This week's Tuesday Tip: Play Communication BINGO!
You could win an eStoRybOok!
This is a game I play with my homeschool Yahoo group, Homeschooling with Humor! It's a great deal of fun and a creative way to teach your children about communication skills. It's called Communication Bingo. It's played like a virtual version of Bingo.
FIMM is about to have his 100th episode and to celebrate we are giving all of you a chance to win a prize! This Communication Bingo is in honor of Foot in Mouth Man who is the Art of Eloquence mascot and resident MIScommunicator. He sticks his foot in his mouth so often he has Athlete's Tongue! He does so each Wednesday for your amusement and confusement and to teach about the importance of being an effective communicator.
RULES OF PLAY:
1. Go to FIMM's page on Art of Eloquence and pick out 25 episodes. (Past episodes are listed at the bottom) Pick from episodes 1-97 ONLY! I will not be calling out episodes after that for this game!
2. Email me your list of 25 FIMM Episodes before midnight PST on Sunday, May 25th mailto: jojo@artofeloquence.com
3. Listen to Grace Talk Soup each week to hear me announce 5 episodes that you can cross off your Bingo List.
When you have crossed off all 25 of the FIMM episodes on your list, be the first to call in to Grace Talk Soup and announce BINGO! (You can either text it in the chatroom or you can announce it over our call in phone line:
Phone Number: (724) 444-7444 Call ID: 19736
I will announce 5 episodes per week in random order. The game will go on until someone calls in a BINGO! Bingo will be verified against the list that you sent in to me and the winner will receive his/her choice of our personalized eStoRybOok title in PDF version! eStoRybOoks come personalized with your child's name, age and best friend's first name where they are the hero of the story!
Good luck everyone! Don't put off sending in your lists or you may miss out! Only those who turn in their lists to me via email will have a chance to win!
Please email me jojo@artofeloquence.com with your full name and address so that we may send you your prizes!
Thank you Jen and thank you to all who entered and voted in our contest! We now have the name of all three of the days of the Say What You Mean Convention 2009!
Kid's Day
Mom's Day
Independence Day!
Mark your calendars for the next Say What You Mean Convention February 4-6, 2009 so you don't miss out on any of the fun! We will have even MORE:
Free Seminars on Communication Skills
Free Homeschool Seminars
Free Audio Interviews with Your Favorite Curricula Publishers
Contests with Prizes
Freebies and Gifts
Free ePackets of Goodies for those who Register!
Missed the SWMC 2008? You can still access over 30 audios/seminars and get all our freebies! Click here to see how much fun the 3rd Annual Say What You Mean Convention 2008 really was! But be advised that next years convention will be even bigger and better and more FUN!
Thanks for playing along in our contest and helping us to name the third day of the SWMConvention!
FYI: Looking for more fun contests? We will be announcing another contest here in just a short while! It will be announced both here at Communication FUNdamentals and on my podcast, Grace Talk Soup!
Does God speak to you directly though your church service or WHAT?
I've been to church through MANY Mother's Days since I gave my heart to Jesus but this was the first Mother's Day service where the Pastor talked about letting go. By the time service was over, I was a bawling mess! Kelsey was sitting right next to me and turned to give me a hug about three times during the service.
Pastor Chris talked about Moses' mother who had to let go of her son when he was just three months old. Then when he was about three years old she had to let go of him for good. Strangely that didn't give me comfort. Even though I have had my dd with me for 18 years, all I could think was ..."I don't WANT to let go!"
I know I should and, when she is ready to fly to Nashville to move into the dorm, I know I will but...I don't wanna! lol
I know she will be ok and I know she will grow and I know she will become the child God intends her to be, but I don't wanna!
Couldn't he have talked about all the traditional Mother's Day things? Couldn't he have just reminded us that God created mothers to nurture and to love and to teach? Did he HAVE to talk about letting go THIS Mother's Day?!
From JoJo'ssoggyPurple Crayon...
Hey,did you vote yet? Today is the last day!
Name Our Convention Day Contest!
Something to Ponder:
Holidays always remind me that thankfulness should be a part of our lives all year 'round. How many opportunities do we miss during the year to say thank you to mom. And not just to mom but to everyone else in our lives.
It isn't just on Mother's Day that we should remember to thank mom for all she does, but it does remind us that we need to do a better job of communicating our appreciation for her all throughout the year. Take this opportunity to share with your mom just how special she is, but take this opportunity also to remember to appreciate her and to share that appreciation with her during the rest of the year.
Now make that pledge to yourself about the rest of your family, friends and neighbors. Take that extra second to smile at the woman on the street struggling with three little ones in tow. Take that extra minute and email your friend to let him know you are still praying for him. Take that extra time to call up Aunt Mildred in the nursing home and share a memory. Take that one hour car trip and visit your dear friend and help her with the new baby for a few hours.
What may seem like a little extra effort to you in your already busy day, can mean all the world to them. Even if we cannot make that trip or spend 20 minutes on the phone, how much extra effort is it to smile? How much time does it take to give a complement? How much extra time does it cost to leave that door open a bit longer waiting for that woman with the cane?
Sometimes so little effort communicates so much!
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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication. Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula including "Say What You Mean: Defending the Faith". You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com. For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com
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From JoJo'sPurple Crayon...
Hey,did you vote yet? Break the 3-Way Tie!
Name Our Convention Day Contest!
Boy this was tougher than I thought! These were all such wonderful ideas that we have a three way tie! It comes down to three. Last time some of you couldn't decide so you chose two! Some were still giving us new ideas. Gosh you all are so creative!
The 3rd day of the convention will be all about after our children graduate from our homeschool. It will feature audio interviews with several homeschool graduates who have gone on to college, Corporate America, self-employement, trade schools, homemaking, etc. We will discuss letting go and a new relationship with our adult children and topics that will help us prepare our children to walk in God's Will for them on their unique path in the "real world".
Art of Eloquence would like to honor all mothers with a free gift this year! It's called God's Word on Motherhood. It's a beautifully illustrated eBook of scriptures speaking to motherhood! You can download it here: http://artofeloquence.com/pages/freebie.php
From JoJo'sPurple Crayon...
Hey,did you vote yet? Today's the last day!
Name Our Convention Day Contest!
Hey,did you vote yet? Only two more days!
Name Our Convention Day Contest!
We have 10 wonderful suggestions to name the third day of the Say What You Mean Convention for next year. The theme next year will be homeschooling! But so far it's a tie! Come vote for your favorite name and break the tie!
The author of one of the 10 suggestions could win three prizes so please go vote for the one you like best! See this post for details!
Art of Eloquence would like to honor all mothers with a free gift this year!
It's called God's Word on Motherhood. It's a beautifully illustrated eBook of scriptures speaking to motherhood! You can download it here: http://artofeloquence.com/pages/freebie.php
From JoJo'sPurple Crayon...
Hey,did you vote yet? Only two more days!
Name Our Convention Day Contest!
When I started my day today, it was 3:30am. Not unusual for me, but it seems like, if I blink too slowly, it's 10pm! In order to keep myself on track to get all my tasks done each day, I have Outlook reminders set up with the sound up extra loud so I can hear them from wherever I am in the house. I also have a tasks list in my planner. I get great satisfaction from checking off each task I complete, but somehow I never do check them all off. It may not help that there are approximately 20 items on each day's list!
We are winding down school. We only school until the end of May. Chris is done with his math program and just about done with science. Actually the only subject he really has left is history. He does read the Bible every day and that will continue through the summer.
An unexpected subject for him this year has been music. My dd has been involved in an elite performance choir this year. She loves musicals and so we have been playing the cds from several of them in the car as we travel. My son has developed quite a voice of his own! He is very expressive and can mimmic the singer's style. He also has a very good ear and his voice is pretty good! We were impressed. Kelsey's told her choir director who said this is very unusual for a boy of his age. He is only 8. Additionally, he has developed the ability to sing melody while we both sing harmony in and around him.
Kelsey is taking her AP exams this week and Monday. More money on AP prep books! And did you know it was $213 to sign her up to take 3 AP tests? She took the first one yesterday. She thinks she did pretty well but it was a tough one! Calculus is her best subject but this was a tough test. She thinks she got at least a 4 so she should get college credit for it. Now if I can only remember her schedule and when to pick her up from classes each day. It changes. Sometimes I get a call from her in the middle of the morning telling me her plans have changed and I have to rearrange my schedule to get there!
Kelsey is getting ready for Vanderbilt. She is so excited! We are planning for what things she will need to buy and take with her. Vandy has been very accommodating. She has already found a roommate who doesn't mind that she is Oscar Madison! She did promiss to pick up after herself better for her roommate but her prospective roomie really isn't a Felix Unger so ...
Kelsey heard back from Stanford. They took most of the students off their wait list but have kept a small percentage on until June 15th when they should hear back from the final students. She is very proud to have been kept on as this is THE toughest year in HISTORY to get into college! More students applied to college this year than in history and competition was fierce! It made the record books!
I am in the middle of writing several new ebooks and some articles that are due. I have two weekly columns here at Communication FUNdamentals that are now in syndication on 4 other blogs! Submissions are different for each one so I really do have to set up Outlook reminders so I can keep all that straight!
I am also planning for next year's Say What You Mean Convention! Boy have I got more fun for you in February!!! I can't wait to be able to announce it to you! It's got to be bigger and better each year or it's not the SWMC!
Extra curricular activities are taking their toll. My dd teaches a karate class twice a week just prior to my son's karate class so on Mondays and Wednesdays I am gone from the afternoons til past dinner time. Tuesdays and Fridays are my son's soccer days and we are gone for a few hours in the evening. Then there were the soccer games on Saturdays. That only left Thursday to ourselves!
My dh had been working 7 days a week for a long while there and since he works 2hrs from home, on average, this was difficult for all of us. Thankfully he is now home on the weekends but there is a fair amount of work to be done that has built up over time. The computers need some TLC. Mine needs to be cleaned up and upgraded which I am much too nervious to do on my own. My parents came out and installed my son's new computer. It was my great Uncle's computer before he passed away. My dad did all this work on it for him. He made a book with his picture on it with all the computer details and reference books and cds! My son is having a BALL! But he wasnt able to hook up the internet so my dh needs to take care of that.
Well, I had better get ready. I have to take my dd to classes, run back and host Grace Talk Soup, do school with Chris, write two articles ...yadda yadda yadda...
I'll be relieved when June comes and school ends. Although we then have to figure out Kelsey's graduation and other senior activities. She was told she couldn't participate in many of them because she isn't graduating from the public high school. She is only going part time for a few classes. However they have included her in certain things so we are confused.
How is your school year going? Winding down? Planning for next year yet or taking a break?
From JoJo'sPurple Crayon...
Hey,did you vote yet? Only two more days!
Name Our Convention Day Contest!
FIMM was a little late to the meeting at Blogger Cable. His father, the President of the company, was finishing his report. Pointing to the sales chart he said...
"We've got to turn this around! We've got to show a profit this quarter. How can we show an increase in sales?"
FIMM had an idea and walked up to the front of the room.
Don't be a FIMMpersonator! Click here to read through the FIMM Archives and to view FIMM's video!
Check out Art of Eloquence to learn communication skills the FUN way!
Last week I told you what happens when you give out too much communication. This week I will share with you what happens when you don't!
The next time I received a Jury Duty summons, I decided to take the advice of the person who excused me before. I filled out my little postcard just saying that I had to care for a young child. Nothing confusing there, I thought. Nothing was listed that would possibly be construed as contradictory. I thought I would be excused right away. I mean, after all, this was what I was directed to do should I be called for Jury Duty again! Right? Not so fast Kowalski!
Yup! I received a denial in the mail saying ..."Additional Information Required". I wasn't able to call that day because they are only available until 4pm so I had to wait until Monday. I tried calling on Monday morning but was unable to get through. I called about three or four times until I finally got through that afternoon.
I explained the situation and was told that they needed additional information. What additional information could they possibly need?
Jury Dept: How old is the child?
Me: 8.
Jury Dept: What do you do when you go to work?
Me: I don't go to work. I work in my home.
Jury Dept: What do you do when he goes to school?
Me: I homeschool him.
Jury Dept: So he is with you all day?
Me: Yes. Isn't that what caring for a young child means?
Jury Dept: Yes. But some people go to work and leave their kids at school or with a baby sitter.
Me: That wouldn't be considered "caring for a young child" then, would it? Why would that be an excuse?
Jury Dept: It wouldn't. That's why we needed additional information.
Me: What should I put on the card to be excused the next time I am called? I can't serve for the next 10 years or so. My son will be homeschooled another 10 years and I have a business I can't leave.
Jury Dept: You should put that you care for a young child, that you homeschool and that you have a business.
Ok. Here's my take on the whole Jury Duty thing. They NEVER excuse you without "Additional Information Required". It doesn't matter what you put down on that little postcard. Your relatives could put down that you died and they would send you that same little card stamped "Additional Information Required"!
However, it did bring up an important communication lesson whether or not it solved it. lol We should always consider our communication to make sure there is not too much information that would confuse our reader or too little information that would make "Additional Information Required".
Until Next Week...
From JoJo's Purple Crayon...
For more Communication tips delivered right to your inbox,
subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter:Communication Tip of the Week!
Did you vote yet? Name Our Convention Day Contest!
As an author and internet business owner, I sit at the computer a great deal. After a while in one position, I feel like I need a change so I usually sit on one of my legs. Since I am only 5' tall and short-waisted, it gives me a little boost too.
Over the years I have noticed that I can only do this for a certain length of time before my foot becomes tingly. Sometimes I have pain in my legs that I have to work through for a few minutes after getting to my feet.
So yesterday afternoon I am sitting on my right leg at the computer when I realize I need to run upstairs and tell my dh something. I jumped up from the chair and put my foot down on the floor only to find that I had absolutely NO feeling in my right leg at all. I didn't notice this until about a second later when I rolled my ankle.
Nope...it isn't extremely painful. I have a purple bruize on the outside and it feels really weird inside on both sides of my ankle. My toes were numb on and off yesterday and it was painful to move it from side to side.
How embarrassing! I can't even claim I was running or ran into something or even that I took a wrong step on the stairs. Nope! I simply had no idea my leg was completely numb after sitting on it at my computer for about an hour.
From JoJo'sPurple Crayon...
Did you vote yet? Name Our Convention Day Contest!
I was thinking about one of the typical questions people ask about God. Why is there suffering if there is a God who loves us? It can be a tough question for some and a stumbling block to those who don't know the Lord. I cover this topic in Say What You Mean: Defending the Faith. But this song got me thinking about when God's Children ask this same question. Suffering can be used by Satan to turn Christians from their faith. It can be a stumbling block for those in the family of God as well. I wrote a poem yesterday after listening to this song a few times. I submit it to you for your reflection.
When We Need to Breathe
By JoJo Tabares
Sometimes when the walls are falling in around you
Some days when you can practically feel your insides screaming
Some moments when you think you can't stand it another second
You can come to the Lord and He will give you peace
Sometimes when we are in the midst of struggle
Some days when we are drowning in sorrow
Some moments when we can hardly seem to take another breath
We can give it up to the Lord and He will wash away our pain
Sometimes when life gets so complicated
Some days when all you long for is rest
Some moments when you just want the world to stop spinning
You can place that chaos at the feet of the Savior
Because we all need to breathe...
Even when we are washed by the water.
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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication. Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula including "Say What You Mean: Defending the Faith". You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com. For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com
When my dd was younger, I would test her spelling by making up a story using all her spelling words. It was fun for me and for her because I would make up a silly story. It was challenging to use all the words and have the story make some sort of sense. So I thought it would make a fun story prompt for school.
Here are some words in no particular order. See if you (or your kids) can make up a story using all these words. You get extra bonus points if you can do so using the words in order! See how creative you can be. Post your stories here!
Wow! We had over 80 entries submitted for our Name Our Convention Day Contest! (Not including FIMM's of course!) There were some really creative and fun ideas!! Thank you all for participating!
It was so difficult to narrow down the choices for you to vote on. We were going to narrow it down to just 5 choices, but there were so many wonderful ideas, we decided to post the top 10 ideas that would fit our day best. There are some exciting choices here and it should prove to be a tough decision!
Please vote on your favorite! To vote, simply post a comment on this blog post with your favorite choice for the third day of the 4th Annual Say What You Mean Convention coming in February 2009.
Remember that our convention theme for next year will be homeschooling and this day will feature interviews with several homeschool graduates who have gone into different areas of life: college, Coporate America, homemaking, business ownership, etc. This day will speak to the options homeschoolers have and the mark they can make upon the world.
The envelope please... Here are the semi finalists:
My friend, Kim, from WriteShop interviewed an amazing 11 y/o girl who has started a website listing various writing contests for children! It's an inspiring read! This is a great way to get your reluctant writer interested!
The babies are two weeks old! FIMM and Bonnie aren't getting much sleep and it's beginning to take its toll. FIMM will almost be glad to get back to work next week. He needs the rest! Bonnie's mom will be coming to help her care for the babies for a while.
With Bonnie nursing around the clock, it's FIMM's job to help out with the housework but since he isn't used to housework, Bonnie had given him some tips. She told him it might be a good idea to multi task in order to save time.
It was actually working out quite well until Bonnie found a sock in the baby bottle!
Don't be a FIMMpersonator! Click here to read through the FIMM Archives and to view FIMM's video!
Check out Art of Eloquence to learn communication skills the FUN way!
I am called for Jury Duty about once every 3-6 months. It used to be that excuses were given over the phone where you explained to a live breathing person why you are unable to serve. Now technology allows you to go through this process with much more ease...for the Jury Department! However, we prospective jurors may find it a much more difficult process.
Now-a-days, you must mail them back a postcard with a check mark indicating your pre printed reasons for not being able to serve. Unfortunately none of them really apply to me or to any homeschooler, I would imagine. One of your choices isn't...
I homeschool
I am usually pretty thorough and in an effort to show them that there were many reasons I could not serve, I decided to check all that applied.
Care for a young child during the day
Financial hardship if missed work
I even wrote in that I homeschool and run a small business from home. I figured it was pretty clear that I was not able to leave my child during the day, that he would be missing school if I did and that I would have nobody to run my business if I was to get on a jury.
They didn't see it that way. They denied me saying "Additional Information Required". So I had to call and speak to a live person anyway. The gal in the Jury Clerk Department said that it didn't make any sense how I could run a business and homeschool at the same time. In other words, they thought I was lying. She said that if I was able to get someone to stay with my son while I went to work, I could serve on a jury. It took me some time before the gal could really hear me on this. She kept insisting that you cannot work and stay home at the same time. After about 25 minutes, I was able to get her to understand that it was very common these days for people to run a business from home. The light bulb went on above her head. I could practically see it! lol
However, very soon there after the light bulb dimmed as she couldn't reconcile how I could have time to run a business and homeschool my son. It took another 20 minutes or so to convince her that my son didn't have to be schooled from 8am-3pm and that I didn't have to work from 8am-5pm. I actually had to run down a typical day explaining how I got up at 3 or 4am to begin my workday before my son got up, schooled him in the morning and completed my work day at about 10pm. I even had to relate to her how I was able to get housework done in between each type of work task.
It seemed to me that since Jury People are unfamiliar with modern life and homeschooling, there might be a better way for me to convey my need to be excused from Jury Duty when they called my name in 3-6 months. I asked her what she thought I should put down on the postcard. She told me it would be less confusing to just put down that I cared for a child during the day.
Sometimes too much information is confusing to those who have no frame of reference for the concept. Sometimes "less is more". Sometimes it is better to be less thorough in your communication for clarity's sake. Sometimes....
Next week I will share with you what happens when it isn't "Sometime".
Until Next Week...
From JoJo's Purple Crayon...
For more Communication tips delivered right to your inbox,
subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter:Communication Tip of the Week!
There have been so many wonderful entries, but only one can win!
Then for part two of our contest:
On the morning of May 1st, we will choose 5 of the names we feel would work best for the Say What You Mean Convention, put them in a separate post and ask you to vote on them! The one that gets the most votes will win the prizes!
Many of life's lessons are found in unexpected places. The following poem is called "The Bible in 50 Words". The author is unknown. Not only is it a clever poem but it within its lines contain two secrets for sharing our faith effectively. Look closely.
God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.
The author is quite creative. Each line holds special significance for Christians. Just two words in each line communicates an entire story from the Bible. However, we would have to admit that there is much more to the Bible than what is represented in these 50 words. We need more than these 50 words in our lives. That's why the Lord wrote the entire Bible. He knows it takes more than these 50 words to help us grow closer to Him, walk more confidently with Him through our trials and learn the lessons of life over our lifetime.
I sometimes wonder if we Christians understand this concept when I hear the manner in which some share their faith with unbelievers. When we examine this clever poem, we can see that it unlocks a two part lesson in sharing our faith.
God tells us, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" -Ecclesiastes 3:1. Although everything is not necessarily useful for every purpose. "A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;" -Ecclesiastes 3:7. This poem was not written to share the faith. It was written to bring a smile to the face of the believer. It has a noble purpose, but its purpose is necessarily limited.
Some share their faith by trying to get in as much of God's Word as possible in the short time the listener will allow. This Christian is so excited to share what God has done for them, that they make the critical mistake of trying to share it all in a 10 minute chance encounter. The idea is to fire enough truth at the unbeliever that something might stick. This is much too overwhelming for the unbeliever! It would be like trying to learn Calculus by reading the formulas in the appendix without ever having had the benefit of taking the prerequisites first! These formulas mean nothing without that background information. And so it is with the Reader's Digest version of the Bible a Christian might rattle off for a captive audience on an elevator.
Another significant error is made when we don't discuss relevant issues with an unbeliever. It can be pointless to take one aspect of the Bible and discuss that with an unbeliever who has no frame of reference for it in his life. A drug addict may know he is living a dangerous life from which he needs to be saved. An Atheist may see himself as a "good person" who will not relate to being called a sinner and will take exception to the suggestion that he needs a Savoir!
God doesn't make cookie-cutter people. There is no one-size-fits-all way to share your faith. That's why the Lord tells us in Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication. Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula including "Say What You Mean: Defending the Faith". You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com. For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com
If you have ever been called for Jury Duty once, you have probably been a thousand times! It reminds me of the old joke:
"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances." --Department of Social Services, Greenville, South Carolina
Just about every three months I am called for Jury Duty and each time I tell them that I cannot go. I homeschool so, if I were to get on a trial, my son would miss school and I have no place for him to stay. Also my dd needs me to drive her to classes and pick her up in the middle of the day. Lastly, I have no one to run my business if I were to be gone. The situation hasn't changed much in 8 years yet they keep calling. There's just no communicating with them.
When I worked for a large company that paid for Jury Duty, they never called me. My dh never gets called. My neighbors never get called.
Ok so each time you just contact them and reitterate that you cannot serve, right? Wrong! It's not that simple. They ask you to fill out a slip and return it to them with your reasons. But they always deny your request and tell you that "Additional INformation is Required".
The folks who answer the phone aren't too bright either. The last time I did this it took me about 45 minutes to get her to understand that it is possible to homeschool and run a business at the same time. She said she could understand that I wouldn't be able to serve if I had a child I was responsible to provide care for during the day but she didn't see how I could do that and go to an office from 9-5. I asked her if she ever heard of home based businesses and explained that you can teach in the morning and run your business the rest of the day from your office down the hall from your kitchen classroom!
So this time I thought I would simply say that I homeschool and provide care for a young child. I figured this would be easier to understand and I would simply be excused, right? WRONG!! They just sent me a notice that my request for excusal has been DENIED and that "Additional Information is Required"!
So now on Monday, while I am exceedingly busy, I must spend another 45 minutes on the phone with the Jury Department representative at which time I will suggest that they begin to search in an as yet untapped Jury Market by contacting some of the rest of the 1,999,332 people who live in San Bernardino County!
Have any other homeschoolers out there had problems with Jury Duty?
Three comedians are shooting the breeze at the back of a nightclub after a late gig. They’ve heard one another’s material so much, they’ve reached the point where they don’t need to say the jokes anymore to amuse each other - they just need to refer to each joke by a number.
“Number 37!” cracks the first comic, and the others break up.
"Number 53!” says the second guy, and they howl. Finally, it’s the third comic’s turn.
“44!” he quips. He gets nothing. “What?” he asks, “Isn’t 44 funny?”
“Sure, it’s usually hilarious,” they answer. “But the way you tell it…”
From JoJo'sPurple Crayon... For more Communication fun delivered right to your inbox,
subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter:Communication FUNdamentals!
Do you have your ticket yet? No? This is going to be awesome and I can't wait! Just look at all you get:
Virtual Seminar Series
With 50+ Speakers!
Virtual Vendor Hall!
Free Gifts!
Special offers!
Mp3 Downloads for all audios (over $2000 in workshops!)
I was invited to speak at the Ultimate Homeschool Expo. My topic is "How to be a Bold Witness without Hitting them Over the Head with the King James!" Plus my preview chat "The Power of Using Humor in your Homeschool" and all the other recorded audios will be available to you forever!
Episode 95: FIMM's Name Our Convention Day Contest Entry!
The 4th Annual Say What You Mean Convention planning is underway and the moderators and I are not sure what to call the last day! If you can help us, you can win:
BACKGROUND:
Next year's Say What You Mean Convention theme is Homeschooling!
The first day will be Kid's Day where we will be teaching communication skills for children, showcasing various curricula, fun games and contests for kids.
The second day is Mom's Day where we will have seminars on communication for parents and spouses and in every day life. We will also feature other information and things that support the homeschool mom!
The third day is the one we need some help with. The third day we will be talking about after homeschool graduation when your student goes into the "real world". We will have some homeschool graduates speak about their experiences with college, in the workforce, in Corporate America, or who have gone on to become moms or owners of small businesses. We will also discuss the myth of socialization and how to answer those questions people have about homeschooling. We will feature things that help homeschoolers after graduation.
So...what would you call the third day of the Fourth Annual Say What You Mean Convention?
FIMM'S SUGGESTION:
FIMM decided he would have a go at it. This is his entry:
The After Your Homeschoolers Graduate and Go Off into the Real World Day
I know you are all shocked, but we can't use that one. It just doesn't...roll off your tongue! Surely you can do better than FIMM!!
CONTEST DETAILS: * We will be taking nominations for a name for the third day of the Fourth Annual (February 2009) Say What You Mean Convention from now until April 30th.
* Just post your entry here as a comment to this blogpost along with your name.
* Post as many entries as you like!
* On May 1st we will post all of the entries together in a new blogpost and you will all get to vote on the one you like best!
* The author of the winning entry will win the above prize package!
What would YOU call "The After Your Homeschoolers Graduate and Go Off into the Real World Day"? Post your entry here!
Art of Eloquence would like to honor all mothers with a free gift this year! It's called God's Word on Motherhood. It's a beautifully illustrated eBook of scriptures speaking to motherhood! You can download it here: 
