This entry was posted on Friday, February 22nd, 2008 at 7:22 am and is filed under By the Numbers, Five on Friday, I Have Fun Sometimes, Internetting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
One of my addictions is a site called StumbleUpon. I could spend an hour or two surfing through the sites that they recommend for me based on my past likes and dislikes. One side effect, however, is that I’ve begun to accumulate a lot of favorite links. And since since good internet content — like most things — is best when shared, I’ve decided to institute an occasional feature I’m calling “Five on Friday”, which will contain links on a particular theme, and will happen anywhere from weekly to never again.
Yes, I know this mass linkage thing is not revolutionary. Lots of people practice it in their posts. Now it’s my turn, and I’m kicking it off with Links that Make Me Smile. I found most of them through StumbleUpon which, incidentally, does not count as the first of five links. That said, here you go: five links to sites that left me smiling, and a bonus: my first-ever embedded YouTube video. (I’m so proud, though what does it mean if I’m already breaking my own rules? Hmmm.)
Follow the directions at Automatic Flatterer, and give your confidence a boost. (Is it embarrassing to admit that this always makes me smile?)
You’ll probably want to watch this advertisement twice — once to puzzle through it and once to figure out how it was done. Trust me, I know it doesn’t seem amusing at first, but it’s worth it for the ending alone.
Every musical genre has its own set of rules. Visit this site to read the not-so-serious Rules of the Blues. (It makes me think of Adventures in Babysitting: “Nobody leave dis place without singin’ the blues”. Anyone else remember that movie?)
I’d like to link to at least one blog entry with every “Five on Friday”. It’s hard to narrow it down, but this post from Rude Cactus gave me a huge smile and begged me to share. This is the story of his newborn son’s birth just a week or two ago. I’ve read it several times, and it always makes me feel better about life — and less nervous about eventually having children of my own.
And, finally, the bonus video. Since it’s hard not to laugh when others are doing so — especially if they’re children — I present you with Baby Ethan:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXXm696UbKY]
So, there are a few of my recent favorites. What links make you smile?
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:44 am
Oh, that video is too cute. I bet they rip paper ALL day. Lol.
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:22 am
[...] Caryn wrote an interesting post today on Five on Friday: Wherein I Commit Mass Linkage and Hope to Leave …Here’s a quick excerptThat said, here you go: five links to sites that left me smiling, and a bonus: my first-ever embedded YouTube video. (I’m so proud, though what does it mean if I’m already breaking my own rules? Hmmm.) … [...]
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:43 am
I’ve recently developed an addiction to cute puppy photos, so let me share some favorites. They make me smile every time.
http://www.heavenlymaltese.com/photos/maltese_verytiny.jpg
http://infinity.usanethosting.com/FunPics/MaltesePuppy_1.jpg
I call him Puffball. I would train him to sit on my shoulder or in my pocket and take him everywhere.
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:03 am
An “automatic flatterer” sounds pretty good! Have to check that out!
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
Melissa, I bet you’re right! And I bet they were doing it for a while before one of them said, “Hey, we should tape this!”
Jess, those are ADORABLE! Thanks for sharing. And you’re right — I am smiling now.
Kristi, it’s kind of silly, but I like it. Hope you enjoy it!
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
This — right here and now — link made me smile, Caryn, for all the sharing. Thank you, I know what it takes…
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:17 pm
God . . . THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! I spent half of today crying for a variety of reasons (my Baby Girl is very sick again, my Older Son has a teacher from Hades, blah, blah, friggin’ blah, not the least of it is I have Crohn’s disease and it picked today, for some reason, to cause me horrible pain). And man, I needed a laugh in the WORST way. And that video did it. Laughter IS the best medicine. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
E (still smilin’!)
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Over at Cranky Fitness, my co-blogger puts together a collection of Random Friday links. She had one today that I loved:
http://rinkworks.com/dialect/
You put in the URL of your blog and select a dialect for the site to translate your blog into: redneck, cockney, etc. It really was funny to read.
p.s. not to sound smug, but I have found Three Crocuses blooming in my yard! (I had to share that.)
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Larramie, I’m so glad to hear that.
Oh, Erica. I’m sorry that you had such an awful day. Although it sounds like these problems are longer-lasting, I hope that tomorrow is better. And I’m glad that the video made you smile, at least for a while.
Merry, I love the link! It was really funny. I, of course, had to try a wide variety of dialects. As for the crocuses, I am so jealous! Only two here, and they got snowed on yesterday morning. How unfair is that?!? They’re still hanging in there, but not as cheerfully as before. I think they’re second-guessing their early-risers status.
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:55 am
Tee hee, good links! Lots of lovely things to distract me when I’m meant to be getting ready for a night out on the tiles. If my eyeliner is wonky, I shall know who to blame!
February 24th, 2008 at 12:42 am
I’m off to play – and oh dear, there goes the rest of my day!
Thanks for sharing so that now I too can have too many favourite places to go!
February 24th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I like this feature!
Baby Ethan is amazing, isn’t he? Cracks me up every time I see the video.
February 24th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
LOL, Cas! Hope you have (had) a good night out on the town, wonky eyeliner or not!
Absolute Vanilla, hope you enjoy the sites! And just be careful with StumbleUpon–it’s very addicting!
Thanks, Chandra! I didn’t know if link posts would put people off or not. I’ll use them with caution at first and see what people think. And I do love Baby Ethan. I’ve been known to pull up the video when I am desperately in need of a laugh.
February 24th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I love that laughing video! Here is one that a reader posted on my blog when I asked for interesting links (so I can’t take full credit, but I love it!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYxNMFbgLEM
February 25th, 2008 at 9:12 am
You’re right. I LOVED the baby post (Owen) and it certainly made me smile, and want to cry for their happiness as well! I can’t watch the video on my work computer. Dang, I need to switch to my lap top!
February 25th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Oh my Gosh! I got to see the video and I LOVE that laugh, and what cutie! I just want to hold him and play with him!!!!!
February 25th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
thanks for the rudecactus link , i really liked reading it.
yes! i do remember adventures in babysitting thats like my siblings and I all time favorite movie, well… along with a few others.
and i like the flattering one, very cute nice to have my ego stroked.
I need to get out in cyberspace more and find more blogs until i accumulate a long list i’ll be looking for your 5 on Fridays!
February 27th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
@Caryn – alas, whilst the eyeliner wasn’t wonky in the end, the night ended young as I couldn’t locate my mojo
Melissa Walker – that kid is just the best!
April 24th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
This is an old post, but I only found it recently. I can’t count the number of times I’ve watched baby Ethan. As soon as he falls over into the car seat, I’m a goner, and I giggle right along with him the entire time. Thanks for sharing!
June 6th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
[...] It’s a fun thing to watch. However, this time around, I’m going to have to go with the original idea, because I’m a bit of a stickler. Since all my creativity is being siphoned off for my book, [...]