Tag Archives: Blogger

Thank You Great Story Tellers

ithinkthereforeiblog I have been fortunate enough to fall into this strange little world and it has truly been a wonderful rabbit hole experience. There are thousands of people out there writing their thoughts, hoping to connect with others in a more meaningful way. These connections have helped me become a more comprehensive thinker and a more dynamic writer.  There is no questioning that this experience has helped form my personal growth.

No Idea What I am Doing

It was several years ago that I first realized that there was a community of people who spent their time writing and diligently posting on their blogs each day. Providing know how thoughts and even motivation to the general population at large.  I remember feeling like Alice in Wonderland, stepping into a new world I didn’t know existed.   I had written on my website for a time, but really just did it for me, to express my feelings and thoughts.  Who else would want to hear them?  It must have been time to share.

The First Blogger got me Hooked

I had stumbled into this world because I installed Zemanta onto my site.  It’s a program that makes adding articles from other people to the end of your blog easy.  I actually got a note from one Raraof the people I had pinged back.  When I looked at their site, there was a green little dinosaur gravatar I couldn’t help clicking on.  It was called Rarasaur and it was one of the best blogs I ever saw.  It was there I left my first tentative comment and was blown away that I got a thoughtful response.  It was awesome and started me searching deeper into the world of blogs.

Mysteries Abound

One of my most naive thoughts was the everyone who blogged seemed to have developed interesting monikers and identities that symbolized who they were and what they meant.  It was too late for me at that point, I had already built my site years before. My name was no mystery, and I often wondered if I should start over with a secret identity.  I often wonder about the lives of the bloggers I read.  Do they have problems like me? How often does writer’s block affect them?  What are they grateful for? What motivates them?

Bloggers I Love to Read

There really are so many that to make a list would short change somebody but I am going to list five excluding Rara because she clearly is a favorite and should be read.  Many of these people I first read because they guest posted on her blog.

Mr. Tookles

This blogger from Holland is one of my favorite people in the world. She is a fantastic word artist and says more using fewer words than I could imagine possible.  We share a love of bacon and have a mutual hope that life is going to show us what we are supposed to do.  Don’t mess with her though, because she will hit you on the head with a frying pan. (her threat) Seriously, funny, intelligent and so very creative, she is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world.  Follow her and see what amazing things she creates.

matticus_Matticus-

He writes on his blog each day like it is a mission. I am often in awe of the number of posts he makes and the quality. He loves movies and movie dialogue and each Friday he leaves a post about it.  He has a great sense of humor, but his best quality to me is the friendship and feedback he has shared with me on my work.  He is a relatively new Dad, and with a young family I wonder how he finds the time, but I am glad he does.   Reading his blog is a trip to an enchanted land, I encourage you to make the trip.

sass_and_balderdashSass and Balderdash

Written by the witty, sarcastic and sometimes inappropriate Katie, this website has never met a topic it wouldn’t address.  Katie is funny and makes me laugh and usually think. I think she writes more to women than men, but I have honestly learned more about how women think about everything from shoes to working out in the gym.  This blog is one that I try to read every day because it is worth it, if you like intelligent, witty observations about life then this is the blog for you. Katie is awesome even though she lives in Chicago, which is known for…………wind.

camel_lifeThe Camel Life

This is a relatively new blog on my must-read list but Breezy K who writes this blog has won me over recently by writing on a regular basis and talking about her “dynamic” life in Canada.  She writes with a lot of funny images, but deep down her topics are interesting and even though she is from Nova Scotia, I think that it is very close to my experience in living in Maine.  She is funny, insightful and definitely doesn’t take herself very seriously.  The reason I feel this is a must read blog, is that it just entertains me. From the “witty” way she plays on words, to the perspective of diet and exercise. I always learn something and most often laugh as well.

tranquil_dreamsTranquil Dreams

This is kind of unfair because Kim who writes this blog is one of my favorite people.  She visited Maine this summer and I met her and her boyfriend and we had a lovely time.  Her blog is a combination of reviews, recipes, and thoughts but what wins me over is that Kim has always been so nice and supportive of me.  She leaves positive and supportive comments, and I like that.   This blog is well worth checking out and reading.

There are of course many other blogs and bloggers I love to read and learn from each and every day. I am certainly grateful to experience all that you do each day! Thank you for being so wonderful.

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  • Gratitude

Jefferson Writing Challenge

by Jonathan Hilton

T shirt backIt has long been one of my long standing beliefs that people come into your life for a reason and you merely need to allow things to play out to find out why.   Sometimes they come in to stay for awhile, and some times they just pop in teach you something and then disappear on down the line.

I have been doing a super secret writing project with Hope Rose of Hope is Something You Can’t Live Without, well at least it is super, not really all that secret.  I wanted to take a moment and evaluate our progress.  She wanted to write and needed a little push, and I always like projects.  So I devised the rules which looking at I have broken all the time, but I never liked rules anyway.

Rules of The Project

Hope writes like a dancing machine. Cheap use of the prompt but a use none the less.
Hope writes like a dancing machine. Cheap use of the prompt but a use none the less.

I will provide you with a prompt each day.
You will have a reasonable time to post something,using any creative medium you want, along with your writing. You can take pictures, you can draw pictures, you can paint pictures, you make macaroni pictures, or you can take them from Google, videos from youtube, whatever expresses what you feel inside.  I will also complete the assignment. The commitment is for 30 days, that means until March 9.

But there must be writing that answers the prompt.

So we started this journey of very few rules and no real idea of what would come out of it. I am not sure if I expected to write like I was some sort of dancing machine or what, but it has been interesting.  I have enjoyed it and I hope that Hope has as well.  There are still ten days left as far as I can tell because we missed a few and I see more writing on hope’s blog then there were prompts. But I may be mistaken which one goes with which.

So here are the prompts so far and links to our answers:

#1: A Snow Day

Hope’s

Jon’s

#2 At This very Moment

Hope’s

Jon’s

#3 Beginnings

Hope’s

Jon’s

#4 Vanentine’s Day

Hope’s

Jon’s

#5 Life isn’t Fair or Life is Fair

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/14/my-fair-life/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/inspiration/life-is-fair-get-used-to-it/

6. I looked Into the Fire

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/16/girl-on-fire/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/inspiration/i-looked-into-the-fire/

7. Guilty Pleasures

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/16/guilty-pleasures/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/articles-and-stories/secrets-from-the-vault/

8. I should have Listened to My Heart 

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/18/she-taught-me/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/inspiration/go-ahead-choose-destiny/

9. What If?

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/19/itll-make-you-crazy/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/articles-and-stories/what-if/

10. Looks Like Trouble

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/20/771/  – looking for trouble

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/articles-and-stories/looks-like-trouble-tagged/

11. What is In the Box?

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/21/gifting/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/interests/what-is-in-the-box/

12. The Monkey

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/22/thats-clutch/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/philosophy/like-monkeys-building-walls/

13. Why Doesn’t anybody Listen?

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/22/i-told-you-so/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/interests/why-doesnt-anybody-listen/

14. Postitive Thinking

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/25/super-power/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/interests/my-next-step/

15. French Fries and A Chocolate Shake

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/25/of-couse-i-want-fries-with-that/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/articles-and-stories/french-fries-and-a-chocolate-shake/

16. I was so Frustrated

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/25/train-of-thought/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/inspiration/dont-believe-in-luck/

17. Night and Day

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/26/night-and-day/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/inspiration/motivation/feeling-groovy/

18. Above and Beyond

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/28/grovers-bad-awful-day/

I don’t know what happened to this one???????

19. Space

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/02/28/space-junk/

http://www.jonathanhilton.com/articles-and-stories/why-do-you-create/

20. Dancing Machine

http://hopeisastateofmind.com/2013/03/01/the-color-of-dance/

For Your Listening Pleasure: Dancing Machine- Jackson Five

Chicken or Egg

IMG_20130223_114236
Egg or Chicken, Chicken or Egg?????????

The Matticus Kingdom’s first ever Tug of War

A fantastically fabulous blogger from a magical kingdom has come up with a great idea to challenge the masses, a tug of war.

Always up for a challenge I accept wholeheartedly. The inaugural question was what came first, the chicken or the egg?

This was a softball to me, because of my rudimentary understanding of biology and evolution.  The world has my excellent experience in the public education system of the 1970’s and 80’s to thank for this detailed answer.

The Chicken Wins

The Chicken of Course!!!
The Chicken of Course!!!

There are several arguments I could make. If I believed the religious teachings I heard every Sunday as a youth, God made chickens and chickens make eggs and that is the end of the story.  That would make it simple, even if it makes no sense an leaves a “few” gaps.

That answer never satisfied me so I looked to education for my answer.  As I understand life it worked something like this.

 

There was a Big Bang! (just had to get that reference in here)

Just looking at my drawing. The big bang looks like a fried egg, or a pile of pooh. We'll stick with fried egg. :_)
Just looking at my drawing. The big bang looks like a fried egg, or a pile of pooh. We’ll stick with fried egg. :_)

The Earth and the atmosphere formed.

Life started to evolve.

Life begins
Life begins

Where it came from, now that is debatable but here we are, not debatable. (at least we think we are here)

Life was made up of single cell organisms who due to environmental influences started to evolve over time to become more proficient at survival.

Things started to Evolve
Things started to Evolve

Many forms of life evolved, why they didn’t just all turn into people or monkeys or dinosaurs, or chickens is a bit unclear to me, but what do you expect from a free education.

Now these single celled organisms multiplied through cell division.  Over time cells bonded together to form multicell organisms.  Some of these primitive life forms eventually evolved into chickens.

The Chicken may die, yet the eggs live on.
The Chicken may die, yet the eggs live on.

The early chickens found an evolutionary benefit to developing their young in eggs outside of their bodies, so it is clear that the Chicken definitely came first!

Let’s All Go To The Movies

This will admit you!
This will admit you!

I had recently challenged the always wonderful, beautiful, kind, considerate and very funny Purnimodo to come up with her top five American movies.  Purnimodo decided to call them movies to watch when you are stranded, but many of them I would watch any time.  She came up with a pretty potent list, but I have a few years on the fair blogger from Holland, and that means a little more movie expertise.

This is a rundown of my top movies with an explanation of why each one is so very awesome. I am not putting them in any particular order and I don’t think I will be able to keep it to five, because movies are awesome. (So are you, if you are still reading.)  My criteria are pretty simple, I have to have seen it at least five times and still want to watch it right now. In most cases I even know the dialogue, but I’ll be quiet if we watch it together.

Good Will Hunting

good will hunting
Watch this

This movie has it all.  Robin Williams playing the sensitive shrink, who works with the tough kid from Southie, Matt Damon, and gets him to use his talents wisely.  It involves friendship, romance and fulfilling your potential.  Great movie any way you look at it.  Best line in the movie: “Tell him I’ve gone to see about a girl.”  You must have a very little heart if you don’t like this one.

Do you like apples?    National Security Agency   Not Your Fault 

Gone to see about a girl

The Shawshank Redemption

shawshankThere are not many films that take place inside a prison like this.  Andy Dufrane falsely accused of murdering his wife spends twenty years in prison, launders money for the warden, breaks out, takes all of the money for himself.  Best line in the movie, “Get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’. That’s goddamn right.”  You will feel like going to live on a beach in Mexico after this one.

Opera Scene 

Tar the roof

The Legend of Bagger Vance

Bagger VanceThis is a movie that many people have never seen, but it is worth the time.  On the surface it is about a golf match, but underneath it is so much more. It is about finding your own unique talent and doing the best you can with it. Letting go of the past, and living in the present moment.  Starring Matt Damon, Will Smith, Charlize Theron and directed by Robert Redford, it should have been a hit, but it was a flop at the box office. Still a great movie that you should see. This movies has so many good lines it is hard to choose just one but I will choose this one: ” You got a choice… You can stop… Or you can start…” Bagger Vance says as he is guiding Rannolph Junah back into the light.

See it, you will love it.  Movie

Just a moment ago         The Field    Your Authentic Swing

The Princess Bride

princess brideOK, this one is kind of a kid’s movie, but I still watch it every time I am feeling under the weather and need some extra rest.  Who can argue it has everything, fencing, boxing, giants, revenge and true love.  What can top all of that?  This is a classic, with many lines and I recently threw a few around it made me realize that I haven’t watched it for so long that I might be feeling a bit under the weather, ahem today!  Great lines, a million of them, “inconceivable!” , “As you wish”, “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” I can’t believe you are still reading this and not watching this movie!

Hello!            Sword Fight      Battle of Wits  

Rocky and Rocky III

RockyI put these two together because they are the best of the franchise. If you have never seen Rocky then you need to quickly, it is a classic about how anyone on any given day can be a champion and give a championship effort.  Rocky III has Mr. T in it and is great because it came out while I was in junior high.  I skipped Rocky II because it was too long and drawn out, and anything after III was either over patriotic or didn’t make sense.  Although, Rocky Balboa, the last Rocky movie gave one of the best speeches ever, so I included that one here.   Enjoy the fight. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows………..

Rocky Balboa Speech         Training with Rocky           Rocky Wins     YO, Adrian

A Few Good Men

few good menA great story that I now know pretty much word for word.  Jack Nicholson is great in this one and Tom Cruise was ok too.  Star studded cast with Demi Moore, Keifer Sutherland joining Cruise and Nicholson.  Full of good lines, but has the best speech and courtroom confrontation that you can imagine. Between Danial Caffey (Cruise) and Colonel Nathan Jessep (Nicholson).  The moral of the movie is nobody is above the law and we should all do what we can to protect those who need it.  “You don’t need a patch on your arm to live with honor.”

Can you handle the truth?               Introduction 

 

 

Fight Club

Fight Club

Fight Club is an awesome movie about……..Sorry rule number one prevents me from telling you anything further so does rule number 2.  Just watch it if you have never seen it.  Great movie.

Rules of Fight Club       Speech About Fight Club

There it is, my top five movies. Well really it is Seven, but who is counting, well I guess you are if you have read this far then you should definitely leave a comment and let me know how you think I did.  What makes your list my friends?