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..