You know, one of the great ways to use Canva is that you get to use your creativity to use whatever element you like in terms of creating something through Canva for my blog; the other day, I decided to use Canva to create my own artwork involving mermaids, and the results are surprising at best, as shown now in the following images...
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
And Now, a Word From Miss MerMay...
The origins of MerMay can be traced back to 2017 when an artist by the name of Tom Bancroft, known for his work with Disney on films like The Lion King and Mulan, had somehow initiated the concept. Bancroft envisioned MerMay as a creative challenge for artists worldwide, inviting them to draw a mermaid every day throughout the month of May(Wow, how awesome!). What started as a personal challenge soon blossomed into a global phenomenon, captivating artists across various platforms and inspiring a wave of stunning mermaid-themed artwork.
The allure of MerMay lies in its fusion of fantasy and artistry. Mermaids, mythical creatures with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a fish, have captivated human imagination for centuries. From ancient folklore to modern literature and cinema, mermaids have symbolized beauty, mystery, and the untamed depths of the ocean. By dedicating a month to celebrating these enchanting beings, MerMay invites artists and enthusiasts to explore the depths of their creativity and share their unique interpretations of mermaid lore.
Beyond its artistic appeal, MerMay fosters a sense of community among creators and fans. Social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok buzz with MerMay creations throughout May, creating a virtual gallery where artists can connect, inspire, and support each other's work. The hashtag #MerMay has become a gateway to a treasure trove of mermaid art, showcasing the diverse styles and interpretations of artists from around the world.
But MerMay just isn't really about art; it's also a celebration of our deep-seated fascination with the ocean and its mysteries. As climate change and environmental concerns highlight the fragility of marine ecosystems, MerMay serves as a reminder of the importance of ocean conservation. Through their art, many MerMay participants advocate for marine conservation efforts, using mermaids as symbolic ambassadors for ocean awareness and protection. (In other words, let's protect our oceans!)
As MerMay continues to evolve and grow, it remains a testament to the enduring allure of mermaids and the power of art to ignite imaginations, foster connections, and spark conversations. Whether you're an established artist, an aspiring creator, or simply a mermaid enthusiast, MerMay invites you to dive into a world of creativity, wonder, and underwater magic every May.
Well, that is my story of what MerMay is and how it came to be; I hope that all of you learn more about this as anyone else. Happy MerMay!
Monday, May 13, 2024
Three On An Island BY JENN WEBSTER
On the island, the three navy sailors were trying to find a way off the island (as well as trying to get something to eat), one of the three sailors found a magic lamp; the other two sailors rushed up to him and took one look at this lamp-They have never seen anything like it before, and probably never would again!
The first navy sailor rubbed the magic lamp, and then, a genie appeared! The three sailors were very surprised! The genie then announced, "I am the genie of the lamp...I shall grant one wish, and one wish only! So, my good man, since you have released me from the lamp, I shall grant your first wish!" The first navy sailor then thought about the first wish that the genie was going to grant; but then he thought about how his family and friends were missing him in New York City. So with that, the first navy sailor said to the genie, "I wish that I was back in New York City with my family!"
Finally, the genie asked the third navy sailor what his wish would be. At first, the third navy sailor began to think for a while about his wish. He pondered and pondered, but then the genie began to lose his patience. Finally, the third navy sailor replied what his wish would FINALLY be. And with that, the genie waved his hand for the third and final time and disappeared.
The first and second navy sailors were right back where they were: on that very same island with the third navy sailor, and then they chased him all around the island...
Ride Into Summer With "Stagecoach Circus"!
In the meantime, this is certainly going to be the last time I shall suggest a certain Kindle book; later on this month, it shall be a year since I published this Kindle book; like Brendella, it is certainly a fantasy that's sure to be enjoyed, I believe, not just for weeks, but for years to come. That Kindle book, that I am now going to mention, for the last time, is called Stagecoach Circus!
Stagecoach Circus is a fantasy unlike any other, a fantasy that I believe readers will not ever forget. It tells the story of a brother and sister, Michael and Brenda, who tragically lose their parents and are forced to live with their farmer uncle, Albert, at his farm.
But then, something unexpected happens: The siblings wake up one morning to find that their uncle, as well as all of the farm animals, have disappeared! The next thing the brother and sister knew, they were taken to an orphanage, where they were mistreated by the orphanage's caretaker as well as all of the other children in the building.
Brenda and Michael are then forced to do chores by the caretaker, all the while wondering whatever has happened to their uncle. One night, while they are asleep, the siblings get a visit from a golden spirit, who informs them that their uncle is alive and well and is actually living in Los Angeles in California; after the golden spirit disappears, the siblings sneak out of the orphanage and then began on their adventure in their journey to Los Angeles.
Now, I cannot give anything away, so the only way to find out what happens next is by purchasing my Kindle fantasy extravaganza, Stagecoach Circus, the most wonderful fantasy read that you would ever enjoy! Stagecoach Circus is now available for purchase at the Amazon Kindle Store; if you would like to purchase Stagecoach Circus for your Kindle or for your smartphone or tablet device that has got a Kindle app, go here!
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Rejected Coca-Cola Slogans...
Coca-Cola is a time-honored soft drink that has been around for well over 100 years—in fact, it has been around for 138 years! Wow, for a soft drink that has been around that long, one wonders how it has stayed sweet!
And yes, there have been slogans that fit Coca-Cola's image; however, there have been slogans that somehow never made it past the development stage. But through the miracle of somehow technology, yours truly has somehow recovered those lost slogans, and are presented for your enjoyment (or disgust, whichever comes first)...
Exploring the Timeless Charm: A Journey Through the History of Lake Compounce
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Enjoy "The Incredible 5" Daily on Kindle Vella!
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
A MOTHER'S DAY ESSAY...
Monday, May 6, 2024
A FORMAT SO GRAND: The Story of The Oldies
For those of you who wanted to know what this genre is, Oldies happens to be a term for musical genres such as pop, rock-and-roll, doo-wop, surf music, and even love songs from the second half of the 20th century, mainly from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as well as a certain radio format playing that kind of music.
Now, the oldies category includes styles as diverse as doo-wop, novelty songs, early rock-and-roll, bubblegum music, folk rock, and so many others, as well as some country music. Golden Oldies, however, refers usually to music that is exclusively from the 1950s and 1960s. Typically, Oldies radio features artists such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Avalon, The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons, Sam Cooke, and Little Richard. Oldies radio played music from the folk revival as well as beautiful instrumental music.
The oldies format has some kind of overlap with the two formats known as classic rock and classic hits. Classic rock focuses on album rock from the late 1960s to the 1990s, while classic hits feature pop and rock from the early 1970s to the early 1990s. As those formats have drifted in time with their target audiences, classic rock and classic hits have moved further away from pure oldies, which has largely remained a static format.
Meanwhile, how did the term "oldies" come to be, you ask? Well, the "oldies" term in the early days of the rock era and before referred to the traditional songs of previous decades; a 1953 record review in Billboard magazine describes 1925's Yes Sir, That's My Baby as an "oldie". Oldies happens to be known for the near-total and sometimes arbitrary exclusion of some acts that were very popular in their time, including acts such as The Osmonds and Barbara Streisand.
Throughout the 1960s, very few Top 40 radio stations played anything more than a few years old. In the late 1960s, few FM stations adopted Top 40 formats that leaned towards adults who did not want to hear the same 30 songs repetitively but also did not want to hear music featured on the Middle-Of-The-Road radio stations; they mixed in oldies with their own current product and only played new music a few times an hour. Those radio stations were often referred to as the "Gold" stations.
Some AM radio stations also began to enjoy this format; there were also syndicated music format packages such as Drake-Chenault's "Solid Gold" format, frequently used on FM stations that needed separate programming from their AM sisters, due to a then-new set of rules from the FCC on simulcasting, that functioned as a hybrid of oldies and the adult-oriented softer rock hits of the day.
Starting in 1982, both AM and FM stations began to gradually change to full-time oldies formats; those stations strictly played music from 1955 to 1973, focusing on the 1964-1969 era. Among those oldies stations was WCBS-FM in New York City and WOGL-FM in Philadelphia. Some stations had as few as 300 songs while stations such as WOGL had as many as 1,500 songs in regular rotation, and by 1989, most large and medium markets had at least one FM oldies station.
However, by the year 2000, the oldies stations began noticing that their demographics were getting older, as well as harder, to sell, but at the time still, only a few stations had dumped the format altogether. A few radio stations would shift to a centric disco-oriented rhythmic oldies format.
But in the later years, somehow, the oldies format is alive and well, thanks to music streaming and satellite radio; while we would love to have a good 'ol oldies radio station again, these things are the next best things to listen to the oldies.
Echoes Through the Air: A Journey Through the History of FM Radio
Sunday, May 5, 2024
PINK & SWEET: The Story of Cotton Candy
"The Incredible 5" Debuts on Kindle Vella!
Well, today is the day-Today is the debut of not only my newest Kindle Vella series, but also my first new daily Kindle Vella series, The Incredible 5!
Yes, starting today is the debut of The Incredible 5, my very first Kindle Vella daily series; each new episode of this new series is an original story that focuses on either one or all of the radio station DJs who operate at the fictional oldies radio station, WOLD-FM in Philadelphia, PA in the year 1995; their names are Chuckie, the leader, Curly, Crystal, Jackie, and Harris. But there happens to be something else about those disc jockeys: They have magic powers, and no one knows how they have got them!
That's what a young man named James had been trying to find out at first, but then he and those magical DJs would become friends later on, and on occasion, they would go on adventures. They also have to save the people's love for the golden oldies, as well as their secrets about their magic powers, from evil gothic DJs and anyone who tries to have them exposed!
So, get ready for all of the rockin' fun and excitement when The Incredible 5 debuts today on the Kindle Vella platform!
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
THE SPRING FLOWER by Jenn Webster
A TRADITION OF ELEGANCE AND EXCITEMENT: The History of The Kentucky Derby
Monday, April 29, 2024
The Treasure Chest BY JENN WEBSTER
So, when Mother's Day came around, they were trying to think up of something that would each make great gifts for their mothers; after all, it had been their mothers who have brought those young boys into this world and have taught each of them the ways of life.
One day, Mike and Dave found an old treasure map while they were walking in the park. Mike picked up the map and read it. The boys looked all around the treasure map, and then they spotted something at the end of it—an "X" marked on the spot!
The very next day, Mike and Dave were up early to find the treasure; they each got their backpacks and shovels, and then they went on their journey, following the map as they went to seek the treasure.
Dave and Mike walked throughout the park, following the trail just as the map had ordered them. They kept on walking and walking, and soon, the young boys got closer and closer to the treasure. Finally, after all of that walking, they had found it!
Just then, Mike and Dave's mothers appeared. They each walked up to their sons and hugged them. Finally, both of their mothers told their sons that their love for their mothers was the very best treasure that they could ever bestow. Now, isn't that a lovely thought?
(C)2024 Jenn Webster
Rejected TV Commercial Jingle Slogans...
Throughout the years, TV commercials have blessed us with so many jingles, with so many memorable slogans as "O-S-C-A-R" and "Like a Good Neighbor"; but somehow, somewhere, there happens to be TV commercial jingles that have been rejected, and somehow ended up lost in time. The following gallery just shows why one would never see those slogans anytime soon...
Sunday, April 28, 2024
The Incredible 5 Are Coming to Kindle Vella in ONE WEEK!
AND NOW, A VERY SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM JENN W...
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
The Mermaid and Her Mother BY JENN WEBSTER
And so it was that Alanna began to think about this and wondered if she could have one more moment with her own mother before she faded away into sea foam. and so Alanna decided to go back into the ocean and pay a visit to her mother. Alanna thought, If only I could invite her to relax on the island beach with me, then she would be very happy, and I myself would be very happy, too.
Alanna paid a visit to her own mother, who lives in an undersea grotto; Alanna's mother was finishing making a scarf as a gift for someone who would use it so very much more than she does. Alanna asked her mother if she could come with her to the surface and relax on the island beach for a while.
Alanna and her mother both relaxed on the sand for a while; as they were doing so, they looked at the clouds that sailed above the sky. Some clouds were shaped like sailboats while others were shaped like, well, fish! And of course, there were clouds that were shaped just the way they are, like clouds. Alanna and her mother had the most quiet, but wonderful time, relaxing on the island's beach and enjoying the company that they had for each other.
When it was time to go home, Alanna and her mother returned home to the ocean; and then, as a token of the love that her mother had for her, Alanna's mother gave her daughter the scarf that she was making for a very special person...Alanna! Alanna hugged her mother while her mother herself thanked her daughter for that special time that they had together, and then Alanna swam back to her own home, cherishing the memory that she and her mother now have together.
(C)2024 Jenn Webster