kapgar

Oh my crush, I've got a crush...

Is it too late to back out of this?

Yes?

Damn.

Oh well. I guess I'm committed to and must announce my blog crush considering this is, after all, Reveal Your Blog Crush Day.

Grrrrr...

You would think I would have learned my lesson some months ago when I was revealing a list of some of my favorite bloggers only to discover I had left a few people off the finished list.

I felt guilty as hell about it despite protestations that I didn't need to worry. Call it "Catholic Guilt," if you will. And I'm agnostic. Go fig.

Anyway, at that time, I swore to myself I would never participate in such exclusionary blog practices ever again.

I am, if nothing else, a man of my word.

Yeah right.

I know that Sandra and Sizzle decided that we, as participants in this most valunted day of days, can pick as many blog crushes as we want. And, as much as I may have been leaning this way initially, I will instead just pick one recipient of my blogaffection.

Why? Because I don't want to wind up in a situation similar to the one I described above in which I forget one or two names in a list of many. Perhaps it's just me, but I would be more hurt to have been forgotten from a list of many than to lose out to a single winner. Think in terms of being an actor nominated for an Academy Award. How bad would you feel if, suddenly, all your fellow nominees were awarded a statuette, save for you? Color me crazy, but I'd want to crawl in a hole and die.

That is why, in the words of the Highlander, "There can be only one!"

So who is this lucky person? Who is that one special individual to whom I have devoted myself? The recipient of my bloggy-style lovin'?

It is tough. Really. I read so many damn fine bloggers out there. I literally have dozens upon dozens of people whose new words I await with breathless anticipation. So many of you out there I just know I could meet in real life (if I haven't already) and we'd get along just famously.

(do note my carefully crafted, yet horribly transparent, attempt to stall)

But I have limited this decision to one. And I am a man of my word. This time. Really. I swear.

Okay, enough procrastinating.

[drum roll please]

Little ditty 'bout Dave and Diane...

Dealing with traffic on I-88 east: absolute hell.

Putting up with the Hillside Strangler on 290 east: even more hell.

Coping with no traffic flow whatsoever on 90 west: the worst kind of hell.

Being able to meet up with Dave and Diane at Chicago's Pizza and Pasta and then having drinks at two bars afterward: friggin' priceless!

I've raved about meeting Dave before (opportunity #1 and #2) and having a chance to meet up with him again was great. But Diane is a new blogger buddy of mine and far too cool for words. If you have a chance to meet either, do so. By all means.

Oh, and the redeye could be a combination of the flash and the drinking. Who's to say for sure?

I also need to give a big thanks to another blogger buddy of mine, Hilly, who sent me a belated birthday gift. My gift to her was late as well so she need not feel guilty. Plus she fed my craving for all things David Sedaris by gifting me with Holidays on Ice and Live at Carnegie Hall. Sweet!

What is love...

I got this e-mail from Sandra the other day...

Hey Kevin,

Me and Sizzle were just chatting and decided to declare December 15 "reveal your blog crush day". We thought you might like to help spread the word, and perhaps reveal your own (who, of course, will NEVER compare to Katie!).

Whatcha think?

Oh wow. I... I... I'm not sure. The pressure inherent in making such a revelation.

What kind of criteria do I use to make this decision?

Can I have more than one or do I have to be monoblogamous?

If I'm straight in real life do I have to be straight here or can I return the love that Neil gave me some months ago?

Should it be a long-term crush or can I show love to someone that I only recently discovered?

Then, of course, there's the possibility that I may be showing unrequited blog love. Oh how that might crush me inside. Or what if the person I'm crushing on doesn't want my love at all? Perhaps they are cold-hearted bastards and blog love threatens their only known way of life?

There are so many things to take into consideration when taking part in such a grand event.

Oh I'm in!

Anybody else?

Thank you for loving me...

I feel bad.

I feel bad because I haven't had as much time to be a part of the blogosphere as I once was. There was a time when I would spend quite a while reading and commenting on the dozens upon dozens of posts put up by bloggers that I consider my virtual family.

But with all the work I've been doing lately with the new job, plus the additional commute time, some other side projects I have, work around the house, and holiday planning, I've been more than just a bit neglectful.

I still read, mind you. I read as much as possible. But commenting has been at a minimum. And that is one of the things I so love about blogging... commenting. It's the interaction that makes blogging so wonderful.

However, it may take me several days before I really get around to reading some blog posts. And, when I do, I'm reading several days worth of posts at a single sitting from one person.

What's so terrible about this, you might ask? Well, I miss out on great events such as Neil's Second Annual Thanksgiving "Thank Your First Commenter" Day. What a great idea! To recognize the first person that left a comment for you on your site.

Even though it's several days late, I'd like to participate after the fact. I hope that's okay with you, Neil. Don't hate me for being tardy.

To be honest, I don't know my first commenter since I started my static HTML blog. Especially since I didn't have comments implemented and had to rely on e-mail for interaction. So I really need to forego the first seven years I "blogged" and go with the first person who left a comment on my "real" blog.

That taken into consideration, my first commenter is SJ. It was my 17th day of blogging and my post was about whether I should have the right to rerate movies I've seen and books I've read if I feel that a second viewing or reading has made my perception of it better or worse. Her comment was...

I run into this same ethical conundrum myself, on Chronic Listaholic. Sometimes I slam something, then on second (or third) listen/viewing/whatever, decide I like it. Or vice versa. I actually have a list I'm compiling of Ten Things I've Changed My Mind About.

So I vote for updating your review to reflect your revised opinion, then including a link to it in the Recent Updates list.

To SJ, I owe a debt of thanks for my official welcome to bloggerdom. And for still being there as my blog buddy to this day. Even if I have been a bit reclusive.

The goose is getting fat...

It’s cold. Damn cold. It’s so cold I’ve got icicles growing from my…

Yeah, anyway.

Suffice it to say, it’s so cold I’m tempted to just let my winter template drop now.

You read that right. So many of you inspired me with your October Breast Cancer Awareness month, Halloween, and winter holiday templates that I decided to try a shift of my own.

No, it’s not an entirely new template. I worked too long and hard on this look to give up on it that quickly. So, instead, I just took the design I have now and, much like my truck, I simply “winterized” it.

I like it. And Hilly gave it a thumbs up on preview, too, so it’s all good. Speaking of which, she has a swanky new Christmas 'do, as well. Check out who's stylin' now! Actually, it seems she has a new winter template every flippin' time I visit her blog anymore. I can count at least three distinct ones so far. This may or may not be barring any subtle design shifts she has implemented to each in the interim. DECIDE!!!

Basically, I wanted something I could use for longer than a month. The little bit of time during which I could’ve shifted to a Halloween template didn’t strike me as being worth the time I would spend designing it. But why not the whole winter season? I figured I could use it for about three months, being upper Illinois, and make it worth the effort.

But if the weather lately is any indication, I may wind up needing to keep this damn thing for closer to four or five months.

It’s gonna be that bad a winter, I’m’a thinkin’. Commence drooling now, SJ.

Until I touch the midnight sun...

It's another snippet kinda day for me.

Where the Hell in Google Earth is...
It suddenly dawned on me that I never revealed the answers for the latest installment of Where the Hell in Google Earth is? Maybe I was holding out hope that more people would guess and those final few would be figured out. Anyway, here are the answers...

1. Universal Studios, California, USA - good call, Dave.
2. Paramount King's Island, Ohio, USA
3. Six Flags - Great America, Illinois, USA - good rationale, Kilax, wrong picture, though.
4. Epcot Center, Florida, USA - good call, Dave.
5. Hershey Park, Pennsylvania, USA - I'm kinda shocked Dave didn't get this one.
6. Sea World - San Diego, California, USA - the prize goes to SJ.
7. Disneyland Resort Paris, France - good call, Dave.

Photo ops
This was pretty cool. Late last week, I received an out-of-the-blue e-mail from a local park district official saying that she was searching through online photo repositories when she found mine. She really dug my photos and my blog and asked if I would be interested in teaching a class on personal Web site design and basic photography.

Um... heck yeah! Sign me up.

Bear in mind that nothing is set in stone. She was just throwing around ideas for a spring course booklet and, when we talk, it may turn out that nothing will come of this. But one can hope all the same.

I don't need Cialis, really
Have any of you Gmail users out there been receiving an inordinate amount of spam in the last week? By "inordinate" I mean "a helluva lot more than usual." Just over the course of this past weekend, I tallied 175 spam messages of which I'd say 90% have been about Cialis. Already today I've received 30+ spams. Thankfully, they seem to have moved beyond the Cialis push.

Dear God, does it ever end? I pray for a day when all the governments of the world give us "shoot on sight" freedom regarding known spammers. Again, one can hope.

Go Bears!
That's all I want to say. It's their first Monday Night Football game in some time, so I wish them well as they go to pound the everloving crap out of Arizona.

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Latest Fun With Dead Trees reviews - Claire returns with reviews of Setting Your Genius Free: How to Discover Your Spirit and Calling by Dick Richards, Portraits: Talking with Artists at the Met, the Modern, the Louvre and Elsewhere by Michael Kimmelman, and Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding & Correcting Common Dog Problems by Cesar Millan with Melissa Jo Peltier.

Where in the world is...

I broke my consecutive days of blogging streak. Almost made it a year and four months. Funny thing was that I actually had this post almost finished, but never quite got around to completely finishing it and clicking that submit button. C'est la vie. Will you all forgive me?

On to the post.

I warned you that I may do this again. And, even though it has taken me a while to compile all the images I wanted, it is done. Yes, it is round 2 (round 1 challenges and answers can be found here) of what I am now going to call Where the Hell in Google Earth is . . .

This is the Amusement Park edition. It's not going to be easy, so you may have to work together and rely on other people who have visited some of these parks. Talk in the comments if you need to. Use your own judgment on whether you trust someone's resolute claim of "knowing it." But I'll give you some time to answer these. I will throw the answers up on Friday unless you all get the answers sooner than that.

As always, for more Google Earth fun, check out Google Sightseeing.

Here they are in the extended post...

Carnival time is here, magical time of year...

Welcome one, welcome all to the kapgarized edition of the Carnival of the Mundane...

I gotta tell you all that I'm ashamed of you! We're coming up to week four of the (American) football season and we're 0-3! I expect more than this from you. Our GM has spent a lot of money to ensure that we bring the Lombardi trophy home... where it belongs... right here in our stadium for the fans who have supported you all these years to enjoy again.

And this is how you repay their loyalty?

I was called up to the GM's office last night and got a tongue lashing. I don't like being spoken to like that. That's why we're all here right now. We're going to figure out what it'll take to turn around this season before it's too late!

He's not afraid to cut us all loose at the end of the season. He's got the money to buy a whole new team and, if we keep up these losing ways, you know that stud college quarterback will be his first choice in the draft next year.

Do you really think that all of you, with the way we're playing now, will get a new job all that easily? Do you think other teams are going to care about you when you're languishing on the free agent list?

No!

That's why we need to prove ourselves here and now. Show our mettle. Let people know how tough we can be!

So here's the game plan...

Where in the world is...

After rediscovering Google Earth due to that post about the naked sunbather, I've been playing with it a little bit. I forgot how much fun this program is.

But what really strikes me is how odd things appear when you look at them in satellite view. In some instances, you can immediately tell what something is. However, sometimes, the overhead view makes you lose that ability to recognize it.

So I decided to make a game out of it. I have, below, seven screen captures taken from Google Earth. In the vein of my beloved, and unfortunately forgotten, Mystery Photo ID game, can you ID these satellite images? If a photo appears cluttered, it should still be pretty obvious what it is I am trying to focus on for the ID.

Give it a whirl in the extended post...

I've got a question for you...

I need an opinion from all of you. I received a comment on my review of Joshua Braff's The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green review over on FWDT yesterday. It's a highly negative comment in tone as you can read below...

I extremely dislike this book! It would be better if I could reccomend it to anyone under 50. I don't approve of this book because of the r-rated content. Joshua Braff is a sick-minded perv that needs to lighten up the sexual content in this unbelievably sick novel. I hereby state that this book is for the elderly folk.

The comment has no usable URL (http://mynameisurl.com/) or e-mail address (Noway@idontthinkso.com) for means of commenting back, and it really doesn't serve much purpose overall other than to trash the book in a non-constructive way.

But I hesitate because it's not a spam comment in the traditional sense. And, I think, he's trying to make some point amidst all his rambling.

If you were maintaining the FWDT site, would you pitch it? Or should I just post a counterpoint reply comment in defense of the book, but without taking the low ground and resorting to verbally abusing the commenter?