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Local Actors Reflect on ‘Whales’

Santa in Afghanistan! Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to all!  Attached is a photo of Santa flying safely over the warfront in Afghanistan after being rescued by the PJs. Thanks to our elite rescue force, Santa will still be able to deliver gifts safely to all the good little boys and girls.

And speaking of safe --- here's to wishing the best to all our troops in harms way this holiday season.  Lets bring them home in 2011!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Nathan Bransford - Blog: Still Time to Raise Money With Your Comments

Nathan Bransford - Blog: Still Time to Raise Money With Your Comments:
Help Nathan raise money for Heifer International! Comment today!

The Raven's Gift ---- A Novel from Penguin Canada

The Crazy Bookworm: An Alaskan Author Imagines the First Interview abo...

The Crazy Bookworm: An Alaskan Author Imagines the First Interview abo...: "Don Rearden, author of THE RAVEN'S GIFT stopped by The Crazy Bookworm today to guest post. Enjoy! An Alaskan Author Imagines the First Int..."

Save the Words

Writers often take up causes to save various things.  I myself am guilty of trying, on occasion, to save the world.  Recently, while taking a break from saving the world, I checked my email and found an email from an old friend.  Her message included a link, and she informed me that I should be sure to check it out. As she was a friend, and also quiet old, I figured I better check out the website right away.  After all, most old people still think a "status update" refers to so-and-so's surgery and if her panchymagogue worked or if so-and-so's latest gout flare-up kept him from his riviation trip. 

Imagine my surprise when I clicked on the site, www.savethewords.org, and realized that trying to save the world was no longer enough! I also needed to start trying to save, of all things, words.

To some of you this may seem trivial, but I consider myself a writer.  I use words. I need words.  If those words are going extinct, then what will I be left with? I can't draw.  I can't paint.  Heck, I can't even stop the stiricide on the side of my house!  I have no choice. I must become a saver of words.

If you to are a writer, or perhaps just a lover of our language, or maybe if you just want to be someone who saves important stuff like whales, walruses, and words, then adopt a few endangered words and use them. Keep them alive. Share them with the world. Save the words.

AlaskaKids --- Webgames and Other fun...

I thought I would share with readers some great kids games from AlaskaKids that I helped design and wrote the content for from LitSite Alaska.

The main game is the Serum Run, based on the historic serum delivery via dogsled to Nome in the winter of 1925. I had hoped the game would become Alaska's version of that old classic we played as a kid, Oregon Trail. 

The photo safari allows kids to "hunt" for animals and snap photos of them and learn about some of our incredible critters in Alaska.  The Artifact Match is the classic concentration game, incorporating different artifacts from our rich heritage of Alaska Native culture in our state.  And the Geography Drop is a great way to fly about the state and learn some geography!

If you have kids or know kids, direct them to the site. What more can you ask for than free educational games?