Digital Thursday

Well, even though it is the actual blogaversary today I thought I would post up an update to last week’s Digital Thursday and do an extra special Halloween post for the Blogaversary.

Last week I showed you the near finished work in progress for the October Challenge of the Cartographer’s Guild. I gave you the background on what the challenge was about and all that stuff. Well, today I am going to give the version that I submitted for the contest. I will also outline what I would have done had I had more time in which to accomplish those doings.

Anywhoo… here is the submitted version of the challenge. (please click to embiggenate for the devil is in the details of this bugger.) The main difference between this one and the one I showed last Thursday is that I halved the width of the planking for the dock, I added an airboat, some boxes and crates, some flotsam and jetsam, and tables and chairs for the Dead Spider Bar and Grill.



1. If I had time I would have liked to put some kind of element in the barren center area of the map. It looks too open and too bare to be useful in such a cramped space.

2. In some of the open water areas that don’t seem to make sense I would have added pilings to show that construction is happening there or about to happen there.

3. The roofs of the structures are bit on the bare side. They should have some kind of detail to add seams and panels to the rather large roof areas. A single sheet of metal is not going to cover most of those areas. Also, even though these shacks are in the bayou, they still need fireplaces and stoves, so chimneys and smokestacks need to be evident .

4. The lower left portion of the map should indicate where a boat is docking.

5. There need to be a few more airboats in the upper left corner.

6. There should be the shadow of a gator in the water area with the “dead” mechanized spider.

7. More flotsam and jetsam because those are fun words to say.

Oh, and here is a Supergirl I dre for a Ten Ton Studios Sketch Challenge (click to embiggen)



To recap:
Happy blogaversary to me
No one even offered to buy me lunch :(
And it is my Blogaversary :’(
I am sad and poor and kind of hungry now
Feel free to wish me a happy blogaversary in the comments... it will make me all warm and squishy inside
Looks like I will win the October Challenge with the above map
Kick ass!
I'm a winner!
I am attempting to build up a fantasy cartographic portfolio in order to make some extra scratch in the gaming world
Little Man is dressing up as a cat for Halloween
I am not dressing up
Listening to Something Is Not Right With Me by the Cold War Kids off of Loyalty to Loyalty
Have a great weekend

4th Annual Blogaversary: year 2

Well here we are again. This is the recap of year 2 to year 3. First sentences from most of the year that was year 2, the year of the yeti.

So for Halloween this year we tracked, killed, and skinned Elmo.
So Wifey thinks that wearing only one sock at night is a definite sign of insanity, much like wearing a boot on one’s head.
What to say?
So I get this call Saturday evening.
The only 2 dimensional natural phenomenon known to man is a rainbow.
I feel that I have something that needs to be said, and I am going to get it off my chest.
Had a meeting in Cleveland today.
Okay, so I was not hallucinating when I was peeing Friday afternoon.
So, Little Man pants’d Wifey at the library last night.
House cleaning is a bitch.
So on the way to work today a few things happened.
So what am I thankful for?
Fowl Holiday 05 has come and went.
Why can’t the weather make up its damn mind?
So Little Man slept in his Big Boy bed all night.
So Last night’s sleep situation was not as wildly successful as Tuesday evening.
It happened last night.
You know your wife really wants to get off the phone when she starts singing the lyrics from the Human League.
I do not want this to become one of those annoying blogs where all the author (yes, lofty to refer to oneself as an author when all one is doing is blogging, but what the hey) does is talk about the aforementioned author’s amazingly cute progeny.
Christmas music time is upon us yet again.
I have nothing to chat about today, yet again.
Little Man is sick today, so I am tending to him today.
Sorry about the lack of post today, Little Man had another trip to the ER.
Okay now I have a headache.
I started out thinking that I could get away with a simple, yet elegant “Mea Culpa” idea to apologize ("apologise" for the Queen’s English folk) about my errors dealing with the Comments portion of the page.
T’was the Thursday before Christmas, when all through the cube No work was accomplished by this bored blogging rube.
Nothing says “Hey, Tubby, get off your lazy ass” like getting a gym membership in your stocking for Christmas
FYI: do not start up an exercise regime, from not doing anything for 2 years, by getting on an elliptical machine and having Rage Against the Machine’s Testify come on as your starting song.
Oh, the New Year is here.
I slept wrong last night.
I am at home today with my lovely little boy.
The evening ritual for Little Man is as follows.
So last night was a night destined to be near sleepless.
Wifey is doing much better, but reading is quite a chore for her still.
I love going out to lunch.
Today we have a guest blog appearance from, none other than, Wifey.
Sweet Mother of God, I thought it was Friday when I got up this morning.
Ah, the promise of a new week.
Somebody just exploded in the bathroom.
I have been marked for death.
Nothing says “Great Custodial Staff and Hygenic Co-Workers “ like worms in the urinals.
Turn out Little Man loves Fanta Orange.
So, I have absolutely nothing today.
I see that I have hit a chord talking about nothing.
We are having our departmental holiday party today.
Back in bidness, baby!
So it was 10 years ago today that I asked Wifey if she would marry me.
Man, am I tired.
This past Friday evening Wifey and I went to the closing show of a local Columbus Theatre/Cabaret.
So the Olympics Fever is firmly ensconced at the Casa del SRH.
Many of the people I work with call today “Single’s Awareness Day” due to the emphasis on relationships placed on today.
I should really be able to get over this by now.
The funny thing about this job is just how much time I have on my hands whilst being insanely busy.
Of the non-speed skating events at the Olympics, the ice-dancing is the best of the lot.
Turns out that Mardi Gras is not that popular a holiday in northeastern Ohio.
They are currently “renovating” the bathrooms on my side of the building.
Ah, Lent.
You know you are officially old when you can “sleep wrong.”
I have much to do this weekend.
It was a nice afternoon.
To steal a phrase from a friend: “Mother Nature is off her lithium.”
For a moment there, I was Number 1.
Okay, I have been in a whole bunch of bathrooms in my day.
I hate spiders.
The best thing about meetings is that they sometimes come with the option of free food.
Usually I count on the weekend for some material, but my life has gotten so boring that I cannot even do that.
Unfortunately, SRH is out of town most of today, so he won’t be able to do his normal blogging about nada, nunca, nothing.
Yes, Hell does have a name.
I got my hair cut today.
Whoever said that fresh air and exercise will help kids sleep, was full of horse shit.
I was going to blog today as one of the imaginary firemen lodged within one of Little Man’s various fire trucks that he “plays” with.
I just felt like wearing a silk shirt today.
I fought the law… and it was a draw.
Yep, Little Man now has a vocation.
Today I am writing a document.
There is a whole bunch of confusion out there about cryptozoologicals.
It is always a pleasure to see my family in the middle of the day.
The problem with me doing yard work is that number 1, its work, number 2, okay wait a second… let me try that again.
So I have traded in my Caffeine Free Mountain Dew for Sunkist: Good, Good, Good, Good Vibrations.
Okay, I am postiong this email conversation that I have been having with “The Yeti” for the past few days.
Someone once asked me, “Do you have a personal philosophy?”
Today is a Papa at home with his boy day.
Turns out that my much wanted and desired nap experience did not pan out.
The meal with the ‘rents went well.
There is no Hell like High School Prom night dining.
If one gets specific, one seems insane when one mentions one’s pet peeves.
I am not feeling well today.
On Monday the family will be getting our stuff together and heading to Chicago.
My commute is not a terribly long drive.
Today is an odd day for me.
I need to fix the garbage disposal.
I did not eat enough lunch today and I am still quite hungry.
So where the Hell did the toaster oven go?!?!
Tomorrow I get to be a handsome, svelte, well-groomed, successful, tan, enviable man… relatively speaking, of course.
So I have received an ultimatum.
I would not be surprised if I have a shiner over my right eye by tomorrow.
It seems that we now have a puppy.
The problem with microwave frozen pizzas is that they are not really on any semblance of French bread and they are not really all that pizza like.
Would it be so wrong to have some roughage in sesame chicken or sweet and sour pork?
Today is Little Man’s 3rd birthday.
Little Man is still an eating machine.
I have walked on many a tile floor in my days.
I truly think that the most under-used of all plastic utensils is the spork.
So yesterday at dinner Little Man did 2 things that, frankly, scared the ever-living poop out of me.
If anyone ever wondered what it is I do, I make maps.
So for yesterday’s Papa Day I took Little Man to the Zoo.
As some of you may know, Columbus, Ohio is often times a hot-bed of fast food test marketing.
Friday evening, Wifey and I had our house taken off the market.
Okay, I don’t quite understand this necessity of Wifey.
This weekend is a weekend of change.
Thanks for the questions everyone.
What can I say?
As of today, it has been 9 years of marital bliss for me and Wifey.
There is nothing facetious about an El Camino.
So the curls are gone.
I am tired.
Look at them… so smug… so full of themselves.
I think a higher power might be trying to tell me something.
Oh, it is here! My second Blogaversary.

To recap:
Again, this whole post was one gigantic recap
Listening to Mandelbrot Set by Jonathan Coulton

20 Questions Tuesday: 115 - 4th Annual Blogaversary

It is always quite enjoyable to do retrospectives on the good old blogaversary. Since we are coming up on the 4th annual blogaversary Today’s topic is on 4 years of Under Construction.

Thanks this week go to: All Rileyed Up, Capt. McArmypants, Belsum, Lsig, John P., and Dr. B-Dawg.

Onto the questions:
1. Looking back over four years of blogging, have you noticed an improvement in your writing? Changes in your style? Learned anything about yourself?
I think there has definitely been an improvement in the writing. If nothing else the voice that comes across is much more consistent. I have learned that I can usually force myself to type about a page’s worth of claptrap out even if I don’t want to.

2. Do you think you will still be blogging in four years? Do you think anyone will? Four years ago, did you think you would still be blogging now?
I have no idea where I will be in 4 years or what I will be doing. Honestly, if I had to guess if I would still be writing into the twisting nether that is the Intertubes for 4 years, I would be hard pressed to think so.

3. What is your favorite non-English word for the number four?
Quatre

4. Did you have a vision for this blog 4 years ago and how much of it have you achieved?
I did indeed have a vision for the blog, buit it was a simple vision from a simple man. All I wanted from this blog was a space to help formulate ideas and make them conveyable to others. Since starting the blog as a creative outlet I have gotten up the nerve to start being more creative in other ways. I have started drawing again and I have started looking into fantasy mapping for games and such as a potential money maker… I just have to find some PAYING clients.

5. After 4 years of trying to capture a portion of your life and share it with others, in what way do you feel English or any written language for that matter most fails to provide the tools needed to achieve what you want to communicate. (or is it more a lack of common philosophy?)
Written language has a difficult time with nuance and inflection. Just like you have to be careful typing out emails lest someone becomes offended, blog posts or any Internet missive for that matter could easily be misconstrued.

6. Most useful improved skill due to 4 years of blogging? a. Hyperlinking expert b. Faster typin' skills c. Improved writin' skills d. Desensitization of doing non-work related things at work without fear or guilt?
Let’s just say “Less than “a” space “href” equals sign open quote html address close quote greater than target word less than backslash a greater than.


7. How often do you have to resist the temptation to get all political and stuff? and has this increased or decreased in the last 4 years?
Every day I post I resist the temptation to go all political on someone’s ass. There are 2 things that hold me back. Firstly I am not that well informed about stuff that I would most likely be spewing partisanship upon, and secondly, I realized that I am not that well informed. Politics and hot-button issues are requests for flame wars. My blog is (and always has been) intended to be a place that is just for my fun.

8. I have always felt that the biggest mistake in the formation of the Constitution is the lack of term limits for President (which has been taken care of), Congress and the Supreme Court, do you have a counter argument. (Of course, I also feel there should be some sort of "Logan's Run" type program for all ex-presidents just to ensure that they really really "want it", so my Constitutional criticisms may come from a different place than most.)… Sandmen never run.
Ummm… I… hrrmmmmm… I have no answer.

9. Are you Consitutionally mandated to quit blogging after you finish your next 4 years?
Nope, but I might go all George Washington on this blog’s ass and voluntarily quit.

10. Choosing from only dead ones, which president acted in the most literally fascist manner during his term in office?
Hmmm… dictatorial with intense nationalism… I cannot think of any non-living president that would fit that definition… The US has historically been more isolationist than fascist. I cannot think of an authoritarian president that touted militarism and nationalism.

11. What contribution has your blog made to the economy?
None, I use a free host with free addons.

12. Does your blog have a foreign policy position?
Yes, this blog is about bringing people together. So far I have had some commeters from Europe, South America, North America, and Asia. This blog is truly a melting pot of my ideas. Questions have been sent in from 6 different countries and There are a bunch of people in the Czech Republic who search for turtle porn. I still need a commenter from Africa and Antarctica though. So one of you Egptians and someone from Little America, post a comment.

13. Do you consider yourself the chief executive of your blog, or the commander-in-chief?
Commander-in-Chief.

14. Is your blog's approval ratings up or down?
At the moment they are up by about 10 points. My approval rating (number of daily visitors) hovers around a daily 40 or so, but lately I have been getting 50 hits a day.

15. How do you and the family plan on celebrating the blogaversary?
Hopefully with food.

16. What is the traditional gift for a 4th blogaversary (paper, tin, a new wireless router)?
Hopefully one of the co-workers will think that lunch is appropriate. I like lunches.

17. Why four year terms? Did the founding fathers just roll some dice and see what came up?
The founding fathers of this great democracy only counted the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and ring finger. Therefore the presidency was given in terms of four years. They felt the pinky finger did not count as a full finger and should therefore be tallied as a 2/3rds finger.

18. Have you ever worried about your blog staging an uprising?
Every night.

19. What new features will the blog have in its fifth year?
Hopefully some interviews. I might turn this 20 questions Tuesday on its ear and interview some of you yokels.

20. Boxers or briefs?
I deny that bivariate choice system. I wear Boxer Briefs


To recap:
I want to go home
I am tired and I think it is the stupid weather
I set up Wifey’s machine to print to the wireless printer last night
Now I need to set up my machine
Then I will be able to print without a wire!
My printing will be wireless!
Oooooh the power
I need to stop by the grocery today and figure out something for dinner
No… wait... spaghetti is is!
Listening to the sounds of silence

the Blogaversary numbered 4

For the blogaversary, here are the first sentences to some of my 818 posts. Here is almost all of year 1.

I just want to get this thing started, more to come later.
I didn’t know the devil wore white cotton socks.
I do not understand the Discovery Channel anymore.
I am soooo happy that the end of the political commercials is upon us.
I have absolutely nothing to write about today.
At least I wish something witty would come this way.
I am so flipping tired. Asthma is a horrible horrible thing.
In yesterday’s entry I made fun of Alabamians.
They say that some of one’s best friends are made during college, and they are right, whomever “they” are.
The big reason that visiting with family sucks is that no matter how emotionally healthy one is on their own, when placed into their family of origin dynamic, there is always some regressing.
I am always amazed by the horrible glut of post Thanksgiving deterious.
I so do not want to be at work today.
So, I have been working rather diligently today to get tons of work accomplished, and therefore, almost forgot to “blog” away.
“How’s your workload right now?”
There is not much going on different today.
Okay, here is the problem, “Healthy Request lunches are typically tasty frozen lunches, but their proportion size is either for a 7 year old girl or a European.”
Typically we have to open my parent’s gifts to us weeks prior to Christmas so as not to ruin the day of Christmas for me or my wife.
Okay, I get it now, Garfield is a fat cat.
Remember tales of people getting drunk at parties and telling off bosses, or employee hook-ups that used to supposedly happen during the company holiday festivities?
Yesterday it snowed.
It is a tradition for my wife and I to exchange letters to each other for Christmas.
I think the best actor of all time is easily Michael Caine.
Ah, the New Year’s tradition that everyone dreads.
Oddly enough, there is no difference today than there really was on Friday.
It has been a wild past 3 days.
I am sure the kicking will come soon.
Cheese is a crutch for most mediocre cooking.
I never truly thought that I was wicked, but it turns out that I most likely am.
For some this is a holiday, for others, like myself, it is a Monday.
Have you ever had one of those headaches that feel like tiny elves are trying to dig out of you skull using dull and inappropriate digging equipment?
This blog would be much more memorable if I had an exciting life, but I do not.
Little Man is doing better today.
My dentist is a great dentist, I just think they are a bit overzealous or something.
Right off the bat, I want to let everyone know out there in cyber land know that I have good clean teeth.
Cleaning up just doesn’t mean as much as it used to.
So, in a conversation that I had with a friend earlier this morning, he came up with one of the worst names I have ever heard.
I thought of a topic yesterday afternoon, and them promptly forgot it.
I cannot stand the word “ointment” written or spoken, but especially spoken.
Lately, there just have not been the “opportunities” to spout out tons of vitriolic prose due to a single occurrence.
Everybody feels better when they are making fun of someone.
The word “Wednesday” is derived from Nordic words meaning “Wodan’s Day” or the day named after the King of the Norse gods.
Okay, since I have a 1.583333 year old, I have the wonderful pleasure of watching young children’s programming.
I am completely out of it today.
How’s that for a title?
Caesar was an idiot.
It is true: I hate people.
Top o’tha morning to ya, and all that crap.
I guess that makes me a kind of ass.
So much of my life is wasted watching “progress bars” in computer programs.
Not sure if everyone out there in cyberland even knows about the joys that are grape sodas.
Okay, 3 things to cover today.
My, my, my, it is an absolutely gorgeous day outside.
I am not known for being a maven of style and trendiness but I think I have a lock on some trends.
It does not seem to get any easier.
Anotrher day, another dollar… hopefully at least.
Turns out the little one is a bit grumpy today.
Again, I am going for totally non-Joycian stream of consciousness baby!
I have been asked a few times by people who read this diatribe of mine, “Hey, where do you come up with this insightfully witty claptrap you call your blog?”
To quote the Tick (did I mention I loved cartoons), “The problem with sanity, is that it is a one trick pony. Now with insanity, the sky is the limit.”
I should have gotten my lazy butt out of bed on Monday.
So, we confirmed it over the weekend.
The floodgates have opened.
When one is heavily sleep deprived one notices that it really is the little things that can really piss you off.
There are a myriad of things that one should never admit to another human being.
Other than assistant crack whore, I cannot think of a job that gets less respect than a substitute teacher (well maybe a social worker).
I got my driver’s license renewed this morning.
Little one did not sleep well last night.
The little one has to have sticky sweet secretion glands near the palms of his hands.
On the way to lunch yesterday (Mmmmmm Arby’s) the driver of the car I was in mentioned that the hippopotamus does not have any natural enemies.
Nothing makes oneself feel better about oneself than surrounding oneself with people worse off than oneself.
There are many things one should not do in a men’s restroom.
Sew, Eye was challenged today too right inn as many homophones as Aye could.
Insomnia sucks.
I abhor going to the dentist.
Dear Sir, I realize the discomfort that the dried mucous membrane in one’s nostrils can cause, for I too have dried snot in my nasal passage.
Allergies suck.
Time got away from me today.
How was my weekend?
Due to Spammy McSpamson from Spammiesburough, KY, I have changed the setting on my blog for comments.
So I noticed over the weekend that the Columbus Zoo is devoid of hippos.
Okay, so the “birdy” finger on my right hand has a hangnail issue.
Okay, I have much to chat about today, so I would like it if you guys kept quiet and tlistened throughout the entirety of my post.
Turns out that the professional parents do not like me.
It is about time someone wiped the smile off of Jokey Smurf’s face.
Thank the gods for whoever in my section decided to cut the muzak cables in my area of this infernal building.
I offer my apologies to the cat on Crestview Road Friday evening.
Ah, the blogaversary, excuse me, the first annual blogaversary.

To recap
That was a recap
Sheesh, what do you people want from me?

20 Questions Tuesday: 65 - 3rd Blogaversary

Who would have thought that I would still be doing this crap? Really, Who? I want names and addresses!

It has bee three long and grueling years of making shit up Monday through Thursday. I have actually made some virtual friends since starting this crap up and I hope that I have given out some laughs as well as good information concerning Orapred (still one of my top attractors to this blog, but the top attractor by far is the Eddie Vedder pic that Wifey linked to in a 20 questions a long time ago).

Since starting this blog I have taken the number one spot on Google for the query “Hippo Enemy.” I was in the top ten for “Turtle Porn” for a while and I think I am pretty far up there for searches a bout the “Yeti.”

Thanks this week go to Allrileyedup, Capt. McArmypants, Lsig, ACW, Dustin, Dr B-Dawg, and Atmikha.

The questions

1. Do you find it odd that the word blogaversary hints at the words averse and adversary?
Not even remotely odd. In fact, I would almost expect the word to also have similarities with boredom, and inane, but that word would be blogboradverarynane.

2. Three years ago, did you imagine your blog to be where it is today? If not, how is it different?
By “where it is” I can only assume you mean geospatially. In that case, Yes, I did imagine that my blog would reside where it does today on one of Google’s servers clusters most likely in Nebraska.

3. Do you expect to still be doing this three years from now?
In some ways yes, but in others... No. Yes: I do expect to be doing some kind of creative updating to something. No: Blogging is already something “so 2005,” so in 2010, I imagine the vehicle for my updated creative outlet will be different.

4. Is three really the magic number, like the School House Rock song claims?
Yes

5. Have your typing skills improved after blogging for three years?
Sadly my typing skilz still hover around “craptastic” like when I started this.

6. I think we can all agree Blogaversary is a dumb word. If you were to theoretically give up on that dumb word and go with a really cool one like "Bloscar", in terms of favorite blog entry so far, who would the "Bloscar" go to? In terms of special effects who would the "Bloscar" go to? In terms of supporting cast who would this years Bloscar go to? If you got Frank Sinatra to post from "beyond the grave" (to be said in an eerie voice) on your Bloscar blog entry and his post was too long would you edit his post? Do you think a blog about "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" should ever be beaten by a blog about "Gladiator"? Because if the Gladiator blog was deemed the better of the two, it might make me loose faith in you and your stupid Bloscars. I would then deem your Bloscars some sort of bizarre hypocritical popularity contest where the judges have no clue what is popular. In fact, I am tired of you stupid Bloscars! I find them somewhere between racist and patronizing and I struggle to find how they are even remotely relevant anymore. Good day sir!
Ummm… I think I will refrain from answering this one.


7. What is the appropriate attire for a blogaversary party?
A toga

8. If a hippo were to send you a blogaversary gift, would you A) return to sender, B) accept it politely and then re-gift it, C) destroy it gleefully?
It really depends on the gift, but I would imagine that with a hippo’s limited resources most gifts would be made from hippo fecal matter. I would therefore choose A) return to sender.

9. How many readers do you usually have for your daily offering? Which one of them is your favorite?
I have about 30 to 40 people who look regularly. Sometimes they visit more than once a day. I also get about 20 random visitors. As to “Which one of them is my favorite?” Why, you (inclusive) are, of course.

10. If a blog is published in the woods with no one to read it, does it make a sound?
Since blogs really only exist digitally, I will go with a “That’s a Negative, Ghost Rider” on that one.

11. You sometimes seem to struggle for content. Do you enjoy the daily creative challenge, or has it become a chore?
Yes

12. Can I get all my time back? I've invested quite a lot of time reading this blog and have done a self-assessment and found that your blog is lacking.
No refunds or exchanges without validated receipt

13. What kind of gift are you getting your blog on your 3rd anniversary (traditionally this is the leather anniversary…)?
I am giving it the gift of a Blogaversary post. Like a card just not from Hallmark and not worth any monetary value.

14. If you were to get your blog a gift, what is the mathematical probability that Wifey would make a snide comment?
The probability would be 1.

15. How many times have you cheated on your blog in the past three years? Remember, Baby Jesus can hear your lies.
I am not sure I understand the definition of “cheated” in context to the blog. Do you mean, how many other blogs have a posted to as SRH? None. Sure I have commented and I have my superhero blog that needs massive updates, but I don’t think that I have guest posted anywhere.

16. If someone offered to buyout your blog, what would be your price (in U.S. Dollars, EUROS, or slices of Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake)?
This blog isn’t for sale! I would never sell it, but if you were thinking about buying it I would be curious as to the number you came up with…

17. Does if feel like it's been three years?
Excruciatingly so… blogwise, of course

18. What is the most satisfying thing about blogging?
The “tappa tappa tappa” of typing it.

19. Do you hope to accomplish anything other than a taking a break from the workday tedium?
A little bit of creative discipline as well as a honing of a voice that is not entirely “me.”

20. Will there be any changes or new characters added during the fourth season?
We shall see… I have been toying around with the idea of dot com-ing and then creating a members only forum for everyone to chat, but then I realized I am no where near the critical mass necessary for a forum.

And 2 to grow on!

21. Will there be before and after pictures of the kitchen remodel?
Yes, Yes there will be

22. Do you prefer reading a blog or writing a blog?
A little of Column A and a little of Column B.


To Recap:
Next week I will pick up where I left off with the Canadian questions
It has been a wonderful 3 years
Today has been absolutely nuts
The 2nd person plural form is hardly ever used without modification
You Guys, All of you, Y’all, All y’all
Why is that?
Tomorrow is Halloween
That means so very little to me
Maybe I will dress up my blog
What should it be for Halloween?
And the rest of the week

20 Questions Tuesday 15: The Halloween Blogaversary

Okay for the 2 nd Blogaversary edition of 20 Questions Tuesday I cast the question net as wide as I could. So this week I need to thank the following people: I.C. Yellow, Bomber, Capt. Mc Armypants, ACW, Peefer, B-Dawg, the Em, Lsig, Nadolny, Der Keiselbach, Dr. Civil, and Belsum.

Here’s to many more years and 20 Questions Tuesdays

1 Has anyone ever startled you with their knowledge of your blog? Someone with whom you had not shared the "link"?
There was one person at work that I had not given the address to that found out about the blog. He is not necessarily a bad person, just someone that I don’t really know well enough to let him into the inner circle of those who are “in on” the whole blog thing.

2 Have you ever gotten into any kind of trouble over something you've written?
I do my best not to write anything controversial, but there was a post that really bothered one of my wife’s friends. It caused some tension for a little bit, but is resolved now.

3 Do your parents or other family members read your blog?
No one from my family of childhood reads the blog. I have said waay too many disparaging things about them, for me to tell them about it.

4 If your blog were to be published, what would the title be? No using "under construction"!!!
Ummm…. I would go with my much unread tagline, “Musings of a Life Less Extraordinary.”

5 So men can dress up. Women can dress up. Women however are voluntarily split into two separate camps. Sexy and and just plain dressup. So I understand the sexy cop, sexy vampire, sexy nurse and most of the other "sexy" whatever costumes. Its Holloween whatever. My question is Sexy Mummy? Maybe this is just a Fruedian thing, but this just does nothing for me. Why would you go try to go for decaying undead sexy when you could go with eternally young undead, aka vampire. I mean who thinks they have the chops to go for Sexy AND decaying undead. Its one or the other RIGHT?!?
I believe you are correct, there is no such thing as a sexy mummy. No such thing.

6 Have you matured as a blogger these past 2 years?
I would like to think so, but I believe you, the readers, are better able to gauge that

7 What can we expect from the next year?
Expect nothing, and I will not let you down.

8 You spend many hours in life rendering beautiful pictures (or at least your computer does). So why is your blog layout so plain?
I have never made the time to really get into the nuts and bolts of how the frames and set up of the template works. I might see about doing something up for the whole template thing this year. It has become a little on the stale side.

9 Do you ever blog drunk? Which is to really ask: do you ever drink at work? Why the hell not?
I wish! Drinking would make the work day go sooooo much faster with all the passed outness. I am afraid of what would be scrawled on my face with indelible marker though…

10 Do you ever feel the burden of writing a regular blog, knowing that an expecting public will be checking for it later that day?
It actually is an issue that I have to deal with. There is an expectant public, and they expect me to be funny and post early. They are typically horribly incorrect.

11 Has the blog made you more of a sexy beast?
You have to ask? You bet your Sweet Bippy I am more of a sexy beast now! Blogging just exudes sexiness!

12 Can we expect any great changes in the blog given the turn of a new blogging year?
I think a new template is in order.

13 Do you admit to people in your real life that you blog? (Wifey doesn't count)
If blogging comes up in regular conversation, sure. But I don’t go out of my way to tell people about my blog.

14 Has this 20-questions thing really made it that much easier?
In some ways “yes,” and in some ways “no.” Sometimes the hardest thing about this blog is coming up with a topic. The 20 Questions Tuesdays allow me to just bounce off of others’ questions instead of making up a topic in a vacuum.

15 How many people regularly read your blog (same peeps)? what is the average number of readers per day (regulars and others)? Which Countries are now represented in your readership? Any from Transylvania? Where are the mythical beasts from your blog located (Country)?
There are about 40 people who visit Mondays through Thursdays when I actually post, on Friday trhough Sunday I am lucky to get 20 hits per day. Of all of those, I would say that I have about 25 people who consistently visit and I would consider “regulars.”
US, Canada, England, and Uruguay are what I would consider my consistent reading nations. I have been looked at by tons of different countries though, but nothing repetitive like with those 4.
I have only had 1 view ever from someone in Romania.
The Yeti is from Nepal.

16 If everyone wore costumes to your blogaversary, what would some of the regulars dress as in your little mind?
Hmmm:
I will go through the list of folks who sent me questions for today:
IC Yellow = A man, baby!
Bomber = Cosette from the Broadway musical Les Miserables
Capt. McArmypants = A spider monkey. Not a chimp, a little annoying spider monkey
ACW = Part-time hobby store employee
*Peefer = an otter (don't know why, but that is how he would come dressed)
*B-Dawg = Buckaroo Banzai
The Em = Probably a cheerleader
Lsig = Enterprise A crew member
Nadolny = Teddy Roosevelt (except with a cigar)
Der Kieselbach = Ram Man
Dr Civil = a caber tosser (compensation perhaps?)
Belsum = Enterprise D crew member
Wifey = Sex Kitten (but that isn’t a costume)
Oh, and I take offense to your phrase "your little mind." Tons of offense.

17 What do you feel your crowning achievement in blogging is?
My blog got quoted in a paper.

18 What will you do now that you are no longer the number one search result for hippo enemy?
Besides sulk? Well, even if I am no longer the no. 1, I will still try to carry out my duties as hippo enemy to the fullest of my abilities. Does a Miss America who loses her crown ever really stop being Miss America to herself? I don't think so. It takes determination and grit to reclaim one's dignity when it has been stripped away.

19 Which blog is cooler, yours or your wife's?
My blog uses more blues and cool greens than Wifey’s. Her palette is more of a warm tonal palette. So I would say that my blog definitely uses “cooler” colors.

20 What is your blog dressing as for Halloween?
A Tartan

To Recap:
I will be getting rid of the tartan background of the blog with tomorrow’s post
Happy Halloween all
Thanks for all the questions
Sorry I did not use them all, but I figured 2 weeks of Blogaversary questions would get really tiresome
Little Man has some kind of Thomas costume
I doubt that he will wear it
I am be-kilted today as well
No one will walk behind me on the stairs
Wool can be itchy
Glad I am not wearing wool underwear
I have work to do, and have wasted enough time on this
Don’t worry, I will definitely change the template tomorrow

*don't know how or why these 2 names were omitted in the original publish. Sorry guys!

2nd Annual Blogaversary

Oh, it is here! My second Blogaversary. That is right, I have been doing this crap for 2 whole years now. Let’s discuss what things have happened in the past 2 years that are a direct result of my blog.

Anyone? Nothing? Really? This thing didn’t contribute to anything? Really, nothing? Wow. I really felt like I had more influence in the world than this. So you are telling me that no marriages were saved due to my blog. No bad marriages were ended due to this blog. www.sryanhart.blogspot.com did not contribute in any significant way to people lowering their cholesterol or increasing their levels of cardio vascular fitness (if I reference myself, does that help my Technorati ranking? And do I really care?)? You are telling me that Under Construction was not the impetus for any of the major Hollywood blockbusters this year (were there any truly “Major” ones this year?)?

So, this little corner of the Internet has not helped in any way shape or form. Big deal. It was never intended to move mountains or shatter earths. If that was the intention, that would have happened. That is the kind of follow through that I bring to the table. No really. Stop laughing. Especially you, Wifey! Nope, the intention of this here writing exercise is just that: “To exercise my writing skills.” Let’s look at the first post and see how it would be different if I were writing it today with my recently exercised writing prowess. Here is the original post:

I just want to get this thing started, more to come later. For now I have to get
out of the office and get home.

Notice how verbose I was? Wow, I have really learned how to cut through all that descriptive text from 2 years ago and just boil things down to their primal essence. I mean 2 whole sentences about starting up this blog. I could have done it easily in one. If I were to re-write that post today it would look like this:

It begins. I suggest hiding.

To recap:
It begins
I suggest hiding
No really

See how much better that is? I mean, really who cares that I wanted to leave the office and go home? No one, that’s who. The refined post is more ominous and makes someone want to read more. It is short it is pithy, it makes one wonder, “I wonder what will happen next?” Oh, if I could turn back time…

To recap:
2 years is a long time to blather on about nothing
Tomorrow’s 20 questions will be about my blog (for the blogaversary) and Halloweeen (cause it will be Halloween)
Little Man had his first swim lesson today
It went really well, I hear
This cold is still lingering with me
It has put a real damper on my ability to exercise
Breathing helps exercise
Lack of breathing does not
Thinking about kilting it up for the holiday tomorrow
But I am lacking proper lower leg wear for anything but Scottish Diplomat
What kind of crappy costume is “Scottish Diplomat?”
How many of you have that God Awful Cher song stuck in your head now?