Mark Graham
Bio
I am a person who really likes to read and write and to share what I learned with all my education. My page will mainly be book reviews and critiques of old and new books that I have read and will read. There will also be other bits, too.
Stories (1851)
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All in the Family
Who remembers watching a television show entitled 'All in the Family' that was all about in a lot of ways social and political discourse of the early 1970's the affected the family at 704 Houser Street. There was Archie, Edith, Gloria, and Michael aka Meathead. 'All in the Family' was created by Norman Lear that gave the television audience a chance to see and hear and learn how society wanted to stay the same but also wanted change in many ways, such as women's rights, dealing with welfare and racial relations. This was a television show that let the idea of conservativism and radicalism kind of live together for at least a half an hour. To me this was a comedy/drama but not like today's standards. There were also multiple shows that followed this one.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
The Bad Beginning
Who are the Baudelaire's? Lemony Snicket has written a series of novels that are quite depressing and he warns the readers that if you do not like reading books that sad and mean things happen put the book down. In this series entitled 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' Violet, Klaus and Sunny will stay with a series of odd people with one very despicable person known as Count Olaf that seems to be always in the wind. Book one titled 'The Bad Beginning' the Baudelaire children learn about the disaster that took their parents' lives and put their children in the care of others, and each child has a specific talent that helps gets them these unfortunate events one way or another. At the end of each book Lemony Snicket writes a letter as an introduction to the next volume. All the illustrations are drawn as pencil sketches but are well-defined and describes some of the actions of the story.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Welcome Back, Kotter
Here is another old situation comedy for the mid-1970's named 'Welcome Back. Kotter'. This was a show set in an urban high school named Buchanon High School. The main character of Gabe Kotter, a social studies teacher and a graduate of this high school is hired to teach the students known as the 'Sweathogs' who are smarter than they think from Vinnie Barberino to Arnold Horshack to Juan Epstein to Boom Boom Washington these were the main Sweathogs. Gabe is a married man to Julie and these students pay visits in some very importune times. This show and its' stars did all move on from the show to bigger things. John Travolta and his many movies, Robert Hegyes went on to Cagney and Lacey, Lawrence Hilton Jacobs I believe made a few movies as well and Ron Palillo also did a few other projects. This is also a show that was famous for a much overdone phrase 'Up your nose with a rubber hose.' I remember hearing that a lot when I was in elementary and junior high when someone did not like something or someone.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Chico and the Man
There was a situation comedy about in the mid-1970's called 'Chico and the Man'. This was a show where a young Chicano and an old man lived and worked in a garage. The young Chicano lived in a van parked in the back and the old man lived upstairs. This show starred Freddie Prinz and Jack Albertson as Chico and the Man. This was a show even back then that tried to describe society and solve various problems and issues. The first episode if I remember was mainly helping Chico find a job and a place to live, since Chico was a mechanic looking for a job and the old man did need help. Before the show went off the air and the guy who played Chico died in real they tried to replace him with a kid to try and help the old cope with losing a friend and partner. For the mid-1970's this was a funny show even when they covered a few serious issues of the time.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Butterflies and Leaves
Here is another of my coloring pages that I entitled 'Butterflies and Leaves'. The colors I used were blue, purple, red, orange, red-orange and pink. This could also be used as a counting activity for preschool. Count the butterflies? Count the red leaves? Count the purple leaves? Count the orange leaves? If you do not want to call these butterflies, they could be pretty moths too.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Just Flowers
'Just Flowers' is my imaginary garden. I used my favorite color of blues in various shades along with orange, pink, and reds. I used green yellow color crayon for the leaves. The little bushes in between the flowers could be pussy willows, but I was not sure, so I used purple, blue, tan, red, and orange color to make them stand out. I did notice I missed one at the bottom. I should have colored the white space with light blue.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
LadyBugs
Here is another color art I entitled 'LadyBugs' using crayons. Also, preschool teachers could use it as a math activity for counting. How many ladybugs in all? How many red ones? How many blues ones? How many flowers are there all together? I guess the things with a leaf are flowers of some kind. I was going to color the white area with a sky-blue color but I just saw a worksheet that teachers could maybe use.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Timmy and Lassie
How many out there remember watching the old series about a little boy and his dog known as 'Timmy and Lassie'? I do not remember watching the original series that was known as 'Jeff's Collie', but the only time that I watched this show was early in the morning before going off to catch the school bus. I am a dog person and really liked watching any program with a dog. 'Timmy and Lassie' had a famous mother by the name of Ruth Martin portrayed by June Lockhardt and Timmy Martin was played by Jon Provost for how I remember that bit of information they did a reboot in the 1990's entitled 'The New Lassie' and Jon portrayed a grown Timmy now Steven for he changed his name for he thought Ruth and the father deserted him and he was sad. The original 'Timmy and Lassie' always had some impending crisis from someone falling down somehow and Lassie going and getting help and in the long run a social issue of the time was settled. If I remember right the last episode had Timmy taking Lassie to the home the Ranger. Also, I think that is when I really started watching the Lassie shows for Lassie and Ranger had many an adventure.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Night Smoke
'Night Smoke' is another story in the 'Night Tales' series by Nora Robert's. 'Night Smoke' is a story of a firefighter inspector by the name of Ryan Piasecki and how he meets Natalie Fletcher. Natalie owns and runs a fashion corporation that owns many warehouses that seem to be the target for an arsonist. Natalie is a woman who can take care of herself in many ways but one it seems, and Ryan may be the Inspector for her. Will Natalie see that Ryan just wants the best for her and that he is true in other ways as well.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Nightshade
Nora Robert's has written a novel entitled 'Nightshade' which is a part of a series of stories 'Night Tales' a series of four books. (Just a note: Not sure if 'Nightshade' is the first one, but I do not think it really matters which you read first.) 'Nightshade' is the story of a man who is a private investigator by the name of Colt Nightshade and how he meets Althea Grayson a lieutenant in the police force. Nightshade is on a case where he is helping a family find someone and Althea is working on case that is related to his. In true Nora Robert's fashion there are issues that each will have to work through and solve the cases required.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
The Attic
The sat in the kitchen after getting a drink of water. He started to think what a stone and seeds could mean. The boy thought a stone is heavy and seeds are light. If the stone is thrown through the window and then the seeds are blown through it could that be the reason, and maybe the spirit could be free. The boy decided to go back up the stairs to attic, but there was something blocking the stairs halfway up. He knew he was strong, but he could not budge the thing. The spirit kind of appeared and whispered "Not yet." The boy tried to ask his question "What is the purpose of the stone and seeds?" The spirit smiled and told him to think, and the spirit faded away. The boy turned around and then looked around the room and maybe if he took a walk some answers would come to mind. It was starting to rain, but the boy gathered his rear gear and took a walk.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Fiction
The Attic
The woman left and the boy went back into the house with the envelope. He went to the dining room and set on it on the table. The boy all of a sudden needed a drink and he went into the kitchen and there was a bird sitting at the window above the sink. They just looked at each other. He got his glass of water and drank. He then went back to dining room and picked the envelope back up and opened it. In the envelope were a few seeds and a short note saying that he should go out the front door and throw the seeds at the attic window and then wait a few days before going back to the attic. The boy was not sure what to do, but the paper seemed to be just falling apart in his hands. He did throw the seeds up at the attic window and then he crossed his fingers hoping he made the right decision. What will the spirit think? There was a stone and now seeds of some kind. What do they mean?
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Fiction
