Monday, May 24, 2010

Three Debts of Gratitude, One Post

 Once again, picture has nothing to do with this post.  But how could I resist this shot?

I'm ashamed to admit it.
I've received three blog awards in the last month.
And I have yet to acknowledge them and play along the way I should.
Today, Anti-Procrastination Tuesday, is the day.

It's not that I'm not flattered.  I am.
It's not that I don't love them.  I do.

I just hate the part of the award where you have to pick blogs to pass them onto.
Because I genuinely love all of you out there, and I hate to pick favorites.



But I didn't want to appear ungrateful.

So here goes.
I'm supposed to pick seven things about me, then pass the award on. I chose seven things about my blogging world:

1. I hate cluttered blogs. All the buttons, accolades, awards, ads--visual clutter. So I have elected to minimize them. Not that I don't love you all. I just HATE clutter. And that hate overflows into my blog life.

2. I will never put music on my blog. I love music. But usually I blog while I'm nursing Evie to sleep, and sudden music changes disturb her and shorten my blogging time. So in my own selfish best interest, I refuse music. Those of you whose blogs I frequent who have music (and you know who you are), I know exactly how long to wait for the button to download and the sound to engage before I click it off to keep Eve sleeping.

3. Somehow I changed the html and I cannot for the life of me remove the box around my signature. It's driving me crazy, and I can't fix it. Anyone? Anyone?

4. I add and delete blogs to my blog list almost daily. For reasons only known to me.

5. I hate it when you are leaving a comment on a blog, and after you click "post comment," it moves to a different screen and up pops the word verification. It uses up valuable Evie sleeping time waiting for this second screen. Less time to spend with all of you. It bugged me so much that I eliminated the word verification completely a few months ago. Never been so happy.

6. Besides my blog, I also keep private journals for each of my kids. Some of the things in their lives I want to remain private. And I'm so glad that I'm still doing that.

7. A few members of my extended family read my blog, but none of my in-laws. I've dropped a few subtle (and a couple not-so-subtle) hints, and they look at me like I've got schmutz on my face and change the subject. All that means to me is that their crazy lives have just been declared free game.

And now for the part I hate: playground captain to pick teams for kickball. I never got to be the captain, maybe that's why I hate this. Actually, I'm sure it's because I was always picked last. Tears and sympathy, please.

Since these awards were given to me by Allyson VP (who I spotlighted yesterday) and Paige (two from her, and she is darling as all get-out), I can't send it back their way. (In no particular order)

Anna at Anna (good one, huh?)
Karen at K2Cole
Laraine at Larainy Days
Natalie at Snarky Belle

Please do not feel obligated to play this game of kickball if you are so not inclined. Know I love you all anyway. And those of you not mentioned with your names and blogs on my sidebar, I love you, too. Because if I didn't, I would resort to #4 above.

Thanks for the kudos. I really do appreciate them. It's nice to know my words aren't just floating around cyberspace.

Linking up to Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays.





blog

WOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!
I went to New Nostalgia to copy the link onto my little ole blog, and I've been spotlighted! My summer schedule from last week! Tears of happiness.
Thanks, Amy!
New Nostalgia

22 comments:

  1. Jen, you have truly brought me to tears. I am happy you enjoy my bi weekly posts, because your blog truly makes me happy. It makes me smile, it makes me cry, it makes me love my children a little more, it makes me reprioritize my life, and so much more(but I'm a little too choked up to think of them all right now). I am truly grateful to have you as a friend. You inspire me.

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  2. I am so glad I stumbled across your blog. My husband comes from a large family, so it makes me happy just seeing pictures of your family, beause it reminds me of them.

    It was lovely to get to know you more through this post.

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  3. I agree with you on all of this. It's funny, I have a post ready to go in a few days that says exactly the same thing about the word verification. I HATE that. Hate is not too strong a word. I'm pretty sure I've checked that I don't have that (several times, just to be sure I didn't botch it up) so when I go on my rant people don't leave comments about what a hypocrite I am).

    Anyway.
    I also hate the part of an "award" were you have to put it on your blog and list other blogs. Awkward. Plus, it's like an endorsement. I've gotten four awards and I've only played along on two of them. Half is still good, though, right?

    I agree with you (again) about the clutter. It annoys me when there are so many ads and junk that you can't find anything. That's why I have one panel for text and one for other stuff. Not two. Or 16.

    Do not get me started on music. Hate that, too. I almost never like the song and it scares me to death, usually. It does not add. It detracts. DETRACTS. (ps: I looked up how to spell detracts because it looked weird. ha ha. ha. *ahem*)

    I'm sorry I dumped my hatred on your comments. Again. At least it's not an epic saga. Oh.

    Wait.

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  4. I completely agree. Can't stand cluttered blogs..ads...MUSIC. do you know how many times I've jumped out of my computer chair because of blaring music? You'll never find music on my blog either. And thanks for the award. I've recieved a few too but feel weird about posting them on my blog. I never give out any either...the whole award thing is just not my deal. LOVE this post Jen!!

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  5. Oh no, I was deleted...sniff. I add and delete blogs all the time or stop following, so I can relate. I hardly ever turn on my sound so I never know if someone has music or not. I hope you solve your box problem, that can be frustrating. Congrats on the awards!

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  6. Jen,
    Thanks for your wisdom with week. The lists have actually helped, I was able to go to Drew's baseball games last night with a clear list and enjoy myself!

    Also, loved your post yesterday, it is hard for us moms to sometimes get our kids to embrace themselves. . .way to stick with it.

    Gabe

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  7. Hi! Fun post...learned lots about you. The comment thing bugs me too...before I knew about the comment approval...I would comment several times on the same post (wondering where my comment went)because I didn't notice the little sentence at the top that said it had to be approved first.
    I don't mind the music...I just press mute if I'm not in the mood. My nursing babies got super distracted with any kind of noise, too...so it makes sense to me that it bothers you.
    Have a great day!
    :) Jen

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  8. Congratulations, and thanks. You're sweet.

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  9. Here is reason # 1 billion why i love you. You used that list to name what you didn't like.. hahahah

    I fully agree, I HATE music on blogs, and I detest clutter. But, you and I, we see eye to eye on the whole clutter thing. As far as word verification. I really don't like it either, and I took it off for a long time. However, when i started getting totally random "comments" that were like advertisements or a page of gibberish type or whatever...I decided to put it back on.

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  10. I love how your write, I feel like you are just talking to ME! That is a gift.
    You are welcome for the feature, and I HEAR YA about all your issues:) The word verification is a hard one for me. I took it off my blog and started getting "comments' from porn spammers, so back up it went. I've tried taking it off a couple times after that and back the spammers come. aargh.
    I enjoy reading you, keep it up!

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  11. that picture is seriously darling

    and thank you for reading my li'l blog and keeping me ON your blogroll. for real.

    my in-laws don't read mine either, and then they act like I never tell them what is going on in our lives. (um, hello, just 10 seconds a day and you'll know) whatever.

    And I love kickball, and I am BEYOND honored to be picked to play. You're too kind!

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  12. i hate clutter too...(i say this as i look around the kichen/breakfast nook at all the mess lily caused in 10 mins flat while i'm baking..i mean blogging)

    i hate the music too....scares me when it loads and i'm not expecting it...i usually keep my volume turned off! NEVER MESS W/A SLEEPING BABY
    :O)

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  13. Thanks Jen- I feel all warm and snuggly inside now. I hate word verification too- but got a less than appropriate comment and put it back up. I wish it could be subject to approval without the time waster.

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  14. Like Jess, I'm feeling all warm and snuggly... =)

    As for the musical blogs, ya got me. I am the quintessential music blogger. But I do try to match the music to the message...does that count for anything?

    Hmmm. You have given me me something to think about.

    =)

    PS. Love you AND your blog, btw.

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  15. Evie is the most beautiful tiny thing EVER!!

    Thanks for the award - I am sure I am undeserving. I haven't touched the blog roll on my blog since I made it, ya mean I have to clean that too!!! I keep my speakers turned off (except I alway turn it up for Sue because her music always matches her post and I have to admit I admire that!)

    I love to read comments almost as much as posts! That's where I get most of my new blogs to read.

    Had fun yesterday!

    Love ya

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  16. There are so many things I could say but ... I think we may be twins ... except for the nursing baby part .... no more of that in my life but the rest of this I could have written!

    Oh ... and I have a dot dot dot addiction! Sad I know!

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  17. It sounds as though you've hit a chord with this post - especially re music on blogs. It's one of my pet peeves too - always a race to see if I can mute it before it gets going. I often read blogs early in the morning and don't want to wake the family. Like you, I resent the time the extra pop-up box for verification takes - lucky that the things that aggravate us are so small!!

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  18. Love that picture of Evie :) Makes me forget that the post was about something else. Her eyes are amazing! So mesmerizing... I'm only saying this because I love babies (I have one of my own) and not because I'm a creepy person...I swear!

    I totally agree with your post! Word verification is definitely annoying but it could be fun too! Just think about the funniest word you've ever seen :) (trying to see the silver lining here)

    Also agree on the clutter and the music. In fact, music is a form of clutter in my world. Both tends to slow down the loading of the page too. Clean and simple are the way the go. It's the contents that should really matter anyway, right?

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  19. what an adorable picture!

    I completely agree with 1,2,5 and 7. I am not sure why my mil never goes to my blog - especially since she is one of the ones that doesn't live near by that I originally created it for! Oh well.

    www.thefamilytrifecta.com

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