I'm reading: Don't Believe The "Lots Myth"

Don't Believe The "Lots Myth": "You see, money doesn’t make us smarter; it just amplifies what we already are. If you’re a mess with a dollar, chances are you’ll be an even bigger mess with a million dollars. If you’re wise with a nickel, chances are you’ll be great with a thousand nickels."

Gah! Where'd that other parenthesis go?

via xkcd

Neil Gaiman on Piracy

Neil Gaiman has an interesting perspective on piracy:


YouTube - Gaiman on Copyright Piracy and the Web

via Travelin' Librarian

Not one perfect draft, but many imperfect ones

From my evening's reading last night (boldface is mine):

Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers: More than One Draft: "Do you understand that writing a novel, memoir, screenplay involves not just writing one draft but many?...Get your ego out of the way. The more you are able to tolerate imperfection, the more quickly you can finish a draft and every draft makes the story better."

How true. As much as I think I "know" that the first, second, maybe even the final draft down the road won't be perfect, something in my head digs in its heels knowing I have to get words on the page imperfectly in order to make progress. I think this is why I did so well on NaNoWriMo in 2009 - I had permission to write a messy first draft.

I need to remember to give myself permission to write imperfectly on a daily basis or I'll never get anywhere. Just in case you need it: I give you permission, too.

Cross-posted at Heartland Writers Group

Humorous headline of the day

Police: Burglar Caught With Beef, Sausage In Pocket

I'll let you add your own dirty jokes.

Punctuation is i'mportant

via Reality Check

Reading: 80 years of marriage

Great story!

80 years of marriage: "'They all said it wouldn't last.' But Elza and Vivian Moses surprised them all. He is now 102, and she is 97. They have become minor celebrities in central Illinois since September, when they reached an astounding milestone of marital longevity: their 80th wedding anniversary."

Less complaining. More sexy rumpus.

via The Oatmeal

We don't do Valentine's Day very big in our house. It kind of gets a polite nod more than anything. I'm impressed I actually decorated this year (if hanging a single shiny heart wreath counts as decorating). We usually have a little bit nicer dinner than usual, and that's about it (although I was just joking with hubby about having heart-shaped tuna sandwiches tonight). On top of that, I'm home with a sick kid today, which doesn't really amp up any romantic feelings.

Among the feeds I read in Google Reader today, the "I HATE Valentine's Day" variety seem to be outweighing the "I LURVE Valentine's Day" variety. I think there may be a lot of residual junior high disappointment floating around out there. Apparently The Oatmeal noticed, too, and decided to address the situation:

The Oatmeal

Though I agree in general with the entire post, I loved the final point so much I had to put it up at the top of mine (see it up there?). I think it might be a good mantra for life, not just Valentine's Day. :) 

Blackberry not working?

My Blackberry Is Not Working!

(Just in case you didn't get the Orange reference, it's a mobile carrier in the UK)

Copy editors are never not working

Cool Google Doodle today

In honor of Thomas Edison's 164th birthday:

via Google

Did you miss the Super Bowl commercials?

I did, too. Thankfully, /Film is looking out for us.

Watch This: All 61 Ads from Super Bowl XLV (2011) in 2 Minutes | /Film: "Some of us watch it for the ads. And some of us probably didn’t get around to watching it at all. For those who wanted to be in the second category but ended up in the latter, the folks at AdWeek have come up with a pretty spectacular compilation"


All 61 Ads from Super Bowl 2011 in 2 Minutes

The Heart of an Entrepreneur

Design by LittleGretchen

My friend Ann Stephens has an inpsiring post on her blog today: Esther Howland spotted a market, got to work, and started a highly profitable business

...when she was 19

...in 1847.

An American Queen of Hearts | Ann Stephens Romance

Do you remember Chumley?

Hubby has been watching Pawn Stars on Netflix lately and I find the show incredibly interesting and aggravating at the same time - I love learning the historical context of the things people bring in, but I just keep thinking "I would NEVER sell or pawn that if I had it."

One of the guys on the show has the nickname "Chumley," which triggered a memory for me. I'd completely forgotten about Tennessee Tuxedo and his pal Chumley who I used to watch when I was a kid. Wikipedia says the original show was cut up and mixed in with The Underdog Show, and that's probably how I watched it. It's funny how I hadn't thought of those characters in years until "Chumley" wandered onto the screen in Pawn Stars. I found a video from Tenessee Tuxedo to share:


Tennessee Tuxedo - Lamplighters

I love it when these little memories pop up.

Oh, be-have, Mr. Darcy!

Recently, Igor was planning to write "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Minus Zombies" until he discovered someone had already written it, so now he's got a new idea:

DORK TOWER, Friday, February 4, 2011

Some quick inspiration for your Monday morning

40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes

Dis-Kinect?

A bunch of WIN

I set up this post a long time ago, but never hit publish for some reason. I still like these, though, so here ya go:


see more Hacked IRL - Truth in Sarcasm


see more Hacked IRL - Truth in Sarcasm



see more Hacked IRL - Truth in Sarcasm



see more Hacked IRL - Truth in Sarcasm

Arrrr!!!

Deadheading for the future

Photo by turtlemom4bacon

Deadheading for the future (via Unclutterer): "The more you clear out and eliminate what’s “dead” in your life, the more space you create for opportunity, love, and success in the future. You have more energy to put toward strengthening yourself and blooming even more gloriously than you did before."