Tag Archives: fun

Writing

Sound Words Add Punch to Writing and Conversation

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woman with eyes looking to right with right hand cupped to ear listening
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“Sound Words Add Punch to Writing and Conversation” by Joan Y. Edwards

Swish! The door closed quickly behind me.
The little girl squished between her parents at the theatre.
Yada, yada, yada. The latecomers went on and on with their excuses.

Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech used when someone creates a word or words to imitate, resemble, or describe what you hear when people, animals, and inanimate objects makes sounds. I call them: “Sound Words.”

The song, “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” demonstrates the use of sounds to make this song more fun…an oink, oink here, a cluck cluck there.

When my nephew, Peter was 3 or 4 years old, he used onomatopoeia. (He didn’t know it, but he used it.) He climbed up on a bookcase to get a little drum. He and the bookcase came tumbling down. He said, “I climbed up and it said, “Timberrrr.” I was glad he was okay. His words made us all laugh! It broke the tension.

I am sure most of you use onomatopoeia (sound words) without even thinking of it. It comes naturally to many people. As you notice more sound words, you will get in a rhythm and think up your own.

In his Chief Storyteller blog post, Ira Koretsky lists nearly two hundred onomatopoeic words in 11 categories. Fuel for getting your ears tuned in for sound words.

Listen to see if your favorite characters on TV shows or in movies use onomatopoeia to describe their current situations or recap an event.

Use sound words in poems, conversation, text messages, emails, or memoirs about your childhood days. Any occasion is a good time to add new words to your very own onomatopoeia (sound word) collection. Using sound words adds punch to your writing and your conversation. 

Phyllis Heaton shared a sound passage with us:  “The campfire snapped and spit glowing sparks up towards the harvest moon. In the vast darkness something make loud crunching sounds as it moved across the fallen leaves that lay on the forest floor. I shivered and wondered whose idiot idea it was to camp in the Sleepy Hollow woods.”

Thank you, Phyllis.

Please share your favorite sentences using sound words with me in the comment area. If you give me permission, I’ll add yours to this post with your first and last name.

Resources for You

  1.  Ira Koretsky. Chief Storyteller. “Onomatopoeia, a Powerful Way to Improve Communication:” https://www.thechiefstoryteller.com/2013/10/09/onomatopoeia-powerful-way-improve-communication/
  2. Joan Y. Edwards. “Sounds Can Heal:” https://joanyedwards.com/sounds-can-heal/
  3. Joan Y. Edwards. “Sounds of Words Bring Characters to Life:” https://joanyedwards.com/sounds-of-words-bring-characters-to-life/
  4. Jules Horne. “Sensory Writing-Sounds, Music:” https://www.method-writing.com/sensory-writing-sounds-music/ 
  5. Julie Shackman. “How to Use Sounds in Writing:” https://jerichowriters.com/how-to-use-sounds-in-writing/
  6. M. Harris Editor. “Write Onomatopoeia:” https://mharriseditor.com/write-onomatopoeia/

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Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards, Author
Copyright © 2009-2022 Joan Y. Edwards

Flip Flap Floodle Firebird Book Award Winner Will this little duck’s song save him from Mr. Fox?
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Health

11 Ways to Have Fun Doing What You Gotta Do!

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have fun working
11 Ways to Have Fun Doing What You Gotta Do

11 Ways to Have Fun Doing What You Gotta Do

“11 Ways to Have Fun Doing What You Gotta Do!” by Joan Y. Edwards

What is fun? Enjoyment, Amusement, or Light-Hearted Pleasure!

Fun varies from person to person. Everyone has his own idea of fun!

Mary Poppins says, “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”

What makes your work easier to swallow?

  1. Good thoughts about you?

  2. Good music to listen to?

  3. Work disguised as play?.

  4. Recognition for a job well done?.

  5. Prefer working alone or with someone?

Here are 11 ideas to have fun doing what you gotta do and getting those things finished:

  1. Reward yourself when you finish a step. Do a big reward when the whole things is finished.

  2. Time Yourself. Work 30 minutes  to an hour straight. Then take a break. Go outside, no matter whether it is hot or cold. Look at the clouds in the sky. Look for something that makes you smile. Then go back in. Get a drink of water.  Stop to tell someone they are doing a good job on your way back.

  3. Play music in a headset or ask head of office to play the favorite song of each employee one day a month, make sure no one gets left out. Suggest your own.

  4. Dress like you think someone should dress when they are doing what you do or dress the opposite way. If you’re a plumber, dress up to go on a house call.  If you’re a nurse, dress like a bunny.. You can always change your attire.  If it makes you laugh and others smile, it’s done its job. Then you’ll be lighthearted and be able to accomplish your chore.

  5. Take frequent breaks to talk with someone. Call them on the phone or find someone to speak with in the breakroom.

  6. Read and say aloud three (3) positive statements about yourself in the morning, at lunch, after supper, and at bedtime.

  7. Take a deep breath through your nose. Count to five. Exhale through your mouth. Smile. Do this three times.

  8. Ask God to help you complete the task awaiting completion.

  9. Walk. Walk around the block. Walk around your house. Drive to the mall and walk around. Walking will help you solve a few problems in your mind.

  10.  Get plenty of sleep. Keep a list of all you accomplished and 3 things need to be done. And when you want them finished. Write a list on paper or use an app called “Tick Tick.” You can set your to do list. Which day you want to finish it. You can click on it when it is finished.

  11. Find a way to laugh at yourself. It is through accepting yourself as you are that you are able to change and become better.

Resources

Ashley Bell. “27 Shockingly Easy Ways to Have Fun at Work:”  https://snacknation.com/blog/have-fun-at-work/

The Confidence Magazine. “How to Have Fun at Work While Staying Productive:” https://theconfidencemag.com/how-to-have-fun-at-work-while-staying-productive/”

Hazel Thornton. Organized for Life. “15 Ways to Have Fun Doing Chores;” ahttps://www.org4life.com/make-chores-fun”/

Sarah Crow. Best Life Online.  “20 Genius Ways to Make Chores More Fun:” https://bestlifeonline.com/fun-chores/

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope these ideas help you think of ideas that help you have fun doing what you gotta do!

I hope to hear from you soon!

Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards, Author

  1. Flip Flap Floodle  Will this little duck’s song save him from Mr. Fox?Firebird Book Award Winner

  2. Joan’s Elder Care Guide ways to keep both you and your elder healthier.

Copyright © 2009-2021 Joan Y. Edwards