Happy Halloween!

Before we get started, I just want to let everyone know that I'm going to a Halloween party tonight with Sean and Amy and will be getting home very late. Then on Saturday it's off to Cape May with my friend Bob and his two Irish Setters. (The dalmatians do not play well and must stay home) Anywhoo, this means I will be doing very little Entrecard dropping so I apologize in advance to all my Entrecard faithful droppers. Now on to the festivities!


We love Halloween at home and at my work. The above pumpkin was carved by my daughter and her boyfriend, Aaron. Pretty nice job, eh?

Mr. Pimp aka Mr. Blue Skies (Yup, that's me)

Mr. Pimp and 80's Vampire Bride (Donna, our Administrative Assistant)

We have a sales contest currently running that is a take on the game Clue where salespeople can win by figuring out who did it, where, and with what weapon. The murder victim was Janice, our Human Resources Manager. Here is Erin (Laughs and Rants from my Inner Child) and Justine (Asst. Marketing Manager) taking Janice's body to the morgue.

Janice's toe tag. The feet actually belong to Andy, who I think is a size 23. He begrudgingly agreed to have his toenails painted by his more than accommodating wife. He left shortly after this to go to the Phillies parade and we warned him NOT to take his shoes off under any circumstances.

This is Carol Adams. She came as the Old Bat. I had to show the back and front of this. It was so much funnier in person, especially if you know Carol, which you don't. (But I won't hold that against you)

Kim (Trapped in a Comma) as the Mad Hatter

Karl, our Publications Coordinator recently had surgery on his eye and was out for a whole month. So of course he came as Dr. I Ball. He even gave out eyeball gum balls. Sick, aren't we?

Jim (also from Publications) as Friday the 13th: Part 133

I felt bad for all you people who wanted to know what I looked like when I was in the Miss Cooper River Contest. I don't have those pics but here I am a few years back on Halloween as a Brides Maid. And yes, I shaved my chest. I forgotten how horribly itchy that can be and trust me, I won't be doing that again. My friends said I looked like Barbie Benton the day after a night of Binge Drinking. Happy Halloween Everyone!

Obama, Flatulence, and the Philadelphia Phillies 2008 World Series Champions

Someone stole my Obama yard sign. I was so excited to get my sign because I live at a relatively busy intersection and I wanted everyone to see it as they drove by. I even took a picture of it and put it on my blog. But some jerk came along in the dark of night and snatched it up. I’ve seen McCain/Palin signs and you don’t see me absconding with them. (Even though I want to run them over with my car) It really aggravates me that it’s gone and not because I paid for it but because it was on my lawn. I owned that sign and it was my property. It’s theft.

On a lighter note, Canadian and American researchers have discovered that Flatulence's stink may be linked to lower blood pressure. I discovered this when Kim from Trapped in a Comma was telling some of our co-workers about the story and, of course, my name came up. After all, I do have high blood pressure and I have been known to let out a toot every now and then. I was so excited that I made a vow to start lowering my blood pressure as soon as possible. And since I had bean soup for lunch, I figured it would be very soon. Erin from Laughs and Rants from My Inner Child immediately put in a request for a desk change or a gas mask, whichever was easier. As a matter of fact, I’ve lowered my blood pressure at least two points while I was typing this post. As a side note, I feel confident that my dogs will NEVER have high blood pressure.

I saved the best for last and I figured that if there were any SITS out there who were sick of sports, they could stop reading here. THE PHILLIES ARE THE 2008 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!! After what was a very aggravating rain delay, the Phils pulled it out last night and won the game. I was over at Scott and Sean’s house with a bunch of our friends and we all went nuts. We could hear people in the streets honking their horns and since Philly is only 10 minutes away, we could hear the fireworks. We had friends who were actually in Philadelphia for the crazy mayhem party that occurred as soon as the Phils won. The parade starts tomorrow and my boss and some coworkers are going to it. I don’t have any time left so I won’t be going, but I’ll be there in spirit. It’s going to be a party 28 years in the making. As a side note, I actually have a program book from the 1980 Phil’s World Series games. It’s sealed and wrapped up safely in my closet.

A Tag and an Award

That's right folks. I've been tagged for the first time and I've received my second award. I don't know which way to fall! I was going to post about how aggravated I am about the World Series rain delay, but I figured all you SITS (Sisters In the Sauce) out there are probably sick of all the sports between hockey, football, AND baseball. So on with the tags and the award.

I've decided that it's just too many blogs for me to recommend for both the award and the tag so I've split the number of "winning" blogs in half. I'll do the award first.

Meaghan over at I Kicked Cancer's Ass has awarded me with the Proximidade Award. She claims that “This blog invests and believes, in ‘proximity’ [meaning, that blogging makes us 'close' - being close through proxy]. These blogs are all charming and they aim to show the marvels of friendship. Let’s give more attention to them! So with this prize we must deliver it to eight bloggers that in turn must make the same thing and put this text."

Such kind words from such a cool gal. I've linked her and I am only listing 4 winners because the other 4 I'm tagging. So here are my Proxmidade Award winners. These are totally cool bloggers who are charming (even the guys) and friendly.

Ken at Dad to Two - Ken is a totally friendly guy who gives a Dad's perspective in a blog world full of mommys. (Sorry SITStas but I gotta give Dad props every now and then) This guy is worth the read.
Nancy Ellyn at Chilled White Whine - Nancy is a BIG TIME fan of Jackson Browne and probably the nicest blogger you'll ever meet.
PJ at PJ's Prose - PJ's a woman deeply in love and I think you will enjoy reading her posts about love, life, family, and sacrifices as much as I do.
Brian & Steven at Green Dads - These two forty-something gay fathers have been together over 17 years and are raising a five year old son, Darius. That's totally friendly and charming!

Now for the tag: Babette over at Definitely Maybe has tagged me with an "Eight Random Things" tag where I must list 8 random things about me and tag 8 others. Ok, I will list 8 but tag only 4. Here we go...

1. I went to college in the early 80's for computer programming because I believed computers were the future. I quit for a semester when I started a new job and never went back. Talk about missing the boat!

2. I collect 50's & 60's bar and glassware.

3. I have over 250 beanie babies in boxes in my basement.

4. Every so often my birthday falls on Mother's Day.

5. My ex-partner has 6 different Cher tattoos on his arms, leg, and back.

6. I was runner up in the Miss Cooper River Drag Beauty Contest when I was 25.

7. My family owned a gas station in my home town for over 45 years.

8. My middle name is Preston. My first name is actually Lewis.

Ok now I tag the following blogs:

I Do Things So You Don't Have To - Now JD can get tagged so you don't have to.
Tamicks - Tamicks is one cool New Yorker and I'd really like to read about her 8 random things.
Wonderful Things In Life - I like Mommyko. She's a multi-blogger and I picked her cause I wanna see if she'll really do it.
The Wise (*Young*) Mommy - Another great blog and her Halloween picture has inspired me to want to know more.

I can't believe I did it. And now I'm off to watch the flyers win. (I hope)

Win $25 Amazon Gift Card at Confetti by: Kateedyd

Hey, I'm all for contests but some contests make you jump through hoops just for a chance to win, but not at Confetti by: Kateedyd. This gal is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card in celebration of her boyfriend's best friend's birthday. That is so cool! Even cooler, to qualify all you have to do is leave a comment on the post and place a post on your blog linking back to the contest. Easy, huh? So go and leave a comment, but not too many of you cause I wanna win the gift card!

You're Appreciated: Ask Not What Your Blog Can Do For You--Ask What You Can Do For Your Blog

Welcome to another installment of “You’re Appreciated,” the post where once a week I showcase three blogs that are worth the read. When I first started this serial, I had over 150 blogs in my stockpile of favorite blogs. Since I’ve become a BITS (Brother in the Sauce) over at The Secret is in the Sauce, my collection has expanded exponentially. I can’t fit all of these blogs in my side bar so this is my way of drawing attention to them.

The election is only a week and a half away so I thought it would be appropriate to feature three of my favorite political blogs. One look at my sidebar will tell you that I am an avid Obama supporter so it should be no surprise to you that my favorite political blogs lean to the left. With so many great political blogs out there, I was having a hard time narrowing my list down to three. But I succeeded and I even have thrown in a bonus right-leaning blog for all you insane McCain supporters. Is that bi-partisanship or what?

My first choice is First Door on the Left whose slogan is “Insanity is electing the same people over and over again and expecting different results.” Think about THAT, McCain supporters! This blog is run by Len who scours the internet for everything that’s wrong with the McCain/Palin ticket and boy, does he find a lot. Whether he’s reviewing The Third Debate of 2008 or sparring with right-winger Paul at Paul‘s Health Blog, Len’s got it all together. I love his Friday night cartoons.

Sanity Rant is run by Sanity Seeking Rose who claims that “Sarah Palin drove me to the brink of insanity.” Her goal is to keep seeking the truth about Sarah Palin (because she refuses to be open and honest) from now to 2012 (and beyond if necessary.) But don’t think this is a blog about making fun of Sarah Palin. Rose goes to great lengths to present the facts as they stand and that is funny (and scary) all on its own. Don’t take my word for it, read her Palin’s Ideas of Ethics? or I Should Have Become a Makeup Artist and you won’t know whether to laugh or cry.

A World of Progress is a progressive blog run by a progressive girl (who else?) about progressive living, spiritual politics, and relationship nirvana. Progressive girl doesn’t just chew up the current news and spit it back on her blog like so many political blogs do. She looks beyond the political banter and reaches deeper into what really motivates people. Just take a look at her Fear Mongering is For Losers or Killing for McCain posts.

Bonus Blog:
If you’re looking for conservative views from Cincinnati, then Right Wing Nut Job should be right up your alley. I don’t know this blogger’s name so I’ll just call him RWNJ. RWNJ is a BIG supporter of McCain. I may not agree with much he has to say, but you gotta give him props for such a well written blog. RWNJ doesn’t stoop to the rhetoric that I believe plagues the Republican party. Remaining calm, cool, and collected, RWNJ presents his arguments with solid (I’m trying to be bi-partisan here) facts and figures. If by some horribly insane twist of fate McCain should become our President, this is the guy he should go to for advice.

See my “Political Blogs You Should Read” list in my sidebar for more politically charged blog reading.

Why I Hate Public Bathrooms - Part 2 (The Funny Stuff)

At lunch today, my friend Linda asked me, “Why the hell did you blog about bathrooms?” I explained to her that I had some funny stories (funny, but not sexual) about using public restrooms at trade shows but that I first wanted to explain why I hate public bathrooms. That explanation took on a life of its own and hence the “Part 1” version of this post.


Anyway, here are the two stories. A few years ago while I was working our booth at the National Restaurant Show at the McCormick Place in Chicago, I discovered a bathroom behind a pizza joint that was barely ever used. It was one of those long and narrow bathrooms with a series of sinks, then urinals, and then 16 toilet stalls in a row. (Yup, I counted ‘em) I really had to go so I strolled all the way down to the end. The bathroom was completely empty so I happily took my place in stall 15 because 16 was a handicap stall.

No sooner did I get down to business then I hear someone come in. The person walks all the way down to the end of the stalls and then enters stall number 14, right next to me. He had 13 other stalls that were not next to me to choose from and yet he decided to sit down and do it next to me. I felt like screaming out, “What? Are you lonely?” And to make matters worse, he started making the worst sounds and smells possible. I wanted to rip the stall door off and beat him over the head with it.

This is my luck in public bathrooms. At the same show (but a different year), I had to use the bathroom near our booth. It was a small bathroom with a couple of urinals and four stalls. It was also a very busy bathroom, something that I normally avoid at all costs. But I drink a lot of coffee at these shows and sometimes the need to go hits me hard and I can’t be away from the booth for very long. So I ventured in and found an empty stall.

Shortly into it, I hear a woman yell into the bathroom, “Are you okay, Harry?” There’s no answer so she asks it again. Still, no answer. The next thing I know I see a pair of pumps outside my stall door and a woman trying to peer through the openings in my door. “Harry, are you in here? Are you ok?” I was just about to say something when this gravelly voice shouts back at her, “I’m ok now get the F@&% outta here!” The woman angrily retorts, “Well you were in here a long time and we just wanted to make sure you were ok,” as she huffed her way out of the men’s room.

I exit the stall and wash my hands while some guys at the urinal are laughing about the whole thing. I run to the booth to tell my co-workers about the unusual visitor in the bathroom. We all had a good laugh and they pointed out that these things could only happen to me. The next day I had to go again and figured that it would be safe to use the bathroom because lightening never strikes twice, right? Was I wrong. Half way into it, I hear my co-worker, Allison, holler into the bathroom, “Preston are you in here? Do you need any help?” I knew I shouldn’t have told them that story. I finished up and quickly exited the stall. There were three guys standing by the urinals staring at me with their mouth’s agape. My face must have been three different shades of red. I work with such wonderful people.

And that’s why I still hate public bathrooms.

Why I Hate Public Bathrooms - Part 1

I hate public bathrooms. I really do. Now I don’t really have any problems with going to bathroom in a general sense. And when I say I have issues with public bathrooms, it’s only in regards to #2. As far as taking a leak is concerned, I can whip it out and go just about anywhere. It’s a total guy thing. We’ve been peeing just about anywhere we pleased since we could stand. But when a guy needs to sit, that’s a whole ‘nother story.

Part of my hatred for public bathrooms stems from being gay. (Mothers may cringe here but there's nothing graphic) I learned in my early teens that if I wanted to see any type of gay action at all, I was going to find it in the men’s room. And yes I was flashed in the men’s room lots of times. I saw guys having sex in the men’s room lots of times. I even had sex in the men’s room. Considering that this was the mid-70’s and I was in my teens, I felt there was no where else to go where I could have a chance of meeting anyone that felt the same way as I did, except the men’s room. I even looked forward to going to the mall just so I could go to the men’s room, that is until I actually had to go to the bathroom.

There is nothing worse than having someone tap their foot at you, pass you notes on toilette paper, or look at you through the cracks of the door while you’re trying to take a dump. I didn’t want any of that. I simply wanted to focus on the deed at hand and get the hell out of there. It’s a dirty job and it’s not one I wanted to share. And, for me anyway, there is absolutely NOTHING sexually exciting about that.

Once I got a little older and starting assessing the type of men who were trolling the bathrooms, I made a decision that these were not the type of men I was interested in anyway. (Mostly married men and trolls) Plus it just felt wrong. If I wanted to meet gay men, I could go to bars, nightclubs, and community centers. And during my short stint as a breeder, I hated it even more because I was trying to avoid the “gay thing” altogether. I even swore that if I had a son, I wouldn’t let him use the men’s room by himself until he was 40. God was on my side and gave me a daughter instead.

Fortunately, things have changed a lot since the 70’s and bathrooms aren’t as active as they used to be. Gay men today have more options to meet other gay men then they did back in 1974. We no longer feel like we’re forced to hide in public bathrooms and rest stops. And I think businesses are cracking down on that stuff too. I can’t remember the last time I encountered anything in a public men’s room. And I hope I never will but I don’t doubt that it still happens. And that’s partially why I hate using public restrooms. (More to come)

Don Pablos - American Mexican Food Good & Cheap

This is my friend Amy. She treated me to Don Pablo's a few nights ago and I told her I was going to blog about it. I forgot my camera so she took pictures with her phone. She is also a stylist and cuts my hair for me. It's why I look so fabulously sexy and young for such an old, gay man. (Humor me, please!)

One thing I'd like to say about Don Pablo's: It's a restaurant chain. To steal a line from Sienfeld, "Not that there's anything wrong with that." But after 8 years of waitering part-time at Chi Chi's, I have become very familiar with chain Mexican food. As Don Pablo's goes, it's pretty standard Americanized Mexican chain restaurant food, but the food is tasty and you get a whole lotta of it for just a little cashola. And the drinks are BANGING!

We started out with the most expensive appetizer on the menu which included a selection of goodies including beef nachos, carnitas, quesidillas, guacamole, and white queso sauce. Very filling but very similar in tastes.

I ordered the taco, tamale, and chile relleno platter. The last two are my absolute favorites and Don Pablo's does a nice job with them. And at under $9.00, how could I resist?

Amy's meal consisted of a taco, carnitas, and a variety of enchiladas. Again a boatload of food for about $10.00.

We also decided to have a couple of drinks. Amy opted for the strawberry fruit smoothie margarita while I went for the 26 ouncer on the rocks for just a buck more! The do a great job with the margaritas and the price for both of these drinks was around $7.00ish. They give you these homemade chips and salsa before dinner (no pic) and I could have just eaten those and drank the big margaritas all night long!

After we finished dinner, Amy ordered the sizzling apple pie alamode. It comes on a small fajita skillet all warm and sizzling, with caramel sauce and melty vanilla ice cream. The whole meal came to about $55.oo which is extremely reasonable considering we had an appetizer, two meals, two big drinks, and a dessert.

So if you are looking for authentic and original Mexican food, start looking elsewhere cause you won't find it here. But if you're looking for good Mexican food at reasonable prices that doesn't taste like it came from Taco Bell, I suggest you give Don Pablo's a try. You'll leave full and so will your wallet!

Monday Pictures - Pumpkins, Obama, and Dave the Hunter

The Superfresh around the corner from my house had huge pumpkins on sale for $4.99 each. At that price, I picked up one and brought it home to decorate. Heather decided to put it outside until we could decide what to do with it. BIG MISTAKE. Apparently, the squirrels decided that pumpkins make a mighty nice meal. And I wandered why the dogs were freaking out at the window when I couldn't see anyone walking by. Oh you squirrelly squirrels!

Whe I got home today my Obama Biden sign had finally arrived. I live on a corner property at a fairly busy intersection so I was really excited about putting up this sign. Uh...do you think I need to rake, or what?

Here he is, Dave the stealth hunter. Dave will hunt just about anything. We once had a mouse problem and didn't know where they were coming from. We finally figured out that they were coming up through the hole that the gas pipe to the stove went through. We fixed the hole but the BIG point is that Dave killed at least a dozen mice before we fixed the problem. That's right, 13 year old Dave, mouse killer extraordinaire.

But Dave doesn't just hunt mice, oh no. He hunts cats, squirrels, flies, and the ever elusive falling leaf. In fact, just the other day, he caught and killed a mouse running around the bottom of the steps to the house. And do you see that "I'm mad so I'm not looking at you" face? It's because as I was returning home from our walk before dinner, Dave had a dead mouse in his mouth. I didn't even see him catch it. I made him drop it and he was not very happy. Don't worry, Dave, there's plenty of mice on the next walk!

We Have a Winner - Tattooed Minivan Mom!

Darth Vader with Betty Davis eyes

That's right, folks. The contest is officially over. Mrs. Tattooed over at The Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom has won the 1 lb. box of assorted Aunt Selma's chocolates. This hard-working, hard-playing, hard-masked tattooed minivan mom and SITS member lives somewhere in the USA with her two masked children and her unmasked, rough and tumblin' hubby.

Never one to miss out on something for free, this gal also knows how to save a buck or two. Just check out her post on how cheap she really is. Her tips on how to save a buck on alcoholic drinks in Vegas are worth the read alone. (Don't they give you free drinks while you bet?)

Another good post to read is her He Had Me At "Trick Or Treat" post. It's the sweet and savory story of how she met her man at a Halloween party while she was drinking a 4 pk of Jack Daniel’s Lynchburg Lemonade. Besides, any post with the words "THE ART OF HOT MONKEY SEX" in it will always grab my attention. Come on, just look at those eyes. They just scream, "I'd rather have hot tattooed monkey sex in a minivan but I have kids now so I can't," don't they?

I'll be picking up the chocolates on Thursday and then whisking them off to you so enjoy them when you get them, tattooed minivan mom. And share a piece or two with your kids. I know Halloween is coming up but they deserve it. After all, you make them wear masks even when it isn't Halloween!

The SITS Photoshop Contest Makes My Chocolate Contest Look Bogus!

Bogus!? Who says "bogus" anymore? What is this, 1991? The last time anyone used "bogus" in a sentence, Keanu Reeves was still driving on a permit. Am I that old? Don't go there cause it ain't pretty.

But it's true! The gals over at The Secret is in the Sauce have a very saucy contest going on where one lucky SITSta (and the inlcudes me, yay!) will win the new Photoshop Elements 7. Now I realize that PE7 won't taste anywhere near as good as my chocolates will, but I will be able to do things with PE7 long after those chocolates are a distant flush, er uhm, memory away.

So if you are a SITSta and you haven't entered the contest, click here. You get one entry for signing up and commenting, one entry each day for role call, and 5 entries if you post about the contest and include a link. As of posting time, that gets me 6. If you're not a SITSta yet, well then you should be. Drop everything and hurry on over to The Secret is in the Sauce.

Trust me, it's fun to be saucy. Saucy, saucy, saucy, saucy. I just love saying it over and over...(can you tell I'm gay) Now go but remember to come back here and enter my chocolate contest. It's better than a kick in the pants...

Ethel, I think we should have entered the Photoshop contest instead!

The Phils Go to the World Series - Holographic Meatloaf Sees Red

The Phil's are celebratin' but Dave's a-cryin'

Yes, fans, the Philadelphia Phillies have beaten the Los Angeles Dodgers in 5 games to advance to the World Series. While I never doubted their success, Dave over at Holographic Meatloaf was certain that the Dodgers were going to stop us in our tracks. As a little side bet, if the Dodgers won, I had to incorporate their logo into my blog title and I had to leave a post at the top of my blog for 30 days stating that the Dodgers were the best baseball team ever and that Holographic Meatloaf was the best blog ever. But if the Dodgers lost, well, does anyone see the Dodger's logo here? Nope.

I must say that Dave is a really good sport. He actually did a very decent job of incorporating the Phillies' logo into his blog header. He promises to keep it there for 30 days, except for possibly on Halloween. (Considering how badly the Dodgers lost, I'll throw him that bone) So go check out his handsome blog and the blog header that has panache! And check out that great post which tells the world just who really is the best baseball team (Phillies) and the best blog ever (Me and the Blue Skies)! Make sure you let him know that you found him through me. I'm sure he'll love that! Hey Dave! Wanna make a wager on the World Series? Hmmm?

The Secret is in the Sauce!

Entrecard beware! I was stumbling around Nanny Goats in Panties blog and I found something better. It's a blog called The Secret is in the Sauce. So what is it? It's a blog and blog community where they believe in blog recognition and comment support! How awesome. Everyone can appreciate a little recognition and boy, do I need some comment support. My chocolate Entrecard contest isn't doing too well right now and I was hoping that would increase my comments. But now SITS is on my side, at least I think they are anyway.

You see, the only problem is that SITS is a community of female bloggers and well, I'm a guy. But I'm a gay guy and we have a "special link" with the opposite sex. Besides, their blog consists of a pink AND leopard print background. I realize that separately pink and leopard prints are not exclusively gay. BUT put them together and I can gaurantee you that every drag queen in America has at least one outfit with that color combination. (Anybody buying this yet?)

So please gals at SITS, let me be one of the girls. I'm practically there already. And gay men are great companions. We know what women like, we love to shop, we can pretend to be a boyfriend when an unwanted advance is made, and we're good dancers to boot. Hey, I'll even stoop to bribes. I will include any SITS member in my Entrecard chocolate contest. Just scroll down to my original contest post and leave a comment telling me you are from SITS. One random winner is going to get a one pound box of fabulous chocolates from Aunt Selma's Candy.

So hit me up SITS members. I promise I can be saucy.

I'm in Love with the Free Credit Report Dot Com Guy

I admit it. I’ve got a crush on the Free Credit Report Dot Com guy. I just can’t help myself. He’s all over the TV singing those cute songs and looking so darn cute in his waiter/pirate outfit, driving that cute beat up car, or riding that shabby old cute bike. His newest commercial has him acting like he’s a big star, singing a sort of rap tune and looking all cute and superior. Then you realize that he’s just the waiter. Omigod! Is that not just adorable? Do you not just want to eat him up for dinner?

Come on, admit it. He’s got that cute curly hair and chubby cheeks and a sexy, smirky poor guy smile that gets ya right where it counts. (Well if it worked for Shirley Temple, it could work for him) He’s got what we call “geeky hotness.” It makes me want to have his baby, and considering that I’m a 48 year old gay man, that’s saying something. If he wants credit, he’s looking in all the wrong places. I’ll give him all the credit he wants--and more.

Is he on the menu?

Ok so right now most of you woman are going, “Oh, you’re right. He IS so cute!” And most of you guys, if you’re even still reading this, are screaming, “Someone, please, somehow show me Pamela Sue Anderson’s breasts before I get sick!” But let’s be honest boys. Men can find other men attractive and still not be gay. It’s a known fact that if you give a straight man the choice between having sex with Bea Arthur or Brad Pitt, 90% of the time he’ll pick Brad Pitt. But I have a sneaking suspicion that they only pick Brad because deep down inside they believe there’s a remote chance of finding a lingering taste of Angelina Jolie on him. (and with those lips of hers, I’m sure that there’s more than just a lingering taste of her on Brad.)

But I digress. This isn’t about Angelina, Brad, or why straight men cringe at the thought of sex between two men but drool over the thought of sex between two women. It’s about me and my infatuation with someone who is probably less than half my age and is as unattainable as Brad and Angelina are. But when I watch those commercials, I feel like a little girl at a Jonas Brothers concert. And I don’t care. In fact, the original Pirate restaurant song is my ring tone on my cell phone. And if he put out a poster, I’d buy it and put it over my bed. If he put out a cd, I’d listen to it every day. If he held a concert, I’d be in the front row jumping up and down, screaming and crying. (can we all say Beatlemania?) But I refuse to go to a Jonas Brothers concert. After all, even I’m not that gay.

Entrecard Users Unite! and Please Read This Post and Win Chocolate!

About a week ago, I joined Entrecard and almost immediately my blog traffic more than doubled. I use StatCounter to track my traffic and I was totally amazed at the immediate increase. With all the time and effort I was spending at BlogCatalog, I wasn't getting these kind of results. (BlogCatalog is still awesome) Then along came Entrecard and wham, bam, thank you Ma'm, my blog took off like lightning. Or did it?

I've been reading various posts and articles about Entrecard and it seems that some people are simply dropping their cards and then leaving the blog without really checking it out. In fact, it seems a lot of Entrecard users are doing this. I don't want people who just come to my blog to improve their Entrecard worth, I want them to read my blog. (and improve their Entrecard worth while they're at it)

I don't even want to get into the problems the Entrecard was having recently. Barring that, the first blogs I visit are ones in my drops in box, when I can access it. But I just don't drop my card and leave. I look at the blog first. If it seems like the type of blog I'm interested in, I'll check out the most recent post. If I like the post, I may make a comment or even read later posts. I then drop my card. If it's not a blog I'm interested in, I simply give a courtesy drop and move on.

This process has lead me to some great blogs and some not-so-great blogs, too. It is also time cosuming. While I like building up my Entrecard account, I also need time to post to my blog. So here's the BIG concern of mine: Are Entrecard members actually reading my blog or just dropping their cards and moving on? And here's the BIG request: Whether you've reached my blog through Entrecard or some other means, please leave a comment on this post indicating how you found my blog.

To sweeten the deal, if I get 25 or more comments on this post by Saturday October 18, I will randomly send a 1 lb. box of gourment chocolates to one of the comment posters. It'll be from this great candy store near my work. I picked Heather up a box recently (as a pick me up treat) and she said that they were so good that she wasn't sure if she should eat them or rub them all over her. Now that's some mighty fine chocolates. I'll even write a post about the winner and the winner's blog as well as provide links to the candy store near my work.

So get to it guys. Prove me wrong. Show me that Entrecard is not just sending me deadbeat hits that don't read my blog. Show me you love me--or at least sorta like me--or at least sorta like my blog. I'll even settle for just wanting the damn chocolates. (I'm not proud. I stoop to bribes) Whatever the reason, leave me a comment. Don't leave me hanging here with a box of chocolates and no one to send them to... it won't be pretty.

You're Appreciated! If You Blog It, He Will Come

Welcome to my third installment of You’re Appreciated!, the un-award of un-awards. This is where I get to feature three blogs that I feel are worth taking a closer look at. The following three blogs have their own special ‘niches’ but don’t be fooled into thinking that it all ends there. A closer inspection reveals that they all are more than what they first appear to be. I love blogs that hook me with one premise and then steadily reel me in with impressive writing, well thought out opinions, and honest, fresh views of their personal lives. This is true blogging at it’s best. And although you all love me and know that I am never wrong, don’t just take me word on it. Check ‘em out for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.

Pick of the Literate is a book review blog but don’t let that fool you--it’s oh so much more. Impressively written by William Bentrim, this blog is flavored with William’s upbeat view of the “kaleidoscoping drama of life.” He describes himself as “a voracious reader who believes that Science Fiction provides us with hope for our future and goals to pursue.” On the surface, that may sound strange but it all makes sense once you read his profile and check out some of his posts. Ironically, two posts that caught my attention recently had nothing to do with book reviews: Panic or Greed Both Are Self Centered, Self-Fulfilling and Self Destructive and Toe the line, or else! Read these two posts and I’m sure you’ll see why Pick of the Literate is my pick to be appreciated.

Lilly’s Life is a personal blog by Lilly (who else?), an Aussie gal who pulls no punches and shoots straight from the hip. A review of her blog by Matt on Entrecard describes her blog much better than I could: “Lilly has an uncanny ability to make everyday events in her life into very funny and entertaining stories for her readers. Yet, she shows great insight and perspective on important issues that affect us all. She has several ‘series’ which she posts to on a regular basis and I highly recommend them all.” For an example of that insight and perspective, check out her When did personal responsibility die? post. Slight warning: Like me, Lilly’s posts have a tendency to be a tad long.

3 Kids and Us is written by Catherine who describes herself as “25 years old, married, with two beautiful children and a husband. We live in a quiet, smaller community, in an adequate home. Oh and then there's the dog.” 3 Kids is a fairly new blog that Catherine decided to start when she learned that child number 3 was on it’s way--hence the name “3 Kids and Us.” I really enjoy reading her posts which vary greatly. Whether she’s updating her readers on baby #3, blogging about eating her son’s Spaghetti O’s for lunch, or expressing her concerns about purchasing a new home on credit, Catherine serves up a slice of what real America and real Americans are all about. She’s gearing up to celebrate her 100th post and I urge everyone to join in. After all, we Americans love a good celebration.