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November 16
When the colonists in North America first declared themselves the United States, I bet you don’t know which country was the first to officially recognize the new nation. It happened on November 16, 1776, and had to do with a ship — so there’s a hint; it had to be a country with a harbor. Continue reading
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Learn the rules!
I love to play a lot of games:the ones that I invent. When humans dream up other games,they’re seldom what I meant. It seems their one abilityis picking up and tossing. Their games are all “go get this thing,”and THEY do all the bossing. MY games are much more funnerbut they never learn the rules; Continue reading
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I’m Still a Kid
I often get excitedwhen I’m out to walk and trotand I meet a stranger dogwhose acquaintance I’ve not got. If they are still a puppythen we both will want to play;older dogs are boring’cause they listen to the “stay.” I know what I’m supposed to do,I just don’t always do it.I might get scolded after,But Continue reading
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Truck
“I think,” said Corney, “we’d better get him up to bed at once?” “Do what yow like,” replied aunt Ann. “It makes no odds to me: I’ll ha’ nothing to do with him! — I’ll have no truck with a tocksicated man.” If you “have no truck with” someone (or something), that means you want Continue reading
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Emil Krebs
Can you speak a second language? Or have you studied a second or third language? Everybody who has, whether they’ve succeeded in becoming fluent or not, has experienced how difficult it can be. And everybody who hasn’t probably imagines that it’s at least that difficult, if not more so. So it’s time to be impressed Continue reading
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November 15
Today is the international Day of the Imprisoned Writer. When it was instituted in 1981 the PEN International Writers in Prison Committee was about political writers and journalists, but any time you have the opportunity to appropriate a holiday, you should probably make the most of it. After all, there might be cake. It’s also Continue reading
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Dunsical breborions!
In 1653, Sir Thomas Urquhart translated The First Book of the Work of Mr. Francis Rabelais. Urquhart was a Scottish aristocrat who was also a writer, but he is most known for his translations of Rabelais. That, and the way he died, of course. When he heard that Charles II had become the king, Urquhart Continue reading
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Jacob Abbott and Astrid Lindgren
Literature for young people wouldn’t be the same without November 14. Well, I mean, obviously any book that mentioned the month would, in that case, have to explain why the calendar goes from 13 directly to 15, but that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about Jacob Abbott and Astrid Lindgren who were born on Continue reading
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November 14
It’s November 14, the day James Bruce discovered the source of the Nile River. He traced it all the way to an Ethiopian town called Gish Abay. There was a fresh water spring there, and Bruce declared it to be the source of the river. There was at least one hole in his story, though; Continue reading
About Me
I’m Pete Harbeson, a writer located near Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to writing my own content, I’ve learned to translate for my loquacious and opinionated pup Chocolate Bossypaws. I shouldn’t be surprised, but she mostly speaks in doggerel. You can find her contributions tagged with Chocolatiana.
Check out my other blog, Techlimitics, where I’m grappling with the nature of simplicity.
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peterharbeson@me.com