Top Ten Thursday

I am so guilty of being a ghost-reader on many of the bajillions of blogs I follow. Especially with some of the more popular blogs, I feel like my comment is just one in a million and will the owner really notice my measly little comment? But what a crappy way to look at it! A few months ago I challenged myself to comment more on the blogs I read and enjoy on a regular basis. The ones I look forward to seeing an update from, and the ones I find myself thinking about over the course of a day. I've made pretty good on my promise, though I definitely have some room for improvement. My objective was simple.

I told myself that if I found myself commenting out loud or thinking something, I would leave that comment on the entry. Otherwise, I'd move on.

Kind of like a conversation, if I had something to say I'd contribute it, otherwise I'd keep my mouth shut. I'm really good at keeping my opinion to myself, just ask my friends. Especially when it comes to their chosen person to date. FYI, this is a public apology. You know who you are.

So now, I pose that same challenge to you. Not just to comment on what I write, but comment in whatever other corners of the internet you are lurking. Do you creep around on sports message boards? Leave a comment, be a part of the conversation. Maybe mommy blogs are your thing? Kids or no kids, you like them for a reason, so let them know what you're thinking!

In case you needed more persuading... I present you my best skillz of persuasion in list form as to why you should comment on a blog. Any blog. To be clear, not just my blog, but all blogs around the world. Big ones, small ones, boy ones, girl ones, new ones and old ones. Just do it.

Why You Should Comment

1. "Meet" & get to know people (other commenters or the blogger themself) who have similar interests or opinions to those of your own.
2. You probably have something intelligent, witty, or otherwise appropriate to contribute
3. Most bloggers intend their topics to be conversation starters. I already know what I think. I want to know what you think!
4. Sometimes there are contests, and you could win something!
5. I think 99% of bloggers, big or small, read every single comment they get. You are noticed.
6. I/We want to write about what you want to hear about, but I/we can't do that without your help.
7. I like to know who's reading! Although I can't cater everything I write to my audience, if I know that I have 50% male readership, well then I'll probably ix-nay the ampon-alk-tay. Kapeesh...ay?
8. It's a way to judge the number of people reading, too. I mean, I get 2 comments but 100+ page views. I went to Georgia Tech, I can add, and that doesn't add up.
9. It might strike a chord with you, and next thing you know, you'll be blogging away too.
10. I just want to be really clear - this is not some sort of plea for more people to comment on my blog specifically. I know (for the most part) who reads & I am quite pleased with the way things are going in my not-so-secret-life.

It is just a general request on behalf of the "blogging community" and a little bit of a pay it forward. I also wanted you to know that even though I blog, I also feel a lot of the same things I mentioned above, and find myself not commenting because I figure the author won't notice or care. Well, I think wrong, and so do you! This is your chance to tell the world what you really think, the only chance you'll ever get in a hundred million years so damnit what are you waiting for?

No? That didn't work? Alright then, I rest my case :)

Willy's

Back before I actually considered myself a blogger, but I really was, but I wasn't, I wrote about how much I love Mexican food. Except I didn't use as many words as I do now. How unfortunate and unlucky for you - I could have been rambling on that whole time about stuff no one cares about and I didn't even take advantage. But lucky you, I wasn't lying when I said I ate Mexican food legit 5 times a week. I'll never tell a lie. So I'm really glad to report that I no longer eat Mexican food 5 times a week.

So now, as I wait for my nice, kind, precious, generous, fabulous, entertaining, hilarious, fantastic driver of a sister to come over bearing Willy's, I figured it was as good a time as ever to let you know that my obsession has yet to subside. It's still chugging along. I've transitioned from Moe's to Willy's, a wise decision if I do say so myself. I prefer the cheese dip, and the spicy chicken. THE SPICY CHICKEN. Moe's does not have spicy chicken. Hey Moe's, step up to the plate! The people have spoken, and the people want spicy chicken!

Is 4 times a week too many times to be eating Mexican food? No? Phew, I'm safe.

GAME NIGHT

You know how you have 2 groups of friends, and you are totally hesitant to have those friends meet and interact because you're not really sure that they'll get along? Right, that's not what I was worried about for game night. I knew these 2 groups of friends I was merging would not only hit it off, but would immediately request to hang out with each other in the future. I love it when I'm right! We had more fun than I really had imagined even though I knew that Quelf would not disappoint us. We ate the ridiculous amount of food I made, we laughed until we peed ourselves, and then we laughed some more. My words cannot do justice do the fun we had, but the pictures kind of do.

prosciutto & nectarine pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese and homemade sauce

chicken alfredo pizza with spinach

homemade guac

baked brie

spinach artichoke dip that i may have also eaten for breakfast this morning...

trader joe's black bean dip

vino, lots of vino 

quelf!

did you know that your thumb is the same length as your nose?

move backwards 1 space if you put your thumb to your nose to test that theory.

he's smiling so this is clearly not when he had to pretend

he was riding an ostrich while looking at a beached whale

you must snort like a pig when you laugh.  

 

 

beyonce. he's got all her dances memorized.

 

 

the captain speaking

 

channeling what little inner ballerina i have

human pretzel. each foot on another person, hand on another person's knee,

grab someone else's foot, and rest your head on someone's shoulder.

dude, i gotta use your knee. i swear though, i'm straight.

accesorizing. 

We also played a rousing game of Apples to Apples (I'm still baffled at some of the choices) which was equally as exciting, but at that point I'd had my fair share of wine and opted to put the camera away. I love when I make responsible decisions, although mr. bowtie probably would have continued posing all night. Thanks friends, for such a fun night! Can't wait to do it again!  

Collections

I collect spoons.

My sister collects bells.

Roxxy collects shot glasses. Roxxy also gave up shots as her New Years Resolution, but that's another story for another day.

Why do we collect things? I collect spoons because I am the oldest child, and my grandma collected spoons. Then, my mom inherited her spoon collection. And one day, I'll inherit both of their spoon collections, and on and on and on. I have a spoon from nearly every place I have ever traveled in my whole life. San Fransisco, Hong Kong, NYC, and Duluth, MN, just to name a few. When I lived in Spain, my friends stole a tea spoon (literally, it was brought out with someone's tea) for me to keep. My other grandparents tried to get in on the spoon action by bringing me spoons from places they had been. I guess I put the kibash on that because it ended about as quickly as it started. You can't collect things from places you haven't been, it's practically un-American.

My friends like to make fun of the spoons that hang on the wall next to my bathroom, but those damn spoons are probably my favorite posession. They remind me of my family, of my friends, of the places I have been, and of all the places I have yet to go. I could sit and organize and re-organize my spoons for hours and I really just sit and smile. I think it's because my spoons are so much more than just stupid spoons with the names of cities on them. They remind me of how lucky I am and of how loved I am.

What do you have that reminds you of home, of the people you love, and of the people who love you? Because I really believe that everybody should have something. Even if it's an overpriced utensil.

Confessions Friday

Based on the fact that my beloved football team lost their QB last night to a broken arm, here's a little tidbit that you may not know about me:

I've never broken a bone! Sprained finger that I entirely overexaggerated to get out of orchestra my senior year of high school, check plus, but no broken bones on this body. I've never even been to the hospital!

Ok, your turn, tell me a fun fact about yourself!

PS - Joshy Nesbitt, please have magical powers and heal your arm quickly a la Claire Bennett in Heroes.

Top 10 Ways to Spice Up Your Weekend

1. Start a new craft project (like sewing presents for your friends!)
2. Go watch college football at a new bar, prefrerably with like-minded fans
3. Explore a part of town you haven't been to and take pictures. This would be extra fun with your person, but if you don't have a person that you can force into activities like this, going by yourself would also be acceptable and "spicy."
4. Pick up a book you've been meaning to immerse yourself in.
5. Plan something with friends that you wouldn't normally do, like a Game Night.
6. Hope that your football team doesn't throw away their game like mine is about to do did.
7. Make the Christmas list that your mother has been requesting since August (and that you suspect she will entirely ignore).
8. Call your grandma. She'll be really glad to hear from you.
9. Get outside & wash your car. 2 birds, 1 stone, right?
10. Try some sort of exercise you haven't done before (or in a while).

Maybe these things aren't spicy to everyone else, but to me they sound like great ways to mix up my weekend and make the most of it. And I may or may not have every intention of completing basically... every one. Except exploring a new part of town, because I refuse to do it alone and there is no one that loves me enough to go with me. At least I don't think. Any volunteers?

Crickets. Oh well. And who am I really kidding, do you really think I'm going to do anything but hot yoga? Ninja please.

Because I started a new job today,

and because my brain is on overload,

and because I don't have anything mindblowing to say,

and because I haven't done anything cool,

and because I don't think I have the mental capacity to think right now...

I'll be back on Saturday (maybe earlier if you're lucky) with photographic evidence and entertaining anecdotes regarding the happenings over the course of this week both in my personal and professional life.

GET PUMPED UP.

In the meantime, say a little prayer for meeeeeeeeeeee :)