Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Warning - Many Hyperlinks!

My blog - guru Carabee, curator of "Land of Bean", has "tagged" me. Once again, my shameful newness to this not-so-new world of blogging becomes painfully evident. As directed, I visited her site (which I was totally about to do anyway, as it is part of my computer routine). Apparently, this is sort of like chain mail** and is a way to a) get more people to read your blog, and b) tell your current readers about new blogs. Honestly, I am a little gun-shy about both of these things. Many folks tell me they enjoy my blog, but they are usually related to me, or drinking a lot of beer with me (or both). I fear telling complete strangers to check out my blog. Also, I read only two blogs religiously: Cara's blog, and Jennsylvania, which is done by a "professional blogger" who already has a ton of readers (she gets like 500 comments on average, and would be unlikely to participate in said tagging.) It turns out I am very picky about blogs, and have found a few I like (Cara tagged another one, Blah Blah BLOG). However, there are MANY blogs which do not interest me. Despite this, I did some (eek! 4 hour!) research to find bloggers worthy of being tagged. I am sure there are more.

So, without further ado, the rules:
1. Link the person who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours…
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them…
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

Parts 1 & 2 are easy. I link to Cara's site all the time, and I am equipped with many quirks. Here are six I thought of most readily - how this is going to get more people to read my blog is beyond me:

#1 - I have always liked well-starched sheets. This is because I like to fold the sheet and rub the base of my fingernail against the sharp edge. I especially like it when the skin has pulled away for some reason or another. Is this too weird?? Perhaps this quirk is too quirky…

#2 - Some people enjoy fresh fruit or sugar on their cereal. I enjoy those things, but for an extra-special (high calorie) treat, I like peanut butter on Cheerios. Do not knock it until you’ve tried it.

#3 - I HATE reality TV. Because it is the only thing on (I also do not get cable), I have been watching “Last Comic Standing” and “America’s Got Talent” on occasion. Can I just watch an hour of comedians doing standup?? Please? Why do I need to know the back story about how they all get along living in a house together? Ironically, while researching for part 4 of “the rules”, I found a convincing blog entry on “How Reality TV Can Make You a Better Person”. The best part for me is that others have endured the reality TV, and imparted the lessons in this concise article.

#4 - As a child, I ate the following items: Lebanon baloney, bread, cereal, blueberry yogurt, spaghetti without sauce (but with Parmesan), most fruits except pears and plums, carrots, and corn, peanut butter and jelly. Nothing else. I was a joy, and my mom carried an “emergency” PB&J in her purse in case we had to eat at some exotic place like McDonalds.

#5 - Many girls my age developed crushes on actors like Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, and Johnny Depp. I liked all of them, but I also had huge crushes on…I am still almost too embarrassed to say it….Dana Carvey and Alan Alda (in his MASH) years. I can only justify this by the fact that Adam very faintly resembles Dana Carvey….I cannot explain my love for Alan Alda other than to say that it was more a love for Hawkeye Pierce - a fun loving, yet smart guy.

#6 - When I get stuck on a problem, I have to pee. I guess it started as a way to procrastinate when I was supposed to be doing homework, but it is accompanied with, well, you know what it feels like when you have to pee. When I have a tough detail to figure out at work, I may frequent the bathroom as much as 4 times an hour.


And now, the blogs I found which were actually worth reading. (There are MANY in other languages, or dedicated to pictures of family members, or full of grammatical errors/religious righteousness. I found the most effective way to search was to click on the links in my profile under "Interests". It is amazing the diversity one may find, despite using a common interest to start the search.)

1. The Wind in Your Vagina - Ironically written by a stay at home Dad, better known in his blog as "Black Hockey Jesus".

2. The Ginger Files - I was originally drawn to her by the Fraggle she uses as a self photo. She loves Reality TV, but I think we could still be friends. I also enjoyed many of the blogs she links on her home page.

3. Catholic Girl in Sin City - I can relate.

4. Mission Improvisational - Can make buying a mattress into a hilarious tale!

5. You only live once - Small town girl who writes poetry. And her URL is "Making Bored People Mad" - how great is that?

6. Strange in the City - A lot like my blog actually...only this girl lives in NYC so there's a little more to write about.


**I wonder if the new generation even knows what that is?? Really, my teenage cousin asked me how those rotary phones worked once..

6 comments:

CaraBee said...

I am so with you on the reality TV business! I HATE it with a passion. That said, I love My Life on the D-List with Kathy Griffin and Gene Simmons Family Jewels. But other than that...

Danielle Filas said...

We share the shameful Alan Alda As Hawkeye addiction. But I can one-up you... my first crush? William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship ((Shatner-esque pause)) Enterprise.
In my defense, immediately after that crush, my feminine attention turned to a much more defensible Harrison Ford as Han Solo. (Who's scruffy looking? You're scruffy looking! And I'm just the gal to give you a bath! ... uh oh... too much too soon? Sorry.)

evenwhenimhappy said...

You're a riot! I'm glad you like my blogs. I've been here and there with writing everything I think but for the most part I just love to write. I think it's nice to be able to just say it how it is~ I'm not too swift on the tagging and what not but I'll try to figure it out:) Thanks, Cara

Mel said...

Thanks for the kind words. Just to defend my honor somewhat, I AM choosy about which reality shows I watch and I tend to gravitate ones that focus on creativity rather than getting laid.

And Alan Alda WAS dreamy on MASH. To be quite honest with you, he's still not bad!

NICKI said...

Wow, who knew so many gals liked Alan Alda? But my first crush?? Billy Joel. I was thrilled that Christie Brinkley was a celebrity I most resembled because I was sooo jealous of her. And am still a little mad she ended up rejecting my Billy.

Lori said...

So with you on reality tv! Between that and all the movie sequels I worry as a race we are completely out of new ideas. Won't stop me from running out to see Batman 24 when it comes out though...

Glad you enjoy my blog, like Cara up there, I just like to write and get stuff out of my brain.