**** I screwed up and missed the official DeLurking Day this past Monday, so I issued a second-chance invitation for lurkers to come out and comment on Tuesday’s post. If you didn’t take me up on it then, please consider this your second second chance – speak up and say hello!
**** Y’all know I participate in the “Weekend Assignment” writing exercises based at Outpost Mâvarin. Karen‘s been asking for topic ideas. I sent her a few last week, and now I am “guest professor” this week! This is the prompt:
You have a six-month paid sabbatical, and you can spend it anywhere you like EXCEPT on a beach drinking margaritas. Where do you go, and what do you do while you’re there?
Please join in – you have all week (till next Thursday) – not just the weekend – to write a response, post it on your own blog, and link to it in comments at the Outpost! My own response will be posted here on Tuesday (I guess I’d better come up with one, huh?).
The Siren, Syncopated (as introduced by her husband, Unfocused Me)
Spynotes (by way of the above-mentioned Siren)
Advice You Did Not Ask For (Amanda of the LA Moms Blog)
Book-a-rama (in the “why did it take me so long to add this book blog?” file – sorry, Chris!)
The Weekly Geeks feed, via Maw Books (again, why did it take me so long? – I have a bunch more new blog discoveries here!)
The 2012 Republican Presidential ticket – Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber?! Also, why parents have only half a brain. (Please note that these two links have nothing to do with each other except for having come from the same blog!)
This one’s not exactly a “fun” link, but she’s wondering: pedophile or pervert?
If you’ve ever wondered exactly what bloggers mean when we talk about our “community,” here’s an excellent explanation.
It’s tough to turn off the “act like a mom” switch..; sometimes it’s tough to BE a mom, period, and there’s no switch to turn off; and sometimes I realize I’m too young to act this old (my latest LA Moms Blog post – and no, that picture is NOT Tall Paul and me!)
Digging out the old yearbooks, a/k/a the place to look up people to look up on Facebook. Speaking of Facebook…; and speaking of yearbooks, a former substitute teacher’s not-so-fond memories, and a current one’s trials and tribulations; this book review includes a memory of middle-school awkwardness that one would never want to see in the yearbook
Romance and the recession (it’s official, so we can use that word now…)
“Dilbert exists for a reason”; there’s a reason that the sarcasm font needs to exist
20 rules for would-be American Idol auditioners
Changed “for good” – a musical memory (I picked this link for you, April)
A new meme just for the ladies
(Evil) genius of the week, via Not Always Right:
** Here’s another reading challenge that someone who “doesn’t do reading challenges” (yes, that’s me) would seriously consider doing; this one’s not about what you read, but why you read – to raise money for reading-related charities. The Year of Readers began on January 1, but you can join any time – click on that link to find out more. Thanks to Tanabata for the heads-up on this one!
** Hey, why haven’t you been reading? Play along with Gautami Tripathy‘s “I have been lazy, hence I make excuses” meme, and come up with some lame answers to that question! Here are mine:
- “I have to leave those books where they are so the table doesn’t move.”
- “If I open these books, they’ll lose their collector value.” (Wait a minute…I think that’s just comic books.)
- “I AM reading! I just know how to do it with my eyes closed.” (That one’s actually pretty close to the truth, every night before I turn the light out…)
“Literacy rates are increasing” sounds good, but how are they calculated – what counts and what doesn’t? Does your favorite type of reading qualify you to be “a reader”?
A book blogger’s response to an author’s response to a blogger’s review
“Been there, done that, might as well read…”
The Boston Bibliophile praises independent bookstores in this guest post at My Friend Amy
Books that caught my eye this week:
Rock Bottom. by Michael Shilling
Breathing Out the Ghost, by Kirk Curnutt
The Cradle, by Patrick Somerville
Love and Other Natural Disasters, by Holly Shumas
The Senator’s Wife, by Sue Miller
Greasy Rider, by Greg Melville (via DearReader.com – the true story of a cross-country drive in a car converted to run on used deep-fryer oil)
Enjoy your weekend – hope you’ve got a three-day one! If you’re where it’s cold, which is almost everywhere except where I am, please keep safe and warm. And don’t forget to de-lurk!
You must subscribe to more blogs than anyone else! There are so many great blogs out there, but I think I’m just about at my capacity.
I swear, there is NO ONE who works as hard linking up the good stuff as you!!! Hands down!
Checking these out….to avoid actual work today. TY!
I am going to have to check out almost all your links as they all look not just interesting but VERY interesting. Good thing there is nothing on tv tonight and good thing that I am not the one making dinner or anything. I can just spend my time here, checking blogs, links and stuff. Thanks for a great post.
I love that “Not Always Right” scenario. That was too funny. 🙂
I’ve been seriously considering joining Year of Readers.
Thanks again for all the wonderful links!
Taking you up on your second second chance! Hi!
Kathy (Bermudaonion) – It’s a lot, but I know of other bloggers who say they subscribe to more, so that comforts me :-). This is an area where I don’t know my limits, apparently.
Sunshine – It’s kind of your fault :-D. Ever since you mentioned something in a post a few months ago about me being one of the best linking bloggers you know, I feel like I have to live up to it! I really enjoy doing it, though.
Louise (Bogsider) – Glad I could help to keep you amused this weekend :-D.
Wendy (Literary Feline) – I LOVE that blog. It makes me laugh almost every day, while reinforcing my beliefs about the stupidity of the human race :-D. And I hope to decide about signing on for Year of Readers pretty soon myself.
Lisa – Hi yourself! Nice to know you were here :-).
Breathing Out the Ghost went on my wishlist this week too. That’s great that you’re thinking of joining the Year of Readers. I look forward to seeing which charity you choose if you do.
Tanabata – Thanks for mentioning it last week! I have to go back to the site and check out the list of charities, but I definitely think I’ll be signing up before the first month of this year is over :-).
I know you got it already but I have awarded you with The Butterfly Award.
Blogger ate my comment!
As I said before; I feel bad for substitute teachers. I never did anything to them myself, but I sure did see a lot. I saved all my mean stuff for the regular teachers that made me mad. 🙂
If there was a key on my keyboard to turn on the sarcasm font mine would be worn out. A long time ago. 🙂
Louise (Bogsider) – Thank you so much! I’ll add your name to the acknowledgment in the sidebar :-).
Mike – I think you did the right thing. The kids who just picked on the subs were cowards; you directed it to the teachers who really deserved it :-).
Yeah, I’d have worn out that key by now too (and I’ve only had this computer a little over a year) – but don’t you think we need one anyway?
Not REALLY delurking, but I wanted to let you know that I have an award for you! 🙂
Jessi – Thank you! I really appreciate it :-).
Thanks for welcoming me to the blogiverse. Your friendly hello is much appreciated, as are all of the links for the fun stuff you find out there. It’s great to have new things to explore. Thanks again!
Green-eyed Siren – It’s nice to be able to welcome someone who’s not just new to my feed reader, but new to the blogiverse, too! I’m really enjoying your blog – keep up the good work :-).
This list is fabulous! I’m so excited to have made the cut. But now I’m too busy because I have to read a bunch of these posts.
You should probably be an editor at Blog Nosh Magazine.
EverettQ – I was going to say “Tell that to Megan at Blog Nosh,” and then I clicked on your profile link…hi, Megan! So glad you stopped by.
Is that an offer? If I thought I could make the time for it, I would LOVE to be an editor at Blog Nosh Magazine!