ON SPORTS ~ Overthinking It...

The good news...I advanced to the finals in the boy's league and hold a commanding lead in points in the final of the Ladies League. The bad news...I am now an indecisive mess.

I am hoarding quarterbacks in the boys' league like they are going out of style - which they are actually. The problem when a fantasy league holds their championship round in the last week of the regular season is that many of the terrific players you have relied on all season are being held out of games because their team has already advanced to the playoffs and rests their starters. So therefore, I sit and wonder whether Bill Belichick will play Tom Brady all, some or little. If I start him and he rides the pine all game, I get zippo points. If I bench him and he plays all game, he'll rack up high points that do nothing for me because I didn't start him.

So I have now accumulated three other QB's with the hope that one of them will actually have something obvious to play for by the time their game kicks off. And also, my opponent is Mr. Invincible. He has 2 QB's - Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer. Huge fantasy point scorers. Neither of them are expected to play this week. Manning practically caused Mr. Invincible to lose last week when the Colts shockingly pulled their starters mid-way and gave up their undefeated season. So I am slightly surprised that Mr. Invincible hasn't been scrambling to pick up another QB like I have been doing. And don't think for a minute that I'm going to drop any of mine so he can come along and scoop them up. Screw that.

I lost to him by less than a point in the very first week of the season. Then he beat me handidly. Then I beat him handidly. Here's hoping I squeak out an upset in the finals this weekend and come back here sharing news of being crowned queen of the boys' league.

I do not feel in danger of losing my grip on the Ladies League title. I am not overthinking anything here simply because I am not making any moves with that team unless there is an injury. So I just play the hand I was dealt and luckily for me my opponent hasn't paid attention to her roster for weeks. Not the most rewarding way to win, but it is less stress to offset the boys' league.

No stress for us in the Pick 'Em Pool. We will be finishing middle of the road. But a total of 3 points separate our mom of twins, her hubby and some random person in 3rd place. Cross your fingers for them that they don't overthink their picks this week. It sure would be nice to start the new year next week with my final fantasy football post sharing good news on all fronts!

ROUND-UP:
Boston Babe (Molly's Team) = 2nd Overall, 7-6 (regular season) - Playoffs, Won Round 1, Advanced to Finals - leading combined points
(modifying this lineup for injuries only, ladies league)

GiselleWearsThePants (Molly's team) = Last Week, Won - 3rd Overall, 8-7 (regular season) - Playoffs, Won Semi-Final, Advanced to Finals this week
Brady Goes To Miami (Andy's team) = Last Week, Lost - 5th Overall, 5-10 (regular season) - Playoffs, Consolation bracket - battle for last place this week
~head to head (Molly vs. Andy) = I don't want to talk about it (0-3)
(actively modifying this lineup, up against the boys)

ON FUN ~ How Encouraging...

Photo courtesy ADoseofShipBoy @ Flikr

I am at a bit of a loss here. I mentioned in our December Blueprint that we would be covering "Encouraging Resolutions." But I have no idea what I was talking about!!! Did I mean we were going to make personal resolutions to be more encouraging in life instead of nagging? Or that we would be more encouraging to fellow bloggers and blogless visitors to support their efforts and emotions? Or that it was encouraging that we had come up with any personal resolutions to begin with? That sounds more likely than the others.

We aren't very good at resolutions. Andy made a resolution one year to make a better effort to eat more mushrooms - a food he dislikes. Not exactly stirring stuff there. I resolved once not to make any resolutions. Such a realist.

Nope. Resolutions seem so...I dunno...so Victorian. "I resolve from this day forth to be noble in my encounters with the common man." Please. If we just referred to them as goals I'd be better at creating them. A resolution is a major deal. It is supposed to be huge and challenging, along with having an impact. As opposed to bravely puting up with mushrooms found in prepared food rather than picking them out of the dish.

Three years ago I decided I didn't want to be a slave to smoking anymore. I used the new year as a jumping off point for my goal. Not a resolution. That was too final. Saying I resolved to quit smoking would have sent me running to my pack of smokes to ease my nerves. Saying my goal was to try to quit because it was too damn cold to stand outside like a leper was a nice little trick I played on my mind - giving my addiction a loop hole to cling to and keeping my nerves calm while I bought the patch when my addiction wasn't looking.

I won. I reached my goal - which, in the finality of it, turned it into a resolution after all. So now I set goals when mapping out my hopes and dreams for the new year, letting them turn into resolutions down the road. We Bumbles encourage you to do the same.

~Happy New Year ;0)

ON BOOKS ~ A Year In Reading...

In addition to finding my way through the blogosphere, taking photos in the real world and watching lots of movies, TV and Red Sox games, I managed to find enough time to read 30 books this year. That is more than the 27 that I completed last year when I first started keeping track. And next year my goal is to finish 31 or more. Here's a look back at my year of reading.

I read 22 works of fiction and 8 non-fiction. This surprised me. I thought I read more non-fiction than that since I really enjoy memoirs. Of those 8, I would only categorize 1 as memoir. I must have OD'd on memoirs in 2008 which is why I subconsciously gave myself a break from them.

On Goodreads' rating scale of 1 to 5 stars, I gave 4 books the highest rate of 5 and none received the lowly 1. Most fell into the 4 star range. This surprises me too since I am fairly stingy with my stars. In order to get a 5 out of me I have to love you as much as I do To Kill A Mockingbird or The Sound & The Fury - those are my 5 star barometer. So it looks like a had a run of good finds this year. Interestingly none of the non-fiction selections received a 4 or a 5.

I read a total of 10,692 pages, turning the average length of my reads into 356 pages. On average I was able to read 30 pages a day - most of which was accomplished at the gym during the week. Very little was done at nights, on weekends or vacations. Generally I was able to complete a book in about 2 weeks.

I read 8 books specifically for group discussions on Goodreads. Some of them were books I had suggested from my own list and others were new suggestions to me. I read 2 other books while having less structured read-alongs among online friends. 4 books were re-reads - 2 of them for group reads - 2 just to revisit from a different life perspective.

I managed to read 6 classics, but the overwhelming majority of the rest were written in the last decade. Collectively they covered the world from the 1600's to today, and beyond.

I gave audio books a try and found they have a place but are not my preference. I also learned that when I was reading one of those 2 star books, it slowed my pace down and my least productive reading months were tied directly to the clunkers, not the chunksters.

2 were books that I won on blogs. 14 were from the library. 6 were loans from family. 1 was a gift. 2 were from my personal library. 4 I bought at library sales. And 1 I bought for someone else and decided to read it first (shhh - don't tell)! Here they all are - can you match the descriptions to the titles?

DESCRIPTIONS:
1. A cat's uplifting spirit (DEWEY - Penny)
2. WW2 German occupation of France (SUITE FRANCAISE - ds)
3. An evil man with a dangerous nose (PERFUME - Janet)
4. Blunt tales about little people, among others
5. Russian society struggles (ANNA KARENINA - Penny)
6. Gothic mind games (REBECCA - Susan)
7. Love transcends dimensions (TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE - Penny)
8. All you need to know about the Puritans (THE WORDY SHIPMATES - ds)
9. Escaping problems in fairy tales
10. Surviving depression (THE BELL JAR - Penny)
11. A serial killer feeding off of Chicago (DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY - Kathleen)
12. Dogs (EDGAR SAWTELLE - Janet)
13. UK travels from an American point of view (NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND - Janet)
14. WW1 in the trenches with Cree Canadians
15. Abuse, escape & adaptation
16. Girls make good in Civil War times (LITTLE WOMEN - Catherine)
17. Dystopian horror of the control of women (THE HANDMAID'S TALE - Richard)
18. Murphy's Law and a dead body
19. Everyone's worst nightmare
20. An unsolved murder complicates life (IN THE WOODS - Penny)
21. Darwinism with a sense of humor
22. Who knew the Thames could be so funny?
23. Depression era childhood (A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN - Susan)
24. Washed up athlete returns home (BLEACHERS - Stacy)
25. A roller coaster franchise
26. It Takes A (spooky) Village (THE GRAVEYARD BOOK - Janet)
27. Civil rights played out in the home
28. Dumbing down of literature
29. Art forgery for Nazis
30. Murphy's Law and a dead body - revisited

TITLES:
A. "The Handmaid's Tale" - M. Atwood (5*'s)
B. "The Book of Lost Things" - J. Connolly (5*'s)
C. "Galapagos" - K. Vonnegut (5*'s)
D. "The Help" - K. Stockett (5*'s)
E. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" - D. Wroblewski (4*'s)
F. "Suite Francaise" - I. Nemirovsky (4*'s)
G. "The Bell Jar" - S. Plath (4*'s)
H. "The Time Traveler's Wife" - A. Niffenegger (4*'s)
I. "Three Day Road" - J. Boyden (4*'s)
J. "Little Women" - L. Alcott (4*'s)
K. "Rebecca" - D. Du Maurier (4*'s)
L. "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" - B. Smith (4*'s)
M. "Three Men In A Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog" - J. Jerome (4*'s)
N. "Anna Karenina" - L. Tolstoy (3*'s)
O. "Dewey - The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched The World" - V. Myron (3*'s)
P. "The Devil in the White City - Murder, Magic & Madness at the Fair That Changed America" - E. Larson (3*'s)
Q. "As I Lay Dying" - W. Faulkner (3*'s)
R. "Notes From A Small Island" - B. Bryson (3*'s)
S. "Shelf Monkey" - C. Redekop (3*'s)
T. "The Wordy Shipmates" - S. Vowell (3*'s)
U. "The Innocent Man - Murder & Injustice in a Small Town" - J. Grisham (3*'s)
V. "Getting Mother's Body" - S. Parks (3*'s)
W. "The Man Who Made Vermeers - Unvarnishing the Legend of Master Forger Han van Meegeren" - J. Lopez (3*'s)
X. "The Graveyard Book" - N. Gaiman (3*'s)
Y. "Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" - C. Handler (3*'s)
Z. "The Gravedigger's Daughter" - J. Oates (3*'s)
Aa. "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly New England Patriots - Heart-Pounding, Jaw Dropping & Gut-Wrenching Moments From New England Patriots History" - S. Glennon (2*'s)
Bb. "In The Woods" - T. French (2*'s)
Cc. "Perfume - The Story of a Murderer" - P. Suskind (2*'s)
Dd. "Bleachers" - J. Grisham (2*'s)

ON MOVIES ~ Don't Know Much About History...

Feature Presentation...

MONDAY MOVIE MEME

Molly looked around for a weekly meme about movies and did not have any luck. So therefore she decided to start her own! Andy will play along as well - hopefully you will too. Go to your blog and create your own post on the topic, linking back to us in your post, then come back and leave a link to your post here in our Comments section. If you don’t have a blog, just share your response in the Comments section.

This week's movie topic is all about Historical Films...

As we approach the end of the first decade in the new millenium it is only natural to take stock and have a look back at where we've been. When we do this it is a stroll down memory lane. When movies do this it is called a retrospective. Either way, it's history. Here are some of our favorite historical films. Share on your blog those movies that take place in the past, covering a specific period in style or subject, and link back here at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

Ben Hur (1959) - 1st Century, The Epic of Judah vs. Romans

Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975) - 6th Century, Spoof of King Arthur's Quest

Braveheart (1995) - Late 1200's/Early 1300's, Bloody Battle for Scottish Independence

Shakespeare In Love (1998) - 1590's, The Bard Loves His Muse

Dangerous Liasons (1988) - 1760's, French Nobility Not So Noble

Gangs of New York (2002) - 1860's, Birth of New York City

Dances With Wolves (1990) - 1860's Civil War, Unintentional Hero is a Lover, Not a Fighter

Little Big Man (1970) - Later 1800's, Tragicomedy of the White Man & the Indians

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - 1916 WW1, British Officer's Unique Military Excursions

The Untouchables (1987) - 1930's, Al Capone's Chicago

Do you have a topic to suggest to the Monday Movie Meme? Leave it in the Comments section or send us an e-mail.

ON SPORTS ~ Playoffs Baby...

I did it! I survived Round One of the playoffs in the Ladies League!!! I beat my opponent for 2 weeks and held more combined points. So off I go to the Finals. And I really really really want to beat her because it appears as if she has stopped monitoring her team altogether. You read that right. She has advanced to the finals without doing anything. She beat the #1 ranked team in the first round with an empty spot on her starting roster. Just goes to show how little skill is actually involved in this pastime! I have the last 2 weeks of the season to rack up more points than her and I fully intend for my players to do so.

In the boys' league Andy had a battle on his hands to make the playoffs - and he couldn't pull it off. Mr. Invincible gave him a beatdown and that was the end of that. So Andy and the Commish wallow around fighting over last place. I go on to the playoffs, matched up this week against an opponent I've beat twice out of three matchups this year. I'm a bit undecided with my lineup as of yet but I'd better get it squared away soon. This league works differently in that we have one round this week and then winners advance to the final next week.

So while you are enjoying your Christmas weekend, think of me and my playoff adventures - winning the Ladies League and a shot at the same against the boys would be terrific presents for me indeed!

FYI - our mom of twins friend is still hanging on to her overall lead in the Pick 'Em League with her hubby in 3rd. Two more weeks to go to secure big payoffs - which I'm sure would help pay those credit card bills in January! We'll have to wait for a winning lottery ticket or something - no big money for us in the middle of the masses.

ROUND-UP:
Boston Babe (Molly's Team) = 2nd Overall, 7-6 (regular season) - Playoffs, Won Round 1, Advanced to Finals
(modifying this lineup for injuries only, ladies league)

GiselleWearsThePants (Molly's team) = Last Week, Won - 3rd Overall, 8-7 (regular season) - Playoffs, Semi-Final matchup this week
Brady Goes To Miami (Andy's team) = Last Week, Lost - 5th Overall, 5-10 (regular season) - Playoffs, Consolation bracket
~head to head (Molly vs. Andy) = I don't want to talk about it (0-3)
(actively modifying this lineup, up against the boys)

ON PHOTOS ~ Open Skate...

Click HERE to find out where you can find some ice like this. And no, it isn't at our neighbor's backyard rink. That would be below:

Find other Wordless Wednesday photos by clicking on the button below...

ON BOOKS ~ Get Your Geek On...

Earlier this month I shared with you a website designed to arm you with beauty tips for all those holiday parties. But now, I'm promoting a geekier side. That's right. I'm introducing you to a site that is all about waving that geek banner with pride. Geek The Library is a non-profit library cooperative whose goal is to raise awareness in and support of our libraries. This little experiment with a small selection of states is funded by a grant from the biggest geek of them all, Bill Gates.

It doesn't take a lot of time to visit their site. It arms you with facts you already know. It motivates you to be supportive of your library locally within your community. And it reminds you that you really need to give back - of your time, your support, your voice, your commitment - to the place that originally inspired you, provided you with all that you needed, and did so for free.

Go get that library card. Borrow books instead of buying them. Make a donation in dollars or in time by volunteering at your library's fundraisers. Remind people in your community that a library is more than a place to borrow books. It provides access to free internet, job search and resume assistance, second language courses, children's activities, workshops, guest speakers, art displays, contests, movies, meeting spaces and friendly faces.

The library is my best friend in our community. It is innovative - allowing late fines to be repaid with donations to the local food bank during the holidays. It is active - with book mobiles reaching those who cannot come to it. It is vital. I geek my library. How about you?

ON MOVIES ~ Holiday Faves...

Feature Presentation...

MONDAY MOVIE MEME

Molly looked around for a weekly meme about movies and did not have any luck. So therefore she decided to start her own! Andy will play along as well - hopefully you will too. Go to your blog and create your own post on the topic, linking back to us in your post, then come back and leave a link to your post here in our Comments section. If you don’t have a blog, just share your response in the Comments section.

This week's movie topic is all about Your Holiday Favorites...

This week's topic may not seem very original of us. However, Kaye commented last week that she would enjoy sharing them, and Molly chatted about them on Blog Talk Radio last week (you can listen to an archive of the show here) so it seems only obvious that we should cover holiday favorites now. After all, it wouldn't make a lot of sense to talk about them in March. So here are some of our favorites. Share on your blog your favorite movies that either take place during the holidays, are about the holidays or just have a special personal connection for you with the holidays and link back here at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

A Christmas Story (1983) - favorite about the holiday ~ Red Rider BB Guns, writing Christmas "themes," tongues stuck to frozen lamp posts, leg lamp major awards and saying "fudge" - nostalgic delight

The Wizard of Oz (1939) - favorite personal association ~ fond memories of watching this on TV every year around the holidays, falling in love with Toto and ruby slippers while hiding from flying monkeys and the wicked witch

It's A Wonderful Life (1946) - favorite holiday classic ~ a love story entwined with a bit of Dickens

Christmas Vacation (1989) - favorite holiday comedy ~ "The shitter's full" sums up unwanted family guests so succinctly

Diner (1982) - favorite set around the holidays ~ underrated comedy about young men trying not to change, including a hilarious scene with an inebriated Kevin Bacon accosting people with sheep in protection of the nativity scene

Do you have a topic to suggest to the Monday Movie Meme? Leave it in the Comments section or send us an e-mail.

ON SPORTS ~ Best Guess...

Well last week I explained that the playoffs were starting in the Ladies League. Which they did. But I also said that if I lost I'd be done and if I won I'd move on to the next round. Which was not exactly true. As I discovered after beating my opponent, the first round of the playoffs lasts for 2 weeks. Meaning, I presume, that the team with the highest combined score between the 2 weeks advances to the next round. I'm still not sure.

I believe I continue to be matched up against the same team as last week rather than getting a new opponent. Which is good for me, because I kicked her ass by 30 points last week. That's a tough assignment for her team to make up. But here I was all excited to have advanced to the championship and I got a bit ahead of myself. *shudder* That is like the kiss of death when a team overlooks their current opponent thinking only of the one after them. So let it be known that I was not overlooking Team Tonoogle - I was just confused.

As for the boys' league - I lost to the Commish (I was hoping for a season sweep) but his attempts at playing the spoiler (he is in last place) went for naught as I managed to clinch a playoff spot regardless. The final playoff spot is still up for grabs and will be decided when the next Monday Night Football ends.

Andy is behind the 4th place team by 1 win. If that guy's team loses and Andy's team wins they will have the same record. The tiebreaker (we think) goes to cumulative season points - and Andy is only 8 behind this guy. The problem is Andy is facing Mr. Invincible (in first place). The good news is I am facing the dude that needs to lose. I'll try to hold up my end of the bargain and help a hubby out. So that I can perhaps have the pleasure in the playoffs of avenging my winless record against him.

And in case you were wondering how the Pick 'Em Pool was going, I'm in the middle of the pack - as I predicted I would be even when things looked so stellar early on. Andy is nipping at my heels. But both of us are staring up in amazement at our mom of twins friend who has been holding on to that first place spot for weeks now. Her husband has slipped out of second place to 4th but it is truly incredible their consistent performance. I can't tell you how hard it is to hold on to a lead in a league with over 100 people trying to knock you off. Not to mention taking care of 2 one year old boys at the same time. Super Mom (and Dad) indeed!

ROUND-UP:
Boston Babe (Molly's Team) = Last Week, Won - Overall, 7-6 (regular season) - Playoffs, Leading handidly in Round 1
(modifying this lineup for injuries only, ladies league)

GiselleWearsThePants (Molly's team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 7-7
Brady Goes To Miami (Andy's team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 5-9
~head to head (Molly vs. Andy) = I don't want to talk about it (0-3)
(actively modifying this lineup, up against the boys)

ON PHOTOS ~ Nostalgia...

07-27-2009 - The Babe (he was a Red Sox first) - Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY

click photo to enlarge

Visit

to post or VOTE for this (Bumbles) or other interpretations of this week's challenge

ON BLOGGING ~ Guilt Free Zone...

Image by

Welcome to our weekly BlogAnon meeting where we confess a particular blogging sin and turn to you for support, suggestions and that blogging bond so we know we're not all alone. Don't be shy. Read along and let us know if you identify with us this week.

We posted earlier this week about how busy we'd been with other projects as a way of explaining our absence socially from blog hopping the last week or so. Blogging buddy Otin (he of the creative writing addiction) commented that he found it funny that we all in the blogosphere apologize for being too busy to visit each other's blogs. It is funny when you think about it. We can't visit blogs because we're busy blogging. It is kind of like how the carpenter's house is always falling apart. The carpenter is too busy fixing everyone else's homes to take care of their own.

I will admit that I suffer from Blogger Guilt. I feel guilty right now that while I am writing this post there are new posts - or old posts more likely - accumulating out there for me to read. Ones that will inspire me or make me laugh or cry or want to kick someone's ass. I feel guilty when I'm reading these posts that I'm not writing quality ones of my own - spending my time reading posts while procrastinating writing them. And then I feel guilty that I wasted precious blogging time by writing something uninspiring, silly or lazy.

It is funny, Otin. We all wish we had more time to blog and visit blogs. We all know this. I don't get personally offended when people stop by sporadically. Things go in waves. In real life and in the blogosphere. So there is no need to feel guilty about it or blog about a lack of visiting when we're busy.

So I declare this a guilt free blogging zone. The only time I'm going to allow any blog related guilt is if it keeps me from enjoying the real world. Which reminds me, since next Friday falls on Christmas Day this is the last BlogAnon for 2009. I'll be here again when 2010 rolls around with more blogging sins to confess, but Blogger Guilt won't be one of them!

Do you devote a lot of time to visiting in addition to posting? Do you consider commenting a part of the blogging definition? Do you suffer from Blogger Guilt when time runs out on all that you want to do in the blogosphere? Will you be making a resolution to blog guilt free in the new year? Don't be afraid to share - your blogger thoughts are safe with us!

ON BOOKS ~ Better Than A Yankee Swap...

So I signed up to participate in this Book Blogger Holiday Swap I'd been seeing here and there amongst all of you book bloggers. I felt a little guilty because, after all, we aren't exactly a book blog. I talk about book related topics several times a month with reviews scattered here and there. Books are only a piece of the pie. But the book blogging community was the first to welcome us with open arms in the blogosphere so I saw the BBHS as a way to continue to meet a few new book bloggers and give a little something to one of them in the process. And of course, the chance to receive a small gift in the mail is always fun.

Through the BBHS I was introduced to Jenn of Jenn's Bookshelves because I got to go shopping for her. I hate shopping for gifts. I never have good ideas. But the BBHS allows participants to provide some insight about themselves and I did some poking around at her website to get a better feel for her as a blogger, and a person. I felt like a sneaky detective and was eager to go to the store to fulfill her wishes and contribute a few personal items as well. When she received her gift package she sent me a nice message of thanks and I was so relieved that my ideas for her were well received. I am not sure how I had not already come across her blog before as we share some common connections with others. So I thank the BBHS for nudging my introduction to her along and into my Reader. And also for getting me excited about holiday shopping and gift giving. That helped me get a jump on all my presents!

I was not expecting my Secret Swapper to spoil me by any means. I had suggested they send a book off of my To Read list on Goodreads that they had enjoyed themselves and would recommend. When I came home one night this week after a very long day at the office and Christmas tree needles lovingly scattered by Lucy & Tedy all over the floor, I was instantly delighted to find a box waiting for me - my gift from a stranger - just because.



Woooweee! Look at all that loot! A journal, decorative snowflakes, message pad, bookmark and a book from my list - The Housekeeper & The Professor by Yoko Ogawa. But wait - there's more! Just like on Christmas morning, there was a stocking filled with small treasures - pen and pencils, samplings of tea, cider and hot chocolate, along with candy and chocolate. And finally, some personal touches from the fabulous Cindy of Cindy's Love of Books. Cindy is from Montreal, a city that we visited several summers ago and enjoyed immensely. She shared with us a pretty Montreal postcard and a magnet that promptly went on the fridge to help hold all of those Christmas photos we've been receiving of little nieces and nephews. But best of all was a handmade card - one that I would have paid extra for at Hallmark.

The personal touches - that I tried to provide to Jenn and that Cindy gave to me - are what I feel is the real soul of the blogosphere. That ability to connect with people from all over the planet and build relationships with them on a personal level. Thank you BBHS for creating a perfect forum for friendship, sharing and appreciation. And thank you Jenn and Cindy for putting up with a Bumble. Book blogger or not, I support this community that has given so much to us.

ON PHOTOS ~ Speed Demon...

Click HERE to find out where Bumble got into this scrape.

Click HERE to find out if this is really the best BBQ in Charlotte.

Find other Wordless Wednesday photos by clicking on the button below...

ON BLOGGING ~ Busy Bumbles...

Image courtesy of Helico

We have been very busy Bumbles of late. Everyone is around the holidays. But our absence from bopping around and visiting most of you is not because of holiday shopping or baking (duh) or decorating. It is because Andy has been traveling on the road several days each week and Molly has been using that downtime to squeeze in some outside efforts.

Primarily she has been working on a series of posts for LifeSnips regarding tips for the college financial aid process. This bright idea popped into her head rather innocently and has evolved into a very time consuming research, interview and finally, writing process. Everything from applying for aid, working with schools for grants, finding scholarships, knowing what to look for in loans and how to manage debt are planned topics for the series. The first was just published last week and you can read it here.

Any promotion that you can provide by Tweeting, Stumbling, Digging or good old fashioned forwarding of the link to anyone you may know in the college or high school industry, or to teens heading off to college or for adults returning to school that would be much appreciated. And of course, if you want to talk about the topic feel free to leave a comment over on LifeSnips.

Tomorrow we'll be posting more photo links from our vacation back in the fall to Molly's travel posts on UpTake's Attractions Blog and we hope you continue to enjoy the more involved account of our journies on that site. While you are there, feel free to ask questions, leave opinions or ideas on those posts too so other visitors to UpTake can benefit from the conversation.

And finally, tonight (Tuesday) at 8PM EST Molly will be joining Terry Kate of Romance In The Back Seat and romance author Sabrina Darby on Terry Kate's "Backseat Movie Talk Holiday Special" on Blog Talk Radio. You can listen in and even call to join the discussion about favorite holiday films too if you want by visiting the link here. We'll post the archive link in next week's Monday Movie Meme post for anyone unable to listen in live.

And after all of this, perhaps we'll be able to get back out there in the blogosphere and spend some quality time visiting all of you and meeting some new people too along the way. That is always intended to be our priority and we look forward to seeing you soon.

ON MOVIES ~ Good Vibrations...

Feature Presentation...

MONDAY MOVIE MEME

Molly looked around for a weekly meme about movies and did not have any luck. So therefore she decided to start her own! Andy will play along as well - hopefully you will too. Go to your blog and create your own post on the topic, linking back to us in your post, then come back and leave a link to your post here in our Comments section. If you don’t have a blog, just share your response in the Comments section.

This week's movie topic is all about Music...

We've discussed Soundtracks and Musicals before. But we haven't covered movies ABOUT music. Which is surprising since Andy is aka Concert Boy (see #13 for a shot of him). So here are some of our favorites. Share on your blog movies with a music related theme and link back here at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

High Fidelity (2000) - Cumpulsive record store owner with hysterical music snob employees is obsessed with his worst break-ups - John Cusack leads a superb cast

School of Rock (2003) - disgruntled rocker posing as his roommate for a substitute teaching gig to earn money decides a curriculum of the history of rock & roll is more educational to his young students - Jack Black at his finest

Wayne's World (1992) - 2 low budget rockers with big time dreams - based on the SNL skit

Rock & Roll High School (1979) - rock loving students take over their oppressive high school with a little help from The Ramones

The Pianist (2002) - true story of Poland's famous concert pianist, Szpilman, and his struggles as a Jew through WW2 and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprisings - controversial director Roman Polanski directed Adrien Brody and they both earned Oscars - inspiring Brody to plant a big fat kiss on shocked presenter Halle Berry

Do you have a topic to suggest to the Monday Movie Meme? Leave it in the Comments section or send us an e-mail.

ON SPORTS ~ The Agony of Defeat...

It isn't nice for a husband to beat his wife - much less three times in one season. Yet the Bumble Beatdown ended in just that. Oh-fer Andy. That's what my record looks like. I don't know what it is. I have defeated every other team in our league this year - except for Andy's.

And to make matters worse, I let my guard down and mentioned this Wide Receiver I'd had my eye on for a few weeks. No one that was exceeding my current roster's performance but someone that I thought might be beneficial judging by the late season opponents for this player. And what does my husband do? He goes and snags that player for his own roster.

During baseball season we work together as a team - I help to co-manage his fantasy baseball team when I have time. I'm always researching for him, suggesting players and moves. Sometimes I'm wrong. Sometimes I'm right. But we're always a team.

Except when we're playing against each other during football season. Then he takes my good advice and runs with it. Leaves me in the dust. Bastard. But that stolen player didn't undo me this week. Adrian Peterson did. Dude forgot how to run. Bastard. But no matter. I'm still hangin' solo in 2nd place with a couple weeks to go. I'm still gunning for the playoffs and Andy is fighting for his life - in fantasy football that is.

As for the Ladies League, although I lost a heartbreaker last weekend, I managed to hang on to 2nd place and one of four spots in the playoffs. I've just begun the first of two rounds of the playoffs. If I lose this week, my experiment there is done. Big test. I really don't want to lose in the 1st round. I really don't want to lose at all. I can handle losing to my hubby because the sweet Bumble is hard to stay mad at. But hell if I'm going to lose to anyone else. C'mon Boys! Lets GO already. Rack up those points and make this a rally week!

And in case you were wondering how the Pick 'Em Pool was going...I managed to finish near the utter bottom of the barrell last week, with Andy doing the same. Our friends, the parents of the twin babies, are still holding on to the top spots. Bizarro world indeed.

ROUND-UP:
Boston Babe (Molly's Team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 7-6
(modifying this lineup for injuries only, ladies league)

GiselleWearsThePants (Molly's team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 7-6
Brady Goes To Miami (Andy's team) = Last Week, Won - Overall, 5-8
~head to head (Molly vs. Andy) = I don't want to talk about it (0-3)
(actively modifying this lineup, up against the boys)

ON PHOTOS ~ Bus...

09-12-2008 - Bus Stop With A View - Boston, MA

(click photo to enlarge)

Visit

to post or VOTE for this (Bumbles) or other interpretations of this week's challenge

ON BLOGGING ~ Tech Support...

Image by

Welcome to our weekly BlogAnon meeting where we confess a particular blogging sin and turn to you for support, suggestions and that blogging bond so we know we're not all alone. Don't be shy. Read along and let us know if you identify with us this week.

I have noticed a trend. This is not a new trend. It is old as dirt. So I guess I'm not all that observant. But nevertheless, here it is. Bloggers aren't as tech savvy as their blogs appear to be. We don't know how to make our thoughts as pretty as we'd like. We decide it is easier to just give up the fight rather than track down the answers. This leads to complacency and sometimes, annoyance - especially when we stumble across some new fangled blogger flaunting all their tech tricks like one of Tiger's hot mamas happy to tell the world.

Well I for one have had enough. I have a teaching degree that gathers dust with each day spent working in financial services and it is about time I put it to use. Would you readers like to learn? Would you like someone to go figure out how to do things and then explain it to you in words and phrases that real people use in the non-techie world? I can do this. I am tired of using my lack of knowledge as an excuse for lack of ability.

I will embark on this quest (albeit more in the fashion of Monty Python's Holy Grail than Frodo and The Ring) provided that when I share what I learn and you can understand it that you will be empowered to use it and follow through with the implementation. No more excuses. Now, what do you want to know? What shall my first mission be?

What is your biggest technology frustration when posting? What is the one techie secret you want desperately to be unlocked? What do you not know that you are afraid to ask anyone else? Don't be afraid to share - your blogger thoughts are safe with us!

ON PHOTOS ~ Pretty Please...

See that beauty above? I can't stop thinking about it. *swoon*

Over Thanksgiving my folks broke a cardinal rule with me which is to spoil my X-mas present surprise. I hate spoilers of any sort. Especially with gifts. But I forgave them since they said they wanted to give me a new digital camera.

Whoopee!!!! That's what Andy's reaction was too because for the last few months I have been complaining to him about my antiquated camera and this lets him off the hook. Well, at least in part. You see - my selection as of now is a pricey one. We may need to supplement the cost of this gift a bit.

I am a big fan of Olympus. I have an old, bulky, limited zoom, minimal pixel edition whose memory cards have a finite capacity. But it captures fantastic quality images. I respect their brand and have never had a functional issue with their product. So it is only natural that I would turn to Olympus again for my upgrade. The camera pictured above is the Stylus 9000 and it runs about $300. It has a 10x zoom with a wide lens and 12 megapixels and allows for panoramic shots. Other than that it contains all of the same bells and whistles that the next model down does.

I went to Best Buy to check it out and they didn't have it there. They had a lower model 7000 and I must say - I was disappointed in the operating button next to the display screen. Most are circular where you click on the top or side points to maneuver around. Olympus uses a cross/square design which is less smooth. Then again, my current camera is similar in design and I hardly noticed until I looked at it. I do like the website styled menu screen with icons making it simpler to understand. My sister-in-law has another Olympus model herself and her pictures are always terrific too so I know the quality is consistent.

What do you recommend? Are you an Olympus point & click user? Or do you swear by another brand? What complaints and praises do you have with your camera? I need as much input as possible so that the folks can get that present purchased in time for Christmas morning!

ON FUN ~ Extreme Makeover...

So I just wasted about an hour tooling around on this makeover site I came across through a sponsor link in a daily e-mail blast. Since I lost track of time on it, I decided you might enjoy doing the same so I thought I would share. It is called Daily Makeover and it allows you to upload your own photo (or choose from the gallery of face models) and then try on all different kinds of hair styles, hair colors, makeup and even frickin' jewelry - as if I have this box full of jewels to choose from!

But regardless, I was able to see that the cute Taylor Swift shorty cut she's rockin' these days is NOT the look for me. I need some longer tresses to frame what may or may not be a heart shaped face - I haven't quite figured that out yet. It basically verified that my hairdresser has created a nice cut and color for me which was reassuring. It would come in handy the next time I have some fancy party or event to attend so I could try out up-do's and some bling in advance.

I don't really wear make-up since no one ever taught me how to apply it. But Carmindy - she of TLC's What Not To Wear - has her own blog on this site and I'm sure if anyone can provide teachable tips, she can. (I love that show - another major time suck for me if they are running a weekend marathon!)

There are all kinds of articles, celebrity look analysis, product reviews, makeover tips and beauty news to read in addition to the ever popular makeover simulator. Some stuff is free, some stuff requires a membership. When I signed up for my 7 day free trial it showed rates of $30 for a year's membership - there were shorter terms available too. Since daily beauty isn't all that important to me, I doubt I will sign up. But the test run let me try on some new looks without the stress.

So if you are considering a change or want to test out a new look for a holiday party, go register for your free week trial and experiment to your heart's content. It sure beats wearing that "not what you intended" cut & color at a holiday party.

**This is not a paid or sponsored post. I just found it entertaining and wanted to share ;0)

ON MOVIES ~ Monochrome Movies...

Feature Presentation...

MONDAY MOVIE MEME

Molly looked around for a weekly meme about movies and did not have any luck. So therefore she decided to start her own! Andy will play along as well - hopefully you will too. Go to your blog and create your own post on the topic, linking back to us in your post, then come back and leave a link to your post here in our Comments section. If you don’t have a blog, just share your response in the Comments section.

This week's movie topic is all about Black & White Pictures...

Today we're kickin' it old school. Classic. Vintage. Black & White films. Digital special effects and vibrant rainbows of colors are terrific. But the simplicity and clarity of B&W movies creates an entirely different effect. And one that we love to experience every now and again for old time's sake. Here are some of our favorites. Share on your blog those color-free flicks that stop you in your tracks and link back here at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

It's A Wonderful Life (1946) - "Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings!"

12 Angry Men (1957) - "I'm not trying to change your mind. It's just that... we're talking about somebody's life here. We can't decide it in five minutes. Supposing we're wrong?"

To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) - "Jean Louise. Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passing."

You Can't Take It With You (1938) - "Maybe it'll stop you trying to be so desperate about making more money than you can ever use? You can't take it with you, Mr. Kirby. So what good is it? As near as I can see, the only thing you can take with you is the love of your friends."

It Happened One Night (1934) - "Why didn't you take off all your clothes? You could have stopped forty cars." "Well, ooo, I'll remember that when we need forty cars."

Schindler's List (1993) - "I could have got more out. I could have got more. I don't know. If I'd just... I could have got more."

Do you have a topic to suggest to the Monday Movie Meme? Leave it in the Comments section or send us an e-mail.

ON SPORTS ~ The Thrill of Victory...

Have you ever felt your heart racing in excited anticipation, just waiting for the object of your desire to be yours, truly all yours, once and for all? Perhaps while shopping at a favorite store, waiting for that lady to stop fingering the fabric of a perfect dress just your size and walking away for you to snatch it up victoriously off the rack. Or watching the timer decline ever so slowly on EBAY while you wait with bated breath praying that your fellow bidders have run out of money so that you win the Wii console for below market value. Or with fingers and toes crossed as you peek through one open eye to see if your child's kick, shot or pass was good with time expiring on the clock for the victory. Well that is how I was feeling late Monday night as the game clock ran out on the Patriots/Saints game.

You see, I had a slim lead on my competition in the Ladies League. All of my fantasy team's players were done. I had no one playing in the late game. And here came Julie - that scrappy, smart, Momspective League founder nipping at my heels. She had two big spots left to play for her - the Patriots' Running Back and the Patriots' Defense. Well that put me in quite a pickle. Because of course I am a Patriots fan . It probably put Julie in a pickle too because she is not shy about sharing the fact that she hates Tom Brady and the Pats in general. She's a Carolina Panthers fan, so I cut her some slack because they are just awful this year, and the Pats have defeated them in the Super Bowl before - she's allowed to be bitter. So each of us was put in the odd position of rooting against our hearts. Because our pride and bragging rights were at stake.

And so I watched as Tom Terrific looked like Jake Delhomme. For you non-NFL fans, that is like watching Cloris Leachman on DWTS. Yet Running Back Maroney continued to shine. Except for that pesky fumble - which was offset by a few Touchdowns. He racked up some great points for Team Julie. Grrrr. My lead over her had dwindled to single digits. And the Pats were in a complete funk. It was evident in the second half that the undefeated Saints were no fluke and had complete control of the game. So I rooted for a complete Patriots defensive meltdown. If they were going to lose, I wanted them to lose big time. Because you see, the more points the Patriots Defense allowed, the more points Team Julie would lose. Her score would tick backwards a few points each time the Saints scored. Then it would tick back up a few points whenever Maroney rushed for positive yardage. I was about to have a heart attack.

And so I found myself as the time ran down excitedly anxious, waiting for that score to go final and my victory by 4 points to be confirmed. When it happened, it was like getting the last beer from the vendor at a stadium before the taps are shut off.

I'm tied for 1st and this is our last week for eligiblity before the playoff matchups are set. I won't be seeing Team Julie again as she has had a bad run of luck all season. I didn't help her cause any, and the Patriots gave her another reason to despise them. And although I'm sorry that my Happy Dance came at her personal expense, I'm not taking it back. Because victory is sweet.

In the boys' league this week Andy and I have what I believe is our final head-to-head matchup. Wish me luck since he has turned into my gridiron nemesis. I'm tied for 2nd and this league's playoffs are still a few weeks away. Tune in next week to find out how the Bumble Beatdown fared.

ROUND-UP:
Boston Babe (Molly's Team) = Last Week, Won - Overall, 7-5
(modifying this lineup for injuries only, ladies league)

GiselleWearsThePants (Molly's team) = Last Week, Won - Overall, 7-5
Brady Goes To Miami (Andy's team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 4-8
~head to head (Molly vs. Andy) = I don't want to talk about it (0-2)
(actively modifying this lineup, up against the boys)

ON PHOTOS ~ Bells...

07-13-2003 - Bell Tower of Old North Church - Boston's North End, MA

(click photo to enlarge)

Visit

to post or VOTE for this (Bumbles) or other interpretations of this week's challenge

ON BLOGGING ~ Social Butterfly...

Image by

Welcome to our weekly BlogAnon meeting where we confess a particular blogging sin and turn to you for support, suggestions and that blogging bond so we know we're not all alone. Don't be shy. Read along and let us know if you identify with us this week.

A month ago I toyed with the idea of abandoning the Thursday 13 meme for a month as an experiment to see if it destroyed our visitor level or hurt our blog's analytics in any way. Thursday 13 brought more traffic to our blog than anything other than random Google and Blogger hits. In addition to discontinuing posts on our blog, I also did not visit the Thursday 13 participants unless they were already in our Reader and peaked our interest. I expected to see big declines.

Not at all. Although our referrals from the Thursday 13 site dropped 75% (a link to our Monday Movie Meme is still listed there), referrals from The Daily Meme (where the Monday Movie Meme is also listed) doubled. They helped to make up some of the difference. Our overall visits were down about 4%, but of those who visited we drew in 5% more new people than before. On Thursdays, things were pretty even. There was one Thursday where we didn't even post anything, and another which fell on Thanksgiving. The Thursdays in between matched or beat the parallel Thursdays from the prior month. The biggest difference was that people spent a lot less time on our blog - so either our posts were shorter or less interesting. But the average time figures were around 2 minutes which I think is pretty decent.

So how did this happen? I suppose it is because I still went out and visited blogs. I left comments where I had something to add to the conversation. Eight of you volunteered for blog review partners and I was able to introduce you to bloggers new to you and give you tools to gain insight into your efforts. That exercise itself exhibited our goal here in the blogosphere through The Bumbles Blog to entertain, introduce and educate. The more social you are, the greater the opportunity to build relationships. The higher the quality of the relationship, the more lasting and supportive it becomes. That relationship can be a resource, a referral, a motivator, a friend.

Sadly, I am lacking in the technological social world outside of the blog arena. Andy handles the Facebook world. I have a business profile on LinkedIn but don't really know how to maximize it. I set myself up on StumbleUpon but don't have any buddies there. I don't know how to use the site, to find interesting new things or to promote my own paid posts elsewhere. And Twitter is something that I have stubbornly refused to learn anything about. Other than Goodreads, I don't virtually socialize with anyone outside of the blogosphere. Partly because of time restraints, partly because of laziness, and partly because of ignorance.

I'm thinking my next experiment should be to become a social Bumble butterfly in some of these other online platforms. Think of all the wonderful worlds I could explore! Then again, I could just re-run our most visited post every now and again to attract attention. Every month it leads the way. I don't know if that says something good or bad about us, or you. But it is certainly food for thought.

Have you ever made a change with surprising results? How do you socialize in the blogosphere? Are you a member of any online social networks? Do you use them to promote your blog presence? Would you like to be our buddy on StumbleUpon so we are no longer lonely, clueless losers there? Have any insight about how to use LinkedIn? Can you explain to us how Twitter is beneficial as opposed to annoying? Or are you as socially inept as we are outside of the blogosphere? Don't be afraid to share - your blogger thoughts are safe with us!

ON FOOD ~ Dannon Mexican Cheese Dip...

So when we were visiting Molly's family for Thanksgiving weekend, her mom produced a delicious dip that was scooped right up despite all the other trimmings - which is why there are no photos - we scarfed it all down too fast. It was not her usualy Mexican layer dip. But it did still have a Mexican flair. And best of all? It was actually healthier than it tasted! So turn those holiday parties into a fiesta by serving this dip, which is safe for even Molly to attempt since it does not require a stove ;0)

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups DANNON All Natural Plain Yogurt

2 cloves minced garlic

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 medium diced red sweet pepper

2 cups thawed frozen whole kernal corn

1 cup rinsed & drained canned black beans

1 small seeded & chopped tomato

2 tablespoons canned diced green chilies

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

Line small colander with coffee filter. Suspend over bowl and spoon in yogurt. Cover and chill overnight to drain out excess water, creating yogurt cheese.

Remove yogurt cheese from strainer, discarding liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in garlic, cumin & salt. Fold in sweet pepper, corn, black beans, tomato, green chilies, 1 1/2 cups of Mexican cheese and 3 tablespoons cilantro.

Spread into serving dish/platter, topping with remaining cheese & cilantro.

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

ON FUN ~ Looky What He Can Do...

So in case you weren't aware, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer will be on TV tonight at 8PM on CBS. And we would be very bad Bumbles indeed if we didn't remind you to tune in to see our namesake. To get you in the spirit, here are a few of our favorite lines - which we will be saying right along with the show. You do know who said each line, right? If not - you need to tune in or set your DVR and get reacquainted with all these misfits...

"How can I eat? That silly elf song is driving me crazy." (us too, us too)

"I'm cute! I'm CUTE!" (he really is)

"But that's what makes it so grand." (sadly, no one says grand anymore)

"Well, sir, some day, I'd like to be... a dentist." (glad someone wants to do it)

"And then...IT HIT!" (brrrr)

"No! This is man's work." (it really is a bit of a sexist special)

"A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child." (I vouch for that)

"Didn't I ever tell you about Bumbles? Bumbles bounce!" (it's true!)