A few things learned.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      0 comments      link this post     


This weekend, over the course of the days and various activities, I learned a few things:

1. There is a fine line between being polite or inquisitive, and being nosy. However, once that line is crossed, the divide suddenly becomes screamingly clear. There are certain questions you don't ask people in casual chatting conversation (particularly if you don't know them well), and when you start to get evasive answers and the person (in this case, me) makes an excuse to get away from you, take the hint.

2. At first, after a shocking, ripping change in life, things that are merely different are seen as bad or sub-quality. The way it was before change always seems better, right, and proper. In time, hopefully, we are able to differentiate between what is merely different and what really is lesser.

3. Goals are not the same as dreams. This is something I plan on blogging about later, but the understanding of the difference explains a lot to me all of a sudden.

4. The voice of a constant complainer, or person dwelling on the negative, quickly becomes the worst, most exhausting sound in the world.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      9/01/2008 09:30:00 PM      (0) comments      Links to this post    
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Eight (shameful) things.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      1 comments      link this post     


::First, there were just eight things.Here are a few more.::

Eight Lies I've Told Recently
(As if you haven't done so, too.)
  1. I care.
  2. I don't care.
  3. I don't mind. It's OK. It's no problem.
  4. Yep, everything is good.
  5. I'm not upset. No worries.
  6. Nah. I'll get over (it, him, that) without any problem.
  7. It's just a crush.
  8. You're not bothering me.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      8/26/2008 05:03:00 PM      (1) comments      Links to this post    
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New temporary mailing address.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      4 comments      link this post     


I have a new temporary mailing address here in Bismarck. This has been of great concern -- where to send mail! -- for many of you. You may wish to send me:
I will not be accepting the following:

I'm so excited to try out my new box, that I might send myself some mail. I have such a bad memory, it will be a pleasant surprise. Anyway, here's the new address:

Julie R. Neidlinger
P.O. Box 1823
Bismarck, ND 58502


Why box 1823? Besides that being what was assigned me by the nice lady at the Post Office, several magnificent things are associated with that year. Such as the Monroe Doctrine.

Um.

Business-related stuff should still go to my permanent address in Hampden, which is found here.


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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      8/04/2008 04:38:00 PM      (4) comments      Links to this post    
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Fried oreos.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      3 comments      link this post     


I know there are some parts of the country where the answer to the great questions in life are "fry it."

You may remember my experience with my friend Shannon and Oreos. While at the North Dakota State Fair last week for a concert, she insisted I try fried Oreos.

Fried Oreos.

Several things came to mind, which all generally fell into the category of "things against nature" or, at the very least depending upon your religious leanings, "things God never intended."

Here's a brief list:

In the course of eating one of these breaded, fried Oreos, my heart stopped several times. Or, at least, I'm quite sure it wanted to.

At the same food vendor, a person could also buy fried Twinkies, roasted corn, and corn dogs. My friend and I briefly discussed the seeming incongruence in food offerings that all the food vendors listed on their stands, but as I think about it, I'm not sure. What goes with a corn dog? Or maybe the better question is, what doesn't?

I know that Julie doesn't go with a corn dog.

At least the guy serving the food was a meticulous hand-washer.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      7/28/2008 08:40:00 AM      (3) comments      Links to this post    
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My own listography.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      5 comments      link this post     


I've done many lists before, including a series which will probably either be repeated or refuted with the rest of this blog post.

My inconsistency is my consistency.

First, Listography (I just wrote about it here).
Second, here we go.
Third, this was kind of it's own list, which I find neat.

Yes, I do still use the word "neat."

Other words I use
  1. Garsh
  2. Swell
  3. Neato
  4. Crap
  5. Shiznit

People I have roomed with in various degrees and various stages of life
  1. Brenda
  2. Kristi
  3. Heidi
  4. Sarah
  5. Um...Sarah's roommate who was obsessed with making mixed drinks, though a very nice person whose name I've sadly forgotten
  6. Sarah's brother Hamilton, who referred to me as Lazlo, because I sort of slinked and slunk around the house in bizarre avoidance, and he was probably right
  7. My parents
  8. My sister and her family
  9. My other sister and her family
  10. Molly
  11. Sommer
  12. Naomi
  13. Sabine
  14. My brother and his family

Names of kids who were mean to me
  1. Get out my high school year book and randomly select 85 percent of the kids. That ought to be close. I am clearly a martyr!!!

Places that make me very uncomfortable
  1. Car repair/service stations
  2. Sports bars filled with mostly guys
  3. The doctor's office
  4. Nursing homes
  5. Guyville (because it has, so far, seemed very unfriendly)
  6. The local Cenex station, because there are gaskets and other car-related things all over the place and I have an overwhelming sense of ignorance
  7. Country music concerts (Will I get clobbered by a banjo or a huge woman wearing a tube top? I just never know!!!)
  8. Anything NASCAR
  9. Airplane bathrooms
  10. Train bathrooms
  11. Public bathrooms
  12. Do you see a trend here?

People I would like to hit but won't
  1. Ha ha. As if I were about to publicize a literal hit list.
  2. There are, surprisingly, quite a few.
  3. I have a lot of rage.
  4. But the list varies frequently.
  5. This is because I also have a short fuse and shorter memory.
  6. I forget from one day to the next who it is I'd like to pound.
  7. The woman in the navy blue car who ran the red light while talking on her cell phone came in close, though.

Favorite strong drinks I take to when I'm feeling down, depressed, or despondent
  1. Hot chocolate
  2. Chocolate milk
  3. Perrier
  4. Diet Coke
  5. Skinny Big Train Iced Mocha
  6. Italian Soda
  7. Water
  8. Grape spritzer water
  9. I'm pathetic.

That's it for now. I may add more later.


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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      7/13/2008 10:25:00 PM      (5) comments      Links to this post    
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Things they won't say about me when I'm gone.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      2 comments      link this post     


::I thought the idea (and the list) was clever, and decided to try it for myself.::

She was consistent.

She was inconsistent.

She was an out-going people person who loved any opportunity to meet and talk to new people.

She always met life with an even, un-dramatic keel, staying level-headed and calm.

She never took sides, for she never tried to see things from the perspective of others.

She was overly closed and protective of her own feelings and did not open herself up to people.

She never saw any scenario as a worse-case scenario.

She was almost heroic in her successful efforts at controlling her tongue and consistently refused to put her foot in her mouth in the heat of the moment.

She quickly adapted to "adulthood" and maintained a respectable level of maturity that was age-appropriate for every situation.

She had few opinions and rarely expressed an interest in sharing or defending those she did have.

She loved attention and craved public accolades for all her efforts and hobbies. More than anything, she liked to be the center of attention at parties or in groups.

She was known for having a large roster of friends and social engagements.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      6/23/2008 06:34:00 AM      (2) comments      Links to this post    
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A list of improvement ideas that I really can't top.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      1 comments      link this post     


Dan has compiled an excellent --EXCELLENT -- list of ways to improve your body, mind, soul and spirit.

Some of them I've harped on before here at Lone Prairie, but his compilation as a whole is something we could all stand to read. Here are the lists:

Body:
  1. Sleep no less than seven hours a night.
  2. Get up at dawn and go to sleep at midnight.
  3. Stop overeating.
  4. Stop eating bad food.
  5. Get out of the chair and exercise.

Mind:
  1. Read a book!
  2. Learn the basics of logic.
  3. Get out of the Christian ghetto and find out more about an opposing viewpoint.
  4. Kill two birds with one stone and engage another face-to-face about a difficult topic.

Soul:
  1. Learn empathy.
  2. Listen to classical music.
  3. Write music, also.
  4. Write letters.
  5. Cultivate beauty.
  6. Get in touch with the land.
  7. Get out of the house.

Spirit:
  1. Pray more than an hour a day.
  2. Read the Bible intently.
  3. Cultivate Godly horizontal relationships with others.
  4. Ruthlessly eliminate things that interfere with our spiritual lives.
  5. Practice the spiritual disciplines.

Suggestions on sleep, eating,relationships, prayer -- it's all there. With great reasons as to why these ideas make sense. GO NOW. Read the post. Read the whole thing.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      1/25/2008 07:35:00 PM      (1) comments      Links to this post    
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At least I used an accordion file.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      3 comments      link this post     


I've progressed beyond a shoe box of receipts -- at least I can say that much.

Here I sit, preparing to spend the rest of the day in massive annoyance, completing my bookwork for 2007 so I can have it ready for my accountant before I leave for Nicaragua. I don't want to come back from a missions trip and have to deal with sorting gas station receipts.

I always have good intentions of staying on top of things so that at the end of the year I don't find myself entering and categorizing every single transaction for 12 months into the computer. Ha.

I have three things going for me:
  1. My bank records can be downloaded into Microsoft Money. I only need to categorize and not enter in all details.
  2. My credit card records can be downloaded into Microsoft Money. I only need to categorize and not enter in all details.
  3. I save all receipts in a semi-organized accordion file.
  4. I'm pretty good at using my check register as almost a mini-ledger so I know what things are being used for.
As you can see by the above list, I actually have four items instead of the planned and announced three. This will tell you a lot about my skill with numbers.

Chief annoyances include:
  1. Purchases at large stores which require a split categorization. i.e. a purchase of food, art supplies (business expense), donation, and clothing -- all at once.
  2. PayPal and the fees they pull out of everything that I'm more aware of at the end of the year when I tally it all up.
  3. The fact that I really don't balance my checkbook, but just go over and over and over the numbers to make sure the numbers are added and subtracted correctly and jive with the bank records. This means my electronic records aren't "cleared" and balanced, either, since clicking the little "C" area to indicate everything balanced would be like lying. And, frankly, the whole beginning balance/cleared/not cleared thing with Microsoft Money has never worked out for me.
  4. The receipts themselves, all curled and folded and faded. And the fact that they are about 20 feet in length to accommodate surveys and coupons and the first six chapters of Gone With The Wind. (Like my money seems to be.)
  5. The realization of what I "make" in a year and where it technically puts me in relation to the standard poverty line. I'm not living in a cardboard box, true, but it's a little unsettling.

In the spirit of being helpful, however, I can't leave you without some tips to help make your bookkeeping simpler, so here you are:
  1. Avoid confusing receipts. Don't buy anything.
  2. Don't buy anything if you don't have any money (See video below for further details).




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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      1/21/2008 11:43:00 AM      (3) comments      Links to this post    
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How to survive the cold in North Dakota.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      6 comments      link this post     


In response to a reader who wondered how we survive the cold in North Dakota (see comments section here), I've decided to compile a handy selection of tips.

  1. Make sure you have a house or apartment or some other similar shelter.
  2. Go inside that shelter.
  3. Turn up the heat.
  4. Behave normally.

Now, if you find yourself outside, these next tips will come in handy:
  1. Purchase a heavy coat. You will find these available in fine retail stores everywhere.
  2. Purchase gloves. You will find there are many options. Pick warm ones, any color.
  3. Purchase a hat. Leave your hair vanity behind.
  4. Purchase Chapstick. Cherry is overrated.
  5. Purchase warm socks and shoes/boots.
  6. Use these purchases.

I have previously blogged on snowstorm survival here.

The snowstorm/car survival tips seem to be more of a serious nature, but the general "how do you survive the cold up there" is vague at best. It's not always cold, and when it is -- well, that's just the weather for that day. You just keep going and then, spring arrives. I really don't understand the question, though I think it's more of a way of stating "man, I can't imagine living in that cold."

How do we survive the cold up here? I don't know. How do people survive the heat of the desert? How do people survive the thin air of the Himalayas? How do people survive excessive bratwurst in Germany?

Why, you become acclimated, that's how.

But I'm sure my handy lists will be useful.


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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      1/18/2008 09:13:00 PM      (6) comments      Links to this post    
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66 things you need to know.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      9 comments      link this post     


The February 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine has a front-cover headline blaring: 66 Techniques You Need To Know.

If that were the headline on Glamour magazine, I'm sure the techniques would be far, far different than Martha's recommendations, which include ways to cut an onion and get your whites white.

But here at Lone Prairie, we aim to compete with the big boys. So...

66 Things You Need To Know
  1. Tie your shoes.
  2. Brush your teeth.
  3. Boil an egg.
  4. Working with fractions.
  5. Fry an egg.
  6. Writing "thank you" notes.
  7. Open a box of cereal.
  8. Read.
  9. Check the air pressure on your vehicle's tires.
  10. Keeping a houseplant alive.
  11. Vacuuming.
  12. Basic personal bookkeeping.
  13. Putting gas in your vehicle.
  14. Saying "please" and "thank you."
  15. Reading ingredients off of food labels and making wise grocery-shopping decisions.
  16. Basic grammar and punctuation so that you can write in a palatable manner.
  17. Figuring out percentages.
  18. Modesty, self-control, and delay of gratification.
  19. Basic musical concepts.
  20. Baking cookies.
  21. Turning on a computer, and using a word processing program.
  22. Finding books in a library using card catalogs (computerized or old-school).
  23. Sewing; enough to repair buttons, tears, and slight general repairs.
  24. Wrapping a present neatly with wrapping paper.
  25. General history of your country.
  26. Respect.
  27. General history of your state.
  28. Taking criticism without making it personal.
  29. Sacrificial giving (giving beyond your means).
  30. Reading a map.
  31. Searching the internet.
  32. Using self-run credit card machines at the checkout without signing the screen with a real pen.
  33. That your mother doesn't work here.
  34. Tipping 20 percent.
  35. Politeness.
  36. Organization, without becoming a slave to it.
  37. When to walk away.
  38. Saying no.
  39. Saying yes.
  40. Playing at least one musical instrument.
  41. Disregarding advice.
  42. Regarding advice.
  43. Know which people are toxic to your life and when to cut your losses.
  44. Wash dishes by hand.
  45. Your weaknesses.
  46. Your strengths.
  47. Wash clothes.
  48. Checking the oil in your vehicle.
  49. Rejection.
  50. Acceptance.
  51. Ability to see through advertising or persuasion ploys.
  52. Identifying needs and distinguishing them from wants.
  53. Who you are.
  54. Appreciation of art, music, and books.
  55. Exercise basics.
  56. How to play an athletic team sport.
  57. Changing a baby's diaper.
  58. Taking care of a pet.
  59. Loving a pet.
  60. Knowing what it is like to have a pet die.
  61. What it's like to be hurt by a person.
  62. Going hungry.
  63. Needing help.
  64. When to shut up.
  65. The difference between freedom of speech and stopping the mouths of the stupid.
  66. The loading, carrying, safety procedures, and shooting of a gun.

I never indicated I'd tell you how to do these things. I just think you need to know them.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      1/16/2008 12:30:00 PM      (9) comments      Links to this post    
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Today is my birthday.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      19 comments      link this post     



I am the little rug rat in the white dress.

Today I am 34 years old.

1. I'm familiar with grass.
2. I like the color blue. And pink.
3. I once had my jeans fall off when running to my car.
4. My sister Janet and I tried to build an airplane out of two 2-by-fours and a car battery. It didn't work.
5. We also left a lot of dad's tools out in the yard to get rained on.
6. I love visiting cities.
7. But I love living on a farm.
8. I would like to take a vacation on a houseboat some day.
9. And also go to Hawaii.
10. I saw Jurassic Park 15 times in the theater. Not kidding.
11. My left foot is flat.
12. I know my alphabet.
13. When I was little, I wanted to be Benny Goodman.
14. I also wanted to be Brains Benton.
15. I like schlocky sci-fi monster movies.
16. I like to watch schlocky movies with a few friends rather than go out on the town.
17. I like to bake.
18. In fact, I'm known in my family as the "cookie queen."
19. I like cutting brush with the chainsaw.
20. I miss riding horses. A lot.
21. I like music.
22. I've been to Germany three times, and love the country more each time. Except for the Reeperbahn in Hamburg. Very creepy and gross.
23. I can neither look at nor say hello to the person I want to the most.
24. I have been able to travel.
25. My mother made me go to a HOBY seminar because she thought I was too shy. I was the only one to apply from my school.
26. I blush easily. Most things people talk about now so casually actually embarrass me, though I pretend it doesn't. I'm starting to learn to appreciate the part of me that still gets embarrassed by it all.
27. I always tip at 20 percent.
28. I've had many years of rest in favorite pajamas.
29. I like dogs. Just not other people's dogs.
30. People think I'm a non-touchy-feely person because I back away from hugs and stuff. The truth is...
31. I am a touchy-feely person. But there's no sense getting used to something that won't be around regularly.
32. Sisters and cats are a few of the good things that have come my way.
33. Even if I was tough on the furniture, my family kept me around.
34. And speaking of being kept around...my poor parents. 34 years.

34 years.

I have a weird thing about birthdays. Getting older is exciting -- more distance between me and the horrible high school years. I walk around wondering if everyone knows it's my big day! Birthdays are supposed to be fantastic!

Silly, isn't it?

What can I do for you, today?

UPDATE: My mom made me a "birthday cake"! Check it out.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      1/08/2008 12:30:00 AM      (19) comments      Links to this post    
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Summation, prior to it being over, making it an improper summation.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      4 comments      link this post     


My brother's visit is mid-visit. Lots of great conversations, moments, and more these past few days with the family being home and all. But I'm not going to tell you all of that because it is boring to most and mine to treasure and not share, anyway.

So, I'll do a list. It's fast. Easy. Lazy. And technically qualifies as a "blog post" for those of you (mom) who are asking me why I haven't written anything.

A list of things so far, to use as proof of writing something:
Not my finest hour of writing, but certainly functioning as...functional.

In a couple of weeks, I'll be picking up Bine and her husband at the airport, here for a short visit from Germany. Expect another similar post then.

October is turning out to be a hectic but fabulous month.

UPDATE: Here are the official family photos, from both Jerry's and Bine's visit.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      10/16/2007 11:58:00 PM      (4) comments      Links to this post    
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Some observations after observing TV.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      1 comments      link this post     


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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      10/10/2007 11:47:00 PM      (1) comments      Links to this post    
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The responsibility of a blog reader.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      16 comments      link this post     


There are many types of blogs, but this one, this Lone Prairie Blog, is of the living, connected variety. Each post is built upon those before it.

It is physically impossible for me to remember each and every building block I've laid out to form the complete Lone Prairie Blog. There are lots of posts (building blocks) that got me to where I am, not just for the readers, but for my own writing and thinking process. I couldn't write what I did last week one year ago; it took other writing to get me here.

It is the same for a reader.

That is, what I wrote before I assume my readers have read to some extent. Or, at least, that new readers have started to get a feel for my writing. I try to throw a link back to a post to explain a concept or theory I'm using in a new post if I've written about it before, but I don't always remember or am able to find the post. That is why I find it so incredibly annoying when a reader pops onto the blog, leaves a comment on a post, and assumes the post at hand is the only thing written on the subject.

Of course I can't expect every random reader brought in by a Google search to read two year's worth of archives. Some posts are definitely cumulative, and some are more like a stand-alone column.

The responsibility of the blog reader isn't, therefore, to read the entire archives section. It is, instead, to think before leaving a comment.

For example:
  1. Is this the best post to leave this comment on?
  2. Does this add to or take from the topic or discussion at hand?
  3. What is my reason for leaving a comment?
  4. Is this relevant, or would it at least bring enjoyment or be of use to the other readers?
  5. Do I have some other kind of motive for leaving a comment (personal attack on blogger or other commenter, getting links to my own blog, being a jerk, harassing another person, etc.) other than wanting to add to the discussion or ask questions?

I do not ever comment on a blog without reading a few other bracketing posts, checking out the about section, or checking the category link on the post in question to see what else has been written on the topic. Some people are prone to commenting at the get-go, whereas I tend to read a blog for a week or two before leaving a comment. That way, at least, I get a feel for where the blogger is coming from.

That way, I don't find myself leaving a lengthly religious comment on a cartoon post which, though a fine and true sentiment on its own or perhaps a more serious blog post, is really, really out of whack on that particular post. It's when people leave a serious comment on a funny post or a funny comment on a serious post: it's jarring and painful.

I can't explain, exactly, how I so appreciate comments that seem relevant to the post at hand, but how other comments that have very little connection to the topic or are used as a way to send me a personal message rather than sending me an email annoy the daylights out of me. I hate to use comment moderation for anything other than comments that are disgusting or insulting, and so I often find myself publishing comments that make me irate.

I have been told by various people on various sites, that my rather lengthy blog comment policy was:
  1. Excessive.
  2. The comment policy of a snob.
  3. Bitchy.
  4. Etc.
After five years of blogging and experiencing Blogger's gradual technological advancement, I've had to deal with a large variety of personality types of people leaving comments. It is from those experiences that the comment policy was started and continues to grow.

My latest addition to that page, then, will be something like this:
This blog is a kind of living organism, building on previous posts. I try to link as best I can to relevant posts to give new readers the chance to read some background material, but, as my archives grow it's more likely that I'll:
  1. Forget what I've written and re-post on the same subject more than once.
  2. Be unable to find a post that I know I've written that would be completely relevant. (For example, I wrote a post about blog commenters just a few months or so ago, and I can't find it. That would be a highly relevant post to link to.)

You can write this post off as typical Julie grumpiness, but for crying out loud: every post isn't your personal opportunity to preach to the others who read here. If you must preach or instruct, find a relevant post on which to do so, not just the easiest post you stumble upon. Or try to match the tone.

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NOTE: Usually, whenever I write a post pointing out some things people do on this blog that gets under my skin, the suggestion that I may be ungrateful for my readers is somehow implied in comments or direct email. This is not the case. If you enjoy reading this blog, consider that it costs you nothing while I pay a yearly hosting fee and take the time to write it. The rights (as pointed out repeatedly in my blog comment policy) are all mine. Not yours. I appreciate you, the reader. The vast majority of you are great. I value your presence and thoughts and comments. But to whom it may concern...remember whose blog this is. I would still be writing exactly as I am whether there were three of you or three hundred.


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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      9/11/2007 12:55:00 PM      (16) comments      Links to this post    
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Eight things.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      6 comments      link this post     


::I don't enthusiastically participate in blog memes because I don't play well with others. Tag was not a favorite game of mine. I have one that I can't seem to finish from Keith which deserves finishing... and I've just been informed I have another directed this way. My own personal meme rules are that I don't tag anyone else. You can do it if you want to, on your own blog or in the comments. Or not. So, here's the meme, compliments of Gene.::

Eight Things You Didn't Know About Me
(Which I can't see how that's possible with all the crap on this web site and blog...)

  1. Um.
  2. I have a lot of hair and it makes my sisters a bit jealous and I can easily pull out a small handful a day and you'd never know and when I get my haircut the stylist has to use a special thinning scissor to cut out some of it because it gets very heavy on its own.
  3. I use run-on sentences a lot in my writing. But...I guess you know that already.
  4. I don't like the look of gold jewelry. I prefer silver.
  5. I like small heart necklaces, and I have a few but I finally found the perfect one in a tourist trap gift shop while waiting for a mine tour in Colorado. It's...sterling silver. I wear it every day. I love it. My friend Kate told me that it "suited me" and wondered about the story. I imagine she thought it might be a more exciting and perhaps romantic story than me telling her I bought it for myself off of a rack of cheesy necklaces in a gift shop while with my parents.
  6. I like Mrs. Fletcher from Murder She Wrote because she's smart, a successful writer, and she's classy. Even when people are rude to her or she finds herself in awkward situations where people are arguing in front of her, she handles herself with class and dignity. She's never defensive, but always willing to listen and a good sport. She's just awesome. A real trooper. Smart and always upbeat.
  7. I like small containers to hold things like jewelry and tiny feathers and stones I find on my walks and they seem to be breeding on my shelves. The containers, not the feathers and stones. Actually...the feathers and stones, too.
  8. I have a strong sense of smell and it ends up being an annoying thing most of the time because you wouldn't believe all of the subtle (and often disgusting) smells out there.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      9/07/2007 10:53:00 PM      (6) comments      Links to this post    
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Free to celebrate a made-up holiday.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      2 comments      link this post     




Those of you with regular jobs probably had a fine break from work yesterday.

Those of you who work at home, like me, really didn't notice much difference, though I admit to spending about four hours on a blanket in the front yard under the cottonwood tree, reading a book and drawing a cartoon.

Regardless of how yesterday's holiday went for you, today I give you another opportunity to celebrate, except you'll be celebrating your family and friends instead: I declare today to be the official 2007 Lone Prairie "Thinking of You" Day.

I had a discussion with a friend a couple of weeks ago and she mentioned something along the lines of how it is important to let people know we are thinking about them. She said her brother had admitted that he thought about people who were important in his life often, but she pointed out to him that it would be much better if they knew.

We can't, after all, read minds.

So, in a kind of continuation of an idea presented in an earlier post on this web site, I encourage you to take part in the official 2007 Lone Prairie "Thinking of You" Day.

Ways to celebrate the 2007 Lone Prairie "Thinking of You" Day:
  1. Call someone you have been thinking about and tell them as much.
  2. Email someone, same idea as above.
  3. Are telegrams still an option these days?
  4. Shortwave. CB radio.
  5. But best yet, write a letter or short note and drop it in the mail.

In keeping with the last option, I offer you, free of charge, the official 2007 Lone Prairie "Thinking of You" Day card. The front graphic is the same as above, with a full-color interior graphic that lets you write what you want to say as part of a cartoon. [Download a PDF copy]

How to use the free card:
  1. Open the PDF file by clicking on the link.
  2. Print the card out, a color printer being the best option.
  3. Fold like a card, in quarters, so that the front is...on the front. And so on.
  4. Write a little message in the message balloon inside.
  5. Put in a card envelope (standard 4 3/8 by 5 3/4 invitation envelope would work).
  6. Address, stamp, and mail it.

You are free to celebrate this made-up holiday with a free card.1

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1 There will be no free lunch provided, however, despite what you may have heard. Let's not get crazy, here.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      9/04/2007 12:01:00 AM      (2) comments      Links to this post    
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A couple of changes to the facade of this blog.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      10 comments      link this post     


You'll notice something new.

A few things new.

Actually, you might not have noticed at all.

Anyway.
  1. My photos have been replaced by grumpy cartoons.
  2. I've introduced exciting, new "Fake Facts About North Dakota" to randomly run below the grumpy cartoons.
  3. Each post, when viewed separately (by clicking the "links" or "comments" hyperlink at the bottom of each post) offers the opportunity to print the posts sans header and sidebar crap. Try it. You'll see the link on each post. I rewrote a CSS style sheet to make a printer friendly version by stripping out the extra stuff every time the print option is used.
  4. Actually, anytime you print the blog, whether you do it one post at a time or as a whole, the extra stuff is removed. You can see for yourself by going up to "File" and "Print Preview" in your browser.
  5. I changed the look of the RSS blog and comment feed buttons.
  6. I added a section to my Blog EULA/comments rules page. See if you can find what's new there.
  7. Please consider entering my bookplate contest. I've gotten about half the needed entrants, but really, it's a cool thing. Won't kill you. Come on. Free.
  8. I'm working on a new header. Maybe later today.
That's it.

Why these changes?

Why not.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger      8/24/2007 12:12:00 AM      (10) comments      Links to this post    
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Dollars and sense.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      2 comments      link this post     


I used to read Rachel Lucas' blog back when I first started blogging.

(What was that, 2002? Geez.)

I thought she was funny. There weren't as many blogs online then, and she was my first samplin' of wicked funny cool conservative.

"Ha!" I said to myself, confusing the point of conservative thinking with some kind of false battle between cool/celebrity/liberal vs. stuffy/conservative/Bible-thumpers. "I can be conservative and not be an uncool doormat!"

Then she had a long post about why she wasn't blogging. It was long. And not funny. Sort of whiny, like the blog posts I write on my "poor me" days -- you know, 95 percent of this blog.

Then she was back.

Then she was gone.

Somewhere in that cycle, of which I lost track, I:
I thought she was gone, until I stumbled upon this post and dis