Thursday, June 23, 2011

fabled franchised Friday fragments

Oh, it’s Friday in more than half the world now so lets start Friday Fragments (FF). I heard Mrs. 4444 has been spotted on the left coast. Lots of celebrities out there. I think she wanted to join in. Check her blog for a full Friday filling of fragments.

Be aware Mrs. 4444 the FF host is a teacher, so she probably would not appreciate us skipping our Friday blog assignments.

Mommy's Idea

We had stormy weather Tuesday night. There was no problem here but one daughter had a good size tree limb come crashing down in her front yard. It was a close one for her. Sirens, lightning, thunder, wind and rain filled the evening.

There was an outdoor concert going on in Chicago that evening. It was stopped. Guess the band playing?

Earth Wind and Fire


I have a 40th high school reunion coming up. The better half and I are planning to attend. I dusted off the school year book and started flipping through it to refresh my memory. All the pictures are in black and white.
I posted this status on FB the other day:

40th HS reunion coming up - hope everyone remembers their reading glasses




I hate calls from companies, charities, banks, etc. I signed us up on the do-not-call list but that’s doesn’t seem to matter. Since we still have a landline (I have debates with my wife about dropping it) I think we get even more because the number is published. I even get a unknown number on my cellphone at times and that’s really bad because the call will use up my minutes.

Today I get this call, some guy saying that he calling on behalf of some opinion-up-your-ass company (Ok I don’t remember the name) and would like to ask me a few questions about whatever. We went back and forth a little about who this group was. I pointed out the do-not-call thing and he tells me that it does apply to his company because he is not selling anything just asking for my opinion. I told him I could give him my opinion of this phone call but I won’t and hung up.


Don’t know what to get that security enthusiast for their next birthday or Christmas?

The toy TSA scanner wand - The TSA was not in existence when I was young. Good thing too. My friends and I would have set-up a security point on the sidewalk for all the younger kids. Oh, if you do get this for someone - don’t buy them any rubber gloves - that’s pushing it too far.
 

I can’t blog

Hey any of you remember my experimental blog, I Can’t Blog?

Yeah I thought so, what blog?

Well another blogger commented on it today. It’s been about 2 months since that happened. I drop a comment up there once and awhile (sad huh?). One month ago I dropped this in the comment section:
this comment section is like an echo in the canyon of a blog. A comment stays here for you to reread it again and again echoing in a digital way.

So I might put a third post up there soon. Ok, if you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about you need to read the first post up there. That post was going to be the only post. It worked for awhile.

So this third post will be on the general subject of blogging.  Any suggestions?



Not long ago I offered up simple blog game - match my phrase with the blog. I got a good response and most all of the bloggers matched their own blog. But surprising to me (you guys need incentives?) nobody tried guessing all nine.

Just in case anyone is still wondering (I doubt it) here’s the answers.
  • blogs from over the rainbow land - Lilly’s Life
  • happy her pool stopped moving closer to Hollywood - The Fifty Factor
  • just drawn to it - Bearman Cartoons
  • will sit anywhere as long as it is on the bus - Pearl, Why You Little
  • has seen hot rocks monkey visits - OneStonedCrow
  • thinks a paper bag is retro - Unknown Mami
  • puzzles over her next puzzle - Jillsy Girl
  • met Forrest Gump at Chippewa Square - Savannah Marsh Mama
  • fights spiders dreams of Halloween - Half-Past Kissin’ Time

If you are interested the game post (follow link) has all the blog links.

28 comments:

Kristina P. said...

40? I would have said 20 year reunion!

lisleman said...

well thanks - I hope this means that you'll read my wisdom with even more appreciation now.  On the other hand I hope it didn't bust some imagine you had of me.  Really you are just being nice.  20 c'mon - actually that was the first one I attended.  Maybe we should start blog reunions - nah can't have drinks and food on the blogs but there could be plenty of stories.  Take care little one.

Jillsy Girl said...

I, too, wonder whether we need a landline.  The majority of phone rings are from solicitors (except for my mom!).  

lisleman said...

yeah but what will your mom do?  Don't have her call me!
You do end up getting stuck with the number because you have used it at all these businesses.  The time is coming though when we will just drop it.

TechnoBabe . said...

I really liked your take on the phone solicitors, doesn't matter if they are selling something or just want your opinion, they are indeed soliciting. I like what you told that persistent non-solicitor. You were much nicer than I would be. 

elliereads said...

Years before the Do Not Call list, I worked for a market research company out of Oakbrook. Totally legitimate, if you fit within the phone screening parameters, you would get invited to a screening when you would then be paid, men more than women, for your opinions.  (Men usually got $100 for a two hour session.)

However, if someone asked to be removed from the list, well, we did.

Lisle like next to Naperville?  If so, you'll understand when I tell you I live in Aurora, on the Oswego side, but I lived in N'ville for 20+ years.  If not the Illinois Lisle, never mind.

lisleman said...

Oh getting paid for my opinion is a whole different thing.   I don't think anyone ever pays you over the phone.  I was just in Oswego a month ago or so.  The place has really changed from the days I went there with my brother for the drag racing.  I've been downtown Aurora too but not much.  Aurora reminds me of "Wayne's World" taking place there.  So yes I'm living in the town with the trees but not living in one.
thanks

lisleman said...

thanks - I typically don't even pick up the phone but this time I was at a phone without caller ID.  If you do pick up the phone and are not too busy you should have some fun and waste the caller's time.  I think I heard a chuckle from this guy at the end.  Once I told a girl (guessing 20's) that she really should look for a better job.

brainella said...

You could always try my husband's method of phone answering. When it rings and he doesn't know the number calling he will hit the answer button and then immediately hit the disconnect button. It drives me crazy!

lisleman said...

That only works well when there is a human on the other end.  Today a computer calls your phone and then listens for an answer before handing the call off to a human.  Did you ever notice the delay sometimes at the start of a telemarketer call?  It is the computer system transferring the call.  So tell your husband that he is hanging up on a computer with no emotions and plenty of memory.  The computer memory will record that the phone number was answered so someone was probably home at that time.
thanks for sharing and stopping by

Lex the Mom said...

I don't think we could ever lose the land line - unless it ever became obsolete (you think it would? Scary!).  I have my cell, I use it, I just don't rely on it.  Love technology, but the cell thing isn't a top on my list of tech.

I hate the solicitor calls, survey calls, etc. & we ARE unpublished.  We still get them.  Not very often, but we do.

I don't think I could play that blog phrase game.  The only blog I read from that list is HPKT with Mrs. 4s.

lisleman said...

Suggest you check some of those other blogs.  The original post on the game had the links.
Land line obsolete - some people think so now.  Public payphone are very rare now.  Maybe someday but it would be decades from now.  thanks

Pearl said...

Oh, it's been too long since I've been here.  Did I happen to mention that I've got one finger taped to another:?  Tragic serving accident.  Anyway, if there are typos that I don't fix, that's why.

You asked me earlier about the roving gang of writers I'm putting together.  Because my powers, such as they are, lie in writing and not much else, that's as far as I've gotten:  saying that I want to be in a gang (I'm hoping there could be silk jackets involved) and asking the artist in my attic to make me a tag.  Any ideas on how we could get all writerly?  Frankly, there are a lotof groups out there and that's all well and good, but I've only got time to write one post a day....

Any ideas?

Pearl

Stacy said...

What feels like a lifetime ago I spent a whole week working as a phone solicitor.  That was all the longer I could take it.  It's a horrible job and believe me the people calling you aren't any happier than you are.

Too funny about the Earth, Wind & Fire concert!

lisleman said...

Ok, I'm amazed you can write one post a day (just think if you had all your fingers).  I don't have too much trouble thinking of 3 to 4 a week but I would not sign up for one a day.  But maybe the rate is not that important.  I don't think it is.
Yeah there are many groups/sites and you having cats to help with research probably know what is out there better than me.  But so what - what do they know?  (no answer please)
Would you be interested in doing a review type thing of different posts?
You could request post links and collect posts that your cat wishes she could read.  I have ideas coming to me all the times.  It's too bad that most of them are crap.
"too long since I've been here"  -  ah you got that right - just saying.
Oh one more thing I posted about the blog gang idea once -
http://afcsoac.blogspot.com/2010/09/drive-by-blogging.html
thanks

lisleman said...

you are the first one to comment on the Earth Wind and Fire - thanks.  Maybe that group should not be allowed to have outdoor concerts.
thanks

Keetha Broyles said...

VERY funny about "Earth, Wind, and Fire" in the electrical storm.

lisleman said...

thanks - yes it was the "right" group for the outdoor show.

W.C. Camp said...

I'm tired of my phone in general. I still keep it because I figure there are so many references to credit card people and contacts but mostly all I get is sales people these days. Maybe if I move someday I will just drop it? W.C.C.

tracismixedbag said...

What kid in this world really wants to be the TSA? Imagine the touching moment where a parent is accosted and patted down by your friendly neighborhood TSA agent. And afterwards his son turns to him and says "Daddy, when I grow up, I want to be the agent that tells people to pass through the metal detector."

I've been hearing that a lot of places have been raining and storming. It's been unusually humid here and so I won't be surprised if we get some rain too. (I'd love that.)

lisleman said...

moving - that does offer the opportunity to drop it since it will be changing anyway.  Also, that points out a difference with today's cellphone use.  You can keep the cellphone number when you move if you have service from a large nationwide company.  So the area code does really mean any specific area anymore.   thanks

lisleman said...

funny - Your TSA scenario is better than some kid watching "Cops" and saying I want to grow-up and arrest dumb drunks.
thanks 

unknownmami said...

Just what I always wanted, a security scanner.

Get to meets Mrs. 4444 tomorrow. I hope she recognizes my paper bag.

lisleman said...

The blogosphere waits anxiously for the outcome of this meeting of great blog minds.
Trying to think of more ideas for it.  Arm wrestling doesn't make sense.  Maybe you could throw puns at each other.  You guys could do a post swap.  The Unknown and the 4444's - will there be wine?  beer? nachos? special sauce?  - would be funny if you both got drunk and posted a drunken post.  Well assuming you both would be funny drunks.
All the best - ladies

Kristin_The_Goat said...

I really enjoy my hs reunions - I hope you have a grand time.  I also hope they give you all name tags.  I wouldn't have known half the people with out the name tag.

In your blog game, I would have only gotten Mrs.4444.

lisleman said...

thanks for looking at the blog game.  Of course we had name tags and even with those we are starting to need LARGER print.  A neat idea was to print the yearbook picture on the name tag.  That also helps identify spouses.
thanks

Mrs4444 said...

These fragments really made me smile, Lisleman, and don't worry--Following Mr.4444 request, I did not "leave my heart in San Francisco." Besides, I was invisible out there--too may really famous people, haha.

Important: The next time you get a call like that, before you hang up, say, "Please remove my name and number from your call list." If you request that, it's like a law that they can never call you again.  It might amuse you to know that I always answer survey questions over the phone--I feel sorry for those people, given how many people likely turn them down! :)

General Blogging Topic (but an important one): Maybe ask people to reflect on how blogging plays into their life priorities and how they feel about that--where does blogging fall for you on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of importance?

lisleman said...

oh you taking a survey?  1 low - 10 high importance
Blogging should be below 5 but honestly I think it does creep up to 6, 7 at times.  I've been off line most of this week and while I have thought about it some it doesn't bother me much.  Now to just drop it cold would be like Forrest Gump and his running which you know I've written about before.

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