The Blog

All week I have talked about some of the creative mediums of internet entertainment and I just don't think I could go any further without mentioning the mighty blog. Ree Drummond, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, may have gotten her name from her life on the ranch, but she has also been a pioneer for mom blogs all over the world.

Personally, I just don't get it. What is so special about The Pioneer Woman? I do love her writing style and she certainly has an intriguing story about how she went from the posh city life to settling down in "the middle of nowhere on a working cattle ranch". Okay, and maybe she does have some amazing recipes and granted the photographs that she takes of these recipes and her life on the ranch are just stunning, but still what more could she possible offer? Oh yeah, she's funny, beautiful, and home schools her four children while keeping up with one the most successful blogs on the internet all the while appearing to be totally approachable and down to earth.
FINE. I'll admit it, she's amazing. Goodness, let's move on.

As much I can say all that about the pioneer woman I will admit to feeling a little overwhelmed by the complexity of the blog. I could drown in a sea of 400+ comments per post, that is why most of the time you are likely to catch me frequenting smaller simpler blogs of people that I know. Or sometimes it's just people that I feel like I know after having brief exchanges online like The Thrifty Mama or Suburban Matron, but watch out Becky and Crystal if you start getting hundreds of comments I might just jump ship. Not really, I would probably just brag that I started reading before the masses. Or maybe all this talk about the beauty of the entry level blog is just my way of plugging my own work. Oops.

Obviously blogging is a big part of my life, at least for now. The other day someone asked me if I had any hobbies and the first thing to pop into my head was blogging. If you haven't caught blog fever, watch out it's spreading like the swine flu.

You Tube

Perhaps you have heard of The Battle Of Krugar, which is a video of some lions attacking a baby buffalo in Africa. Except the Lions are challenged by an alligator just before the buffalo herd decided to come back for a triumphant and victorious ending allowing the calf to escape the predators. Just the scene out in the wild is fascinating enough, but then add to that the fact that it was shot by a tourist from Texas who claims he barely knew to work the video camera. Humble words for a video that was sold to National Geographic to be added to the ranks with some of the most historic wildlife footage ever captured.

Or maybe you've seen or heard of a home movie posted on you tube that was later purchased for big bucks by some advertisers. These were individuals that weren't seeking fame and fortune, they just wanted to share their home movie with friends and family. On the other hand there are people posting videos online that have every intention of getting noticed and hopefully making it big.

These professional youtubers, vidcasters, and vloggers use the internet as a way to stretch their muscles as directors, actors, and cinematographers. My personal favorite is Julian Smith who got his big break with the popular "25 things I hate about Face Book" video. More recently he did his own spoof of the rising youtube star Susan Boyle from Britain's got talent. Looks like we could have another rising star here.




This post originally had embedded links galore, but after trying countless times to get it to all work properly I finally gave up. I don't know what the deal is, but if you are interested in checking out any of the videos I mention just copy the URL's listed bellow.

Battle Of Kruger- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

The Battle Of Kruger Documentary- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/arts/television/10kruger.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2

Article on Laughing baby and other commercials- http://www.slate.com/id/2180950/pagenum/all/

25 Things I Hate About Face Book- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVA047JAQsk

The Lost Podcast with Jay and Jack

As some of you know I am a big Lost fan. I never thought that I would be. I am definitely not into action or sci-fi or long term commitments, as far as TV goes. However, somehow I got locked in (that was not intended be a John Locke pun, but it works) around season 3 when we started renting the DVDs. Now that we are nearing the end with only one 19 episodes left (18 after tonight) there is no turning back. 

I will be honest though, the thing that has kept me going through all the twist, turns, and my own personal befuddlement has been listening to The Lost Podcast. It is basically just two average guys from North Carolina that deliver bi weekly podcasts decoding some of the mystery's of Lost, bringing their own theories, as well as listener feedback from all over the world. Even Jorge Garcia (Hurley) has been on the show. I look forward to the podcast almost more than the show itself, because I am so reliant on other people to explain, or at least attempt to theorize, what the heck is going on. 

I will admit that Jay and Jack do receive some criticism for getting off topic or being socially awkward, and it does get annoying sometimes, but I am at the point now that I feel like I am talking bad about a good friend by saying that. If you are interested in following along you can subscribe to the Lost Podcast with Jay and Jack on itunes or check out jayandjack.com

If you are a Lost fan I would love to talk theories, please leave a comment. Or maybe you have a favorite podcast on another topic, do share.  In the meantime I will be watching lost's for the "101th" time.

 

 

Look Back and Laugh: "Homestar Runner. It's dot com."

This week I am talking about online celebrities or you could also call them internet prodigies. So instead of sharing a funny story from my past I will share a funny website that I used to frequent in the past when I wanted to get a good brainless laugh (as opposed to the other kind of laugh that takes a lot of forethought). 

Homestar Runner was created by two brothers from Georgia who wanted to practice their graphic skills and came up with a website called homestarrunner.com.They shared their off the wall online cartoons with friends, who loved it and told all their friends. One thing lead to another and over time this fun little project became a full time gig. 

They make money by selling Homestar branded merchandise. The couple of the times I have spotted a random stranger wearing something that came from the site I felt some kind of instant inner camaraderie. Without saying anything I could just  look at them and be like, "Strongbad, yeah".

Homestar runner gets over a million unique visitors a month and has been featured in Wired Magazine and on NPR's All Things Considered. Not too bad for a couple of guys messing around with flash. I love to hear small town success stories. Go Homestar. 

The indie web

It is great to be in America, the land of opportunity, and in the age of the internet, the launch pad for success. Thanks to the internet any artist, dreamer, or free thinker automatically has access to an audience of millions. So whether your dream is to entertain as a musician, or express your thoughts to the world through poetry, you have that option via the internet. Sure, it is not a guarantee done deal that your voice will ever be heard, but it beats the odds of finding your big break at the local coffee shop on open mic night. 

This week I am going to share some of my favorite internet celebrities, who are actually not celebrities at all, which could be half the reason I find them so refreshing. 

Babysitter Poker

It's a tricky thing knowing when you need help with the kids and when you can juggle it all on your own.  J and I were at a "come and go" wedding shower recently and brought Z with us. While chatting with some of the other mom's I said how glad I was that I wasn't the only one daring enough to bring my child. They totally related, and we talked about how we try to save up baby sitter time for emergencies or really special occasions. 

Whether you have a nanny, a friend, or family member watching your children you want to make sure you play your cards just right, like in Poker. 

"You've got to know when to hold 'em"- These are the times when only mama will do. For example when your babysitter calls to say your little one is sick all bets are off. You are going to be there to pick them up right away. 

"Know when to fold 'em"- This is when you don't get a babysitter because you feel like you can handle it on your own. See example of wedding shower  above.

"Know when to walk away"- These are the times that you need a babysitter even if you wish you didn't, like when you have a doctors appointment. 

"Know when to run"- If you are burnt out or need some alone time with your spouse and someone close to you offers to watch your kids, take the opportunity and run! 

So that is how you play babysitter poker. Who knew Kenny Rogers was singing about the dynamics of child care this whole time. 

Saving Money On Babysitters

Whether you have to go work, want a night out with your husband, or just need a break in general, there are times in every mom’s life that she will have to find child care. The problem is how can anyone afford it?  Sure, some people are lucky enough to have relatives banging down the door begging to help, but not everyone  is that fortunate. Here are a few ideas that have worked for me.

 

1. Swap Kids.

 I have already mentioned this 3 times this week. It’s a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” kind of deal, except apply it to watching your friends children in exchange for them watching yours.

 

2. Pay with non-monetary gifts.

 

I brought this up when I blogged about the The Call of Coupons. Obviously, it will have to be someone special that is willing to baby sit for candy and beauty products, but it is resource you can use if you happen to have a stock pile of items on hand. I have done this before, although I should mention one more time, you have to know that the person that is helping is not someone looking for a paying job, but just wanting to help a mother in need. I babysat for groceries several times back when I was a newly wed.

 

3.  Barter.

 

Bartering can go a long way. I don’t know how many times I have exchanged babysitting time for a photo session or prints. Just make sure you work out all the details ahead of time so that all parties involved feel like the exchange is fair.

 

4. Hire someone youthful.

 

You want to know that your children are safe and well cared for by someone mature and responsible, but the general rule seems to be the older the sitter the more they charge. I know a girl that is a little too young to baby sit, but for 5 or 10 dollars she can come with me on a photo assignment, or just hang out around the house so that I can actually get things done. It is very helpful and saves me a lot of money.

 

5.  Location, location, location.

 

Are you going to have to drive to pick up the sitter? Because that is going to cost you, so you might want to consider someone that lives close by, or that will come to you. If you are in a position were your children can go to the sitters house, choose someone that is in that direction. If I know I am traveling 30 minutes to get somewhere, I will try and find a friend or sitter in that area, otherwise I am paying for an hour of driving time.

 

These are just a few simple suggestions coming from a part time working mom on a tight budget that does not have family close by. I would also love to hear an ideas that you might have. Every little bit helps.  

For more ways to save check out "Frugal Friday's" at Life as Mom.com

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