X is for eXuding eXcitement!

When it comes to the letter X, we need to eXplain, ABCW is not an eXacting bunch. We eXpect that finding eXact X words is eXtremely difficult, because so few eXist.

So we have long been willing to make an eXception this week - anything that starts with the X sound, or have the X look, would be eXcellent. We won't eXclude you, because we don't want to tamp down your eXuberance, or make you so eXhausted that you run for the eXits, uttering an eXpletive! We want you to eXcel, and stay on this eXcursion! Please eXamine previous X weeks to see how this works.

Oh, I'm also eXcited by Troy's new logo:

He wrote:

"I tried to be inspired by the number 12, and clocks and calendars came to mind, so I used them as my background.

"I added a couple of 12 segmented stars, just for color  and threw the number 12 into the middle of the ABC Wednesday title."

I think Troy is eXtraordinary!
***
For those who celebrate it, Merry Xmas, which, as I have noted, eXperts have said eXemplifies the word Christmas!

Welcome to W Week

In the wake of one of the worst tragedies ever, it's hard to imagine that one of the most joyous days of the year - Christmas - is next week!  While we who are safely ensconced in the warm embrace of family and friends, may we all remember those who are suffering so terribly right now after losing their loved ones, especially innocent little children. Try to remember that they were all in the process of celebrating the reason for the season - the birth of Christ Jesus.  Even if you are not a "believer," I'm sure all are believers of love, friendship, freedom, and peace for all mankind.  Here at ABC Wednesday, the team would like to extend warm wishes for the holiday season and the best for a happy new year. I'd like to share with you my favourite song of the season, sung by CeeLo.  Hopefully, it will wash away our sorrows in  this time of senseless brutality and give us hope for the future. 

ABC Wednesday

Introduction of V

Thinking of the letter V the colour violet, the flower named after the colour, and other flowers with a shade of violet come before my mind's eye. I give you this colourful introduction today!


The color violet takes its name from the violet flower. On the traditional color wheel used by painters, it is located between blue and red.

Wil, ABC Team

Unidentified Flying Letters

UNBELIEVABLY we have reached the letter U in our adventure through the alphabet, our ULTIMATE destination UNDERWAY with UNBOUNDED and UNFETTERED enthusiasm.  This is the UMPTEENTH round so what will you UNEARTH this week?  Will it be the UNEXPECTED, or stories UNFOLDING, UNFORGETTABLE memories, and UNIQUE perspectives.  Put those UNIDENTIFIED flying letters into a word, or maybe more,  starting with the letter U.

What about UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS or UFOs?  There were mysterious flying airships sighted in the 1880s but it took until the 1950s before the flying saucers were reported and when the term UFOLOGY was coined.  The UK National Archives have helpfully released this chart from 1969 of data collected in 1967 and 68 so you can spot your local UFO as it flies past the window:-

In the meantime link up your post and UNFASTEN your seatbelt and relax into ABC Wednesday

T is for two intros.

T is for turkeys and tarantulas. It's about ticklish turtles and tubby toads as well as talkative toddlers.

T is for a tall tyrannosaurus tumbling on a trampoline while sipping tea.

T is for giving thanks.

-Linda


T is the letter for Today.

From trials and tribulations to triumphs and treasures, our lives are filled with both good and bad things that start with T.

So what T's were a part your life today?

Did you travel to another town?

Take a picture of a turtle with a telephone?

 Make a trip to the Emergency room at Two AM?
 
Tie a line on your fishing pole?

Take a nap?

See a wild turkey and try to talk to it, using a turkey call ?

Get your truck muddy?

Tie down a tarp?

Trip a breaker?

Take a Toddler to Task?

Those are all things I have done in the last Twenty-four hours. (I took the picture with my telephone, it wasn't a turtle with a telephone.)

I wonder what Tomorrow will bring?

Only Time will Tell...

-Troy

S is for...

Ideas for S's are SLOWLY developing in my SLUGGISH brain, but my SYNAPSES are not SENDING SIGNALS throughout my nervous SYSTEM as SWIFTLY as I'd like.  Instead of pondering this SAD SITUATION, I invite y'all to SEND and post SUBSTANTIAL and SUPERIOR SNAPSHOTS for this week's theme.  No doubt, you will all rise to the challenge and post SINGULAR and SIGNIFICANT images and SCENES.  Treat the rest of us to SOMETHING SPECIAL!  SO STEP- RIGHT up and dazzle us with your SELECTION! I'll START by SELECTING this SHOT of a STEAM engine in Cuba.

S

R is for Right to Vote

The Election is over in the United States and we aRe moRe than Ready to move foRwaRd? Even though Republican Running mates Romney and Ryan did not win the Race, I am hopeful that our countRy will eventually find its way to a conseRvative RecoveRy. I was pleasantly suRpRised that the State of West Virginia went Red this time. I am veRy pRoud that our state is not divided like some states. I just wish that we could lose the electoRal college and come up with a betteR pRocess.

Did you exercise your right to vote?

Q is for.......Question.

What makes ABC Wednesday so much fun? Answer YOU! Yes YOU reading this now.....

Did you know we are approaching the end of the current round and are making plans for the next round? And want to involve You! Yes YOU reading this now.

We want volunteers to help with the weekly introduction - just like I am doing now - a few words to draw in the wonderful people who contribute every week -

wonderful people like you yes YOU reading this now.

Think about it and if you could manage it we would be overjoyed - we need your help!

We could give a set of QUESTIONS for you to answer - fun type nothing heavy going....so if you have any QUESTIONS you feel would be fun to add to our list please e-mail myself - denisebydesigns@googlemail.com

and I will circulate with the ABC Team.

Think about it.......You yes YOU reading this right now.

P for Posting

I feel quite Pleased and Privileged to be Part of this Phenomenal Post. This Post brings so

many People to this fine space. P also stands for Parties  and what can be the greatest than

this life itself? Please do follow the rules and Policies of this blog and I am sure all of

us will have fun. In case I haven't followed what I Preached myself

Please Forgive me (Bryan Adams)

One of my fav movies, Phenomenon with John Travolta was Pure fun to watch too. It reminds me of my Peculiar ways !! Come on People lets get Posting !! Happy Wednesday !

O is for OPERATIONS

Here I am again, Roger OWEN Green, with an OPENING for this week's OPINING.

So what does it mean to be the current ORGANIZER for ABC Wednesday, a position so ably OCCUPIED by ONE Denise Nesbitt for five years?

1. Seek OUT people who would like to OPERATE as part of the team, writing OCCASIONAL introductions and visiting OUR participants. (Did it OCCUR to you that you'd like an OPPORTUNITY to write an intro? Please let me know.)

2. Assign the ORDER of the visits - which OCCUPANTS registered on Linky will be visited by whom? I am OPTIMALLY keeping track of who on the team will be OUT of town or OTHERWISE unavailable that week. Based on Mrs. Nesbitt's OPERATIONAL handbook, I try to mix it up.

3. ONCE the intro is OFFERED, put the Linky into the post, and make sure post will OPERATE at the OPPORTUNE time, so that we'll be OPEN for business.

4. Deal with any OBSTACLES: trouble with posting or OPENING a link; a post that OBVIOUSLY doesn't mention this meme and/or is not following the OBJECT of the project (e.g., this week, O is for...)

Well, I could go ON and ON (and ON), but I'd rather OBSERVE what ORGANICALLY-derived OPUSES (OPI?) you have ORIGINATED. But if you would like to OPT into OUR little ORBIT of the Internet, there is an OPENING for you. Again, please contact me - rogerogreen(at)gmail(dot)com.

N is for Nobody But YOU

There was this song called Nobody But Me, originally written and recorded by the Isley Brothers back in 1962, that was a #8 hit in 1968 for a group called the Human Beinz. After a bunch of the word "No", we discover that:

Nobody can do
The shing-a-ling
Like I do

And the singer goes through a bunch of dances - the skate, the boo-ga-loo, the Philly - at which he excels.

You might have heard it:



Well, I wanted to turn that on its head a bit:

No no no no no no no no no
No no no no no no no no
No no no no no no no no
No no no no no

Nobody can do a blog post like you do
Nobody can take a photo like you do
Nobody can write a poem like you do
Nobody can make an essay like I do

Well don't you know you write
You doin', ain't nobody doin'
But you, people
Nobody but you

Yes you're gonna snap
You're doin', ain't nobody doin'
But you, people
Nobody but you

OK, it's NOT poetry. But it's well-meaning...

M for mmmm....

Mmmm.(1).. What shall I write about the letter M? Actually the M is a very popular letter and therefore often used as the initial letter in names. Mamma, mum, mom is the first a baby says before it can speak. If somebody speaks inaudible, he mumbles. Everybody can mumble. Mmm(2)... is also used if some food is delicious, and everybody understands what it means. There is a third possibility if someone says mmmm.... When I don't agree with somebody and I don't want to say: "Sorry I disagree with you', I start saying: mmmm.(3)..with a slightly pensive look. And the other person knows that I am of another opinion. In this case my voice starts in a high tone, then it is going down.

So the letter M is very important. It depends on the way you look, the intonation and the speed you say it with. My first mmmm... is very slowly and softly pronounced, also with a pensive look in my eyes. The second  mmmm.. is pronounced with enthusiasm and with a happy look on my face, and a lot louder than with the other  mmmm....'s!

The third mmmmm... is pronounced with a sort of  shorter sound and not as loud as the second one but loud enough to draw the attention. You can add some shaking of your head, but don't forget the pensive look!!! Conclusion: With  mmmm... you can show all kind of emotions, you don't need a foreign language to express yourself. Good luck with the letter M.

 By signing in to ABC Wednesday you acknowledge, that you have read the rules and agree to follow them. Don't forget to thank Mrs. Denise Nesbitt. She created this meme years ago! And don't forget to thank Roger as well!

L is for Love Songs

Some noted philosopher once declared: "You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs. But I look around me and I see it isn't so. Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs. And what's wrong with that? I'd like to know, 'cause here I go again."

That sage, of course, was one Sir James Paul McCartney, who wrote the song with his late wife Linda. Sir Paul's previous group, the Beatles, wrote a lot of love songs. Lennon/McCartney composed a bunch they gave to others, and the pre-success Fab Four covered love songs that appear on Live at the BBC and Anthology 1.

Here are some Beatles' songs with Love (or Loving) in the title, with links to the songs:

Love Me Do (1962) - pretty simple, or even simplistic, but became a big hit (UK 4, US 1) eventually.
P.S. I Love You (1962) - sweet song which went to UK 4, US 10.
She Loves You (1963) - despite the "yeah, yeah, yeah", a rather sophisticated piece for its time, written in the third person. #1 on both sides of the pond.
All My Loving (1963) — breaks into an almost rockabilly bridge. US #45.
Can't Buy Me Love (1964) - the significance of this song is that when the Beatles had the Top 5 songs in the US, on April 4, 1964, this was #1. Topped the charts in the UK, too.
And I Love Her (1964) - a beautiful song from A Hard Day's Night, went US #12.
Words of Love (1964) a Buddy Holly cover from the Beatles for Sale album.
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (1965) - a sad song from the Help! soundtrack.
It's Only Love (1965) - album cut on Help! (UK), Rubber Soul (US).
Love You To (1966) - Revolver album cut, complete with sitar.
All You Need Is Love (1967) - now this IS a silly love song.
"There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy."
But I love it anyway, especially the She Loves You reprise. #1 on both sides of the pond.
Real Love (1995) - the completion of a 1979 John Lennon song that appears on Anthology 2 (UK 4, US 11).

The Cirque du Soleil soundtrack of Beatle mashups is appropriately titled LOVE. BTW, John Lennon's 72nd birthday would have been next week (October 9).

Now go show some LOVE to your fellow ABC Wednesday colleagues and visit!

K is for.......

The ABC Team welcome you to another week on the adventure we all love and adore!

Did you know the superpowers Superman possesses?





Strength - although varying depending on his energy levels, Clark is among the strongest superheroes on Earth, capable of lifting a plane.

Flight - able to defy gravity, possibly through sheer force of will.

Invulnerability - Years of exposure to yellow solar energy have caused Clark's Kryptonian body to become almost indestructable. His natural bio-electric aura also has limited force field properties protecting items near his skin e.g. his costume. Clark can survive in outer space as long as he has a breathing apparatus, and doesn't lose too much solar energy. Using his powers of flight and super-speed Clark can travel inter-planetary distances by himself. Interstellar distances require assistance e.g. a spaceship.

Super-speed - capable of superhuman speed, Clark can fly from Metropolis to have dinner with Lois Lane in Paris, France, or in a few minutes fly to the Moon.

Super-breath - Clark's invulnerability and strength exist internally too, affecting his skeleton and internal organs. After inhaling deeply he can expel the air in a gale-force wind.

Super-hearing - Capable of blocking out and discerning a single known voice within a city.

Vision - Clark can detect electromagnetic energy in more than the normal visible spectrum: X-Ray vision, IR vision, Microscopic, and Telescopic. Additionally, Clark can release solar energy in the form of Heat Vision as a weapon.

Which superpower would you choose?

J is for Jump In

Are you sitting comfortably?  Log in, click on and JUMP to the ABC Wednesday link.  Don't JUMP the gun by trying to post on Mondays because there is no-one here -  not even Mrs Nesbitt's chickens.  No need to JOCKEY for position now the Linky is open, there is room for all to JOIN. The more the merrier, JUMP at the offer. JUMP bail if need be, although that may mean JUMPING from the frying-pan into the fire, or am I JUMPING to a conclusion there.

Well its time for the ABC JAMBOREE which may be JAUNTY, JAZZY, JUDICIOUS or a JOURNEY but never JADED.  I'll stop my JABBERING now its time to JOIN in.  Once we are all here the JOINT will be JUMPING and everyone on ABC Wednesday will be
     

JUMPING with JOY

I is for Irreverent

I IDEALIZE the I post, because IT IMPLIES an INFINITE array of IMPECCABLE IMAGES, INTELLIGENT and INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS of INCREDIBLE INTEREST and INFORMATION.

isosceles triangle

IT would be ILLOGICAL AND INCONCEIVABLE, even INANE, to INSIST on INFLICTING an IDENTICAL ITINERARY.

Iroquois longhouse

IT IS INFINITELY more IRRESISTIBLE to INSPECT whatever IDIOSYNCRATIC IMAGINATION IS ILLUMINATED.








invisible
INVARIABLY, one could INFUSE with IRRATIONAL IRE, but that would be INSTANTLY INCONCEIVABLE.

(INSPIRED under the INFLUENCE of INSOMNIA.)

The letter "H " for 'olly 'ock

 This is a 'olly' ock!


It's the turn of the letter H.
 A strange letter, for there are thousands of people in the world who cannot or just do not pronounce this letter. In my country one of our twelve provinces is populated with inhabitants who cannot pronounce the H. It's the province of Zeeland.

In France the H is also  dropped for most of the time.

In the Holy Land the people of Galilee couldn't pronounce the H either, that's why Peter was recognized as one of the disciples of  Jesus in the night that Jesus was interrogated by the Sanhedrin.

And then of course in London we know the cockneys who drop aitches all the time. Who doesn't know the famous sentence spoken by Eliza Doolittle, who tries to copy the pronunciation of Professor Higgens. He asks her to pronounce :"In Hertford,Hereford and Hampshire hurricanes hardly ever happen...
Eliza answers:"In' ertford, 'ereford and 'ampshire  'urricanes 'ardly ever 'appen...
Anyway we are going to show a great variety of the letter "H"! 'opefully you 'ave great 'istories for us.
Reader Wil, ABC Team.

Eliza Doolittle

G is for Go Green

When I was growing up, if someone said they were going green that meant they were sick.

The expression green around the gills means someone is ill from motion sickness, the flu, or perhaps from too much alcohol. 

I'm not sure when Go Green first became a battle cry for environmental movements. 

My guess would be that it was sometime in the early 1970s that Go Green started being adopted as a slogan for anything from ocean conservation groups to recycling efforts.
 

Sometimes go green becomes ironic because it's used by commercial enterprises that aren't particularly good for the environment. They want you to think their products are better for the environment than their competitors products and begin their ad with GO GREEN.

Language and expressions can be confusing but tone of voice helps. If I say I'm going green and sound like I'm about to pass out that probably means I'm green around the gills. If I say I'm going green with a happy tone of voice, you can assume it has to do with an environmental issue I'm trying to help with my genuine efforts.

Gee whiz on with the games . . .

F is for...FUN...

Although I FREQUENT ABC Wednesday regularly, I usually post only a FEW FOTOS on each post.

I FIND that more than just a FEW of you FINE FOLKS FIND pleasure in posting FANTASTIC and FABULOUS snapshots of several different scenes that are FAMILIAR to you. Some include FAMILY and other FRIENDLY FACES, sometimes a FIESTA, a FOREIGN city or village, FOGGY scenes, FINE FOOD, FINE ARTS, and so much more. Whatever the image, you all seem to FOCUS very well on technical FORM.

Instead of FRITTERING away more of your time, I FORECAST that the FLOODGATES will open and you will FORGE ahead and bring FORTH photographs that will FIT the bill for the letter "F"---I'll FUEL your imagination by showing you this FISH that I FOUND on the wall of a restaurant in FISH CREEK, Wisconsin.

Have FUN!!

FINE FINNEY CRITTER

IS IT FABULOUS TO EAT

FASTENED TO A WALL!

E is for ELATION!

Only hours have passed since the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics held here in UK! What an EXCITING time was had by all! Who/What was your favourite/memorable moment of Excitement?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D is for DENISE

DAME DENISE (aka Mrs. Nesbitt) is our inDomitable and DYNAMIC leader!  She came up with the idea of a meme called ABC WEDNESDAY and it took off with a DRIVING force.  Now into its sixth year, currently at Round 11, there have been some DAZZLING and DELIGHTFUL DEVELOPMENTS.  DENISE DECIDED she had a need for a bit of assistance because, although DELIRIOUS that people from all over the world enjoy participating each week, it had become DIFFICULT to visit each contributor.  After all, the count is usually around 100 per week and she DOES have a life!  Therefore, DENISE'S group of DUTIFUL helpers DELIVER comments to everyone by evenly DIVIDING the job.  DURING this round, DENISE is still posting her own contribution; however, she is taking a well-DESERVED break from the DEMANDING DUTY of administering the meme. Our DIRECTOR this time is Sir Roger!  Please take a moment to stand and give DENISE a DEAFENING but DIGNIFIED ovation!  Here Here!

To DENISE! 

C is for CATS !

 

For those who don't know my username "Gattina" means "Kitten" in Italian. It also means "Chat" in French. In Art school they called me Madame Chat, which means Mrs. Cat, but it can be quite confusing, as English speaking people think that I am a chatter box. Bad tongues pretend that they are right. So as I am a cat fan I just wanted to explain who don't know what living with a cat means :

There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast. (even at 4 am)
Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods.
Cats have never forgotten this.
Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.
In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats.
As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat.

and

 

B is for Butanding

Last time, I  gave you a brief introduction of  the state of West Virginia..  This time, I'll  bring you  to the place where I was born in the Philippines, the Bicol Region.  It is located in the southernmost tip of Luzon Island.   The region is bounded by Lamon Bay to the north, Pacific Ocean to the east, and Sibuyan Sea and Ragay Gulf to the west. The northernmost province, Camarines Norte, is bordered to the north by the province of Quezon, thereby connecting the region to the rest of Luzon.


Bicol Region is volcanic in origin and part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Known as the Bicol Volcanic Arc or Chain, the volcanoes are the results of the Philippine Sea Plate sub-ducting under the Philippine Mobile Belt, along the Philippine Trench.  In the small town of Donsol is where I came from, the place where you can find  a bunch of whale shark or locally known as  Butanding. According to my source, Butanding is the biggest fish in the world. In 2004, Time magazine has ranked interacting with those gentle giants as "The Best Animal Encounter in Asia".  So if you are going to  the Philippines for a vacation, try to  swim with the Butanding, it's fun and one of a kind experience that you could have.

Alrighty, before you get bored, buckle up and get ready with the bumpy but exciting  ride we are about to take and see from the different  letter B contribution  of the ABC participants around the  world.  (source of info and photo: wikepedia and dsc.discovery.com)

Stop by at my blog when you get a chance.

Rose