Friday Blog flashlight

Okay so I am a day late, sue me. This Friday blog flashlight idea is one I have been meaning to do for a while but haven't ever really gotten around to doing it. We shall see how it goes. Last week I posted a bit about Jason's contest over at the clarity of night. While the prizes are nice, and the feedback great, my favorite thing about his contests is I always manage to find any number of new blog reads that turn out to become my regular reading material.
Anyways, I meant to post about this much earlier this week so sorry for the delay. Especially since the deadline is Sunday. For those of you who managed to whet your appetite in the Clarity of night writing contest last week I have come across another one. Maht over at Moon Topples is having a contest of his own. No no, this is NOT a case of someone that was dissappointed in the results of the last one, running off to start his/her own. While I just found his blog THROUGH Jason's contest, he has done these before this as well. I won't bore you with all the rules but the deadline is the 7th and the word count is 500(if I am not mistaken.) Head on over and check it out. Just don't tell him EYE sent you or he may never let you back in.

If I don't see you before then, Have a great weekend!

BD

Overdue homework

So a little over a week ago, Heather in her infinite wisdom decided to give me a 'thinking blogger' award. In the spirit of 'innocent until proven guilty' the briliant donkey legal department would like to point out the following disclaimer:

The owner of this blog makes NO claims (expressed or implied) of THINKING whatsoever.

I, for what it is worth, am not sure what SHE may have been thinking. I suspect in fact that after finding out what she has done they may very well have revoked HER thinking blogger award.

Perhaps she misread it and thought it was supposed to be the 'stinking blogger' award.

Perhaps she has been talking to one of my exes and thought it said the 'shrinking blogger' award.

Once again the briliant donkey legal department would like to point out that:

A)exes always have an axe to grind

B)It was cold in that pool!

And

C)Even if he was no where near a pool at the time Florida is surprisingly cold in July!

Anyways, for whatever misguided reason she decided to give me this award. Part of this is that I am supposed to nominate 5 other blogs that make me think( which I am still not admitting to).

So without further ado, I hereby nominate the following.

James over at Burnettiquette: James posts almost every day and does so in a way that never fails to keep me interested and coming back for more. His posts cover everything from bad manners to all sorts of so called taboo subjects like race and religion. Agree or disagree with his point of view on any particular subject, I am willing to bet he WILL manage to make you think about it.

Laini and Meg over at Sunday scribblings. Each week these two ladies post a prompt meant to get your writing juices flowing. While I don't participate every week, I do often. Sometimes their prompts spur on at least a post. Other times they spur on even more. On a sidenote, congratulations to Lainie whose book "Faeries of Dreamdark Blackbringer" was published and will be available around June. I am quite tickled to hear this news, I can not imagine how SHE must feel.

Chris over at Inane thoughts and insane ramblings . Chris's blog is a great mixture of a lot of my favorite things. Humor, food, family, and even some posts that tend to make normal people think. I think the thing I like most about his blog is seeing the number of worthless husbands/fathers out there in the world giving us(men) a bad name, it is good to see some out there making us look better.

Mr. Schprock of the Schprock report. While I am fairly new to visiting his blog a few things don't take very long to realize. He provides a good combination of humor, and thought provoking posts which are always very well thought out and written. Oh and he is a fellow Bosox fan so that just makes it all the better.

Debra over at The barmaid blog is among my favorite blogs to read. Her posts rarely fail to make me laugh, almost cry, and yes even think(IF I actually EVER did which I still won't admit to). The part that impresses me the most though is she does this almost sneakily by wrapping her stories around the messages.

So there they are my 5 nominations.

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

2. Link to Ilker so that people can easily find the origin of the meme.

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

Ummmm this unfortunately is not optional for me. I have ZERO clue how to get this into my sidebar so if someone wants to clue in the clueless(that's me), feel free.

BD

The clarity of night contest update

The deadline for the contest has passed, and the voting has now closed. Hopefully, some of you made it over to take part in it and had fun. I know I did as always. Thanks again to Jason for holding such great contests. Okay, so you have clicked over there, saw 59 entries and thought 'WTF BD, you want me to read 59 of em?". Okay fair enough. If you don't have time for all of them I will suggest these five which were my favorites.

In no particular order:

"Without Rose" by Maht Wells

"Domestic Spirits" by Donna Gagnon

"Table for eight" by Esther Avila

"Weep willow weep" by WavemanCali

"Werewife" by Jaye Wells


And for what it is worth, my entry was as follows:

It's all relative

"Best $1000 bucks you'll ever spend and he guarantees his work. I know it sounds crazy but it may well save your marriage!"

"I don't know," Dan replied skeptically. "Look, your wife is driving you crazy right?" Constantly, nagging you about stupid stuff?"

Dan couldn't help laugh as Fred did a perfect imitation of his wife. "Rinse out the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher."

"Pick up your socks."

"Put the seat down!"

"Yada yada yada, it never ends, am I right?"

"Yeah" Dan replied dejectedly.

"Well, THIS is the way to end it! You call the damned number, and in a week or a month ALL that goes away!"

"He isn't going to hurt her is he?"

"No", Fred replied with a chuckle. "It's nothing like that. You bring this guy home to live with you for a while. A long time friend that needs help getting back on his feet right? By the time he leaves she will realize that you are not so bad after all. Here, check this out."

Dan takes the picture and looks in amazement.

"Is that your kitchen? That's disgusting!"

"Exactly! That is what he does. Before you know it, your un-rinsed milk glass doesn't seem so bad, and an occasional fart will be funny again."

"Really?"

"Yes really. He's a magician I tell you." Dan begins jotting down the number.

"By the way, Dianne no longer complains about the sex anymore either."


BD

cleaning out my email box

I was cleaning out my email box today and came across this that has been sitting in there for who knows how long. Have a neighbor that is driving you crazy? Someone you don't really like that ignores the hints and keeps coming over anyways? Send them a clear message compliments of BD. Well okay, compliments of someone that sent it to BD a long time ago.

BD

Just a quick note/reminder about Jason's short fiction contest over at The clarity of night. The deadline is in two days(wednesday 11pm est) so if you haven't already entered head on over and do so. Again, even if you don't plan to enter I very strongly reccomend you go over and read over some of the entries. I never fail to be surprised and impressed by the level of competition. For what it is worth here is the link to my entry "It's all relative.

All comments about it are more than welcome. Yes yes that even includes(perhaps especially so) critiques of it.



BD

Blog spot light

No, this is NOT a picture of my kitchen!

Mine doesn't look this good actually. Just kidding, put down the can of raid and back away from the monitor

Actually, Jason over at the Clarity of Night is hosting another short fiction writing contest. In "The endless hour", his 5th contest, participants are to write a shortstory of no more than 250 words based on the above picture . I myself have participated in the last 3 contests and even had a bit of success. If I can do it(stay under 250 words), ANYONE can. If you have ANY interest in trying your hand at writing and are looking for a place to begin, I VERY HIGHLY recommend you head on over and participate.

Even if you don't wish to write one, head over and check out the entries. You may be pleasantly surprised. I will let you see the guidelines for yourself over there. However, I will at least point out that the deadline is Wednesday the 25th, at 11pm est.

On another note, Liz of "Killer rants" fame, has started a new blog. Looking for advice on how to handle an annoying boyfriend? A psycho girlfriend? Wondering how to handle a friend obsessed with his own balls? Better yet, wondering how to NOT 'handle' a friend who seems obsessed with his own balls?Even if you have a friend obsessed with somebody ELSE'S balls, head on over to The no jive zone and find out the best way to handle it. She is giving advice.

Free advice.

Good advice.

And doing so with the kind of humor which we have come to expect from Liz.

Now that I think about it, considering I have all of four readers(Hi MOM, MOMalias!), maybe I should change the title of this post to "Blog flashlight".

BD

Tragedy at Virginia tech

By now pretty much everyone has heard of what has happened this morning on the campus of Virginia Tech University. First off, I would like to say that my heart goes out to all the victims, the families of the victims and even to the family of the person resonsible for this act.


This story is of course all over the news. This I understand.

On every single channel, this I understand.

What causes someone to go and do such things? This I don't and never WILL understand. Frankly, I am not all that sure that I want to. As of now, the authorities either do not know or simply have not released the name of the person responsible. Personally, although I KNOW it is wishful thinking on my part, I hope like hell they never EVER do. There are plenty things wrong with this whole situation. There will be plenty of people that will point to all kinds of reasons for it. In truth, in my opinion at least, there simply isn't one.

Want to blame it on video games?
Want to blame it on his parents?
Want to blame it on violence on Television?

Show me a three year old kid doing such things, and I will agree with that logic. Hell, show me a ten year old doing these things and I will at least listen.

But Teenagers? A grown man or woman? Hogwash!

How many Video games in America are sold each year?

How many young kids grow up playing these games?

Watching these movies?

Seeing these videos?

I know I did and still do. I have probably shot and blasted 4 billion different aliens, people, dogs, cats, and everything else while playing them at some point or another. I have seen countless movies like Scarface with endless violence in them. So have millions upon millions of other people who don't turn around and go shoot up a school, or the local walmart.

How many unfortunate people grow up with parents that don't care about them? If they then turn around, grew up, had children and likewise didn't care about them, then I could see placing part of the blame on the parents. If they grow up and shoot innocent people I blame THEM!

How many kids grow up with fathers beating the hell out of them or their mother for no good reason? If THEY then grow up to be abusive parents/spouses, I agree with putting part of the blame on the parents. If they grow up to blow up builidings or shoot innocent people, I blame THEM!

How many kids grow up with parents who spout the 'n' word, believe women belong in the kitchen , and kid's should be seen and not heard? If they grow up doing the same things I agree put some of the blame on their ignorant parents. When they grow up and shoot innocent people for no apparent reason, I blame THEM!

I highly doubt this guy's parents or the parents of the jackasses in Columbine, or the idiot responsible in Oklahoma city went around shooting people or blowing up buildings. If they did, by all means, you can place part of the blame on them. Until then, let's blame the Piece of shit that DID it. HE did it. Not his parents. Not the video game makers. Not the producers of violent movies. HIM and in this case(as far as we know of right now) HIM ALONE!

In the upcoming days I am guessing, that this story is just going to piss me off even more. In the upcoming days I am guessing they will release his name and it will be plastered all over every television channel,blog, and news website there is. In the coming days, I am guessing there will be stories about this guy's background and we will find out everything there is to know about him. We will make him famous, and call ME crazy, but I think in some way that is EXACTLY what he wanted. In the coming days, weeks, months I am guessing we will see stories outlining just how he did it and probably just how easy it was to do. How often do we see someone blow up a building, and then some news story recreate the crime and show us(and the CRAZY people out there by the way) just how they did it? Just how easy it was?

I do beleive that this upcoming week marks the eight year anniversary of the Columbine shooting that most of us remember so well. Let me ask you a question. Can you name any of the shooters in the Columbine shooting? I know I can name two in a heartbeat and if I thought about it for a minute I could name them all.

There! Done. It took me exactly eight seconds of thinking about it before I came up with them all. Why?

Because we made them famous that is why.

Can you name the guy responsible for Blowing up the Federal building in Oklahoma City? I can.

Why? Because we made him famous that is why.

Now let me ask you another question. how many of the victims at columbine can you name? How many of the victims of Oklahoma City can you name? If you can name ONE you are ahead of me. Is it just me or is there something seriously wrong with that? We make the people doing wrong famous, and totally forget about the victims.

Think becoming famous like that didn't enter their minds eight years ago? Think this asshole today didn't see all that coverage and at some point think 'hey I can do that?' Don't you think ,"EYE can grab the spotlight and after this complete and utter loser of a life, I can go out like SOMEBODY!?"

Don't get me wrong. I GET that the news has to report the news. I don't however think they need to plaster his name all over every single channel and give him the fame he wants.


Refer to him as 'the piece of shit'.

Refer to him as 'Psychotic bastard'.

Refer to him as 'the loser'.

Refer to him as 'the unnamed shooter' if you like, but don't give him the satisfaction of seeing his name in lights.

Don't get me wrong I don't blame the media for what happened today or what happened back in Columbine. I don't blame violent video games, bad parenting, or any of the other miriad of excuses you will see trotted out over the following months. I place ALL of the blame on the piece of shit that did this today. I place ALL of the blame on the pieces of crap that did the shooting back in Columbine eight years ago. That is as close as I will come to naming ANY of them on this blog however. I will NOT have any bit of a part in naming them by name and adding to their fame. I hope others will join me in NOT naming them as well.

I have no doubt that they are burning in the pits of hell. As such, I refuse to allow them a moment of enjoyment as they look up and see their names splashed across my blog. I know getting the media to play along with this thought as well is impossible, but hope reading this will keep the names out of at least a few spotlights. Unfortunately there are OTHER pieces of shit out there looking for this kind of attention as well.

Climbing off of my soapbox

BD