Tag: blogger

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Tags blogger, personal narrative, storyteller, teacher, writer

Family

How To Be A Successful Grump

Post author By Liz Brenner
Post date January 29, 2024
No Comments on How To Be A Successful Grump

Grump What a grump.

When I told Bob that today is National Curmudgeons Day, he said, “Whatever.”

Whatever?

Seriously?

That’s a response more appropriate to National Apathy Day.

Which is not today.

He’s been a grump-in-waiting for his entire life.

“C’mon,” I encouraged him, “You’ve worked so hard for this day. Don’t let it go to waste.”

“GET OFF MY LAWN,” he snarled, brandishing his cereal spoon in rage.

It was a good try.

But the curmudgeon effect was spoiled because he was laughing.

He can try again next year.

Whatever.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

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Tags blogger, grump, national curmudgeons day, personal narrative, storyteller, writer

Lifestyle

Schnapsidee Is My New Favorite Word

Post author By Liz Brenner
Post date January 25, 2024
No Comments on Schnapsidee Is My New Favorite Word

Schnapsidee

Schnapsidee.

It’s a German word.

There’s no real English translation.

It refers to an idea conceived while drunk that seems brilliant at first, but turns out, on second thought, to be stupid.

This makes perfect sense because ‘schnapps’ is in the word.

It makes me think of the Gypsy-Rose Blanchard murder case.

She just got out of prison.

And now she’s an internet sensation.

I guess she deserves her newfound fame – she was very badly abused.

That mother had some serious schnapsidee.

From now on, whenever my kids complain about anything, I can point out this case and say that at least I never did that.

Yet.

I guess there’s still time for a little schnapsidee.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

This post might include affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission from the seller at no cost to you.

I brush, I floss, I rinse.

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Tags blogger, personal narrative, schnapsidee, storyteller, writer

Lifestyle

What Makes National Popcorn Day Such A Conflict?

Post author By Liz Brenner
Post date January 19, 2024
2 Comments on What Makes National Popcorn Day Such A Conflict?

National Popcorn Day

Today is National Popcorn Day.

Oh, I’m so conflicted.

I love popcorn.

But popcorn doesn’t love me.

After eating it, I spend days and days and days picking shrapnel out of my gums.

It’s so painful.

But still, my gums are plagued.

You’d think I wouldn’t eat it, knowing how much pain I’ll be in.

But you’d think wrong.

I eat it.

And then I complain and swear I’m never going to eat it again.

Every time.

Stupid popcorn.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

This post might include affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission from the seller at no cost to you.

Maybe I need to get a fan with a remote control.

Tags blogger, national popcorn day, personal narrative, storyteller, writer

Lifestyle

The Ceiling Fan Rules Make No Sense

Post author By Liz Brenner
Post date January 16, 2024
No Comments on The Ceiling Fan Rules Make No Sense

Ceiling Fan Rules

It’s been cold here in Texas.

How cold has it been?

It got so cold that, for the first time in ages, I actually turned off my ceiling fan.

That fan is always running because I sleep hot.

But last night, despite many blankets including a weighted blanket on top, I couldn’t warm up.

I had to turn off the fan.

It was a very, very, very cold and frigid walk across the room to hit the switch.

Cursing may or may not have taken place.

I can’t confirm.

At any rate, I warmed up, so I was happy.

For awhile.

A couple of hours later I woke up, suffocating in the stifling, still room.

I had to turn the fan back on.

My poor, patient husband.

I’m certain I’m driving him crazy.

I know I’m driving myself crazy.

But hey, I don’t make the rules.

I just follow them.

The ceiling fan stays on.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

This post might include affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission from the seller at no cost to you.

Tags blogger, ceiling fan, personal narrative, storyteller, too cold, too hot, writer

Dog

It’s A Dog-Eat-Dog World Here In The Suburbs

Post author By Liz Brenner
Post date December 12, 2023
1 Comment on It’s A Dog-Eat-Dog World Here In The Suburbs

Dog Eat Dog

Blue has a very sensitive stomach.

Her nickname is the Pukolator.

Or Dog-Eat-Dog.

And Then Dog-Puke-Dog.

Don’t worry, she’s been checked out by the vet.

She’s perfectly healthy.

She just has a sensitive stomach.

The other day she threw up in the yard.

For once she avoided puking on a rug.

Good girl.

I decided to let it dry out overnight to make for easier cleanup.

When I went outside to shovel up the mess in the morning, it was gone.

“Did you clean that up?” I asked the Husband.

He did not.

I asked the Grown Sons the same thing.

Silly question.

Of course they didn’t clean it up.

Which means only one thing.

Some local woodland creatures feasted on a dog-vomit dinner last night.

Either that, or they’re sleeping in a dog-vomit-lined nest.

Ewww.

Elton John made the Circle of Life seem so sweet in The Lion King.

This episode proved that it’s not sweet at all.

It’s disgusting.

But, as they say, “Recycling turns things into other things, which is magic.”

I don’t know if ‘magic’ is the right word for the gross dog-eat-dog thing that just happened here.

But hey, we recycled, so there’s that.

This particular Circle of Life situation is absolutely not worthy of an Elton John tune.

But maybe Weird Al could write us a song.

That would do.

blue's favorite things — **_{Paid Link}**

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

free resource on how to give a great presentation

Tags blogger, blue dawg, rescue dog, storyteller, writer

Work

Q&A Questions – How To Manage Them Like A Pro

Post author By Liz Brenner
Post date December 10, 2023
No Comments on Q&A Questions – How To Manage Them Like A Pro

Q&A Questions

Q&A questions are an often-overlooked public speaking element.

If you have a Q&A session with your presentation, it’s always a good idea to plant some questions in the audience.

That way, you’ve got a few eager discussion topics immediately underway.

Often, when a speaker calls for questions, the audience is reluctant to speak up.

They may have questions.

But they might be hesitant to speak up for any number of reasons.

The silence can be deafening.

And awkward.

It’s hard for a speaker to come back from that.

I recently attended a presentation where Q&A questions were planted in the audience.

I know because I was a plant.

My role was to help get things started and to keep it moving along.

This Q&A session was a success.

The discussion was lively, informative, and entertaining.

I saw another excellent presentation, but the speaker did not plant any questions.

The Q&A session started with crickets.

It didn’t get much better after that.

This was a shame because the presentation was fabulous.

A Free Public Speaking Tip

Always plant a couple of Q&A questions in the audience to bypass any awkward silences.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

Tags blogger, leadership, management, public speaking, Q&A questions, writer

Lifestyle

What Is Pablo? Stupid Autocorrect. I Need To Know!

Post author By Liz Brenner
Post date August 7, 2023
No Comments on What Is Pablo? Stupid Autocorrect. I Need To Know!

What Is Pablo?

I keep my grocery list on my phone.

I noticed a puzzling item on the list.

Pablo.

What is Pablo?

No, it’s not a poblano chili.

I already have a bunch of chilis in the fridge.

I’m sure that this was an autocorrect.

But what did I mean?

I can’t have meant to buy Pablo, the ubiquitous character in my 7^th grade Spanish textbook.

You know, the guy who’s mother always has a cold.

And who always wants to know what time it is.

And who is always hungry, thirsty, or needs directions.

No, it can’t be that.

Well then what is Pablo?

The minute I get home from the store is when I’ll probably figure it out.

“But I put it on the list,” someone will complain, angry that I didn’t get that thing.

Or maybe it will be me that will be doing the complaining.

When I reach for the Pablo and we don’t have any, that’s how I’ll figure out what I meant to write on my grocery list.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

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