A Piece of the Action
We are always searching for the next big thing: the good stuff. Back in the 1970s when early talk-show host, Mike Douglas, was around, he really had an eye for the next big thing. He knew how to give us a piece of the action. Just look at Thor here. He’s positively thrilling. I mean, he can blow up a hot water bottle until it explodes! Is that hot, or what?
In an effort to try to bring you a piece of the action, I thought I’d bring you some yummy morsels of goodness that I’ve read this month. Feel free to check out something that tickles your fancy.
From the Publishing & Social Media Department
Catie Rhodes has fabulous suggestions for Internet travelers in Catie’s Social Media Do’s & Dont’s.
Jane Friedman hosted Kristen Lamb this week with 3 Blunders That Can Kill Your Author Platform.
Kristen Lamb shows us the wonky part of publishing as she tries to convince us Numbers Are Our Friends – Writers and the Wild World of Metrics.
From the Writing Department
Nobody likes a cheater, and Jami Gold explores How Bad is Plagiarism? and its damaging repercussions.
From the English Department
Carol Brown sent me a link to The Twenty Best Books for Language Lovers. It’s a pretty dang good list.
From the Math Department
I don’t understand this at all, but my 12-year-old son did. From WildABoutMath A Great Triangle Exploration.
From the Science Department
From ScienceBlog Gratitude as an Antidote to Aggression. Anything that helps folks be a little more civilized to each other is worth a try.
From the Art Department
Carl D’Agostino is a cartoonist whose stuff ranges from satirical to political to naughty.
From the Political Science Department
Piper Bayard brings us Bayard/Lamb 2012 – Because Blonde is the New Black. So snarky that it just might work.
From the History Department
Kathy Owen makes me want to put on a hoop skirt in the history of Ice Skating in Central Park.
Gene Lempp writes about the History of the Ancient Silk Route. I wish he was teaching my son social studies.
From the Pop Culture Department
Clay Morgan writes about 10 Television Characters I’ve Wished I Could Be. I so wanted to be Jamie Somers, The Bionic Woman.
From the Contest Department
Julie from go Guilty Pleasures is having a Vlog contest. If you want to enter you have until midnight. She’ll tell you all about it HERE. You can try, but I’m telling you I have it locked and loaded. Just sayin’.
From the Products Department
Kathy Owen shows us what we can purchase to embrace our inner nerd in Get Your Geek On!
From the Just Plain Funny Parenting Moments Department
Steve at Brown Road Chronicles has a discussion with his son about Skim vs. Fat-Free Milk.
News From the Department Chair
Chrystal from The Spirit Within had the highest percentage of votes in my “What the Heck Does Castanurgle Mean?” poll. Part of her cyber-swag package involves this beautiful new car. And by new car I mean, I’m giving you a link to her blog, which is lovely. I’m also decorating her invisible mantle (you know, the one where she keeps all her invisible blogging awards) with an autumnal theme. Isn’t it pretty? Congratulations Chrystal!
Before you head off to get “a piece of the action,” here’s a picture of me when I last performed Muscle Rock with Thor at Aladdin’s Hotel in 2005. I guess I was looking for a little satisfaction. Or my hot water bottle.
- I’m Thor’s sister. Can you tell me where to find a piece of the action?
What are your Halloween plans? Anybody going like Thor?
I love that dressing up is another one of your guilty pleasures! I could not agree more. Especially if it involves hats. I can’t even go into the hat department at Macy’s without trying on every single one. And hellooooo nurse! You’re rocking that unitard!! Hot momma!
Thanks for the vlog contest shout-out! I wonder if anyone else will eek in a submission…?!
Hi Jules:
Nurse? Girl, I was Wonder Woman. And I was 20 pounds heavier then. And not tone. At all. I only put this up here to further solidify my place in your contest!
Which everyone should enter.
Even though I have it locked up. 😉
Did you ever watch Animaniacs? They used to say “hellooooo nurse” to pretty ladies all the time, and it stuck!
20 lbs heavier?! How is that even possible?! You look amazing (then and now)!
I’ll keep you posted on any submissions today! 🙂
Oh Julie, Julie, Julie. Thanks for reminding me that I am 10 years older than you. I don’t think Animaniacs came on the scene until I was about 10 years old.
Yep, all I need is a hot water bottle!
Secretly, I don’t think he really made it explode. There was no pop! I think he just let go. I can’t believe they gave that guy 5 minutes in 1976. Now talk show hosts hardly give big stars 5 minutes. Or maybe big stars won’t give talk show hosts more than 5 minutes.
Either way.
Ya think Thor was taking performance enhancing drugs?
Not for his singing…
Zing! Good one. 😉
Linda whatshername would be envious.
Oh Carl, you are too sweet!
I can’t believe I just watched that entire video. I have to say that I’m most impressed by how he handles the mic cable.
You totally rocked the Wonder Woman costume.
Even if you’re going to come in second in the vlog contest.
I’ve watched it numerous times.
It’s like a train-wreck.
You can’t look away.
Thanks for the nice words about me being Wonder Woman and how I’m going to win Julie’s contest.
It’s really nice to have another participant’s support. 😉
Thanks for the link love! And that picture is fantabulous (that’s a word, right? 😉 )
Jami: That was a great piece. The truth hurts. And so does plagiarism.
And as far as my Wonder Woman costume, I have to put on a cheesy suit and plastic boots to be fantabulous.
You. Just. Are.
(And may I say, your critiques are spot on! Wow!)
*blush* *stammers* Um…thank you. 🙂
Renee, you crack me up – love the Wonder Woman pic! Thanks so much for including me, twice, in your mashup. I’m honored just to be in the vicinity of such illustrious company!
Have a great weekend,
Kathy
You know, I didn’t want to include you twice. I actually tried NOT to, but I really loved both posts. And you fit perfectly into two categories.
Woman, you have range. 😉
Plus, you hand out compliments — which is always nice.
YOU are Wowsa Woman.
Yep. I said it.
And now I’m off to read some of this fabulocity.
Wish I had an invisible jet. Or at least a cape.
XO
Julie:
Oh! I should have put you in from the P.E. Department with all that running you did this week! *slaps head*
Well, you can totally borrow my cape anytime.
And I’m standing right in front of my invisible jet in this picture.
And because I like you so much, you can borrow that, too — but you have to fill it up when you are done. And I’ll tell ya, that’ll cost you these days.
Whoever designed that thing back in the day was not thinking green.
Total gas guzzler.
I love that Wonder Woman suit. The boots are fab. Looks great on you. Thanks for including me on your mash-up. It’s quite an honor. 😀
I loved that piece this week. (As you know!) So excited to get to know you more through your writing!
Incredible mashup, Renee. Fantastic 🙂
Thanks for the link love and if you lived a bit closer maybe I could hire out as a tutor, although my kids get A’s in everything except social studies so maybe not. I think that is just a kid curse, hard to understand history before we have much of our own.
Love the “Thorenee Woman” pic. Nicely done 🙂
I told you we’d have overlap! Funny! But the good ones really do stand out, don’t they? And since my circle fits inside your circle, well… naturally you’ve read more broadly than I have.
And PS: if we lived closer, I’d snatch you up on that social studies tutor thing.
I am afraid to say, I think I dated that guy in 1986…but he went by a different name 🙂
Wonder Woman, YOU ROCK! I always wanted a pair of the bracelets…although the boots are kickin’, too!
(pun intended)
My costume is 100% plastic. I’m guessing the real Wonder Woman, Diana — Princess of the Amazons — would be horrified by this monstrosity and would only stick to natural fibers.
The original Wonder Woman had superhuman strength, super-speed, super-stamina, and super-agility. She was highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat and in the art of tactical warfare. She also possessed an animal-like cunning and a natural rapport with animals; she could use her Lasso of Truth, which forced people to spill the beans, an invisible airplane. And yes, she had those fabulous indestructible bracelets, not to mention her tiara which could take out an eye.
By the way, if you dated a guy that looked like this in 1986… nicely done. Did he let you wear his boots?
What a video! Omg. Reminds me that the fabric industry was like a kid with a new toy the way it played with synthetics. Nice eye candy, though.
Thanks for the flashback and the shout out. Honored to be in this crowd, Renee.
Piper, I seriously might have to write-in you and Kristen for President and VP. We’ll see how things progress. 😉
And every once in a while it’s good to remember what we used to watch on television. We definitely pushed the envelope in the 1970s: this show was on after school at about 4 pm. And I never missed it! 😉
I love when he rips off his blue neck bib! What a hoot!
20 lbs. heavier? I’d love to be you at 20lbs. heavier!! I think that costume picture might have sealed the deal for you in Julie’s contest!!
Well, let’s not count our chickens.
But I really love to win cyber-swag.
Isn’t that awful?
Competitions of any kind bring out this tiger in me. Weird, huh?
Hey I’m late here, but thanks for the mention! Lots of great stuff there… not Thor, but the other bloggers. And that Wonder Woman pic… Lynda Carter would be proud! 🙂
Hi Cowboy! You are never too late! I loved your post.
Have you and your son settled the debate yet?
Nevermind, right now I’m wondering how you’d look in that blue Thor almost-thong thing. 😉
I’d look great in that blue Thor thong. Pretty much just like Thor except about 100 lbs scrawnier… okay, maybe not!
I’m dropping by your place tonight to get started on our Lawrence Welk girls costumes. Do you know how to do that wave thing to someone’s hair? I’ll need help with that. But I can choreograph a tiny dance number for us to do to the theme song! 😉
Jess:
Alas, I am useless when it comes to hair, but I have some very unattractive dresses from the 70s hanging in the basement. We can just sway to some good ol’ fashioned polka together.
I so want to trick-or-treat with you.
It would be a hoot.
I wonder if you are even in my time zone. 😉 If you are, maybe we can Skype to show off Halloween costumes.
What a way to finish off a blog post!
Super villains be afraid – be very afraid.
Hi Paul!
Everyone should be afraid of someone wearing this much plastic.
I think I was pretty toxic.
Wow! I’m on the same page as Thor? Love it 🙂 My weekend kept me away from all things bloggish, but thanks for the nod. You not only answered what TV character you wanted to be but provided clear pictorial evidence of such fantasies. Go Wonder Woman!
Hi Clay. This is a very old picture, but it was as close to the Thor thing as I could get.
Plus it seemed kind of Halloweenishy.
I loved that TV piece. I hope it brought your some extra traffic. 😉