13 playlist

So I inherited an I-pod after Buddy got a new one the other day, I never really wanted an mp3 player, I like to listen to the radio, see what's new out there, station-surf while driving. But lately there seems to be nothing to listen to, all talk, or the same old songs over and over.

Now I have this new technology, and started loading it up, there are about 300 songs on there so far. When looking over the list, there are a lot of oldies, guess that is who I am, an oldie. A few new things, some songs from my favorite movies.

I love the old lyrics, some songs make me smile from the picture in my head.

Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce - our first apartment in surburbia of Atlanta, Jim Croce on the stereo - there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them

Young and newly married we went to concerts - Elton John at the Atlanta Stadium in his electric suit, Three Dog Night, and of course John Denver - I've been lately thinking about my life's time, all the things I've done and how it's been

Our first dog was named after John Sebastian - Do you believe in magic?

Great beach songs: Kokomo by the Beach Boys - Aruba, Jamaica ooh I wanna take ya to Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama,and Bobby McFerrin's Don't worry, be happy, and a newer one, Toes by Zac Brown - I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world

Fun movie tunes - Summer Love from Grease with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, and again John Travolta dancing to Chain of Fools in Michael, and that young Tom Cruise in Top Gun - You've lost that lovin feeling

Our traditional family vacation traveling song - On the road again just can't wait to get on the road again by Willie Nelson

Songs that tell stories like Don McLean's American Pie - A long long time ago, I can still remember how that music used to make me smile, and Let it Be by the Beatles - When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, Harrin Chapin's Taxi, and Cat's in the Cradle.

Throw in some John Mayer, Dixie Chicks, James Taylor, Rod Stewart, Alison Krauss, Sheryl Crow and the list is starting to round out nicely.

New music? Some Zac Brown, Sugarland, Taylor, Kenny, Brad, maybe someday these new songs will bring back memories, but for now the oldies are in my head and on my playlist.

What's on your playlist?

Music makes pictures and often tells stories
All of it magic and all of it true
And all of the pictures and all of the stories
All of the magic, the music is you ~John Denver

Thursday 13

scary 13

Madison is turning 13 on Friday the 13th and preparations are being made for the themed birthday party next door.

It all started last fall, the day after Halloween stores were scoured for spooky sale items.

I don't know the entire plan, but these clues have been revealed:

• invitations were sent out - a box with a severed finger inside


• the original Friday the 13th movie was rented


• sidewalk chalk and caution tape to outline the body are ready


• blood-red icing dripped over popcorn


• blood-red paint dripped on the white tablecloth


• blood-red icing running off the white cake


• guess the body parts blindfold game - peeled grapes for eyeballs


• ramen noodles for brains


• fresh peaches for liver


• a severed hand floating in the blood-red punch


• styrofoam tombstones in the yard


• a scary night hike in the woods


• BWAHAHA!!!!

Thursday 13 - 13 scary reasons to avoid this party!

the backup plan

Off and on since I have been blogging I have wondered if I should back up my blog. I think of it especially when Blogger has a glitch (which thankfully hasn't happened in a while).

I sent out an email to several blogger friends about how to do a back up, and I was surprised at the answers, most of which were like me {clueless}. A simple quest ended up with a lot of input, so I will just list all the answers I received (over 13!):

Sorry, I'm about as tech retarded as it's possible to be.....LOL. Must be something out there somewhere that tells how.

I am ignoring the whole concept...

Sorry no I have no idea. I'm sure there is a way to do it though.

I have no idea---but if you find out something, please let me know.

No, I had not even heard of it.

Didn't know I was suppose to. Oh gosh, another thing to think about.

It's something I've never actually thought much about.

I’m just going to trust Google to back up their servers (and my blog) and not worry about backing things up here.

A few brave souls have actually backed up their blogs and shared their expertise:

I use Scrapbook...it's a Firefox add on.

I actually just use Blurb to slurp my blog into book format. The software is free, you can then either print a book from them or save the file.

Blogger Export - This just backs up the posts (not the photos, comments, etc.)

To get a full working *local* copy of your blog on your computer, check out a website grabber program called HTTrack.

I used an external hard drive - it ended up in two parts: (1) text and (2) visual. I wonder how they are to match themselves up with each other if it comes to that?

Firefox - using the Monthly Drop Down Menu

Probably the reason I started thinking about this again was seeing this ad:

Blog2Print Auto Save - We'll email you a PDF of your blog every month, or every quarter - your choice. Just tell us when to start, and we'll handle the rest. You'll have a copy to keep always. (for a fee of course)

I decided to try some of the ideas I received on one of my small blogs:

Blogger Export took about a minute - just blog posts, no pictures, but would do if nothing else works.

Blurb (blog-to-book software) - took about 5 minutes - have used this before, words and pictures, each post on a separate page, a viable option whether you want to print a book or just keep it on your hard drive.

HTTrack took maybe 10 minutes - very impressive. Free software download that makes a mirror of the website, it opens up offline and looks just like the internet site. Everything seems to work except the comments.

There are probably more options out there, any input is welcome. Thanks for all the email responses, folks! I didn't put names (because I didn't ask permission first) but you know who you are!

Of course whichever backup plan is used, the location of the backup copy is something to think about - if stored on your computer it might crash, or if stored on external memory your house might catch fire. But I think if the house was on fire, a blog backup would be the least of my worries!


Over 13 responses to my question, sounds like a Thursday 13!

Obsolete 13

Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again. ~Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

Here are just a few things that I have used in my lifetime that are now obsolete - I know, cloth diapers are still around, but definitely obsolete at my house!

1. Cloth diapers - 48 pure cotton hanging on the line softened by the breeze bleached by the sun
2. Typewriters - pica or elite pick your type, hunt and peck, wait for the ding!
3. Vinyl records - classics scratches hisses, grooves worn down on the good parts
4. Film - mail order developing, no light allowed, expiration date
5. Party lines - listen for your ring - one long or two short - but don't listen in
6. Rotary phones - round and round, don't slip and mess up, curlicue cord all tangled up
7. Pong - hypnotizing back and forth cause of couch taters
8. Busy signal - what is that funny beep beep - prelude to voice mail
9. Carbon paper - blue fingers smudges blurry copies, origin of cc:
10. Rabbit ears - TV looks like My Favorite Martian - adjust a little to left or right, hold your mouth right, stand on one leg
11. Card catalog - paper trail of books all lined up in little drawers stacked in rows
12. Church key - original pop a top, no litter left behind
13. Mimeograph smell - the only good part of test day

obsolete {Websters: no longer in use or no longer useful} = been there done that

more lists here at Thursday 13

it's a mystery 13

In mysteries, the reader doesn’t know who the killer is until the end. In thrillers, the reader knows who the bad guy is from the beginning. The only question is how much damage he’s going to do before he gets caught. ~J. A. Jance

Crime novels have been popular in every culture everywhere in the world. The second story ever told was a murder mystery - you know, the first story ever told was Adam and Eve, a love story. The second story, Cain and Abel. ~ Rene Balcer, executive producer of Law and Order.

I think if you can create something and make something from week to week that the whole world enjoys every second of every day, it's pretty special, and sends the right message that if you commit a crime, we're gonna catch you. That's the bottom line - justice. ~Anthony E. Zuiker creator of television show CSI

Mysteries work as stories with the require beginnings, middles and ends. Those ends usually entail the bad guy getting caught and/or punished. That is the rule. If the bad guy doesn’t get it in the end, you may be dealing with literature, and that’s another kettle of fish entirely. ~ J. A. Jance

Some of my favorite mystery/thriller authors/characters:

1. Sue Grafton - Kinsey Millhone, PI - Grafton's alphabet mystery series has gone from A to U so far, what will she do when the letters run out?
2. Lee Child - Jack Reacher, former MP, tough guy who doesn't mess around, Reacher always gets it done.
3. Robert Parker - Spenser PI, Jesse Stone small town police chief, Parker's death earlier this year left a finite number of great crime novels out there, would like to read them all.
4. Janet Evanovich - Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter in the 'burg' NJ. In addition to her sometimes comedic exploits at bounty hunting, her family offers quite a few smiles as well, especially grandma!
5. John Grisham - Former attorney turned writer, his legal thrillers are meticulous and gritty and always good to the last page.
6. Scott Turow - Practicing lawyer and writer, more gritty courtroom legal thrillers, the latest just out - Innocent - sequel to the 1987 Presumed Innocent which I loved, looking forward to this one.
7. J. A. Jance - Joanna Brady, Arizona county sheriff in addition to being a wife and mother, she works around the 'good old boy' network and gets the job done her way.
8. Nevada Barr - Anna Pigeon, National Park ranger - When reading about park rangers I would expect to hear about wild animals etc, but am always surprised to find the biggest problem the rangers have is with the 2 legged kind, and Anna handles both kinds courageously.
9. C. J. Box - Joe Pickett, Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett (like Anna Pigeon park ranger) finds more than he bargains for in the Wyoming back country and has a knack for finding trouble.
10. Stephen White - Dr. Alan Gregory, psychologist. White uses his experience as a psychologist to create some great story lines and characters.
11. Stuart Woods - Stone Barrington, former NYPD cop turned PI, usually has a grand adventure with the bad guys getting caught in the end.
12. Stephen King - More thought of as a writer of horror, but there are lots of mysterious and thrilling things in a King story, always a good read.
13. _____ looking for my next favorite author, any suggestions?

What is your favorite genre?

Do you like books that stand alone or have recurring characters, sequels, or series?

What is on your nightstand?

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. ~ Sir Richard Steele

more lists here at Thursday 13