Nebraska...that's a joke, right?

Somebody from Nebraska's board/department of tourism hired the Jay Leno advertising agency to attract people to their state this summer.

Ummm...??????

I see their plan: let's draw all those tourist dollars to Nebraska.

I mean, after all, how many times can you go to hotshot destinations like Orlando and Williamsburg? So...might as well go to Nebraska!

I get it, and I know there are lovely parts of Nebraska.

But tell me...does this commercial draw you in?

I still feel a wee bit suspicious, like someone is having me on at my expense.

While on the topic of nothing much whatsoever...

And after weighting this blog down with the unbearable heaviness of being all week, I have some bloggy business to take care of that is much lighter.

About a month ago my buddy Roz tagged me for a meme, and since things are a little heavy there now too, this is one silly thing I can do in support of Roz.

1. What were you doing ten years ago today?

Today exactly? July 20? Uhhh...??? How about generally?

Let's see, 1997...we'd been married 4 years, were living in Belmont, MA, and I was working in Cambridge (Central Sq.).

2. What were you doing one year ago?

We had just moved to this house and then barely a month later drove up northeast to visit with my sister. We'd just gotten back around this time so I was probably frantically trying to unpack and get ready for the start of school.

3. Name five snacks you enjoy:

I don't really snack these days, but I do like:

avocado, on its own or with chips a la guacamole
fruit
crackers and cheese (something soft or super sharp cheddar)
Weight Watchers 1 pt snack cakes or popsicles (for those sweet urges)
Black olive tapenade

4. Name five songs you know all the lyrics to:

Okay wow, this is requiring some painful levels of thought!

Girl from Ipanema
Blackbird
Put Your Records On
Floodin' Down in Texas
A Little Bit is Better than Nada

5. Name five things you would do if you were a millionaire:

* Move back to Boston (That's all. I'm pretty sure that would take a million dollars right there.)
* I would like to start a charitable organization. (But again, I'm pretty sure that would take the whole million. Not necessarily, though, if you got other pledges. I've always wanted to start this thing called My Grandmother's House, as a sort of refuge for women and children in need.)
* College funds for kids and savings.
* Something for my extended family.
* Tour the world for a year, the entire family.

6. Name five bad habits:

Short-tempered
Potty mouth
Fidgeting with hair, nails, getting itches etc. when nervous
Thinking eating or buying something will solve a problem
Running late

7. Name five things you like doing:

Reading
Writing
Organizing and tidying
Getting my hair done
Getting a massage

8. Five things you would never wear again:

LEGGINGS! Except to yoga, and those aren't the same.
Lime green polyester
Bandana shirts
Big chunk belts at my hips
Hair bows

9: Name five favorite toys:
(from childhood, I assume? or now? Either way, these are still myfavorite things to do with kids)

Barbies
Books
Lincoln Logs
Legos
Art supplies

10: Now for the tagging:

People who read here
People who comment here
People in my favorites (and that's expanded people, so know you are in it!)
People on that 'desperately-needs-to-be-updated-and-WTF-is-wrong-with-BlogRolling-these-days' list
Anyone who wants to do this

Also, the other week, Snoskred did a big passing along awards post, and I was the humbly happy recipient of the Blogging Community Involvement Award. Since you all know how important the blogging community is to me, this one means a lot. Thanks Snoskred! And in a further burst of generosity, I got the Rockin' Girl Blogger...the nice thing here is that I now know I can ROCK! Thanks a second time!





Now, in all sincerity, if I have you in my Technorati Favorites, it is because I think you rock out loud (cut your eyes back over here...do NOT look at the BlogRolling list, that's not anything I use and I just need to fix it, update it or cut it).

So what I am going to do is wait for Izzy to finish her Rockin Reader award setup (right? Izzy?) and then I'm going to pass along these awards.

For now, despite my dislike of naming names, I am going to pass along the Blogging Community Involvement Award. There are some people who have done quite a bit towards understanding and building community in the blogosphere, a group I am honored and humbled to be a part of.

BlogRhet

If you haven't been to BlogRhet, give it a visit. What is it? You can read more about that here, but briefly:

This blog is intended as a discussion space that reflects on the practice of blogging itself, especially as it pertains to questions of community, citizenship, and identity. Its contributors are women from many walks of life, academics, teachers, SAHMs, writers, mothers, and grandmothers. All of us author personal blogs and all of us are intrigued by what blogging might mean in a broader context.

Her Bad Mother and Gingajoy are the co-founders, so I leave them in charge of this award, but it goes to every single one of the contributors. Congrats all!

P.S. I am responding to your comments in past posts, so check down, especially to the Rebel without a cause one (my next destination). Many thanks to all of you...and my sister, who, as usual, phoned in her comment---but who has agreed to do a Dueling Banjos co-post or guest post for this blog.

copyright 2007 Julie Pippert