Linda K Sienkiewicz

Writing life, line by line

Rising Sun Roll and new tricks

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Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? The implication is that old dogs (and old people) learn less well than the young, and that old folks are set in their ways. It's one of the oldest proverbial sayings in the language. The earliest example of it in print is in John Fitzherbert's The Boke of Husbandry, 1534: ...and he [a shepherd] muste teche his dogge to barke whan he … [Read more...]

The Sun Bird Crest Legend of Chengdu

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 The sun and immortal bird: People often ask me about the unusual symbol on my necklace that my husband bought for me when working in Chengdu, China. The symbol is the official city logo, inspired by the Golden Sun Bird, an ancient relic unearthed in 2001 from the Jinsha Site. The four birds in the symbol represent the four seasons, while the 12 inner rays stand for the 12 … [Read more...]

Bad intentions or are you just clumsy? Fido knows

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Oops Looks like your dog understands you more than you think. The results of a recent study explains why my pup Cowboy quits the game when I fake a throw one too many times. Researchers used a unwilling-unable paradigm to study 96 dogs of various breeds and ages and discovered that dogs may be able to actually understand humans' intentions. This paradigm measures whether an animal is … [Read more...]

I was allowed to read Mad Magazine. I turned out fine.

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Want to Make a Book Irresistible? Ban It. Suppose your middle schooler wants to read Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus? Would exposing them to certain truths harm them, or frighten them? Looking at this list of banned books, I realize I've read nearly every one of them as a kid, and I didn't become a deviant, sex fiend, or whatever awful person some of these … [Read more...]

Honoring our Fallen Veterans

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Teaching the meaning of Memorial Day to children To most kids (and to many adults), Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer. We barbecue hamburgers, take a trip to the park, or plant flowers since there’s no longer the threat of frost. To families who have lost loved ones in the service of our country, however, the meaning runs deeper than a cookout. We want our children to … [Read more...]