Just wanted to share my newest blog "discovery." Stephen Hayes writes wonderfully entertaining tales over at The Chubby Chatterbox.
Get yourself a fresh cup of coffee, then click on the link to drop in, make yourself comfortable, and stay awhile. I think you'll like it there!
Showing posts with label Friday Features. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friday Features. Show all posts
Friday, March 16, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Friday Feature - Free Range Kids
It's been months since I've done a "Friday Feature." But this blog is a good one, and I want all of you with kids or grandkids to go read some of it, so here's my "shout-out" about it:
I've been reading the Free Range Kids blog a lot, lately, because it has helped me to "let go" of my kids a bit more, and, more importantly, to let go of the irrational fear that previously accompanied any "letting go" that I did.
We are fed a steady news diet of scary stories about kids who are abducted, molested, and/or killed. We are also fed a steady advertising diet of new "safety" products that the advertisers tell us are absolutely essential to keep our children safe in our apparently completely unsafe world.
Parents have become afraid to let their kids out of sight. They have become "helicopter parents," monitoring every move their kids make, driving the kids everywhere they go, hanging around at every kid birthday party, interfering in every activity their kids engage in ... They buy their 8 year olds cell phones so the kids can call them... why, exactly? Presumably so they can call "if there's any trouble." But the only time the kids are even out of sight, typically, is at school... where, usually, cell phones are not allowed!
All this, despite the fact that, statistically, kids are safer now than at any prior time in history.
I remember, as a 10 year old child, riding my bike along a fairly major street, without a helmet or other safety gear, several miles to the school I attended. My parents were gone when I left the house, and still gone (at work or school) when I returned home. I was a "latch key" kid, I guess. But I didn't feel neglected so much as empowered.
My parents gave me enough money to ride the city bus to and from school each day, and some days I did, but I learned quickly that if I'd ride my bike, I could use the money for other things, like soda, ice cream, comic books, toys, movies, and more.
I remember after school and weekends and summers being allowed to roam free with my friends after school and again after dinner for hours at a time without so much as checking in, and the only rule was I had to be home by dark, which in Florida in the summer was 9 or 10 p.m.
Sometimes we pushed that a bit. It would be *really* dark... Sometimes I ignored my mom calling for me from the door of our house. I'd get yelled at when I got home, those nights, and a lecture about how she was worried about me, but it didn't stop her from letting me play with my friends other nights.
We'd ride our bikes after school and on weekends for miles and hours - without helmets, knee or elbow pads, or other safety gear.
I rode my bike a couple miles past my school to a farm on the outskirts of town to take horse riding lessons each week. By myself. And then rode home again.
We'd count our pennies and dimes, and when we had enough of them, we'd ride to the movie theatre and see "Rocky" or "The Bad News Bears" or whatever else was new and exciting.
We'd go to the local 7-11 and buy comics and candy, then hang out at one of our houses eating and reading.
I'd climb to the top of the best climbing tree in my yard - the one with lots of branches close together - and watch the people and cars pass by below, smiling because they didn't know I was there. I fell once, climbing down. Knocked the wind out of me and got a few bruises, but I didn't complain -- didn't want to be banned from tree-climbing.
I'd often go to friends' houses who had moved to other neighborhoods. Sometimes my parents would be so kind as to give me a ride; usually they told me to ride my bike -- it was only a couple of miles.
My friends and I would dig up bugs in the yard, and we learned the hard way that the beautiful large furry red ants were not actually ants but wasps.
We'd go for ice cream at the Baskin-Robbins and sample all 31 flavors before deciding which one to buy. I'm sure the employees hated us, but we had a blast.
We'd walk to the nearby park playground and play, for hours at a time, unaccompanied by any adults, on the merry-go-round, see-saws, and other play equipment that is now considered "too dangerous" and has been removed from most playgrounds across the country.
Schools had playgrounds back then, too - and they generally were not fenced in and locked off, but were open on weekends and summers for community kids to use.
We'd walk to the public swimming pool unaccompanied and swim for hours. If you passed the test (swim this far, tread water for this long...), you'd be issued a card that said you could go in the deep end of the pool even though your parents weren't there. You had to pass the test, because you wanted to jump off the high dive which, of course, was in the deep end of the pool.
All of this was when I lived in Florida. I moved from there the summer I turned 12.
When I was young, I flew often, alone, to visit grandparents, aunts / uncles, and other relatives. I started with non-stop flights and people meeting me at the gates, and worked my way up to changing planes and even changing airlines on occasion, and meeting folks at the baggage claim area.
When I was 17, I drove from Virginia to Alabama and back on my own in my 1965 Mustang (which I've written about previously, here), with nothing more than a map to help me navigate. This was before the days of cell phones and GPS systems. Fortunately, in the good ol' USA, you can go most anywhere just by following the signs on the interstate highways, as long as you know the major cities along the way.
These days, I worry that I'd be arrested for child neglect or endangerment if I let my kids do half the things I did as a kid.
I love the Free Range Kids blog, because it supports what I think is my better impulse, to allow my kids the same freedom to explore, to grow, and to develop self-confidence that I was given.
Too many kids these days reach adulthood without knowing how to navigate to their local convenience store alone, much less across the country by plane or auto. This needs to change. Kids are more competent than most people give them credit for.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not "anti-safety." I'm not advocating abandoning bike helmets or car seats. These are useful safety precautions that do not impede everyday life.
I am, however, increasingly frustrated with our society's infantilization of kids. Kids should be expected and allowed to develop appropriately, which includes developing self-reliance and the confidence to navigate, by themselves, in the world.
I recognize that some of the activities advocated on the Free Range Kids blog may be outside your comfort zone. I'm not advocating that you go straight from telling your 8 year old that she can't go outside without you to sending her across New York City on the subway unaccompanied. That would probably freak her out, anyway.
I am also not advocating that you send your child out to ride her bike in the street if you live on a major highway or in gangland central.
But for the vast majority of my readers who likely live somewhere in a decent urban, suburban, or even small town neighborhood, your kids will be fine if they ride their bike down the street, or walk the dog a few blocks without you. Try it! Once they get past feeling terrified by this new freedom, they will love the feeling that you trust them and that they can do it on their own.
I am, quite simply, advocating incremental change. Change toward allowing our children more freedom and responsibility, and trusting that they can handle it and will not suffer for it.
Read the blog. Teach your kids how to stay safe (hint: it's not about running from all strangers, but about knowing which neighbors you can trust and which ones are "creepy" and avoiding the "creepy" ones; it's not about staying on the sidewalk or in your yard at all times, but about learning how to cross the street safely).
Then trust your kids more and give them some well-deserved freedom.
I've been reading the Free Range Kids blog a lot, lately, because it has helped me to "let go" of my kids a bit more, and, more importantly, to let go of the irrational fear that previously accompanied any "letting go" that I did.
We are fed a steady news diet of scary stories about kids who are abducted, molested, and/or killed. We are also fed a steady advertising diet of new "safety" products that the advertisers tell us are absolutely essential to keep our children safe in our apparently completely unsafe world.
Parents have become afraid to let their kids out of sight. They have become "helicopter parents," monitoring every move their kids make, driving the kids everywhere they go, hanging around at every kid birthday party, interfering in every activity their kids engage in ... They buy their 8 year olds cell phones so the kids can call them... why, exactly? Presumably so they can call "if there's any trouble." But the only time the kids are even out of sight, typically, is at school... where, usually, cell phones are not allowed!
All this, despite the fact that, statistically, kids are safer now than at any prior time in history.
I remember, as a 10 year old child, riding my bike along a fairly major street, without a helmet or other safety gear, several miles to the school I attended. My parents were gone when I left the house, and still gone (at work or school) when I returned home. I was a "latch key" kid, I guess. But I didn't feel neglected so much as empowered.
My parents gave me enough money to ride the city bus to and from school each day, and some days I did, but I learned quickly that if I'd ride my bike, I could use the money for other things, like soda, ice cream, comic books, toys, movies, and more.
I remember after school and weekends and summers being allowed to roam free with my friends after school and again after dinner for hours at a time without so much as checking in, and the only rule was I had to be home by dark, which in Florida in the summer was 9 or 10 p.m.
Sometimes we pushed that a bit. It would be *really* dark... Sometimes I ignored my mom calling for me from the door of our house. I'd get yelled at when I got home, those nights, and a lecture about how she was worried about me, but it didn't stop her from letting me play with my friends other nights.
We'd ride our bikes after school and on weekends for miles and hours - without helmets, knee or elbow pads, or other safety gear.
I rode my bike a couple miles past my school to a farm on the outskirts of town to take horse riding lessons each week. By myself. And then rode home again.
We'd count our pennies and dimes, and when we had enough of them, we'd ride to the movie theatre and see "Rocky" or "The Bad News Bears" or whatever else was new and exciting.
We'd go to the local 7-11 and buy comics and candy, then hang out at one of our houses eating and reading.
I'd climb to the top of the best climbing tree in my yard - the one with lots of branches close together - and watch the people and cars pass by below, smiling because they didn't know I was there. I fell once, climbing down. Knocked the wind out of me and got a few bruises, but I didn't complain -- didn't want to be banned from tree-climbing.
I'd often go to friends' houses who had moved to other neighborhoods. Sometimes my parents would be so kind as to give me a ride; usually they told me to ride my bike -- it was only a couple of miles.
My friends and I would dig up bugs in the yard, and we learned the hard way that the beautiful large furry red ants were not actually ants but wasps.
We'd go for ice cream at the Baskin-Robbins and sample all 31 flavors before deciding which one to buy. I'm sure the employees hated us, but we had a blast.
We'd walk to the nearby park playground and play, for hours at a time, unaccompanied by any adults, on the merry-go-round, see-saws, and other play equipment that is now considered "too dangerous" and has been removed from most playgrounds across the country.
Schools had playgrounds back then, too - and they generally were not fenced in and locked off, but were open on weekends and summers for community kids to use.
We'd walk to the public swimming pool unaccompanied and swim for hours. If you passed the test (swim this far, tread water for this long...), you'd be issued a card that said you could go in the deep end of the pool even though your parents weren't there. You had to pass the test, because you wanted to jump off the high dive which, of course, was in the deep end of the pool.
All of this was when I lived in Florida. I moved from there the summer I turned 12.
When I was young, I flew often, alone, to visit grandparents, aunts / uncles, and other relatives. I started with non-stop flights and people meeting me at the gates, and worked my way up to changing planes and even changing airlines on occasion, and meeting folks at the baggage claim area.
When I was 17, I drove from Virginia to Alabama and back on my own in my 1965 Mustang (which I've written about previously, here), with nothing more than a map to help me navigate. This was before the days of cell phones and GPS systems. Fortunately, in the good ol' USA, you can go most anywhere just by following the signs on the interstate highways, as long as you know the major cities along the way.
These days, I worry that I'd be arrested for child neglect or endangerment if I let my kids do half the things I did as a kid.
I love the Free Range Kids blog, because it supports what I think is my better impulse, to allow my kids the same freedom to explore, to grow, and to develop self-confidence that I was given.
Too many kids these days reach adulthood without knowing how to navigate to their local convenience store alone, much less across the country by plane or auto. This needs to change. Kids are more competent than most people give them credit for.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not "anti-safety." I'm not advocating abandoning bike helmets or car seats. These are useful safety precautions that do not impede everyday life.
I am, however, increasingly frustrated with our society's infantilization of kids. Kids should be expected and allowed to develop appropriately, which includes developing self-reliance and the confidence to navigate, by themselves, in the world.
I recognize that some of the activities advocated on the Free Range Kids blog may be outside your comfort zone. I'm not advocating that you go straight from telling your 8 year old that she can't go outside without you to sending her across New York City on the subway unaccompanied. That would probably freak her out, anyway.
I am also not advocating that you send your child out to ride her bike in the street if you live on a major highway or in gangland central.
But for the vast majority of my readers who likely live somewhere in a decent urban, suburban, or even small town neighborhood, your kids will be fine if they ride their bike down the street, or walk the dog a few blocks without you. Try it! Once they get past feeling terrified by this new freedom, they will love the feeling that you trust them and that they can do it on their own.
I am, quite simply, advocating incremental change. Change toward allowing our children more freedom and responsibility, and trusting that they can handle it and will not suffer for it.
Read the blog. Teach your kids how to stay safe (hint: it's not about running from all strangers, but about knowing which neighbors you can trust and which ones are "creepy" and avoiding the "creepy" ones; it's not about staying on the sidewalk or in your yard at all times, but about learning how to cross the street safely).
Then trust your kids more and give them some well-deserved freedom.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday Feature - Throo Da Looking Glass
I often check in at "Best Posts of the Week," scroll through the listings, and click on anything that sounds interesting. I rarely read all the posts in any given week - there are too many, usually - but I always stop in and read some of them. So this is a shout-out for BPOTW, as well as for my featured blog. It's fun to see what's out there, and I often discover new blogs I like.
This past weekend, I discovered a new favorite blog: Throo Da Looking Glass. It features gorgeous and interesting photographs, generally one per day, with usually minimal, but insightful, commentary. It's exactly what I need some days -- a few moments of beauty to brighten my outlook.
Check it out!
This past weekend, I discovered a new favorite blog: Throo Da Looking Glass. It features gorgeous and interesting photographs, generally one per day, with usually minimal, but insightful, commentary. It's exactly what I need some days -- a few moments of beauty to brighten my outlook.
Check it out!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Friday Feature - Women: We Shall Overcome
A couple of days ago, I was practically begging for you all to stick around, heaping piles of praise onto you all for being such great bloggers and doing such a fine job entertaining me. But today, I'm sending you away. I want you to go check out a blog I enjoy -- "Women: We Shall Overcome," written by Lola, who always sends her infinities of love, except when she just sends her love.
She's quirky and fun, and has a good sense of humor which will keep you smiling even when she's ranting or complaining, which isn't all that often (even though she has plenty she *could* complain about) -- you're more likely to find a book or movie review or an interesting tale or a funny joke. I like Lola because she is one of those bloggers who shares her inner thoughts, her life ... a bit of herself ... along with her opinions and musings.
Here is her own description: "I'm a Dog fearin' dyslexic Christian woman in the middle of a surprise divorce after 30 years of marriage. Maybe my husband didn't want me anymore because I had that little surgery that makes me look so much like Johnny Depp."
She doesn't post daily - usually just a couple of times per week - so if you are looking for someone to entertain you every single day, this is not the place for you. But she has a unique voice, interesting perspectives, and a fun outlook that I look forward to reading. Here are a few posts I've particularly enjoyed:
"I'm a Loser Baby So Why Don'tcha Kill Me"
"Curtain Rods: Priceless"
"My Kid Could Paint That"
OK, so go away now and read a few posts by Lola, and then stop back by and let me know what you think.
Happy Friday, dear bloggy friends, Happy Friday.
She's quirky and fun, and has a good sense of humor which will keep you smiling even when she's ranting or complaining, which isn't all that often (even though she has plenty she *could* complain about) -- you're more likely to find a book or movie review or an interesting tale or a funny joke. I like Lola because she is one of those bloggers who shares her inner thoughts, her life ... a bit of herself ... along with her opinions and musings.
Here is her own description: "I'm a Dog fearin' dyslexic Christian woman in the middle of a surprise divorce after 30 years of marriage. Maybe my husband didn't want me anymore because I had that little surgery that makes me look so much like Johnny Depp."
She doesn't post daily - usually just a couple of times per week - so if you are looking for someone to entertain you every single day, this is not the place for you. But she has a unique voice, interesting perspectives, and a fun outlook that I look forward to reading. Here are a few posts I've particularly enjoyed:
"I'm a Loser Baby So Why Don'tcha Kill Me"
"Curtain Rods: Priceless"
"My Kid Could Paint That"
OK, so go away now and read a few posts by Lola, and then stop back by and let me know what you think.
Happy Friday, dear bloggy friends, Happy Friday.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Friday Feature - Workforced
For a while, I was posting "Friday Features" every week, in which I spotlighted other blogs that I love. I gave it up because I wasn't getting many comments so I thought perhaps it wasn't a very popular feature and that no one really cared which blogs I love. Or maybe you all were already reading them and didn't need my recommendations.
Recently, I've posted some "Friday Funnies" - trying to amuse my readers.
This week, I'm posting a Friday Feature that's guaranteed to make you smile. Sort of a "Friday Featured Funny Blog" or something like that. You may already know this blog. But if you haven't already heard of it (or even if you have), pop on over and check out Workforced. You won't regret it.
Don't worry. I'll wait patiently for you to read awhile (seriously -- read through some older posts, as well as today's!) and then come back.
* * * * * * *
Oh, good, there you are! Thought I might not see you again once you discovered Don Joe's wonderfully hilarious blog . . .
Welcome back!
* * * * * * *
Every time I read Workforced, it makes me glad (again) that I left the world of working for others to start my own business.
Sadly, the economy is having an awful effect on the number of clients who pay me, and thus on my income. I may have to return to the world of working for others who can pay me a salary, rather than spending my days trying to get blood from turnips who won't or can't pay their legal bills. If I do return to the corporate working world, I hope I can approach it with the same humor that Don Joe over at Workforced displays. Otherwise, I'll surely go mad within a month!
Happy Friday, my bloggy friends, Happy Friday!
Recently, I've posted some "Friday Funnies" - trying to amuse my readers.
This week, I'm posting a Friday Feature that's guaranteed to make you smile. Sort of a "Friday Featured Funny Blog" or something like that. You may already know this blog. But if you haven't already heard of it (or even if you have), pop on over and check out Workforced. You won't regret it.
Don't worry. I'll wait patiently for you to read awhile (seriously -- read through some older posts, as well as today's!) and then come back.
* * * * * * *
Oh, good, there you are! Thought I might not see you again once you discovered Don Joe's wonderfully hilarious blog . . .
Welcome back!
* * * * * * *
Every time I read Workforced, it makes me glad (again) that I left the world of working for others to start my own business.
Sadly, the economy is having an awful effect on the number of clients who pay me, and thus on my income. I may have to return to the world of working for others who can pay me a salary, rather than spending my days trying to get blood from turnips who won't or can't pay their legal bills. If I do return to the corporate working world, I hope I can approach it with the same humor that Don Joe over at Workforced displays. Otherwise, I'll surely go mad within a month!
Happy Friday, my bloggy friends, Happy Friday!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Friday Feature - i am bossy
Today's Friday Feature - extremely late, I might add (sorry, bossy) is i am bossy. Her blog is just plain fun.
Check out her fun features in the sidebar (featured gay, poverty party, favorite things), fun attitude, and fun topics.
I'll post late again tomorrow, in the hopes that everyone will have a chance to read this and drop by bossy's blog.
Happy reading, bossy friends, happy reading!
Check out her fun features in the sidebar (featured gay, poverty party, favorite things), fun attitude, and fun topics.
I'll post late again tomorrow, in the hopes that everyone will have a chance to read this and drop by bossy's blog.
Happy reading, bossy friends, happy reading!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday Feature - Everything I Like Causes Cancer
This week's Friday Featured blogger is Gwen, over at Everything I Like Causes Cancer. I love her sense of style, her sense of humor (seriously, who else do you know that can make you laugh that much about a near-death experience?), and her good sense in general.
Plus, she's practically drenched in awesomesauce.
Most of my readers already know Gwen, but in case there are two or three of you who haven't met her, head on over. I'm sure she'll invite you in and ask you to stay awhile! And you won't be able to resist stopping in over and over again after that.
Happy reading, stylish and funny ones, happy reading!
Plus, she's practically drenched in awesomesauce.
Most of my readers already know Gwen, but in case there are two or three of you who haven't met her, head on over. I'm sure she'll invite you in and ask you to stay awhile! And you won't be able to resist stopping in over and over again after that.
Happy reading, stylish and funny ones, happy reading!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday Feature -- Hollywood: Where Hot Comes to Die
It's Friday the 13th. Do you believe that it is an unlucky day?
I drove buses for 3 years in college and had more safety awards than any other driver - never got into an accident. I did have two "half-accidents" though - dinged a mirror on a pole once, and caught the side of the back tire against the corner of a retaining wall while going around a really tight turn another time. They each happened on a Friday that happened to be the 13th day of the month.
So, for a while I was superstitious about Friday the 13th, started thinking I should be extra careful on those days.
Then I got over it.
Today's featured blogger is Suzy Soro over at Hollywood: Where HOT Comes To Die. I enjoy her offbeat humor and whacky topics. I picked her for today because she currently is in 13th place for "Best Humor Blog" in the Bloggers Choice Awards.
Go check out her blog and, if you like what you see, head over to Blogger's Choice and vote for her!
I drove buses for 3 years in college and had more safety awards than any other driver - never got into an accident. I did have two "half-accidents" though - dinged a mirror on a pole once, and caught the side of the back tire against the corner of a retaining wall while going around a really tight turn another time. They each happened on a Friday that happened to be the 13th day of the month.
So, for a while I was superstitious about Friday the 13th, started thinking I should be extra careful on those days.
Then I got over it.
Today's featured blogger is Suzy Soro over at Hollywood: Where HOT Comes To Die. I enjoy her offbeat humor and whacky topics. I picked her for today because she currently is in 13th place for "Best Humor Blog" in the Bloggers Choice Awards.
Go check out her blog and, if you like what you see, head over to Blogger's Choice and vote for her!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Friday Feature - The Verdant Dude (formerly known as the Bug-Eyed Blog...)
We interrupt the "Poppin' Fresh" story in progress to bring you another installment of the acclaimed "Friday Feature" series here on LegalMist.
Most or all of you know B.E. Earl and his blog, "The Verdant Dude" (formerly known as "The Bug-Eyed Blog"). But if you haven't met him yet, you should.
B.E. Earl does a lot of movie reviews, which I enjoy since they are almost always movies I haven't seen. I like reading his "take" on them. For example, I generally don't like horror films at all, but B.E. Earl makes them sound interesting, so it's fun to read about them. I've gained a new appreciation for what it is that some folks like about them, even though I still have no desire to see most of them. Does that make sense? Yeah, maybe I'm just strange.
He also reviews restaurants, beer, concerts, and other fun stuff, interspersed with interesting videos, funny items found around the web, sports commentary, and stories about his cats, among other recent topics. He has an awesome tatoo. And he's so in love with his gal Gia, you can just feel it in the posts when he writes about her, but without being sickly sweet or annoying about it. I like that about him.
This week, he's had some thoughtful / philosophical posts that I've really enjoyed (here and here), about whether it is possible to separate the artist from the art. If an artist does something heinous or holds a political view that you dislike intensely, is it possible to still love his or her art? Should you refrain from enjoying the art based on the principle of not supporting the awful actions or views of the artist? I enjoyed reading the posts and commenting, and then reading what other bloggers had to say in the comments, too.
B.E. Earl uses some off-color language sometimes, and very occasionally posts some material that, depending on your boss, may not be safe for work, but it's pretty rare.
And B.E. Earl also hosts a daily trivia challenge, with daily winners and monthly champs. I'm pretty crappy at most of his topics, but it's fun to play along.
He posts every day, or close to it, and so this month he is officially my hero (along with That Blue Yak, who also posts nearly every day and sometimes twice a day).
If you haven't yet read B.E. Earl's blog, The Verdant Dude, go now and check it out.
Just make sure you don't beat me in the trivia challenge, or I'll be sorry I invited you to the party...
Happy Friday, my competitive friends, happy Friday!
Most or all of you know B.E. Earl and his blog, "The Verdant Dude" (formerly known as "The Bug-Eyed Blog"). But if you haven't met him yet, you should.
B.E. Earl does a lot of movie reviews, which I enjoy since they are almost always movies I haven't seen. I like reading his "take" on them. For example, I generally don't like horror films at all, but B.E. Earl makes them sound interesting, so it's fun to read about them. I've gained a new appreciation for what it is that some folks like about them, even though I still have no desire to see most of them. Does that make sense? Yeah, maybe I'm just strange.
He also reviews restaurants, beer, concerts, and other fun stuff, interspersed with interesting videos, funny items found around the web, sports commentary, and stories about his cats, among other recent topics. He has an awesome tatoo. And he's so in love with his gal Gia, you can just feel it in the posts when he writes about her, but without being sickly sweet or annoying about it. I like that about him.
This week, he's had some thoughtful / philosophical posts that I've really enjoyed (here and here), about whether it is possible to separate the artist from the art. If an artist does something heinous or holds a political view that you dislike intensely, is it possible to still love his or her art? Should you refrain from enjoying the art based on the principle of not supporting the awful actions or views of the artist? I enjoyed reading the posts and commenting, and then reading what other bloggers had to say in the comments, too.
B.E. Earl uses some off-color language sometimes, and very occasionally posts some material that, depending on your boss, may not be safe for work, but it's pretty rare.
And B.E. Earl also hosts a daily trivia challenge, with daily winners and monthly champs. I'm pretty crappy at most of his topics, but it's fun to play along.
He posts every day, or close to it, and so this month he is officially my hero (along with That Blue Yak, who also posts nearly every day and sometimes twice a day).
If you haven't yet read B.E. Earl's blog, The Verdant Dude, go now and check it out.
Just make sure you don't beat me in the trivia challenge, or I'll be sorry I invited you to the party...
Happy Friday, my competitive friends, happy Friday!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Friday Feature - Diary of an Old Fart
Today's featured blog is "Diary of an Old Fart." When I first began reading it, I thought it was a real diary. After a while, I realized it was fiction.
The characters are well-drawn, and the author does a lot with just a few words. He captures a lot about personality, attitudes, and relationships with just a few lines of dialogue.
After the main story (set forth in Days 1 - 88) was completed, the author moved on to writing "preludes" and "epilogues."
So head over and start with Day 1, work your way through all the days, then go to the preludes and epilogues. If you can restrain yourself, it would be fun to read one day at a time (as I did when I started and he was posting only a day at a time of the diary, making it seem like the story was happening in "real time"). But you probably will find yourself hooked and unable to avoid reading all the days at once.... Good luck with that.
Happy reading, Friday feature finders, happy reading!
The characters are well-drawn, and the author does a lot with just a few words. He captures a lot about personality, attitudes, and relationships with just a few lines of dialogue.
After the main story (set forth in Days 1 - 88) was completed, the author moved on to writing "preludes" and "epilogues."
So head over and start with Day 1, work your way through all the days, then go to the preludes and epilogues. If you can restrain yourself, it would be fun to read one day at a time (as I did when I started and he was posting only a day at a time of the diary, making it seem like the story was happening in "real time"). But you probably will find yourself hooked and unable to avoid reading all the days at once.... Good luck with that.
Happy reading, Friday feature finders, happy reading!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday Feature - I'm Not Benny
Today's featured blogger will make you laugh at least once for every post you read. I promise.
(Either that or you just have no sense of humor. One of those....)
The author is, by turns, funny, intriguing, absurd, humorous, head-scratchingly strange, and hilarious.
But he's not Benny.
Go check him out today, at I'm Not Benny.
Happy reading, and happy Friday, my favorite featured friends!
(Either that or you just have no sense of humor. One of those....)
The author is, by turns, funny, intriguing, absurd, humorous, head-scratchingly strange, and hilarious.
But he's not Benny.
Go check him out today, at I'm Not Benny.
Happy reading, and happy Friday, my favorite featured friends!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Friday Feature - Some Days It's Not Worth Chewing Through The Leather Straps
This week's featured blog is "Some Days It's Not Worth Chewing Through The Leather Straps," written by Skyler's Dad. Most of my readers already know Skyler's Dad, but for any new readers and/or any long-time readers who don't know him, you should!
SkyDad's blog is one of my perennial favorites because it has it all: laughs; Bad Tat Tuesdays (these regular features will make you laugh, cringe, squirm, and laugh again!); funny and/or touching stories about his life and his son's life challenges; random funny, strange, and/or crude videos, photos, ads, and other information gathered from around the internet; excerpts of well-written stories by other authors that will make you laugh and/or cry; and then some more laughs.
Plus, Skyler's Dad loves to leave hilarious and/or sensitive and kind comments on other blogs, so he gets extra credit for being a great blog-friend and frequent commenter, as well.
Here is a sampling of links for you to check out:
* A link to a recent "Bad Tat Tuesday" feature;
* A link to a post about navigating around town in a wheelchair overseas that will make you laugh inadvertently even while you scratch your head and wonder, what were they thinking?!?, and will give you a new appreciation for our Americans With Disabilities Act and other accessibility laws in the good ol' USA;
* A link to a post that will make you smile;
* A link to a post that will make you think; and
* A link to a recent funny but somewhat disturbing, crude, and definitely NSFW post (don't click if you are easily offended).
Click on them, and then click around Sky-Dad's site. I bet you'll like some or all of what you see there. [See footnote below]
Go on! Go check out the goods!
* * *
Footnote (because I'm a lawyer, that's why):
WARNING/DISCLAIMER: You have to be careful when clicking at work. SkyDad sometimes posts things that are "Not Safe For Work." He usually warns you about any links or videos that are "NSFW" -- but still, don't click too randomly while you're at work!
SkyDad's blog is one of my perennial favorites because it has it all: laughs; Bad Tat Tuesdays (these regular features will make you laugh, cringe, squirm, and laugh again!); funny and/or touching stories about his life and his son's life challenges; random funny, strange, and/or crude videos, photos, ads, and other information gathered from around the internet; excerpts of well-written stories by other authors that will make you laugh and/or cry; and then some more laughs.
Plus, Skyler's Dad loves to leave hilarious and/or sensitive and kind comments on other blogs, so he gets extra credit for being a great blog-friend and frequent commenter, as well.
Here is a sampling of links for you to check out:
* A link to a recent "Bad Tat Tuesday" feature;
* A link to a post about navigating around town in a wheelchair overseas that will make you laugh inadvertently even while you scratch your head and wonder, what were they thinking?!?, and will give you a new appreciation for our Americans With Disabilities Act and other accessibility laws in the good ol' USA;
* A link to a post that will make you smile;
* A link to a post that will make you think; and
* A link to a recent funny but somewhat disturbing, crude, and definitely NSFW post (don't click if you are easily offended).
Click on them, and then click around Sky-Dad's site. I bet you'll like some or all of what you see there. [See footnote below]
Go on! Go check out the goods!
* * *
Footnote (because I'm a lawyer, that's why):
WARNING/DISCLAIMER: You have to be careful when clicking at work. SkyDad sometimes posts things that are "Not Safe For Work." He usually warns you about any links or videos that are "NSFW" -- but still, don't click too randomly while you're at work!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Friday Feature - Wide Lawns and Narrow Minds
Last week, I featured a brand new (to me) blogger. Today's featured blogger is one that I have been reading for a long time (several years - and well before I started my own blog) because she tells darn good stories: Wide Lawns and Narrow Minds.
Many of you may already be fans. She has Whiskeymarie in her blogroll, which is how I found that fantastic blog, which led me to many of my current favorite blogs, including yours! So if you already know about Wide Lawns, that's great. But if you don't, you must go read it!
When I started reading the blog, WideLawns mostly blogged about her job in the office at a Florida gated community full of eccentric (read: crazy) rich folks. Apparently she ran into some legal issues or something, because those old posts (which were hilarious) were removed a couple of years ago and now she blogs about her quirky family and her vast array of strange life experiences (which are hilarious, moving, entertaining, and fun), with occasional tidbits about her new job teaching writing and other classes at a community college.
I think it doesn't matter the topic - WideLawns is quite simply a good story teller. She keeps her real name to herself (like I do), but if you read her posts, you'll feel like you know her, at least a little bit. You'll also get to know an interesting cast of characters.
She claims the stories are true. I have no way to verify this, of course, but I can verify that they are entertaining. For some of the stories, you'll need to scroll down through the blog to find "part one" or whatever looks like the beginning of the story. I know it's a little time-consuming, but it's worth it, really.
Here is a good place to start - September 8's post: Kitchen Therapy - How I Became a Cook, With A Dose of Cold Blooded Murder. It's a story in progress (so you'll have to click around on the blog to find parts 2 et seq.) and I can't wait to see how it all comes out....
Go now, and read.
I promise you won't be disappointed.
Many of you may already be fans. She has Whiskeymarie in her blogroll, which is how I found that fantastic blog, which led me to many of my current favorite blogs, including yours! So if you already know about Wide Lawns, that's great. But if you don't, you must go read it!
When I started reading the blog, WideLawns mostly blogged about her job in the office at a Florida gated community full of eccentric (read: crazy) rich folks. Apparently she ran into some legal issues or something, because those old posts (which were hilarious) were removed a couple of years ago and now she blogs about her quirky family and her vast array of strange life experiences (which are hilarious, moving, entertaining, and fun), with occasional tidbits about her new job teaching writing and other classes at a community college.
I think it doesn't matter the topic - WideLawns is quite simply a good story teller. She keeps her real name to herself (like I do), but if you read her posts, you'll feel like you know her, at least a little bit. You'll also get to know an interesting cast of characters.
She claims the stories are true. I have no way to verify this, of course, but I can verify that they are entertaining. For some of the stories, you'll need to scroll down through the blog to find "part one" or whatever looks like the beginning of the story. I know it's a little time-consuming, but it's worth it, really.
Here is a good place to start - September 8's post: Kitchen Therapy - How I Became a Cook, With A Dose of Cold Blooded Murder. It's a story in progress (so you'll have to click around on the blog to find parts 2 et seq.) and I can't wait to see how it all comes out....
Go now, and read.
I promise you won't be disappointed.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Friday Feature - Knucklehead
Today I want you all to go read Knucklehead.
Yesterday, Candy over at Candy's Daily Dandy recommended the site*, stating, "The guy's a genius, really." I was skeptical. So many times when someone or something is overhyped, there is disappointment involved when you get there.
But I dutifully checked out the link Candy provided. And I was immediately enthralled by today's story, "The Ecstasy" from a die hard Yankees fan perspective, about the thrilling and amazingly wonderful 1978 Red Sox / Yankees playoff game. The writing is superb, and draws you right in. Humor sprinkled throughout. Suspenseful. Fantastic. And for added effect and perhaps to give balance to the tale, DK provided a link to Suldog's blog, which tells the sad yet heroic tale ("The Agony") from the Bosox side of the "hideous" (Suldog's word) tragedy.
But still, I'm thinking, I like sports a lot, and I love a well-written sports tale, but not all my readers are sports nuts. This might not be such a great blog to feature.
Then I read a few more posts. And laughed my ass off. I admit was a little confused by the "Davey Hansen" story, until I googled it and figured out Davey Hansen was some sort of strange stop-action animated tv series (I had never heard of it before; I had a deprived childhood with only a 12 inch black & white tv in the house, and my dad refused to get cable until all the kids were in college). But after learning what the series was about, now I can't stop laughing.
The guy's a genius, really.
But don't take my word for it. Click here and check it out for yourself!
No really, go!
* * *
Why are you still here....?
- - - - -
*footnote: In reading the comments, it is obvious that many of my readers were already aware of this fantastic blog. Why have I only just now discovered it?!?
Yesterday, Candy over at Candy's Daily Dandy recommended the site*, stating, "The guy's a genius, really." I was skeptical. So many times when someone or something is overhyped, there is disappointment involved when you get there.
But I dutifully checked out the link Candy provided. And I was immediately enthralled by today's story, "The Ecstasy" from a die hard Yankees fan perspective, about the thrilling and amazingly wonderful 1978 Red Sox / Yankees playoff game. The writing is superb, and draws you right in. Humor sprinkled throughout. Suspenseful. Fantastic. And for added effect and perhaps to give balance to the tale, DK provided a link to Suldog's blog, which tells the sad yet heroic tale ("The Agony") from the Bosox side of the "hideous" (Suldog's word) tragedy.
But still, I'm thinking, I like sports a lot, and I love a well-written sports tale, but not all my readers are sports nuts. This might not be such a great blog to feature.
Then I read a few more posts. And laughed my ass off. I admit was a little confused by the "Davey Hansen" story, until I googled it and figured out Davey Hansen was some sort of strange stop-action animated tv series (I had never heard of it before; I had a deprived childhood with only a 12 inch black & white tv in the house, and my dad refused to get cable until all the kids were in college). But after learning what the series was about, now I can't stop laughing.
The guy's a genius, really.
But don't take my word for it. Click here and check it out for yourself!
No really, go!
* * *
Why are you still here....?
- - - - -
*footnote: In reading the comments, it is obvious that many of my readers were already aware of this fantastic blog. Why have I only just now discovered it?!?
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Something New Tomorrow: "Friday Feature"
Tomorrow, I'm starting a series here on LegalMist: "Friday Feature" -- in which each week I will spotlight one of my favorite blogs around the web.
There are hundreds, thousands even, of great blogs out there. I read some of them, and I want you to check them out, too. I know you could click on the little avatars under my "followers" widget, or on one of the links in the blogroll my sidebar, but sometimes my blogroll isn't updated and sometimes it's not easy to find a link to one of the "followers." And sometimes a blog's title, or that day's post, doesn't fully reflect the fabulousness that is the blog itself.
So, I thought it might be fun to do a weekly series that gives a little more information about the blog than just the blog title. I'll include a description of the blog, along with a link to either a recent post or to one of my favorite posts.
Now, don't be upset if you're not first in line. It will take months - possibly years - for me to get through all my favorites one week at a time. And the order in which you appear means nothing about whether I like you better than some other blogger. If I write about you this week, it just means I particularly liked one of your posts or I randomly picked you to be next. If I didn't write about you this week, but you're in my link list or one of my followers, I'll likely get to you in a few weeks or months.
Many of you are already familiar with each other, but some of my readers may not be familiar with your blogs, and on the off chance that I have a new reader who hasn't read your fantastic blog yet, I want to send them your way. Not that you should expect a huge "bump" in readership from my little blog - it won't be at all the same as if you were to make the "blogs of note" list one day! But I want to do my part to encourage and highlight some of the best bloggers out there. And I want to say a public "thanks" to those of you who entertain me whenever I need a break from work or from the hectic pace of my life.
If you want to point me to a great blog that you love (or that you write), please feel welcome to leave a link in my comment section. I'll check it out when I have time, and perhaps I'll add the blog to my blogroll and/or spotlight it in a future Friday Feature.
Happy Reading, everyone!
There are hundreds, thousands even, of great blogs out there. I read some of them, and I want you to check them out, too. I know you could click on the little avatars under my "followers" widget, or on one of the links in the blogroll my sidebar, but sometimes my blogroll isn't updated and sometimes it's not easy to find a link to one of the "followers." And sometimes a blog's title, or that day's post, doesn't fully reflect the fabulousness that is the blog itself.
So, I thought it might be fun to do a weekly series that gives a little more information about the blog than just the blog title. I'll include a description of the blog, along with a link to either a recent post or to one of my favorite posts.
Now, don't be upset if you're not first in line. It will take months - possibly years - for me to get through all my favorites one week at a time. And the order in which you appear means nothing about whether I like you better than some other blogger. If I write about you this week, it just means I particularly liked one of your posts or I randomly picked you to be next. If I didn't write about you this week, but you're in my link list or one of my followers, I'll likely get to you in a few weeks or months.
Many of you are already familiar with each other, but some of my readers may not be familiar with your blogs, and on the off chance that I have a new reader who hasn't read your fantastic blog yet, I want to send them your way. Not that you should expect a huge "bump" in readership from my little blog - it won't be at all the same as if you were to make the "blogs of note" list one day! But I want to do my part to encourage and highlight some of the best bloggers out there. And I want to say a public "thanks" to those of you who entertain me whenever I need a break from work or from the hectic pace of my life.
If you want to point me to a great blog that you love (or that you write), please feel welcome to leave a link in my comment section. I'll check it out when I have time, and perhaps I'll add the blog to my blogroll and/or spotlight it in a future Friday Feature.
Happy Reading, everyone!
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