Reading Loons Announcements

You may or may not have noticed that I started a book blog...mostly to keep up to speed with what Miri and Megan were reading in Utah since the three of us seem to read the same things at about the same time no matter how far we live from each other. Also, I like hearing their take on things. So it's our own little virtual book club of sorts.

I am currently in the process of trying to make it a little more formal. We were doing a great job at just "reviewing" what we were reading or keeping each other up to date on our recent book purchases (of which there were many). I'm guessing we will probably continue to do that since we are all of the type to read two or three things at once.

But we will be looking for more input and more participation. The hope is to choose a book and actually have a discussion via blog. We will probably just pick a day and all make sure to comment while taking turns "authoring" the posts. You pick the book, you get things started.

So - if anyone would like to formally participate, let me know. I'm not assuming anyone's involvement so at the moment we have me, Megan, Miri and Lauren...and possibly Mike (I haven't heard a final answer there). Hopefully this should be fun.

Even if you don't want to participate in the book club part - still feel free to visit the blog. I occasionally feature a children's book on Fridays (when I remember to do so) and will hopefully be creating book lists of things we have read and things we would like to read for future and outside use. Either way, enjoy!

a few items of business

1. MEGAN IS HOME! Not that I can see her, but now I can talk to her on the phone and text her and that makes me happy - because she listens to a whole lot of my craziness and still likes me.

2. I have new readership! Emily Albright and her mom. I will be posting a wedding-related post for them, which sounds weird, but it's not really. I promise.

3. Cristin had her baby, Owen! 4 weeks early! Apparently he was ready to be born. He's in the hospital so he can finish growing and getting ready for the real world - so best wishes and lots of prayers to the Ricks family. He's a cutie!! Congratulations! (and in related news, I got prezzies sent out there just in time for his arrival! When he does come home, I hope they are enjoyed by him and his mommy.)

4. I spent most of my day yesterday with the kiddos. I took K his birthday presents early since I'll be gone this weekend. I can't believe he's 8. Craziness. He and Joshie are way into this Webkins thing - which I'm loving because it's so not as confusing and/or annoying as Pokemon. So he is now the proud owner of a Rotweiler named Steven (a name I chose) and a Gecko named Mark. K's name choices are the best ever - he doesn't waste his time with silly pet names - he goes for the serious people names. Love it. The rest of my time was spent playing pretend and dress ups with the Princess. We had a tea party (during which she remarked, "this is a wonderful tea party") complete with princess dishes, real (and delish) cookies and water instead of tea. I think she likes playing with me because I play all her girlie games with her. And I'm totally fine with that. It was such a fun day. I love those kiddos.

5. I'm going to the beach on Wednesday with one of my bestest pallies, Jamie!! I am so excited and so happy we made this vacation work! See all my exclamation marks?! That's how happy I am. I need a vacation very badly.

6. This is my final point and maybe it should have been first so in case I lost any of you. I need an idea of a name for my projects blog. Something fun but not annoying. Something having to do with me or a nick name of mine (Lindle, Linnie, Lindsey Lou Who, Zizi, Scooter, etc.) that I can put up there as a title so it's not so boring. So, pass along your ideas. I figure who better to ask than the ones who know me so well?

That's all for now. More posts to come soon!

The Kacy Fan Club

My friend Annie asked me a question today. She asked if I knew Kacy (ie personally, met face to face).


I told her that Kacy is Heidi's sister, that I lived with Heidi after graduation and that my sister was best friends with Heidi so, yes, technically I have briefly met Kacy in person probably once or twice...although if I had been a blogger at that time, I would have been far more star struck and would remember it more clearly as I would have acted like a total nerdy idiot. This post should make up for that.


I've blogged before how much I love reading Kacy's posts (and the other bloggers at Light Refreshments Served) and admitted that I was hesitant to comment on her posts because of one reason or another...and Kacy actually commented and told me to comment! That was a happy day.


Now, I don't know if Kacy actually looks at my blog or if Heidi looked, saw the post about Kacy and told her about it. But, either way, I am here to inform Kacy that she has one very special fan who once "dreamed of babysitting for Kacy" before she had her own baby.


Annie wanted to know if you, Kacy, are indeed as awesome as you seem via blog. (I'm going to guess, yes, based on this post alone.) Also, Annie will be attending a farewell in your ward, but she may be too bashful and starstruck to form coherent sentences. She looks like this:

And her baby is adorable...even though she screams like she is possesed by a demon...I'm sure it's an adorable demon!! (winky face). And Maren's cute baby smiles more than make up for it.

I told her that if she meets you, she can just tell you that it's totally okay to be friends because she was roommates with me and my sister was roommates with your sister...because that's funnier and less simple than saying "my old roommate used to live in your sister's basement!" It also makes me sound less creepy, which I'm a fan of.

Other quotes from Annie regarding her current stalker-like status:

"I want to sit at her feet and bask in her hilarious light!" and

"I love that her baby's name is Ellen. That's my youngest sisters name. We have so much in common!"

So, Kacy, if you ever see Annie (specifically at the farewell of one Rob Magleby) know that she is totally cool and not stalking you.

**I should mention we also talked about how funny we think she is...and this guy. And how one of my favorite quotes has to do with both of them. "My best guess: He has bees in his head, and the bees are crazy." Find it here.

welcome to the world baby blog!

So I started a new blog. It's a photo blog for family photos as I get them scanned into the computer...well, not all of them, but some of the good ones. Anyway, if you ever get bored photos will be there to look through.

a hug

i love when miri showers me with blog comments. those are the best days. i heart her.

i need to post

I was doing really well - and overall I think last week's experiment was a success. I got the feedback I wanted for the most part and got some questions answered so I'm happy. Now I'm going to settle into what will hopefully be a little more posting than usual (as in, more regular and less "here's four posts in one day"). I have a lot to catch up on. Lauren's birthday activities, July 4th, swimming, bubbles, etc. I've been busy! But I've taken pictures of all of it, so stay tuned.

In the mean time, take a look at this photo. We look so much alike! I love it. I think it's just because her mom has a lot of similar features as our family (dark hair, skin tone, dark eyes). Same with my brother-in-law. You can definitely tell the cousins are related...plus they are all so freaking cute!

Well, I hope everyone had a great Independence Day! I will be posting more about mine later on...with more pictures, of course!

difficult

I am learning a lot in this experiment of interactive blogging. Not only do YOU have to participate more, I have to blog more! and I have to keep it interesting! It's not as easy as you might think. But, today I am going to offer up some promises.

I am going to answer any question asked of me via blog. I will also comment on every post I read starting now (9AM). That includes my previously lurker-only zone blogs. So, strike while the iron is hot...ask me anything!

Also, that is a weird saying, "strike while the iron is hot." I'm betting it comes from blacksmiths? Who else strikes iron? hmmm.

And lastly, good job to all of you for voting in the polls! What a group of voters you are! haha. I didn't expect such a response so I am pleasantly surprised.

Stay tuned for a new upcoming weekly photo feature!

Until then, ask me some questions! Do it now!

Linkage

Stuff White People Like.

You had me with "#104 Girls with Bangs."

Someone's got a case of the Mondays

...but it's not me! At least not this Monday.

This Monday marks the first day in the last week and a half that I actually woke up and made it to work on time! Go me!

This Monday also marks the end of a busy weekend.

Before I get to all of that, let me take care of some business. Thanks to everyone who answered my survey! The reasons behind such questions may or may not be shared in the near future.

Also, don't forget the new polls! I personally have a habit of mentioning blogs/blog related things about once or twice a week. But that's mostly in conversation with my sister - not random people. And I also have like ten times a hundred blogs to which I contribute (well, five-ish). Again, I'm just trying to measure my level of normalcy. :)

I also just realized that I don't like including little smiley faces and such in my electronic communication yet I can't stop doing it! That annoys me! I would love to just start writing it out because it reminds me of a story Crin told me about one of her teachers seeing a semi-colon next to an end parentheses and saying "winkie face" (of course, there's a certain way to say that, you can't just read it normal - you have to say it like you are winking, that probably doesn't even make sense). Perhaps I will see if I can shun such emoticons altogether and therefore become a better person.

I keep putting off blogging about the activities of my weekend.* But I still think I'm doing a pretty good job at keeping this updated. Just think of it, you all pretty much know everything I am doing or have done in the last few days. That's weird and crazy!

Except I forgot to tell you that last night, when we were driving home, Christy was teaching me how to speak Australian. I'm pretty good at saying "petrol" and "today" right off the bat - it's the "o's" that get me. So I'm practicing the phrase, "We're gonna go to the shops to get some petrol." I'm already pretty good with "The dingo ate your baby,"** which we all know will be very helpful someday.

Alright, well, there you have it for this morning. I should be getting back to things that aren't blogging - but, never fear, there will be plenty more posts in the near future. In the meantime, answer the survey (if you haven't already - it's down a few posts) or vote at the polls. If anything, all of this polling should be getting us ready for November!

*It will happen, I promise.
**True story. A woman actually served jail time because her baby went missing and everyone thought she killed it even though she kept telling them that a dingo (wild dog) ate her baby. So she stayed in jail until someone actually picked up the case and proved that a dingo had actually stolen her baby and eaten it. Of course, most of us American's probably relate the phrase to Seinfeld.

by viewers like you

I've decided I need to be blog-validated (blogidated?) by user interaction.*

I constantly feel that my blog needs some new life breathed into it. I go to other blogs and get major blog-envy (blogvy?). I think "I want to post something funny/thought provoking/witty enough to get more than 10 comments!" or "maybe I should embrace the blog template fad and do away with my left-handed navigation bar."

Well, as a temporary fix I am going to elicit YOUR opinions. Yes, this could be considered a ploy to get more comments and therefore boost my energy enough to continue posting like a blog-maniac (blogiac?) with such gems as this and this and THIS. Or it could be considered fun and whimsical and blog-tastic (blog....um...blogtastic?)!**

So, look for some polls*** and look for questions to answer and, by all means, ANSWER THEM! I ask because I want to know. I also am stealing Heidi's idea and starting with a poll that measures how many readers I actually know in real life. I hope against hope and wish against wish that this experiment yields a good outcome.****

All of you who lurk....comment! All of you who comment....comment more! All of you not currently enjoying the awesomeness that is this blog - well, you must just lead very sheltered and unfun lives. sorry.

*probably for about a week - or until I run out of things to ask you about.
**basically, consider it fun and whimsical because it's happening whether you like it or not. :)
***three, for the time being, just over there to the left at the top of the blog...go and VOTE!
****if anything, it lead me to discover the new option of a "blog roll," which I am testing out on the left hand side (scroll down some). Not sure how I feel about the space it takes up. I might be happiest just keeping a somewhat clean blog and using google reader to show me the most recent updates. what do YOU think? keep it or kick it to the curb like so many empty pizza boxes and plaid couches?

I'm not the only one who wants to litter.

Read this excerpt from a post on Light Refreshments (link on the left side bar):

What is annoying to me is how environmentalism is everywhere and preaches to you like you’re some kind of idiot. Do you remember when NBC “went green” for a week? What, you don’t watch a lot of TV? Let me fill you in. For one entire week, the Thursday night line-up (from My Name is Earl to the Office, 30 Rock, Scrubs, and ER) talked about ways we can save the environment. Even the peacock at the bottom of the screen was all green. (Hmmm, not the color of the rainbow, but one singular color. I’m sure there’s some symbolism there). The writers wrote little sub-plots that incorporated tips for all of us common-folk to use in our daily lives. Our favorite characters talked about how much energy was saved by changing a simple light-bulb or how riding a bike or taking the bus to work saves both money and the WORLD. The entire world. It was pathetic and so heavy-handed that its infomercial script took me out of the story. (Only 30 Rock really pulled it off effortlessly, but that’s because Tina Fey’s a genius). It made me want to litter. I didn’t, but I totally thought about it.

I believe the above mentioned "green" week happened in November while I was in Utah eating Brick Oven take out and Giant Journaling with the besties. I also believe I stated more than once that I was so annoyed with the constant pressure to "go green" that it was actually having the opposite effect on me. I am pretty sure I told Miri and Megan it made me want to go outside and litter.

I'm glad I wasn't alone in my desire to do so. I think NBC missed the mark on that one if their attempt to encourage environmental awareness actually made people want to leave their homes for the sole purpose of littering as if by doing so they would be saying "Take that NBC!"

can't miss

Mike, Miri's husband, wrote a post about swords. You should read the post for context and go vote for your favorite sword as he is taking a poll. I didn't grasp before why he was taking a poll so I commented and asked...in the longest, most drawn out comment possible. I am sharing it now because I think it's funny and I don't want to lose it in the world of forgotten comments. Plus, I think I'm on to something here story-wise. haha.

also, i'm curious to know what the sword is for...it could effect my voting since they are all somewhat time/region specific choices. A pirate walking around with a medieval sword, for instance, would be a little odd. unless it was a story about a pirate in king arthur's court...which i don't think has been done. how about pirates AND ninja's in king arthur's court!? then you could use the medieval, the katana, the cutlass AND even the scimitar because every good pirate ship has a guy with a scimitar and long flowy robes. The rapier could be thrown in there as well...since the Dread Pirate Roberts was, well, a pirate. THEN, once their differences were settled, they could all go to Tucanos for dinner where they could write up a peace treaty while dining on chicken served on a CHICKEN SWORD! and if you were feeling like adding more of a modern feel to it - you could throw in a scene where someone gets their butt kicked by a guy with a towel ala Jason Bourne. Just for a little flair, ya know? You don't want to bore people.

{something} is {a vegetable}

This blog is called "Fashion is Spinach," which reminds me of the quote wall...specifically the quote, "Celery is porn."

There's an explanation and clear connection between celery and porn (you use more calories than you get when you eat celery - porn takes more from you than it gives, therefore celery is LIKE porn ergo celery IS porn). I'm curious to know how fashion is spinach? Are we talking in terms of Popeye? If we open up a can of fashion will it suddenly make us posh and glamorous? If so, where can I purchase said can? If I mix fashion with artichoke hearts and cream cheese will it too make a tres delish side dish that is yummy with chicken or steak? More importantly, does it work the other way around? Will we soon be seeing top fashion models walking down the runway in spinach-esque outfits? Will it be leafy green or frozen?

So many questions...

Funny cuz it's true.

More goodness thanks to Light Refreshments. Find more cards here.

another new blog to love and devour

Some of you may know that I lurk on quite a few blogs. They belong to people who I don't really know, but I know someone who knows them so that makes it less stalker like...at least in my head it does. One especially entertaining blog belongs to Heidi's sister Kacy. I've actually been lurking on that one for years - before the rest of us caught up to the blog-wagon. Anyway, she's funny and has the kind of random sense of humor I can relate to and now she's contributing to another blog, Light Refreshments Served. There are several entertaining bloggers located all in one convenient place. How lucky are we? It's a new site and I've been reading through the entries, but the newest entry is what made me fall in love and is what will keep me dedicated in the hopes that such important topics will be addressed in the future. Here's an excerpt:

William Carlos Williams poem, This is Just to Say

This is Just to Say
I have eaten the plums
that were in the icebox
and which
you were probably saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
They were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

It’s kind of easy and pretty fun to write your own. Here are some of mine:

This Is Just to Say
I have taken the ring
and thrown it into Mordor
You probably wanted to keep it
and use it for evil
Forgive me
It was a great ring
So pretty
and so precious

This Is Just to Say
I killed your parents when you were a baby
They were incredibly talented wizards
but they were probably going to foil my plans
for domination
At least
I didn’t kill you
even though I tried
a lot

This Is Just to Say
I’m not going to bite you
and turn you into a vampire
I know you want it bad
It’s obvious
because you aren’t very complicated
Forgive me
but you are a shallow young lady
And you need to choose your boyfriends
more carefully

Seriously. Works of poetic genius. At least according to this book-loving YA lit-addicted 20-something year old. Think about it, though. If I surround myself with English majors in real life, why wouldn't I naturally gravitate toward them in the blog-world? It's just not that far of a leap...and I have yet to encounter a more entertaining group of people.

So, I suggest keeping up with Light Refreshments and Everyday I Write the Book. It's 100% worth it.

wow i blog a lot

it's true. i do. this is post 386...on this blog alone. I have two smaller blogs and one previous blog and i post occasionally on two group blogs. I could probably go check the posts on those as well but that would be a hassle.

so as my friends are contemplating their 200th posts (yay megan and miri), I'm going to have to contemplate my 400th post. I don't know that I could stomach a list of (or sublists adding up to) 400 items. I don't think there's that much to tell about myself that hasn't already been brought up on this or any other blog. So i'll have to think of something fun. I'm sure #400 will come faster than I think it will.

New Blogs I Luuuuurve.

I've been enjoying new sites as of late (thanks to Google Reader, which I also love) many of which have to do with creative things. Here's a look.

Tangled and True. By far one of my new all time favorite sites. LOVE IT. Go and look and fall in love like me. Some examples:

Adorable. Tasty. Trendy. Helpful. Autobiographical.

Kirtsy. Previously another site - from the mind behind Design Mom (and partners). I don't even know how to go about sharing any of it with you...its amazing. Just go and look and be sucked in by the amazingness. Seriously. Just like the button says, they find all the best stuff FOR you. You go to one place and BAM you're done.

Design Mom. Very good. Fun ideas and the provider of Kirtsy. Love her ideas and love her posts.

Etsy. This one goes without explanation. All my crafting needs in one easy location. I could search it all day long and be happy as a clam. In fact, I have and I was.