Tag: funwriting

The Fascination with Curious George

April 3, 2019 / Chiara

Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.

~~Arnold Edinborough

Yesterday, I watched Curious George’s “Swing into Spring” TV special with my eight-year-old daughter. We’ve seen the special plenty of times before, and always found it hilarious.

If you don’t know about the show, here’s a quick synopsis: The Man with the Yellow Hat is sure that George has spring fever, and so he takes him to the park to experience all the wonders of spring. George is so excited about spring that he wants his dog friend Hundley, to have spring fever too, but Hundley and the Doorman are busy trying to win the Mayor’s spring cleaning prize. When a broken water pipe floods the building, Hundley has to stay with George in the country, and he tries to make sure Hundley enjoys spring.

As we giggled at George’s silliness, I got to thinking about this little monkey and why I liked him so much. He’s very cute, but the Curious George shows are about a mischievous monkey on sordid adventures and comical mishaps that The Man with the Yellow Hat has to rescue him from or fix the situation—all the time. If that was my monkey, boy, oh boy, he would be in trouble and put in a very long time out.

What’s unusual is that a human has a monkey for a pet. Sure, people have had alligators, pigs, and dangerous snakes as pets, so what if a cartoon character is raising a monkey? At this I say, build him/her a zoo and keep those animals in their own habitats. The Man with the Yellow Hat lives in a New York City apartment of all places, and a country home near a lake called Lake Wanasinklake, but he still has living quarters meant for man, not animal.

Okay, I’m getting too literal. I must remember that we are talking about a cartoon.

Watching many of the Curious George’s shows I found that the spirited monkey has many interesting and entertaining ventures. He is constantly befriending strangers, is able to communicate with people who don’t speak English, talks to a dog named Hundley, who is a “dog doorman,” has a cool best friend named Bill, who teaches him about fishing and ghost stories, chases a squirrel named Jumpy Squirrel, and little George is so smart that he can hang with the professors at the museum where The Man with the Yellow Hat works.

Up until ten years ago, I never watched one episode or read any of the books by H.A. Rey and Margret Rey. I had no reason to. However, thankfully that changed, and in the last decade I’ve binged on so many of the Curious George television shows, admiring the unfettered monkey and all his crazy escapades. I’ll admit there is something beautiful in seeing the vulnerability and inquisitiveness of a character whose joy comes from discovering new things.

Yes, we all know little George got himself in lots of trouble. How about when he flooded the country home with water, or changed up the soup ingredients because he couldn’t find the vegetables The Man with the Yellow Hat had written down for him, or when George went up in a rocket and becomes the world’s first monkey to go into space. In those episodes and others, his pet owner always accepted George’s curiosity without being harsh or mean-spirited.

And, speaking of The Man with the Yellow Hat, how many of you know his name? He has remained nameless, only recognizable by his BIG YELLOW HAT. I did some research and discovered his name was actually Ted Shackleford. I liked him too, his unruffled demeanor, and his ability to explain things in an understanding way.

Having considered all this, my interest was piqued on the authors of Curious George—a husband and wife team named H.A. Rey and Margret Rey.

It turns out the couple were German-born Jews who fled Paris, France just before Germany took over the country in 1940. With two home-made bicycles, a few belongings, and a manuscript about an inquisitive monkey, they escaped to Lisbon, Portugal where they got on a ship, and eventually crossed over to the United States.

Did you know that the monkey’s original name was Fifi? The first book written by the Reys was titled: “Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys” and it was published in France in 1939. In 1941, when the Reys went to publish their book through Houghton Mifflin on a story about a monkey…the publisher thought “Fifi” was an odd name for a male monkey, later changing it to Curious George.

Did you also know that Mr. and Mrs. Rey’s first American published book was simply titled: “Curious George,” a story about a man (The Man with the Yellow Hat) who traveled to Africa to capture a monkey and bring him to a zoo in New York City? PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) would be all over this story if this happened in real life.

If this hasn’t gotten you curious yet, how about this…Watching the Curious George TV shows and reading the books help children ages 4-7 increase their math and science skills? Read more about it here.

Seven original Curious George titles were written by the Reys, plus the “Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys” book. See the list here. Their books have sold over 25 million copies worldwide.

In the early 1980s the books were turned into a television series so a wider audience could enjoy them. A new Curious George series debuted on September 4th 2006 on PBS Kids as part of the PBS Kids Preschool Block. Although Curious George ended its original run on April 1st., 2015, the series still airs on PBS Kids through reruns.

With the exception of the “Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys” book, I’ve read all seven of the tales and don’t have any favorites because I truly love them all. Click here for the list of books.

However, I do have many favorite TV episodes. Check them out below:

A Halloween Boo Fest

A Very Monkey Christmas

No Knowing Gnocchi with Chef Pisghetti

Auctioneer George

Curious George Sounds Off

School of Dance

Windmill Monkey

Meet the New Neighbors

Well done, George

Something New Under the Sun

The Perfect Carrot

Old McGeorgie had a Farm

The Magic Garden

Up, Up, and Away

For a complete list of all the TV episodes, click here.

I’ll never grow old watching the Curious George shows. I think it is safe to say that my daughter will agree. We bond, laugh at George’s pranks, and relax for family time. I think the two biggest takeaways/ lessons from Curious George are never to rush and judge, and to always forgive—important traits we need to work on in today’s world.

To read more about the Mr. and Mrs. Rey, check out this treasure: “The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey”

Until next time…Be curious.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curious_George#”Original_Adventures”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curious_George_(book)

http://www.curiousgeorge.com/

https://www.kidsbookseries.com/curious-george-original-adventures/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Curious_George_episodes

http://www.tv.com/shows/curious-george/

https://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/curious-george-learns-about-brand-recognition

https://www.kelseymedeiros.com/braking-down/the-curious-case-of-curious-george

https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/10rzyr/a_unifying_theory_of_curious_george_with_an/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm09dAsynAs

https://therealworldwilmington.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/the-awful-truth-about-curious-george/

http://thefederalist.com/2017/01/02/story-curious-georges-great-escape-nazis/

https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/13/books/how-curious-george-escaped-the-nazis.html

What do tweezers and an inspired writing distraction have to do with each other?

October 17, 2018 / Chiara

I’m often asked where I get ideas for my blogs. Honestly, it is the everyday, mundane occurrences. I welcome the “inspired distraction.” Helps me to be creative.

Today, unbeknownst to myself, I was inspired to write this post because of an interesting incident.

I was at a stop light in the left-turn lane. It was late afternoon, and I was en-route to the grocery stores and my two daughters were with me in the backseat. I was tired, and the ticking sound of the left-turn signal was soothing and hypnotizing when suddenly, my youngest daughter asked me to clarify something. It went like this…

“Momma, what is that lady doing in the car?”

“What lady?” I didn’t want to take my eyes off the road because any moment the light would turn green.

She pointed. “There, next to our car?”

In a car on the right of us, was a woman staring intently into her visor mirror.

My eyes bugged out at what I saw.

Calmly, and without inciting any emotion, I replied. “Well, it looks like she’s plucking hairs from her chin.”

“Eww…!” Was the unison response from the girls.

The light turned green and we inched forward. As the disgusted grumblings continued, I couldn’t help but feel different. In fact, just before I drove off, I noticed that the woman had a booster chair and a baby car seat, both empty. As we turned, the woman sped past us.

I drove and found myself thinking that her beauty regimen was ingenious.

Ingenious? Yes.

Hear me out. You have the visor mirror really close to you (I mean really, what’s it there for?), you don’t need much time to locate and extract those yucky facial hairs, and you can do it anywhere. Even at a stoplight. Better than texting. Plus, you are safely inside a vehicle with the doors locked so no one can bother you.

You can argue and say, why do it on a busy street where people can see you do this private chore? And to this, I say, who cares!

Everyone these days is in a hurry heading somewhere and will forget what they saw…usually. Except me who thinks it was a brilliant move and my daughters who are grossed out.

I’m not suggesting that we should dress, shave, and groom ourselves in our cars. What I’m getting at is that this woman found a moment to use her time efficiently because she may have too much on her plate to think of herself and do these womanly duties. She may have a full or part-time job and juggle motherhood. Even ladies without children can relate: the climb up the career ladder is just as difficult.

So, kudos to the woman plucking her facial hairs. You look like you utilize your time efficiently.

Still, I have a few things to say…

Slow down. Take time for you. Don’t cram everything in one sitting. Your children will appreciate you regardless. Your spouse may have other thoughts, but that’s not my problem. Whatever you do, take the time for YOU.

And if nobody has told you lately…YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

Oh, one more thing…Thank you for today’s writing distraction. (Wink)

The Back Story for “A Tribute to Tulipia”

August 28, 2018 / Chiara

Be the model that propels our kids to be strong, courageous, kind, and never back down on their morals and beliefs. We have one chance in life. Let’s all be Tulips in the wild brush.

#BeATulip

It started with a picture, a picture of a tulip standing tall and confident surrounded by tangled brush and shrubbery. The greenery in the background accenting its beautiful pink petals caught my eye while on a hike with my daughters. The sun poking through the trees cast a glow of holiness about her that no camera could ever capture. She reminded me of a female, I named her Tulipia.

It had been a tough season of bullying incidents at school for both my girls, so I tried instructing my children about standing up for what’s right as well as doing the right thing for others. This sudden inspiration was God’s gift of another means of explanation. And so a story began to stir in my mind, one that cannot be ignored. I knew I had to write this down.

A tale that was supposed to be a little school project turned out to be so much more. This reading gem can be enjoyed by kids and grownups alike. A Tribute to Tulipia is a feel-good story about a tulip and her family who live in an oasis surrounded by tangled vines, brush, and shrubs. Bullied and picked on, the reader journeys with the alienated family who never backed down in their fight to unify a changing forest. It is a great lesson and reminder on what it takes to be a true friend, what sacrifice means to lay down one’s life in order to save another, and to always, always do the right thing no matter what.

As a writer, I never set out to write words with symbolic meaning. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. The more I thought about this story, the more I’ve realized just how important it was to share it with my kids. I hope you’ll do the same.

Don’t ever be afraid to be a Tulip!

#BeATulip

For the FREE sample story in PDF format, click here.

Ebook available via Amazon and Smashwords.

Paperback below is available via Amazon.

ALERT***ALERT***

For each A Tribute to Tulipia paperback purchased, I will donate a portion of the proceeds to Stand for the Silent, an anti-bullying organization that travels to schools to address the issue of bullying with an engaging, factual, and emotional methodology. Their mission is to inform students and staff about bullying awareness along with the real devastation it causes. Let’s keep the “I AM SOMEBODY” Stand for the Silent © program alive. For more information, please check out: https://standforthesilent.org/.

Buy your copy NOW! Don’t wait! Help stop bullying. #BeATulip. Go to Amazon.

Recipe for Life

August 28, 2017 / Chiara

“In the end, it’s what you put into your life; not taken from the life you were given.”

For those of you who know me, know I have a passion for making cocktails. No, I’m not an alcoholic, nor am I promoting alcohol here. I do however; enjoy a drink every now and then. And, I like to experiment with different liquors in creating new drinks.

Now, I don’t make any kind of foo-foo drinks, either. What are foo-foo drinks you ask?

Here’s a simple definition:

“An alcoholic beverage that is way too pretty or feminine. These drinks are usually characterized by lots of whipped cream, multiple fruit decorations and/or umbrellas. Also, they tend to be low in alcohol content.”

Ah…not for me. I actually don’t like diluting the alcohol content of whiskeys, bourbons, and vodkas. So in essence, the simpler a drink is made, the better.

You see, I can cook, but I don’t like baking. In fact, I dislike baking as much as drinking light beer. So, besides, writing, I enjoy my alcohol too.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, just like baking, “drink-making” is an art. Steps need to be followed when working with the ingredients. Those who are professional “drink-makers,” are called Mixologists.

Let’s define a mixologist:

“A person skilled at making mixed drinks.”

I’m far from professional. You can say I’m a “learned mixologist”. In fact, I had an enjoyable two-year stint working in a wine bar where specialty cocktails and martinis were also served.

Here’s what I’ve learned about making cocktails:

Don’t drown out the alcohol with other mixed liquids, you’ll lose the taste.
Don’t over pour the alcohol, so that it’s too strong to enjoy even a second drink.
Measure your liquids so not to waste anything.

It seems so easy to follow a recipe, and BOOM…something is created. All this discussion on drinks has gotten me thirsty, not to mention ponder about life and how to make the most of it.

Maybe we need a recipe for living?

Now, you might be thinking. Why the heck would we need a recipe for life? Just live it, and make the most it. Isn’t it enough that there are too many rules and laws on doing things?

Yes, there are limitations, but sometimes within those confines, opportunities pop up. So, hear me out. We live in a world of excess. There is an overabundance of:

Eating
Working
Playing
Self-Indulgence

Not to mention, constant stimulation and attachment to gadgets.

It’s too much of everything. With that I’ve noticed, comes the immunity to the mundane as well as excitement. There is no burning belly or shock anymore. We have become desensitized to the simple pleasures such as family time, quiet time, and faith time.

So, to make a perfect cocktail, you’ll need specific ingredients; the right glassware, utensils, and mixing liquids. The same holds true for living a balanced life.

Here’s my concocted cocktail:

Two ounces of physical touch
One ounce of gentle words
.5 ounces of “me” time
.5 ounces of a caring heart
A dash of honesty
A sprinkle of stress
Add a slice of rest for garnish

Pour all the ingredients into a 12-ounce glass filled with ice cubes of spontaneity and stir. DO NOT SHAKE.

For those of you wanting to know how I made the Dirty Martini in the picture, here is the recipe I followed, click here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/32238/dirty-martini/.

NOTE: I used Tito’s Vodka instead and only two olives.

You can also check my three blogs on Limoncello-making.

https://www.chiaratalluto.com/part-1-a-writers-adventure-to-making-homemade-limoncello/

https://www.chiaratalluto.com/part-2-the-mid-process-peek-a-writers-adventure-to-making-homemade-limoncello/

https://www.chiaratalluto.com/part-3-reaping-what-you-sow-a-writers-adventure-to-making-homemade-limoncello/

Until next time…Please drink responsibly.

REFERENCES:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=foo-foo%20drink

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/mixologist

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/32238/dirty-martini/

#procrastingediting, #funwriting, #practicingmydrinkmakingskills, #amwriting, #writing, #mondaymotivation, #mondayminutia