“If you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now, quiet, they’re about to announce the lottery numbers! “~Homer Simpson

Y’all, I have a “to do list” that is as long as my arm. Actually, I have more than one. I try hard to get things done. I work for the things I want, but I’m so easily distracted. I sometimes wonder if I really do have A.D.D., because I can never…oh, look! A blue car!

As I was saying, I have trouble staying focused; especially so when all is working well with my computer. For a few days there (when my blog disappeared) I was so totally productive that it was almost scary. I just walked away from the computer for a few days. Now, I’m finding all kinds of distractions again. Some don’t involve the computer, but I’m ashamed to admit most do. Here are thirteen of those for the Thursday Thirteen meme.

1. In looking at my blog statistics today, I noticed that someone came to my blog looking for “nude images of hasselhoff or selleck.” That’s what the search string said. I’m afraid when they got here that they were disappointed. However, the thought of a nekkid Tom Selleck kept me occupied for a few minutes. Ahem. Being curious, I followed the link to the page on AOL where they had entered that search. I clicked on “images,” but I didn’t find any nude pictures. Firefox told me that the word “nude” had been removed because I have “safe search” on. Drat. I don’t know how to take that function off of there, so I was disappointed, too. Don’t tell my husband.

2. My blog was looking very cluttered, so I spent hours removing things from the sidebars. I still have blogrolls, just click on this picture to go to the page.

I just didn’t want my blog to be as junky as my desk. I put a lot of spaces, so that the info stretches down the sidebar. I hope that makes it easier on the eyes.

3. Of course, as soon as I took everything off of the sidebar, I started adding new stuff. I put my “pitcher” on there…see? No, scroll back up to the top. There! I combed my hair just for you, so I hope you are happy. Now you don’t have to talk to the hand.

4. And, I put under it a link to me telling a story. If you have RealPlayer, you can hear it (that link is for a Mac, but you can get it for a pc, too). The story is one that is often requested by folks at festivals who know me. They think it’s funny. I can laugh about it now, but at the time it happened it was tragic. I recorded it for use at The University of North Texas for a storytelling class.

5. I also put a silly quote on the page, and a couple of links to things I like. The plan is that I will frequently update these and change them out so you won’t get bored. We’ll see how that one works, won’t we. I scattered them around on the page so that it could be like an Easter egg hunt for you.

6. You might even find that I’ve got a sidebar link to one of your posts! That’s another thing I’m wanting to do. Just add some posts I like on the sidebar so that my friends can meet each other. I’d rather have your picture on there. Maybe I need y’all to send me a picture that represents you or your blog, so I can rotate those around and give you each an opportunity to shine. There you go, I’m getting distracted just sitting here.

7. In those links, if you will just go and look, you’ll find a story about Share A Square that I thought was pretty cool. Muriel of Crafter by Night, who lives in Austin, TX is putting together one of the afghans. She tells a story that is one of those “it’s a small world” stories, called “Kismet Perhaps.”

8. For any of my Share A Square friends who drop by, you might want to visit Muriel’s “Crafting For Charity” page. She will give you something to keep yourself busy, for sure.

9. I also spent time following another search string to Who Links To Me, which claims to be the ultimate SEO tool. If you are a “stat obsessed” blogger, and haven’t found the site before, you might want to check it out.

10. A better site is “Website Grader.” Seriously! Marcia, at Tumbled Words told me about this many months ago. The first time I entered my web address, I got a grade of 85, “in terms of its marketing effectiveness. The algorithm uses a proprietary blend of over a dozen different variables, including search engine data, website structure, approximate traffic, site performance, and others.” It showed me a few simple changes (it took me less than an hour), and my score was raised to 97. My page rank went from 1 to 5. Not only that, once I did the changes my traffic started to increase! I was lucky to get 350 unique visitors a day back then. Now, I average about 650-750 depending on the day. Might be worth a shot for you.

11. I got lost in StumbleUpon. Don’t follow that link unless you want to waste hours.

12. While I was on StumbleUpon, I came across the Pandora Music Genome Project. It lets you create your own radio station with the music you like! I’m listening to my Blues Mix right now. I created it today while I was stitching together an afghan for Share A Square. Pandora Radio is totally wonderful and FREE! Let’s see if this will take you to my radio station. You can create your own just by putting in the name of a musician or band you like, then giving the thumbs up or thumbs down to the music it plays. Cool!

13. Finally, I learned how to download games on this Mac! Oh, people, that’s bad news! It didn’t come with games on it already, like a pc does, and I was weaning myself. Now, I’ve learned I can download a game, play it on demo until they ask me to pay for it, and then delete it!

Will one of you please save me from myself?

The only tricks my cats can do is barf on a shoe. They certainly wouldn’t climb into a goldfish bowl on command.

You’ve probably already received this in a viral e-mail, because it’s going around. But, I needed the chance to giggle today. This is one of those days when I think I am re-writing the Book of Job. Of course, whenever I sit and feel sorry for myself, I’m lucky enough to get a wake up call.

I can thank Cathy at Arkie Mama for my latest one. If you are in the mood for a change of perspective, visit her post called An Indomitable Spirit. It’s short, sweet, and heartwarming. Thanks, Cathy.

Technorati Tags: cat, goldfish bowl, viral e-mail

Do y’all remember the cartoons with Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner? I’ve been thinking about how that coyote pursued the roadrunner with such a passion. The image in my mind is of the times he ran blindly toward that bird and ran smack dab into a wall (or other obstacle), and slid down to a crumpled heap. It was hilarious to see the cartoons, but it loses something in the telling.

If you never saw the cartoons, imagine a dog on a chain ardently watching a squirrel on the fence. All of a sudden, the dog takes off lickety-split towards the squirrel—-until he hits the end of the chain and gets yanked up short. It’s the same thing. It’s about going after a goal with such a force that you don’t see what’s going on around you, and you get blind-sided.

Well, this week I hit my own “wall.” I hit the end of the chain. I know y’all have done it, too. It’s not so funny when there are no sound effects and no laugh tracks, is it? I had too many things on my plate, and I tuckered myself out (so to speak). I couldn’t face the computer, I couldn’t look at Share A Square, I couldn’t do one more thing. I came home from work yesterday and fell in bed to sleep. It was just what I needed.

Now, I’m better. And, just like that coyote, I’m rarin’ to go again. At least, until I hit the next wall.

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Come to think of it, I will be going. This week, I get to travel to San Francisco, and then up to Mendocino in California. I get to have a day visiting my youngest son, and then we will go to visit with Eric’s family. That happens this Thursday, and I’m hoping I can blog while there. We will just have to see if I can get an internet connection. I had been hoping we would stay at The Triton Hotel, but the room rates were a little more than we were willing to spend this time. I guess I’ll “suffer” (please note that I am being facetious!).

I had planned to take a book to read on the plane. I had purchased The Lovely Bones, a novel by Alice Sebold. But, I started reading and couldn’t put it down. It was riveting. Since that’s done, I guess I’ll have to find out if I can smuggle a crochet hook on the plane! That’s a dangerous weapon, you know. I could poke my eye out.

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I’ve been seeing the image that Leanne made for me floating around on the internet. I’m delighted that people like it well enough to use it. Feel free to take it for your own if you want to share a little link love.

And, it reminds me to tell you about a few of the places I’ve gotten to visit for a brief spell lately.

Comedy Plus always makes me giggle, so click that link I just gave you if you want a laugh.

Lara at Ain’t Nothin” Like The Real Thing had a great Thursday Thirteen with quotations that were good for a laugh.

Rick Cockrum at Shards of Consciousness will make you think with posts like Leaving the Box.

Melancholy Musings had an icon like this one on her blog. Click it, and see what your resolution for this year might have been. It’s a little late for 2007, isn’t it?

In the year 2007 I resolve to: Start a cult. Get your resolution here.

If you click it again, you’ll get something different.

In the year 2007 I resolve to: Swallow more, spit less. Get your resolution here.

Lara Croft, who has a lovely blog called On the Lake Front, is a fellow Texan who has gotten all caught up in the Blog Blast for Peace. She’s sporting this banner on her blog right now to remind us to fly our peace globes on November 7th:

Get my banner code or make your own flash banner

Just so you know, Leanne is having a Pumpkin Carving Contest with prizes!

And, for you bloggers who like to win big money, The Parent Blogger Network is sponsoring a contest called Wacky Warning Labels. Check it out!

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I told y’all that my friend, Mrs. Teamouse, is plumb crazy, didn’t I? She’s offering a contest to win one knitted dishcloth a month for a year. My husband really wants those dishcloths, so we have to win them for him.


I need your help! I need you to go and comment on her blog, and just say “Shelly sent me.” Cut and paste if you must, but hurry! Other people helped me, why can’t you? You know I’d do this for you! Thank you to the following who were kind to Eric:

Tracey at Whatcha’ readin?

Matty at Running on Empty

Sandi at Always a Work in Progress

Thorne at Thorne’s World

And, “Anonymous” went over there, too! Anonymous said, “She tied me to a chair & whipped me with a noodle & made me type this!!!!” I never did that. But, if I did, Anonymous would probably like it!

If I don’t win those dishcloths, I will be very glum. So will Eric, and you don’t want to see Eric glum.

I told you that you didn’t want to see it. If he doesn’t win those dishcloths, Eric will pack up those dirty dishes and mail them to you! So, hurry on over and comment.
Update:
And, thank you, Robin, for heeding my plea! Eric is looking better already. Patois went, too (but she’s spreading that evil rumor about me whipping people! I swear it isn’t true!). Archshrk even went over there! And, he says that “he does whatever Shelly says!” Hmm. I gotta think about that one, Archshrk—I may have to be careful about what I ask. “The rectangle girl” went too (and I think I know who you are, but since I’m not sure I’ll stay mum). Thanks, folks! I may get Eric his dishcloths yet.

Cindee went over today to comment. Any more of you gonna help me out here? If not, I’ll show you more pics of glum Eric.

Technorati Tags: Share A Square, travel, link love, Blog Blast for Peace, Pumpkin Carving Contest, The Parent Blogger Network