I was over at Kristin's blog a couple of weeks ago and she was waxing lyrical about the stat counter that she had installed on her blog. Sending us, in fact, to go install it ourselves. Ever obedient blog follower that I am, off I went and put it on my blog.
The only problem with it seems to be that now I can see how many people are visiting the blog each day/week/month (as opposed to the inoccuous little ticker at the bottom that I rarely remembered to look at).
And I'm getting a good 350-500 visits a day. Not huge, not bad. A nice number.
Except I'm getting very few comments. And now I'm feeling all insecure and pouty about this.
Who are you? What brought you here? Is there something you'd like to see on here? Something that would make you talk to me?
See, whiny little cow, aren't I?
So - I have decided that August will be De-Lurking month. And I'm going to make it easy for you.
I found this site, which offers heaps of great prompts for blog posts. And I'm going to use one each day of August to pose a question. Not questions that will require a tremendous amount of thought or time to answer.
But it would make me really happy if you could play along and drop me a line. Come out of hiding....
It's only been months. I keep meaning to do it, but Fridays come and disappear, seemingly faster than any other day of the week. Why is that, do you suppose?
For the newbies...(erm. If you like, you can pretend I'm not a newbie, doing this for the first time), here are the instructions (thanks to Lori over at RRSAHM).
Aaaaand, I have no idea what to blog about. Here I am, blogging more than daily for the past week or two, and now? I've got bupkes (yeah, bringing the Yiddish. I'm not sure it packs as much punch coming from a Gentile like me).
So, instead of just writing more about having nothing to write, I thought I'd share the bloggy-love. Introduce a couple of blogs I've just found this week, and send you over to one of my absolute favourites.
1. Rosie. I found this blog today, at the Flog ya blog. My first visit to her blog and it's a magical one. Everything crossed, Rosie. You should go on over and quietly wish her and her other half all the best.
2. This one is a little embarrassing. Because I think I'm about the last person on the entire, freaking planet to have signed on to The Bloggess. I defy you to read her blog on your worst day and not laugh. I know of what I speak, because I was having a shocker when I found her and I laughed all night - madly sending links to my best friends. Go. Laugh. If, you know, you're not rolling your eyes wondering which rock I've been living under.
3. Jane. Who has given up coffee. Which, in reality, means we'll never be friends. Hop on over and talk some sense into her say Hi.
4. Java. Who shows you exactly why I panicked when I was told I was having a boy. Literally, THIS is the scenario that went through my head. I am scarred for life. Seriously. My hands are in my ears and I'm la-la-la-ing. I can't hear you.
5. This isn't a new one. But if you don't follow her, you're missing out. She's the best writer I know. Go visit Jenn at Follow the Gleam. I'm talking achingly good, people. She should absolutely ditch that whole doctoring thing she has going on and go write for a living.
That's me done for this afternoon. Why dont' you go over and join the blog hop and discover some new blogs. :-)
Today, a dear friend of mine will face a heartbreaking task. Today, she has to bury her beloved mother.
Nicole's mother passed away suddenly just over a week ago. Far too young to be ripped away from her family.
Please keep Nicole and her entire family in your thoughts today. I'm simply shattered for her. I remember all to well how surreal this day will feel.
I'm thinking of you, sweet girl. You will not be far from my thoughts at all today. I'm here, when you're ready.
Remember
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day You tell me of our future that you plann'd: Only remember me; you understand It will be late to counsel then or pray. Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve: For if the darkness and corruption leave A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad.
I just want the world to go away. I feel like the walls are closing in on me and I'm drowning. I've been running and running from it but it's catching up with me.
I want to close my eyes and keep them closed until everything is better. Or gone.
Found this a while ago on Thea's blog, but keep forgetting to actually edit and do it.
Here is a list of Aussie things. The ones I have done are bold.
1. Heard a kookaburra in person. Many times. Even blogged about it.
2. Slept under the stars. I lived in the Northern Territory (Tennant Creek, specifically) for 9 years. So slept 'out bush' on many occasions. It is one of the few things I miss about the Territory. The night skies are so spectacular, you can't help but be awed.
3. Seen a koala. Out bush, in a tree in my home, in trees at Alexander's school, in a zoo....need I go on? Have cuddled more than my fair share. Heavy little buggers.
4. Visited Melbourne.
5. Watched a summer thunderstorm. Not much takes my breath away more. It's like all of my senses are on fire.
6. Worn a pair of thongs. Yes. But even at 5, I was disgusted with myself.
7. Been to Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) Yes, but to be honest, I was more taken by the Olgas. We camped there (back when you were allowed to) and let me tell you - there's a sunset you don't want to miss.
8. Visited Cape York. I would dearly like to.
9. Held a snake. On a few occasions. Was très cool. LOVED the BIG one at Australia Zoo.
10. Sang along with Khe San. Shut up. Like you haven't....
11. Drank VB. I don't drink beer, can't stand it. But of all the beers I don't drink, this is the one I dont' drink the most! On principle. ;-)
12. Visited Sydney. Meh.
13. Have seen a shark. Only at Seaworld, and at Aquariums. Fortunately not in the ocean. I'd love to have a go in a shark cage, but am utterly terrified at the thought of encountering one any other way.
14. Have used Aussie slang naturally in a conversation. Though admittedly, not so much. I'm not one that uses much slang. My mother wouldn't let me. (She and my English teacher went on a bender about it when I was in year 9 - simply wouldn't let me. Guess it stuck).
15. Had an actual conversation with an indigenous Australian. Erm. As opposed to what? A virtual conversation? An imaginary conversation? (Because let me assure you, I've had plenty of both). I lived in Tennant Creek for 8 years. 'Nuff said.
16. Eaten hot chips from the bag at the beach. Not the bag, so much as wrapped in paper. One of life's simplest joys.
17. Walked/climbed over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
18. Used an outside dunny, and checked under the seat before sitting down. Actually lived in a house that had one. Literally, am shuddering at the memory. Cannot begin to describe the joy when my father installed an actual toilet into our home. Might have been the greatest day of my life.
19. Seen Chloe in Young & Jackson’s. Couldn't even tell you what this is?
20. Slept on an overnight train or bus. The trip from Tennant Creek to Brisbane was approximately 42 hours long. It felt it, too.
21. Been to Sydney’s Mardi Gras
22. Have gone bush-bashing. (Am lol-ing because doing a Google Image search of bush bashing got me an entirely different kind of fun).
Anyway. There was this one time, in a friend's ute (I was 14, I'm not sure this is really my fault) I swerved to avoid my puppy and ended up well and truly in a ditch. I was in so much trouble!
23. Taken a sickie.
24. Been to see a game of Aussie Rules football.
25. Have seen wild camels.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Done a Tim Tam Slam. Unquestionably the greatest thing about our nation.I'm feeling a little emotional.
28. Ridden in a tram in Melbourne.
29. Been at an ANZAC day Dawn Service.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset. The best sunrise I ever saw (and I see them daily now) was at the Devil's Marbles (which I hold dearer than either Uluru or the Olgas).
31. Held a wombat. Freaking heavy, is all I can say. And not especially friendly.
32. Been on a roadtrip of 800km or more. More times than I can count.
33. Seen the Great Australian Bight in person. Seriously beautiful.
34. Had a really bad sunburn. On 5 (ok, I'm an moron) occasions now I have had burns bad enough to be 2nd degree in some parts. PSA when you are snorkelling, don't forget to put sunscreen on the BACK of your legs, idiot.
35. Visited an Aboriginal community. There were 3 alone attatched to Tennant Creek and I visited literally dozens more. It's an entirely different world.
36. Seen a redback spider. Pfft. Hundreds? And can I say - you'd think, being married to a man who controls PESTS for a living, I'd have seen less of them in the last 10 years. But noooo...
37. Have watched Paul Hogan. Not willingly. Do you know how many times bus drivers on long haul trips like to put Croc Dundee on? A lot is what I'm saying. His earlier stuff isn't much better (well ok, most everything is much better, but you get what I'm saying?).
38. Seen Blue Poles in person. Ok. Googled. Am idiot. Have ruined all of Catrina's illusions about me and my knowledge of all things useless.
Haven't seen it. And, not a Jackson Pollock fan, to be honest. So no real interest in seeing it.
39. Wandered barefoot in the bush/outback. Not a lot though. Beach, yes. Soft grass, absolutely. But sticks and spiders and scorpions and dirt? Not so much.
40. Eaten Vegemite. Well duh. My husband is Un-Australian.
41. Thrown a boomerang.
42. Seen the Kimberleys.
43. Given a hitch-hiker a lift.
44. Been to Perth.
45. Have tried Lemon, Lime and Bitters. Bleugh.
46. Tried playing a didgeridoo. My dad has one, and can play.
47. Seen dinosaur footprints.
48. Eaten Tim Tams. But here's the thing. ONLY the originals. The rest are an abomination. Just sayin..
49. Been to Darwin.
50. Touched a kangaroo.
51. Visited the Great Barrier Reef. Lived there, in fact.
52. Listened to Kevin Bloody Wilson. Just the once was enough to recognise he's a knob.
53. Killed a Cane Toad. Not intentionally. Though I confess, they are one of my biggest phobias. Which Joel finds amusing. Turd.
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre. And all the associated cliché. Watched with the parents as a kid. Slept in the back of the Van (on a mattress, was kind of fun) while they watched Raiders of the Lost Ark (I didn't watch the Star Wars trilogy for another decade, just never grabbed me. But can I just say - they spoiled it for me. I clearly remember at the beginning of the movie my Dad whispering to my Mum - "I hear rumours she's his sister!!!!!". And for some reason, it stuck. So years later I'm all like "Ewwww, don't kiss him, he's your brother!". Traumatised..) Watched with Joel. Not watched with Joel...
I actually don't think there are any more around the Brisbane area, and it makes me sad that my boys won't get to experience it. (If anyone knows any different, PLEASE let me know).
55. Have read and own books by Australian authors.
56. Visited Adelaide.
57. Know the story behind “Eternity”. I'm going to assume that this is when the word "Eternity" was up in lights on the Harbour Bridge during the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympics. I might be wrong though..(I am. I googled it. You should too, it's a facinating story).
58. Been camping. Joy.Unless I can go next time like this...
I think it's only fair. We've tried it Joel's way.
59. Visited Brisbane. I live in Brisbane. :-)
60. Been in an outback pub. Many times. Also, got stranded in one (I think it was at Julia Creek) when the bus (another long-haul trip) we were travelling in had major problems. So spent the night in the local pub with a South African guy who had me drinking straight vodka shots all night. Good times.
61. Know what the term “Waltzing Matilda” actually means.
62. Gone whale watching. No, and I really want to.
63. Listened to Slim Dusty.
64. Own five or more Australian movies or TV series.
65. Sang along to Down Under. And still can't hear it without remember where I was at this moment.
(The answer is, sitting with my mother - I was 7, screaming! We were beside ourselves. I'm sitting here right now with a bittersweet smile on my face as I watch the footage).
Can't forget the Boxing Kangaroo and that god-awful blazer Bob Hawke had.
66. Have stopped specifically to look at an historic marker by the side of the road.
67. Eaten a 4′n’20 pie.
68. Surfed at Bondi. (but I've been to Bondi)
69. Watched the cricket on Boxing Day.
70. Visited Hobart.
71. Eaten kangaroo.
72. Seen a quokka.
73. Visited Canberra.
74. Visited rainforests.
75. Used a Victa lawnmower.
76. Travelled on a tram in Adelaide.
77. Used a Hills hoist. (and swung aroung on it!)
78. Visited Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)
79. Used native Australian plants in cooking.
80. Visited the snow.
81. Chosen a side in Holden VS Ford. Yes. One of my must-read posts. This almost ended my marriage.
82. Visited the desert. Err. Lived in it?
83. Been water skiing.
84. Read The Phantom. My Dad is a HUGE Phantom fan. (He'd make me correct myself and call him Mr Walker or worse..the ghost who walks).
85. Visited Parliament House.
86. Gone spotlighting or pig-shooting. The former. Consider the latter (and all of it's variations) barbaric.
87. Crossed the Nullabor.
88. Avoided swimming in areas because of crocodiles.
89. Listened to AC/DC.
90. Called someone a dag.
91. Voted in a Federal Election.
92. Have been swimming and stayed between the flags.
93. Had a possum in your roof.
94. Visited the outback.
95. Travelled over corrugated roads.
96. Hit a kangaroo while driving.
97. Been well outside any mobile phone coverage.
98. Seen an emu. Funny story. I was 8 and we were at Bunya Park (is that even around anymore, Brissie girls?). For the non-locals, it was like a smaller, less exciting (as in nothing particularly dangerous) version of Australia Zoo. Lots of cuddling koalas. My first koala cuddle, in fact).
Anyway, this emu (a male, what's worse) took a liking to my Dad. Literally follwed us (sticking very, very close to Dad) ALL day. Seriouly, it was so funny, in a very creepy way. Not as funny as the YEARS of mocking we've gotten out of it. Mmm. The gay emu.
99. Have woken to the smell of bushfires.
100. Patted a pure-bred dingo.
101. Seen the Oils live Not even if you paid me.
Your turn.
*Aussie, Aussie, Aussie..Oi, Oi, Oi.There. I said it.
A tag from the lovely Megan over at Writing Out Loud (Go on. I dare you to look at that profile picture and not just want to be her friend).
The game is to choose five objects that set my heart aflutter when I see them...
1.My Willow Tree figurine. Honestly though, anything at all by Willow Tree. There are literally another 8 that I desperately want to add to my collection (of two. Can two be considered a collection yet?). My beautiful Sister in Law gave Joel and I this for our anniversary last year, and it is one of my most treasured possessions.
2. White picket fences.
I can't tell you exactly what it is about them. I guess it's the whole cliche of a loving family, a big back yard, an old tyre swing, a dog, a white picket fence. They conjure up such a feeling of well being within me. I love the idea of one day owning a home and surrounding it with a pure white picket fence. Planting purple and blue and pink flowers all the way around, breathing in the heady scent as I collect my mail (never mind that Joel collects our mail now. I'd do it if I had a white picket fence. Shut up. I would).
3. Soft, feminine couture.
Honestly, I can't get enough of it. I have so many pictures on my computer of beautiful dresses, they literally make me smile.
Soft, billowing fabric, ruffles, lace, silk.
I adore, just adore femininity. In all of it's forms. Innocent girl, feisty woman, nurturing mother, seductress, I wish we were more inclined to embrace all of these aspects of ourselves. I wish that we wore them more passionately. Modern day fashion is just so bland. It does so little to embrace femininity. So I love to look at beautiful dresses and fabrics - works of art. Beautiful shoes and delicate head pieces. They all make my heart flutter.
4. Books, especially well loved paperbacks.
I love all books and have a fondness for the comfort of a paperback. The freedom to relax into the book, where it's ok to crack the spine and mess it up a (very) little. I will read almost anything, but really believe that people should be exposed to at least some of the classics. Matthew Reilly and Maeve Binchy and Kathy Reichs all have a place. But I believe they should be consumed in equal parts with Shakespeare and Lousia May Alcott and Hemmingway. Nothing draws me in quite like a bookstore or shelves just brimming with books. Books change lives. Educate. Inspire. Soothe. Empower. Truly, not much is more powerful.
5. Fairy Lights.
I know. It seems kind of silly after books, doesn't it? But I can't help it. Something about twinkling lights transports me to stilleto heels, a tinlking piano, tuxedos, champagne....it seems so romantic and so hopeful.
There need to be more twinkling lights, people. :-) I demand it.
So. What are your 5 things? I tag everyone to blog about this this week.
