Friday Foolishness – Storage Edition

Today’s Music: The Jezabels- Trycolour

Damn straight. Friday again. The day where we realize Yes, we just may live through this week after all. You know what helps me get to this point?
Blog reading! Here’s a tiny fraction of what I enjoyed this week:
Smaktakula graced us with another edition of WTF Headlines.
In a great entry for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Love and Lunchmeat put up a very strong thought provoking post at Black Box Warnings.
Edward Hotspur came up with a romantic challenge that I hope you all check out!
And The Waiting would like to know who should play you in BLOG: The Movie.

A lot to laugh about this week, and a lot to think about this week too.
Thanks to them, and everyone else for making the ‘sphere the interesting, entertaining place it is.

Which brings us gently into last week in Guapotonia. Despite my declaration of hiatus, there are responsibilities. And one of those is bringing you the foolishest 15 seconds of thought you’ll have during the week, in the form of a “dear god, why is he asking that?!?” poll. Last week, it was What would you do with powers of the mind? And wow, all of you have the power to make me laugh! Here’s what you had to say. (As always, my answers are suggested subliminally in italics.)

stop wars and bring world peace (Sightsnbytes)
(Instead of mental powers, wouldn’t you just need massive speakers and a loop of “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”?)
Think up a really clever response to this poll.
(That answer is aweso- OH MY GOD!!! You do have mental powers!!!)
End this damn election! (Frank)
(Wouldn’t work – I’m pretty sure there are no working minds in this election.)
End this damn election! (Frank)
(Obviously, this is a deep, psycho-political commentary on the repetitive nature of the repeated sound bites and zingers of this campaign.)
Magic, which should be able to cover everything – Carrie Cannibalistic Nerd
(Magic is the duct tape of the psychic world.)
Hypnotise you. So do I win? – Adrogoth
(Your trophy is behind my eyes. Look into them…deeper..DEEPER…)
make people verbally ejaculate.
(So your psychic power is to pour tequila?)
Find another brain cell. Then there’d be two of us! butimbeautiful
(Ok, but stop when you get there. Remember, three’s a crowd!)
Make a living napping, surfing blogs, & sipping cocktails. (Betty Rants)
(So you want to be Arianna Huffington?)
graduate. And to control other people’s mind 😀 NBI
(If you put controlling other people’s minds first, graduating would be that much easier…)
Control my bodily functions, basic motor skills, social and cognitive endeavors.
(I rely on Depends. And twitter.)
Stop me before I do something stupid. Motley Michelle
(I tried that, but I think I overestimated the power of the mind!)
make a living, Benzeknees
(As long as it’s not by making people do the chicken dance…)
End world peace. Or get it. One of the two. Elyse 54.5
(As long as you’re keeping your options open…)
To open a can of spam! Lindav
(WE HAVE A WINNER!!!)
Make my long johns appear as dress pants so I could wear them to work. 25tofly
(Wouldn’t it be easier to just buy tasteful pajama jeans?)
to get Gangham Style out of my head Stay Abnormal
(I think you definitely overestimate the power of the mind!)
Make my husband do what I ask. Wait, that’s what the other end is for. Quirky
(Are you saying your brain is in your as- Ohhhhh…)
Become Telekinetic so I can be even more entertaining at parties. KJ
(If by entertaining, you mean psychically grabbing all the wine, then yes, definitely!)

Congratulations to Lindav for this week’s winning answer! And from the offered choices, the most popular were Teleport! and Pick the fast checkout lane at the grocery store.. Yeah, I couldn’t pick between the two of those either…

This week, we’re going from the metaphysical to the mundane! We all live some place – motor home, house, apartment. Narnia…
And in all our homes, we have that one drawer. Possibly in the kitchen, maybe in a desk someplace. The junk drawer. rubberbands, scissors, twist ties. Wine bottle stoppers, key rings, a key to god-knows-what. Old letters, coupons from before reconsruction.
And other…things…
That’s this weeks poll, folks. Cram in your answers, but do it before 2359 EST, 25 October, because that’s when this one closes.
And if you write in an “Other” answer, leave a way to identify you so I can link back to you next week.

And until we all meet again, wherever that may be, I leave you with this:
Steve Martin hilariously extolling Paul Simon at Paul Simons Kennedy Award ceremony.

And slightly cruder, here’s Lewis Black explaining why you don’t want to spend 14 hours on a plane. With lots of profanity.

And I’ll see y’all…out there…

Causes. Just Because…s

Today’s Music: Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
Note on Today’s Music: Shouldn’t it be, for everyone?

A lot happens in October.
It’s the first full month of autumn, and temperatures and the environment really start to change to match the season.
Halloween comes around, as does Thanksgiving for those in Canada.

There are also a few other things, at least as important.

The first full week of October is National Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 7-13, 2012). You can find out more about it HERE.
What does that mean? Well, try and take a few minutes to consider those that do have mental illnesses.
Wonder if they – except for one hit of bad luck – are any different than you. And if giving a bit of compassion, instead of crossing the street or cutting off contact with “the crazy person”, might not be a better way to go.
Statistics say a full 25% of the population has a mental illness. Now think about how many people you know that might seem…off, but haven’t said anything about it. The stigma is probably one of the worst parts of it – not being able to come out and say Yes, I have BPD. Or Depression. Or…
Admit you have cancer, and the whole world gives you a hand. Say you have a mental illness, and people shun you.
That ain’t right.
Want to see how someone lives with it in a way that only enhances their cool? Yeah, of course you do. I can think of no better example than Lizzie Cracked, who describes it as part of who she is, not the total of who she is.
It’s a great place to start to begin understanding living with a challenge like that. And if you are afraid of those with mental illness, maybe what you read online will change how you act in real life…

But that’s not all!!!
The inestimable Nicole Warner tweeted that October is also National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
There aren’t a lot of things that get me angry enough to do something stupid. Bad remakes of classic movies, and arc television shows that have crappy payoffs are two of them.
Another is abuse. Anyone in a position of power that takes advantage or abuses someone is…you know what, let’s not go there. I can feel my blood pressure rising as I think about it.
But you can read Nicole’s story here, and see what she did. And if you are in that kind of situation, I can’t urge you strongly enough to contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
And if there’s any way you think I can help, let me know.
I’ll be around.

And the final cause I’m pointing out is that it’s Movember.
I have no idea what the hell that means. But according to Becca, guys are supposed to grow mustaches to raise awareness about Prostate and Testicular Cancer.
Women are supposed to make out with guys who have mouth brows.
And all this helps raise awareness (and hopefully money) for cancer research.
Smooching, and cash for a cause. Win/Win!

But before anyone thinks this is a bit too heavy (and October has a few other causes this month), October is also National Dessert Month!!!

How’s that for an ending note?!?

Ok, that covers the serious for the moment. Think about the above. Help out if you can.
And don’t worry, I’ll be back with the inane soon enough…