Tuesday, April 24, 2012

OH NO, NOT SOME MORE BLOGGING THOUGHTS

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WE HAVE A LOT OF CURIOUS LITTLE CRITTERS IN OUR FRONT YARD

Another day of cold, cloudy & yuk. Other than slipping down to Mitchell to visit my Uncle Harry the day was pretty much another lost cause. He’s still doing fine & always looks forward to seeing the Pheebs. Plowed our way through some heavy wind gusts & snow showers along the way.
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It was with interest I read Sue’s thoughts on blogging at THE MOHO AND OTHER TRAVELING TALES this morning. Blogging has become an important part of my every day life so I am always interested in hearing or reading what others have to say about the subject. I thought Sue summed it up very well & I am in agreement with & understand her thoughts.
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A MUSKRAT…BUT NOT IN OUR FRONT YARD POND
And, while on the topic of Blogs, I do have a few thoughts.  Well, quite a few actually but I will just keep it down to a few today.  I have always had an addictive personality. Seems when I like to do something a lot I have a tendency to go overboard with it & do it too much. Tonight’s post is number 1,507 & that is not counting the posts I wrote before adding Sitemeter to my Blog site. With the exception of a few days here & there I have blogged on a daily basis now for about 4 & a half years. Do I have myself caught up in yet another daily addiction?? Can writing & reading blogs become addictive?? From my own perspective I would have to answer both those questions with a resounding ‘yes’.
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FORGOT TO BRING THE BIRDFEEDERS IN LAST NIGHT & SURE ENOUGH, 2 OUT 3 WERE ON THE GROUND THIS MORNING…GEE, I WONDER HOW THAT HAPPENED

Is there a cure for this addiction? Maybe. I think it is time for me to once again re-post my 12 Steps To Blogging Recovery based on AA’s own 12 step recovery plan which in fact I learned first hand many years ago………………….

‘BLOGGERS ANONYMOUS’

Step One: "We admitted we were powerless over Blogging - that our free time has become unmanageable."

Step Two: "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to a simpler time before computers."

Step Three: "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our Spouses as we understand them."

Step Four: "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of our Blogger thoughts & Blog Archives."

Step Five: "Admitted to our Spouses, to ourselves, & to another Blogger person the exact nature of our blogging woes."

Step Six: "Were entirely ready to have our Spouse remove all nasty posts from our Blogs."

Step Seven: "Humbly asked Her/Him to remove our shortcomings, our spell checkers, & our publish buttons"

Step Eight: "Made a list of all fellow Bloggers we had commented to, and became willing to make amends to them all."

Step Nine: "Made direct amends to such Bloggers wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them, their Blogs, or their Blog Followers ."

Step Ten: "Continued to take personal written inventory and when we were wrong promptly didn't blog about it."

Step Eleven: "Sought through humbleness and fear to improve our conscious contact with our Spouse as we understood Her/Him, begging only for knowledge of Her/His will for us and maybe our keyboards back to blog about it."

Step Twelve: "Having had a Blogger's awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to all fellow Bloggers, and to practice these principles in all our restructured Blogging affairs." 10-4!!

Hi, my names AL & I am a Blogger:((

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IT WAS A YEAR AGO I REPAINTED OUR UTILITY TRAILER
Reader Pam asks if I was once a professional photographer & if my bird photos are taken at our place here in Canada.  It’s a No/Yes answer.  No, never was a professional photographer.  Most ‘true professional photographers’ (not the one’s that just call themselves that) photos are far better than mine.  My photos are OK for my blog but they wouldn’t stand up in comparison to the professional folks.  Their photos are tack sharp with far more attention paid to the technical side of things.  A pros photos are better because they have to be better.  It’s their living & for sure those guys have a lot more patience at setting up a shot than I do.  I never plan a photo because I am an opportunity kind of shooter.  If the opportunity pops up for a photo, I take it & move on.  And yes, about 95% of all the bird pics you are seeing in my blog these days are taken right here in our own front yard.  Most of them right through our sunroom window while I’m at the computer pecking away at another post:))

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HEY, WHO’S DA IMPOSTER!!

GROANER’S CORNER:(( John was furious when his steak arrived too rare.
"Waiter," he shouted, "Didn't you hear me say 'well done'?"
"I can't thank you enough, sir," replied the waiter. "I hardly ever get a compliment."
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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

26 comments:

  1. Those of us who don't (and can't) take technically perfect shots see something in your photos that is what we would like to achieve. I probably couldn't recognize technically perfect if I saw it, but I know what I like and what inspires me.

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  2. Although I no longer try to post everyday, I too was struck by Sue's comments. I have to think that when I am cutting other life activities short because I have to go read blogs, make comments, write my own blog, or respond to comments, then perhaps I am a bit too overzealous. Good post Al, love the 12 steps. Great photo of the black squirrel.

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  3. Thanks Al
    I always wondered what those 12 steps were I needed to take.
    I love that black squirrel, he can live at my house if you get tired of him.
    Still love your blog, wish I could write one. It is a talent you have.

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  4. Hey Al, we are running into the same squirrel problem out here. Difference is ours are tiny and reddish brown. Yet they steal bird feed. And they bring the whole feeder down. Molly is completely transfixed with them. I only have to say the word and she shoots out the door, taking position at the shed, where those suckers have taken up residence. Yet I find them cute and would never kill one. They are also part of nature. And nature is important to all of us.

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  5. Blogger addiction. Good that you mentioned it.
    There is something to it. Never sat so often in front of the screen as I did/do after I started blogging.
    But since we have no TV, blogging is mostly done in the evenings. But I sure will have an eye on the development.

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  7. Al,

    Don't feel too bad. I've been blogging (not necessarily every day) since November 2005. That's almost seven years! :)

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  8. To my fellow bloggers:

    Thank you one and all. There have been times that your blogs are all I've had to keep my perspective on what the world is all about and not go nuts!

    There have been times when your blogs have pulled me out of some serious depression.

    There have been times that your blogs have comforted me that there really are good kind people on this planet.

    I know also that there are folks out thre who are unable to get out and do things like you all do and your blogs are their only links to things of interest.

    Keep on blogging!

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  9. I for one am glad you are addicted to blogging. Both Sam and I thoroughly enjoy them everyday. pics sure look like a pro to me. Keep up the fantastic job.
    Donna

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  10. Had to smile when I saw your photo of the ceramic monkey and the black squirrel! You can kinda hear them having a conversation..."say,do you see what I see??!! Wouldn't it be a great picture to give to an elementary school class and ask them to write a story based on what these 2 imps are saying to one another! I bet they would come up with some great stories!
    Renee from SSI

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  11. Love the pictures and the way they may or may not have anything to do with the blog itself. That black squirrel picture is really terrific and so is the frog. Impasta for sure! Thanks for the laugh.

    I came to blogging reluctantly having spend too much time in IT during my "career" but now I find that since we are fulltiming these folks have become my friends and I look forward to my early morning and last thing in the evening check in with them. Am I addicted, hmmmmmmmm not sure. I know I'd rather read than post but I also know that I learn a lot from my readers' comments and that's important to me as is having a record of where I was and maybe even what I was thinkin while I was there. Good food for thought the idea of addicted to blogging. Thanks to MoHo and you.

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  12. Very much liked the 12 Steps, your pictures and your blog posts...don't ever stop!

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  13. Commented on Sue's The Moho an Other Traveling Tales

    Odd that this is the first time reading your blog, and you're from my favorite state! I'd be out living the good life if I lived in Oregon, too! Well, that is if my back would allow it. I had a book made of my 2010 trip blog. I sure wish I had known about blogs when my husband was alive and we traveled, together. I kept diaries, of course but it isn't the same. I relive the happy moments all the time, but it would be nice to know what we were doing on a certain date. I wonder all the time. It's not as easy to search through years of diaries though I do read them, often, and try to find the pictures (now in albums) to match up with the days.

    I'm a night owl so the TV runs in the background as I read. What I didn't expect was to get caught up and emotionally involved with so many people--especially people who are going through trying times. Letting them know that I care is important to me because I do care--they've become friends in some unexpected and curious way. I don't feel as alone, and I hope commenting on their blogs lets them know they are not alone.

    I blog only when I have something to say--well some might say blogging about my pal, Jack, is questionable, but it makes me remember times he made me laugh. Often times I want to write about how I miss my husband, how life has changed, complain how I didn't get to live our dream, and how I am sad that I couldn't travel west this year. It's more for myself, but I always have to be aware that a few others are reading, and I don't want them to think I'm whining. I have a private diary for my really sad moments, for my ranting moments--and, I'm glad no one reads that stuff.

    Well, actually, I answered Al's question, here, so I'll copy it and comment on his blog. I added a few sentences.

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  14. I've seen computers ruin many good men...
    I used to have time to do lots of neat stuff,,,now I'm always busy on the computer...

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  15. All I really want to know Al...did you brush that squirrel before you took it's picture? It sure looks like it, he's so well groomed. Beautiful pictures.

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  16. Hi Al, and welcome to bloggers anonymous. I've only been blogging a littler over 3.5 years and I don't want to quit.

    You don't have to be a professional to take good photos.

    Scratch behind the ears for Pheebs.

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  17. love the 12 step program!..good thoughts as always!..now onwards to another blog worthy day!

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  18. Another great post , keep up the good work.

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  19. You have a knack for writing and photography and you put together a pretty nice package at the end of the day for your followers and its obvious your words have therapeutic value for many. As usual, well done. :)


    Blessings to you, Kelly and Pheebs.

    Virginia

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  20. You may not be a professional photographer, but you are a good photographer, with good equipment and a great eye. And you share your pictures and your ideas with the rest of us. I suspect a professional wouldn't do that sharing part, so you're a winner, and you let the rest learn to follow your example.

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  21. Dear Al: My favorite kind of books are historical diaries. Love to read about the writer's everyday activity, or not so active day, what the temperature was, where they walked to and saw. The old diaries didn't have photos, though. What you and other bloggers are doing are recording 21st century history, don't you think so? What makes today's diaries better are the photos, especially yours. Your thoughts are interesting because it's all about living each day.
    I started reading your blog for a little while now and throughly enjoy your writing.
    Thank you for sharing.

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  22. Al, I beg to differ! Your photos are of incredible quality and very professional looking!
    We can relate to blogging addiction!
    Because it takes us a least 3 hours every morning to read through our list of blogs!! LOL
    Say "Hi" to Kelly for us!
    Kathy & Grant
    The Shreddies Fans :)

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  23. I love your photography and look forward to it! I also love your blogging and read it every morning with my coffee! I am a laid back blogger. I might blog 3 times a month! LOL! I keep our blog so family and friends know where we are and what we are doing. However, blogging has brought a new set of "family" into our lives!
    I love to read the blogs of other lives and interests! I guess I need to get busy and blog about the Zion area! Now you got me feeling guilty! :-)

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  24. Exactly why I am cutting back on the blogging...Life is continually occurring around me, and I don't want to miss a thing!

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  25. Gee, Al, a little thought here and there really multiplies, doesn't it! I love your twelve steps. I remember becoming addicted, completely addicted, to the point of getting up at two am to check if I had messages from my new friends. It was back in 1994 and AOL was new. I outgrew that adolescent crush with the internet, but you are so right, the addiction showed up again and here I am. The difference is, I am trying to pay attention. You of all people know that "just a little drink" probably isn't really being sober, so I am anything but sober. I still need to read your blog! LOL among some others, but I am paying attention. thanks so much for your thoughts.

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  26. Twelve-step program! Ahaha! I'm not ready to join. They say it will happen when I hit bottom.

    Oh, meant to say in your last post: it's raining here, too.

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