Is it moving day?

So.. my blogger account goes back to pre-google take-over days (coming up on eleven years of online babble). And yet somehow I've managed to keep it seperate from a google account. However, now I can't open it on my computer because my computer always wants to be signed in to some google account or another. I'm limited to posting from my phone.

I've discovered that I can transfer the blog over to a google account, but I'll lose any photos attached to it. Not so big a deal as with google's take over of Flickr (yet another account I've had since pre-google days and yet another random seperate account that I can't sign into) I lost my photos from the early blogging days (you know... back when you couldn't upload via Blogger).

I'm trying to decide if it's worth it. Is it time to start a new blog (oh dear God I hope not)? Is it time to make the migration?
Will I be able to figure out how to migrate my youtube and my itunes too?

Google. why are you making life so dificult for me?

Stupid first world problems.
Remember when my biggest online problems were whether the loofa sponge plants would get too big and pull down the phone lines in Togo?

TEN

Whoa.
Know what the funniest part is?
For the past few years I've written my blog-o-versary post months before the date... setting it to automatically post the morning of.

Ten years ago I was planning on heading back to Africa. I was heading to Togo in the fall to work with Wycliffe bible translators as a home schooling teacher for a Canadian family.
Ten years ago I was frustrated with email newsletters that had a tendency to bounce back and not send to anyone. Ten years ago I decided that I'd write here instead to keep my "prayer ninjas" up to date with my adventure.

It's been a lot of things over the years, a prayer journal, a venting ground, a record of loves and losses and growth, a safe place for me to try out putting my words down. I've seen my writing style change, my writing habits change, and my purpose for writing change.

To those of you who have stuck around for the ride and offered encouragement over the years,  thank you.  To my "internet friends" whom I wouldn't know without this tool, I'm so glad we have technologies. To those who've popped in and out helping my stat counter climb, thank you!

So. Ten years.
Can we do ten more?

super

I was SO excited when this happened.. mostly because I couldn't wait to write it down, to craft it into something awesome. Seriously... I even said out loud "I can't wait to blog about this". But, well...

So, I'd collected the eggs from the chickens and brought them into the house (actually a lot more than just that happened but for the sake of this being a short story...). I'd placed them in a bowl near the sink... somehow, Cheepers (one of the chickens) had managed to get in the house, hopped up beside the bowl, squatted and plunked another egg down and it landed in the sink.

ok.. so.. uh... here's the thing...

The bowl was on the floor. The egg bounced into the sink from the floor.
That's when I realized I was dreaming (in my dream) and said (out loud to the people in my dream) "oh never mind, I'm dreaming again." To which everyone in the dream frowned at me, because by announcing that they were actually dream-people, I'd essentially killed them. They all turned and left the room.

Once my brain realized what I'd just done, it whisked me off to another dream.

Pirates (Always) Pirates

Sometimes, when there's nothing better to do (than clean my house)
I look at old blog posts.

Yesterday felt a little meta when I found one talking about future digital archeologists digging thru the layers of the blogosphere, it linked back to an old post from Will's blog.

(greatest quote ever)

"Note to digital archaeologists of the distant future: Those cats could not actually has cheezburgers"

::side note, I've said it before, if you're not following Will's current project at "A Year Of Billy Joel", you're missing out::

I'm so off topic I've nearly forgotten the point of this post.

While digging thru old posts, I discovered I could look up history based on tags..which is why they're there in the first place.. They just don't make it very convenient. They've even changed the name of tags to "labels".

The number one tag used in this blog? "Monday Bunday" with something like 99 entries.  I've been known to dress up my pets. Next most tagged is "Community"... then not too too far down the line... "Pirates".

Of course Pirates.

All this to say... Today I opened my email to discover  this.. an invitation to audition for the part of a pirate. IN PETER PAN!

It's like my entire being has been waiting for this.

yarrrrr.

1500

Yes.

For some strange reason I've stuck to it... 1500 entries to the blog.

For your enjoyment (and mine)... here's a treat from my longtime favourite fiend Amy Winfrey.

(click for awesome)

*yes, I realize if you add the numbers on the side bar it doesn't add up- that's because there are a number of "secret" posts that you don't get to read*

drivel.

Apologies to those of you who are used to me attempting the proper use of punctuation and capitalization in my entries. This piece was imported from another project.

i've been weaning myself off of the facebook. trying to get back in the habit of writing blog entries instead... June 2004 I wrote my first entry in this account. at one point i was seeing well over a thousand visitors to the site each month, not bad for a blog about nothing. there have been months and years of some quality writing, and months and years of drivel.

i want to get back to the quality again. i feel good when words are released.

yesterday i sat in on an informal songwriters' workshop led by a favourite musician of mine- someone i'm thankful to call "friend". it got me thinking about the release that comes from writing, the welling up and overflow of words. the feeling of relief when a thought becomes shared and available.

a heartbreakingly beautiful moment happened in that workshop when a favourite musician of mine showed up- a man who's music brings me to tears- i've put on his album often just to bring myself to that place of release. this lovely man came to the workshop because he was feeling a bit of block and thought "why not?" (side note- the whole location/ story of the workshop is worthy of it's own post) rick shared a song he's working on- one so beautiful and pain filled- i cried through it (and wasn't alone in my tears) after he talked a little about the experience of writing the piece and began to well up himself.

the afternoon just left me with a craving to find words- especially now, as i navigate through some major life changes. i miss expression.

counting beans

I'm still a bit of a stats whore.
I got excited today when I looked at the sidebar stat counter and realized guest number 1600 had come and gone...

then I remembered that it was the "new" stat counter, reset after moving the blog to the newer format two years ago... I'm actually nearer to 30,000 guests.... and even that count doesn't take into account the first two and a half years of the blog.

um.
really.
this is dorky excitement.

1 2 3 4

So, I was feeling badly about having two years in a row where I hardly blogged a thing.
Then I remembered I was doing it for me, not for anyone reading this.

And then I also remembered, there's still 99 days left of this year.

it's true.

it's been awhile.

Post 1000 (plus 23)

Awww, finally got it done.

Please be patient as I add all the little things back.

Going camping tomorrow (finally) just until Sunday- got to get into camping mode in prep for Shelter Valley! Consider this a warm up round.

but who's counting?

There are some big numbers headed our way here at the parsley patch (yes, it was the parsley that got burnt the other day).

Visitor number 30,000 will be coming by ... ohhh, I'd say tomorrow or the next day... and a fairly large celebratory post should be in the works for... ohhh... two weeks from now? (sheesh.. I write like I talk... you're just missing out on the dramatic hand gestures).

for clarification... The BBq is in use (but not today due to GTI and DOWNPOURS) but stew for 30 was theplan. I changed the plan last minute. we had meatballs- work went late.

Last week FgH said she'd been waiting all day for a post (the one with the mouse)... I'd like to state here and now.. that I can hardly wait for her post about tonight's beverage...

Ummm... where are the BBq name suggestions??? (this could be your opportunity to de-lurk)

BBq

ok... I just need to tell you all, though I may not be an expert (yet)

I is in luffs with my BBq.

Now, everyone needs to vote on it's name.
errr. I guess in order to vote, you'll need to submit something to vote on.
The winner will get to see their submish as a label for all subsequent posts dealing with BBq-ing.

GO!

(I love that my spell check thinks "luffs" is a word!)


also in the news today, The Med Student (now intern) is blogging again... as is the Slackmistress, in her new blog, she is super funny. I suggest you check her out.

Because I can. I will.

I read a lot of Blogs. I'm fascinated by them.

Sometimes, I see things I like, and on the rare occasion, I copy an idea.
Today is one of those days! Aren't you lucky?

It's from The Lisa Show, a blog I started to follow a little while ago (thank you Bunny Guy for having that link!) Anyway, she linked to this pretty neat site.. and I think that each and everyone of you should go see it.... because it's FASCINATING.

Basically, in a nutshell, this site scans the interwebs for the phrase "I feel"... it also looks for photos with the caption "I feel" in it. Then it takes all these feelings... and puts them all into a little universe of their own... for you to dip your finger into and taste.

lovely.

I feel like I should know about these things.....
I feel like you should know about these things too....

take over

I used to have a second blog.
One where I didn't have to be PC. One where I did a lot of swearing. Where I'd write about the things that were going on in my head- but didn't want to say out loud.
There were a few people who knew about it, people I trust.
I liked a lot of the stuff I wrote there.

I deleted it a few months back, trying to make a clean slate.... and forgot about it.

Two days ago I got a txt from Be-Bop (now there's a name that hasn't been around in awhile...) he wanted to check in I guess... and couldn't remember the address to that site.... it left me searching my brain... I couldn't remember at first either.

Someone else has claimed it as their own. And.. funny thing is, their first post is so much like my first had been.

spell check is working again!

I know I said I wouldn't... but....

"this cheese... and Leonard..... I don't need anything more in life."

"please tell me you're not going to blog this?"

"uh... yeah."

pondering

ok, so I'm doing an interview...

and I've got a few ideas, but now I turn to you... What is something that you want to know about someone you've never met before?

If you were doing an interview with a stranger.... what's the first thing you'd ask them?
Keep in mind, this is a blogger, used to sharing the random bits and pieces online with whomever'd care to read it.
I want to send this person their questions this evening, so act now!

stupid spell check.

....

That last post wasn't intended to sound nearly as synical as it ended up being.

and my computer is acting up.... spell check isn't working, msn is cutting in and out, and I can't pirate due to "crazy lag" (I CAN sword fight though... watch out).

harumph.

I did spend the morning at the bean... and partook (like partake, but past tense) of their new and splendid brunch.
I reccomend it.
And if you'd tell them that I reccomended it, I'd apreciate it. Thanks.

great big experiment

Not one to miss out on the opportunity to join in on something... (one always has time for something more yes?) I've jumped aboard the great interview experiment! Like an unending, but self gratifying chain letter, The Citizen of the Month site wants to feed into every blogger's need to feel like a somebody.... it's true... why do we blog?
If you leave a comment, you're in. It's that simple. The person who commented before you has to interview you.... Then, you contact the next person to comment, because it's your job to interview them! ... and so on.....
SO, currently I'm reading lots of archives, and trying to come up with interesting, yet funny, questions.... because that's my job... to try really hard to be different just like everyone else.

I love this!

Back to the Future

I'm posting into the future,
one of this year's resolutions was to (to the best of my ability) blog more often.
I've been thinking about why I blog quite a bit today (thanks to Suzanne)... although... the post is now missing, so I can't just direct you there and say "I agree with what she said".

Anyway, I'm packing the computer on Friday, and I'm not sure when I'll be back on line.... Roomie's computer is not working quite the way it should.

Check back often! You never know when I'll be back :)

700 club

Growing up, I was a big fan of the sesame St scene.
I'd get SOOOOOO grumpy when the 700 club came on, marking the end of children's television for another morning...

I'd like to welcome you to post number 700.

I don't know if they count the drafts that will eternally sit in the draft box.
Those posts would be the ones with to much swearing or slamming of people.

That said... welcome to slamswear-fest

Today was horrible. I feel like shit. I feel abused, I feel walked on, and I feel unsupported.
Please pray that I don't stoop to the level some people feel the need to walk on, pray that I'd be gracious, grin, and remember to pray for them...
errr... is it wrong that I pray just so that God will heap tonnes of fiery coal on their heads and their heads will catch on fire and they'll stink of smoke?