You're Welcome

We have a new feature here on Summer Vacation, everyone! LABELS!

If you're fluent in the world of blogs, this isn't anything new for you. Labels are just categories of topics that tend come up in the posts. I decided to set some labels up when I was looking over blog features, so hopefully you imaginary readers will take advantage of them, and maybe come across something you'd like to read that you may have missed before; this thing has been going on for well over two years after all, so there I'd say there's a good chance that not everyone to follow a link here has read through all 176 of the older posts.

So what do you want to read about? Music? School? My neurotic observations? The thought processes that go into trying to write? Well, take a gander over at the right side of this window and read through the list of labels. If everything works right, all you have to do is click on a label and it will bring up every post I've written that has something to do with that category. Granted, I may have overlooked a couple when I put them together, but there's always time for corrections later.

So now catching up on things you've missed or revisiting things you've read before or just killing time in the middle of the night when you can't sleep is easier than ever. And hey, if you come across something you like, go ahead and post something about it on my Facebook wall, or leave a comment here. I'm pretty shameless about getting people to read this, which I believe was covered in the last post so I won't beat the point further into the ground.

Enjoy... hopefully....

Anyone?

Perhaps you've noticed the links off to the side of this window, where it says "My Blog List." This is something I've been playing with recently while exploring the features available in blog publishing that I don't necessarily use. There are a few blogs out there I like to follow so I've started building a list here on Summer Vacation. Probably will be a few more there in the coming days as well.

But I'm sure there are other interesting blogs I don't know about. So I'm putting the idea out there -- is there anyone who reads "Summer Vacation" at all and keeps their own blog who would like to be included on my blog list? I know from my perspective that when I write something the ultimate goal is for people to read it. I'm not aware of anyone who has me included on a blog list, but I know that when I get comments on the Facebook links that steer most of the readers here, or even likes after a post, those things seem to get more people to check it out. And on rare occasions when someone has "shared" a link on their own wall or sent it on to other people as a forward -- rare, but it has happened -- it really bumps up the hit count and gives me a nice little sense of validation for an hour or two.

So in the spirit of networking and community and all that, I'm offering anyone with a blog the chance to get listed here. And you know, even if you don't want to be linked, I'd still love to see what other people are doing. I think reading what someone takes the time to write about gives you added insight into who they are and what they think about, and I'd like to see those things if they're already out there anyway. And on the flip side, if anyone does read something here they feel strongly enough to share, hey, go right ahead. The fact that I maintain a blog should be proof enough of how starved for attention I am.

I've also seen a lot of blogs and writers that will write up guest posts for each other, which is something else that could be interesting. So I'll throw that out there too; if anyone would like to write a guest post on Summer Vacation or would like me to write one for them, or just has ideas for me to write about at some point, let's get some wordplay rolling around out there on the Internets. I know that in all likelihood this will be one of those posts that just kind of gets rolled over and politely ignored, but hey. You gotta ask the question to get an answer.

So, anyone out there with something to share, whether you want it linked here or not -- please let me know. I'd love to see it.

Pointless Observations

I can't be the only person who walks around with an internal monologue. The unceasing narrative observations, the snarky DVD commentary track of my day. Since 99 out of 100 visits I make to the grocery store I do alone, this seems to happen frequently while I'm shopping. Since it's been a few days since I've posted last, I decided to keep track of a few things that crossed my mind while I made my way through the aisles of my local grocer this afternoon. Maybe you'll find some of them amusing, maybe they'll remind you of the kinds of things you think about, or maybe reading this will be the most pointless thing you do all weekend. Let's find out....

**Seriously? Do they not have at least one pear without the imprint of a thumbnail carved into its side?
**No ma'am, that's fine. Stop right there by that empty cart. Block the whole aisle. Be sure you make the right choice about which Snack Pack you want. I've got nothing but time here.
**Now they have potato chips that are "slow-cooked rib" flavored? What exactly do they season these with to make them taste like not just ribs, but slow-cooked ribs? That's some food science going on there.
**Do I know that weird kid staring at me? Sorry, dude. It's summer. The mental database is in the "off" position.
**So Budweiser makes a wing sauce. I don't know why I find this surprising. If a beer company made an oatmeal someone would buy it and serve it to their friends during pre-season football.
**The Black-Eyed Peas have now fallen to the point where they've made the eternal loop of the grocery store music reel. A well-earned plummet into obscurity. See you guys on a VH1 millennial nostalgia countdown in a few years.
**I wouldn't mind buying some sweet corn, if this stuff didn't look like the raccoons came in here and had their way with it last night.
**JAZZ apples? That's a new one. Don't we already have enough varieties of apples to keep everyone happy?
**They always have that carton sitting there with the sign screaming "FREE APPLES FOR THE KIDS," and yet I've never seen a kid in here walking around eating an apple. Now, walking around with an open bag of chips the family hasn't paid for yet... different story.
**Okay, the produce section is very disappointing today. I'll grab some raspberries so I have a token fruit in my cart if anyone I know sees me in here.
**Are you kidding? "Jawlipop?" They sure named it right, because that's the body part that the doctor will have to examine after any kid tries to eat one.
**Those are the last two guys I would ever expect to see debating over brownie mixes.
**They have bacon-flavored Spam? Now I know where all the low-sodium foods get rid of the stuff they don't use. My hands feel puffy just walking by.
**So I guess it takes the average preschooler four whining attempts at choosing a cereal before they give up.
**WHAT?! They have a new 5 gum? I'm totally getting that. (By the way, it's called Swerve, and it's pretty good stuff.)
**The guy ahead of me at the register is only buying bacon and cheese dip. He might be a genius.
**I don't think I want to know why the floor at the end of the register is sticky....