March 4, 2010
In celebration of National Grammar Day, some commonly misused words
National Grammar Day isn’t usually a day for greeting cards or gift exchanges, but I have a little gift for you! Yesterday I spoke at an Indiana University School of Journalism PR writing class and shared with the students a pretty big collection of commonly confused words and grammar problems. I had a lot of fun, and it appeared that the kids did too (it might have something to do with the chocolate I threw at the kids when they answered questions, even if they were wrong).
Then I was able to visit with a lot of the professors and staff who I had both taken classes from and then worked with for three years after I graduated. Ernie Pyle Hall has changed a lot — the library no longer has actual books, but a lot of computer workstations for research. The classrooms I studied and taught in are relatively unchanged, except for “The Pit,” a classroom in the photo lab area of the building that used to be more like a basement — no windows and you had to go down a flight of stairs into it. Now, it’s all on the main level and it’s full of windows. A lovely room, but I was a bit disturbed by the number of professors who told me that all the bodies are buried there. Their story sounded a little too rehearsed. 
So, as my gift to you, click the Read More link to see the list of commonly misused words on the blog, or click here to download a PDF that you can use for your own reference!
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February 3, 2010
Catching the Colts Fever
The Indianapolis Colts are headed to the Super Bowl again this weekend, and I’m about to run out of blue clothing. Guess I’ll need to do a little shopping next week when they reclaim the title.
In the meantime, we’ve be doing a lot of cheering at our office and you can watch our video here:
Friday we’re having a blue food pitch-in — so far a lot of people have signed up for cookies and cupcakes with blue icing. One person is bringing salad with blue cheese. I suspect we will all still be on a sugar high for Sunday’s game!
Go Colts!
January 16, 2010
Help for Haiti
I’ve been on vacation from the blog for a while and kept meaning to post things about my trip to Park City, Utah, for Christmas and New Year’s, and then my subsequent trip to Wilmington, North Carolina, to help my mom and dad while he recovers from a knee replacement. But that all seems a little insignificant in light of the earthquake that struck Haiti this week. Mom told me that the quake that struck San Francisco in 1989 during the World Series left 100 dead. In Haiti, the death toll is likely to be in the tens of thousands.
A friend of mine spent much of his childhood in Haiti, when his parents sold their Indiana farm and moved to Haiti to found a children’s hospital. John reports that Grace Children’s Hospital i”s still standing and administering vitally needed care. They need funds to replenish supplies that are dangerously low.”
As a former Red Cross volunteer, I certainly support the American Red Cross and have made a donation. But if you are looking for a reputable organization in Haiti where you can make a donation, please consider Grace Children’s Hospital. Click this link if you’d like to donate, mark your donation for Grace Children’s Hospital, and have them send acknowledgement to bethmillett at sbcglobal.net so I can thank you. I’ll also let my friend John know.
I know I for one am counting my blessings.
December 4, 2009
You know you’re a redneck if…
… your bedroom furniture is up on blocks.
When I bought the new king-sized mattress in May, I didn’t realize it would be about 8 inches taller than the old bed had been. Consequently, the nightstands were suddenly way too low. My immediate solution was to put them up on chunks of 2 by 4s. As much as I love that look, it didn’t really make the right statement (not that I have a parade of visitors through the bedroom who might think less of me for my woodworking choices.) Dad build me some lovely leg extenders that we put on each nightstand. He made the extenders with a hole in the top, and we drilled a matching hole in the bottom of each leg and glued a dowel into the holes to join the extender to the nightstand. And by we, I mean Dad, since he can’t sit still for even three seconds while I am out timing the Drumstick Dash. I feel guilty that he comes over and does all the work, but then I realize that even if I were home, he’d do all the work. *grin*
So, now my bedroom furniture is not up on blocks, but it does look like it’s on stilts.
November 24, 2009
Le Creuset Maiden Voyage
So, for years I have wanted a Le Creuset dutch oven. But they’re kinda expensive… but this recipe finally put me over the top. Yesterday, Mom and Dad and I were out shopping at a variety of places and stopped at Sur la Table in Clay Terrace. I now own a gorgeous, just gorgeous 6.75 quart dutch oven in Caribbean. I love it so much, I might let it sleep in my bed tonight.
So, I made Pioneer Woman’s braised short ribs and they were divine. Here’s what I saw when I lifted the lid of the dutch oven after 2 and a half hours. 
Pioneer Woman is right — it is heaven on a plate
November 23, 2009
Mark your calendar!
One of my favorite storytellers is coming to town next week. I can’t wait to see him again. If you are interested in joining me for dinner beforehand, let me know — I am trying to round up a group of folks to enjoy the hysteria with me. You have to be sure to go to the bathroom before Bil’s show starts — otherwise you will wet your pants laughing.
“Don’t Get Too Attached to Balloons” told by Bil Lepp
Saturday, December 5, 2009
7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Frank and Katrina Basile Theater
Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
Advance Tickets $20, Door $25
Call 317-232-1882 or purchase tickets on-line
Storyteller and bona fide liar from Half Dollar, West Virginia, Bil Lepp could coax a smile from a raccoon. Although he is a champion liar, his hilarious, insightful stories often contain morsels of truth which shed light on subjects such as politics, religion, death, relationship and human nature.
Lou Harry of the Indianapolis Business Journal, writes, “Bil Lepp — think Jeff Foxworthy with the comedic patience of Bill Cosby…It would be very difficult …to discern the structual difference between Lepp’s antic hunting story and Woody Allen’s classic, ‘I shot a moose once’ tale.”
Bil has performed at the prestigious National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, as well as the majority of regional festivals throughout the United States.
November 19, 2009
Heaven is bound with satin edging
I got a new bed in May and finally received my new king-sized blanket. The color I selected was backordered not once, not twice, but three times. It took so long that my credit card actually expired between the time I placed the order and the time they actually shipped it, when they were ready to bill my credit card.
I have a freakish habit. My blankets have to have satin binding on all four edges so that I can run the binding through my fingers. It’s my self-soothing technique when I’m falling asleep or if I wake up in the middle of the night. I also stretch my legs out to the side and pull the blanket side in under the top sheet so I can get the satin binding all wriggled around through my toes.
So, when I opened up the box and found a king size blanket all neatly folded up, with more than 400 linear inches of satin binding, my brain nearly exploded. It was divine to snuggle up with it last night!
Anyone else have this strange habit? Or some other bedtime ritual?
November 16, 2009
Have a fence you need white-washed?
So, six or seven years ago, my friends Jamaison and Dawn moved into a lovely house with a lot of mature trees. Pretty quickly, they realized they were in over their heads (almost literally!) and starting hosting a party where all their friends come over and help them rake the leaves. (For the record, Jamy and Dawn had a sneaking suspicion their friends were pretty gullible — a lot of us helped them move into that house.)
So, each fall, we gather up our rakes, gloves and blowers and converge on their house. This year, I think there were seven or eight adults and at least that many kids. We were done in about an hour and a half — not a bad deal. Then we had yummy chili, hot dogs, corn pudding and brownies.
Later that afternoon, a landscaping service came and vacuumed up all the leaves that we had piled by the curb.
I love that Dawn told me as I was leaving that I was one of the ones should could always count on being there. It’s funny because I’ve only been there two times out of five. I guess my personality is so big I don’t even have to be there for it to seem like I’m there? Wait, don’t answer that….
The front yard before.
The back yard before.
The front yard after.
The back yard after.
The crew.
November 5, 2009
A surefire way to get rid of hiccups
I think I learned this trick at Girl Scout camp, but I don’t really remember. All I know is it is the only way I can ever get rid of hiccups — forget about a spoonful of sugar, being scared, or holding your breath. Have a drink of water upside down!
It’s a little tough to document this with pictures when you are the only in the house with opposable thumbs (the cats were not much help), but here is my best attempt.
First, pour yourself a glass of water.
Then, put your mouth on the rim opposite the side close to your body, so your chin is sort of in the glass and your nose is on the outside of the far rim. (I once said to someone, “Drink out of the other side” and they just turned the glass around.)
Bend over at the waist, holding the glass normally.
Once you’ve bent over, tip the bottom of the glass toward your body and pivot your head to the floor until the water level reaches your mouth. Go slowly so you don’t get any water up your nose — the first time you try this, you might just take a small sip. Take a couple of swallows of water and I promise you’ll be hiccup-free!
