Alphabet Soup - Movie Monsters

This word puzzle is brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post...

It’s time for Alphabet Soup - The Word Scramble Puzzle of A to Z Wizards! 

Marta Szemik won the title of Alphabet Wizard during the Silver Screen themed Alphabet Soup puzzle and chose Letter M to launch today's new game. So in keeping with my movie themes, M is for Monsters -- in any of their forms, derivatives and/or affiliations. These characters either possess the physical characteristics of a monster or they behave in ways that make any normal, sane person deem them as inhumane individuals.

Unscramble the following Monsters that have appeared on the big screen. The first commenter who is able to correctly unscramble all or most of these monstrous movie characters, at best, wins this weeks’ Alphabet Soup game. Answers and the name of the winner will be posted here at the A to Z blog during next week’s “Friday Fun Time - Alphabet Remix.”

1. iaceyesMhlrM __________________
2. MesoWikkzwia _________________
3. rdMhBlaaamoinaca ___________________
4. huaurM ___________
5. aMsatuyh __________

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYBODY! - PLUS: Make sure you read the special announcement from Tina at Life is Good at the bottom of this post.

Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!

NICOLE
Blog: The Madlab Post
Also @MadlabPost on Twitter

P.S.
Tina says thanks to all who answered the survey from Wednesday and is busy tallying results.  They will be posted on Saturday, 8/18.  Don't forget to check back to see what the trends are and whether you're normal or weird.  Um, that came out wrong.  If you're typical, or unique.  Um, Yeah.  Just come back, ya' hear?  Thanks.

Letter Play - Sunny Side Up Snapshot Sheets

The following crafts tutorial is brought to you by Nicole from The Madlab Post...

It’s time for Letter Play - Where DIY activities, cinema and life offline collide!

Here is a little quick and upbeat photo project that you can do at home just for fun or give to your kids to do at their summer camp. It is inspired by last week’s Alphabet Remix discussion on suicide. The following instructions will help you create a cute little sheet to look at on days when you’re feeling down and out.

The materials you will need include one yellow 8 by 11 inch sheet of cardstock paper, three photos cut into 2½ inch squares, one pencil, one or more pens, one ruler, one marker, glue, scissors and four of your favorite inspirational quotes on either happiness or the sun.  

Instructions for How to Make Sunny Side Up Snapshot Sheets:

Step 1. Drawn nine 2½ inch squares on your yellow cardstock sheet, using a pencil. 

Step 2. Cut off the excess space from this sheet and then outline your pencil markings with a marker.

Step 3. Write one inspirational quote in four different squares on your cardstock sheet, using an ink pen.

Step 4. Glue one photo each into three empty squares on your cardstock sheet. You can use photos of yourself, your loved ones, favorite places or photos of things that make you smile. I used photos of Barbie dolls because those photos were the only ones that I had access to that could be cut up at a moment’s notice. If I dedicated more time to this project, I would have likely opted for photos of my cat or humorous images of myself that were snapped for fun.

Step 5. Fill the two remaining empty spaces on your cardstock sheet with smiley face stickers, pictures of the sun or images taken at dawn. Since I don’t have any smiley face stickers at the moment, I just doodled some things in those spaces, just to help you get an idea of what could be done.

….and voila! Instant happiness, or so you think, right? Well, at least it gives you something to help lift your spirits on a cloudy day. Stick it on your bookshelf or regriferator -- pin it to your vision board or hang it on your door. Whatever you do, Stay Golden :)

Also, if you have some time, support the IndieGoGo campaign for “Rear View,” a short film about a man who hides his dark feelings and suicidal thoughts while trying to maintain his tough image for the sake of his career. From my understanding, this film will be made in Texas and could use all of the support that it gets.The director and producers are also donating any funds that they raise beyond their goal, to Suicide Prevention programs.

Happy Friday to You All. Until next week...have fun playing with letters!

Do you like group blogging activities? Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly blog series that inspires discussion about entertainment, in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!
.
NICOLE
@MadlabPost on Twitter

Alphabet Remix - Stop Staying Silent about Suicides

These blogging prompts are brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post....

It’s time for The Alphabet Remix - A Writing Prompt Idea Engine Treating A to Z Blogging Avoidance Disorders

After reading recent news reports about NFL player O.J. Murdock's suicide -- and talk of a grim trend of suicides among players, I couldn’t help but wonder if the story will quickly lose traction in media outlets since everybody appears to be focused on the Olympic Games. So today, S is for Suicide and we’re remixing it to find topics that you can blog about during the next Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

Surprising Suicide Statistics
Write about a suicide statistic that you either just learned about or think that many people are unaware of. This means covering something other than what the average person may already know such as the common statistic that women are less likely to commit suicide using firearms, compared to men who kill themselves. Instead, find a statistic that may surprise your readers -- like, more or less suicides occur in a particular state/town/city/country or job, etc. than in any other industry or location.

Suicide Stigmas
Since some men and women who are considering suicide hesitate to seek help due to stigmas associated with this act, try blogging about ways that people can change their perceptions regarding mental illness, depression and bipolar disorder.

Your Stance on Suicide “Selfishness”
It is not uncommon to hear people labeling suicides as a selfish act because of the pain caused to people left behind. So, write a blog post that summarizes or explains in detail, your position on the matter -- tell readers whether you agree or disagree with viewing suicides as “selfish.”

Suicide in Sports
Highlight little known sports related suicides that have taken place during a regular season or during the off-season. You could also write about suicides among female athletes, which is a topic that your blog readers may not be familiar with because the media does not seem to cover it as much as it does suicides among male athletes.

Now, on to something bright. The WINNER of last week’s Silver Screen Alphabet Soup game is...

Marta Szemik who writes at her Self-titled Blog

Marta correctly unscrambled all ten Silver Screen related terms that start with Letter S. Her prize packages includes: Title of Alphabet Wizard, the authority to pick the letter for the next Alphabet Soup game and the option to pick the Monday Movie Meme topic for an upcoming day on my blog. I’d also like to send a special thanks to Arlee Bird at Tossing It Out for unscrambling five of the ten correctly.

Congratulations Marta!

Here are the Answer’s to Last Week’s “Silver Screen” themed Alphabet Soup:

1. cdnSuatork is Soundtrack.
2. tamnntuS is Stuntman.
3. rpoSrpsetrvuiciS is Script Supervisor.
4. neSec is Scene.
5. lSaet is Slate.
6. uSgadtenso is Soundstage.
7. uqelSe is Sequel.
8. rSotodbyar is Storyboard.
9. tuebsSilt is Subtitles.
10. rrudonSduunoS is Surround Sound.

Happy Friday, everybody!

Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!
.
NICOLE 
@MadlabPost on Twitter

Alphabet Soup - Silver Screen Staples

This word puzzle is brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post...

It’s time for Alphabet Soup - The Word Scramble Puzzle of A to Z Wizards!

Since Sheila Siler who blogs at Sheila Scribbles won the title of "Alphabet Wizard" during the previous Alphabet Soup puzzle, we’re focusing on the Letter S today. The name of her blog also has me thinking about writing -- particularly screenplays, now that I’ve completed a draft of a short film that I’m working on this Summer. Today, S is for Silver Screen.

Unscramble the following Silver Screen related titles, credits and terms. The first commenter who is able to correctly unscramble all or most of these screen credits at best wins this weeks’ Alphabet Soup game. Answers and the name of the winner will be posted here at the A to Z blog during next week’s “Friday Fun Time - Alphabet Remix.”

1. cdnSuatork________________

2. tamnntuS________________

3. rpoSrpsetrvuiciS________________

4. neSec________________

5. lSaet________________

6. uSgadtenso________________

7. uqelSe________________

8. rSotodbyar________________

9. tuebsSilt________________

10. rrudonSduunoS________________

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYBODY!

Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!
.
NICOLE is @MadlabPost on Twitter

Letter Play, Literally!

The following tutorial is brought to you by Nicole from The Madlab Post...

It’s time for Letter Play - Where DIY activities, cinema and life offline collide!

Letters come in handy when you don’t have the time, money or interest in shopping for greeting cards for birthdays and other special occasions. For today’s Letter Play tutorial, I set out to create a birthday letter that resembled a colorful ransom note. Time got the best of me, so I put something together that sorta illustrates the idea but didn’t turn out exactly the way I hoped.

I used markers, glue and cardstock to create a colorful birthday letter to a fictitious person whose name starts with the Letter L. So instead of offering a tutorial for one activity, here are three ideas that you can use as alternatives to birthday (or other occasion) greeting cards.

The Birthday Ransom Letter
Cut out letters from newspapers, magazines or your own written alphabet on paper and then assemble them into a funny joke, sentimental message or inspirational quote. Glue the message onto a colorful piece of 8.5x11 inch cardstock paper and fold it into three parts after the glue dries. Sign the bottom of the letter, put it in an envelope and mail away!

The Birthday Postcard Letter
Write a short form letter on a postcard that represents a place where the birthday boy or girl has either been or expressed interest in visiting. This can either incite fond memories of vacations that passed or ignite enthusiasm for future trips to explore. Double the fun by adding some travel vouchers, tickets or gear to this postcard, which will help the birthday recipient get a head start on their route.

The Birthday Photo Story Letter
Photos are some of the easiest items that you can use to send someone warm wishes for his or her birthday, when you don’t have a greeting card. Gather several photos featuring you with the recipient or old images of him/her at different stages in life. Flip the photos over and write a letter to this person, making sure to number the backside if necessary so that he or she will know where to pick-up reading from the previous image.

Until next week...have fun playing with letters!

Do you like group blogging activities? Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly blog series that inspires discussion about entertainment, in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. 


New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!
.
NICOLE is @MadlabPost on Twitter

Alphabet Remix - Lamenting Love's Lure

These blogging prompts are brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post....

It’s time for The Alphabet Remix - A Writing Prompt Idea Engine Treating A to Z Blogging Avoidance Disorders

Love has been one of the most popular topics for Letter L during the Blogging from A to Z Challenge -- so popular that some bloggers have opted to forgo being yet another one of the bajillion and six people who write about the sentiment in April. I mean, if we read one blog post about love, then we’ve read them all, right? Much like any other topic or letter, the answer to that question all depends on what is written.

You see, I don’t need a reminder of the existence of a possible oversaturation of love, to understand how dull the topic becomes when it’s sung, performed about and blogged into the ground. I’m in a metropolitan area known as “The City of Brotherly Love” and “The City that Loves You Back.” Heck, the sentiment even has its own park, complete with a waterfall and great views of the famous “Rocky” steps, just a few blocks away.

I’m sometimes puzzled when I notice tourists in awe of such landmarks -- probably because locals like myself often take these placed for granted. Yet, I still don’t mind reading about the topic of love because there are so many different ways that A to Z Challenge participants can write about it without looking or sounding like the same ol’ tune that their fellow bloggers are mixing up. Here are a few Love mixes to consider when trying to find topics to write about during the Blogging from A to Z Challenge in April.

Love Letters
Write a love letter to your spouse, parent, friend or a deceased loved one. Better yet, teach your readers how to craft a love letter to an estranged family member if they are seeking a reconnection. If you’re feeling artsy, make a comic showing three different love letters -- one between teenagers, one between newlyweds and one between two elderly people.

Lovers
Write a short story about two lovers who are faced with a problem. The conflict could revolve around an either low (or high. It could go one way or the other) libido, a scandalous trial over their extreme PDA or some weird transformation issue a la Cinderella, Shrek, Snow White, etc. if you like magic or fantasy stories.

You could also try your writing skills at creating some fan fiction starring two loves from your favorite Soap Opera, novel series or television show. An alternate approach to the topic would be to profile your favorite famous love triangle or lovers scandal in (hollywood, music, political, publishing/fictional) history and write about why you favor their story.

Lovely Fairywren
Find some interesting facts about this Australian bird and write about the one that you find most fascinating. Maybe you could explore how the “lovable” bird got its name or teach your readers about any nicknames that this particular species has. It is one of the quickest options for writing a short blog post for Letter L during the A to Z Challenge.

Now, onto other business. The Winner of Last Week’s Alphabet Soup Game is....

Corinne OFlynn at Ode to Blogging

She correctly unscrambled five of the eight movie titles ending with a Letter L word. Her prize packages includes: Title of Alphabet Wizard, The authority to pick the letter for the next Alphabet Soup game and the option to pick the Monday Movie Meme topic for an upcoming day on my blog.

Congratulations to Corinne!

Here are the answers to last week’s Alphabet Soup:

1. LoeaotLhdtsnf - Land of the Lost.
2. etoLosgnothNi - Nothing to Lose.
3. inneLhlTBeiu -Thin Blue Line.
4. hTeaLmaorpustseLferot - Treasure of the Lost Lamp.
5. edoLfsBoyi - Body of Lies.
6. ffmoienaIitLtio - Imitation of Life.
7. izroyaeLutSdCvp - Crazy Stupid Love.
8. e8tya2rsDaL - 28 Days Later.


I'd also like to send a special shout out to Sheila Siler at Sheila Scribbles, who not only played the Alphabet Soup game, but also correctly unscrambled No. 2 and No. 8 on the list. Kudos to you!

Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!
.
NICOLE
@MadlabPost on Twitter

Alphabet Soup - Looney Last Names

The following activity is brought to you by Nicole from The Madlab Post...

It’s time for Alphabet Soup - The Word Scramble Puzzle of A to Z Champions!

For every person who has a funny, strange or embarrassing first name, there are probably just as many with unordinary last names. If one strange name isn’t awkward enough, just think of how hesitant some people are to answer to roll calls or fill out a form when their full name causes other people to snicker. It reminds me of the male nurse named Gaylor Focker in “Meet the Parents” and who could forget the female banker named Marcy D’Arcy on “Married with Children?!” So today, L is for Last Names, particularly where movie titles are concerned.

Unscramble the following movie titles that end with a Letter L word. The first commenter who is able to correctly unscramble all or most of these movie titles at best wins this weeks’ Alphabet Soup game. Answers and the name of the winner will be posted here at the A to Z blog during next week’s “Friday Fun Time.”

1. LoeaotLhdtsnf________________


2. etoLosgnothNi________________


3. inneLhlTBeiu________________


4. hTeaLmaorpustseLferot________________


5. edoLfsBoyi________________


6. ffmoienaIitLtio________________


7. izroyaeLutSdCvp________________


8. e8tya2rsDaL________________

EXTRA CREDIT: What are some of the strangest names of people you’ve met in the workplace, school, casual outings, meetings or on vacation?

Sign your blog up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday!
.
NICOLE
Blog: The Madlab Post
Also @MadlabPost on Twitter

Letter Play - How to Make a TV Picture Frame

The following tutorial is brought to you by Nicole from The Madlab Post...

It’s time for Letter Play - Where DIY activities, cinema and life offline collide!

Sometime in the last two weeks or so, I came across an adorable handmade birthday card that was inspired by Twitter. The popular social networking website was to become the topic of today’s post but my Twitter craft ideas were too complex to finish in a short amount of time as my schedule and goals continue to get the best of me. Since, my friend David gave me some photos to use in a YouTube/Television series that I’m currently working on, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and construct a DIY picture frame - a handmade item that could be done quickly with just a few household arts and crafts items.

Here are instructions on how to make a TV picture frame for your home, office cubicle, school locker, car dashboard, bookshelf or any other place where you want to display new photos.

Materials used for this TV picture frame:

• Two Black 3x3 inch cardstock squares - One solid and one open square, cut into a sizeable border.
• One 3x3 inch photo
• Two thin strips of black cardstock (to be used as antennas)
• One small strip of yellow cardstock (to be used as a VCR/DVD player)
• Glue
• One pen
• Scissors
• Two brads
• One sponge or paint brush
• One small piece of cardboard from the top of an aluminum foil box* or similar item. (*Optional)

Instructions to make this handmade TV picture frame:
Step 1. Glue the black “antenna” strips in the middle of your solid black square.

Step 2. Attach the photo to the solid square, on top of the antenna strips, using glue. Set aside to dry.

Step 3. Glue the yellow “DVD player” strip onto the bottom center of your open square.

Step 4. Poke holes into the upper right side of your open square, using a pen.

Step 5. Put one brad through each hole on the open square and then fasten them on the opposite side.

Step 6. Glue the open square on top of the solid photo base, press down and allow to dry.

Step 7. Fold a small piece of cardboard and then attach half of it to the back of your finished TV photo frame, using double-sided tape. As an alternative, you can also use magnetic squares or strips if you want to display the photo on a refrigerator or other magnetic surface. 

Additional options for using this DIY handmade photo frame as a stand-alone item include placing it on top of your dresser, window base, mantel or coffee table. Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you like group blogging activities? Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly blog series that inspires discussion about entertainment, in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday!


NICOLE
Blog: The Madlab Post
Also @MadlabPost on Twitter

Alphabet Remix - Time is Ticking

These A to Z Challenge blogging ideas are brought to you by Nicole from The Madlab Post...

It’s time for The Alphabet Remix - A Writing Prompt Idea Engine Treating A to Z Blogging Avoidance Disorders

TIME tends to be a popular subject during the A to Z Challenge, and no, I’m not referring to TIME magazine -- although you can write about that publication if you struggle with finding topics for Letter T in April. From Time Management tips at Tossing It Out to Time Traveling at Vive le Nerd and It’s Raining Blue Umbrellas, blog posts highlighting the way people spend their time is one trend in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge that some of you might want to write about, yet avoid doing so, in an effort to not cause visitors to think “been there, read that!” when visiting your blog.

So, here are some additional blogging ideas about TIME to consider for Letter T the next time you find yourself reluctant to chase the clock because you don’t want to look like a one-trick pony or like you're following in the shadows of bloggers who already wrote about it.

Timeless Phrases

Blog about phrases that have the word TIME in them such as “Time is of the essence,” “In the nick of Time” etc. and what they mean to you in various situations such as shopping, work, dating, road rage, exercising, aging or any other subject where this phrase may apply. Another possible approach is to blog about whether you think a certain TIME related phrase is logical or illogical. A phrase like “Time-Sensitive” creates a sense of urgency for many people, however, you could share your opinions on when the use of this phrase is valid and when it is not. For example - 9-1-1 calls are time-sensitive conversations versus rushing your roommate off of the phone so that you can tell your boyfriend/girlfriend about the semi-annual sale at Victoria’s Secret.

Timelines

There are many directions that you can go in when blogging about timelines. If you’re on Facebook, then write a blog post about whether you are in favor of (or against or indifferent to) the timeline feature that they launched on that website. You could also track your journey through your experience in weight loss, graduating from college, healing after divorce or hardship, renovating your house, restoring an old building or raising a kid, etc. by posting photos and dates representing each milestone moment or depicting your progress. Show readers how you got from where you started to where you are now, no matter if it took a long TIME or short amount of TIME.

Timing

Consider a point in your life when the phrase “Timing is everything” had an impact on you and then blog about that experience. This could encompass almost anything such as wanting to end a relationship with someone but deciding to wait (or not wait) until after a holiday, birthday, surgery, etc. to do so -- or realizing that despite being 20 minutes late to work due to traffic, you missed a dangerous police shootout and hostage situation that occurred 30 minutes earlier, in the building where your job is located -- or calling the radio station one more time before giving up after five tries, and the sixth call led to you winning those Bruce Springsteen tickets.

No matter what the case may be or how a situation was (or is) presented, if you had a feeling that timing IS everything at one time or another in your life, then blog about it.


Guess what...you can still also blog about TIME MANAGEMENT by remixing the topic into the following subject: Write a blog post that describes your position on texting with regards to managing time. While many people think texting is a particular convenient cell phone feature, you can blog about why you agree or disagree, in comparison to voice calls.


Yep, you guessed it, TIME TRAVELING is open for A to Z Blogging business as well, when you consider a different way to look at the topic: Blog about what you would tell your 16 year-old self if about dieting, smoking, bullying, drinking, sex, school, competition, etc. if you could travel back in time to your teenage years. Want to get a little adventurous? Ask the same question to three friends or family members who are 10-20 years apart in age...and then list your three responses in a blog post. This option could also work for Letter G on the subject of Generational Gaps, but you get the picture!
Now for some Friday Fun Time housekeeping, the winner of last week’s Alphabet Soup game is....

Tina Downey at Life is Good

This is Tina’s second win in a row, so her Alphabet Wizard status continues with a prize package that includes: the choice of letter to be covered in the next Alphabet Soup game and the option of selecting the topic* for my next Monday Movie Meme (*Must be a topic/theme that has not been previously covered). She unscrambled all eight Theatrical Title Twisters correctly.

Here are the answers from last week:

1. The Terminator
2. Transformers
3. The Transporter
4. Trainspotting
5. Tangled
6. Takers
7. Tropic Thunder
8. Trois

Congratulations to Tina and may you all have a great weekend!

Need some extra blogging motivation? Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly writing and memory activity that will have you thinking about movies in a whole new light. New topics are posted every Monday!
.
NICOLE
Blog: The Madlab Post
Also @MadlabPost on Twitter