Why I Can't Update my Blog

Miss Thing has me pinned. What cheek!

Left Behind

No, this post isn't about the book series, or getting held back a grade in school, but about being the only one in this photo who didn't set sail this morning. Wahhhhhhh!

I drove Mike to the marina where he met Michael (hat) and Leo (no hat). They were all so excited. Like a bunch of boys setting off on an adventure. Well, and they are! They are going to have such a good time. I wished I could go. I was sad to leave and come home alone. But I'm happy that Mike is going; he's really the avid sailor. I can't think of anything about sailing that he doesn't like. Ok, maybe repairing an oil leak in the middle of the night while being tossed about on the waves and breathing gas and oil fumes isn't high on his list of Fun Things to Do on Summer Vacation, but I betcha he still prefers that to any repair work on land!

Meanwhile, I'm making a long list of all the stuff I need to get accomplished between now and Christmas and, from the length of it, I don't think I'll be bored. Not the least item is the trim on the house that still isn't painted. I hope to get all of the trim on the front of the house done for that all-important curb appeal (or at least most of it - not sure I should be climbing up on the roof to reach the highest peak when no one else is home). Besides, I LOVE the new colors and can't wait to have the house-painting completed. It's so pretty! Fresh and shiny like a new penny.

Today I'm working with a professional graphic designer, Darcy at Graphically Designing, to do a makeover on my Webajeb blog. It will probably be done in the next few days. Can't wait to unveil the New Look. It's going to put Debz Talkin' to shame. I'll just have to do a makeover here as well but I'll be doing that one myself.

Better put that on the To-Do List!

Order in the Court!

Well, dang it, I've been trying to get a chance to post an update to this blog (and my other one, too), but too many things have been getting in the way. I've got a jury summons and have to report to the court tomorrow at 8 a.m. It will either be the only day I have to go, or I'll be put on a jury (California has a one-day or one-trial term of jury duty policy).

Other stuff is happening, too. My Webajeb blog is undergoing a makeover which means I have lots of decisions to make about its new Look.

Election time is drawing near and there are a couple of things I'm involved in with regard to that (including, can you believe it, standing on the street waving signs), LOL! The "silent majority" is being advised to speak up so I'll do my part.

The Baja Ha-Ha sailing trip? The 8-week one, that got cancelled?? Well, Captain Leo is back from Texas and now wants to go! Well, we gave up our housesitters so I'm not going, but if the trip DOES get resurrected, Mike will ship out within a couple of days, so there's gonna be some heavy-duty hustle and bustle around here.

So, please be patient! I will be posting as soon as humanly possible!

I Received a Blog Award!

I'm sooooo slow getting to this (sorry, Tracy)! I received the "I Love Your Blog" award (you can see it on the left-hand side of my blog) from my blogger friend, Tracy, of Scrappin' A Latte'.

Thank you, Tracy!

Tracy is also a digital scrapbooker and we connected online because I am a scrapbooker-for-hire, and she creates awesome digital scrapbook elements. I have bought a number of items from her to use in my digital scrapbook layouts, and we read each others' blogs, too.

ANYWAY! Long way 'round of saying now that I have received the award, I get to pass it along to three of MY fave blogs, and here they are:

JUDY (aka BrizzySis) - this is my BFF who blogs about her life (which includes her two woofies) and any random thoughts float through her same-age-as-mine, interestingly-creative-type brain.

Organized, Naturally - my L.A.-area niece, Seana, who is a Gen-X neat phreak and who has created a business and blog geared toward helping those of us who are organizationally-challenged, and all in an eco-friendly way.

On the Road Again - my fave pet- and house-sitters, and my friends, Richard and Mary, who chronicle (ok, Mary writes most of it but Richard is in the photos) their travels throughout the northern hemisphere as they take excellent care of vacationer's homes and pets.

I hope you'll take a moment to check out each of their blogs, I know you'll enjoy them!

And Judy, Seana, and Mary, now you get to pass this award on to YOUR fave three blogs!

The Family that Keyboards Together

A typical evening at our house lately.

I'm at my laptop blurfing (blog surfing) or updating my own blogs:
Mike is at his computer doing something that involves GoogleEarth, math, maps, sailing, or spreadsheets: And Michael, who is here temporarily and on loan from the Luo Yang College of Technology in Luo Yang City, China, is probably writing movie reviews for Hollywire.com, and which you can read here (just look for the "Movies" link).
Yep, the boy's got a suntan! He's been working in construction for the past month or so while waiting to return to China (the visa app is in process).

So Mike and I are in the same room, each at our own desks with our computers. Michael is in the next room over. When Michael and I want to talk we send each other instant messages, lol! Oh, and we are often simultaneously chatting online with his brother, Rodrigo, in Southern Cali, and/or his girlfriend, Xiao Riu, in China.

Don't you just love modern technology?

Dang it, I've been Tagged!

I hate this tagging business that's going on in the blogging world. It's as annoying as those emails with the little questionnaires that you fill out and then forward to all your friends. Who starts these things anyway? And Why?? I almost never do them. You'll note I said "almost." If it's short enough, and I'm in a relaxed mood, and I like the person who sent it to me, then I'll participate. But I often don't forward them, instead I just send it back to the sender.

This Tag came from my sister, Kristen, who has an entirely different opinion of them. She actually LIKES them, and she says that getting tagged means you are part of the IN crowd. I've never longed to be part of the in crowd; in fact, just the opposite. I've always been sort of contrary. If everyone is doing one thing, I always go do the opposite just to be different. Of course, that hasn't won me many friends (or influenced many people) but the friends I do have are worth having 10 times as many.

Worse are the "tags" that are going around the business blogs, and often include some sort of bogus "award" that someone has made up. I will never participate in one of those - I don't believe for one minute that doing so would benefit my business or my business blog, and the time spent jumping through whatever hoops the tag requires, and then passing it on to 3, 5, or even 10 other business bloggers could be much better spent optimizing my website, working on marketing campaigns, specials or freebies, or writing my monthly newsletter (which you can subscribe to at the bottom of my website's homepage).

At any rate, Kristen, this is for you! The "Tag" is to List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections and 3 surprising facts, and then tag 3 more people. Here goes:

3 joys

My family. I rarely socialize except for a few close friends. My social life mainly revolves around my family. I hate to miss any family get-togethers, no matter what it is. I just love hanging with them, all of them, any of them!

My cats, Scout and Jack. They are my little sweethearts, my playmates, and my companions.

Semi-retirement: It’s awesome! No more office politics or stress, my time is my own, finally the chance to run my own little biz, and my boss lets me take extended vacations!


3 fears

SPIDERS. Just last week at my podiatrist’s office Dr. Denten Eldredge snatched a HUGE spider off my neck. He’s my Hero! I had to put my head down on the counter to keep from fainting, I was sick to my stomach for two hours, and I had nightmares that night. I still break out in a cold sweat whenever I think about it. (Edited on 08/24/08: please note, I arrived at Dr. Eldredge's office WITH the spider; I did NOT acquire the spider AT his office! I know this because I had walked in the door, gone straight to the check-in counter, and the spider was already on me. Dr. Eldredge's office is NOT afflicted with spiders!)

Clowns & Monkeys: they’re evil and sneaky, and I hate them.

Dogs. Especially large ones, running around with no owner in sight. I seek shelter, climb a tree, or just scream.


3 current obsessions/collections

Photos: I have thousands, and I spend a lot of time working with them, organizing them, enhancing them, emailing them, blogging with them, and of course, digital scrapbooking with them.

Crafts: my sewing machine is out and the projects are lined up. I bought more fabric today for a twin-size quilt. I also have knitting, crocheting, and scrapbooking projects in work and queued up.

Reality shows, especially Dog the Bounty Hunter, Jon and Kate Plus 8, and Little People, Big World. What can I say? I love peeking into other people's lives.


3 surprising facts

I got caught shoplifting when I was about 10 years old. I stole a paperback book called “Sara Smiled” from Sav-On Drug Store in Redondo Beach, CA. The store employees scared the s*@t out of me by threatening to send me to jail, then said they’d just call my mom and dad instead. I was in terror of that phone call for days, but as far as I know they never called. But you can bet I never stole anything else!

I almost never answer my “land-line” telephone here at home anymore. Nine calls out of ten are telemarketers, surveys, political messages, or a scam. So, take note, friends and family – if you want to call me use my cell phone number! Oh, and I don’t answer the door either.

I am physically unable to vomit, even when I really, really want to. The only exception was a very bad case of food poisoning.

Now I'm supposed to tag three more people but I'm going to be contrary and only tag two: Judy and Kirsten.

Ya Gotta Click the Links

I was reading my niece, Heather's, blog yesterday and when I was done ooh-ing and ah-ing over baby Ryan's latest photos I did something I don't often do. I checked out the blogs she has listed and, whoa, I found two of her sisters now have blogs, and no one told me!

Thanks a lot, you Marshall girls, for creating blogs and not telling me! And even worse, one of them, JESSICA, has been reading MY blog but she's never told me she reads it, and she's never left me a comment either. She's sneaking around reading my blog! Makes me wonder how many other people are doing the same. It's creepy! So, listen up, people; leave me a comment when you visit! Or don't. I know, lurkers are people, too.

So now I've put links to their blogs on this one. Jessica's is First of Four (I assume because she's the first of the four Marshall girls). And Kirsten's is Just Me Kirsten.

That leaves just Megan as the lone Marshall sister without a blog. At least I don't think she has one. Wait, I better go click the rest of the links on Heather's blog, and oh, yeah, the ones that Jessica has, and Kirsten, if she has any....

This is how I spend so much time reading blogs. It's truly addicting.

Blogaholic

Is there a 12-step program for people addicted to blogs? That would be me! I can spend (literally) hours every day reading blogs, leaving comments, following any and all links in the blogs, which usually take me to other blogs with fun posts and links to follow, and so on and so on! My bloglines list is nearing 40 blogs now and growing rapidly. Nothing is more exciting than hearing that little "ding!" that bloglines makes every time one of the blogs I subscribe to is updated with a new post. I drop what I'm doing and rush over to see what's new, lol!

Most of the blogs I follow are written by women who love the same thinks I do -- whether it's scrapbooking, cardmaking, sewing, quilting, cross-stitch, knitting, photography, etc. Some of them are written by members of my family; blogs are a great way to stay in touch with family and friends and share photos.

My latest blog find is "Just for You by Jenn," which I found via Lisa Leonard's blog (another great read & you've GOT to check out the jewelry she creates)! Jenn yet another talented lady. She's a Stampin' Up demonstrator/seller and she makes the coolest greeting cards!She's also running a contest and all you have to do is read her blog and leave a comment on it to be entered in the random drawing for a free set of Stampin' Up stamps (shown above). So hurry over there and check it out!