Unrequited Blog Love

By now I’m sure most of you know, or have heard about, Entrecard; I think it’s a good way to bring folks to your blog who may not have discovered you otherwise.

Many people are coming by to drop cards so they’re only at your blog for a microsecond; but there are others like me who, as they’re whipping by, see something of interest and stop to read and comment. I’ve seen posts on some blogs lamenting the fact that the traffic from Entrecard is comprised of people who only stop by to drop cards and don’t stay to comment, well what about the people who do?

When I was a sophomore in high school, there was a boy who I was madly in love with, let’s call him Doug. Doug was a year older than I, tall with curly hair, and when he got his driver’s license, he got a motorcycle which enabled him to wear a sexy, black leather jacket every day to school.

I watched the parking lot every day and when he’d roar into the yard I’d feel lightheaded. I went into the student counseling office and looked up his complete class schedule so that I could nonchalantly walk by some of his classes during the day. I believe that kind of activity is called stalking these days, but I digress.

Anyway, all this energy brought me nothing. I won’t say Doug didn’t know I was alive because he’d have had to be missing all of his senses not to. If something or someone shows up in your peripheral vision often enough you notice. No, Doug knew I was alive, he just didn’t care. Now, I’ll admit that I imitated a helicopter where Doug was concerned for awhile; but eventually with no reciprocity I lost interest.

So, here I am years later, with the Entrecard version of my high school crush. I visit some blogs, like them, comment, come back, comment again. It is rather interesting that some of these blogs are the very ones complaining about the traffic from Entrecard. I have been to some of them a couple of times, without reciprocity. I know that because we all have that blinking Blog Catalog widget that rats us out.

I’m not really saying that everyone who visits you, you will like their blog as well and a beautiful blog relationship will develop; but it certainly won’t happen if you never visit their blogs at all. It’s rather like the girl who turns down the sweet-hearted boy for a date because she’s waiting for the football player to ask her out, all the while complaining about how superficial that football player is. I would say I'm not that girl anymore...but I never was that girl.

MP's 100th Post!

100th Post!

Today marks my 100th post and it's been a wild ride. I'm still here, and maybe the two folks who read me every day are too.
If you're still here, thank you. I hope I can continue to interest you with my outlook on the world.

Sunday Scribblings:Holiday Memories

Picture this: Los Angeles, 1963, an adorable little girl stands looking at the Christmas tree, her mouth quivering. Why is this little darling standing there with one large wet tear running down her cheek?

Because, there was one gift she wanted more than anything; more than the pony she asked for and didn't get the previous Christmas, what would make her tender young heart swell to overflowing with joy?

BARBIE!!!!

What did she get? This:




Nuff Said!

This post was done as part of the Sunday Scribblings

Non-Pet Owners, Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

Before we got PD, I had very definite ideas about what should and shouldn't be done as far as dog ownership was concerned. I had friends who cooked for their dogs, put clothes on their dogs, let their dogs sleep on their beds and took their dogs for spa treatments. I'd look at them with my judgemental eyes and think: for Pete's sake, it's a dog!

I was pretty strong about my beliefs. If I ever got a dog, I was absolutely not going to cook for it; store dog food is fine and it's cheap at WalMart. Clothes? Clothes are for people not dogs. Spa treatments? Fuggedaboudit!

Let me tell you, I'm eating some serious crow here. It's all well and good to say what you will and won't do when you don't have that little being in your home; once you do though, all bets are off. At least for me.

The paperwork that came with PD, that gave us insights into her personality, noted that she likes to be cradled like a baby. Guess who does that? Me. Guess what else? She does like it; she lets me cuddle her and she gives me very soulful looks, sometimes she'll nuzzle in like she's trying to get closer, and hell, I like it too. We can sit like that for awhile; she's almost never the first one to terminate the embrace.

We all go to bed together. We never bought PD her own bed; we were going to but she was so content to sleep with us that we figured we'd save the cash (we like it too).

PD is a svelte 21lbs. We call her the supermodel, size -2. If you touch her you can feel her bones, though I don't know how that's possible, she tries to eat everything. Once we found out she got carsick, we weren't sure how her food would be on her tummy. I made her plain, brown rice to settle her stomach.

We sing to her, her song is the Doors, "Hello I Love You", followed by whatever rhyming lyrics we can think of. It's gotten very cold here in the LV, bone chilling. After the temperature first began to dip, we let PD out to "potty"; she stood there looking at us like we'd taken leave of our senses. We're thinking of getting her a sweater so she'll be a bit warmer when she has to go out.

So non-pet owners, judge not, lest ye be judged. You never know when some little bundle of fur will take over your heart and your life.

Now That's A Little More Like It!

Now that's a little more like it. Awhile ago I wrote about my blog rating. I was curious to see if my blog was still G-rated, and look!

I'll take that; a little bit edgy but not enough to scare the animals!

A Word About Word Verification

Do you have word verification for comments enabled on your blog? Why? Perhaps you know exactly why, to keep that automated spam off your site right? If you're anything like I was though, you don't exactly know why. You read somewhere it would keep spam off your site and it was a good thing to do, so you did it too. Well, if everyone else jumped off the roof...

Word verification has been at best, an annoyance and at worst, the bane of my existence when visiting other sites. Word verification comes in many different types as well. There's the type of word verification that consists of letters so squiggly that you have to be on acid to read them clearly (found a lot here on dear, old Blogger); there's the type that consists of normal words with a big line through them so that you sometimes have to guess what the word is (you're always wrong though); there's the type that consists of words in type so tiny that you need to use an ultra power magnifying glass to see it in the first place; and my personal favorite, the type that require you do a math problem to verify your humanity! Let me tell you if math is what verifies I'm human, then color me robot!

I had word verification enabled too, I didn't want that spam on my site. Mind you, I didn't really know what that would mean but my mind reeled with the possibilities! So...I turned the word verification on and went merrily on my way.

I had it turned on until a friend asked on her blog if people who didn't require it, would please turn it off. It seems that my friend has arthritis and typing in itself is difficult sometimes, but add in the word verification and what is difficult becomes impossible. I thought about her request; I hated word verification, and I too, sometimes found it so difficult to use I just gave up and didn't leave a comment at all.

So I turned it off; that was about two months ago and you know what happened? I got a spam comment! That's right, one comment and I promptly deleted it. I don't know if my comments have increased since I disabled it but it sort of seems so.

So here's my two cents if you care; if you know for sure your site is subject to a lot of spam that you can't deal with, then by all means enable word verification. If you don't know for sure that's the case; don't make your readers jump through hoops to leave you a comment. Just my two cents.


"Funniest word verification entry." That could be another word for poop. (from CollegeHumor)

Take Your Blog To The Next Level

So...you've been blogging for a little while and you're thinking of taking it to the next level. Maybe you're using Blogger to direct your blog to your domain but are ready to host it elsewhere; maybe you want a domain name and don't know what to do next; all these questions and more can be answered at: http://www.webhostingchoice.com

There are a couple of very cool things about webhostingchoice.com; first, the site is completely ad free, which makes it easy to focus on the information you find, and second and more importantly, the site is incredibly user friendly. If you’ve got questions about domains; what it is, how to get it and what to do with it, webhostingchoice.com has you covered. If you’re more savvy, and just need to know where to find cheap hosting, that information can be found here as well.

If you’re looking for a place that has all the information in one place, dispensed in a impartial and useful manner, then give www.webhostingchoice.com a try!

Sunday Scribblings: Dance, You Tube and Me

So the prompt for this week's Sunday Scribblings is "Dance". At first I thought, "I got nothin". I used to love to dance but unfortunately these days, certain health concerns preclude my dancing, unless it's in a chair. I'll set a chair on fire with my moves I tell ya!

So dance, what about dance? I was hopping around on Entrecard this morning and I came across a blog that had the following clip on it and that was my aha! moment. I went over to my favorite, You Tube, and sure enough there was the same clip! If you've got some time to kill you must go over to You Tube and enter "funny wedding dance" into the search; there's some clips that are not to be believed!

Anyway, I chose these two clips because dance is all about being joyful, funny, happy, moving free and these two really did it for me. I hope you enjoy them too.

This first clip well, I do believe it's "The Routine" that Monica and Ross did together on Friends, isn't it?






Watch the following clip and tell me Shaq is not "Lord of the Dance".





This post was done as part of the Sunday Scribblings

Bah Humbug! Save Me From Holiday Movies!

When I was a child I could rely on the usual Christmas programs every year; How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer were the good ones, The King Family, (I never knew who these people were or why anyone cared) Andy Williams, Perry Como, these were the ones I had to watch because my parents wanted to watch; It's A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, these were the ones that had a little something for everybody.

Over the years I haven't spent a lot of time holiday show watching; for many years I had more important things to do like agonize over whatever funky relationship I was or wasn't in, other years I was just too busy with other stuff. I noticed something from time to time but just haven't acknowledged it or given it my full attention until now and that's: holiday programming is LAME!

Now, I know these opinions might get me labeled ScroogePrincess, but I'm willing to take that risk. Bah! Humbug! Save me from holiday movies! Every pop singer doesn't need to be in some syrupy made-for-tv movie that clearly exists to capitalize on the holiday season. Success in some other part of the entertainment industry doesn't always translate.

Just because you can orchestrate a duet of Beyonce' and Wayne Newton singing "Walking In A Winter Wonderland" on a sound stage with a big sled sitting in the back round doesn't mean you should. Just because you can put Christina Millian in a schmaltzy Christmas movie about her being trapped in a snow globe (I didn't make this one up) doesn't mean you shou- what's that you say? You don't know who Christina Millian is? Well hell, that's part of the point too. Who is this crap made for? Because I guarantee that the demographic that does know who she is ain't sitting home watching that crap either!

One Of The Reasons I Won't Be Getting A Real Tree...

Funny Pics at pYzam.com

You Need Traffic? You Need Entrecard!

In the prior post I made a reference about Entrecard and how addicting it is, now I'd like to talk a little about what Entrecard is.

If you take a look at the widget directly under my header you'll see the Entrecard. Entrecard is a new free service that is taking the internet by storm and it works like this: you create a small business card for yourself, the Entrecard, and with this you can advertise on other blogs and other blogs will advertise on your site.

Every time you go to a site and "drop your card" you receive credits, every time someone drops a card on your site you receive credits, when someone advertises on your site you receive credits, and with these credits you can go shopping to advertise on the sites of your choice.

Because people are wanting to drop their card, you get an increase in traffic, in my case it's been about 5 times the traffic, you need traffic, you need Entrecard! Granted, there will be a number of people who will drop and leave, but there will also be people who stop to read, comment and become regular readers, what's not to like?

I have discovered so many new and interesting blogs to read it's been amazing. If you are wanting to discover some wonderful new blogs, or you want to have people discover you, you should give Entrecard a try.

What's Your Holiday Stress Level?

Hey Everybody,

I'm sorry I've been a bit MIA this past weekend; I signed up with Entrecard and that thing is more addicting than a $1000 a day crack habit. Don't know about Entrecard? Well I'll write more about that later.

For now, I'm just here to extend my apologies for not coming to your blogs to visit and share my rapier like wit. An extra big apology to my pal, Anonymous Boxer, who threw a blog Christmas Party the likes of which I've never seen. I'm sorry I missed so much of it AB, but I understand some of the partygoers are still recuperating and called in sick to work. I think the others just aren't talking, right?

Today, because a lot of you appreciate the little quizzes that show up here now and again, I have chosen one especially for this time of year: What's Your Holiday Stress Level?

I must tell you SO and I were driving along the other day saying neither one of us felt much like Christmas. It was not a "bah humbug" sort of thing, but we've had such major things happen this year; a major move, getting PD, we're just tired. Then, all that obligatory gift obtaining (for people that aren't appropriate for my theory), it's enough to make you start wimpering. So here are my results, which aren't too surprising.

Your Holiday Stress Level is Moderate

The holidays sometimes stress you out, but mostly because they wear you down. Take it easy! You can have a fun holiday without running yourself ragged.

What's Your Holiday Stress Level?

Sunday Scribblings: MP's Theory Of Gift Giving

Well the holidays are upon us, it seems like only yesterday it was 102 degree heat (at least here in the LV), where does the time go?

One of the elements that exists about the holidays, and this is true regardless of which holiday you're celebrating, holidays involve gift giving. For some people the very idea of having to figure out what gift to give is enough to inspire hives; for others the thought of the gifts they'll be receiving has the same effect. Competing with loved ones or friends to see who can give the better gift is one of the least fun things about a holiday.

I'm here to tell you that if you employ my theory of gift giving and receiving, things will go a lot more smoothly with no competition involved.

This theory came into being one year while talking to my friend Tricia* who was lamenting the fact that her husband John just didn't "get her" when it came to gift giving. "He gives me gifts that just seem like they're for someone else", she held up a bright pink skirt as a means of illustration. Tricia is not a pink girl, she has worn nothing but black for the past 15 years, and a bright pink skirt? Who was that skirt for?

I started thinking about the many times I'd received those types of gifts, not tacky gifts, perfectly nice presents that clearly were meant for someone else, items not my taste, style, just not me and the thought occurred to me that I was actually care taking these things until the real owners came along.

Now, my theory is different from the what you know as re-gifting. In re-gifting, you get a gift that may be a bit funky, or you get two of something and you try to figure out who you can pass that item off to. In the MP theory, you may have to hold onto that item for awhile, you may not even know the person it belongs to-yet. It is almost a guarantee that at some point the person that item belongs to will show up in your environment and you can give them the gift you've been holding for them. I have had that experience many times.

One of the best things about MP's theory of gift giving is that it is a gift in itself. When I relate my theory to someone and they take it as their own it frees them; frees them from disappointment when they get that seemingly strange present; or they give one.

*names changed

This post was done as part of the Sunday Scribblings

The Perils Of PD

Oh boy, I had a little adventure with PD last night, the kind of adventure that can make you really take a look at your life.

Last night PD was out in the backyard giving it the old looksee, she has recently discovered an area that she feels really deserves a closer look of the digging variety. Needless to say digging is not something SO and I approve of as PD sanctioned activities because, a) who wants big holes in the yard and b) she'll bring dirty paws in the house; digging is definitely discouraged.

PD begins to head over to the "area" and she's fast I tell ya, I rush over to grab her and she slips away quick as a, well quick as a very fast dog, I start to run after her (where has my sense gone?) and the next thing you SPLAT! I'm down on the ground.

My first inclination was to get up but as I lay there, wind knocked out of me, staring at the rocks and aching, I knew I couldn't. PD ran into the house (I'd like to think it was a sort of Lassie rescuing Tommy sort of move but I don't think so) and I began to pitifully yell for SO, who came out of the house quicker than PD ran away from me, thank goodness.

As I was laying there I began to think, what would it be like if I were older, single and lived alone? This was definitely a "I've fallen and I can't get up" sort of moment, there was no phone nearby. As I'm getting to be a smidge older, these things come into my mind.

The other day I came across a site called Bettercaring.com that helps with all of these kinds of questions. Bettercaring is a site that has all kinds of information about issues concerning care for yourself or a loved one. They have information on care homes, different diseases, and finances, as well as a very useful discussion forum to speak to others with similar concerns.

Well I do have SO, and hopefully I have a couple of years before I seriously have to consider this stuff. One thing I've learned, I won't be running after PD; I'm not that girl anymore!

I Want The Absolute!

When friends or relatives ask me what I want for Christmas I never know what to say. It's not that I don't have a list in my head of all the things I'd like, but that list is always subject to review before I answer the question and unfortunately found wanting.
Some of the items on my list, like a new car or trip to Italy, are not really things I think someone else could buy for me; the people asking don't have unlimited Christmas budgets after all, and some things like a Dyson vacuum cleaner well, I don't know if someone should buy that for me.

There, I've said it, I want a Dyson and I have wanted one for quite some time. You only need to have a vacuum kind of mock you going over the same piece of lint twenty times, or explode in your face as SO did quite recently, before you start searching for a piece of equipment that won't make you exercise your profane vocabulary while using it.

Dysons are sleek and state of the art, and honey you can order them online! Go to their website, www.dyson.com and you can take a look at a whole range of styles and colors, there's a sexy purple upright called The Absolute that I've got my eye on. They've also got units made especially for homes with animals (perfect for PD), or people with respiratory problems, and a whole accessories section that is not to be believed. These aren't your mother's vacuum cleaners!

So now that my secret is out, I wonder if The Absolute is in my future. I can't tell you how freeing it is to admit this. I used to be embarrassed that I wanted a cool, cutting edge Dyson, but I'm not that girl anymore!

Happy Chanukah Or Hanukkah!

Sundown today begins the eight day celebration of the Jewish holiday, Chanukah.

I went to Catholic school for 12 years and in those days the Catholics were not about to give any press to any other religion or their holidays. You could watch Rudolph, Santa, and a Charlie Brown Christmas, but there were no TV shows about other religions holidays.
The only thing I knew about Chanukah for many years is Jewish kids got presents for eight days; in comparison, Christmas seemed like a rip off, I got presents for only one day! But, like the Christmas story, there's a lot more to the holiday of Hanukkah and what it represents. From the mezuzah store I found this brief description of the meaning of Hannukah:

...We light the Menorah to remember the Miracle that happened when the Jewish rebels (the Macabees) took back the Holy Temple from their conquerors. The enemy had done everything that they could to defile the Temple, including bringing idols into the Temple.

The Macabees cleaned and restored the Temple service. They had only one small flask of the special olive oil that was used to light the large golden Menorah in the Temple. Miraculously, the small flask lasted for 8 days.

The Rabbis made this 8 day period into a holiday, now known as Hanukkah. They decreed that it would be celebrated by lighting an 8 branched Menorah, and increasing its lights each day to commemorate how the miracle became greater with each day that the oil continued to burn...

So, to all my Jewish friends, I wish you a very happy Chanukah, filled with love, light, meaning, fun and good food, that's a holiday!

It Doesn't Only Happen In Vegas!

You've heard that tag line: "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?" The line is great because it leaves it open to interpretation what is being referred to, but surely a lot of what is being referenced is the gaming here.

Now you may not always be able to get to Las Vegas, and even if you could, the traffic and the crowds would surely be a deterrent. What about some Vegas-like activity online? You may have thought about playing online before but were a bit skeptical because it was online, but now there's top usa online casinos.

Topusaonlinecasinos.com is a website that's a great resource for online casinos, poker rooms, and sports book facilities. The website is super user friendly, and features reviews and ratings from users including information about the trust factor of the site. Now that's information that you can use! The site also lists the top ten online casino sites with links to each so you can check them out personally. With a little research and intelligent caution and topusaonlinecasinos.com you can have the excitement of a Vegas casino right on your own computer.