I am getting frustrated by blogger. As of last week, all of a sudden, I need to do a verification before I can post my blog.
I received the following message:
Blogger's spam-prevention robots have detected that your blog has characteristics of a spam blog. (What's a spam blog?) Since you're an actual person reading this, your blog is probably not a spam blog. Automated spam detection is inherently fuzzy, and we sincerely apologize for this false positive.
Before we can turn off mandatory word verification on your posts we'll need to have a human review your blog and verify that it is not a spam blog. Please fill out the form below to get a review.
Well, so far, I have filled out the form every day (7 times) and still, no word from the "powers that be".
Do I look like Spam? Gosh, I have never even eaten Spam.
Well at least these incredible words of wisdom get posted, but what a PITA!
I send a slight apology for yesterday's posting. Not for all of it, but for the ramblings about credit cards and the like. My situation is such small potatoes compared to what some of my friends are going through.
Diana's father (Diana's Journal - linked on the front page), and her daily struggle to care for him is so much more important and critical... My friend Donna, who lives here is going through treatment for breast cancer...My niece Candice and her ordeal...Another friend who is going through problems at home with an abusive spouse...(this one makes my blood boil, but she has become strong and he currently resides behind bars as he should)...The soldiers who are overseas fighting an unwinnable war and losing their lives over it...My friend who is dealing with health issues with BOTH her mom and dad and needs to care for them as much as possible...And my wife's struggle with her chronic pain and now a benign tumor on her spine...
So, I need to focus on the positives more then the negatives in my life. I am the type that has always put my issues aside to focus on my friend's situations, and it bothers me that I have let my minor problems become the focus here once again.
That will stop my friends.. It is all good....
OK...Also linked on this site is the blog my brother Richard writes for the San Antonio Express-News MySA.com website called FAVORITE OFFICE TIME WASTERS. I have mentioned this many times before and will continue to do so, because - if you have not been there- you are missing out.
You MUST check out his link called "BUT DOES DIRK KNOW" on the site right now. Personally, I am upset it did not come with a warning label like they use on CD's and TV programs, that your eyes may spontaneously combust when looking at the site it links to.
I am also very very curious how many of my readers will get the context of the title "But Does Dirk Know" and ask you to tell me in the comments section if you did or did not get it.
I have to admit, it took me a few seconds, once I had seen the site, to get the connection, but when I did.. I laughed so hard a tear came to my eye.
Rich...Your sense of humor has always had a certain warp to it that I love!
If you go over to Fred's World, you will see his latest post about his 20th Anniversary and some nice shots from the wedding...Oh..Rich is the guy just to the right of the Missus in the group shot (your right not theirs)...His legs are no where near as nice as mine though!
Another site that, I think, I had previously recommended is the OCEANGRAM.COM site where you can write a message, put it into a bottle and hoist it into the virtual ocean. Then you can wait for messages to come back to you (YES, I got this one from Rich's FOTW site also...)
But I must insist that, if your boss catches you on his site or on links you got from his site, that you don't blame him! LOL
I have also been spending some time going through my music collection...reaquainting myself with some of my all time favorite songs.
Still, to this day, Jackie Wilson's "Higher & Higher" makes me smile like a teenage boy in love for the first time.
Derek and the Dominos doing "Bell Bottom Blues" is another incredible song and another is Aretha Franklin doing "The Weight" (yes THE BAND song) with Duane Allman doing the slide guitar.
I also did some searching on Limewire the other night and found the most incredible live version of Sting with Jeff Beck doing the George Harrison song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Jeff Beck is one of the more unrated guitar players of our time, IMHO.
FYI ... My opinion is - if I have already purchased the song in analog (vinyl) I have no qualms about downloading a digital version, and any music that is live and not available on CD, well that is fair game also. I will not hurt an artist by downloading music I have not previously owned.
Just my opinion and I am sure there are those who will disagree...But please don't call the RIAA police on me...
Rock on....
Ah, the power of positive thinking. Sounds cheesy, but I believe wholeheartedly in it. Read "Write It Down, Make It Happen." I did it myself five years ago. EVERYTHING I WROTE DOWN came true. All but the lottery. That's next. LOL
Music always helps me. I get in the car by myself, randomly drive anywhere and nowhere, and blare the music (usually Taylor) as loud as I can to clear my head. So I know you've got to be feelin' a little better after listenin' to some good tunes, eh? Keep your chin up. :)
Yes, there's always somebody out there who's got it worse than you. The other thing I do is thank the man upstairs for what I DO have in life. Every morning. Sometimes, that might mean that last diet Coke in the fridge that I left for myself. LOL But you know what I mean. Use your energy focusing on the good stuff, even when you think it's the stupidest thing to do in the world.
And lastly, you've always got someone in your corner, Bond. Even when you've never met them before! (((hugs)))
Not a visual I'd choose, but I got it. LOL.
Hun,
Your problems are not smaller or bigger than anyone else's. We each have our daily struggles to deal with in life, and somteimes even the smallest problem may feel overwhelming. Your blog keeps my mind off of things sometimes, and I seek refuge by reading it when I need a good laugh or some tidbits.
Thanks for thinking of me, it means a lot to me.
Diana
I think that you can post it all here--the good and the bad--because this blog reflects what is happening in your life and there will always be both-- real life is kind of funny that way.
Have been digging through my music archives also lately--nowhere near as vast as yours--so many of my memories are totally bound up in music. And that is a good thing.
Oh--and an update on your local boy Kevin Barry--He is starting for the Braves today.
Cousin Joyce - Thanks sweety - Got your call we will talk soon
Robs - I will try writing it down... "I wish I found a bag with $50,000.00 in it .. I wish I found..."
Robs 2 - that visual - I can't get it out of my mind....ewwwww
Diana - If I can take your mind away for 5 minutes each day - then my job is done!
Turn - again ... thanks for the kind words and the Kevin update -- GO K. BARRY!
Don't ever apologize for needing to vent, especially to your friends ... (sound familiar?)
Straight to the issue that consumed my attention - as you know, music is my life. So, how's about sharing some of the considerable wealth you've got stockpiled? And thanks for the tip about the GH/JB collaboration. Bowled me over. It's a definite keeper.
I'm glad you shared Derek and the dominos version of Bell Bottom Blues" as you know I loved the Clapton version but this version is swesome!
Your "friend" thanks you from the bottom of her heart for thinking of her and for your many prayers. Prayers still going out to you, may all your troubles be "cured". HUGS!
Have we heard from Bond yet about his concert? Huh? Huh? Have we? Anyone?