Lessons Learned Online

I was reading a post on another blog about things the blogger had learned in his two years writing online.

It got me thinking-I've only been writing a short time, but after being online for about a decade I've learned some lessons over all.

1. You really can't make millions in your sleep.
2. Lots of people have cute cats.
3. Every news site reports the same news.
4. Spam is more than just canned meat.
5. I have body parts that need to be enlarged that I didn't even know I had.
6. People will say anything if they think they're annonymous.
7. Be careful what you wear to WalMart.
8. You have more "friends" from high school on Facebook than you every had real friends while you were in school.
9. There are many talented people with videos on YouTube; unfortunately, some of them are talented at really weird things.
10. Some celebrities just can't stay out of trouble.

At least I've been payin' attention!

Getting Brave With The Blogging

Okay, I did what all the experts suggested, and started a Wordpress blog.  Yikes!

To tell the truth, it wasn't as daunting as I thought it would be.  If you pick a host that has a one-click Wordpress install,  they pretty much walk you through it.

One thing that made it a whole lot easier for me?  I started on Blogger.  Blogger is a great place to learn the art of blogging; everything is so sensibly laid out that you even the least computer-savvy person can learn to set up a blog here.

I may have started a new blog using WP (strictly because I think I might be able to sell it at some point), but I'm still a big fan of Blogger.  It's so easy, and you can make such a nice blog- and best of all, it's FREE!  I love free! 

Though from a business standpoint it's certainly a good idea to own a blog outright if you may want to sell it in future,  I will by no means be abandoning Blogger.  It's a great blogging platform.

Weird Dreams

Never ever does a dream of mine make sense.
Last night was no exception.  I dreamed that I had a blue Ford Focus, and I kept trying to park it in front of my parents' house, but no matter what I did it wasn't right.  I'd back into the space, turn the car off, and get out and check- and each time something was wrong.  I was too far from the curb, or parked at an angle, or half-way in the driveway.  Then I started pulling the car up, putting it in neutral, and pushing the car into the space.  Time after time that didn't work either.  Then I woke up.

Weird!  And I didn't eat any spicy food before bedtime either. 

I suppose if this dream has a "meaning", it's pretty obvious-trying the same thing the same way over and over will get the same result.  I didn't need a night parking a car to tell me that!

Another One Bites The Dust

I did it again. I broke another cookie jar.

Cookie jars, mugs, butter dishes- I simply cannot be trusted with anything breakable.  One wrong move and smash! another one bites the dust.

And this one was my last cookie jar, except for the snowman one. As I'm not getting him out in May, it's time to go cookie jar shopping.

I'm kind of torn, here- I like cute character cookie jars, but of course they're all ceramic.  And I know what'll happen- it always does.  So of course I don't want to pay much.  But the cutesy cookie jars always cost more. 

Of course I could get a plain glass one; they're cheap.  And they don't break as easily.  But they're not cute! 

Dilemma, dilemma...

Plastic?  Tin?  Maybe cast iron, just to be on the safe side.

The search continues......

Movies I'd Love To See In 3D

With all the hype about 3D movies these days, I came up with a list of older films I'd like to see redone in 3D.  If they can do it for the whole Star Wars saga (coming to theaters in 2012), they should be able to do it for other films.

• Jurassic Park.  No brainer!  3D dinosaurs chasing people.  Extra cool.
• The Road Warrior.  It's basically a two hour car chase.  Imagine mohawks in 3D.
• Close Encounters.  The mothership really appearing to land in the theater.
• The Ten Commandments (subject of previous post).  Lots of special effects to enhance there.
• The Matrix. It'd be cool, but I might have to take Dramamine before I watch it in 3D.
• The Fifth Element.  Big bad-a boom in 3D!
• Blade Runner. Imagine how much more menacing Rutger Hauer would be coming off the screen towards you.
• The Terminator. "He'll be back" in 3D.
• All of the Alien movies.  I'd have to wear a metal chest plate to see them though.
• 2001: A Space Odessey.  It'd be even more trippy, and I still wouldn't understand it.
• Raiders Of The Lost Ark.  Woo, that big rock ball rolling towards you at the beginning!
• Kill Bill Vol. 1& 2. All that kung-fu coming atcha.
• Ben-Hur.  I want the chariot race in 3D.
• The Exorcist.  Pea soup flying at you.
• The Crow. All those bad guys getting it but good.

When I started this list, I had only a few films in mind, but turns out I could go on and on.  Any more suggestions?  :)

So Shall It Be Written - So Shall It Be Done

I'm sitting here as I sit here every Holy Saturday, watching The Ten Commandments.  I love it.  I can't help it- it's so campy.  Very Bible meets Days Of Our Lives.  "Oh Moses, Moses..."  "Can one so rich in beauty be so poor in pity?" "Are you a master builder or a master butcher?".

And it is of course also a sweeping epic.  Lots of grand sets and glamourous costumes (I didn't know they had bullet bras in ancient Epypt!)-classic Cecil B. DeVille. All those crowd scenes and special effects, done the old-fashioned way-no CGI in 1956! 

But I think that the real reason I watch this movie faithfully every year is that it's a little piece of continuity in life.  The Ten Commandments, like all the kiddie Christmas specials, takes me back to the time when I'd be watching it wearing pajamas with footies.  Nothing like a little nostalgia for the holidays!

Happy Record Store Day!

Didn't know there was any such thing, did you?  But today really is National Record Store Day.

It seems that good old vinyl is actually making a bit of a comeback.  Sales of vinyl LP's increased about 14% between 2009 and 2010.  That's a big deal, especially in an age when music downloads make up almost half of all music sales.  And there are still about 700 independent record stores nationwide hanging on and making sales. Woo-hoo! Good news in my book.  CDs and mp3 downloads are nice and convienient, but they do have a sort of flat sound.  LPs give you a much fuller, richer sound.  And does anyone else miss album art?  Yes, it's still there in that tiny little square on your mp3 player screen, but it's sure not the same as having a 12 x 12 cardboard cover with the artwork staring you in the face.

Little independent record stores each have a unique atmosphere, too, like the one in High Fidelity. (Note: there's some naughty words in the clip.)

You don't get that from iTunes or the mall store!

Anyway, I'm glad people are starting to appreciate vinyl records again.  When you get down it it, they're just plain cool.