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!

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.

Poll Results!

I'll probably keep the first poll up for a bit longer, but here are the results of the other two.

My blog template shall remain the same today, tomorrow and until I tire of it and make only changes slight enough for me to really notice them. Yay for democracy agreeing with my OCD/stubborness!

My lack of capitalization (which was actually pardoned by Miri, therefore it is deemed acceptable in my mind) and punctuation will remain random and sporadic because there was no decisive ending to this particular poll. 3 yes, 3 no, 3 sometimes and 2 don't care. It's good to know this is not a pressing issue in the blog world.

Now, have fun voting in two NEW polls!

**After this week, the polling feature won't be as common - so please don't get too stressed. :)

Interactive Blogging - Stage 2

So, I've set polls in place. They won't be open as long as they say they will since I want to get some more questions answered via polls. So be on the lookout for new, fun questions!

Now, for Stage 2 of this little experiment. Well, it's technically Stage 3 because I started Stage 2 with my previous post but I'll just go ahead and explain them both.

Stage 2 - I want to try and include more "real-time" photos on my blog. I always get a little sad and think, "I need to TRAVEL somewhere or have an activity so I'll have a new batch of pictures to share on my blog!" But really, my life is always busy busy busy...so why not take pictures of things I am doing RIGHT NOW? I'm pretty sure this new aspect of my blogging will rock your world. Seriously. Maybe you should all invest in helmets for safety purposes.

Now. Stage 3 - Ever wonder where those surveys and memes come from? Who on earth thought up those questions? Why did they take the time? Do people really want to know what color pants I'm wearing right now and whether or not they have pockets? I'm pretty sure the answer is no because what if you aren't wearing ANY pants? I don't want that idea going through my head all day.

So basically we all take part in those things when we are bored or out of some sense of obligation. We all know this is true. Now that we've acknowledged and embraced this fact, let's move on.

I think about a lot of things. I ask the people around me for opinions and I have even been known to blog about them to try and sort things out. But, I'm going to do a series of survey type thingies this week in an effort to answer some of the questions I've been thinking about AND to get all of you involved! Doesn't that sound like great fun!?! I know it's really a vicious circle I'm starting because most of you will answer these surveys because you are bored and/or feel obligated, but I don't care. All I can do is promise I won't be asking you where your cell phone is sitting right now or what color your toothbrush is. These will hopefully be a little more insightful.

AND! Maybe you will all get to know each other better as well! Won't THAT be fun?!** Yes. It will. So, the first survey should be posted by the end of the day. I'm planning a three-part photo survey that should be interesting as well. Look for that next week!

Oh! Aren't you glad there's so many things to look forward to?

**notice my over-use of exclamation marks in an attempt to make you believe that this really will be ever so much fun.

polling fun - now with more updates!

I am most interested to see how this capitalization question turns out. Although I'm not looking forward to having to change my ways.

Is anyone else having problems voting in the poll? Crinners - maybe it's your browser or settings? I don't really no. If it still doesn't work you can answer via comment and I will vote for you. :)

After reading Lili's sister's blog (Emily) about growing wheat grass - I totally want to go for it. I've been trying to figure out what plant to have at my office - something that grows a lot and is hard to kill. I like the idea of having a happy little patch of grass and it's so clean and fresh looking. Now I just need to find an awesome container to grow it in.

Alright, that was a tangent. You will be getting a lot of those throughout this process...I'm a very tangent-y person.

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one person got here by accident. awesome.

also, the options of "no," "yes" and "sometimes" are not good for a poll. right now it's a three-way tie for the lower case stuff. that pretty much leaves me where i left off.

also again, i'm happy you all think my blog layout suits me because a REALLY did not want to change it.

also - i like the answers to the polls - but i suppose my next challenge will be getting people to comment. there are actually fewer comments on these last few posts. haha. awesome.

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you know what the best part is? guessing who answered what to my polling questions.

like i'm fairly certain miri will say/has said that my lack of appropriate capitalization and punctuation annoys her. i knew this to be true when i asked the question.

on the other hand, i'm also fairly certain mike could care less. am i wrong on that one?

i also like how i chose to go ee cummings on this post which actually talks about my lack of correctness. wahoo.

Coming up in the next week of blog-interactivies (blogtivities?), Future polling questions:

• What's your favorite blog-combo word?
• How often do you refer to a blog or blog related topics in real conversation?
• How many blogs do you feel one blogger should participate in/author?
• Why doesn't everyone blog? Everyone SHOULD blog.
• How annoyed are you with the word "blog"? Like ten times a thousand.

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?