Personal blog entries now here. Blogger Boobie-Thon moved here.
Want a new view? You're not stuck with this design -- skin the site!




Fantastic voyage
 Today we took advantage of a free "beach nature walk" tour offered by the Disney resort. It's honestly been one of the favorite parts of my vacation. We had a great guide, and it was only us and four other people (two parents and their two kids) so it was very interactive.

I can also honestly say it's the only time in any tour I've taken where the guide has uttered the phrase, "If I'm going to pay that much for drinks at a titty bar [in Tampa], it had better not be a cock tease." (The family with kids were long gone to their resort room by this point, for the record, so he was safe in saying it.) I'm still giggling about that one -- the "other" side of Disney. Needless to say, we had a lot of fun! Click here for photos. Tomorrow is another travel day by the way, so I'll see ya' when I see ya'!
posted at 06:02 PM | link--it | mail it | (12) shout it






G'day, and welcome to day four
 A day full of sun, sand and yummy-nummy banana daiquiris by the pool! Again, sorry for the small size, but they'll have to do for now while we're on dial-up...
posted at 06:00 PM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it






Who 'dat?

Warren [Sapp] was interviewed at a Orlando Magic game. The reporter asked him, "What do you think of your knew quarterback Chris Simms?" His answer was: "Who? Who is that?" [pay-link from Todd]

Now that sounds more like my Tampa Bay Buccaneers!
posted at 07:23 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



Oh, Carolina!
 We've finally arrived at our main destination -- Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort. Thanks to an amazing FL resident special, we were able to reserve a 2-bedroom villa for several dollars a night cheaper than the published rates on the studios. Needless to say, it's absolutely amazing here -- but I don't expect anything less of Disney.

We're both exhausted, so we're taking the rest of today as a lazy day off. Todd's catching the tail-end of the NFL Draft, and I just put more photos online. We couldn't resist heading to the Savannah Historic District one last time early this morning. We took Claire for walks through the parks and shot more of the beautiful scenery. Again, they're all small 'til we get home since we're still on dialup -- but I have two new galleries with about 1/4 of the pics taken:

1. Savannah Historic District - 04.27.03
2. Hilton Head Island - 04.27.03

I'll try to actually write a few summaries later, but after "Mr. Irrelevant" is selected, it's nappy time! Hope everyone had a great weekend -- I've really enjoyed reading all your comments! -Robyn
posted at 05:10 PM | link--it | mail it | (13) shout it






[slow mo] Noooooooooooo [/slow mo]
 Todd made me login to publicly state that we will never, EVER consider him a Buccaneer -- much less cheer for him. What was Chucky thinking? Ugh. Expect the two of us to be bringing some very interesting signs to training camp this summer...
posted at 08:56 PM | link--it | mail it | (15) shout it



Southern living
 We're just getting back in from a fun-filled day in the Savannah Historic District. We took a trolley tour with Old Town Trolley Tours, which was a great way to see the city. There were fourteen stops, and you could exit to walk around and rejoin with the next trolley any time you wanted. Due to being on dial-up, I'm only uploading 10 small shots right now. Enjoy!

Tomorrow we're back on the road again...so until then...don't do anything I wouldn't do. That should give you all lots of leeway. Thanks for the well-wishes and all the sweet notes left yesterday and today! -Robyn (P.S. Hover mouse over images for browser bar descriptions.)







UPDATE: We didn't spy any stars, but we did see them filming this movie by the river today.

UPDATE 2: You can now find these, and more, Savannah images full-size here.
posted at 07:17 PM | link--it | mail it | (22) shout it



It's a long way down Holiday Road
 [trip day 1]

Just an old, sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind... Greetings from Savannah! Miss me yet? We're enjoying our first vacation since '99. We got in too late to shoot much, but here are a few snaps from the road...

Happy weekend!
-R&T&C
posted at 12:31 AM | link--it | mail it | (16) shout it






She's the sheriff
[buh bye]



[Just call her Sheriff Statia]
While I'm not moseyin' around these-there parts, Statia is going to be the new sheriff in town. This means she'll be monitoring my comments and such and making sure this here's a friendly environment. Tip your hats accordingly and y'all be nice to her, ya' hear?
posted at 12:02 AM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it






If you want my body and you think I'm sexy...
 To the person that came up with the idea of a tinted self-tanner that will show you potential streaks before the product "sets", I keeees you! I look tropical islicious right now...
posted at 09:11 PM | link--it | mail it | (15) shout it



Don't label me please

When you ping weblogs.com, you give these details for the world to use. That's your opt-in. That data is free game for anybody to play with. BlogShares provides an opt-out mechanism because I want to be nice not because I have to. Weblogs.com isn't for any particular purpose, you opt in to it you opt into everything associated with it. [link]

For the record: I didn't ask for my site to be pulled because I thought it was cool. Or trendy. Or because I wanted to jump on a bandwagon.

I did it because I have issue to the above sentiment that BlogShares is based on. When I ping weblogs.com, I expect that ping to be used for the purpose it was intended -- blog updating tools (like Blogrolling) to notify others when I have updated. Not so that other sites I no longer approve of can use my site and my name. Hence my removal request. I didn't yank my site because I was sitting around bored without anything better to do. I yanked it because -- from the top on down -- I saw behavior I didn't want my site associated with. Period. I didn't "opt in" to Blogshares, no matter how long Seyed wants to sit down and try to explain it me. I did, however, opt out. That is my right.
posted at 07:48 PM | link--it | mail it | (23) shout it



No, not just for some but for everyone...
 I'm filing both of these away for future reference regarding the "bloggers helping bloggers fund" portion of this year's Boobie-Thon proceeds (please don't vote now -- that will come later in September):

  1. helpkat.com: "I am asking for help while I get the necessary treatments and possible surgery for my back. I have scoliosis and it has taken a turn (no pun intended) for the worse."
  2. chuckpierce.com/ring/: "I am a single father who wants to give the best woman in the world a Diamond and marry her."
If you know of any others, please pass them along so I can add them to the file... The cause selected will receive $359.00 (assuming that amount is raised, of course). -Robyn
posted at 05:41 PM | link--it | mail it | (14) shout it



Whatevah! You ain't bad. You ain't nuthin'!
 Whoa. I had no idea all the Blogshares hubbub was going on until I read about it over at Solonor's just now. You can read more at Kat's and at Zu's. Apparently you aren't "allowed" to opt out of the game without risking ridicule, flaming, and enough trolls to cause you to shut your blog down. Excuse me, but my definition of a game is something you CHOOSE to play -- or not -- it isn't something you're forced into because someone wants fame, popularity, and a suitcase full of cyber Monopoly money.

"Your weblog is not you." Well I beg to differ. And as such, consider the Blogshares button and updates gone from my sidebar.

Most of you already know that in times of crisis, I always turn to the great orator Eric Theodore Cartman. And to quote him, "Whatevah. I do what I want!"

UPDATE: I just found the directions if you want to unlist your blog (and your profile) here. I accidentally e-mailed my first request. Oops.
posted at 04:41 PM | link--it | mail it | (20) shout it



Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
 Riddle me this... Would it really hurt Nabisco's pocket books to throw a shot of Captain Morgain's in their butter rum Lifesavers? Y'know, just for good measure and all.
posted at 04:21 PM | link--it | mail it | (10) shout it



I'll shoot your eye out, kid
 Oh how I wanna bean this muthafucka in the head with a baseball now myself! I'm thinkin' this pitch to the noggin, minus the hard-hat. Who's in?
posted at 03:37 PM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it



23 positions in a one-night stand
 Is it really worth wasting your time to launch an all-out boycott of FOX and all of the merchants that sponsor "Mr. Personality"? I realize Monica Lewinsky will probably go down (ok, bad choice of words there) as one of the most controversial women of the late 20th century. But it wasn't like she wanted her Oval Office, errrr, meetings made public initially. And god forbid we all be held accountable for the questionable blowjobs* we gave in our early 20s. I'd dare say 3/4 of the women in this country would be boycotted if that were the case.

Yeah, she's milked (oops, bad choice of words there as well) that 15 minutes of fame for all it's worth since her little blue dress got Tripped up. Like that's considered shocking in this day and age. And since when is it anything new in this country to parade around women embroiled in sexual controversy for the almighty dollar? No Excuses jeans campaigns, anyone? I just wish people would devote all of that time and energy to real causes that will change the planet. Not yesterday's news...    UPDATE: *See clarification for Dave here.
posted at 12:40 PM | link--it | mail it | (12) shout it



Every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back...
 I'm getting seriously Googled lately for my old "break-up songs" entry from last May -- so if you need any, or just want to add a few to the list yourself, head to the comments.

UPDATE: For a limited time only, here's my contribution.

[you snoozed you losed]
Click here for song lyrics
posted at 10:49 AM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it






Putting the hump in "hump day"
 So I actually, like, had a life today and all. Whaddya gonna do?
posted at 10:56 PM | link--it | mail it | (10) shout it



Will work for bandwidth
 The Movable Type team has expanded Six Apart into TypePad -- "an upcoming hosted service providing powerful tools for creating full-featured weblogs". You can signup at the site to receive more information. Someday we can all say we knew them when... Seems just like yesterday I was reading about Movable Type, pre-release, at Dawn's! Greymatter feels like another lifetime ago, and I've never looked back. Good luck everyone!
posted at 01:31 PM | link--it | mail it | (7) shout it



Isn't she lovely ugly?
 Since I've now received this link at least 10 times in the last week (sheesh, you people think you know me or what? thanks!) -- I guess it's time to blog it here! Visit Ugly Dress.com for proof that 99% of the time they can't (and won't) "wear it again".
posted at 01:09 PM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it






In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

When the [Blogshares] site goes live all shares in your portfolio will be deleted as will your transaction history for the beta period. You will only take your cash balance forward. Blogs will have their shares reset to the original 5000 and you will receive 1000 shares in every blog you've claimed ownership of. So be sure to sell your stock early. [link]

Just in case you've missed the above e-mail and / or announcement on the Blogshares website, everything in your portfolio will be deleted on May 1st. You only carry your cash balance and 1000 shares of any blog you've claimed into the non-beta site. So what does this mean? Sell, sell, sell! I've you've gifted me shares (and thank you for doing so!) please don't get your feelings hurt if you see that I've sold them. They won't stay in my account after 5/1 no matter what. Let Black Wednesday begin...
posted at 09:38 PM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it



Hey baby, I'm forever your girl
 Running across this a few weeks late obviously, but you knew someone had to do it eventually... The American Idol Drinking Game, dawg.

UPDATE: Who in the hell is the songwriter-judge this week? Her music sucks serious ass.
posted at 08:06 PM | link--it | mail it | (13) shout it



Solace through nature, Chapter XVII
With a hand to your head
You sigh out loud
As a memory washes over
And buries you.....

For everyone
There's a person place or time
That brings you back
And makes you feel alive
Before your reason clouds your eyes
You could rule the world if you wanted to

—"Cry in the Sun", Better Than Ezra



posted at 07:07 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



Goodbye, Norma Jean
 FARK linked a lovely, rare Marilyn Monroe / Norma Jean bathing suit and nude gallery today. The photos are all large in size and great quality -- very nice!
posted at 04:26 PM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it



Tuesday, shoot me in the head - I'm takin' it back
 Haven't done a "news not fit to print" wrap-up in awhile...so here goes:

  1. Looking at his academic photo, this guy just screams "child molester". I mean, c'mon.
  2. Gwen Stefani is going solo and wants to take up acting. Apparently she missed last year's Swept Away and Crossroads. (Thankfully, so did I.)
  3. Do they make a Hallmark for "Gee, I'm sorry I shot the groom on your wedding day"?
  4. SARS in a can -- now there's a concept that works! Soon with the slogan, "The refreshing drink that will take your breath away..."
  5. Best. Homemade Porno. Ever. (PG-rated, from Sensible Erection.)
And now...your moment of zen...
posted at 04:00 PM | link--it | mail it | (16) shout it






Curses - foiled again!
 So I see OU didn't really beat the 'whorns the last three years running...interesting!
posted at 11:49 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



If they don't give me proper credit, I just walk away
 "This is what the fuck I think I'm doing..." <snicker>
posted at 10:40 PM | link--it | mail it | (12) shout it



Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
 This should almost be like a "don't ask, don't tell" blog entry I think. We watched "Maid in Manhattan" from Netflix tonight. It was so, so very bad. One of those 90 minutes of my life...gone...kinda deals.

So then Todd flipped over to regular TV and we caught the very tail end of Mr. Personality. We didn't even watch but five minutes, and we're both already creeped out. The whole masks and blindfolding thing -- it's just way too strange for me. And another thing... The most overused phrase on reality TV is now "on this journey". Everything is a journey. No it's not. It's a "let's see how long I can milk this thing 'til Playboy comes-a calling" experience. That's it. You want a journey? Book a safari to Africa, darlin'. It's pretty sad when the thing that's the least odd about your show is the fact Monica Lewinsky is the host.
posted at 10:07 PM | link--it | mail it | (17) shout it



Is it any wonder I'm sane at all
 Yeah, I'm a closet Styx fan, too. Wanna make somethin of it?

Lyrics: Too Much Time On My Hands, by Styx

Sitting on this barstool talking like a damn fool
Got the twelve o'clock news blues
And I've given up hope on the afternoon soaps
And a bottle of cold brew
Is it any wonder I'm not crazy?
Is it any wonder I'm sane at all?

Well I'm so tired of losing
I got nothing to do and all day to do it

I go out cruisin' but I've no place to go
And all night to get there

Is it any wonder I'm not a criminal?
Is it any wonder I'm not in jail?
Is it any wonder I've got.....

Too much time on my hands
It's ticking away with my sanity
I've got too much time on my hands
It's hard to believe such a calamity
I've got too much time on my hands
And it's ticking away from me

Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my hands

Well, I'm a jet fuel genius
I solve all the world's problems
Without even trying

I have dozens of friends
And the fun never ends
That is, as long as I'm buying

Is it any wonder I'm not the President?
Is it any wonder I'm null and void?
Is it any wonder I've got.....

Too much time on my hands
It's ticking away at my sanity
I've got too much time on my hands
It's hard to believe such a calamity
I've got too much time on my hands
And it's ticking away from me

Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my hands.....
posted at 01:39 PM | link--it | mail it | (25) shout it



Watch out boy, she'll chew you up
"The truth is, Marriott offered nothing in the way of intellectual stimulation, or entertainment, except for the occasional laugh at his own expense." —The Maneater, University of Missouri student newspaper
Gee, there's a review you didn't see coming. I realize it is Mizzou and all, but just exactly who did they think they were booking? At least OU invited the likes of Jimmy Fallon and Ben Stein. I mean, did they even watch the show? Marriott made a foot-fetish and bondage film actress look classy in comparison. When asked his opinion of the University of Missouri, Marriott replied, "It’s really cool because it is a college campus. There’s dorms. It has a very college campus feel." Wisdom for the ages, man... (Read more at MSNBC.com's "The Scoop".)
posted at 12:59 PM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it



Super Sonic!
 [Sonic carhop]
Attention Tampa Bay residents: A new Sonic Drive-In opens up in Oldsmar on Monday, April 21st, at 7 a.m. It's on Tampa Rd., just up the road from the AMC 20 movie theater -- across the street from Wal Mart, and next to a new Chick-fil-A. Be there or be .
posted at 01:47 AM | link--it | mail it | (18) shout it



You won't have Dick to kick around anymore
 Yeah, yeah. He goes through phases. I have no control over them, or him. What can I say...

So don't yell at me over his decision, capiche? I just keep 'im around for the fine bootay and clean close shave.
posted at 12:04 AM | link--it | mail it | (20) shout it






Let's get physical
 Have you ever noticed that in any exercise equipment or weight loss product commercial in the "before" shots the people are flabby and pasty white -- but in the "after" shots, suddenly not only are they thin and toned, but they're also sporting a new deep-dark tan just weeks later. Where did the tan come from? Does the product really do both? Because if so, I really might consider the purchase being my skin is translucent and all...
posted at 01:18 PM | link--it | mail it | (17) shout it



Happy Sunday
 It's really hard for me to wish everyone a Happy Easter today. Sure I could go against everything I was raised with and put up pics of Peeps, Easter eggs, and little chocolate bunnies -- but those aren't really the reasons I've always celebrated the holiday.

I've spent a great portion of my year mad at God. I'm trying to make peace with him, but I'm just not there yet. And today only symbolizes the start of the Hallmark season of family holidays -- Mother's Day and Father's Day are right around the corner. So while I should be happily in my second trimester by now, instead I'm left rapidly changing the channel every time another Luvs and Huggies commercial comes on.

So please forgive me if I don't put up generic "Happy Easter" greetings. This year, it just isn't for me... -Robyn
posted at 12:50 PM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



Greeeeeeeat! 500 it is!
 An updated version of the MT BlogShares Plugin has been released to fix the stock price issues from earlier today. However, this updated version doesn't include the available shares hack yet. So if any code monkeys out there wanna give it a whirl, I'll bat my eyelashes accordingly. Thanks to David for jumping in with lightning-speed to fix the problem!

UPDATE: The above has been added to the MT Plugin. Thanks again David!
posted at 12:56 AM | link--it | mail it | (5) shout it






Penny arcade
 He plays the role of gaming god oh so well, but after watching me play the one and only game I enjoy -- Centipede, old school Atari style -- with that all-knowing snicker that he could do better, I invited him to put his mouse where his mouth is. I'd like to point that that I own every single high score. Still. He didn't even break the 12K barrier and get a new life. Mmmm...hmmmm. Girl power.
posted at 10:47 PM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it



April 19th
 I can't believe it's been eight years. I also can't believe it took me 'til 6:30 p.m. to remember today was the anniversary. Promoguy has a lovely set of images from the Memorial. Go see them if you haven't already.
posted at 06:16 PM | link--it | mail it | (10) shout it



Nice day for a white wedding
 I was just out back taking photos of lizards, and Todd came running out yelling, "You've gotta see this!" Turns out, our next door neighbor's daughter is getting married today and we got outside just as the limo was arriving. I've never met her, but the bride looked beautiful. Wanna see? (Her, and the lizards of course...)






posted at 03:06 PM | link--it | mail it | (17) shout it



Gremlins?
 Has anyone using the Blogshares plugin noticed that it's showing their stock price as $0, yet that's not actually the price?

UPDATE: I got a quick e-mail from the author of the MT-plugin in question, after I left him a comment. This is what it said:

Thanks for the heads up. I've been knee deep in work and school for a couple days, so I was unaware of the problem. It seems the pages at blogshares.com changed just enough to break the plugin. I'll try and get a new version out tonight, along with support for the portfolio RSS feeds.
I'll post more info when I have it! (UPDATE: See here.)
posted at 02:03 PM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it



She wore an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
 I have just found my new favorite fashion company -- and of all things, they make swimwear! Check out the beautiful model front and center on their main page (and also in their print ads). She has an unairbrushed tummy roll. And moving along to page two, you'll find even more real women with real bodies in bikinis. The whole site is like this. With swimsuit season almost upon us, I know who I want to receive my $$ the next time I purchase one! Hurrah!

UPDATE: Oh how cute -- check out their honeymoon swimwear line!
posted at 12:25 AM | link--it | mail it | (26) shout it






May justice be swift and severe
 Sometimes I really hate it when I'm right...
posted at 10:46 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



I'm a no-good, filthy dirty whore
 Just so we've got that straight... If you're going to spam my comments with the same IP but different names, at least be a little more original. Really. That one is tired. It's run its course. And just in case you're stuck, here's a thesaurus.


I've mentioned this to those close to me -- but since I've gotten so many "when's the Boobie-Thon II" queries this week -- I'll just put it all right out here in the open this very moment. In answer to the main question, this October, to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness month.

But let me sidebar for a moment... The only way. And I repeat the only way I will host and coordinate this as an annual event is if it retains the original spirit of the first Boobie-Thon. What's that mean? Not only is it bloggers for charity, it's also going to be bloggers helping their own. We're a community, and part of being in a community is looking out for one another and supporting each other when times get tough. So $359.00 of the money raised this year (the price of Statia's plane ticket last year) will be going to a blogger "charity". What "charity" you might ask? Well when the time comes I'll try to gather as many different bloggers as I can from different walks of life and form a panel. The panel will take submissions from various bloggers pointing out causes needing funds. This could be anything from charity events, medical expenses, natural disaster expenses, you name it...we'll accept applications for it... I don't even have to know the people and projects being submitted. It just has to be something from the blogging community. Because I'm not licensed or funded we obviously won't be able to launch full-scale fraud investigations -- so we'll be relying on that thing called trust, gut instinct, and the old-fashioned honor system. As the time draws nearer, I'll be relying on everyone's advice and help to work the kinks out. Every other penny raised beyond the first $359 will go to Susan G. Komen. Last year we sent the Foundation $1251.00.

Let me make it clear that I flat-out refuse to donate my time and effort unless the spirit of the original "contest" lives on. I have taken flak from here to Oklahoma and back on raising money for friends. Well I'm sorry, but when my friends are in need -- that's what I do. And I'll continue to do it again this year. That is, if you're all in... See you in October!

-Robyn
posted at 09:56 PM | link--it | mail it | (30) shout it



Have you seen my baseball?
 Do you ever get the feeling as you're going through life that God was a huge fan of There's Something about Mary...and he's just sitting upstairs snickering, "I'm fucking with you, Ted!"
posted at 01:58 PM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it






In the eye of the beholder
 The more I sit here and think about it, the more thankful I am that most of the world's priceless artwork was completed (and in many cases, commissioned by the Church itself) before today's so-called "Judeo-Christian" standard / ethic came into place. What a truly boring, bland world full of "safe" Thomas Kinkade paintings it would be...


[what is art]
posted at 09:21 PM | link--it | mail it | (25) shout it



Chocolatey and delightful

Now, before we go saying "it doesn't bother me, it was her business, yadda yadda yadda" lets take a step back and realize what these magazines are truely for. Call it art, call it whatever, but all they are are masturbation rags.....The "you can do anything you want and don't worry about what anyone else thinks of you, cause it doesn't matter" attitude may sound good and fine, but it really does matter what people think of you. Don't beleive me - then go down to the county courthouse in your areas and strip naked and smear chocolate syrup all over your bodies. See how fast you go to jail, make the news and never get another job other than bagging groceries at the local supermarket. [link]

A-ha! The comment I was waiting for... I knew one would show up eventually. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter what people think of me. Shocking, I know.

The only human being that gets the right for me to pay mind to things like that has their wedding band on my left-ring finger. Anyone out there care to retort?
posted at 06:07 PM | link--it | mail it | (19) shout it



Can't nobody hold me down - oh no

Hold on to your wallets: The ever-entrepreneurial Sean "P-Diddy" Combs is ready to expand once again. In addition to being firmly planted in the world of Hip-Hop, Puff has also fancied himself a fashion designer, restaurateur and now video game guru. According to the New York Post, P Diddy's planning to create a video game based on - who else - himself that allow players to "create an entertainment conglomerate" by signing musical acts, spending mega bucks on marketing campaigns and acquiring assets. [link]

Oh. Goodie. I'd like to reserve my copy now, please.
posted at 05:09 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



I want candy
 [hard candy]
Hard candy. So are you a sucker, or a biter? I'm a biter.
posted at 03:15 PM | link--it | mail it | (21) shout it



Wood good
iowa.jpg

Chey missed her calling at the Lumber Yard a year too late, or three months too early, it seems... "At the nudie bar!" (Full article at Yahoo! News. Link swiped from FARK headlines.)
posted at 12:41 PM | link--it | mail it | (2) shout it



Double standard?
 This has the potential to get really heated -- and I know that in advance. So I'm just making it real clear from the start that I reserve the right to edit, delete and/or ban your ass if you get out of line. I expect -- and demand -- respect in your answers. I have a low idiot tolerance right now and have no problem in putting my foot on your hind end as I shove you out the door. That said...

Reading a couple of blog entries (and comments) got me thinking more about "the penis blog project" (link not work safe).

When we did the boobie-thon last year, we were called whores, tramps, sluts, "Tampa trash", bad wives, unfit mothers, and just about every other derogatory term known to (wo)man. We even had entire blogs devoted to how immoral we were.

Is it different for the guys because they're guys? Is it different for the guys because most of them are gay*? (And I say that because most of my gay friends in college were much more open about -- and comfortable with -- their sexuality.) Do you really think the men who decided to bare it all will face any semblance of the scrutiny the girls that participated in the boobie-thon faced? Do you think there will eventually be a backlash? Or is this different because money isn't being raised (and as some would say, money to fly a friend out for a drunkfest -- even though the cost of the ticket was actually covered by friends -- and then we kept going and went on to raise over $1250 for charity)?

All respectful opinions welcome...

*I, too, would like to see straight male bloggers participate and remove any potential for stereotyping. Any other male bloggers out there considering it?
posted at 03:10 AM | link--it | mail it | (69) shout it



You are getting very sleepy...
 I hate it when you're so exhausted you could collapse on the spot, so you go to bed several hours early. And you sleep great. For two and ½ hours. And then bam! Eyes wide open, yet still tired as hell. Thank god I don't have to go to class in the morning or anything.
posted at 02:23 AM | link--it | mail it | (7) shout it






That's the way, un huh un huh, I like it
 Y'know, I am so sick and tired -- as a designer -- of petty little shits expecting each and every site to look their way. Or else. Just because you like to read the web at a 1600x1200 resolution with four tiled browser windows open at once, does not mean the rest of the web lives in your little world. In fact, you know what -- less than 3% of my site viewers are at that resolution. I personally think Times New Roman at 14-pt looks like ass. For crimeny's sake people, CNN uses Arial! Stacy did a fabulous job with The Command Post. In my opinion, this design just kicked it up another notch and took it from "great resource" to "professional resource". Maybe I've just spent one too many weeks designing for warbloggers -- and yes, they pay the bills -- and no, I probably shouldn't be saying this in a place they can find it. But I'm freakin' tired of "change it to my way or no way" from every person that comments on the design once it goes live. EACH of them has their own special little list -- and each of them expects it to be met or they're turning tail and leaving. So guess what. Go. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, you whiny little brats. Pick up your expensive play toys and keep on surfin'.

The following was sent to a critic of a design I did over the weekend. I think it's worth passing along...


Any design that I do for a client (read: not myself) has to be optimized for 800x600 viewers. Has to be -- no exceptions. About 25% of web surfers still use that resolution. If you view <insert name here's> site at that resolution, there is absolutely no extra space on either side of the main column. And in the design I did -- it's really a "fixed pixel" kinda deal, so doing percentages to tie up the whole browser based on viewing size aren't an option either. It would throw off the rest of the design as the site scaled up and down accordingly. In most blogs that we design for Sekimori, we use a hard-fixed pixel design, because they are optimized for most browsers. It's virtually impossible to code for IE (5.5, 6.0 and Mac), Mozilla, Opera, Netscape, Safari...etc...and keep everyone happy. So if you can force a design to stay the same in most if not all of the above, you do so. And I did.

Just as you would complain about a design being too "narrow" for your tastes viewing at 1600 wide, <insert name here> would receive an onslaught of mail complaining about the opposite from the 800 viewers if it were any wider and they had to scroll. For instance, in my own stats -- I have 53.29% of my viewers in 1024x768, 25.62% of my viewers at 800x600, and only 2.48% (less than three percent) in 1600x1200. I'd rather have three people out of 100 complain, than twenty-five. And that said, my current default skin has a slight scroll on 800x600. I created a second, scaled-down version of that Mae West design for the 800 crowd. I made myself happy first, because I'm allowed to do so at my own site -- while creating another option to keep others from yelling at me as well.

But you can't make everyone happy. You just can't.

<steps down from soapbox>
posted at 10:22 PM | link--it | mail it | (23) shout it



Parting is such sweet sorrow
 Can you hear me whoopin' "YES!" from here? Although I think Carmen should have got the boot tonight, I'm not gonna complain. Buh-bye to you and your freaky bad extensions that are fake just like the rest of the package. I'm with Michele -- Skinemax here she comes!
posted at 08:59 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



Ode to spring
[geek lover]

I still can't breathe / feel like crap, but at least I make this new tank look good!
posted at 06:03 PM | link--it | mail it | (14) shout it



ATPTB 5K
 A quick follow-up to this entry: dave takes the 5000th comment for 2003 with this comment last night! At least I'm not the only one who never shuts up...
posted at 12:36 PM | link--it | mail it | (7) shout it



It's not the size of your blog...
 Well it looks like the Blogger Boobie-Thon is finally getting a run for its money. Now we have "the penis blog project". (WARNING: Link so not very work safe!)

But don't expect to see my Dick over there any time soon. No. Seriously...
posted at 03:10 AM | link--it | mail it | (37) shout it



If you think that I'm a loser, well you suck
 When you lie, kiss your baby bye bye bye
And if you're true, the whole wide world will laugh with you
When we see nothing's wrong with you and me
Time will tell, it might even bring a wedding bell

If you think that I'm a loser
Well you suck, 'cause you know I ain't nothin' but a user
Of your love I can't get enough
Girl it's true, the whole wide world is smiling with you

Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up

Sometimes I know, and sometimes I'm on the go
But I'm comin' back, so don't give me no flack, yeah
It's all you, and it's me too
And it's your world, you's the girl, you's the girl

Happier than shit, things that might go click with me
Click with you, is that love? Is that love, ohhh...

Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up

Watch the little daisies grow, little daisies grow
Now just push th' little daisies and make 'em come up
Watch them grow, watch them grow

As I push the little daisies and make 'em come up
Make 'em come up, make 'em come up,
Make 'em come up, say

Push th' little daisies and make 'em come up......
posted at 02:46 AM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it



Splitsville
 I decided to go a little crazy tonight and split my stock. There are currently 24 shares available at half the previous price as a result. Snap 'em up while you can!
posted at 12:00 AM | link--it | mail it | (7) shout it






Iraq the casbah
[OU flag in Iraq]

A quick follow-up to this photo. Never let it be said that Sooners don't represent!
posted at 11:06 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



It's a Cinderella story...
 The new April 2003 "Fifteen Minutes of Fame" wedding feature is now up over at WM!

If you know anyone who was married recently, please beg them on my behalf to submit their wedding summary. (Or do it for them!)
posted at 09:03 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



It's now ruined rock 'n' roll to me
 For the love of God...can we just move beyond her tits, ass and fake hair color for like five seconds people, and finally admit...she has NO freakin' talent... At all. Please! I'm so sick of watching the judges gloss over her lousy performances in their summaries. Thank God Simon always attempts to at least somewhat put her in her place...
posted at 08:11 PM | link--it | mail it | (24) shout it



Inquiring minds wanna know
 I just realized we missed the season finale of NBC's "Ed" last Friday. Did anyone else out there catch it? I just want to know if it was another lame "will he choose Carol / will Carol choose him" kinda deal that you have to wait 'til next season for, or if they actually didn't leave you hanging for a change. Any summaries appreciated!

UPDATE: Forgot to mention... What in the hell is with all the season finales in April this year, anyway? First they push back the start of the season to mid-October on most shows. Now they try to wrap them up by mid-April. Do they think we also don't notice that most TV shows are 5-10% shorter with more commercials packed in as well? It wasn't always this way!
posted at 05:32 PM | link--it | mail it | (16) shout it



Spring has sprung
 Today is one of those magnificent Florida days when it's a crime to remain inside. So I updated Shutterblog with 8 new photos...
posted at 04:58 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



Ain't that America, somethin' to see baby
 Some people look at a flag, swaying in the breeze of the White House and say, "That's America." Whenever I see an American flag hung in a window of a basement apartment by guys who have better things to do with their money than buy curtains, I say, "That's America, to me."

In America, there are fifty-one states. Or maybe it's eighty by now. Does England count? I'm not quite sure. The one thing I am sure of is, if I'm standing in a warehouse beside a timeclock, and a guy is punching in his best friend who's too hungover to get out of bed, I'm standing in America. The makeover capital of the world. The place where every young man has to answer in his heart the question: What do you love more, your girlfriend, or your car? Where that young man can buy a beat-up car for three hundred dollars, but have to spend a thousand to insure it. The land where even a paperboy can option the film rights to a book.

America. In America, a woman on an assembly line works out her overtime in her head to infinity, and at the exact same moment, her husband gets into a car crash because he was looking at a girl in a tube top.

America. A land where spelling doesn't count, but people's pets do. Where else can you get a job riding a whale at Marineland? The land where a guy's girlfriend breaks up with him over the phone, so he takes a gun, and kills the principal. Everyone's sad until they get the day off. Next week, another guy, another gal, another, "We can still be friends" phone call. Whuh-oh! The assistant principal gets killed. And everyone is sad because they don't get the day off. Because he was only the assistant principal.

America. A land of opportunity. Yes, that great lumbering beast that journeys tirelessly and stops only to eat a clubhouse sandwich, pick its teeth with a matchbook cover, and falls asleep with the TV on.

America. A place for Americans.

Credit: Kids in the Hall, "That's America"
posted at 02:09 PM | link--it | mail it | (5) shout it



Countin' flowers on the wall
 I just changed my wallpaper over in the sidebar. Shot a new photo of a red hibiscus bloom calling my name... I have it in up to 1600x1200 if you'd like.
posted at 02:40 AM | link--it | mail it | (10) shout it



Putting the 'ass' in classy
 Ok, that's it. It's time to give up waiting on Matty to take care of business once and for all. We all need to get together and do the right thing now. Apparently Ben Affleck is so smitten with J-Lo that he's dropped $105,000 on a toilet seat cover for her encrusted with rubies, sapphires, pearls and a diamond. He told a friend, "Jennifer is my princess and she deserves only the best -- even when it comes to toilets." Well guess what, Baldie? Her shit still stinks just like everyone else's. Even more so than most, I would imagine.
posted at 02:05 AM | link--it | mail it | (22) shout it






'Til Tuesday
 Still sick...and tons of work to catch up on and attempt to do even so... Which means I'm taking another "sick day" on Monday. It's getting tough coming up with new illnesses. If I go for ten, I'm probably going to have to barf up a lung. So I'd better make this one count.

    Go here instead today, please:

  1. No Kitty, that's a bad Kitty!
  2. TooMuchSexy.blog
  3. Bitch Has *Word* (don't view the sock on a full stomach - big mistake)
  4. in nancy's book
  5. Cranky's Corner
Tell me why I don't like Mondays... I want to shoot the whole day down. I'll see you Tuesday! (Start here for more reads...)
posted at 02:08 AM | link--it | mail it | (16) shout it






Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did
 I've long-been a fan of Marilyn Monroe. She was the ultimate pinup, the very definition of sexy, and the inspiration behind the first design I ever used for my blog. To me, she seemed to encompass every range of emotion -- on and off screen -- that a woman could go through. All at once. Lascivious. Elated. Misunderstood. Patronized. Objectified. Vulnerable. Frightened.

It seems that if you study any photo series of her, there's always one image where her real guard came down, and the pain bubbling from deep inside was captured -- apart from the smiles. Take this one -- one of my favorites -- for instance (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3). I have a print from it framed in our guest bedroom. Her expression in that second photo haunts me every time I see it, and I don't know why. Or maybe deep down, I really do. She wanted to be a mother more than anything in this world. One luxury she was never afforded...
posted at 07:41 PM | link--it | mail it | (14) shout it



20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
 I just realized that Zaldor gets the honor of having left the 20,000th comment at my blog last week. Let's give it up for Michigan! And just 111 comments to go 'til we reach the 5,000th comment for 2003. Practice makes perfect...
posted at 04:51 PM | link--it | mail it | (11) shout it



Pie, anyone?
 Boobies and pie -- two American tastes that taste great together! I love making surprises.

UPDATE: Gretchen links the uncompleted first-pitched design (to Chris) here. I had so much fun working on the site! Hopefully we'll get 'er all skinned soon.
posted at 02:31 PM | link--it | mail it | (11) shout it



There's no place like home
 Now this is the kinda news I like waking up to on Sunday! Let's hope it sets the tone of this week on a much more positive note than last week started on...
posted at 01:13 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



Turning tricks(y)
 Pssst...over here now. But no kissing on the mouth. Well, unless you ask her nicely.
posted at 12:52 AM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



I need a few good men
 My new "support the troops" t-shirt from The Replacements radio show arrived today. Ahhhh, it'sah vehhry niiice.
posted at 12:41 AM | link--it | mail it | (15) shout it






Perfect cushion for the pushin'
 Word of warning: When you put it all out there on the hottubbing webcam, expect it to stay out there. *snicker* But sorry ladies, he's all mine!
posted at 10:12 PM | link--it | mail it | (13) shout it



Fool me once...
 Remember when I blogged about our curse with ThinkGeek? Well once again, we decided to press our luck. I finally broke down and ordered this tanktop I'd wanted for weeks now -- which was fine. But Todd also got this monkey case badge for his new PC. I don't know how in the hell this stuff always happens to us, but there was a HAIR in the case badge. Not stuck to the sticker part, but in the plastic casing itself! He pulled it out, but there's still a thin line running through the badge where it used to be. What the......?
posted at 10:37 AM | link--it | mail it | (7) shout it



Help me - I broke apart my insides
 My darling Todd, after overhearing a particularly brutal coding session while he and Robbie enjoyed the boob tube: "Yeah, I think it's probably a very good thing I'm not usually awake when you're doing this stuff."

Gee, ya' think? It's like I always say... That which does not kill me leaves my husband scrambling for chocolate sacrifices.
posted at 02:33 AM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it






Flyin' the friendly skies
 Robbie just called from Atlanta. He managed to score a flight down here, and we pick him up in about an hour. Posting will be sporadic this weekend at best... Have a great one!

UPDATE: It was a short trip in-n-out. He flew out to Atlanta Saturday afternoon to head back to work. The great thing about my best friend being a pilot is that he can finally make the Tampa route now and again. Hopefully I can remain healthy enough to enjoy his visits!
posted at 09:03 PM | link--it | mail it | (2) shout it



Life is crazy -- candy, baby
 [orange slices]
If I ruled the world, eating a half-bag of candy orange slices would be considered your daily serving of fruit and would account for all of your required Vitamin C intake.
posted at 04:10 PM | link--it | mail it | (15) shout it



Feed me, Seymour!
 By popular demand...you can now add a newsfeed to my site with comments. The link to it is in my sidebar (default Mae skin). For more information, visit Christine's and Jennifer's.

UPDATE: Yet another option at Brad's I might have to toy around with when I have time...
posted at 02:01 PM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it






One shot of NyQuil for me, one for my homies
 Todd and Claire tried to cheer me up and make me feel better...

[Todd and Claire] [Todd and Claire]
[Todd and Claire] [Todd and Claire]
posted at 11:50 PM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it



*cough*    *sneeze*    *hack*
 Taking a sick day today...go here instead, please:

  1. Running With Scissors
  2. seaglass
  3. life of nicole lee
  4. tangled up in blue
  5. Matt's Blog
I'll be over here in the "trying to breathe" section...for more reads start here.
posted at 01:56 PM | link--it | mail it | (18) shout it






Curiousity killed the.....
 If you ask a Magic 8 Ball a question, and the answer flips about a half-second after you turn it over (and you didn't move/shake the ball) -- do you go with the initial answer -- or the "I'm a [female] Magic 8 Ball and reserve the right to change my mind" answer?
posted at 06:35 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



Unce, tice, fee times a comment
 A new MT hack passed along by goddess Kristine.....prevent commenters from multi-submitting the same exact comment by hitting your post-button repeatedly while waiting for the comment to publish.

This hack modifies MovableType to simply ignore the same comment being entered multiple times for an entry. Two comments are considered the same if the comment text and the name, email address and url of the comment author are exactly the same. [link]

I've just implemented and tested it, and it works. When trying to submit the same comment more than once, it merely refreshes to the comment page -- showing the first, original comment as already-published. Wonderful tweak for me after this week's license plate fiasco. Thanks again, Kristine! (Read more at the Movable Type forums.)
posted at 06:05 PM | link--it | mail it | (12) shout it



She has many guises - she'll do what you want her to
 I passed this along earlier today, but thought I should post it here as well...yet another good pinup site. It's not in English, but what are you doing trying to read there anyway? (You can find more sites like this in the Yahoo pinup index.)
posted at 04:57 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



We're Texas
 [Jenna Bush - rave parties - football games]
  1. after Ricky won the Heisman...
  2. he was all like, hook 'em, hook 'em...
  3. where else can a total tool like me get laid...
  4. nationally ranked in hackey-sack and ultimate frisbee...
  5. that would explain Chris actually being a little bitch...
It's just not fair that we won't have Chrissy for one more year... He was OU's MVP. (Special thanks go out to Stephanie at the Sooner Club for the much-needed laugh!)
posted at 02:52 PM | link--it | mail it | (7) shout it



Deep in a warm sedation
[you snoozed you losed]

[Click to view the song lyrics]
posted at 03:09 AM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it






Awwww...geek out! Le geek c'est chic...
 [Gnomedex] This is very subject to change because there are a lot of things going on in our lives right now that have no set timetable... But too many people are going to party in Iowa this summer, and since we are the king and queen of the XXXth birthday bash, and soooooomeone just happens to be turning the big 3-0 that weekend, we went ahead and just booked our flights. So cross your fingers that this year is the year Tobyn Does Iowa! Now where'd I put my tiara?
posted at 11:32 PM | link--it | mail it | (15) shout it



Today is the greatest day I've ever known
 A quick follow-up pic to my entry last night. His new computer arrived today. I can bear to live with him again...
posted at 09:13 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



If it's free, it's for me!
[click to see template in action

Statia has a bitchin' new patriotic design, which reminded me of an old template I used to have on my blog after 9/11. She suggested I recycle it and put it up as shareware -- so after a few tweaks, it's now ready to go. You can see it in action over at Kitty's blog on a temp page. Please note that it was designed to work with Movable Type (it's ready to go as your index.html file) -- but it can be modified for other blog software at your own discretion.

If you decide you want it and just can't live without it, right-click here to download the zip file with the images, HTML, and instructions.

Leave me a ping or a note if you use it so I can go see! Thanks!

UPDATE (9:25 PM EDT): I changed one line of code for the comment pop-ups in MT on "template_code.txt". If you've previously downloaded the above .zip file this evening (since updated), you can get the updated version of "template_code.txt" here.
posted at 08:31 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



Be true to your school
 God, I love my university!

To welcome an extra 8,100 fans into the stadium...Sooners players will will be wearing retro crimson and cream jerseys reminiscent of those worn during the Bud Wilkinson coaching era (1947-1963), a time period when the Sooners had a 47-game winning streak and captured three national championships. Bob Stoops and his coaching staff will be outfitted in gear similar to that worn during the Barry Switzer coaching era (1974-1989), when the school's football team won another three national championships.

Replica jerseys and sideline apparel made by Nike will be called "The Legacy Series" and will be available for Sooners fans to purchase in the fall. Jerseys will be available with the numbers of current day players as well as Nos. 35 and 36, which belong to 1952 Heisman Trophy winner Billy Vessels and 1969 Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens, respectively.
Just (Link courtesy of my husband, who's not really supposed to be surfing sports sites from work. Ahem.)
posted at 02:32 PM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it



Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?
 Ok, we're still missing the following states: Arkansas, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Washington D.C., Wyoming

So if you're from  ____________  and you know it, clap your hands!
posted at 02:02 PM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it



Bum looker
 On this note ladies, I think I'm ready to head to bed and grab onto one of those myself... Night all! Catch ya' on the flip-side, cheeky monkies.
posted at 03:48 AM | link--it | mail it | (5) shout it



Final thoughts...
 Just a couple of quotes from the several articles out there on David Bloom:

"I'd often think, 'oh, to be that young again,'" says Tom Brokaw. "And then I’d think, if I were that young again, I’d have to compete against David and don’t think I’d want to do that." [link]

On the Monday after the war started, Bloom delivered live reports at 2:22 a.m. ET for MSNBC, at 6:55, 7:09 and 8:04 for "Today", at 10:43 for NBC, 10:47 for MSNBC, 11:12 for NBC, 12:31 p.m. for NBC, 12:36 and 2:33 for MSNBC, at 6:37 for NBC’s "Nightly News", and at 8:07 and 9:35 again for MSNBC, according to The Washington Post. [link]
If you'd like to send a note to the Bloom family, you can do so here...
posted at 02:26 AM | link--it | mail it | (0) shout it



License to ill
 I have seriously never had this happen before. A comment was left with bad HTML, and when I noticed it via e-mail and went to clear it up in MT, it was GONE. The whole entry. Not in my database at all. And just that entry. I lost the whole license plate thread with 91 comments and 25 TrackBacks. I still have the images for the page, but with it not being in my MT database, you can no longer comment on it there. Sorry about that!

I've been cleaning up HTML for people all day. Please, please please -- if you're going to leave it -- know how to use it! And if you don't know how to use it, just ask me. I'll be happy to help. This is no one's fault in particular as it could have happened on about half of the license plate comments I've received today. But...time to start fresh... So if you haven't got yours in yet, I morphed it with the state/country tally list entry:


posted at 12:03 AM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it






I want it all, and I want it now
[life is so unfair]

I'm back in the computer room working right now, and I guess Todd got bored with the Syracuse-Kansas slaughter. So the next thing I know, he walks in with a chair and pulls it up to the table behind me where his new computer will be located at. But it hasn't arrived yet (UPS said it was stuck in Orlando for two days), meaning all he's got is the monitor for now. Instead, I guess he decided to "pretend". Of course, I had to document the moment...
posted at 10:27 PM | link--it | mail it | (11) shout it



Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
 [Florida Sooner] Most of you have probably played the "spot the license plate" travel game -- where you count the number of cars from different states as you drive along down the highway. Well today I thought we could play "spot the commenter". But you have to turn your own self in. With over 13,000 hits last week I'm left wondering where some of you are dropping by from. So go grab a license plate, or a state flag, or even an international flag and show your colors. Represent!


Please note: The original entry with 91 comments and 25 TrackBacks was eaten when a bad comment went through. I have the images for the page here, but it is no longer in my MT database. If you wish to leave your license plate, please do so on this entry now.


A quick rundown of all the states / countries represented thus far. Is yours there yet?



U.S. States:
  1. Alabama
  2. Alaska
  3. Arizona
  4. California
  5. Colorado
  6. Connecticut
  7. Florida
  8. Georgia
  9. Hawaii
  10. Idaho
  11. Iowa
  12. Illinois
  13. Indiana
  14. Kansas
  15. Kentucky
  16. Louisiana
  17. Maine
  18. Maryland
  19. Massachusetts
  20. Michigan
  21. Minnesota
  22. Mississippi
  23. Missouri
  24. Nebraska
  25. Nevada
  26. New Hampshire
  27. New Jersey
  28. New York
  29. North Carolina
  30. Ohio
  31. Oklahoma
  32. Oregon
  33. Pennsylvania
  34. Rhode Island
  35. South Carolina
  36. South Dakota
  37. Tennessee
  38. Texas
  39. Utah
  40. Vermont
  41. Virginia
  42. Washington
  43. Washington D.C.
  44. West Virginia
  45. Wisconsin

Countries:
  1. Australia
  2. Bermuda
  3. Canada
       Alberta
       British Columbia
       Ontario
       Quebec
       New Brunswick
       Nova Scotia
  4. Denmark
  5. Dominican Republic
  6. Germany
  7. Japan
  8. Malaysia
  9. New Zealand
  10. Philippines
  11. Portugal
  12. South Africa
  13. UK

posted at 04:53 PM | link--it | mail it | (57) shout it



No. More. Words.
 Ouch, baby. Very ouch.* (*Please note the preceding comment was lifted from Austin Powers.)

I guess this would also be a good time to quote Stacy and say, "I just work here."

UPDATE: Here's the MeFi discussion for this topic, linked from the Wired News article above.
posted at 03:33 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



Most peculiar momma, whoa!
 I think the tone of your Monday is pretty much set when you grab a cotton square to put toner on your face, and at the last second suddenly realize you're about to apply a wet pad full of nail polish remover instead...
posted at 01:39 PM | link--it | mail it | (12) shout it






Who can it be now?
 This weekend I had a couple of people ask me how they pinged my site when they didn't link to any of my individual entries. If you're running MT with auto-TrackBack enabled, I have a hack running to send me a ping any time tampatantrum.com itself is linked. You can find out more about this at Scripty Goddess.
posted at 11:26 PM | link--it | mail it | (5) shout it



Oh Stimpy -- new Gritty Kitty Cat Litter!
 When your friends, sans blogs, constantly send you blogworthy links and photos -- it's time to give them that not-so-gentle nudge and say "it's time". So with the help of a kick-ass template from Tart Graphics, please help me welcome a very Bad Kitty to the block. You may have noticed Kitty's comments here several times in the past. We've been close friends since high school. She also happens to be Todd's cosmic twin (they were born on the same day just hours apart). So drop by and tell her "hi"...another one bites the dust!
posted at 10:36 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



The eye of the tiger
 Thank god for insurance. The last hurricane season after an El Niño was brutal. I always find it quite amusing that our wedding anniversary signals the start of the Atlantic season each year. Coincidence?
posted at 03:44 PM | link--it | mail it | (10) shout it



So. Freakin'. Sad.
 We didn't go to bed until 6 a.m. so I'm just getting up today. I guess you all know the news. I'm in too much shock to cry. I adored him. Pre-Iraq reporting even. Yeah, his hair was goofy. But he was smart. He knew his stuff. And he didn't come across like a pompous ass either. He was a damn fine reporter. And he was young. So young.

Out of respect for David and his family, I've yanked all of my entries about him. But I wanted to leave the comments up that I woke up to. Now I have to go sit in shock for awhile...



[I will miss you David] [you were one of the greats]





I combed the NBC site looking for a photo to jog my memory today and found nothing. This is the first photo I've seen of him all day. You'd think NBC would at least say, "We miss you."

¤ ¤ credit: eden | 04.06.03 at 08:13 AM | link--this ¤ ¤



NBC announced that David past away from a blood clot. He is survied by his wife and 3 daughters. My prayers go out to his family.

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20030406/D7Q828VG0.html?PG=home&SEC=news

¤ ¤ credit: Sean | 04.06.03 at 08:39 AM | link--this ¤ ¤



was just going to reiterate what Sean posted. It just seem so surreal, one morning we are talking about his studliness, and the next he is gone. [sorry, Robyn,I hope this doesn't come off sounding bad, I am just taken by complete shock...]

¤ ¤ credit: munin | 04.06.03 at 09:01 AM | link--this ¤ ¤



I had just read your entry last night and so when I read the news this was the first place I came.

News blurb here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/nationalsecurity/abroad/iraq/dispatches/

Bizarre and tragic way to go. At least it was a quick way to go....but no less jarring for his family and those that followed his reports. :(

¤ ¤ credit: Schnee | 04.06.03 at 10:08 AM | link--this ¤ ¤



Robyn, I'm really sorry about David. You were actually the first thing I thought of when I saw the report. :(

¤ ¤ credit: Kimmie | 04.06.03 at 10:50 AM | link--this ¤ ¤



Sad to think David is no longer with us. I've watched him for years on NBC. I pray for his wife and 3 young daughters.

¤ ¤ credit: ursula | 04.06.03 at 11:57 AM | link--this ¤ ¤




posted at 12:11 PM | link--it | mail it | (16) shout it



Spring Forward!


It's the most...wonderful time...of the year! Don't forget to set your clocks forward an hour. I'm here for you. What can I say? Bring on the sunny days, chasin' the clouds away...
posted at 02:05 AM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it






Yes, she-a get mahhhied. Sheesh.
 Well slap my ass and call me a polygamist's wife... Apparently I'm now married to Solonor -- and I have two kids. (Screenshot attached in case the post is edited/altered.) Wow. Only one dinner and a tiara and suddenly I'm his. I realize I'm a cheap date and all, but I'm going to have to pay better attention to the 'common law marriage' statutes in this state. Oh well. At least he's not an oily bohunk.
posted at 11:40 PM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it



I've got my orange crush
 [tex-ass can bite my ass] Let this be a lesson to you boys and girls... When you go out and cheer for tex-ass, you only succeed in looking like an ass!

Hasta la bye-bye 'whorns. Your lovely parting gifts are at stage-left. You just thought it was funny when the mighty Orangemen beat us last week, huh? Good luck Jayhawks!

texass sucks...texass sucks...
texass can bite my ass!
texass sucks...texass sucks...
texass can bite my ass!
texass suuuuuuuucks!
texass suuuuuuuucks!
texass can bite my ass!
bite, bite! chew, chew! texas bites my ass, whoo hoo!
texass can bite my aaaaasssssssss!
posted at 11:19 PM | link--it | mail it | (7) shout it



I'm givin' him somethin' he can feel
 Todd and I both worked at JC Penney during college. We had about the most liberal return policy on the planet. I was amazed at some of the things that were accepted. Normally I could handle a return on my own. But a few caused me to page a supervisor...

Like the time a woman brought in a pair of Rocky Mountain jeans she'd worn to the rodeo and then decided that she didn't like the fit. She wanted to exchange for another pair. Oh excuse me, did I say "to" the rodeo? She was actually in the rodeo. The jeans had dirt stains (at least I hope it was dirt) all over them. Return accepted. New pair placed in bag for free. Hey, it saves on laundry expenses I guess... Another time a woman brought in a pair of Levi's. She was unhappy with the way they'd held up after washings. Repeated washings. They had a hole in the knee. They had frayed hemlines. They'd probably been covering her fat ass for at least 10 years based on the style and color. But because Levi flat-out gave JC Penney a certain dollar amount on any return, the woman walked out with a brand new pair at 20% off.

I could go on and on... But never in all my days at JC Penney do I remember company policy deeming this acceptable. My how things have changed in today's economy!
posted at 01:48 PM | link--it | mail it | (10) shout it






Booties of the cuties steady shakin' but relaxin'
[Team Tobyn]

Check baby, check baby, one -- two -- three -- four!
posted at 11:03 PM | link--it | mail it | (25) shout it



I see your hiney
 We can finally let the cat out of the bag, or so to speak...it's officially official! My husband is now a Systems Engineer with his company supporting Cisco. It's a huge bump in prestige -- and morale -- for him. I'm so very proud! He's busted his derrière for years to reach this point.

So we're doing a little celebrating in this household tonight... Come join the party! Pants optional.
posted at 08:54 PM | link--it | mail it | (19) shout it



I see London, I hate France
 So Chris has decreed this day "no pants Friday". I guess he doesn't realize that my blog-copyright has been sporting this tagline since day one:

"proudly sitting around the house in my underwear all day since 08.12.2001..."

I always was ahead of my time...

UPDATE: You want proof? You got it! Always bet on blonde.
posted at 04:31 PM | link--it | mail it | (19) shout it



Y'know I feel glad when you're glad
 This is your feel-good story of the day.

And this is your moment of zen.

Any questions?
posted at 02:27 PM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it



Sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy-head...
 So, when everyone else starts stuffing up and getting the sniffles from their seasonal allergies, is your first thought, "Oh god. I've got the SARS!", as well?

UPDATE: Ironically, The Agonist posted a detailed SARS Update today.
posted at 01:30 PM | link--it | mail it | (3) shout it



T.G.I.F.!
 I got nuthin'...so instead I'll give you a little summin'-summin'...


[red white and Sky blue] [hello sailor!] [the Sky is falling]


You might recall, I have the same red lingerie that Sky is sporting. If only I wore it that well... Oh well, at least I know I have good taste!
posted at 01:46 AM | link--it | mail it | (16) shout it






Happy happy joy joy
 Today was a very good day! How I managed to lose 5 more lbs. since my last visit, I'll never know...but I'm not complaining. Looks like that steady diet of Girl Scout cookies, Ben & Jerry's, brownies and almond Snickers bars since February has finally paid off. And I'm doing so well, I don't have to go back until next April. Yep. That's one full year. I asked for a diploma and they just laughed at me. (I had never made it past the "come back in 4-6 months" mark before.) So of course, we went out for a sinful Mexican dinner to celebrate! Enchiladas, cha cha cha...
posted at 10:06 PM | link--it | mail it | (11) shout it



This is not the Robyn you are looking for
 Just want to clarify...talk here seems to have turned to "depression". I do not have depression. I'm being monitored very closely by my doctors right now. In fact, I have another appointment at 4 p.m. today. I've see them at the rate of about once a week since February, and feel like a human pincushion at times. But you don't get that info at this blog any longer. In a nutshell, I'm fine. We've got a lot of big decisions and life changes ahead of us. But I'm fine. So please don't speculate.

Todd got great news yesterday that's been several months in the making. I lost an uncle over the weekend. There's a war on. And a song came on, and "bam!" Insta-tears out of nowhere. Happens to the best of us. But one teary-eyed episode in several years time does not "Depression 101" make. Please don't try to diagnose me as such. Believe me, I have an actual diagnoses list a mile long. New ones need not apply! -R
posted at 01:36 PM | link--it | mail it | (14) shout it



Don't look now, but I lost my shoe
[thegeekout]

(Click here for full comic. Passed along by my favorite geek. Thanks!)
posted at 03:27 AM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it



The tears run rings around my eyes
 You know one of the things I hate about being a woman? When you're sitting here not sad. So very not sad. Not even an inkling of unhappiness flowing through your body. Yet tears are streaming down your face for no reason at all. You can't explain why. It's not "that time of the month". They just are. It's times like these that give my gender, especially those with my hair color, a bad name.

I'm chalking it up to an emotional year of loss, war, and much-needed, long-overdue good news for a change. But damn, it's hard to work like this.
posted at 02:43 AM | link--it | mail it | (20) shout it






What would you do for a.....?
 snickersmars.jpg

If you're buying a "Snickers Almond" candy bar thinking the "new!" label actually means something, buyer beware. They are being cleverly repackaged and marketed. What you get underneath the fancy wrapping is actually a Mars bar. Don't get me wrong. I love Mars bars.

But new? P-shaw.
posted at 11:32 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



When news breaks - we fix it
 This is a test. This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. The broadcasters of your area in voluntary cooperation with the federal, state and local authorities have developed this system to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. Chris Pirillo has left Tech TV. I repeat. Chris Pirillo has left Tech TV. This station ATPTB serves the Tampa Bay area. This concludes this test of the Emergency Broadcast System.
posted at 08:53 PM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it



Ghetto superstar
 Three guesses who I thought of first when I saw Ghettopoly.

Includes: Game Board, Loan Shark Tray, 40 Crack Houses, 17 Projects, Pink Slip Cards, Ghetto Stash and Hustle Cards, 7 Game pieces (Pimp, Ho, 40 oz, Machine Gun, Marijuana Leaf, Basketball and Crack), Counterfeit Money, and 2 Dice.
posted at 08:09 PM | link--it | mail it | (5) shout it



This will be on the quiz
 Time to pass along a few blog reads again...

  1. PlasticFruit.net - hot stock tip
  2. little.red.boat -- cute, cute, cute design
  3. Loquacious Of Blog -- it's all very manly
  4. geeky chick dot net -- I'm slow linking it (shame on me!), so hopefully you aren't
  5. Tenth-Muse.com -- it's better than bad, it's good
If you still need more, more, more -- just follow the trail that starts here!
posted at 06:42 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



Valley girl
 [lily of the valley]
(Reuters) - Human sperm become excited when exposed to the scent of lily of the valley, doubling their speed and homing in on the aroma, a German scientist said on Wednesday.

"This is the first time sperm has been shown to respond to smell," Hatt, who said the findings came after three years of study, told Reuters. "The application of the substances in a salve to the vaginal area could raise the chance of conceiving."

(Read more of this article at Yahoo! News.)
posted at 04:46 PM | link--it | mail it | (10) shout it



More blogs in the press
 Just after midnight last night, CNN ran a segment on "NewsNight with Aaron Brown" about warblogging. My husband and Michele apparently made some kind of super-secret deal, forcing me to screen-capture the highlights. So in case you missed it live, go here. Glenn Reynolds of InstaPundit.com, a site that Stacy designed, was interviewed live. They also zoomed in on the author of BuzzMachine using Movable Type.

UPDATE: "Just Say Julie" reviewed the CNN segment here.
posted at 03:18 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



Share and share alike
 Found over in the MT Plugin Directory...the BlogShares Plugin. (Download here, instructions here.) Now you can track my worth right over there in the sidebar -- just above my Blogroll!

UPDATE: Found over at Christine's...poeticgeek has made an expanded file to include things like market share and available share if you're interested. I've added the available shares tag to my sidebar since there don't seem to be many/any around right now.
posted at 03:46 AM | link--it | mail it | (9) shout it



Secret, secret - I've got a secret
 Have HTML source code you really don't want the rest of the world to see? This isn't 100% fool-proof, but it's one of the best (and free) methods I've found out there. Just type your code into the second box (under the example) -- hit the "encrypt HTML Source code" button below it -- and voilà! A bunch of gobbelty-gook you can copy, paste and upload that most people won't be able to decipher when snooping through your page-source. Just don't forget to save your original! For more information visit the "Source Code Protection Generator".
posted at 02:54 AM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



First of the month business
 WM! has three new wedding articles featured. If you'd be interested in writing wedding-related articles for the site, just drop me a line. We'd love to have 'em!
posted at 01:54 AM | link--it | mail it | (2) shout it






A smile that could light up a room
 The April 2003 wedding "Dress of the Month" is now online!
posted at 09:04 PM | link--it | mail it | (1) shout it



1 down...
 Fuckin'-A. She's coming home.
posted at 07:33 PM | link--it | mail it | (6) shout it



Going...going...gone!
 Heads up! If you wanna piece of me, you'd better strike fast (while it's still cheap). After a tragic drop from $23.50/share to $5.08 $5.18 $5.24 $5.45 $5.61 $5.96 this afternoon, people have started to snap my product up faster than Britney in an Oklahoma head shop. There are only 50 32 26 13 6 0 ('cuz I bought the very last one) available shares left of ATPTB, so buy now! Help me to help you.

UPDATE: They're all gone now. You'll just have to bribe other people with special favors (*cough, Todd, cough*) to sell theirs.
posted at 05:56 PM | link--it | mail it | (19) shout it



Got Pirillo?
 [April Fool]
posted at 04:10 PM | link--it | mail it | (8) shout it



Make blog, not war
 I believe it's your duty in a free society, especially in time of war, is to stay informed. That's why you have "The Command Post" on one side of the coin -- and the brand new, just-launched "Blogs Against War" on the other. (Click here for instructions on how to post to the new "Blogs Against War" site.)
posted at 02:11 PM | link--it | mail it | (4) shout it



ABC...easy as LCD
 Todd sent me this article online -- it seems Sony is phasing out all 17" and 19" CRT models effective...well...yesterday. It's "part of the industry's shift away from CRTs to LCD panels".

We just bought a new monitor over the weekend, and just in time it seems. We got a Sony 17" flatscreen Trinitron. We ended up getting a steal on it ($50 rebate, and $22 off in-store when they realized they'd sold us one and we had to pick it up at another location) -- but that's hardly my point.

I did not want a flatscreen LCD. Yes, they're pretty. Yes, they take up virtually no space compared to their CRT counterpart. But no, they just aren't clear enough for me with Photoshop open 18 hours a day. Sorry. I've got my laptop for that. After adoring our Sony Trinitron television for so long, I knew that's what I wanted in a monitor. Even if it is taking a bit of time to adjust to the two wire lines that come with it. My computer desk will only hold a 17" or 19" tube, so after price-comparison, I decided I'd rather have more money for vacation than two extra inches of space. (Our old monitor was 17" as well.) So I'm a very happy camper with our purchase.

I'm also very glad I listened to my instincts now that it seems we've bought ourselves a dinosaur. I love how the article stated:

"There's a core group of users who are extremely dedicated to the technology that's hardest to ship, such as the Diamondtron or Trinitron," Alexander said. "There, users are extremely attracted to things like their color saturation, brightness levels, and color purity. We see this especially in places like graphics departments, desktop publishing, and people doing animation."

Those loyal users haven't yet embraced LCDs, Alexander said. Knowing that, the decision makes sense for Sony, since that user base has already shown they're willing to pay a premium for the technology. In addition, Sony also avoids the brutal price competition that has plagued the popular 17-inch and 19-inch CRT segment, she said.
See, I was just the opposite. I wasn't willing to pay a premium. Screw me for being a penny-pincher, I guess! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go hug my new purchase and be thankful I got it when I did...
posted at 01:57 PM | link--it | mail it | (13) shout it



April Fool's!
 Well, for those of you who missed all the fun around here earlier today:

[NASCAR fun]

I had a little fun and made the site look like NASCAR.com. Let's just hope they get the joke and don't sue me. (I was smart enough to make sure everything was on my server first.)

Hope everyone is having a mah-vel-ous Fool's Day. You'll notice, my Michael Moore entry was first!
posted at 01:26 PM | link--it | mail it | (2) shout it



Interehhhhsting...
Michael Moore...will raise even more eyebrows with his next project. According to Variety, his next film will depict the relationship between George Bush Sr. and the family of Osama bin Laden...a documentary that will trace why the U.S. has become a target for hatred and terrorism. "It certainly does deal with the Bush and bin Laden ties," Moore said. "It asks a number of questions that I don't have the answers to yet, but which I intend to find out." Moore has already put a year's worth of research into the film...he'll finish it in time for Cannes 2004...released in time for the presidential election that fall. (Read more at MSN Entertainment.)
This one will certainly be interesting to watch unfold!
posted at 12:49 AM | link--it | mail it | (23) shout it