The Saturday Evening Post » Writing

Limerick Laughs

Heather Ray — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:30:04 +0000

The Saturday Evening Post will award $100 to the author of the winning limerick for this picture.

Limericks must contain five lines. Entries will not be returned. Enter as many times as you wish.

The Sep/Oct 2010 Limerick Laughs winner will be announced in the Jan/Feb 2011 issue. Entries must be postmarked by October 6, 2010.

Send entries on a postcard to:
Limerick Laughs
The Saturday Evening Post
1100 Waterway Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46202

We extend our congratulations and $100 to Mary Ann Pendleton, Waxhaw, North Carolina, for the May/Jun 2010 winning entry.

One day after golf he came home,
Found his wife putting balls all alone.
With her putter lined up,
The ball rolled in the cup,
And all he could do then was groan.

Honorable mentions go to:

As Lou stood there perplexed and in awe,
His cigar fell as he dropped his jaw.
Since Mabel’s putt was on line
He moaned, “It’s better than mine,”
And he wasn’t sure he liked what he saw.
—Jan Streilein from Aiken, South Carolina

She said at home she’d be quite content,
So off to play golf with his pals he went.
When he left his spouse
To “putter around the house,”
This is not what he thought she meant!
—Jane Grau from Charlottesville, Virginia

Limerick Laughs The Saturday Evening Post

Amused by Mula

Post Editors — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:00:44 +0000

I enjoy reading your magazine from cover to cover, but my favorite articles are ones by writer Rose Madeline Mula. Being a senior also, I can relate so much to the issues of which she so humorously writes, like her article, But Wait! There’s More!! in the Nov./Dec. 2008 issue. I noted that she now has a book out of her humorous essays, titled If These are Laugh Lines, I’m Having Way Too Much Fun. Please, could you give me and other readers information about ordering that book by mail? I’d love to purchase a copy and possibly more copies as gifts for senior friends.

Patty
Cincinnati, Ohio

Editor’s note: To order Rose Madeline Mula’s book, call Nancy Wickham at 1-800-558-2376.

Amused by Mula The Saturday Evening Post

Family Ties

Adrianne — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:43:56 +0000

Recently I revised several drafts of a paper that my brother was working on for a college writing course. We went through the process paragraph by paragraph: He did the writing, I did the revising.

I’ve had years of practice writing papers of varied length and on assorted subjects, so the task, in my mind, was not daunting. However, my brother, 10 years my junior, viewed the assignment as a mountain of which he could not see the peak, nor imagine arriving on top! I knew he could use my help, and it would give us a chance to spend time together, mutually beneficial! When I accepted his request of assistance, his shoulders relaxed, I saw a smile, and the tension subsided. He didn’t require the amount of help I was prepared to give, but just having me sit next to him and support him seemed to lend self-confidence and spirit to his ability.

I received the final draft for revision with a note attached stating that he could not have accomplished what he’d done without me. He went on to write that it might not have been a “big deal” or challenge for me, but for him it was huge. I informed him that I did not deserve the credit, as he was the author. I sat next to him and fine-tuned a few spelling and grammatical errors, and I was happy to have the opportunity to spend time with him.

Have you ever done something for someone that you didn’t think was a big deal, but it meant the world to them?

Have you tutored or mentored anyone and felt your reward in watching their success?

If you had a project you needed help completing, do you have a special friend or relative you would turn to for support?

Family Ties The Saturday Evening Post

Therapeutic Blogging

Heather Ray — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:04:12 +0000

When one of the Post editors asked me if I would be willing to contribute to the new Living Well blog, I was elated. Healthy living has long been a personal passion and interest of mine. Plus, I’m always looking for new projects to work on. Even so, a list of cons soon began to grow in my head. Now I would have another deadline to worry about, another site to check up on, and what if no one ever comments? Would I take it personally? With the list of worries multiplying exponentially, I decided to rationalize my fears by writing them down. After reviewing the list in print, I deduced my concerns to be petty anxieties (“the small stuff”), and now I feel great! I’m living well! And here’s why:

Even though the process of writing, rewriting, editing, searching for the perfect word, and ripping up version after version of not-quite-right verbiage can be frustrating, the thing about keeping an online journal, or blogging, that’s so rewarding is that you don’t have to spell check, look up words, or do anything more than just write (type) what you feel. Let it all out. It may even improve your physical health, and it sure beats jogging on a cold winter’s day!

“When people are given the opportunity to write about emotional upheavals, they often experience improved health,” says Dr. James W. Pennebaker, professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. “Writing helps us focus and organize the experience.”

I also find it just as therapeutic to learn from the emotions of others.

So dear readers, I encourage you to check in with your emotions, express your thoughts, share your experiences. Please let us know your feelings — bitter or sweet — if not for your own health’s sake, then for the sake of other bloggers (and for my personal ego).

Has writing helped you cope with an emotional challenge? If you’ve never tried it, here’s an opportunity to start. Get blogging. We’re listening.

Therapeutic Blogging The Saturday Evening Post