A blog post about blogging for bloggers

Jeff from View from the Cloud wrote some helpful tips for new humor bloggers (which I am not) recently. His well-written post covers a wide variety of topics but basically tells new blogger not to take yourselves so damn seriously, remember that self-deprecating humor is nearly always a winner, have fun with it, don't get too damned long-winded and write about what you know. I'm always open for some help and inspiration because my job often times soaks up all of the creativity that I have and I'm left with nothing more than a stack of abnormally dry rice cakes when it comes to material for this here messy and confusing place.

However, I can do the whole "write what you know" thing. Take, for instance, Saturday afternoon. I was mowing the lawn wearing only my wife's frilly underthings. Now before you get all judgmental on me, I have to say that her lacey items are remarkably comfortable and kept me cool even under the scorching sun that was relentlessly beating down on my sunbaked lawn. Sure, the wife had the time of her life laughing up a storm and filming the whole series of events. As for the neighbors, I am sure I didn't make any new friends. To them, I say if you can't accept a modern man who is comfortable with himself in women's underthangs, close your damn curtains, shield your children's eyes and accept the fact that the neighborhood has finally gone to hell. Actually it was already going to hell over three years ago when we moved in but we were the final nail in that coffin.

All this great information and I didn't even break my "no more paragraphs than digits on my hand" rule because every time I break that rule I have promised myself that I'll have to watch an entire Carrot Top performance as punishment. Thank GOD I'm not terribly long-winded.

Have I made anyone wonder about the bulging guy in the lime green underthings? What's your favorite way to keep life fresh?

No, this self-promotion doesn't count against my rule but if you're looking for inspiration, check out work from the best photographers in the Land of 10,000 Lakes at MinnPics. It's like still life gold.

My secret is out

When something has that perfect combination of odd, macabre, endearing, catchy and even -- dare I say it -- cute, there's no hope in escaping it. Of course "it" is the video for "Why do You Let Me Stay Here" by "She & Him" (folkster M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel)

My secret is that I think I'm developing a crush on Ms. Deschanel. How couldn't I have a crush on her? Watch the video and figure out why I have a special place in my dark, cold heart for brunettes.



But fear not, soul lives on at MinnPics where I showcase the best photographers in Minnesota who obviously are full of soul!

Another confession

A while back, I said I have a large closet full of secrets, skeletons and pudding. The secrets lead to confessions which, much like my admittance of listening to 2 hours of sports talk radio daily, will both shock and amaze.

I like Tina Fey. She is funny. She makes me laugh. Her starring role in "30 Rock" on NBC is hilariously awkward and smart at the same time. It doesn't hurt, too, that she is smoking hot. Take a look for yourself.

Maybe it's the geek chic look she rocks. Maybe it's because she's not that much older than I am. Whatever the case, she's hot and funny and that, to me, is a great combination.

I have a confession to make

Everyone has skeletons in my closet and I am no different. If you looked into this particular closet, it would look like an above-ground cemetary and it's burdensome for me to keep all this hidden from others. To lighten my load, I have a confession to make and it might shock some of you.

Now it's nothing along the lines of an adulterous affair with a curvy and buxom 21 year old blonde college cheerleader who has an anything-goes attitude if you catch my drift. No, actually my secret could be considered more scandalous than that.

Here goes.

I listen to sports talk radio. Sure, it's only for two hours a day but I rarely miss it. I listen to it because the personality hosting the show has an utter disdain for sports. To sum it up, he is an older version of me. I listen because it's funny to me how wrapped up people get in their favorite team. Their moods change dependant on the performance of their favorite team. Their free time revolves around the minutiae of the personnel and coaching moves of their team. They critique the smallest details of the previous game and contemplate ludicrous schemes that would vastly improve their team.

These fans whose moods ebb and flow with their favorite team's performance have such sorry and pathetic lives that they have to obsess over a bunch of (physically) grown men playing a child's game for vast gobs of cash.

Do you have one of these people in your lives? Are you one of these people? Do you feel the same way? Have I offended your sensibilities in saying that [insert team name here] sucks and has zero hope at a winning season much less a playoff run?