Owner: Inspiration Alley URL:http://www.fldawn.typepad.com Join Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:58:18 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: A place for my life, my family, my friends, my travels, and all my creative pursuits - my view of life in general plus a little scrapbooking and rubberstamping with events, layouts, cards, and classes taken. Site statistics:Click here
It's over baby ... (#49) 2007-07-29 08:02:00 but don't let that stop you from donating.
Click Here to Sponsor Me in the Blogathon - My charity is Gilda's Club
Even after the blogathon has ended, you can still donate. The links will be open for another 48 hours, so if you think about it and decide you want to donate later -- you still can
Don't Forget ...
Today you are pledging to make a donation -- you will not be asked to submit funds until after the blogathon is over - so if payday isn't until next week - don't worry, you've got time.
If you want to read all the posts from the blogathon (they are numbered from 1 through 49) either click on the July 2007 archive button, or click on the blogathon cloud to the right. All posts were tagged with blogathon so they will be grouped together.
It's been great fun and I appreciate everyone's suport throughout the event. We did a good thing here, and I couldn't have made it happen without you.
Blogathon Recap (#48) 2007-07-29 07:34:00 So ....
I've had 255 page views on Saturday (which is about 250 more than usual), and another 39 so far today.
I've raised $275.00 for Gilda's Club
Blogathon is reporting that they have 364 bloggers blogging raising just over $116500 (and they've still got another 12 hours for the B shift.)
Every 30 minutes for 24 hours can really make a difference.
If the dates fall right (stars align and all that) again, then I'll be back to play again next year. I have had a great time looking up the scrapbooking links and participating in the memes. I hope you've enjoyed yourselves during your visit. Next year I'll start spreading the word earlier, and if I'm not off dialup, I may blog from work (they have a T1 line) or even a local hotel. I so wanted to share pictures of the cards I made and of me throughout the event, but this connection just wouldn't have it. I've got one more post at 9AM, and them I'm off to grab a few zzzzzz.
And finally, I'd lik Read more:Recap
Situation Sunday meme (#47) 2007-07-29 07:04:00 This one is called situation sunday. You're given several situations and you tell how you'd respond.
Situation #1You are all alone on a deserted road, far from home. Say 20 miles from home- you see a zombie. What do you do?
So, from all the scary movies I've seen I know that I have to blow their heads off in order to kill them. So I would whip out my gun (assuming I had one) and shoot them in the head. Alternatively I would find a large pointy stick so that I could use that like a stake to kill the zombie. (Gosh I didn't know I had this violent side - but they are zombies right?)
Situation #2You are out shopping in a mall. You have purchased numerous items through-out the whole day. You have bags of purchases. In one store you are accused of stealing merchandise. Hunt as you may you can not locate a sales receipt for the purchase.....you are about to be arrested. What do you do.
First, I would never have lost the receipt. My purse ends up having receipts Read more:Sunday
Something's Beeping (#46) 2007-07-29 06:31:00 Something's beeping here. It's making the noise that smoke detectors do when the battery is low. I've been wandering the house for the last 10 minutes and it's erratic. Sometimes it's beeping and sometimes not. I finally narrowed down the area to the bathroom.
So ... no smoke detectors in there. Apparently there is something (I would presume a cricket like animal) outside the window and he's telling me that he is up with me. Whatever it is, it was driving me crazy. He's stopped now (and I didn't do anything to him either).
The sun is up - it's daylight now. The birds are starting to sing, and the neighborhood is coming alive.
Click Here to Sponsor Me in the Blogathon - My charity is Gilda's Club
That's My Answer Meme (#45) 2007-07-29 06:01:00 This one is from That's My Answer - a question or so a day that you answer - simple.
This one is actually from the 28th - it's too early for todays - but I'll do it anyway
If you could find out only one fact about every person you met, what fact would you want to know?
I'd want to have some kind of honesty meter. Maybe a little light that went off when they are not speaking the truth. Sometimes when I leave conversations I'm just not so sure about someones sincerity, so I'd want to know.
Click Here to Sponsor Me in the Blogathon - My charity is Gilda's Club
Word Beads meme (#44) 2007-07-29 05:29:00 So I started doing memes earlier but many of Sunday ones weren't posted yet -- they are starting to come online now so I'll do all I can find. Remember I'm in a sleep deprived state so be kind to me when you view my answers.
This one is Word Beads
-
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to string the words below with other words of your choosing to fashion a sentence, several sentences, a paragraph, several paragraphs, a poem, or even a short story.
The words: Straight, Inasmuch, Enrage, Scholastic, Disadvantage
And I don't even have to look any of these up in the dictionary.
Inasmuch as she was at a scholastic disadvantage because of her learning disability, she still was able to graduate with a high grade point average. It always seemed to enrage her when others could go straight to making A's without a bit of studying.
Click Here to Sponsor Me in the Blogathon - My charity is Gilda's Club
The Neighborhood is Quiet (#43) 2007-07-29 05:03:00 So I'm officially up before the birds ....
I was just outside on the porch, and man it's quiet out there. But if you stop and listen you hear all sorts of things. I can hear the crickets chirping and I can hear frogs croaking across the street at the lake (that's my hypothesis anyway), but I don't hear any birds just yet.
I also don't see any sign of the sun yet - but I did see someone drive through my neighborhood. Who's up at this hour on a Sunday morning. Normally I wouldn't be (well any morning at this hour). I can also hear traffic on the expressway which is about 5 blocks from my house.
Now I'm usually a night owl and stay up late, and I do all-nighters several times a year - usually when I'm heading out of town I stay up all night so as not to miss my flight (OK, so I'm usually still packing because I've procrastinated too long), and I'll stay up all night on Christmas (yes procrastination here as well - still having to wrap those pre Read more:Neighborhood
, Quiet
A Little Frantic Time (#42) 2007-07-29 04:38:58 OK ... so my connection was lost - the cat kept wanting to jump on my keyboard, the computer keeps trying to reboot to install updates, and I'm trying to close out programs so I can do a quick shutdown and restart.
Sheesh Nothing like a little adrenaline boost to perk me back up.
If it wasn't 5:30 in the AM I probably would have had someone knocking at my door and the phone ringing.
I'm at a 50K connection which is pretty good, and hopefully we'll be able to stay connected.
Right now .... I'm going to take a look outside and see what I can see. I'm kindof looking forward to seeing the sunrise - not that I can really see it well - but hey ... close enough.
Click Here to Sponsor Me in the Blogathon - My charity is Gilda's Club Read more:Frantic
Stamping Links (#41) 2007-07-29 04:09:00 Here's some stamping links to some of my favoite manufacturers. Stamping sites also usually have galleries that you can look through. Hero Arts has a pretty good one and the will sometimes run contests. You can find these stamps online or at your local stamping store.
Hero Arts
Inky Antics
Click Here to Sponsor Me in the Blogathon - My charity is Gilda's Club
Man of Man (#40) 2007-07-29 03:52:00 I couldn't get a connection up on the dialup. All I could get up was at a speed of about 18K and it kept crashing. In any case, I am her and still plugging away, It's about 45 since my last post, so I'll have to wait for a verdict from my moderator, but I'm still going to keep on posting.
Click Here to Sponsor Me in the Blogathon - My charity is Gilda's Club
Heading Out Once Again ... 2007-08-03 10:57:43 I heading out today for a weekend crop put on by Hilltop Memories in Sebring Florida at the Kenilworth Lodge.
Going to Sebring and the Kennilworth brings back fond memories for me. I used to co-host an annual crop there for Florida Scrappers with my friend Jackie. It's been several years since we've been there so this trip is a great treat. Jackie and Helen are also going to the crop and they both were my roomates in the very first Sebring crop in 1998 I think. It was after that first Sebring crop Jackie and I started hosting our own annual crop there. Those were the days. I think my most favorite year was when we did a Survivor themed crop - it was a wild weekend.
I heading out early from work today, then I have a drive up 27 which is one of my favorite drives because there's not any traffic and great scenery (plus McDonalds are conveniently placed for pit stops). I look forward to spending time with all my friends and taking a class from Jules Read more:Heading
, Again
, Once Again
Thursday Thirteen (#10/104) 2007-08-02 13:43:38 Thirteen
Memes (other than the Thursday
Thirteen)
I was participating in the blogathon this past weekend, and when I ran out of things to post, I did some Sunday Memes so I thought I'd share some of the other memes that I found.
1. Pixos - once a week a theme is picked and you post a picture relating to that theme primarily showing differences in the theme for different locations.
2. Booked By Three - about books and and reading - monthly
3. Situation Sunday - you say how you would respond to several listed situations.
4. Unconsious Mutterings (Sundays) - free association - write the first thing that comes into your head for a list of words.
5. Word Beads (Sunday) - make a sentence (or poem, or several sentences) that use the 5 words posted.
6. Tuesday Twosome - questions with two choices all dealing with the same topic
7. Foto Pherrets (Wednesday) - post a picture that represents the word given.
8. Lens Day (Wednesday) - post pho
Upload Troubles 2007-07-31 19:04:00 I did figure out why I was having so much trouble uploading pictures to my blog during the blogathon -- the problem was ... the pictures were of too fine / good a quality so when uploading it would time out before the pics finished loading. I'm at work now so i'll uplad the one of Monty and me. I now know to use a lower setting on my camera when using my computer which is on dial up.
He stayed with me pretty much the entire blog (mostly he was napping) For this pic he wasn't amused - I was trying to bribe him with treats which worked enought to snap this pic. This was pretty early in the thon (around 7:30PM) so I still looked pretty perky (I think so anyway.) Read more:Upload
, Troubles
The Simpsons Movie 2007-07-30 22:45:00 Tonight we went to see the Simpsons
Movie. Going to the movies is unusual for us -- I think we go to the movie theatre about once every 5 years . Anyway, my husband really wanted to see the Simpsons Movie and I had some gift certificates that were about 3 years old so off we went.
Let me tell you -- it was hysterical. We both loved it, and now hubby keeps walking around the house saying
"Spiderpig, Spiderpig does whatever a spiderpig does" I know we'll be buying this one when it comes out on DVD.
After the movie we went to the Diner for dinner and as I was walking back to the car (past the theatre) I spyed that they had the Simpsons living room set up - so I begged, and pleaded with hubby to take a picture - which he finally agreed to. So here's me hanging out with the Simpsons on their couch.
I have another gift certificate to movies so I'm thinking I might go see 1408 with John Cusack
What A Ride ... 2007-07-29 22:52:00 I was so tired after the blogathon that I immediatly crashed. I crawled into bed and vaguely remember hubby asking me if I was going to take off my glasses and be responding - in a minute - the next thing I am waking up at around 4PM.
I was tempted to stay in bed, but forced myself up so that I didn't screw up my normal wake/sleep cycle. I got up, but didn't do too much, other than go out to eat at the local pizza joint, and then for ice cream afterwards.
I can say this about the blogathon ---
It was a rewarding experience and I'll be back doing it again next year. I appreciate everyone's support throughout the event.
Too Short 2007-08-05 20:09:00 I guess it had to end sometime ... I'm back home now from the crop. It's always makes me sad to have to head back home and go back to the "norm". I'd much rather be scrapping than doing my regular job.
I finished 3 sets of tags, plus some little tag holder folders and got caught up on news from across the state, plus learned some new gossip and some great scrapbooking happenings and links.
All in all a great trip! Read more:Short
Unconscious Mutterings (#2) 2007-08-05 03:16:00 I say ... and you think ... ?
Voices :: in my Head
Have to :: Sleep (well, I am at a scrapbook retreat)
Machine :: Language
Seventh grade :: Civics
Beach :: Suntan
Roommate :: Jackie and Helen (my current roomies)
Cyclone :: Twister
Theater :: Simpsons (the last movie I saw)
Pregnant :: Never
Phoebe :: Basic Grey (a scrapbooking thing)
This is a Sunday Meme - if you want to play you can join up here. Read more:Unconscious
Relaxing at Sebring 2007-08-04 22:48:00 Let's see .... Friday arrived at around 5:30 - then I stayed up until around 5:30A - Although I brought some extra stuff to work on, I am primarily working on Christmas Package Tags for a swap I'm in. Saturday morning we went to the Diner for breakfast, a quick trip to the local scrapbooking store, then back to the Kennilworth for a class at 10:30A (I was late).
I did finish the class project although it took me a total of about 5 hours to complete. I love it though. I have enough of the letters to make several more projects - I think the first one I'm going to do will spell out CATS. That would be four panels and I have four cats - so that would be perfect.
I'm spending a lot of time on the porch of the Kennilworth in the rocking chairs, just catching up with the girls. The pic at left is what the chairs look like at the beginning of the day, but by the end they're pulled into a gossip circle.
I do have to say that Sebring
and the Kennilwo
Christmas Tags 2007-08-10 13:37:10 Here are some recent tags that I've done. They are for Holiday Packages rather than for a scrapbooking layout.
My personal favorite is the blue one. I'm thinking maybe I'll do more of these (or a version thereof) and do all my presents in either blue or white paper with these tags. I don't know ... have to play around a little more. Read more:Christmas
Big Brother Update 2007-08-09 22:38:00 Ohhh I was so made tonight -- I so wanted Eric to go home and that terrible Dustin didn't vote like he said he was. Now my favorites Evil Dick and Danielle could be in trouble. After watching the show tonight I couldn't even go back to the live feed. Arggh.
Been trying to watch Pirate Master on the net -- it was cancelled mid show but watching it on the net is just not the same. I think I've lost interest.
I still haven't done my Sunday ritual of going through TiVo and picking out shows for it to record (other than my season pass things). I usually spend Sunday morning going from A-Z of upcoming shows picking out ones I think I'd like to watch. Gotta do that. (Not that I need more to watch, I have about 50 hours of shows out there waiting for me to sit down and view them).
Other than my reality TV addiction ... nothing really earth shattering on this end. Read more:Brother
, Update
, Big Brother
Dueling Blog Updates 2007-08-08 20:45:00 Last night I was helping Jackie with the Crop4Hope site, and we were updating almost simultaneously. It was funny -- she'd post, then I'd rearrange and edit ...
Maybe in my sleep deprived state things just appear funny to me - kindof like objects in the mirror are closer than they appear - things happening when you're tired appear funnier then they are -- it was more likely one of those you just had to be there scenarios.
Anyway ... still trying to come up with a work around so I can attend the actual Crop4Hope crop. It's just too darn hard because it's the end of a month and the end of a quarter at work. I just can't take off without closing the month and it's not in me to just say too bad and leave anyway, and I'm not sure I really want to do the fly in one day fly out the next thing. I know Jackie wants me there, but I'm just not so sure I'd be any help and the bulk of the work (setting up the crop) will already be done. Not to mention that Read more:Dueling
Can't get caught up 2007-08-07 19:12:00 I am still so tired.
I didn't get my beauty sleep 2 weekends ago because I was doing the blogathon, then last weekend I went to the Fried Green Tomatoes Crop in Sebring and stayed up until at least 5AM both nights. And now I've been dragging.
I remember the days when I could do 2 weeks of double shifts when I worked at the hospital as a unit secretary (oh wait ... that was 20 - 25 years ago - where does the time go). I don't mind being tired really, I just hate that I can't keep the hours I did when I was 20. Those were the days.
OK ... have to go take a power nap now.
Cold Case - Rocky Horror picture Show 2007-08-14 11:36:00 So I happened to catch an episode of Cold Case last night ... and it featured songs and clips from the Rocky
Horror Picture Show - plus Barry Bostwick played the murderer as an adult. I sat through the whole thing and wish I could have sat through it again. Loved it. Brought back so many memories of my Rocky Horror days and the Coconut Grove Theater, and costumes, and and and.
Then of course I had to search to see if it's still playing anywhere - it's coming to Miami Beach in October - on Halloween -- I think I'm going.... no - I know I'm going ... yep, decision final -- I'm going.
Not sure if hubby is up for it - I don't think he can't match the number of times I've been, but if he doesn't want to go, I may have to call and get the ol' group together and relive the 70s.
I'm excited already.
Bounty Girls Miami 2007-08-13 06:51:00 I've found a new reality show addiction. This one is called BountyGirlsMiami
on Court TV. First, by way of explanation, I've been reading the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series about an NJ Bounty Hunter (I'm up to #6 in the series) -- I just the other day remarked to my husband that they should make a series out of the books ... so while cruising through the TiVo guide, I came across this reality series. It's four women who are bounty hunders in Miami - not only does the topic intrigue me, but I love that it's based on Miami, Now it's a far cry from a series based on the Stephanie Plum stories, it still is a cool topic.
The series recently started so you can still find the first episode. It's one of those shows that repeats several times during the week. Take a peak it's fun
Unconscious Mutterings #3/236 2007-08-12 00:15:50 I say and you think:
Voyage :: Ship
Patricia :: Cornwell
Transformation :: Change
Vocabulary :: Words
San Francisco:: Bay
Edward :: Scissorhands
Sawyer :: Tom
Literary :: Agent
Tiger :: Kitty
Seal :: Close
You can play too ... visit Unconscious
Mutterings
Dog days of summer 2007-08-11 22:14:00 It is so humid. I guess this is what is meant by the dog days of summer. Even at the cruise in tonight - 10PM and we were sweating. Ended up moving to the local Miami Subs for some ice cream to cool down. Was sitting on the front porch earlier and there wasn't even a breeze.
I don't know about you but it makes me NOT want to do a thing. Slept in this morning, then couldnd't get up the energy to do anything. Just spent some time reading until the car show. Finished my latest book, and now on to pick another. I think I might run by the used book store tomorrow and get some new ones.
Starting to put away my scrap stuff, and since I don't expect to be scrapping much between now and CE, I'm starting to put together my stuff for Creative Escape. I'm usually a procrastinator, but for this one I want to plan - don't want to take more than is necessary so that I have room left in my luggage to carry stuff home with me. The pla
Blogging On the Road 2007-08-17 20:20:47 So it's final ... I'm keeping the card I bought to connect my laptop to the internet from anywhere. I had 30 days to try it out and believe me I have. I've been on from home, from work, in the car, from Sebring, and now from the cruise in at Tower Shops (which is where I am right now). I am loving it. For me the monthly service fee is so worth it. So far everywhere I've tried to connect has been at broadband speed. I'll be taking it to CE in Phoenix, then the fall and winter car shows in Plant City and Daytona. The only thing I need now is a better battery but that's on my birthday wishlist so no problem there.
Technology ... it's a wonderful thing. Read more:Blogging
Booking Through Thursday Meme 2007-08-16 20:28:54 Monogamy
One book at a time? Or more than one? If more, are they different types/genres? Or similar?
(We’re talking recreational reading, here—books for work or school don’t really count since they’re not optional.)
Stumbled in on this meme, and since I love reading and books, and I liked todays questions, I thought I'd play along. I usually reading more than one book at a time. I read one for myself (right now .. At Risk by Patricia Cornwell), and another I read to my husband (right now ... Seven Up by Janet Evanovich)during our commute to work (1 hour each way). As for type/genres I like serials where you follow a person through several books (like Kay Scarpetta, Stephanie Plum, Stone Barrington etc.) I also like thrillers, mysteries, and police procedurals. I don't have to necessarily read different genres when I'm reading the two books but the story lines do need to be somewhat different.
To play along visit booking through Thursday Read more:Booking
Who Couldn't Use $2500.00 Right ? 2007-08-15 21:48:00 Over at Ashwin’s blog, you will find one crazy blog owner!! You can win $2500!! To enter just copy this text and paste it in your blog!! But hurry, this competition will not last long! So get posting!
Read more:Right
This is so cool ... 2007-08-20 20:28:00 I received a package today from Fed Ex and it was a welcome package for Creative Escape (the scrapbooking event I'm going to the beginning of September). Man this just gets me revved up for the trip.
They sent a travel journal and some luggage tags plus polka dot ribbon so your luggage stands out, a little fedx airplane keyring, some fireballs to remind us how hot Pheonix is (and to pack a swimsuit), a button, and an edge distresser, plus it came with a nice letter explaining the contents and why they were sent.
All I can say is "top notch". This just sets the scene for the spoiling I anticipate at the event. Way cool!
I'm thinking maybe I'll decorate the travel journal before I go.
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