Todd Christian
I'm a former feature writer for a Hearst Corp. newspaper. Today, I'm a teacher, freelance writer, father, and all-around word freak.
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- 60
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- Contributor since
- 1/17/2007
Education/Experience
Bachelor's degrees in journalism and corporate communications from Lamar UniversityInterests
Music, literature, movies, video games, the outdoors, fitness, sports (particularly football), my wife and kids.Favorites
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Displaying Results 1 - 60 (of 60) for All Content
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Teaching Middle School Students to Write with Voice, Emotion and Vivid DescriptionThis lesson plan describes a simple way to encourage middle school writing students to use stronger voice and description in their formal compositions. -
Your Disney World Must-do ListHere are 10 things every visitor to Disney World should experience. -
The Top NFL Running Backs of All TimeOf those who have played, eight NFL running backs stand helmet and shoulder pads above the rest. -
How to Recognize Allergic Reactions to Spider BitesLittle bitty spiders can cause King Kong-sized problems when the victim has a spider bite allergy. Here's how to tell. -
Telework: the New Face of the Business WorldWith Americans feeling an unprecedented crunch at the pump, many will likely begin the search for a job that cuts out the commute altogether. Best Buy's ROWE program has proven that it works.
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Tom Waits' Top 10 SongsTom Waits, the junkyard poet, is also one of the most prolific and profound songwriters alive. Here are his 10 most meaningful and memorable works. -
Walt Disney World Ride Reviews: Expedition EverestWalt Disney World's Animal Kingdom hosts one of the theme park world's most exciting and well-themed rides - a trip into the Himalayas that ends with a hair-raising encounter with the Yeti. -
2008 Razzie AwardsThe evil twin of the Oscars - the Razzies - once again honored the worst in film over the past year. This time, a movie topped even the legendary "Battlefield Earth" and "Showgirls." -
The Oceanic Six: A LOST SpoilerLOST fans are speculating wildly about the last few members of the "Oceanic Six," but the secret is out of the bag. Who will join Jack, Kate, Hurley, and Sayid in escaping the island? I know. -
Super Bowl XLII's Best CommercialsShrieking squirrels, talking stains, giant courier pigeons, Roxbury Twin fever, a decapitated luxury vehicle and an almost-roadkilled Alice Cooper and Richard Simmons highlighted the Super Bowl ads of 2008. -
Walt Disney World Secrets: Animal KingdomWhen you're at a Disney theme park, it's not just about cheap thrills and expensive snacks. It's more about the little touches and experiences on the side. Magical Disney secrets and surprises, both wild and tame, abound at its newest Orlando park - Animal Kingdom. -
FASTPASS: How to Use Disney World's Time Saving TicketIf a Disney World vacation is in your plans, you should learn about FASTPASS - a free perk that will save you hours of waiting in slow-moving lines. -
Walt Disney World Resort's Magical SightsWalt Disney World in Florida hosts four parks with countless breathtaking sites. Here are a few of the best. -
John Kerry Endorses Barack ObamaFormer presidential candidate John Kerry snubbed his former running mate, John Edwards, on Thursday by offering a rabid endorsement of Barack Obama.
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NFL Divisional Playoff PredictionsAs the great eight storm toward Super Bowl Sunday, one of the top two will stumble, while the other will escape with a narrow win.
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The 10 Funniest Super Bowl CommercialsAdvertisers shell out megabucks just to take up 30 seconds of Super Bowl airtime, so ads are usually top-notch, funny, and great office smalltalk for a few days.
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Tony Elliot, Former Saints DT, Died on New Year's EveTony Elliot, former defensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints, died at his home in Connecticut on New Year's Eve. He had overcome addiction and drug-related tragedies to become a positive force in the world.
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"wOOt" Named 2007 Word of the YearMerriam-Webster's annual Word of the Year search brought netspeak to the language forefront, as the interjection "wOOt!" comes out on top.
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The Five Best Comedies You've Never SeenIf your idea of a successful comedy is one that shows up on Happy Meals and every web banner ad on the Internet, these films failed. If your idea of success is achieving gut-busting brilliance, then, "WOOT!"
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Warren Sapp Retires After 13 Years in the NFLAfter terrorizing opposing quarterbacks for the better part of 13 years, standout DT Warren Sapp announced on Jan. 3 that he was hanging up his helmet for good. -
New "Rambo" Film Hits Theaters on Jan. 25thSylvester Stallone resurrects yet another classic but tired series character, as new Rambo movie is released this month. Will it be an embarrassment, or will it be a surprisingly good film, like "Rocky Balboa?" -
NFL Rules: Pass Interference PenaltyFor budding NFL fans, an explanation of the pass interference penalty, which costs the offending team 15 yards from the spot where the illegal action took place. -
Who is D.B. Cooper?No one is quite sure what happened to D.B. Cooper, the man who stepped onto a plane on November 21, 1971, took $200,000 in cash, and jumped out somewhere over Washington state - a parachute strapped to his back. He remains a fugitive.
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Inspirational Quotes About HappinessHappiness is something different to just about every living soul. Here are what a few notable souls had to say about the ultimate achievement.
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Wrap Rage: An Open Letter to Modern Toy PackagersIf you've recently found yourself frustrated with a kid's toy long before it's even out of the package, you might want to sound a "hear, hear" to my heartfelt plea.
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Band Name Ideas Inspired by the SimpsonsMegastars Fall Out Boy were named after the sidekick to Bart Simpson's favorite comic book character, but the show's potential for such inspiration is far from bled dry.
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How to Get Free StuffThere are quite a few ways to get various products and services without paying for them - or at least being paid back for them.
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Type O Negative: The Drab FourA profile of New York City doom-and-gloom headbangers Type O Negative.
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New Years Resolutions for Tom Cruise10 things Tom Cruise should change in 2008.
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Gift Ideas for the HeadbangerHeavy metal fans are hard to please when Christmas rolls around. Here are a few ideas that will have their fists pumping - happily.
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The Effects of Furniture Arrangement on Classroom LearningHow you set up your desks and other furniture will affect the atmosphere for learning. Here's how.
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How the Galapagos Islands Shaped Charles Darwin's Theory of EvolutionDarwin's chance trip to the Galapagos inspired a theory that changed an entire system of scientific beliefs.
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High School Pranks: The Bat's RevengeA little bat turns a practical joke on the would-be prankster. An absolutely true story.
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Teaching Tips: How to Write Lesson PlansI was always told that there is no perfect formula for writing a lesson plan - until someone much wiser showed me this system.
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The Night Good Time Charlie Wilson Brought Johnny Cash to Our Tiny Texas TownIn 1996, I went to help my buddy's granny at a fundraiser for her friend - Charlie Wilson. What I got was a surprise worthy of his sudden fame.
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Internet Idling: Fun and Obsession-creating WebsitesHere it is: your map through the roadside attractions on the information superhighway. It's a full working day of wasted time, calculated to the estimated minute.
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A Lesson in Figurative LanguageAn easy pair of stories to give middle schoolers to illustrate figurative language.
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Pimp C was Unappreciated Back Home Until He DiedRapper Chad Butler, better known as Pimp C, finally got some attention in his home town, but it took his funeral to get it.
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The Legacy of Black SabbathBlack Sabbath invented heavy metal. Their legacy is a genre and a lifestyle.
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Gift Ideas: Give Them a Once-in-a-lifetime ExperienceThe website excitations.com offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as hot air balloon rides, race car driving sessions, trapeze lessons,
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The Worst Gift EverYears ago, my office's head man gave us the worst Christmas gift ever - but a funny story.
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Tips for Planning a Disney World TripIf you're going to Walt Disney World in Florida, there are a few absolute "musts" that will make the difference between miserable and magical.
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LOST: Flashing Forward Instead of Just BackLOST will offer more glimpses of characters' lives after rescue during off-island segments - a change from the old present day/flashback format.
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Kids Say the Dumbest ThingsAn overview of the unbelievable things kids say in class.
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New Years Resolutions that You'll KeepEvery year, most Americans ditch their New Year's resolutions before the weather turns warm. Here are a few you'll keep the entire year and beyond.
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The Best Time to Visit Walt Disney WorldA guide to the best time to schedule a trip to Florida's Disney World.
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Walt Disney World Secrets: Disney StudiosA look at the most overlooked treats at Disney World's movie utopia.
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Dan Fogelberg DiesSinger/Songwriter Dan Fogelberg lost a three-year battle with cancer on Dec. 16.
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Disney World's Most Romantic RestaurantsThere are quite a few classy and high-quality restaurants at Walt Disney World in Florida.
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Walt Disney World Secrets: The Magic KingdomDetails, surprises and perks that the vast majority of guests miss.
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Teaching Mood and Tone to Middle School StudentsThis lesson uses a fun twist on movie trailers to demonstrate how the same story can be told in two ways to create distinctly different moods.
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Vocabulary Lessons that Work - How to Reach All of the Different Learning StylesA simple lesson plan that helps teachers teach and reinforce new words, catering to all of the different styles of learning.
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Fever in Young Children: When to WorryAs a first-time father, I found myself freaking out when my son developed a high fever. After a lot of questions and advice from doctors and experienced parents, I learned the secret to surviving those new worries.
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Teaching Tips: Staying Sane in the Classroom WorldNew teachers often go blindly into one of the toughest jobs in the world. Here are a few survival tips.
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English Lesson Plans: Writing a Rip Van Winkle NarrativeStudents will let their imaginations run wild as they write a narrative about waking up from a 20-year sleep.
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Britney Spears Officially Loses ItIn a fictional news story, Britney's longtime imaginary friends put their imaginary feet down on her antics.
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Jim Halpert Vs. Dwight SchruteA look at the best one-two punchfest on TV today
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World's Top Man in Forgiveness Studies Confronts Beliefs After the Murder of His MotherEverett Worthington is chair of the psych department at Virginia Commonwealth and author of best selling self-help "forgiveness" books. Years into his career, he had to learn to forgive the man who brutally bludgeoned his mother on a quiet New Year's Eve.
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Fire Drills Affect Kids' Ability to ThinkHumorous look at two ridiculously silly and laughable middle school fire drill experiences.
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The DiveAn attempt at boldness turns into an exercise in humiliation