorous, and playful; but for some, there can be an avoidance of responsibility or clinging to the past. You are considerate, self-sacrificing, companionable, and you get along with people from any walk of life. You can be emotionally impulsive. You crave balance and harmony, and you have an unmistakable gentleness to your personality. Famous people born today:
1868 Harvey Firestone, American industrialist and founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company ("where the rubber meets the road"), born in Columbiana, Ohio (d. 1938)
1946 Uri Geller, Israeli magician and psychic known for bending forks, born in Tel Aviv, Israel
1983 Jonah Hill, American actor (Superbad, Moneyball, The Wolf of Wall Street), born in Los Angeles, California
UPCOMING CELESTIAL EVENTS
December 21, 22 - Ursids Meteor Shower.
The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. The shower runs annually from December 17 - 25. It peaks this year on the the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. The waning crescent moon should not interfere too much this year. Skies should still be dark enough for what could be a good show. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
December 22 - December Solstice.
The December solstice occurs at 04:19 UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
December 26 - Annular Solar Eclipse.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. This results in a ring of light around the darkened Moon. The Sun's corona is not visible during an annular eclipse. The path of of the eclipse will begin in Saudi Arabia and move east through southern India, northern Sri Lanka, parts of the Indian Ocean, and Indonesia before ending in the Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout most of Asia and northern Australia.
Lincoln Park ZooLights 2020
Dec 26 - 31, 2019 | Chicago, IL
Lincoln Park Zoo|2001 N Clark S
Held at the acclaimed Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Illinois, ZooLights brings the best of the holidays to the park. Featuring thousands of lights throughout the park as well as lighted installations and sculptures, the season-long event invites guests to view the animals as they enjoy the holiday-themed activities including photos with Santa, live ice carving every night, carousel rides and ice skating.
further information: ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ | Lincoln Park Zoo
3.
Old West Christmas Light Fest 2019
Nov 28 - Dec 25, 2019 | Boerne, TX
Enchanted Springs Ranch|242 State Highway 46 West
Kick your holiday spirit into high gear surrounded by the magic of holiday lights at Old West Christmas Light Fest! Experience the magic of a true Texas Christmas under the stars at this can’t miss holiday destination with drive-thru light displays and an Old West town filled with lights, food and fun.
4.
Kick your holiday spirit into high gear surrounded by the magic of holiday lights at Old West Christmas Light Fest! Experience the magic of a true Texas Christmas under the stars at this can’t miss holiday destination with drive-thru light displays and an Old West town filled with lights, food and fun.
Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour 2020
Jan 4, 2020 | Carrollton, GA
Carrolton Cultural Arts Center|251 Alabama St
Telluride Mountainfilm has a rich collection of inspiring and educational films to show the world. This mountainous tour travels to six different continents to ensure they leave no members of their audience out in the blistering cold. Each film packs a lot of content into a short-running time to ensure you’ll see as many films as possible.
illustrated by Jessie Wilcox Smith
FRIDAY'S INTERESTING FACTS ...
Chanukah
illustrated by Jesse Wilcox Smith
PATTERN BOOK FRIDAY
illustrated by Jesse Wilcox Smith
PATTERN BOOK FRIDAY
Teresa Carre̱o (December 22, 1853 РJune 12, 1917) was a
Venezuelan pianist, soprano and composer. Her family
emigrated to the United States when she was a child, and she
made her debut in a piano recital at Irving Hall in New York City
at the age of eight. After giving concerts across the northeastern
and mid-Atlantic United States, Carreño travelled to Europe with
her family in 1866, and performed in France, Spain and Britain,
occasionally taking on operatic roles. In her later career, she
performed at many venues around Europe and North America,
and made concert tours to Australia and New Zealand. She
composed approximately 75 works for solo piano, voice and piano,
choir and orchestra, and instrumental ensembles. This photograph
shows Carreño at the piano, sometime between 1915 and 1917.
Mainz, Germany
|
Illustrated by Hilda Miloche and Wilma Kane
knit
thanks, Marilyn
thanks, Marilyn
knit
thanks, Ivy
Fitzgerald Scarf free knitting pattern
knit
knit... chart only
knit ... Christmas
illustrated by Roger Duvoisi
Knit Pattern of the Day:
thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent
illustrated by Gyo Fujikawacrochet ... Chanukah
thanks, Ida
crochet
thanks, Lois
crochet
crochet
crochet ... Christmas
MGM’s Tom and JerryRECIPE
thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent
illustrated by Leonard Weisgard
CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Shirley
illustrated by Leonard Weisgard
SWEETS ... Chanukah
Coca Cola’s own version
illustrated by Henry Fisher
ADULT COLORING ... Christmas
illustrated by Marcin Nowakowski
CRAFTS ... Chanukah
illustrated by Joseph Giordano
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... Christmas
illustrated by Leonard WeisgardCROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Shirley
illustrated by Leonard WeisgardSWEETS ... Chanukah
thanks, Ruth
Coca Cola’s own version
COOKBOOK FRIDAY
illustrated by Henry FisherADULT COLORING ... Christmas
illustrated by Marcin NowakowskiCRAFTS ... Chanukah
thanks, Amy
Wooden Spool Menorah
This colorful and kid-friendly menorah is crafted with painted wooden spools, small dowels for candles, and pencil erasers for flames. Small children will love "lighting" the candles of this DIY menorah.
illustrated by Joseph GiordanoCHILDREN'S CORNER ... Christmas
thanks, Lucy
| arouse arrange bidet burger clash classic | early excite fancy fiddle field immerse impressive interesting | judge list moment nays peace progress punish | remote responsible sags score seduce seem | sleeve stretch strip substitute theater title wages |
illustrated by Antonio CaparoSUDOKU ... very hard
solution:
QUOTE
CLEVER ... Christmas
Old Saran wrap or aluminum foil containers make great boxes for gifting cookies.
thanks, Sam
Twas The Night Before Christmas Book Covers on The Night Before Christmas
ifitshipitshere
A look at at a bunch of different style illustrations for bound versions of Christmas’ most famous poem, A Visit From Saint Nicholas, aka The Night before Christmas. From old engraving style illustrations through midcentury modern style illustrations to computer generated images, take a look at these interpretations of the famous Clement Clarke Moore story.
The Night Before Christmas Book Covers
First published anonymously in a Troy, New York newspaper in 1823, “A Visit From St. Nicholas” became an instant hit. In the 1830s, it was revealed to have been written by Clement Clarke Moore and since then the poem has been published in every conceivable size, shape and medium.
All of the pictures on today's Corner are a compilation of covers which include those by the likes of such well-known children’s illustrators as Jesse Wilcox Smith and Holly Hobbie.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
If we would have new knowledge, we must get us a whole world of new questions. -Susanne Langer, philosopher (20 Dec 1895-1985)
OPTICAL ILLUSION
A simple color blind test.
Unless you are color blind, you should see 58 (upper left), 18 (upper right), E (lower left) and 17 (lower right).
