ESL Blogs

As you all know by now, Steve Jobs died on October 5th at the age of 56. I learned the sad news last night.  I was walking in a charity event for cancer with my family in Toronto. We were walking in memory of my mom who died at the age of 51. Thousands of people were holding red balloons that lit up the night sky. As we walked past the cancer hospital where my mom spent many days before she died, a girl with a blue Cancer Survivor T-shirt looked at her iPhone and gasped. I turned around and heard her say, Steve Jobs died. It was a very memorable moment. I will never forget how and where I learned this sad news. 

This morning I read a great article called The Top Ten Lessons Steve Jobs Taught Us. As I've mentioned in a previous challenge, I think it's important that bloggers learn how to write good lists. This is the type of writing that many readers enjoy. Writing lists helps you improve your formatting and organize your thoughts. You will increase your blog audience if you can write good lists!  

Your Task

1) Think of someone who has inspired you or taught you many things. It can be a celebrity, a family member, a colleague, or a friend. 

2) Create a new blog post. Use the title Writing Challenge #36: Top Ten Lessons ____ Taught Me. Insert the name of the person you chose in step 1. 

3) Think of your top ten items first. Write them in bold. Use the base form of the verb (make, help, sing). Write 5 if you can't think of 10.

4) Add a few lines about each item in your list. Keep it simple. 

5) Come back to this post and share a link to your post. 

* Please review the 3 tips for Tidy Writing before you publish your post.

My Example:

The Top Ten Lessons I learned from my Mom

1) You Can't Change People

My mom always reminded me that people have to find their own way in life. We can support, guide, and inspire, but we can't change a person. When you try to change someone, you push them away. If you want someone to change, be a role model. 

2) Do What you Love

I worked at a bank for a short time. I was miserable working with numbers. My mom reminded me that I love words. I went to school to study English, not math. I became an English teacher and was very happy. 

3) Write Thank You Notes

When we were kids, we were taught to write thank you notes to our grandparents, aunts, and uncles. We thanked them for Christmas and birthday gifts. These days, thank you notes often comes in the form of a text, a Facebook message, or occasionally a Post It note to a teacher. Say thank you to someone once a day. It could change your life. 

4) Make Time for Walking

When my mom was sick for a year, she missed walking more than anything. Now that we are a two car family, my kids sometimes want a ride to school. This is where I draw the line. We live ten minutes away. We're walking! (And yes, we smell the flowers along the way.)

5) Never Stop Reading

My mom was an avid reader. She read everything from newspapers to how-to-manuals to Dickens. She was a stay-at-home mom who didn't work, and I will always envy the amount of time she had for reading. The library was our second home. "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Dr. Seuss

6) Make your own Gifts

The best gifts are always handmade. My mom used to knit, sew, paint and make crafts for gifts. Over the years I've noticed that these are the items that get put in treasure boxes or get passed down rather than being tossed or recycled. I've taught our kids to do this for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas etc. We love making scrapbooks or photo albums for people. 

7) Show Interest in People (that includes kids)

My mom always paid attention to what other people talked about. She asked my friends questions about their lives and took time to say more than hello when they came to visit. Pay attention to what people talk about and make sure they know that you are listening. 

8) Talk to Strangers  

Some of the best conversations my mom had were with people she met in shops, on the street, or in waiting rooms. She talked to everyone from the waitress to the car mechanic. We were never told not to talk to strangers. I think this is why I wanted to become a writer. 

9) Appreciate the Elderly

My mom always befriended elderly people. She enjoyed their company more than people her own age.  We often had elderly couples over for dinner when I was young. She was wise. I get it now.

10) Take time for Coffee

When you say "I'm too busy" that means "I don't have time to do the things I want to do in life." My mom always took time for tea or coffee. I do too. French vanilla hazelnut...