[Scribbles]
Creative Experiments - Shoutpost HelpRoadside Treasures
2007-08-31
My husband got a VW truck from his brother and he was thrilled.
He had it for 20 years till it died after we moved into the new house.
He was proud of the time he had it but was sad he had to give it up.
I overhead him once say to someone, "Dump runs are more fun with a truck."
He chuckled.
He would go to the dump and come home with stuff we just did not need or had no place to store it.
He had been without a truck for four years. Secretly, I was happy.
Fortunate for me, the dump now charges to throw big items out so he is not bringing home much.
This evening we went for a walk.
On the roadside there was a Thomas the Tank Engine-esque train table.
It was painted PINK.
When we came home, he hopped into his new truck (1994 Ford Ranger with the little rumble seats to fit us all) went back up the street and picked it up.
He took it apart and is going to paint it.
I have no idea what the plans are for it after that but I will keep you all posted.
I ask myself --- Why?
I am filing this under Hobbies. LOL
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Sign on the Dotted Line
2007-08-31
It is nice to have the children back in school and I can have time to myself AGAIN after months of having them around every minute.
It is not fun for parents, or just me, to fill out two sets of papers, and there are a ton of them, as homework.
There are the contact cards, the contracts (each subject gets one), the photo packet, the permissions to quote or take pictures of your child for media purposes, the health care forms, the lunch forms, the student commitment to the rules forms, etc, you get the picture.
I had to use a PEN and write and sign it all.
No computer to type. I had to read "fine print"
What a shame.
I am tired. My hand and arm are falling asleep.
Better rest. Tomorrow is another day, it may be better.
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POW Thursday
2007-08-31
Ok -- too much paperwork for school had to be filled out so I am catching up, yes on Friday.Today I was inspired to write about a plane experience after reading this post in Florian's MadAdvertisingBlog
Our Trip to Ireland
We bought super discount tickets early in advance (Feb) from Air Lingus -- they bless all their planes, one should feel safe.
June: We went to Logan airport to embark on our trip. The check in line was long. We noticed that there was a special check counter for nuns and priests and thought maybe we should do like in the movies, change our clothing and check in at that counter. There was no one in that line.
Finally, we are able to board the plane. It is too take off at 7:25 pm.
We are waiting and waiting. Twenty minutes go by past the take off time and the Captain tells us that there is a slight delay.
Another 20-30 minutes goes by and he comes back on telling us that "a piece of the plane has fallen off and is missing and they are looking around the airport for a spare part" then we can take off.
People get restless, some are freaking out.
Another announcement a few minutes later was that drinks were free. We don't drink.
People are collecting bottles.
The plane takes off two and a half hours later but we are creeped out at the thought will the part go missing again? No one else cares, they had too many drinks.
Then we remember, the plane is blessed and hope the angels are with us all.
We land at Shannon, late but it is morning there. We spend our few months in Ireland.
The ride home is worse -- it was foggy and we flew around Boston for three hours before we landed.
My ears were plugged for a week even taking a decongestant to unplug them.
We had a nice trip in the end.
That is what counts.
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Wordless Wednesday: School Bus
2007-08-29
Today is the first day of school -- YES!
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Dr. Mehmet Oz on Oprah 8.28
2007-08-29
This Oprah show, 90 Day Live Longer Be Healthier, was a repeat but I did not have a review for it since it aired long before this blog was around.Today Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen were the guests.
Healthy living now means longer life.
Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are the leading causes of premature aging and in four weeks you can turn yourself around with better healthier habits, in a six month period, you can have a complete makeover by changing your attitude and habits to healthier ones.
Dr. Oz mentioned that belly fat was dangerously bad for the liver and heart but fat on the behind and thighs were not dangerous fat.
You need some action, you need to get moving and get started. (Bob Greene says this too.)
Examples of how serving sizes have changed in 20 years.
1. 2.4 oz of fries has today turned into 7.1 oz super sized.
2. 1.5 cups of spaghetti is now ??? sorry, my son started gabbing here.
However, Dr. Oz mentioned that the size of a dinner plate 20 years ago, was only 9 inches compared to 11 or 13 inches today.
3. 5 cup of popcorn is now 11 cups at the movies
4. Muffins are three times bigger than 20 years ago.
Jillian was a 42 year old stay at home mom who was exhausted physically and emotionally.
She was 5'7" and weight 150 pounds, added 75 with baby, and was 50 pounds overweight.
She said she started to pack on the pounds in college when she started drinking then the baby came and more weight.
She was tired, sleeping 18 hours per day, no energy, never worked up a sweat, and would only go to drivethroughs to pick anything up.
Her diet consisted of salty foods, pizza, Butterfingers, plenty of snacks, and drank 300 oz of soda per day equalling 4- 6 packs.
She was dragging, could not walk up the stairs and needed support, she was all out of breath and was physically drained.
Dr. Oz an Dr. Roizen make a House Call.
So they stop on by and take out all her food and review it with her.
There were two tables -- the good food and the bad food.
Bad foods were -- soda, donuts, white enriched bread and English muffins, and margarine (which clogs the arteries).
Bad food ingredients discussed --
High fructose, corn syrup = sugars
Partially hydrated vegetable oil (some found in peanut butter so check the labels)
Enriched breads
Animal fats
Then Dr. Oz took a large refrigerated cookie dough tube and said imagine 15 of them just attached to her body equals the extra weight.
In the pantry -- Granola contains high saturated fats, pretzels, microwave popcorn (fresh popped is better), and canned vegetables, fresh is much better any day.
Next, Jillian had a complete physical.
She had a stress test, saw a dermatologist and a nutritionist (Who asked her how much water she drank a day and she said none.). She also saw an allergist and had her lungs tested and her blood pressure taken.
Both Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen said that if your waist is more than 34 inches, it is not good for your heart.
In the end, Jillian's real age in years was 56 compared to her actual age of 42.6 years.
Dr. Oz recommended the 90 day plan.
Yoga for strength and flexibility, it also helps blood pressure and breathing
30 minutes of walking per day no matter what the weather is outside was recommended by Dr. Roizen.
Jillian got a personal trainer and started eating healthier and found out she liked salmon which is rich in Omega 3's and a good thing.
Dr. Oz even showed her how to make a whole wheat pizza with tomato sauce/paste which is good for you.
After her makeover, she lost 43 pounds (1 to 2 lbs a week).
She said she felt better physically and emotionally and that drinking water got rid of her dark circles under her eyes and decreased her wrinkles. She was amazed at her own transformation.
Dr. Oz said that eating the wrong foods prevents the body to do what it should do naturally.
He mentioned how butter is more natural to our systems than the imitation butter spreads or margarines.
Red Flag Ingredients --
1. Sugar -- my note here -- eliminate this and you will start losing fast.
2. Worse than sugar is high fructose corn syrup -- this is what makes you want to eat more of the same stuff.
3. Enriched white flour -- enriched means they took the good stuff out and added only a little of it back in.
4. Saturated animal fat -- if stored at room temperature, it turns hard, think lard.
5. Partially hydrogenated oil or trans fats, looks like Crisco
Good oils: Olive oil (store in frig in darkness), Sesame Seed oil, Flax seed oil, Canola oil.
Spend a day with Dr. Oz in the operating room.
Heart disease is the #1 killer in this country.
Dr. Oz had a patient Carol, age 65, who was in poor health due to her smoking habit (1.5 packs a day), poor diet of fried foods, sweets, and no exercise.
Dr. Oz said he would not operate on her unless she stopped smoking. (I have heard Dr. Ray say that too.)
On the operating table (and yes they showed the operation in progress), Dr. Oz found her heart to be in worse condition than he thought. Her heart stopped, they used paddles and then they had to put in a pacemaker, he said it was a miracle that she survived.
Life was doing her in not what she was doing for her life, making better choices.
Eat well, drink plenty of water, exercise to stay healthy.
There was also a picture of Dr. Oz, shirtless, showing how he would age if he had a healthy lifestyle (better posture and skin) or let himself go (hunched, and wrinkled).
Dr. Oz mentioned 5 top foods to add to your diet while eliminating the bad ones.
1. garlic -- found to help prevent cancer and it also cleans out bacteria
2. tomato sauce -- have 10 tablespoons a week
3. olive oil --healthy -- keep it covered and in the dark in the frig. He also mentioned to coat what ever you are cooking with it first before putting it in the pan to cook.
4. spinach -- good to help with macular degeneration issues
5. Almonds -- in natural form, no roasted nuts (takes away the natural oils that are good for you), store in the frig
Top secret -- pomegranates -- by adding this to your diet, it can change the way your arteries age.
Books by Dr. Oz an Dr. Roizen:
You the Owner's Manual
You the Smart Patient
Food Hall of Shame
Real Age Test
Dr. Oz on Oprah June
Dr. Oz on Oprah April Show Synopsis
Dr. Oz on Oprah February Show Synopsis
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Gas Grill Surprise
2007-08-26
We had a Fiesta Gas grill (got at Home Depot) that lasted only four years after great care. The side burner, did not have a cover to it.We saved up for a new one.
At BJ's I spied a nice stainless steel (brand Permasteel, made in China) with a covered side burner, and a temperature gauge, and a two door storage underneath, that was better made than the ones we had seen at Home Depot or WalMart. I suggested to my husband he should get it but he waited three months and we got it for $100 less. We were thrilled.
So yesterday, it was hot, humid, hazy and he is on the deck putting it together.
It was so hot, that the steel heated up and he could not touch it! He needed pot holders.
He had most of it put together and it just needed some fine tweaking later.
The weather said thunder, wind and hail storms but fortunately we did not get that.
A new grill with pock marks from hail, well, it would just be my husband's luck for that to happen.
This AM he went back out on the deck before the sun got too hot and opened the lid up.
Goodness, we had a squatter! On the interior front ledge underneath the grill sat a small Northern Gray Tree Frog. I have never see one before. He was really cute with his camoflage skin and it looked like some yellow on the underbelly.
He got a lift to the backyard woods on the Gas Grill How to Booklet.
I bet he is happy now, he did not get accidently grilled.
Moral: If you live near wild life, always check the grill before turning it on.
Picture of a Northern Gray Tree Frog at Flicker
Gas Grilling Tips at BJ's
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Testing 1 2 3
2007-08-25
All sorts of tests here to take.
What is your regular IQ, your emotional IQ, your Relationship Satisfaction?
What kind of personality do you have?
And there are more tests to rate yourself and see just how you are doing in life.
Queendom.com -- take a test and find out who you really are.
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Halloween - already?
2007-08-24
My daughter asked me today what were we going to be on Dappy Door Night (as it is known in Wales) or Halloween.
She suggested we go as a team of lawyers. There are four of us, what a team.
I told her what I had been dreaming up.
She liked the lawyers better because it was her idea.
I object! since I put the costumes together, being lawyers for Halloween, was just a little expensive, case closed. LOL
Anyways, we dress up as a family and we make the rounds to the local costume contests (as many as we can) and we win lots of stuff. People actually look forward to seeing what I come up with, yes, I am the Mastermind behind the wins. We have won thousands of dollars worth of prizes, services and goods over the years. I guess it is my hobby to do this, I LOVE doing this, I am good at it.
People recognize us and ask us what we are going to be in advance --
I will not reveal what the group costume is this year, but I only have 8 weeks to create it.
Last year's costumes, well we lost power that day as I was putting on the finishing touches to all costumes with the glue gun. We ended up using lots of duct tape to finish them off. It was also pouring rain out, which was not a help.
So, just to give you an idea of what we have gone as only over the past few years -
The Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol -- even the van got decked out. We all had blue blazers, name tags, a dozen red, white, blue balloons, Fisher Price Microphone, a huge check, fake flowers, and we got lucky for $5.00 at a yardsale, we found a large video camera from the 80's that worked! We were tapping people telling them they just won. One lady, who really was an air head in another costume, thought it was real.
Scooby and the Gang with the Mystery Machine - yes, the van got decked out again -- accessories: two huge magnifying glass (Velma and Fred), Scooby Snacks (me) and the stuffed Scooby (from Good Will) carried around by my son who was Shaggy. We even found ScrappyDo, a 6 month old baby in a carriage hanging around.
The GhostBusters (the best ones yet, especially my ProtoPacks made of trash!) accompanied by the Dust Buster (me) and Mr. Clean (husband)
The Sackvilles -- we were sacks of groceries except my husband called himself "Bag Dad" and I was the "Bag Lady", and the children were the "Bag-ettes", except our "bag boy" whined a bit and then he was a "sad sack". Yes, we saved and used trash for the accessories and then we could trash the costumes afterwards. Very pun-ny eh?
I better stop there. Maybe you have gotten an idea. Good luck.
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POW Thursday
2007-08-23
I am starting a new feature here, called POW Thursday.
POW meaning Pick of the Week.
Since I blog surf, I see articles that give me ideas. So, here I will write those thoughts and the person who inspired those thoughts gets a free plug and link to the inspiring article in my blog. Also Thursdays are TaeKwonDo/macaroni and cheese days and they are busy.
The article I saw that has inspired me this week is from BE member Hazbro's Blog "Textual Relations", it was the Wiki entry about School Run.
My children take the bus because I pay taxes for the service.
My daughter's bus stop is a ten minute walk.
My son's bus stop is a seven minute walk. Since he is still in elementary school, I must met him at the bus stop at drop off time. He is the last child on the bus at the last stop.
Drop off times may be different if the bus has less children on it and does not have to stop on stops. This at times, makes the bus stop earlier.
I cannot see or hear the bus from my house so sometimes, I can be on time, and wait, but no bus comes.
I walk home (it is a big hill to walk up or down). There is a message on the phone machine.
It is the school saying that no one was there to met him, he was brought back to school and now I must go pick him up.
Sometimes, I have to find a ride to do this.
I get to school and the office says they tried to call but there was no real answer just the machine.
My response is that of course there was no answer because I was waiting at the bus stop seven minutes away.
Why do they call or tell me that?
I take my cell phone with me now to the bus stop and I call them when the bus is not on time or my child is missing.
At least we all get a daily workout walking the hill.
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Wordless Wednesday: London Phone Booth
2007-08-22
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Moving Mountains for Education
2007-08-22
We went to a fundraiser for this non-profit organization that sends rural Chinese girls to high school in China called Moving Mountains for Education (no website available at this time).They were trying to raise money to send at least two girls if not 25 girls to high school in the Gaungdon region. They work with a Chinese agency to help these girls get scholarships to attend a high school.
A documentary is being made about students journies and experiences.
Family income income is $371 annually from farming but high schools are private and school tuition costs $300.
We were more than happy to participate to help someone get an education and a better life through education which can bring changes to a society and the world.
Maybe you can help too -- other people have fundraisers (yard sales are the easiest) and donate their profits to this organization.
Article: People Can Help Move Mountains
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InkBlot Test
2007-08-21
Due to the fact that someone copy and pasted the picture from this post off a Google search onto their blog (bandwidth theft) I have had to remove it so it does not show up on their blog or download off my blog messing up my stats.You can click to see the results here at my new blog Penny Lane -- where I can have comments AND get categories!
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Summer Poems
2007-08-20
Clouds
by Christina G. Rossetti
White sheep, white sheep
On a blue hill,
When the wind stops
You all stand still.
When the wind blows,
You walk away slow.
White sheep, white sheep,
Where do you go?
Afternoon on a Hill
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.
I will look at cliffs and clouds
With quiet eyes,
Watch the wind bow down the grass,
And the grass rise.
And when lights begin to show,
Up from the town,
I will mark which must be mine,
And then start down.
Things
by Eloise Greenfield
Went to the corner
Walked in the store
Bought me some candy
Ain’t got it no more
Ain’t got it no more
Went to the beach
Played on the shore
Built me a sandhouse
Ain’t got it no more
Ain’t got it no more
Went to the kitchen
Lay down on the floor
Made me a poem
Still got it
Still got it
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Contest Winners
2007-08-18
I Look Like My Dog Contest
REAL! Amazing! and congratulations to each of them, the owners, and the dogs.
I don't know what they won though . . . professional pictures? dog food?
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Wordless Wednesday: Tree Mailbox
2007-08-15
Mailbox for the park squirrels??
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White and Nerdy
2007-08-15
I laugh whenever I see the video or hear this song.Donny Osmond appeared on the Today Show with his brothers and sister to promote their new live show. I was reminded however, he is in this video also because Weird Al said he knew no one more white and nerdier than Donny. Donny is doing the wild dancing in the suit.
I also was reading a list of popular songs of 2006 and was very amused that Weird Al's "White and Nerdy" was at #28 higher than the song he spoofed at #73 "Ridin" by Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bone . I love Weird Al's video spoof. Always great for a laugh.
White and Nerdy -- treat yourself to a laugh. Watch Donny dance.
Who would you choose Capt. Kirk or Capt. Picard?
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FoxTrot et al
2007-08-13
I like the FoxTrot comic strip by Bill Amend as well as my husband and daughter. We can all identify with the family life and issues presented very cleverly.
I found two collections, one at a yard sale and one in a book shop. My son took an interest in them, particularly the character Jason, and I am happy that he is reading them since he is a reluctant reader. So that is good news.
The bad news (although my "bad week" ended, or has it?), our Sunday paper has changed format and they decided NOT to run this comic on Sundays any more. SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF.
I guess we shall have to resort to reading it online once a week. The site has other interesting tidbits too.
FoxTrot -- the comic strip by Bill Amend
POLL: What is your favorite to read, now or in the past?
Visitors can post in the shout/chatbox ---------->
I liked Calvin and Hobbes (revived), Robotman (now Monty), Fred Basset, and Miss Peach (retired).
You can read some syndicated comics at:
Andrews McMeel Universal
Comics.com
King Features
Toonopedia -- lots of history of comics and cartoons here.
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Weekend Whimsies
2007-08-13
This weekend our town had their Olde Home Weekend -- it is like a small country fair with arcades, rides, food, music, booths, antique car show, helicopter rides.
Friday we went for the icecream smorgasbord fundraiser.
Saturday AM we did the town yardsale, got a few books that have been out of print for decades.
Sunday AM was the antique auto show and in the PM went to the fireworks which was 10 minutes longer than usual, a thirty minute show.
I did not get bitten by bugs.
It was hot, hazy and humid but we had fun and saw people we haven't seen in a while since we live in the "sticks" and away from the town center.
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Bad Guys and Bad Girls
2007-08-11
Bad Guys:The Grinch (Dr. Seuss)
Toss up: Mr. Tulkinghorn (book Bleak House by Charles Dickens) Uriah Heep (book David Copperfield by Charles Dickens)
Hacker (Cyber Chase, PBS) LOL
Bad Girls:
3 way tie: Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan
Becky Sharp (book Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray )
Nellie Olsen (Little House on the Pairie) LOL
Name someone who is on your list -- (visitors can use the Chat/Shout Box on the right.)
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Bad Luck and a Bad Choice
2007-08-10
Locally, some people tastefully renovated a very old farmhouse and barn.
They did a fantastic job. The house was sided bright yellow and the barn has been converted into an ice cream stand selling homemade ice cream in a variety of exotic flavors. You can even order waffle cones which are made right there on the spot, hot off the press.
You order your concoctions at the windows.
The outside seating area consists of Adirondack chairs in bright festive colors, lime green, bright blue, and shocking pink. There are also picnic tables.
We ordered our ice cream, two NY Strawberry Cheesecakes, one black raspberry and my son ordered a small Extreme Chocolate on a waffle cone.
While we were waiting, another child (age 6 or 7) started licking his eagerly when the scoops fell off his cone onto the pavement. Such bad luck! However, he was fast and picked it up and put it back in his cone -- the three second rule applied -- according to witnesses.
We got our ice cream and sad to report, we had some bad timing.
Extreme Chocolate was out and the young gal had to go get another tub.
We waited at least 15-20 minutes and finally he got his.
The gal also upped his from a small to a large for waiting as long as he did.
YUM! My son loved it. The evidence was beginning to show on his face.
We got in the car and left and he continued to eat.
As time went on, his face was smeared with dark dark chocolate.
I said nothing, he looked so cute.
Then he said he was not feeling so well.
I told him he did not have to eat it he could put it in the dish (provided) and we could take it home.
It was dark out and we passed under some bright street lights when my daughter said loudly --
"YOUR FACE IS A MESS!"
Which at that, he burst into tears and cried.
We told him it was not as bad as she said and we would be home soon.
We also knew he was tired.
We got home. He looked in the mirror, laughed, and wiped his face off.
He said his stomach was tight.
So we went outside and walked around our cul-de-sac about 20 times till he felt better.
Extreme chocolate -- was a bad choice for him. I don't think he will pick that flavor again.
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Bad Accident
2007-08-10
Time for Change . . .Imagine the ringing noise of 32,000 quarters hitting the pavement.
An armored car company reported losing $8,000 in quarters along highways in two Wisconsin counties last month. About half has been returned.
"I guess somebody found that and figured it was an early Christmas," Jefferson County Detective Sgt. Lawrence Lee said.
Eight hundred dollars of loose quarters was found late last month in the Madison area and $3,200 in Jefferson County the next day.
Loomis Fargo officials told authorities that a truck headed for Madison carrying boxes of quarters broke down in the Pewaukee area, so they sent another one. The load was transferred, but someone forgot to secure the door.
The driver was ticketed for failure to prevent a leaking load.
Talk about your loose change!
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Bad Idea?
2007-08-10
A new punishment awaits rule-breaking Thai police officers: they are to wear Hello Kitty cute and pink armbands while at work.Supposedly, it will make them feel guilty and full of shame for their bad police behavior.
Associated Press -- Bad Thai Cops to Endure Kitty Shame -- picture shows the guy wearing a face mask????
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Wordless Wednesday: Bad Sign Redux
2007-08-08
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Bad Manners
2007-08-07
Continuing on with my "bad week" postings . . .
When was the last time you said thank-you, verbally or in a sent note of appreciation?
When was the last time you complimented someone giving them a renewed sense of confidence or being?
When was the last time you did a small kindness for someone, anyone, someone you know or a complete stranger?
Please do one of the above today and increase your Social IQ!
Thank you!
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Bad Tuesday
2007-08-07
. . . is the name of a chapter in Book One: Mary Poppins, Chapter VI to be exact. In this chapter, Michael is just having a very very bad day from the time he wakes up until Mary Poppins casts some fantasical magical whimsey and he wonders was it real or just a dream.
However, if this event (below) were to happen on a Tuesday, indeed for all bloggers, it would be a very Bad Tuesday.
A "bad" (meaning good) YouTube video --
Breaking News: Internet Crash, Global Shutdown
Better go multitask, backup my Flickr album and prepare my flyers, just in case.
Enjoy.
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