What makes you want to read a blog?

I have a question: What makes you want to read a blog? I don't mean just once, but to frequently visit? Like returning to a favorite vacation spot, such as Miami Beach? Sometimes I blog hop - when I'm blocked from writing or just want see what everybody's doing. If I find a new blog I really like, even if I've never met the blog's author, even if we have no friends in common, I'll add it to my blog roll. My requirements for this is: 1) There are frequent recent blog posts. If the last post was a month ago, or worse, monthS ago, I probably won't bother to check it out again much less add it to my blog roll. 2) The posts have to be interesting. They don't have to be earth-shattering, just pleasant or fun to read. One thing I'm not thrilled with even if there are frequent and recent posts, is if the blog is only promotional. For instance, some authors only post excerpts and reviews of their books. There's no other meat to the blog. I might as well visit a book review site or a publishers' for sale pages and read them. I don't mind, and even like to read excerpts and reviews - IF there's more than ONLY that. That's pretty much my only requirements. I don't think that's being too hard on anyone. Or do you? I don't only read mommy blogs, or author/writing blogs, or how to blog better blogs. I like some variety. Heck, I even (sometimes very much) enjoy reading blogs about the gay lifestyle even though I'm not gay. So, what do you like to read/see in blogs and on the flip side, what don't you like to see or read on a blog? Does something annoy you? Is there something you'd like to see but don't see enough of? Or that you require to return? Do you ever lucky enough to find a blog where you can't wait for more? Where the entries are so enticing, you get addicted and go back for more and more? After I wrote this post (I usually pre-schedule my posts as I'm a big believer in being prepared and with the day job demanding lots of overtime, often without warning, and with being the Mom Taxi to several kids, there are some nights I can't blog or do anything I planned) I found this really cool blog that's talking about the same subject. In fact, it offers a valuable service: critiquing your blog. The name is: Critique My Blog You don't have to ask - yes, I put my blog in the queue and hope to receive a critique. And I hope he'll like my blog or at least not find much that needs to be fixed. Inquiring minds want to know :) You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, and Sandra Cox are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :) You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

I don't care who started it...

I can sooooooooooooo relate.

So very often I feel just like this parent.

DD1 and DD2 fight with DS3 all the time. At least it feels like it.

Everybody except my kids think I'm pretty easy going. But my kids can really get me going when they're yelling and fussing at one another. It can ruin the best day when I come home from this. If it's already been a crappy day, then the kids had better watch out. I probably look and sound just as bad as this lion when they get me going. You'll want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, and Sandra Cox are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

TV remotes and DVD players

This looks sooooo like our house. Hubby's always complaining that the remote is missing and it's always close by like in the couch cushions or on his nightstand or on the floor by his side of the bed (never by my side of the bed, um...) The hubby's really mad this week. The new DVD player is broken. he blames DS#3 but as I keep telling him, there's 6 people in the house, he can't just assume without proof. Plus electronic things sometimes break on their own. It's not always human doing. Anyway, the DVD player is on its way to Pennsylvania to be repaired so we'll have to rough it without. Now we only have the choice of 500+ satellite stations until it returns. Poor, poor us. Like I watch that much TV anyway. Hubby usually monopolizes it anyway plus I'm usually writing or reading and I need to get back into my nightly walking. You'll want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, and Sandra Cox are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

I not has a PMS!!!!

Um, this lioness pales in comparison to DD#2 when she's PMSing. Hint, the poor lion should throw chocolate at the lioness. That's the only thing that helps my daughter. I don't think I suffer from PMS, at least not often and not nearly as bad. I feel for DD#2, though. Poor lion. Poor lioness. Yikes! I thought I scheduled this to post at 7 AM this morning. But I see it was onlhy saved as a "draft". Good thing I checked. Not that this is any world-enlightening wisdom but I like to have a daily post. It also gives me the chance to add something else on my mind. Why are the gay and menage romances so popular right now? Why are women eating up gay (or as we call them in the industry "M/M") romances? I came out of the closet a few months ago for those of you that remember. I admitted I was once engaged to a man, "D", who came out to me as being gay and how shocked and hurt I was. That experience, that individual, tainted my view of this group of people for years. It wasn't until I met my friend M at my current day job that I got a better, hopefully more acurate glimpse, of gay men as people like everybody else. M is a great person. He's loving and caring to everybody. He's funny and smart and a good friend. He's in a committed and loving long-term relationship, probably one of the strongest I know. When he talks about his SO "K" it's always with love and adoration. When I'm with them, I can feel the love and respect between them and for others. M and K are universes apart from D. So after all these years I finally realize that it was just D's personality, to me he was sleazy - sleep around, lying and cheating, that was the real issue. I feel terrible for judging other people on the basis of him. I can only say I was very young, 17, and that that situation with D set off a horrible chain reaction in the rest of my life that also added to my bad feelings. Anyway, getting back to the topic in general, one of my writers' groups is discussing why they think women like M/M and menage romance. I think they're off base and so I'd like other opinions. At least one of them think it's because the women who read them (or any romance) is because they're too old and too scared to go after a real man for themselves, so they fantasize with our books. I don't buy this. When my mom found herself single in her fifties, she dated a lot. She joined groups of other singles her age and they all dated a lot. I also know a lot of married women who like to read and write romance books and watch romantic movies. Just because I'm married doesn't mean I don't melt at the prospect of a good romance. I still adore them. I don't like to peg people anymore. I feel badlyl I ever did. I'd like to think I've finally grown up. What do you think? Why are M/M and menage romances so popular presently? You'll want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, and Sandra Cox are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Thursday Thirteen: edition 16 - 13 funny cartoons and pics

Thirteen Funny Cartoons & Pictures I'm not feeling very well today so I'm going to do this the easy way. Following are 13 cartoons and pictures I think are funny. Enjoy!

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At least I've not had a donor do this to me...yet.

That's all 13, but here's one more bonus picture, just because I love it. :)

Next is the picture of a man with mere seconds to live.

You'll want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, and Sandra Cox are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Author pics - to glam or not to glam

You may (or may not) have noticed that I changed my author pic on blogger a few days ago. Heck, you may never have noticed my author pic even if you visited every day. Not that you needed to. But IF you did, you'd see that my glamor shot photo has gone bye bye. Oh, it's still saved on my hard drive and still on one of my many web pages somewhere. However, it's not here, on my main web page (www.ashleyladd.blogspot.com). Why not? A famous author has been giving me some suggestions and one is to lose the glamor shot. Supposedly it's not professional and isn't something the bigger name authors do. Is this really so? I'm not sure. Usually, I'd research by going web page to web page of the best selling authors at the big publishing houses and do a survey. I probably will soon and post the results here. But I've been a bit busy between overtime at the day job and edits out the ying yang. Anyway, I changed it. I was tired of that pic anyway and personally I do prefer pictures showing us as our normal selves in our every day attire and make-up. I didn't hop to change it right away. I wasn't being reluctant or obstinate any more than I was rushing to comply. But I didn't have any good recent shots of me. Then I finally (duh!) remembered I had my MySpace pic I could use for blogger. So, I've finally done it. I hope this is more acceptable. Let me ask you, other authors and readers: Does it matter to you what kind of picture an author posts of herself (as long as it's not criminal or immoral?) Would it affect sales to readers or getting a contract with a publisher? Does it bespeak of professionalism? Opinions are welcome. If you're an author, what kind of picture do you have posted of yourself? Or do you post your pic and if not, why not? I see that a lot of authors don't post any picture but instead, they post one of their book covers. You'll want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirsch, Molly Daniels, and Sandra Cox are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

The many uses of an ordinary brick

I'm continuing this discussion from Brynn Paulin's Litergasm chat last Friday night, when the chatters got a little creative and a whole lot raunchy. LOL, it was fun. Brynn asked the question: "Give me five uses for a brick." Sooooooo, what were some of the answers? 1. pillow 2. foot warmer (if it could be heated) 3. weapon 4. birth control ??? (one said to threaten her hubby away with it) 5. sleep aid (as in hit yourself in the head and knock yourself out so you can sleep) 6. tie it around a man's balls??? (what the??? MAJOR OUCH!!!) 7. decoration 8. hold up tv 9. book mark 10. hat 11. door stop 12. paper weight 13. spider killer 14. extra chair (why not an entire couch or table? throw a cloth over it and use gingerly) 15. husband and teenager motivator (sadistic???) I'll add a couple. How about: artwork? you could do tole painting on them or build statues build an entire couch or table (my idea) build a tower and see how many bricks it takes till they fall? an outdoor oven (let food cook on them in the sun???) shoulder pads shoulder straighteners (to make them even if you're hunchbacked) shoes (tie them on with string - they'd look like wedgies, be all the rage) sound effects door knockers musical instruments (percussion of course) Okay, it's your turn. What other uses can you think of for bricks that's out of the ordinary? You'll want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirsch, Molly Daniels, and Sandra Cox are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

What my names mean - according to an Internet blogthing

What Elaine Means

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Elaine is the name my mama gave me. So here's Ashley, the name I gave me.

What Ashley Means

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Um... I see a lot of similarities between the meanings of "Elaine" and "Ashley". So does this mean the quiz says basically the same thing about every name, just moved around? (probably - like in horoscopes). Or if I were to test a few other names would I truly find others to be a lot different?