Category Archives: Blogging

Survey says 11-11-11

My blogging friend, Dianna, at These Days of Mine tagged me in this challenge recently.  As Dianna said, this one’s a bit long so you might as well make yourself comfy now.

The Rules:

1. Post the rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random facts about you.
3. Answer the 11 questions given to you in the tagger’s post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag new people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and let them know they have been tagged.

Since I’ve been blogging since 2010, it was challenging to come up with 11 random things that I haven’t shared before.  So here goes nothing!

this is me .. 28 years ago

this is me 28 years ago. Wonder where that red Zebra shirt went?

1) I never wear red. The photo above is an exception as I’m partial to blues and purples.

2)   I am a light sleeper and find it hard to sleep in hotels because I hear everything and am afraid of missing the alarm.  So, I  go to bed extra early to make up for all the hours I don’t sleep at all. Ugh!

3) Not long after I came along, Mom got very sick and I had to go live with her parents in B.C., 2 provinces away.  I lived with Nana and Grandpa for a year and didn’t learn of this until I was a parent myself.

That's me as an infant with my parents, brothers and sisters. Mom was so tiny. I wore that dress as part of a costume for a play; I was a size 2 at the time and that dress was tight on me!

That’s me as an infant with my parents, brothers and sisters.

4) I performed a Wheat-ectomy 4 weeks ago; no more joint pain, no more hypoglycemia, -7lbs down, and feeling snazzariffic. For more read http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/

5) I never watch horror movies or anything demonic. Ever.

6) Elvis was my first crush. I might have shared that before. Hee Hee.

Hello, Handsome!   google.images.com

Hello, Handsome! google.images.com

7) I grew up at the racetrack. I’ve written about that before, too.

In the Winner's circle with Mom & Dad, 1982.

In the Winner’s circle with Mom (front) & Dad (right behind me in green), 1982. That’s our hunky horse trainer, Bill, far right. He was my 2nd, 3rd and 4th crush.

8) I choose listening to music over watching TV every time.   I love to sing along and don’t care who’s listening!

9) I once went 2 years without eating candy bars. Didn’t miss them but I could never give up pie.

10)  I care less about what someone tells me than what they do.

11) In my heart of hearts, I’m still a farm kid.

getting ready to hit the dusty trail!

getting ready to hit the dusty trail with my cousin Kathy. I’m on Riley, my Arabian/Welsh pony, and she’s riding Queen, cousin Deb’s Pinto/Palomino mix.

Here are the 11 questions Dianna asked:

1) What’s a favorite summertime memory from your childhood?   Playing cops & robbers on horseback in the coulees around the farm.

2) You and a close friend have an afternoon to spend together. What are your plans?  Have lunch somewhere cozy that allows for plenty of raucous laughter. Maybe on my patio.

3) What dish can you prepare without using a recipe?  All of them. I mostly cook from memory and that’s why no two dishes are ever quite the same.

4) What image is on your mouse pad?  Family photos

5) Do you have a nickname?  MJ but Mom calls me Jeansy.

6) What is your favorite way to exercise?  Dancing.

7) Do you play a musical instrument? Yes, piano & guitar

8) Were you named for someone? If so, whom?  My middle name is Jean and that’s for Nana Jean

9) What is your favorite type of music?  A mix between Classic Rock, Country, Disco and Elvis of course.

10) When is your birthday (month and day)?  6/21 or as Hubbs likes to tease, “the longest darn day of the year!”

11) What’s the closest you’ve ever been to a natural disaster?   Do mountains of snow count?

And lastly, my 11 questions for you are below:

1) Coffee or tea?

2) Who mentored you in your career/job?

3) If you could go back in time and right one wrong, what would it be?

4) It’s your birthday and everyone important to you is gathering to celebrate:  what type of celebration do you prefer? (large/small, type of food, inside/outside, at home/restaurant, etc)

5) What’s the last book you recommended?

6) Think about your family growing up – what role did you play and do you still? (Organizer, peacemaker, etc).

7) You’ve been given 2 tickets to anywhere … where do you go and who’s going with you?

7) Finish this sentence: I’ve always wanted to ____________. (Please keep your answer P.G., thanks!)

8) What smell makes you think of summertime?

9) What do you wish others knew about you?

10) Do you have a quote that inspires you?  (I have many but a favorite is “To thine own self be true.”)

11) What one possession from your childhood do you wish you still had?

The rules didn’t specify how many bloggers to name for this so I’m choosing everyone who reads this post. I know it’s a bit involved but hey – if I can do it, so can you.  :) But, should you find yourself pressed for time, please feel free to choose just a few of my 11 questions to answer.   Either way, I’ll be right here, ready to readCheers!

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20 Comments

Filed under Animals, Blogging, Faith, Family, Friendship, Fun, Joy, Life, Personal, Relationships, Thoughts, Uncategorized

Go with what you know

So, some of you know that I started a new job last Monday.   Holy Guacamole  – to say I’ve been a little busy would be an understatement.

The thing is … I’m still doing my old job,  and I’m navigating the new one, too.  And, truth be told, I’ve done a quite a bit of it for some time now.

Somewhere in the quiet part that is Sunday evening a little voice whispered to me: “Hey you, the forecast is nasty, and you have an awful lot of calls scheduled, so how ’bout a bit o’ lunch?”   I dug out a bruised Gladware container and assembled a beautiful salad of fresh greens, tomatoes, English cucumbers and grilled chicken. Then I wrote myself a note so I’d remember to take it with me today! 

And it was a good thing I did because this day took off like a shot and it was 2:00 before I remembered that I even had a lunch to eat.

And in that moment, I caught my breath, laughed out loud and thought, “Go with what you know.”

The situation was really no different than when I started blogging two years ago.  I remember getting all caught up in the excitement of it, the newness of it, and the desire to take off on the journey and see where it would go.

And I remembered how, later on,  I found myself stepping back and, in the end, giving myself permission not to know everything. To not have it all together. To do it my way.

So with that, I’m revisiting that post tonight.

I’m taking a page out of my own book and I’m going with what I know.

google.images.com

 * * *

Write what you know

by Emjayandthem

Asked about blogging, it hit me what I’ve learned from the experience:

1. Write as often as you want to but resist the pressure to publish every day.  Remember that you do this because you enjoy writing.  Example:   At first, I obediently followed the mandate set by my instructor –  to write and publish daily.  I know she meant well because her point was to keep it fresh and avoid too many days between posts.  But now, looking back, I can tell the difference between my “going through the motions-posts” and those that were really me –  at my most authentic.  And if I could tell, I’m pretty sure others could, too.

2. To that end, let your posts breathe.  Not all of your readers are “online” at the same time and when you post something new, older posts get pushed to the bottom.  Give each one its due.

3. Read (and be inspired) by the work of others:  Be moved by the posts, dreams and the designs of the many talented writers here in the blogosphere.  When I feel “stuck,” all I have to do is click & read.   In no time at all, I’m laughing, smiling, crying, nodding my head in agreement and commenting.  In no time at all, I’ve forgotten about my little blog and have subscribed to several more.

4. Commenting on blogs is a wonderful way to connect but there’s a tiny line between being interested and supportive and just being there to promote your stuff.  People will find you if they’re interested and they don’t … then they don’t.     The self-promoting commenter makes me think of that snot-nosed kid who dumps his milk at the dinner table on purpose: Look at me, notice me, see me, I’m here.   Geez, I get it already now knock it off!

5.  Mind your manners: respond to comments and acknowledge those who took the time to weigh in.  However, if someone chooses to swear at me, their comments will not see the light of day.  Constructive criticism – bring it on but general viciousness? Hell to the no.  My blog – my rules.

6.  Take the challenge:   The topics I care most about are the hardest for me to writeSo when I find myself feeling that pinch, I dig a little deeper and keep at it because I know I’ve hit the good stuff.

7.  Slog through:  Often, what I feel most passionate about can leave me feeling vulnerable and it’s tempting to self-censor…. but then I can easily lose the point of my post.  However, what I’ve learned is that the most difficult posts to write have become my favorites. Maybe not the most read, but.. My. Personal. Favorites.  And that counts for something, too. :)

8.  Be open to ideas:  Ideas come in all shapes and sizes and often at random times. Keep a list.  You can email ideas to yourself, record messages on your cell phone or, like me, scribble notes down on the backs of envelopes, post-its and grocery lists.

9. Have fun: If writing starts feeling like a chore, step away and do something else.  Chances are something else in your day will inspire you.   We’re not curing Cancer here, people!  Step away, mix it up, come back & let ‘er buck!

10. Write what you know:  Lastly, lots of blogging “authorities” will tell you to “become the expert,” or to find out what you’re an expert on.  Well, the only thing I am an expert on is me, my life and my experiences … and all of it is a work in progress anyways.

Have you ever stepped back from something only to discover that what you already know is actually … quite enough?  What have you learned to trust yourself with?

37 Comments

Filed under Attitude, Blogging, Faith, fear, Personal, Relationships, Thoughts

Fussworthy and not-so-much

Just this weekend, my blogging buddy Leah penned a thought-provoking post called “My favorite things and what’s up with that?”  I read it once and then read it again and lingered on how her thoughts have inspired mine.

So, Leah shared what she’s loving right now (Vitamin water, new music, eating outside and Instagram) and things she’s not so sure about (juicing, the book I wrote about the other day, and the Olympics.)

So with that, here’s my top 5 Fuss-worthy delights of late:

Walking barefoot in the yard.  Remember how, as a kid, we’d run around barefoot all the time? I do.  As a kid, the soles of my feet were as tough as leather; I could walk across gravel, straw and dry prairie grass without so much as a flinch.  Over time, my feet became soft.  Going barefoot in the grass and out on the patio takes me back to summer days of old.

Fireflies.  I grew up too far north for those little guys to live so I don’t have childhood memories of catching fireflies … but boy I do ever feel like a child when one alights near me now.   Magical.

Finding a new (old) tune on  Amazon.   I’ve rediscovered my country roots by downloading some vintage classics like Mel McDaniel’s “Lord have mercy, Baby’s got her blue jeans on.”  I know it’s corny as what but when I hear that song I can’t resist belting out the lyrics and working it just a little.

Color.  I’m not a confident decorator and have tended to favor neutrals and old standbys that I grew up with: country blue, rose and linen. But lately, the World Market look has tempted me with colors like paprika, lime, spice and robin’s egg blue.   And I don’t spend much, just a few $$ on a pillow or a new throw.  What a difference!

world market pillows; google.images.com

Shopping my closet.   I’ve mentioned how exercising and eating healthier (translate not: being an idiot when I indulge) has brought about positive changes in my shape and size.  And that’s great, ’cause who doesn’t love to see results?  But sometimes, when we’ve been one size for a while, our minds forget what those other sizes felt  like.   And then come days when you think, “oh what the heck” and go for it. I pulled a top out last Thursday and paired it with an older wrap skirt and netted a ton of compliments. Why? ‘Cause it’s flattering, fits well and looks new.  And I hadn’t worn either in 8 years.

Put your blue jeans on and work it with Sammy Kershaw’s cover of Mel’s hit song:

And now to the “I don’t get what the fuss is all about” stuff:

The Olympics.  Leah, I am with you on this one. I hope all athletes do well and I will catch a highlight or two but I’m just not that into it this time.

TomKat.  Since when did a celebrity split = news?  Katie takes Suri to lunchThey eat!  And that’s a headline?  Please.

Expensive brand names. I’m sure it’s the farm girl in me but I find a certain satisfaction at snagging a purse on clearance for $12.00. I’ve never carried a $200 designer bag and I never will. Why? Because if I don’t have $200 to put in the bag, I don’t need no $200 purse.

Pilates. Tried it. More than once. Can’t. Do. It. Jessica Rabbit was not designed to move like that. The end.

Starbucks. I have never understood the appeal. When I have to pretend I know another language just to order a large coffee, I’d rather .. not.  Venti-latte blah blah blah makes me feel like Thurston Howell the III.  Luvveeee! Plus, it’s just not that good.

How about you?  What things are you having fun fussing over this summer?  Which could you easily throw by the wayside?

30 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized, Food, Opinion, Faith, Animals, Blogging, Joy, Fun

Shine on

Now isn’t that a handsome pooch tucked into the new shiny award below? Yep, it’s about time that a canine connection was recognized here in the blogosphere!   You read that correctly: Frankie the dog has taken over the controls here at Emjayandthem.

Rom’s buddy Dianna at These Days of Mine shared this award via her kitty cat, Sundae.  Despite what you might think, I’m not anti-kitty.   I’m cat-neutral. Not that I know any cats personally. Unless you count that fat cat across the street who lies in the yard and stares at me; it’s not like we’ve been introduced though because Rom doesn’t let me cross the road. I think he laughs at me for that. Whatever.

Anyways, so on to the award.  Apparently the rules have been edited over time but here’s what I understand we’re to do:

  • Answer some questions  
  • Nominate other dogs blogs
  • Include the award here
  • Pay the love forward by telling others they’ve been nominated
  • Pay the love back by linking back to the one who nominated you (dance with the one who brought you, so to speak)

What is My Favorite Color?   It’s a tie between black & white.

What is My Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink?  plain ole H2O works just fine for me.  I’m partial to tap, shaken not stirred.

Yes I really am that subtle!

What is My Favorite Animal?    Duh! Dogs.

when I was just a pup

when I was just a pup

Do I Prefer Facebook or Twitter?   I prefer Myface.

What is My Favorite Number?   5:15.  That’s when Rom gets home and all is right with the world!

I’ve been part of every important milestone in this family. This pic was taken on my brother’s wedding day; I had a purple bow on!!

What is My Favorite Flower?  I really dig Rom’s peonies ’cause I can operate in super stealth mode in there.

can you find me?

What is My Passion?   Sleeping, eating, greeting, napping, stretching, sniffing, eating, dozing and grilling!

trying to be mannerly and not stare at the food directly

Many of Rom’s readers have award-free blogs, so we decided only to name those bloggers that we know have furry friends to share this with.  BUT we invite all of you who wish to accept this award to please do so.

please visit

Otis the Texas dog at When I Ride

Shelby the farm pooch at The View out Here

Minnie Mouse, a very feisty cat at Hot Rod Cow Girl

Lucy, a hat wearing, passport toting dog at Reinventing the Event Horizon

Loca the frisbee flipping poodle at Hunting for Bliss

The old cat over at Rich Ripley’s house

My Florida dog-friend Chewie at My Fascinating Life

Siblings Wilbur and Cherokee & any extra pooches being “dog-sat” over at Lenore Diane’s

and Lucy-pie, the dog who favors crazy poses, at Into the Mystic

And special thanks to Sundae-girl for the shout out.  Have a great day, friends!

“We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” ~ Immanuel Kant

peace out

28 Comments

Filed under Animals, Attitude, Blogging, Faith, Family, Life, Quotes, Share, Uncategorized

‘Tis lovely

Ta Da!

Renee over at WritingFeemail gave me a blog award recently and today, I accept (via this post!)  Renee is generous and kind, well traveled and lovely.  She embodies what this is all about and I’m touched that she feels I do, too. Check out her writings here and thank you, sweet friend, for the honor.

Rules of  acceptance:
*thank the person who nominated you and link back to them in your post - done!
*share 7 things about yourself
*nominate 15 or so bloggers you admire
*contact your chosen bloggers to let them know (this might take me a bit so please bear with me)

I’ve done up a few of these “about me” posts before so I am not sure how many amazing and enthralling facts I have left.   To that end, I’ll do my best to share something I haven’t yet before:

1.  I once wrote a fan letter to the Bay City Rollers and tucked my sister’s picture in with all my gushiness; she was older and far more sophisticated than the dorky 12 year old doing the writing.  I thought her picture would seal the deal and that Woody would write back professing his undying devotion. Surprisingly, I never got an answer.

why Woody, why?

2.  When I went back to the farm last fall, my brother directed me to a box of stuff from my university years.  Mixed in with the textbooks, class notes and cassette tapes was something that didn’t surprise me in the least — a photo book on Elvis.   He was my first crush and I still think he was the hottest man that ever lived; now that I think of it, I might have mentioned this before … heh heh.

Lawdy Lawdy Mizz Clawdy!

3. I met Donald Trump at NYC’s Plaza Hotel; he was polite and kinda hot.  He had a lot of bodyguards.

Why hello, MJ, and thank you for visiting the Plaza Hotel. You’re not bad yourself.

4. I flew on the corporate jet a couple of times; other than the ease with which we boarded & took off, it was a little over-rated.

meh!

5. My sister’s boyfriend landed a two-seater propeller plane on our gravel road and my parents let me go up for a spin. Seeing our farm and all my favorite places from up, up there?  Way cooler than the corporate jet, I can tell you that.

not quite this rustic

6.    Two places I’ve visited hold the most appeal for a return visit: Walt Disney World and Washington D.C.  You can draw your own parallels … hee hee!

it’s a small world after all …

7.  It’s my birthday today!  I love my birthday ~ always have and I always will :) .  Usually today is the first day of summer, but I learned from Renee that it can change from year to year.  Really?   Ah, the stuff you learn out here.  Regardless, celebrate with me, won’t you?  Join Hubbs who affectionately refers to this day as  …  the longest dang day of the year. HA!

a few years back, good friends made me the BEST birthday cake ever!

And happy birthday to H.R.H Prince William who turns 30 today.   It’s wonderful to know that he’s found joy in his life; when I see a photo like this one, it’s hard to miss the body language of his parents, isn’t it?

And now to 15 bloggers I want to share the love with today — please visit and tell them I sent you on over. Everyone on my blogroll is there because I love their work but I am listing those bloggers that I know think might enjoy receiving awards. Cheers!

  1. Sandi at http://flamidwyfe.wordpress.com/
  2. DM at http://hearttoheart.wordpress.com/
  3. Guy at http://holyghostbumps.com/
  4. MJ at http://hotrodcowgirl.com/
  5. Coop at http://coopernicus.wordpress.com/
  6. Darla at http://shesamaineiac.com/
  7. Elyse at http://fiftyfourandahalf.com/
  8. Adrienne at http://mymemoryart.blogspot.com/
  9. D at http://theviewouthere.wordpress.com/
  10. Dianna at http://thesedaysofmine.com/
  11. Rich at http://richripley.wordpress.com/
  12. Lissa at http://wheniride.wordpress.com/
  13. Lenore Diane at http://lenorediane.com/
  14. Sheila at http://graceandlife.com/
  15. Butch at http://butchdean.wordpress.com/

Thank you again to Renee for the love; I sure do do appreciate it!

Extra Elvis shot b/c it’s my blog and I can! Hunka hunka hotness!

all photos from Google.images.com

45 Comments

Filed under Attitude, Blogging, Family, Home, Joy, music, Opinion, Uncategorized

With a click & a prayer

My friend, Sandi, blogs about her adventures as a Dukan-living midwife in China. We’ve never met, but I can tell you this: she’s a fascinating woman with a great spirit and someone I would love to meet in person one day.

Sandi wrote a post on behalf of her beautiful grand-daughter, Celeste.  An excerpt:

As many of you know, Chris & I really need a wheelchair van to safely transport Celeste. As she gets older & bigger, it gets more & more difficult to lift her in & out of our vehicles. The company below is being very generous by giving away three wheelchair accessible vehicles. It would be a huge blessing and relief for us if we were to win one of them. The winner will be selected from the top 10% that rec’d the most votes. Voting is going on now & ends on Sun., May 13th. 

With one click, you, dear reader, can help this child and her parents win a mobility vehicle.  Here’s how:

  1. Click on the link to vote for Celeste.
  2. The first time  you vote, if you enter the #s 873 as the promo code, your vote counts as 5 votes! and
  3. You can vote every day until 5/13

Click here to vote for Celeste: http://nmeda.com/mobility-awareness-month/heroes/florida/jensen-beach/883/jenni-macmunn

and to read the full story, click here: My Granddaughter Celeste Alena.

Lastly, to visit Sandi’s blog, pop on over to  http://flamidwyfe.wordpress.com/

 * * *

“The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But… the good Samaritan reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”  Martin Luther King, Jr.

11 Comments

Filed under Blogging, Charity, Determination, Faith, Friendship, Home, Life

Genuine Sunshine & Inspirational Hugs

Over the past little bit, Dianna at These Days of Mine has been very kind and very busy – she’s been busy sharing with me the following blogging awards: the Sunshine Award, The Genuine Blog Award, the HUG Award and, just this week, the Very Inspiring Blog Award.    Wowza!   I am happy to be included and thank Dianna (and Sundae) for honoring me so.

OK, now onto the rules.  Accepting The Sunshine Award requires that I answer the following questions:

Favorite color:  Blue. I love Navy Blue, Royal Blue and Turquoise Blue. I love Baby Blue, Robin’s egg Blue and Sky Blue.  Yep, pretty sure I love Blue.

Aren't the colors here dreamy? pinterest.com

Favorite animal:    Dogs, cats, horses, pigs and cows.  A farm girl can’t be expected to choose!   Don’t mind chickens but geese scare me.

Favorite number:     Can’t think of one.

Favorite non-alcoholic drink: Diet Dr. Pepper.  And I remember the first Dr. Pepper I ever drank – we were visiting family in WA State when my uncle bought a case of them; driving our family up a mountain, Dad pulled off at a scenic rest stop where we played in the JULY snow and drank Dr. Peppers.  Mmm. 

source: google.images.com

Prefer Facebook or Twitter?   Have never tweeted and am losing interest in Facebook.

My passion:    I’m passionate about my marriage and I’m passionate about being a good example to my boys.  I’m passionate about how I dole out my time and to whom.  I’m passionate about a meal lovingly prepared and liberally shared. I’m passionate about the “little” things in life that make it delightful and I’m passionate about “big” things, too.  I’m passionate about learning.  What I’m passionate about really comes down to this: it’s what’s not negotiable. It’s what I could never, ever leave behind.  It’s how I behave and who I am whether anyone is around to know. I know, and that’s enough for me.

And of course, black leather Elvis … hello!

That's all right Mama ..

Prefer getting or giving presents:   Receiving gifts is always delightful but thinking of and finding “just that right little something” for another is the best.

Favorite pattern:  Blue & white …as in an antique china pattern.

Blue china; isn't it pretty?

Favorite day of the week:  Sundays

Favorite flower:  Lilacs

my 2011 Lilacs .. heavenly

The Genuine Blogger award doesn’t come with any stipulations, but I’m touched to receive it because it means that Dianna thinks I’m the real deal.  Thank you, friend.

One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a better friend than any possession. -Sophocles

As for the Hug (Hope Unites Globally) award, you can read its origins here. And the only requirement for accepting the HUG award is to pass it on to at least one person.  Ditto for the Very Inspiring Blog Award.

There are many wonderful people writing blogs and I can’t possibly highlight them all here — so today I am passing along these awards to a few of my favorites (see below).  They might not have time to accept right now but I hope you’ll make it a point to stop by their sites for a visit.    Cheers!

We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own. – Ben Sweetland

35 Comments

Filed under Attitude, Blogging, Faith, Friendship, Fun, Gratitude, Joy, Life, Quotes, Relationships, Uncategorized

on Hope

People don’t cry when they lose their hope. They cry when they get it back.
--Martha Beck, Finding Your Own North Star

It’s been there … waiting patiently for me on my end table.  I’ve reshuffled my reading pile and recently invited this book (Finding Your Own North Star) in. And now, now I’m puzzling and considering and journaling my way through it.

Wow.

I know why I hesitated: it’s a lot of work.

And I have enough work.

But .. it’s the kind of work that feels worth it.

Through simple exercises and thought-provoking questions, I’m discovering my true heart’s desires.

I’m starting to recognize and understand my internal compass.

Some thoughts and ideas I’ve met before and am well-acquainted with; others  I’ve never considered before now. I’m doing the work necessary to repair all that “soul shrapnel” ~ those long-held, mostly false beliefs that have stalled my progress.

If you wish to discover your own North Star, your own heart’s desire, I recommend this book to you.

Be prepared.

There are case studies to read, questionnaires to answer and exercises to ponder.

The work can be challenging and feel heavy at times. You may uncover self-truths you hadn’t yet acknowledged and they may frighten you away.  But I still say it’s worth it.

For hope.

Elvis has nothing to do with this post; He's just gorgeous in this picture is all. Happy Friday! MJ

22 Comments

Filed under Attitude, Blogging, Faith, Fun, Growth, Joy, Life, Opinion, Self Discovery, Thoughts, Work

On Friendship

Friendship comes in the most unlikely places; Google.images.com

Dear Blogging friends: Your friendship is a special gift, generously given, happily accepted and deeply appreciated. 

Thank you for all you do for me!

.:: Have a wonderful day! ::.

28 Comments

Filed under Animals, Beauty, Blogging, Friendship, Fun, Joy, Life, Personal, Relationships, Thoughts

Numbers and friends

The helpful people at WordPress.com put together an annual report for my blog. Nifty-neato :) .

You made my inner 9 year old grin

A few highlights:

  • The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 38,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 14 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
  • In 2011, there were 231 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 320 posts. There were 508 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 180mb. That’s about a picture per day.
  • The busiest day of the year was May 3rd with 5,006 views. My  most popular post that day was about me blubbering my way through the Royal Wedding in So, did you watch? .

The WordPress helpers also provided me with a neat little summary about my most frequent visitors.  Since Dianna at These Days of Mine recently awarded me the “Reader Appreciation Award” for all my comments over at her place, this is perfect time to pass that award along as well.

Look at this cute and sunny award!!

The Reader Appreciation Award recognizes a blog’s top readers (by the # of comments posted).  The yearly summary provided from Word Press made it super easy for me to recognize those kind folks who regularly read my ramblings and care enough to comment.

Here are the rules for this award:

  1. Award your top 6 bloggers who have commented the most.
  2. Be thankful. (and I am!)
  3. You cannot award someone who has already been awarded and also cannot give the award back to me.
  4. Don’t forget to tell the bloggers you’ve awarded.
  5. If you don’t want to pass on this award, that’s okay too.

My top 6 commenting friends are as follows:

(We are a chatty bunch aren’t we? And I wouldn’t have it any other way!)

  1. Sheila at Grace and Life 
  2. Dianna at These Days of Mine 
  3. Leah at Leah’s Thoughts
  4. Lenore Diane at Lenore Diane’s Thoughts Exactly 
  5. Georgette at Georgette Sullins  
  6. Terri at Into the Mystic

I encourage all readers to visit the blogs listed above; I promise you will be inspired by their talents, insight and warmth. Thank you to all who read and comment; your kindness and support have given me a wonderful gift — the gift of feeling understood.

I continue to be blessed by your grace, good humor and friendship.  And if that’s not reason to continue, I don’t know what is.

Cheers!

MJ

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Filed under Attitude, Blogging, Friendship, Growth, Joy, Life, Personal, Relationships, Thoughts, Women, Writing